The Darkest Corners Table 2

Game Master Nidoran Duran

Alternate Racial Trait:
Halo

Archetypes:
Purifier Oracle
Beast-Bonded Witch

Stats:
Str:14+0=14
Dex:12+0=12
Con:14+0=14
Int:10+2=12
Wis:10+0=10
Cha:17+2=19

Primary on-battlefield duty: controller, buffer, debuffer, healer
Primary off-battlefield duty: socialite, textbook

Traits:
Reactionary (Combat)
Dangerously Curious (Magic)

Feats:
Level 1: Skill Focus Knowledge (Arcana)
Level 3: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline) (First power will obviously be the familiar. I will likely continue to repeat this feat to get most if not all 5 bloodline powers in the tree.)

Languages:
Automatic: Celestial, Common
Bonus: Draconic

Oracle Curse: Haunted
Oracle Mystery: Dark Tapestry
Oracle Revelation 1st Level: Pierce the Veil

Witch Hexes:
Evil Eye
Cackle
(I will likely take an Extra Hex feat to grab Fortunate.)

Witch's Familiar (Witch and Sorcerer Arcane Bloodline from EH):
Compsognathus (Familiar level will always be the same as my character level: Witch class level plus EH Sorcerer level = Class Level -2)

Skills:
I used my first level of Oracle's favored class bonus towards skills.
Diplomacy: 1 rank, +3 misc
Fly: 2 ranks, +3 misc
Know (Arcana): 1 rank, +6 misc
Know (History): 1 rank, +3 misc
Know (Nature): 2 ranks, +3 misc
Know (Planes): 1 rank, +5 misc
Sense Motive: 1 rank, +3 misc
Spellcraft: 1 rank, +5 misc
Use Mag Dev: 1 rank, +4 misc

Spells known:
Witch's Patron: Class Level 2, Level 1 Spell: Memory Lapse

Witch's 0-Level Spells Known: All
Arcane Mark
Bleed
Dancing Lights
Daze
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Light
Mending
Message
Putrefy Food and Drink
Read Magic
Resistance
Spark
Stabilize
Touch of Fatigue

Oracle's 0-Level Spells Known: 4
Create Water
Purify Food and Drink
Virtue
Detect Magic

Witch's 1st-Level Spells Known: All
Air Bubble
Alchemical Tinkering
Beguiling Gift
Blend
Blood Money
Bungle
Burning Hands
Cause Fear
Charm Person
Chill Touch
Command
Compel Hostility
Comprehend Languages
Cure Light Wounds(Will have memorized)
Damp Powder
Dancing Lantern
Decompose Corpse
Delay Disease
Delusional Pride
Detect Secret Doors
Diagnose Disease
Ear Piercing Scream
Enlarge Person
Forced Quiet
Frostbite
Fumbletongue
Hex Ward
Hypnotism
Icicle Dagger
Identify
Ill Omen
Infernal Healing
Inflict Light Wounds
Interrogation
Jury-Rig
Karmic Blessing
Ki Arrow
Lock Gaze
Mage Armor (Will have memorized)
Marid's Mastery
Mask Dweomer
Mount
Mudball
Negative Reaction
Nereid's Grace
Obscuring Mist
Peacebond
Ray of Enfeeblement
Ray of Sickening
Recharge Innate Magic
Reduce Person
Reinforce Armaments
Remove Sickness
Restore Corpse
Sanctify Corpse
Shadow Weapon
Sleep
Sow Thought
Strong Wings
Summon Minor Monster
Summon Monster I
Theft Ward
Touch of Combustion
Transfer Tattoo
Unbreakable Heart
Undine's Curse
Unerring Weapon
Unprepared Combatant
Unseen Servant
Urban Grace
Vocal Alteration
Weaken Powder
Web Bolt
Youthful Appearance

Oracle's 1-Level Spells Known: 2
Bless
Protection from Alignment

When he was a bit older, things seemed to get a bit strange. It started out with him thinking someone was watching him. Then a breeze would pick up when the windows were closed. It got worse when items started moving on their own. His family moved thinking that the house might be haunted. It took only a week before Pyron started noticing the mysterious happenings. Finally, if he ever dropped an item, it would fly a few feet away from him.

When his family noticed that it was getting worse, they hired an oracle to come to the house to see what was wrong. During the ceremony, the oracle realized that the son was likely an oracle himself. "He has an oracle's curse. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you allow him to train as an oracle. He is haunted by the spirits, but I can train him how to control the effectsof the curse." The oracle announced this to the family. The family had mixed concerns and emotions. Pyron seemed to have lost hope. Then he decided that he wanted to pursue the path. After much discussion, the oracle offered her services to train the boy for a fee of course. The family agreed.

The first thing that she taught him was to control his actions by not letting go of things. He had to first have control over his curse. Then she taught him how to use the spell mage hand to help him retrieve his dropped items. Over time, he started moving other things on his own. When she saw this, she taught him how to cast the spell ghost sound. She told him that as he pursued this path, that even if she is not around, he is an oracle and will learn about the mysteries and revelations of being one. "What mysteries and revelations are you talking about?" He asked.

"There is much more to being an oracle than controlling your curse. There is a mystery behind your curse. As you focus your mind and allow yourself to open up, then the mystery will begin to reveal itself to you. Come back to me when it starts revealing itself to you and report to me what you have learned."

During that period, Pyron stayed up late to meditate. He would take a stroll along the block at night to help him think. Normally, he used his halo to help him see, but after a time he didn't; he wanted to open his mind. It was strange, but he seemed to be able to start seeing further in the darkness than he normally had before.

When he went back to report, she told him that she was surprised that he couldn't before knowing his race. Then she realized his halo was affecting that. "Your mystery is the Dark Tapestry. It is a dark mystery, one that has made a few oracles go mad. But don't worry. You have grown up in a dark and evil society. This mystery might even help you to survive in such a society." So she started teaching him a few spells that would help him survive like create water, purify food and drink, detect magic, and protection from alignment. He innately learned how to cast virtue and bless.

He asked her why this was the case. She explained, "The blessing given to you when you were younger is causing you to be balanced in your training. Do not fret. Use it to your advantage. Do not look at a blessing as a curse. Remember, there are forces from all sides that is affecting your training. Just be careful to know who you are despite the blessings and cursings that have been placed upon you. You are the result of a nasty war and an adverse lineage; it is very rare to see one who comes from a lineage of both fiends and Aasimars."

While he practiced, he started reacting to things before others. Also, he became curious about the arcane practices. He tried to control things that had magical properties. At one point, his parents found an old wand that had a few charges left in it. The father started to burn his own body with his hands, as he had taught Pyron to do when he was younger, hence Pyron's father's name: Pyro. Then his mother used the wand to heal the burn. They showed him how to use it correctly. Finally he got a hang of it. Then she showed him some magic scrolls and taught him how to read them. She even gave him a chance to cast a spell from a scroll before it disentegrated. She told him that was a part of the process of casting the spell.

The sisters took Pyron into their hut and let him use the guest portion of the dwelling. They brewed potions and practiced hexes and spells while watching for him to respond. He asked, "How or where do you learn your hexes and spells?" They replied by their patrons. They told him that he could have a patron. "What should my patron be," he asked.

"Insanity," they replied together. "You have become insane, and so your patron should be the patron of insanity. This may help you overcome your insanity." He agreed. So, they taught him how to become a witch.

He asked about their familiars. After a lengthy discussion, he asked if there was a familiar that could help him with reacting to situations better. They told him about the greensting scorpion, but he declined since it was too small for him. He wanted something a bit bigger. After looking through their papers, they told him about the compsognathus. "It is a dinosaur, so you will have to go to where they are to learn more about them. We will teach you the rituals. The first ritual should be done near where they live. After that, if your familiar dies, you will be able to perform a ritual in a different location than where they live.

His family and the witches prepared for him to go on his journey. He started his journey on a ship. He quickly learned that he did not like to travel over the water. He had to travel overland through some towns, hire a guide, and go into the nature to look for the compsognathus. When the guide brought him to where they lived, they camped. During the night, he had some wierd dreams, but he couldn't make out their meanings. Then the next couple of days, the guide taught him what he knew and showed him about their living habits. Finally, on the third full day, he performed his ritual. A couple of compsognathus came to him but rejected him. The third compsognathus did not turn away and became Pyron's familiar. All the spells that the witches tried to teach him seemed to leave his mind and enter the mind of the familiar. Now he truly understood what they meant that the familiar stored the spells for him.

Pyron, his familiar, and the guide returned back to the guide's town. Pyron rested before travelling back home. What happened when he was gone changed everything in his life when he returned.

In his bout, images of insanity came to his mind, and he realized that his patron was insanity. He could tell that his familiar was trying to help him in his mind to help him find solace in the insanity and to control the chaos in his mind. Through his familiar, he Pyron was able to come back to reality.

He slept on his bed for a few days, because he was exhausted from both his trip and the death of his parents. The oracle came to see him. At first, he didn't want to talk with her. "Your training caused me to go insane!" He yelled.

"That was not from me. That is your mystery. It started to reveal itself to you through my training. Without the training, you would have gone insane anyway, but it woud have taken you much longer to understand it. I hear your training with the witches have helped you gain control over it. I am happy for that."

"Then why are you here?" He accused.

"Now that you have control over the chaos in your mind, you need to finish your training as an oracle."

"Why would I do that?" He asked.

"It will help you purify your soul. Additionally, it will help you avenge your parents' deaths."

When Pyron heard that, he sat upright. After staring at her and blinking a couple of times, he jumped out of bed, startling Bones, his familiar. "Then let's start immediately." She agreed.

They left to a place that he had visited before. It was outside of the city limits. She told him they were to meet another oracle who wanted to finish his training. There, they met him, but he was not a local. He was an Aasimar. Pyron was shocked. "Why would an Aasimar be here?"

"The emissary told him about your training. He felt that needed to learn some things that I could not teach you. You can trust him."

When they reached the opening of the fence, the Aasimar greeted him. "Hello and well met, Pyron Firehide."

"Hello," Pyron replied.

"We have much to discuss. My name is Tule. Please come inside." He brought them into a hut where he was staying. First, I want to give you my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents. Since we made our truce, and since your parents have upheld their bargain, I would like to finish the agreement."

"Finish the agreement?" Pyron asked.

"Yes, the agreement included that we had a chance to offer you training to allow you to have full opportunity learn our ways, learn what we can do to help you, and to offer you a chance to either be a full member of our society or at least be a redeemed exile. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I think so."

Tule continued, "Do you know about your halo and what it means?"

"Yes, I do. It was a way to stop the war between your people, the Peri society, and my people. It was presented in the form of a blessing for me." Pyron had a guard up inside. He didn't know about this man yet.

"That is correct. We blessed you to show good faith that we would not harm you. Now that you are older, and under the circumstances, we are ready to make you this offer. If you will train with me, then I will teach you the basic history of our people, the war according to our point of view, the history of your father's exile from our point of view, and recent history. If after the training you choose to accept goodness into your heart, because you need to understand both good and evil, then I will teach you how to be unlock the Aasimar part of yourself as an oracle."

"What is that?" Pyron asked.

"We call it purification. You would be known as a Purifier."

The other oracle, Pyron's first teacher, Shayla, raised her eyebrow and commented, "I have not heard of that."

Tule responded, "Aasimar oracles have always been able to go through a purification process. It is a part of who we are." She just nodded. Looking to Pyron he asks, "Once you have gone through the purification process, and I approve, then the emissary will ask you a few questions to determine if you will be given either the full member status or the redeemed exile status. If it is the latter, then you, your descendants, or both will have the chance to request for full member status at a later date; otherwise, they will automatically receive the redeemed exile status."

Pyron nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's get started."

The history lessons took a month. Once Pyron was indoctrinated, he agreed that he understands goodness for what it was. Once he proved that he accepted goodness into his heart, they started the purification process. That took two more months. Finally, at the end, Tule responded that they were successful and that Pyron was now a Purifier. Tule told Pyron to go home and wait for the emissary.

When he went home, he started to grieve again for the loss of his parents. He became angry again. He remembered that this training would help him avenge his parents. So he went around to gather up people who would support him or go with him to avenge his parents. After gathering information and garnering support, he and a few others went to a hideout of evil men who sent devils to kill his parents. The battle took the lives of a few of the members of his band. But when Pyron had the leader's throat in his hands at the end of the battle, the leader whispered some dark matters and conspiracies in his ear. Pyron didn't know what to make of it, but that didn't change his purpose. So, he slit the throat of the leader and avenged his parents.

Taking the head of the leader, he went to the town square and yelled, "I have done it! I have avenged my parents! If anyone doubts me, let them see the head of their murderers. Let this be a warning to any who hurts my family, my friends, my teachers, my comrades, or any decent person." He stuck stuck a pike in the ground and skewered the head with the top of the pike, leaving it there for others to see.

He went back to Shayla to tell her his deed and to see if the emissary has arrived. She was glad that Pyron was able to avenge his parents. The emissary has not arrived yet, so she suggested that he visit the witches. He agreed.

He went to the witches and told them what happened. They could see the darkness in him and the insanity and chaos residing in him. "Let us finish your training before you leave to be a Purifier. Once we are done, you will be able to continue to train on your own." So they continued the last bit of his training. They explained how the hexes worked with each other, how the cackle could extend his evil eye hex and other hexes for as long as he continued to cackle. They told him about other hexes and suggested he look into the fortune and misfortune hexes while he is on his journey. Lastly, they taught him how to fly on a broomstick. He learned how to take off, maneuver, and land. They didn't have an extra one for him, but he could pick one up later on or even adapt his training if he ever grew wings, which they did say may happen to him someday.

He finally received notice that the emissary arrived. So, he bid the witches farewell to go through the final test. "Who knows," Pyron exclaimed, "maybe I will have citizenship in two planes and two societies." So he left them not knowing if he woud ever see them again.

He went and met up with Shayla and Tule at Tule's residence. Shayla greeted him and brought him inside. Tule and Purest, the emissary, were discussing recent events. They greeted Pyron with a smile and welcomed him inside.

PUreststarted, "Tule was telling me that you made it through your purification ceremony."

"Yes, that's right. My training with Shayla and the witches helped prepare me to expect the unexpected."

Purest responded with a gentle laugh, "Yes, that would make sense. I am pleased to see that you have grown up with the chance to learn both sides of your ancestory. I do want to give you my condolences of your parents. It is a terrible loss to lose one's parents."

Pyron nodded, "My familiar helps me through the tough times."

Purest turned to look at the compsognathus. "I have never seen a compsognathus before. Is it gentle?"

"Yes, he's gentle. His name is Bones, because I can see his bones through his flesh pretty easily."

Purestlaughed again. "Yes, I see you are right. Now tell me Pyron, what have you done since the purification ceremony." This time she looked at him questioningly.

Pyron knew this was the test, the most important part of the interview. "I, uh, I avenged their death."

She put her finger to her mouth before asking, "How did you avenge them?"

Rushing into his answer, knowing immediately after that he rushed too quickly, "I killed their murderers." He paused when she was taken aback by his brashness. He slowed down his speech, "I investigated the situation, talked with local townspeople, and took a group to find their hideout. They sent devils after my family! Their actions were cruel and evil. They couldn't do it again. That's why the others went with me; they didn't want this to happen to others, again. It wasn't the first time they murdered someone in the area." He was breathing heavily this time.

"I see," she said quietly.

"What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let them get away with it just to kill someone else with devils?"

"They surely needed to be judged," she agreed. "But the way that it happened may not have been the best way. By the way, how many of the townspeople who went with you were killed?"

Shaking his head, "I don't know. A few. Five, I believe. One other had bad wounds, but I heard he was better after a week."

"What happened afterwards? What did you do? Did you stop after killing them?" She asked.

"No, no. I took the head of the leader, grabbed a pike, and went to the townsquare. I announced to those around that if anyone ever does this to anyone important to me or to any innocent person, then they need to think agin if I am around. I don't want to see this again. Whether they are an evil person or they say they are a good person yet performing evil deeds, I won't have it. Then I stuck the pike in the ground and stuck the head on the pike for people to see to show them that I mean it."

She nodded silently. "What do you think about good and evil?"

He squinted is eyes while he thought for a moment. "They are very similar."

"What do you mean?" She probed.

"I mean," he started, "people who are good are selfish for themselves and others. They try to do right by other people, but at the same time, when push comes to shove, they care more for themselves than other people. They may help others when they can, but if they can't, then they don't or can't care for others. People who are evil are selfish for themselves and sometimes for others. They try to do right for themselves. When it comes to other people, they use them as tools. They might help them, only as long as they get a favor in return. Good people ask for favors in return too. Both good and evil people fail to keep their word. Evil people will intentionally lie, where good people will accidentally lie. Does that make sense? Did I explain myself well enough?"

"Yes, you did. Did you finish your training with the witches? Do you intend to pursue that path? Or do you intend to be a Purifier?"

"I have sufficient training from the witches to be able to practice on my own. They gave me some useful tools and Bones, here, is a great protector. He helps me with my path into the Dark Tapestry mystery. The purification really helped me too. It seemed to be a calling, whereas the witches helped give me tools for that path. I started as an oracle originally; the witches just helped me control the insanity and chaos within me. I am a Purifier, and I intend to continue down that path."

"I am glad to hear that you know your calling and have found your path. It seems that you have much more within that needs purifying, so hopefully that path, your tools, and your familiar will help you with that. Now, in regards to your future with the Peri society, I would like to sleep on it. I have much to consider, and I don't like to rush into a decision. I feel that is the best way to be fair to you. Do you agree?"

Pyron smiled. "I agree."

"Then I will see you tomorrow. You should stay here tonight." After that, they were all quiet for the evening with the exception of the good-nights. They all woke up early. After breakfast, they sat to discuss his future in relations to the society. "I have considered the matter all evening and have slept on it. I have come to my decision."

Pyron adjusted in his chair to hear her answer.

"I feel that you have learned a lot. Indeed, you have met my hopes for you. I feel you have a path that you must follow for yourself. You have potential to do well in our society with the exception of the chaos within your mind. You need to focus on controlling it. Right now, you have your familiar to help you. That is a good thing, and you should continue to have him. He will be a great asset to you. However, I feel that it will take an entire lifetime to gain full control over the chaos, madness, and insanity in your mind and soul. You have a path that will not make it in our society."

Pyron started to have tears in his eyes after hearing that last part. "But I have not rejected the society unlike my father."

"I know. I agree and I understand. Please understand that this is a difficult judgment to make, but I must make it. If I allow you full citizenship rights, you would likely be worse off than if I were to give you a redeemed exile status. You have redeemed yourself from your father's decision, but you are not ready to make it as a citizen. You would likely be exiled in your lifetime, which is worse than where you are now. The society is judging you to be better off than where you were. Yes, it is by my decision, but it is based off of the society's principles."

Pyron didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream inside. He wanted to run out and yell at everyone. Then Bones came and nudged on his leg. Bones. My insanity. He's here to help me through this. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am not ready. I do have to go through this path to purify my soul. "Alright. You are right. I have to purify my soul. I accept the redeemed exile status. As long as all of my future generations have the opportunity to be accepted back with full rights on their own volition, accord, and ability, then I accept. Please tell them thank you for being here when my parents were killed. It does mean a lot to me. Tule, thank you for your help with the purification process, the history lessons, and the conversations about the different planes. I am interested in visiting them."

"Your welcome," Tule responded. "It was my pleasure to help you with your purification process and your start as a Purifier. Never forget that you are still an Aasimar Purifier. That has not changed and will never change. Got it?"

"Yes, sir." Pyron affirmed. Turning to Purest, "Am I allowed to visit you, Tule, or the society?"

"Yes, you may as a redeemed exile. But you may only visit for so long during your authorized visits. I would love to meet up with you again to see how you progress."

Tule agreed, "The same with me. Maybe I can help you with your path again someday. Don't hesitate to holler to visit me."

After saying their good-byes, Pyron and Shayla left together and spoke about his plans. He said he was going to his parents, because there was some things that his mother had taught him that were in writing. He wanted to see what else she could teach him from beyond the grace. Shayla smiled and agreed. "If you need anything, please let me know. Even though you are a Purifier, you are still an oracle and still me student." He acknowledged her and agreed to visit her with questions. For now, he wanted to see what his mother had left.

He went home finally. Family and friends helped clean up the place. He was allowed to live there until the prepaid rent was used up. He looked at the useless wand with which he used to practice when he was younger. He looked through the parchments and saw some scrolls. He took out one that interested him when he was younger. It was about the arcane.

He remembered that she said she had sorcery in her blood. What did she call it? He looked down and saw the words "Eldritch Heritage" scribbled on the top of the scroll. He looked through the scrolls that were bound with it. He read over it. He saw that the first thing she picked up from it was the ability to cast more spells. Though, it has a note that others in her history had familiars like Bones, well different types of animals. He studied this section and realized why it wasn't so hard to get a familiar for himself in the first place. It was in his blood.

He focused on his familiar and considered what this means. He took the scrolls and went to the witches. They were overjoyed to see him but wondered why he was visiting them. When they were inside, he explained all that happened with the Peri emissary, then he explained about what he had been reading in his mother's scrolls. They nodded in agreement that it was in his blood.

"You have a very close bond with your familiar. Even closer than we could ever attain. You may be able to pass things on to your familiar, feats of unimaginable possibilities that we could never do. Usually, when most witches who stop training as a witch, their familiar stops growing. With you, though, your familiar will always grow when you grow, no matter your path. This will serve you well with your control over the chaos and insanity within your mind and soul. If you continue to read her scrolls, then in due time you may have more abilities come up from your eldritch heritage that may serve you well."

He thanked them for their insight and their advice. After enjoying a nice meal and spending the night, like he had in the past, he left back for home. When it was nearing the time of the end of his lease, he started hearing rumors that interested him. Maybe it was a sign. He was ready to leave, ready to start an adventure. He packed his belongings and told his family. They moved out all the stuff that was of value. They told him that they had a place for him. Soon, people were visiting and asking if anyone could help with a mission. The locals pointed them to Pyron's way. They explained what he had done and that he would be a perfect person to consider.

History: Thalachi is one of the more recent among active scions in clan Tremeris. The weight of the family name rests well on his broad shoulders, and he is known for his confident demeanor. Tremeris is something of a household name among those who deal with the depraved machinations of the undead. Allies to nearly all good-aligned faiths, they are most strongly associated with the goddesses Iomedae, Pharasma, and Sarenrae. Thalachi entered the family business nearly nine years ago, but only recently came into a modicum of fame upon leading a squad of guards alongside his sister, Alistria, to defeat Mannimar, a skeletal mage that was campaigning across some villages in rural Ustalav. They took heavy losses, the guards numbering fewer than half of their original strength, but the vile undead necromancer was brought low. His sister still bears a black scar that hasn't fully healed after three months.

He has since been dispatched from their ancestral halls to Korvosa, to gather information regarding evil and possibly undead forces cropping up, and to rally a host to campaign against them. There may be some trouble, as the word of his defeat of Mannimar has not fallen exclusively on the ears of the living.