GM Rednal's Godbound (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Unfortunately, his eldest son, while good of heart, was not blessed with his father's wisdom with dealing with the neighboring kingdoms, and before long, the largest neighbor invaded. Within six months, the kingdom had been pushed back until it's capital was under siege by the enemy host. Listrana was the leader of her kingdom's field forces, the only surviving Knight. She led from the battlements, her red-steel blade and bright steel armor flashing in the light of day and the torchlights of night as her soldiers held the wall.

It was during a thrust by the enemy in the second week of the siege that a single arrow found her eye-slit, burying itself in her head. It was in that moment that her new Divinity touched her, and she stood, blood leaking from the helmet. Then she continued to move along the wall, killing every enemy that reached the battlements, blood oozing from her helmet, leaving a trail of bloody tears.

For two weeks, she stalked the battlements, day and night, ignoring every wound and killing every soldier who reached the battlements. Finally, with the host weakened and demoralized, she led forth a charge into the enemy line from the sortie gate, and slaughtered her way through to the enemy prince and struck his head from his shoulders.

The enemy's morale crumbled, and they fled. Only when the last was out of sight, did she slide from her horse, dead.

However, when she was laid in state and the arrow removed from her eye, she sat up, alive again. And now Godbound.

Daily usage of powers are mostly of a martial bent, as she will start the game only (within a few weeks) having come to godhood

Justice: Listrana, again from the good example of her former king, has an inherent sense of justice. This is not the justice of the strong, but the justice of the ethical. She does not demand that all people have equal outcomes, but only equal opportunity. She has no issue with an ethical person becoming rich through wise planning, and no issue with someone becoming a beggar through lazyness or thievery (losing a hand for example). But when things are beyond someone's control, she desires that their opportunities be expanded.

Responsibility: Listrana feels a sense of responsibility for those she has taken on as her protected, and especially for those who cannot defend themselves. Especially children and elderly.

Honor: Listrana has a strong sense of honor, and never lies. That is not to say she won't try to lead enemies into traps, or bluff in combat, but if she says something, it is the truth to the best of her knowledge.

Background: Kostya was born in Nezdohva, near the borders with the nation of the Raktine Confederacy. His parents did everything they could to provide more for their son than they had growing up. Their proudest moment was when Kostya was accepted to the Artificer's Guild as an apprentice. It meant him leaving his parents and home behind but as an Artificer he had a real chance at escaping the poverty and low quality of life that his family had lived in for years. Kostya worked hard to make himself useful, he would stay up late studying the works of various Artificers within the Guild and trying to analyze what made their projects useful and what could be improved upon. When he was sixteen he completed his apprenticeship and become a full member of the Artificer's Guild. When given the option of a boyar to serve he chose the one who had nominal control over the area his family lived. But when he asked if it would be possible to to and visit his parents, the boyar informed him that they had been killed in a border dispute two years prior. The boyar didn't care how deeply this affected Kostya, saying simply, "You dont have to worry about any distractions now."

This was the first seed of resentment planted within Kostya's mind that would take just over a decade to fully bloom. At the time though Kostya chose to throw himself completely into his work. It was ironic because his boyar thought he had no distractions, but ultimately his work was Kostya's distraction from his own grief. Kostya proved that he had a knack for looking at other's creations and learning from them quickly, then improving upon them for his own use. For several years after learning of his parent's death, he focused his efforts on improving the boyar's troops. He felt that if he could make their warriors better, then less serfs like his parents would have to die in pointless border skirmishes. Despite all of his knowledge of artifice he was still relatively naive when it came to the world at large. But he was curious and longed to change that, so he took advantage of one of the greatest privileges of the Artificer's Guild, he traveled outside of Nezdohva.

Seeing more of the world was a large part of what opened Kostya's eyes to how horrible the Iron Tsar treated his subjects. Kostya stayed a few months in the Bright Republic and got to see that, while far from perfect, they at least maintained the illusion of something more fair. If you were willing to work within the system you could at least improve your lot in life. This time abroad helped feed that first seed of anger and resentment that had been lying mostly buried by Kostya's work for years. But it was the events of his homecoming that would turn Kostya's life upside down and cause that small seed to blossom into outright hatred for his home country.

When he arrived home from his travels, Kostya happened to pass through the village where he had grown up. Despite his guard's urging that they should quickly move back to the boyar's residence, he decided to go visit his childhood home. So it was a great surprise to see that his mother was still living there, along with a younger sibling he hadn't known he had. His mother seemed terrified and kept saying that she'd done what she had to, to protect them all. Eventually his guards pulled him away and took him to the boyar. Kostya was furious and demanded to know the truth. Sounding more put out than understanding the boyar explained that his father had died in a raid but that he felt it would be simpler to say Kostya's whole family had died. The boyar felt that believing his family was alive would just drive him to distraction. He went so far as to take credit for all of Kostya's work and progress up to this point, saying it was possible only because of his freedom from distractions like his family. In a fit of rage Kostya actually attempted to attack the boyar. But Kostya's mind had always been mightier than his body and even if he had been in peak form a boyar automaton was stronger than a dozen men. The boyar's casual retaliation left Kostya with a shattered arm and several broken ribs. The boyar then calmly explained that anymore outbursts like that would result in the punishment of his mother and sister.

Burning with anger, Kostya decided he had to do something. He was tired of feeling helpless to change his own life, he needed to improve things for himself. To do that he decided that he'd just have to improve himself. So that night he locked himself in his lab and began his work. The thing that emerged and tore through several of the boyar's guards was not an automaton, nor was it entirely human, but it was Kostya. In a fit of inspiration and possibly madness, Kostya had found a way to remake himself into something more than human and in that moment he ascended as a Godbound. Kostya quickly went to find his mother and sister and stole away with them in the middle of the night. He would eventually settle them down in the Bright Republic, where they would not stand out among the sea of varied nationalities. The other benefit to the Bright Republic was that as a center for technological marvels, it was the perfect place to learn how to further enhance and improve himself. Because one day, when he was strong enough, Kostya vowed he would tear down every boyar and automaton between him and the Iron Tzar. He would free his home nation from the iron grip that held it in a rigid, machine controlled stasis.

Origin Fact: Born to human serfs in automaton controlled Nezdohva. He lived in poverty for most of his childhood, his parents working themselves ragged to help Kostya receive enough education to qualify for the Artificer's Guild apprenticeship.
Past Profession Fact: Former respected member of the Nezdohva Artificer's Guild. He is quite skilled at analyzing technology and modifying it for his own use.
Relationship Fact: The boyar he served beat him half to death and threatened his family. This drove him to alter himself and leave Nezdohva, killing several of the boyar's servants on his way out. There is significant antagonism between the boyars of Nezdohva and all of the Iron Tzar's minions.

Stats
Strength: 19 [Base 8]
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 16 [Base 10]
Wisdom: 13
Intelligence: 16
Charisma: 13

Saves
Hardiness: 11
Evasion: 13
Spirit: 14

Words of Power: Artifice, Might & Endurance

Gifts [Word - Points]
Mark the Maker [Artifice - 1]
Ten Thousand Tools [Artifice - 1]
Fists of Black Iron [Might - 1]
Thews of the Gods [Might - 2]
Body of Iron Will [Endurance - 1]

Notes on Ability Use: So I think all of his current abilities dont require power investments. This is largely because his Godbound status is based mainly on Artifice and self-alteration/improvement. Eventually he will have powers he needs to invest in but they will all link back to the theme of a modification he has made to himself to better deal with some situation. So his focus will be on creating things and altering himself, as well as making things to help other's improve their own lives. The theme of pulling yourself up and fighting for yourself is going to be core to his character I think.

Weapon: Unarmed - Through Fists of Black Iron he's replaced one whole arm and parts of the other with artificial limbs that have much more power than his previously frail, human limbs. Because he never trained with any weapons he uses his raw strength in combat when threatened.
Armor Class: 2 - Again, while not previously the most sturdy physical specimen, Kostya has made numerous changes to his body to allow him to be more resistant to harm. He refuses to be thrown around and abused like he was as a normal researcher.

Motivations & Complications
Justice: Kostya's central motivation is based around the idea of seeking justice for his oppressed people. Improving himself so that he can eventually free them from the oppression of the Iron Tzar. This tends to make Kostya more willing to stand up for the downtrodden or marginalized than the average person might be willing to.
Obsession/Temper: Kostya's two biggest faults tie into his core motivation. He is obsessed with improving himself. Even recognizing that he is literally turning himself into a machine, just like the automatons he vows to destroy, he cannot stop himself. He relentlessly researches ways he can alter and improve himself. Those that he feels would try to prevent him from doing this, even for his own good, quickly see his temper. When he feels limited he occasionally reacts very aggressively and violently. And while he occasionally regrets not being more calm and measured after the fact, in the moment he often acts rather emotionally, especially if he feels threatened with restrictions or limitations on his freedom.

National Problems: So the core focus for him would be two issues in his home nation of Nezdohva. Primarily the fact that most serfs want to overthrow their automaton overlords, as this has become his life's goal. Secondarily he would like to do something about the monsters that spill over from Raktia as his father was lost during one of these attacks. And as for the third it would be a more recent goal. In his new home, the Bright Republic, the failing of the etheric nodes might be something he's just starting to notice as big potential issue.

Appearance

Description: Octavia is one of the scions of the Patrian Empire's Great Families, several hundred of the most powerful and influential households in the nation. As the eighth child of her family - hence her name - she was a long ways from a coveted Senator's seat or even a particularly impressive inheritance. Sure, she could expect to be reasonably comfortable throughout her life - especially in comparison to many of the Empire's slaves - but that wasn't really the same thing as being affluent. Given all that, of course, she opted to set her sights on something else.

As a child, Octavia was always a little slower than many of her peers, though she worked to build up her physical strength to help compensate for this. This served her in good stead as she studied at the University of Carteia, one of the Empire's finer schools. She had a definite knack for studying, and indeed, education was the main fixture of her life. She wasn't on the level of some of the geniuses that the universities saw, but managed to consistently maintain solid grades and earn the acknowledgment of her teachers.

There was, of course, one other little detail of her life - marriage. As the daughter of one of the Great Families, Octavia's hand was essentially a bargaining chip to be given to someone in another family as part of sealing an alliance, and she never had any illusions otherwise. The man her family focused on was Flavius Helvia, second son of his family and seven years older than her - actually a fairly close match in age when you compared it to some other arrangements. The agreement was finalized when Octavia was fifteen years old, but even back then she was a charmer and managed to convince both families to allow for an extended engagement as long as she was in school. As she pointed out, this gave her the chance to be more than just a pretty face for Flavius - once she was done with her education, she could actively help both families, and in the meantime she could still appear as his partner at formal events. (That this gave Flavius more time to 'play around' was basically just a bonus from his perspective.)

Like most members of the Great Families, then, Octavia's life was essentially scripted out for her to follow - and doubtless it would have stayed that way if she hadn't manifested the gifts of a Godbound. At that point in time, people with such powers were little more than rumors from distant lands, dismissed as quickly as they were heard by anyone with good sense. As with many of her kin, Octavia's abilities ignited in a moment of crisis - and it was certainly memorable for all involved.

Two months past her nineteenth birthday, a group of Dulimbaian slaves broke ranks to charge a Church of the One, fully intent on killing what they saw as the priest of a false god. Octavia was already running to intercept, but she was still as slow as she'd ever been, and she could only watch the approaching knives with horror. Then the entire world seemed to slow around her as lightning crackled around her feet and she shot across the distance between them, tackling the priest out of the way. It was, alas, far from a perfect rescue. The two of them went tumbling across the ground, but Octavia managed to cushion the priest's body with her own as they slammed into a stone wall hard enough to crater it.

The Dulimbaians didn't understand what had just happened - which was probably fair enough, given that nobody else did either. What they did know was that their target was still close by and they had their weapons in hand. None of them got within twenty feet of Octavia or the priest - as they advanced, Octavia used lightning offensively for the first time ever - and a rain of bolts struck them dead.

Some called it a miracle of the One. Octavia, on the other hand, was badly shaken by it - because she knew that the power had come entirely from within her, and that was even more frightening. She ran, frightened of her own power and desperate to find someone - anyone - who could help. It took hours for her to finally settle down and contact her family - her engagement was promptly put on hold, she was removed from her classes, and her entire family got involved with trying to figure out what in the One's name had just happened.

Eventually, it became clear that, for reasons unknown and perhaps unknowable, Octavia had become much more than human. She was fast, now, her body suddenly moving near (although not quite at) the peak of human ability - and seemed to have an uncanny knack for reacting to things she shouldn't have known were there. She was healthier, too, looking more vibrant and energetic than ever. Eventually, though careful testing and practice, they managed to narrow down what she was actually capable of.

In addition to being bound to three of the Words of Creation - Alacrity, Health, and Sky - she had a number of different abilities. She could react frighteningly quickly to danger, and was as hard to hit as a well-trained warrior in heavy armor. She could call down lightning from the sky in several ways or, and she liked this one better, gift other people with revitalizing energy. She seemed to have a little more raw essence than most of the Godbound possessed, too, which allowed her to do more powerful deeds each day.

This being the Patrian Empire, the immediate question on her family's mind was how they could use it to advance their own power. What they didn't realize was that Octavia saw her lightning as the least of her powers, quite subordinate to the fact that she could save even those on the brink of death. Deeper inside her, however, was a gnawing nervousness about what these powers meant for her faith. Like all of her family, she was a devotee of the one, and yet she now possessed abilities that exceeded even true theurgy from the ancient records. They could only be called divine - and that terrified her. She didn't know where she was going to end up, but before she could find out... well, the story began.

As it stands, though, Octavia prefers healing to offensive uses of her magic, even if she has to invoke a miracle to do it (although she usually retains at least one point of Effort just in case). This is a holdover from her time with the Church of the One, as she believes that it's the duty of those with power to use it properly. As she sees it, the lightning she can fling is impressive (and kind of fun), but it can ultimately be replicated rather effectively by mundane means. Healing is much harder for others to accomplish, and so she sees it as the noblest use of her abilities.

Octavia now hopes to use her powers to bring peace to the realm - particularly between her homeland and its age-old foe. She believes that her home is on the 'right' side of the conflict (although it is possible for events to convince her otherwise), but she's reluctant to accept the idea of taking personal rulership, since she prefers leaders who are ultimately selected by their people. Accordingly, she's trying to find some other way of encouraging peace in this part of the land.

Complications:

Motivation: Peace: Octavia strongly desires to put an end to the war between her homeland and the Dulimbaian Regency. Of course, peace is not so simple as taking over one or the other - everyone in both nations is used to the war, and a great many people have stakes in it. Accordingly, she's searching for both personal power and reasons to get the two lands to stop their war.

Motivation: Responsibility: Octavia was raised in the Church of the One, and was taught the importance of personal responsibility. While the acquisition of her own divine powers has somewhat shaken her, she hasn't totally cast aside her original faith, and wonders if all of this is part of some larger plot to test mortals. Accordingly, she feels that her possession of power means she has the responsibility to use it properly - although her upbringing means she's hesitant to directly oppose her homeland's government, which she sees as the rightful rulers of their land.

Relationship: Fiancée: Before acquiring her Godbound powers around three months ago, Octavia was engaged to the scion of another one of the Great Families as part of a political marriage. This has been put on hold as both families try to figure out what in the world happened to her, but if both families pushed forward on it, she might find some serious limits imposed on her freedom... caught between loyalty to her country and her belief that she needs to responsibly use her power, there might be no easy choices here.

Resources:
Dominion: 0
Effort: 3
Influence: 2
Wealth: 0
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HEALTH AND DEFENSE
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Hit Points: 10/10
AC: 3, Type: Gift
Hardiness: 13 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Con; Armor Penalty: 0
Evasion: 13 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Dex; Armor Penalty: 0
Spirit: 13 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Cha; Armor Penalty: 0
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OFFENSE
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Whip +3 / 1d6+2 Physical (Dex)
Whip (Stormsword) +3 / 1d10+2 Lightning (Dex)
Ranged (Stormsword) +3 / 1d10+2 Lightning (Dex)
Fray: 1d8
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ATTRIBUTES
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Strength: 13; Mod: +1; Check: 8
Dexterity: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5 (Originally 8)
Constitution: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5 (Originally 10)
Intelligence: 14; Mod: +1; Check: 7
Wisdom: 13; Mod: +1; Check: 8
Charisma: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5
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FACTS
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Origin: Octavia was born to a Great Family in the Patrian Empire
Past Career: Octavia was a scholar preparing for marriage
Relationship: Octavia's family followed the Church of the One
Languages: Ancient Akeh, Patrian, Trade Cant
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WORDS AND GIFTS
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Alacrity (Word) Cannot be surprised. Increase Dexterity to 16.
Alacrity: Walk Between the Rain (Constant) Natural AC is 3. Cannot be hit by anything not driven by purpose unless it's intentionally allowed. Traps still work. No benefit from armor/shields.
Health (Word) Invincible defense against disease and poison, and can diagnose them instantly. Increase Constitution to 16.
Health: Merciful Gaze (Action) By gazing at target, heal 2d6+Level damage. Target must Commit Effort for Day to benefit. NPCs and Mortals can benefit once per day.
Sky (Word) Never harmed by falling, does not need to breathe, invincible defense against electricity, cold, and sonic damage.
Sky: Rain of Lightning (Action) Every desired target within 100 feet of point in sight takes 1d6 die of electrical damage. Cannot destroy objects.
Sky: Stormsword (On Turn) Commit Effort. Wield electricity as ranged weapon to 200 feet, or sheathe weapon in it. Damage is minimum of 1d10, counts as magical. Deals 1 point of damage to wet or metal-armored foes, even if it misses.
Universal: Divine Wrath (Smite; Action) Commit Effort to end of scene. Smite a chosen foe in sight with energy of a selected Word, dealing 1d8 damage die per level. Immune to the Wrath of own Bound words, as are entities with similar powers.
Universal: Effort of the Word Increase maximum Effort by 1.

STR 13
Dex 16 (Base 8)
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 16

AC: 2
Hardiness 14
Evasion 12
Spirit 12

Facts:
Origin - Confidence thief who experienced a change of heart when his injured body was made whole.

Past Profession - Criminal and occasional guide to the lost ruins of the Karistan Archipelago.

Relationship - On the outs with the "Brotherhood of the Kraken" a notable Karistan pirate clan.

Words: Journeying, Alacrity, Luck

Gifts: All Directions as One (Alacrity), Swifter than the Sun (Alacrity) Know the Path (Journeying), Opening the Way (Journeying), The World Against You (Luck) Unmarred Beneficence (Luck)

Motivations: Thrills and Recognition
Complications: Honor, Enemy, Reputation

Effort 2
Languages: Salt Ren, Trade Cant, Anceint Akeh, Old Din

Etos Kavaine was a novice knight in the Order of the Long Morrow. He was the last squire who was knighted before the Nightroads ripped into his home nation of Ancalia, turning the peaceful ceremony into chaos. Only the Knight Commander kept his calm, which allowed him to rally his men, including a scared young knight unprepared for what awaited him. The Knight Commander marched to the city gates and moved to engage the Uncreated that were pouring through a nightroad. He lead over 1000 battle trained knights.

Only one returned.

While he was always in good health, the knight who walked back into the fortified camp of Janjero 4 years later was sporting a dozen wounds that would have felled a mortal man, including an axe that was still stuck in the space between his 3rd and 4th rib. The knight, who now referred to himself as Atosheen (the Kerez word for hunter), forswore his oath as a knight and left the city, striding back into the wilderness looking for more creatures to kill. The warlord who rode out to stop him had his head stricken from his shoulders before the man could raise his Technological shield to protect himself.

"None shall stop me from killing the Uncreated, not knight, king, emperor, or peasant. Know this, and tell others." he told the warlord's shocked guards, who then promptly returned to the city and started spreading the story of the immortal killer of monsters.

HP: 11/11
AC: 0 (3 for body of iron will, -3 for dexterity)
Maximum Effort: 2
Influence: 2

Weapon: Greatsword +5 to hit; 1d12 damage (magic)

Fact 1) Atosheen was a novice knight of the order of the long morrow.

Fact 2) Atosheen honed his combat training during a harrowing, long fight against the Uncreated. It was during this time that he gained his words.

Fact 3) Atosheen is hunting a powerful winged abomination that ate his Knight Commander. He seeks to face it in mortal combat so that he can avenge the man who he idolized.

Goal: Find the monster who ate my hero and kill it.

Words:

Might: A Godbound of the Word of Might is tremendously powerful, gaining a Strength score of 19 and a +4 attribute modifier for Strength. This prowess allows them to lift or break anything that is humanly possible to so handle, though truly supernatural feats of strength require the use of a gift or miracle.

Gift: Fists of Black Iron (Constant) - The Godbound's unarmed and weapon attacks are fueled by their tremendous strength. One-handed weapons do 1d10 damage in their hands, and two-handed ones or unarmed attacks made with both hands free inflict 1d12. These attacks count as magical weapons.

Endurance: Heroes of Endurance need not eat, sleep, drink, or breathe, and may set their Constitution score to 16, or 18 if it’s already 16 or higher.

Gift: Body of Iron Will (Constant) - Your natural armor class is 3. You are impervious to any natural environmental damage, such as that caused by extreme heat, cold, pressure, radiation, or vacuum. Such forces used as a weapon or hazard against you function normally. Armor or shields don't benefit this base AC.

Gift: Amaranth Vitality (Constant) - Every fifteen minutes you heal one lost hit point per three character levels, rounded up, so long as you are still alive.

Gift: Undying (Constant) - While you can be brought to zero hit points, mutilated, or burnt, you cannot actually be killed except by the effect or aid of a Word-powered gift, divine miracle, or gift-enhanced attack. If not slain, you regenerate back to one hit point in an hour from your largest remaining piece.

Time: Heroes with the Time Word always know the exact time, and are immune to any uses of this Word to affect them or scry on them. They may set their Wisdom to 16, or 18 if it’s already 16 or higher.

Gift: Excellence of the Word (Dexterity) - Atosheen uses his ability to influence time to give him the ability to react far faster than any normal ability (we would call this bullet time).

Intef was the slave of a master wizard, sold to the man who detected his intelligence. Intef was given 3 meals a day, never beaten, and taught a great many things. While his master hoped that he would become a powerful wizard that he could sell to one of the nobility, Intef had absolutely no talent for magic. No matter how many instruction sessions he gave him, it soon became apparent that he would never grasp the intricacies of the art, and so Intef was hobbled and left to die in the sands, his name cursed by his master.

Intef, however, had plans other than dying. Though he could not walk, he dragged himself into shade, where he passed out from the exhaustion and pain.

When he awoke, Intef was healed, as if by magic. He was also surrounded by a pack of undead jackals, playthings of a nearby minor noble. The noble, a man known for "saving" travelers so that he could toy with them before he sacrificed them to whatever being gave him power, approached with an offer of protection from the beasts. When Intef reached out his hand to fend them off, he felt an innate connection with them, one that he used to turn the beasts on their master, the man's final words were drowned out by the sound of chewing.

As Intef strode through the destert, he encountered a caravan who agreed to allow him to join and travel with them if he was willing to work for his place. Intef agreed, and when the Caravan reached Wadjet, Intef had learned that he often was able to tell a person's secret heart, should he but take the time to listen. Undead would not threaten him, and he had developed the ability to slow time around him, allowing him to react to threats before they truly materialized.

Intef has taken his leave of the caravan master, who offered him a permanent position with the caravan. Intef, however, believes his destiny awaits him far from the lands of his birth.

str 13/+1/8
dex 18/+3/3 (Originally 10)
con 14/+1/7
int 18/+3/3 (Originally 16)
wis 16/+2/5 (Originally 8)
cha 13/+1/8

HP 9
AC 0
Effort: 2
Wealth: 0

Fact: Intef is a former slave in the oasis states and magician's apprentice who has a great deal of practical knowledge about magic, but no ability what-so-ever to actually cast it.

Fact: Intef had a great deal of knowledge that he acquired during his training, but he has no capacity to actually cast magic.

Fact: Intef's master was a member in good standing of one of the black academies, and so Intef seeks to abolish their practices.

Words: Death, Time, Knowledge

Death Gifts: Reaping Word

Time Gifts: Immediate Foresight, Excellence of the Word (Dexterity)

Knowledge Gifts: Excision of Understanding, A Truth that Burns

Intef carries neither weapons nor armor, but often takes weapons from those he fights.

Years past. A cough took Upright's wife, leaving him and his son alone. Thoughtful was the light of his life, seeing color where there was none to be found and sharing it with his father. Upright did his best to prepare him for the antipriesthood but, even at the age of seven, it was clear that the boy had none of the merciless nature necessary and his father was too soft-hearted to teach it to him. Still, life went on. Upright ascended the Holy Colloquy, one rung at a time, until the day his life turned upside down.

Upright ascended with a disappointing lack of fanfare. He was out walking the fields when his vision narrowed, then went black. He collapsed, and under him he could feel the earth. Not just the dirt - he could feel its creative potential, in a way he hadn't been able to since he was a child. The slaves ran to help him, and around him he could feel their fear. Their fear that, somehow, they would be punished for this. With a wave of his hand, their fear turned to awe. The earth shook. He fled.

He knew what he had become. He had heard the rumors, but had dismissed them as overexcited fantasy. New legends for old theurgy. This, though... this was not theurgy. He, an Atheist to the core, had been made a God. And all knew what the Atheocracy did to such as him. That night, he collected his son and what supplies they could carry and ran west. The journey was easy; his new powers aiding him and the boy while hindering his pursuers - the Atheocracy are many things, but they are not fools. They chased him for as long as they could.

Now Upright Servant leads an inland village in the Bleak Reach. He is the wealth in their pockets, the food on their table, and the walls that keep them safe - for now.

Complications:
Motivation: Something Worth Passing On - The world is broken, and grows more so every day. Upright would fix it, if he could - not for himself, but for his son and his son's sons. Such has been the goal of the Atheocracy for centuries; the Atheocracy, though, never had a god at the helm.
Relationship: The Son, the Redeemer - Thoughtful Servant, now eight years old, is the guiding light of Upright's life. Everything he does is for the long-term good of his son; every plan a chance to make a better world for him to live in. Should something ever take Thoughtful from Upright... there's an old saying. 'Fléctere si néqueo súperos Acheronta movebo.' - 'If I cannot move Heaven, I will raise Hell.'
Faith: Apostate Antipriest or A God Am I - Though he was once an antipriest and still follows some of their ideas for a better society, Upright truly believes himself to be a God walking the earth - he can think of no better explanation for his powers. The Atheocracy, predictably, would dispute this, and the two are not on the best of terms.

Resources:
Dominion: 0
Effort: 3
Influence: 2
Wealth: 0

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HEALTH AND DEFENSES
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Hit Points: 10
AC: 2 Type: Gift
Hardiness: 13; Base: 15; Mod: Con; Armor Penalty: 0
Evasion: 13; Base: 15; Mod: Int; Armor Penalty: 0
Spirit: 13; Base: 15; Mod: Cha; Armor Penalty: 0

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OFFENSE
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Staff: +2 / 1d10+1 Physical (Str)
Frey: 1d8

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ATTRIBUTES:
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Strength: 13 Mod: +1 Check: 8
Dexterity: 13 Mod: +1 Check: 8
Constitution: 16 Mod: +2 Check: 5 (Originally 8)
Intelligence: 16 Mod: +2 Check: 5
Wisdom: 14 Mod: +1 Check: 7
Charisma: 16 Mod: +2 Check: 5 (Originally 10)

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FACTS:
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Relationship: Upright is the current hetman of a small settlement in the Bleak Reach.
Past Career: Upright was a canny politician and philosopher.
Origin: Upright was an antipriest of the Atheocracy.
Languages: Trade Cant. Interestingly, there are no languages listed for the Atheocracy.

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WORDS AND GIFTS:
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Earth (Word): Increase Constitution to 16.
Obduracy of Stone: Natural AC is 3, invincible defense against harm by stone, earth, or burial. No longer needs to eat, drink, or breathe. Armor and shields do not improve AC.
Builder of Mountain Peaks: Each round, create, modify, or destroy a stone or earth structure up to 20x20x20 in size. May be used to trap enemies. Can create earth or stone as part of the process. Creatures made entirely of earth or stone may be completely controlled, the Worthy resist with Spirit.
Wealth (Word): Can always afford anything worth 1 Wealth or less. I and my companions never lack for food, drink, or clothing.
Sustain the Multitude: A faction with a power score no larger than 2 gains the feature "We Always Have Enough to Survive".
Passion (Word): Increase Charisma to 16
Banner of Passion: All NPCs within sight or earshot are suffused with an emotion of my choice, directed at the target of my choosing. The Worthy roll Spirit to resist.
Universal:
Effort of the Word: Increase Effort by 1

AC: 2
Hardiness 14
Evasion 12
Spirit 12

Facts:
Origin - Confidence thief who experienced a change of heart when his injured body was made whole.

Past Profession - Criminal and occasional guide to the lost ruins of the Karistan Archipelago.

Relationship - On the outs with the "Brotherhood of the Kraken" a notable Karistan pirate clan. (A prominent member was the last customer Jabat tried to bilk before being left for dead)

Words: Journeying, Alacrity, Luck

Gifts: All Directions as One (Alacrity), Swifter than the Sun (Alacrity) Know the Path (Journeying), Opening the Way (Journeying), The World Against You (Luck) Unmarred Beneficence (Luck)

Motivations: Thrills and Recognition - Though interested in doing "good" Jabat's powers thrill him to nw end and he cannot help but want to be known for the good he does.

Complications:

Honor - Driven by a new found code of respect, Jabat tried to aid those he enters into a relationship with fully, promising to never leave them behind or abandon them. If the task is too much, Jabat will guide the client or ally to the nearest safe haven before moving on. He tries to help the disenfranchised and erstwhile when and if he can realizing he was a predator to them for many years.

Enemy - The Brotherhood of the Kraken and particular Captain Jacoby Snell harbor intense hatred at Jabat for squandering their fortunes and risking their lives. Though a minor thing to most outside observers Jacoby believes Jabat should be dead for his treachery and in learning that he is not, takes pains to try to rectify that issue when he can. That Jabat has injured and killed some of them in self defense now only compounds the organizations distaste for him.

Reputation - Jabat's reputation is tarnished by his former life and in no small part because The Brotherhood did all that it could to spread that reputation in announcing Jabat's death. That the man has "returned" from the dead is seen by many as another scheme to garner trust and confidence and so Jabat is often confronted with those who know of his past deeds and are skeptical of his current nature.

Effort 2
Languages: Salt Ren, Trade Cant, Anceint Akeh, Old Din

Left to idle in the Karistan Archipelago, Jabat soon found a cure for his boredom in the stories of the ruins deep within the lush jungles of the area and surrounded by the active volcanoes. Men and women of various means and varying intellectual acuity came to the area to find money, fame, the remnants of long passed gods or some other form of lost meaning at the end of civilization and Jabat saw opportunity.

For those with good money and good brains, Jabat would lead expeditions to the most ambitious of locations, despite the use of only one good arm. For those with good money and little brains Jabat would lead expeditions to those places so well trod and picked over, it was like leading a stroll to a local market.

Jabat was content to fill his pockets on the lack of discernment shown by foreign travelers, especially those too stupid to know better. But it is not the case that those who lack intellect lack the ability to know when they have been cheated. It is also not the case that one who is smart enough to steal always notices when he's been caught.

Waylaid by an unhappy customer who was too dim to know better than to give Jabat money but strong enough to know that he could take his money back if unhappy with his service, Jabat was left for dead in the barren antechamber of some jungle ruin. Alone and without supplies, broken boned and unable to leave Jabat though on his misdeeds and gave in to fever and worse.

The dreams that came are something that Jabat still cannot describe. Flashes of the stricken families, whose final wealth was gambled and stolen by a crippled youth whose own bitter greed overrode decency. Travelers on a hundred roads, waylaid in similar schemes of confidence and trust. A hundred songs of luck lost and the lamentation of fortunes squandered.

Jabat saw the sparkling light like a jewel from heaven turn red and hot like the sun. The angel's salvation (or so he believed) turned to dark condemnation as the earth shook and the smell of burning filled the air. Chaos surrounded him and as the walls of his earthen and stone pit shattered and lava poured around him. Jabat whispered old prayers to forgotten beings to save him and collapsed as the air gave way to poison fumes and the heat overwhelmed him.

Jabat awakened some time later to find the lava had poured into his chamber but through some great luck ha cooled in layers around him. some great providence had spared him? Some fantastical luck saw him alive? As the young man came to wake he realized he was whole in ways he never experienced. His arm was healthy and hale. His body was full of vigor and vitality.

Taking to his climb it was only in a few moments later Jabat realized he was now blessed with something beyond natural. All manner of happy accidents would follow in the days to come. His speed, unnatural. His luck, more so. His desire to leave and see...everything...almost maddening.

In the dark of the tavern corner and the long shadow of the hearth fire Jabat heard of men turned to gods. Of people given -more- than others. Jabat came to realize what might have happened and in that moment realized to too that for all his new gifts he might try to offer something different to the world than another scheme or stolen coin...

Personality easy going and earnest, Jabat tends to say what he thinks but mean what he says. His natural powers of speed and luck sometimes lead Jabat to mistake the level of risk he is taking which can occasionally lead to overconfidence. That said, the man tries to temper this nature with an earnest desire to be a better man since the visions showed him the pain he and others like him might cause on the hopeful or desperate who seek at the fringes of society.

Dominion: 0
Effort: 2
Influence: 0
Wealth: 0
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HEALTH AND DEFENSE
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OFFENSE
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ATTRIBUTES
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Strength: 10
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 8
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 18 (Formerly 13)
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FACTS
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Origin: Khatef was a homeless eugenics reject in The Oasis States.
Past Career: Beggar (and briefly gambler)
Relationship:
Languages: Trade Cant, Menet
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WORDS AND GIFTS

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Deception (Word): Increase Cha to 16.
--Walking Ghost (Greater): Commit Effort. Cannot be detected by lesser foes unless I attack them or otherwise draw blatant attention, even if clearly visible. Worthy foes have a chance to notice with a Spirit save if I go into their presence or they’re actively searching for hidden foes. Attacks and loud actions always draw attention.

--Deceiver's Unblinking Eye (Lesser): Always know when someone is lying to me, see through mortal disguises and illusions. Doesn't work on other Deception Godbound.

--Liar's Flawless Grace (Lesser): Lies undetectable by magic or special abilities. Lesser foes always believe my lies unless they are too implausible, are emotonally intolerable, or incline the listener to self-harm.

Luck (Word}: Roll 1d20. 1/day, replace any one roll either I or someone nearby makes with this number.
--The World Against You (Lesser): Make attack that appear as coincidences at a range of 100 feet. Uses normal attack rolls. d10 damage, treated as a magic weapon.

Passion (Word): Increase Cha to 18.

--Follow the Threads (Lesser): Study a target for one action to identify the 6 people most emotionally significant to them. Learn their appearance, name the target knows them as, and a few words of description of the bond between them. Lesser foes cannot resist this, while worthy foes can save versus Spirit to maintain their secrets.

Description: Jebat Nadim was born to the datuk of Sebang on Kepa of the Kasirutan Archipelago. As the eldest, his childhood was relatively easy. He attended the best schooling and most prestigious social engagements the island of Kepa could provide. While it is not certain that he would inherit the datuk from his father Adin, he would be given the best opportunity. Unfortunately, Jebat proved quite a disappointment to his parents during his teenage years, because Jebat took advantage of his position and partied almost every day.

As soon as socially acceptable, the datuk arranged for his son to be placed on a merchant ship. Ostensibly to experience the Kasirutan heritage of the sea, but practically it put Jebat out of Sebang for most of the year. For a decade, Jebat plied the trade winds learning every port of call and hazards of the sea.

Over the last few years, Jebat developed a strong relationship with a Vissian merchant-prince Girolamo Riario from Savona. Instead of handling his shipments through middle men, Captain Jebat began personally sailing the Vissian’s most important shipments. It was on one of the shipments when Jebat’s life changed.

Last year, Jebat’s ship was boarded for inspection upon the high seas by the Patrian Navy. The skies were overcast and pregnant with storm. The Patrian captain hauled Jebat to his ship and clapped him irons accusing him of being a pirate instead of a merchant. The Patrians offloaded his cargo and replaced the cargo with his crew in hold. Jebat was furious and continued to harangue the Patrians at short range, when the rain started.

When their transaction was complete, the Patrian captain ordered the Kasirutan ship fired to destroy the evidence. Jebat’s rage reached its limit and cried out to his ancestors. Then, lightning struck Jebat on the forecastle of the Patrian ship. He survived and strained against his iron manacles for one last time shattering them dramatically. Might (Word). While the Patrians were awestruck, Jebat launched himself into the air as gravity relented its persistent grip. Sky: Sapphire Wings. And just saw the Vision’s birth again in Age of Ultron.

After landing on his ship’s deck, Jebat quickly broke the lock on the hold freeing his crew and ordered them to make way. The Patrian’s captain recovered and ordered fire arrows. In retaliation, a wall of mist erupted from the sea obscuring the Kasirutan ship and causing the fire arrows to land randomly and extinguish. Sky: The Clouds Below. Jebat’s rage was unabated. The rain surged into a storm around the Patrian ship tearing at the rigging temporarily preventing it from getting under way. Sky: Windsinger.

While his crew demanded to flee, Jebat ordered the ship around to attack the stranded but massive Patrian trireme. The obscuring mists hug and protected the Kasirutan ship from Patrian arrow volleys. When the Patrians were enveloped within the magical mists and the ships near to converge, the rains turned to lightning aboard the Patrian ship. By the time the ships collided the bodies of the Patrians smelled of charcoal and ozone on the weather deck. Sky: Rain of Lightningnit. The Kasirutans recovered their cargo and turned the trireme over to the slaves who had been chained to their oars.

When Jebat called at Savona to deliver their cargo, the story of the Dread Pirate Jebat and his personal war on the Patrian Empire began. Over supper with the Vissian merchant-prince Girolamo Riario, they discussed and realized that Kasirutan ships could become as powerful on the sea as the Patrian legions are on land. However, the Vissian pointed out that he could not engage in business with the Dread Pirate Jebat, so keeping those two identities was decided that night. They also concluded that the Kasirutan state needed funds, so the Dread Pirate Jebat would tax any ship not delivering cargo to the archipelago. The amount of the wily merchant-prince’s tax happened to be the exact amount that he had planned to cut Jebat into the business to secure his loyalty: win-win. After Captain Jebat Nadim added to his crew at Savona, he swore them to loyalty and the secret that he is also the Dread Pirate Jebat. The Soldier's Faithful Heart.

Over the past year, the Dread Pirate Jebat has begun his Kasirutan taxation on the high seas, while he continued his shipments for the Vissian merchant-prince Girolamo Riario. There has been discussions for his pursuit for the position of raja of all the isles. But, Captain Jebat Nadim does not know if that would improve the situation. He has accumulated a hundred loyal crew distributed over several ships and safe houses in ports around Arcem. These loyal crew keep the secret and faith in the belief of a Kasirutan Empire.

Complications:
Motivation: Patriotism: Jabet is proud of his Kasirutan heritage. He believes that the Kasirutan Archipelago could take control of all commerce shipped on the waters and greatly increase their wealth and importance in Arcem.
Identity: Captain Jabet Nadim maintains the identity of the Dread Pirate Jabet, because Jabet is a fairly common Kasirutan name, like John. He uses it to avoid direct reprisals on his home and family.
Enemy: Dread Pirate Jebat has declared a personal war against the Patrian Empire (or another major state to share an enemy with other player characters).

Resources:
Dominion: 0
Effort: 2
Influence: 2
Wealth: 0
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HEALTH AND DEFENSE
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Hit Points: 9/9
AC: 4 (Leathers 7 -2 Dex -1 Shield)
Hardiness: 11 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Str; Armor Penalty: 0
Evasion: 13 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Dex; Armor Penalty: 0
Spirit: 13 ; Base: 15 ; Mod: Cha; Armor Penalty: 0
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OFFENSE
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Sword +4 / 1d10+4 Physical (Str)
Ranged (Rain of Lightning) 1d6 Lightning
Fray: 1d8
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ATTRIBUTES
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Strength: 19; Mod: +4; Check: 2 (Originally 10)
Dexterity: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5
Constitution: 14; Mod: +1; Check: 7
Intelligence: 13; Mod: +1; Check: 8
Wisdom: 13; Mod: +1; Check: 8
Charisma: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5 (Originally 8)
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FACTS
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Origin: Jebat was born to the datuk of Sebang on Kepa of the Kasirutan Archipelago
Past Career: Jebat worked as a merchant captain
Relationship: Jebat works for Vissian merchant-prince Girolamo Riario
Languages: Trade Cant, Salt Ren, Modern Ren, Stangir, Pelagic, Yazik, Patrician, Kerez, Menet, Holy speech
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WORDS AND GIFTS
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Command (Word, pg 35) Increase Charisma to 16. They may communicate with any intelligent creature, understanding them and being understood in turn. Their commands are always correctly understood.
Command: The Soldier's Faithful Heart (Constant) A visible creature of equal or fewer hit dice than your level who freely pledges loyalty to you finds their oath totally binding. Only magical coercion can force them to disobey or betray you until you release them from the effect, even with suicidal or unnatural orders. This gift can't affect more than one hundred people per character level in total.

Might (Word) Increase Strength to 19. This prowess allows them to lift or break anything that is humanly possible to so handle, though truly supernatural feats of strength require the use of a gift or miracle.
Might: Fists of Black Iron (Constant) The Godbound's unarmed and weapon attacks are fueled by their tremendous strength. One-handed weapons do 1d10 damage in their hands, and two-handed ones or unarmed attacks made with both hands free inflict 1d12. These attacks count as magical weapons.

Sky (Word pg 50) Never harmed by falling, does not need to breathe, invincible defense against electricity, cold, and sonic damage.
Sky: The Clouds Below (On Turn) Commit Effort. Fill the air around you with mist, up a 300 foot radius. You and your allies can see through it, but others with normal senses can see no further than five feet around them. The clouds can douse any mundane fire and allow every ally within it to ignore the first 5 points of fire damage they take each round.
Sky: Rain of Lightning (Action) Every desired target within 100 feet of point in sight takes 1d6 die of electrical damage. Cannot destroy objects.
Sky: Sapphire Wings (On Turn) Commit Effort. The hero can fly at twice their usual movement rate. If undistracted and able to fly in a straight line, they can reach speeds of up to 100 miles an hour.
Sky: Windsinger (Action) Commit Effort. Control weather within a mile, from still air to rainstorms strong enough to knock down fragile structures and make mundane archery impossible, Weather changes occur instantly on use of this gift and last as long as Effort remains committed. When released, the weather rapidly returns to its normal condition.

Appearance (although unveiled and with copper-blonde hair)
A portrait of Beatrice

Description and Backstory: Third of five children of a well-to-do Vissian merchant, two things made Beatrice Rucellai da Fidenza remarkable, even as a child. One was blindness: she had been born without the gift of sight, her eyes were glazed and would never see light. Hedge wizards and doctors of science all agreed that her lack of sight was incurable, and not even the advanced clockwork devices that were the pride of Vissio would have helped her. As if chance had wanted to compensate her disability, however, she was born with the voice of a nightingale and an amazing talent in music.

At the age of ten, she was already a renowned singer, in her early twenties she had traveled many of Vissio’s city-states, performing in the fanciest concert halls and opera houses. Just 25 years old, the Lyrical Lodge bestowed upon her an incredible honor: she would be sent to the Bright Republics as an ambassador of the arts. As much as this decision had her heart swell, however, it set in motion events that would change her life forever. Alida Valsi, a rival of hers, though that she should be the one to go to the Bright Republics, and in a fit of envy she hired the Razors of God to murder Beatrice.

It is unknown what exactly alerted Beatrice. Perhaps a first, small manifestation of her powers, a hint of foresight, or perhaps the assassins were careless, thinking the blind girl to be an easy target, and underestimated her hearing. Be as it may, she perceived danger and tried to flee, running in a panic on her house’s balcony as the sun was setting and the moon was rising. Sunlight and moonlight caressed her in the same moment, and suddenly her Godbound powers awakened. Light perfused her own being, together with an extended perception. For the first time in her life, Beatrice saw the world, and radiance shone from her body in a blinding nimbus of light, while the would-be assassins fell to the ground, screaming in pain and clutching at the burned coals that used to be their eyes.

Beatrice spent the next days exploring her newfound powers. Her restored sight was merely one of the new abilities that had been born in her: she could see in the deepest darkness, in the densest fog. She had no need to sleep any longer, fire no longer hurt her, and she could shed a light as bright as day. More than that, she was struck with an understanding beyond mortal abilities: she managed to feel time, the natural cycle of night and day, the recurring patterns that lie on the boundaries. She could walk among sleepers and feel their dreams, she could send a veil of darkness on people’s eyes or cause them to fall asleep. Consulting researchers, she managed to piece together some shreds of information about the Godbound, although often partial and incoherent, but according to them, she had bonded to the Words of Creation of Night, Sun and Time.

Her heart filled with gratitude towards fate for her gifts, she vowed to put them to good use. Beyond bringing succor to the suffering, night’s rest to the weary and day’s light to those in darkness, there were so many matters that she could now take into her hands, so many wrongs that could be made right. Purging the Razors from Vissio would do as a beginning, but her plans for the future were even more ambitious: she sought to remove slavery from the world, and even to change the raging Howlers into a peaceful population of Dream Wanderers. And possibly... who knows? Maybe even fix the world.

Motivation: Do Good: Beatrice is a gentle, art-loving soul. She wishes, perhaps naively, for a world where everyone can pursue their heart’s desire. She sees no better use of her powers than to make such a world possible.
Motivation: Art from Peace: Even as Lady of Dusk and Dawn, Beatrice considers herself as an artist above all. She wants to see beauty in the world, either as natural wonders or man-made artwork, and she doesn’t like violence.
Complication: Fame: Beatrice Rucellai is famous all over Vissio, quite known in the Bright Republics and somewhat renowned in the Patrian Empire as an opera singer.
Complication: (former) Disability: Until the Word of Sun gave her eyesight back, Beatrice was blind. If somehow her access to the Word was blocked, her sight would fail her again.
Complication: Enemy: Alida Valsi put a price on her head, and some of the Razors might still be trying to collect it.

Resources:
Dominion: 0
Effort: 2
Influence: 2
Wealth: 0

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HEALTH AND DEFENSE
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Hit Points: 9/9
AC: 1 (3 gift, -2 Dex)
Hardiness: 14 Base: 15, Mod:Con -1
Evasion: 13 Base: 15, Mod:Dex -2
Spirit: 12 Base: 15, Mod:Cha -3
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OFFENSE
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Dagger: +3 / 1d6+2 Physical (Dex)
Knives of Night (Night Gift): +3 / 1d10+2 Magical or Sleep or Blindness
Fray: 1d8
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ATTRIBUTES
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Strength: 8; Mod: -1; Check: 13
Dexterity: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5
Constitution: 14; Mod: +1; Check: 7
Intelligence: 13; Mod: +1; Check: 8
Wisdom: 16; Mod: +2; Check: 5 (Originally 10)
Charisma: 18; Mod: +3; Check: 3 (Originally 13)
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FACTS
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Origin: Beatrice was born to a Vissian merchant. Can speak Patrian, knows her homeland.
Past Career: She was a renowned singer.
Relationship: Member in good standing of the Lyrical Lodge, a famous musicians' guild.
Languages: Patrian, Trade Cant. Possibly, has a basic knowledge of other languages used to write great musical compositions (real-world examples would be Latin for religious compositions, Italian and German for operas)
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WORDS AND GIFTS
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Night (Word): Can see in darkness, need no sleep, never wake sleepers
- Night: Damn Their Eyes (Action): Blind or selectively blind a target in sight. Worthy foes require to Commit Effort for the scene and have a Hardiness save.
- Night: Knives of Night (On Turn): Commit Effort to use darkness as a 1d10, 200’ ranged magical weapon. Targets brought to 0 HP/HD can be killed, blinded or put to sleep.
Sun(Word): May shed daylight up to 200’, can see through blindfolds, darkness, mist and such, invincible defense against fire.
- Sun: Excellence of the Word (Constant): Set Charisma to 18. Beatrice seems to shine whenever she uses a Charisma action.
Time (Word): Always knows the time, Wisdom set to 16, immune to effects of the Time Word.
- Time: Immediate Foresight (Constant): Never surprised, natural AC is 3.

- Passion: Banner of Passion (Action): Commit Effort to create an emotion in all NPCs within earshot or sight. Worthy foes get a Spirit save.

PLAYER’S NOTE: Beatrice will get more useful gifts in the next levels (such as the Time prophecies and the Sun dispels), but I wanted to start with her having the Banner of Passion gift, because of her Art and Dreams theme. I don’t really have a justification for why she should manage to perform that effect with her words, other than Night’s affinity with dreams and Sun’s affinity with joy, it’s mostly there for thematic reasons. If that’s not OK I can change it.