GM Dak - War for the Crown 1

Game Master Dakcenturi

As to my style I enjoy in-depth roleplay but I am not the kind of guy to write a 1000 word description about the scene or a 500 word monologue about the NPCs thoughts on your actions of killing some goblins. The one exception is the first game post. I usually make these long and in depth. In other words, if you expect all my posts to be a novella I’m probably not the right GM for you. On the contrary, I welcome my players to write walls of text, I enjoy reading them. Just remember depending on the pacing, you might get ninjaed by other players or myself while you are writing that wall of text. Regarding walls of text, or posting in general, be sure to copy it into an external program before you post it just to make sure all the effort you spent doesn’t get lost! Good times for wall of texts are over the weekend. On the other side of things if you only like to post during combat or your post only ever consists of a one sentence action followed by a dice roll then I am definitely not the right GM for you. I do not like to rail road, I greatly prefer a collaborative experience with my players. I want you to be invested in advancing the story. I like to see roleplay in between combat and more details about your action then “I move and attack with a 18”.

I am not a rules lawyer, per say, and there may be times I even consult the group on rulings if it is something extremely technical. Conversely, if it is something trivial I may simply gloss over the RAW and make my own ruling. I generally will not do this in situations where it gives either party a serious advantage over the other. I am definitely ok with RAI, in some cases, over RAW. With all that said Pathfinder’s supposed to be fun, and I’ll do my best to keep it that way.

Any rolls that are automatic, or pseudo automatic, such as Initiative, or if you say something like "every time we enter a room, I give it a quick scan", I make the rolls, so we don't have to wait. Likewise, I may make save rolls. I may also roll Perception, Sense Motive, and Knowledge checks as appropriate. All the rolls are above board, in spoilers to keep clutter to a minimum. I roll in either: (1) Alphabetic Order or (2) Initiative Order, as appropriate for the situation. If the Rolls are in a spoiler for GM they are meant for me. If they are spoilered with anything else like Initiative or Perception feel free to take a peek.

Any save whose result may result in very bad things for your character, I leave to you whenever possible. If you face a Save or Suck for instance, I don't like to roll the save for you. Your character, your karma, your luck . . .

If you plan to do something go ahead and throw out a roll to keep things moving. I can look at your character and adjust as necessary. For example, if you want to try and convince someone to do something roll a diplomacy check when you post what you are saying. If I feel what you said is really a bluff I will adjust the roll as necessary keeping your stats in mind. In combat, please account for everything relevant to your attack. For example, if you are an alchemist throwing a bomb, roll the attack, the direct damage, the splash damage and the misdirection if it misses. This is especially important as we get into higher levels to keep combat from bogging down.

=Game Flow=

One post per day minimum, excluding weekends. If you can post more often that is great and preferred. I encourage you to RP with each other and not just wait for me to make a post. I will always do my best to get in one post each weekday and one on the weekend. I generally check for posts around 7am Eastern and 2pm Eastern. However, I can often check multiple times between 7am eastern and 10pm Eastern, especially if people are posting frequently. During roleplay/story points I will advance the game as long as I have at least one person posting, unless there is a response needed from a specific character. For combat, I will wait 1 day before advancing the combat, unless you tell me ahead of time that you will be away and want me to play your character for you. In the event I skip your character, he/she will simply go on the defensive while he/she considers their next action.

I completely understand that RL events happen and can pull you away. The same will likely occur with me. In these cases, if you know in advance you will be away please let us know ahead of time so that we can set our expectations accordingly. If you do not post in over a week without prior notice I will PM you. If I do not receive a response to the PM in a weeks’ time I will consider you to have left the game and we may find a replacement for you. If you do reply to the PM, but it occurs frequently we may still find a replacement for you.

=Combat=

I will provide maps for combat situations via Roll20. There will be a link at the top of the page to the appropriate Roll20 campaign. You will need to login so I can create a token for you and give you access to move it around the board. I also, generally track HP on Roll20. All rolls however, are done here on the boards using the [ dice ] mechanics. When combat starts I will provide a listing of Init order. All players can go in any order within their grouping.

For example the Init order might look like this:
Round 1
>Player 1/Player5, Enemy 1/Enemy3, Player 4/Player 2/Player 3, Enemy 2

Player 1 & 5 can post their actions in any order and I will resolve them as appropriate. Then after Enemy 1 & 3 go Players 2-4 can post their actions in any order. If you post and someone’s earlier action effects your action I will take creative liberties. For example, if you magic missile a baddie that the Rogue just eviscerated, I’ll redirect your spell to a still-living target. This isn’t how I run things in a live game, but in a PbP, block initiative saves time and speeds up combat significantly.

=Player Discussion=

For any questions and concerns - please address these in the Discussion thread. That way everyone has the advantage of learning the answer to a specific question or ruling and we keep the gameplay thread less cluttered. When I post a ruling or what have you, I try to post a link to an appropriate reference document.

Note: I can be wrong, I'm not a perfect GM. When I am wrong, tell me and provide references. It is how we all learn.

=House Rules=

Actions: I'm a GM that does not punish the character for trying something new or cool, or even strange. Visually appealing actions are encouraged, the dc will of course depend on what are you trying, but you can try! I still try and follow the rules as appropriate, but I enjoy creative solutions.

Level up: I don’t level up based on XP. I level up based on your progression in the overarching story.

Sandbox vs Rail Road: This is not a very heavy Sandbox style type of game. As such, there is obviously heavy pre-defined story elements. However, I like players to help me drive the game, so I’m not opposed to throwing some Sandbox in there if it makes sense. As long as it does not completely derail the story I am open to creative avenues. If you do go someplace or attempt to do something beyond your skill I will attempt to warn you of the dangers, but I will not outright stop you.

Link to Taldor: Member (though not in good standing, for now) of Noble House Karthis. Born and raised in Oppara.

Motivation: Taldan is his home, and he wants to see it whole and prosperous, not torn by war, or held by the wrong people. As a member (even a semi-disgraced one) of a Noble House, he could be used symbolically, and the fact that he is an active member of the faith of Iomedae could also be used to stir up pro or anti-Aroden factions.

Rollplay vs. Roleplay - In combat contribution would most be through combat and/or healing. As a paladin, he can wear heavy armor and shields, and use most weapons. Out of combat, he is trained in Knowledge (Religion) and (Nobility), is skilled in Diplomacy, and also has training in the Healing arts, apart from his holy abilities. Also, he has been trained from birth to try to be a leader, to set an example, and to provide hope and faith to those in need.

Progression - At this time, I have no plans to do anything other than progress him as a paladin. That could change, based on the story, but I don't see it.

I have crunch, and will provide upon request.

Livelihood: As a paladin of Iomedae, he makes some coin through his adventuring, while tithing the rest, and his basic needs are met by the church whenever possible. He also has a small bit of coin left from his trust, most of which he used on his equipment.

After mulling things over, he had a talk with Lord Beran and explained how he felt. His father reminded him that the family were devout followers of Aroden, but Celad made it plain that his heart was not there. Lord Beran came up with an idea... he would offer the boy to be fostered as a ward by the Church of Iomedae. He figured it would be a few weeks, at most, before Celad would come running back, missing the creature comforts of nobility, and fall back into worship of Aroden. He made the arrangements, and provided a fair sum to cover the costs of the boy's room and board, with some left over in trust for when he came of age.

Celad took to life as a church ward easily. He excelled in his studies, worked hard on his chores, and began to train as an assistant to the healers, learning about bandages, herbs, poultices, and splints. He was popular with his teachers and the clergy, and with the other boys and girls. His noble upbringing meant that he had some advantages over the other children, but he never exploited it, instead spending time trying to help them whenever he could.

Celad's background had given him skill in riding, weaponry, tactics, history, an understanding of the nobility, and the ability to read and write in Common and Elven, as well as his innate understanding of the Celestial tongue. It was not long before the boy was chosen as a page, and he spent only a year in that role before being chosen, at age fourteen, as a Squire to Sir Dartien Neguer, a paladin of Iomedae.

Lord Beran kept discrete track of all of this, and at first he was angry that his plan had backfired. Over time, however, he grew to be proud of the man Celad was becoming, and accepted that his son had found a different, unexpected place in the world. The other members of the family, however, saw the boy as a stain on the family honor, and made it clear that he would not be welcomed back to the fold.

In the meantime, Celad loved being a Squire. He traveled to different places, met new people, and worked hard to make sure Sir Dartien's needs were met, and this his weapons, armor, horse, tack were always well-maintained and cared for. In exchange, his education deepened, focusing on combat, proper etiquette for a variety of situations, and horsemanship. Much time was spent learning not only of Iomedae and Her ways, but also of other Gods and Theirs.

In his sixth year as a Squire, Celad was aiding refugees from a goblin skirmish while Sir Dartien rode with members of the local militia to put down the goblins, when something unusual happened. He was touching the head of a man who'd been badly burned rescuing his family from their house after it was hit by an alchemical grenade and caught fire, asking Iomedae's mercy for the fellow, when his hand suddenly started to glow. When the glow passed, the man's burns remained, but they were not as bad, and his fever had broken.

Celad told Sir Dartien what happened, upon his return, and the kindly older knight told him that he was to spend a night in prayer, under the stars, wearing only his smallclothes. That night, they went outside, away from the hut they'd been sharing to a quiet, isolated spot. Sir Dartien took Celad's longsword, and shoved the tip of the blade into the earth, so that the hilt stood upright, like a cross. He watched as Celad removed his armor and overclothes, and took the equipment, saying only that he would return in the morning.

Celad took a knee and began to pray. As he did, images flashed through his mind of his life to that point. He saw his family, remembering fondly his father's smile, and the scratch of his beard upon Celad's cheek. He saw old Arock, his childhood arms tutor, and Benn, his closest friend from the Temple where he'd been fostered. As he thought of all of them, feelings of love and light bloomed in him. At last, his mind went back to his mother, she of whom he remembered so little. In that moment, for the first time that he could ever recall, he saw his mother in his mind's eye, in all of her otherworldly beauty. She smiled at him, and he was suffused with
a feeling of warmth and comfort. He heard a voice, then, say, "Child, you are of Mine, and will serve Me." There was a bright flash, and when it receded and he opened his eyes, it was morning. His sword, still in front of him, had changed. It was razor sharp, and gleaming, with a hilt and crossguard of intricately worked gold. Hanging from the hilt by a golden chain was a medallion, of a silver sword surrounded by a golden rays. Celad heard a voice behind him. "Wear your medallion, Paladin of Iomedae.", Sir Darien said, pride in his voice.

Not long after this, Celad made his way back to Oppara. His grandfather, High Lord Tremen Karthis, announced publicly that House Karthis was favored to have a paladin of Iomedae among its members, and Celad was offered the chance to return to the wealth and lifestyle he'd known as a boy. He refused, saying that he now owed allegiance to only one master. For this perceived insult, Lord Tremen told him there would be a reckoning, but so far this has not happened. Lord Beran privately congratulated the young warrior, and told him he was proud, but that he would need to publicly support the family. Celad was understanding of this, and went on his way, eager to see what Iomedae had in store for him next.

DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +3 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dodge)
HP 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3

OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft
Melee falcata +4 (1d8+3, 19-20/x3)
Melee spiked gauntlet +4 (1d4+3, x2)
Melee dagger +4 (1d4+3, 19-20/x2)
Ranged dagger +2 (1d4+3, 19-20/x2, 10 ft)

STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15
Traits Civilized, Disgraced Noble (Campaign, Class Skill: Linguistics)
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata), Dodge
Skills (ACP -3) Bluff +6 (+8 to conceal identity), Diplomacy +10, Disguise +6 (+26 to appear as current identity), Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nobility)* +2, Linguistics +4 (+6 to spot or produce forgeries), Perception +5, Profession (gambler)* +5, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +2
Languages Common
Social Talents Social Grace (Diplomacy)
SQ Dual-identity, seamless guise, vigilante specialization (Avenger)
Other gear falcata, spiked gauntlet, 4 daggers, studded leather armor, buckler, explorer’s outfit (free outfit worth 10 gp or less), courtier’s outfit, 50 gp worth of jewelry, belt pouch, dice, cards (worth 1 gp), 2 signet rings (House Villarius, “House Kryn”), 6 gp, 9 sp

Eregos had a gift for discussion, often laying out convincing arguments and speaking with distinction and poise. He hoped to use this skill to prove himself worthy of his father’s affection, but while he applauded Eregos’s linguistic talents, he spent no more time with him than he had previously. Eregos was disappointed. He’d hoped his father would see potential for something in him - perhaps even a place in the Senate. Instead, he was yet an afterthought. Desperate, he turned his attention to his martial training, seeking to prove to at least his father that his skill-at-arms made him just as worthy as his brother. As he grew, he became larger and more muscular than Marcus, in the image of his maternal grandfather. While this helped him in his martial training, it did not help him learn the proper way to use the signature Taldan weapon, the Falcata. He consistently relied on his strength to strike with the blade instead of finesse and agility. In the end, his efforts weren’t enough, and his father continued to all but ignore him.

Then, tragedy struck. At the age of 14, his mother fell ill and died. Eregos was heartbroken at the loss, but the pain was made all the greater by the fact that his father decided Eregos should go to a private school away from home, as his father did not have time for his younger son. So, a mere week after his mother’s funeral, Eregos was sent away, to Oppara. Eregos was so angry. He’d tried so hard, done everything his father asked, to prove himself worthy of his father’s time, and instead, he found himself sent away from the family home, barely able to mourn his mother. It was in his anger that Eregos realized the truth - nothing he did mattered to his father. He was nothing but an afterthought. If that was how his father saw him, then it was fine - it meant he could do whatever he wanted.

Eregos arrived at the school in Oppara with a mission. He was going to enjoy himself, and who cared what his father thought about it. It started small - sneaking out at night, breaking curfew with a few friends, other second and third sons sent away from home. They began frequenting taverns, gambling halls, and brothels, spending money freely, laughing and showing up to classes half-asleep and yawning. They earned and then cultivated a reputation as carefree hedonists, men who did what they wanted, when they wanted. After all, they said, what did any of it matter? They were clearly afterthoughts to their families, and no one would care. Unbeknownst to them, someone did.

After 4 years, Eregos graduated the program and was to return home. As he prepared to do so, his father arrived, furious. Eregos’s reputation had reached home, and his father demanded to know if it was true. Deciding not to bother with a lie, Eregos replied that yes, it was true. His father demanded to know what had possessed him to sully the family name so, and Eregos laid everything out. He lit into his father for never spending time with him, for favoring Marcus over him, for sending him away with barely a chance to mourn his mother. They were both shouting by the time it was over. Eregos’s father called him a disappointment and a disgrace. Eregos called his father a washed-up, useless fool, and told him he was so concerned with appearances and his reputation that he’d probably never truly loved his wife. It was the final straw. Eregos’s father told him not to bother returning to the family seat, and that he was disowned, cast out of the family. Eregos said it was fine with him - it wasn’t like he had ever been treated like part of the family anyway.

Eregos remained in Oppara, but it didn’t take him long to learn that he wasn’t well-suited to life outside of the net that had supported him. With no truly marketable skills, he found his only way to make money being gambling. His friends stopped associating with him. Over the next three years, he gradually sold various valuables and finery for coin, relying on gambling and other games of chance to earn enough so he could desperately try and keep himself alive. In desperation, he began working to forget letters of credit, allowing him to occasionally draw funds from merchants and the like.

It was during this time that he found out just how badly the commoner had it in Taldor compared to the nobility. The safety nets and advantages he had once enjoyed gone, he saw how hard-strapped they were, and how hard they worked for no reward as nobles like him spent money without consequence. He no longer looked down on them - now, he saw them as the true soul of Taldor.

Eventually, he learned the true reason his father had been so furious at him. His father had challenged Maxillar Pythareous, Taldor’s military commander, on some political matter, and won the day. In retaliation, Pythareous accused his family of engaging in demonic and hedonistic rituals and conspiring with enemies of the throne to overthrow the Grand Emperor. Preposterous accusations, all, but Eregos’s behavior in the capital was used as evidence of the hedonistic nature of the family. His father was now dead, supposedly killed in a riding accident, but Eregos knew, deep down, it was no accident.

Eregos was distraught. His actions had directly contributed to the rapid decline of his House. The Villarius name was worthless now - his brother, Marcus, was said to have sold the family estate to someone else, and was constantly shunned by those of high society. Eregos knew reaching out to his old friends would result in no response - they had likely stopped associating with him because of the charges Pythareous laid against his father. Eregos began to quietly hatch a foolish plan - find Pythareous, assassinate him, and then redeem his family name. He could reconcile with Marcus, and then the two of them would be able to rebuild.

But how could he accomplish this plan? He would never get close to Pythareous - his guards would make sure of that. But maybe someone else could. Eregos crafted himself an alternate identity - Hargus Kryn, a minor noble from near the World’s Edge Mountains. This identity would allow him to easily move about society, without the tarnish he’d given the family’s reputation. As Hargus Kryn, he could redeem the Viillarius family name, and then reveal his true identity to his brother, reconciling them. It meant forging patents of nobility, and sometimes bribing clerks to file forgeries in the right places, but he began to work his way back into society life. As he did so, he learned of Princess Eutropia and her cause. She seemed to have the best interests of Taldor’s citizens at heart - and as he’d learned over the past three years, it was about time someone did. His identity as Hargus Kryn allowed him to test the waters on some of her ideas, and quietly make his support known. With the Grand Day of Exaltation arriving, Hargus seeks a way to influence the upcoming Senate vote - although what could a noble from the fringes of Taldor truly hope to accomplish?

Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Constitution: 14
Intelligence:14
Wisdom: 16
Charisma: 16

Traits: Taldan Patriot(+1 to sense motive/knowledge (History) and once a day can recall a fact about a noble that would normally require a successful check in social combat) , Child of the Temple (+1 to Knowledge(Nobility) and Knowledge(Religion) checks)

Feats: Noble Scion - Merosett(+2 Knowledge - Nobility, +5 Bluff/Sense motive to send/receive secret messages, half time to search archives, navigate government offices, review contracts or otherwise work with bureaucracies).

Skills:
Diplomacy: +9
Handle Animal: +7
Knowledge(Nobility): +10
Intimidation: +7

Equipment: 2 Apollo dogs, combat trained(Jack and Finn), Heavy Steel Shield, club, backpack, parade armor, 4 days food for Jack and Finn, steel and tinder, sleeping roll

Combat stats:
Jack and Finn: AC 13(TAC 12), Bite +3, d6+3 plus trip. Init: +2

Init: +0
Club: d6, +1 to hit.

Acid/Cold/Electricity resistance: 5

In a house known for occultism, influence mongering and spymasters, Eric is the one the house marches out when it wants to make a point about their righteousness. Sent to a temple of Iomedae at an early age, Eric became the affable but slightly inept warrior surrounded by those more capable than him. If it weren't for the fact that he was taken in by the Temple's Master of the Hounds, he probably would have been given a luxurious life and kept in the dark about everything the family does.

The Master of the Hounds discovered Eric's skill with animals at a very young age, his empathy and steel-hard glare commanding obedience at every level from the animals the Master had in his care. Taking the boy on, the Master taught Eric how to hunt down fugitives with them, how to keep the respect of the creatures there.

This changed everything about the slight boy. Now, he is called upon by the house when criminals must be hunted, or asked to join in on animal hunts by the other nobles. The family has welcomed him in, though of course they still march him out at every opportunity like a monkey in a tuxedo.

Eregos Villarius (Hargus Kryn)
Human vigilante (avenger) 1
CN/NG medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Perception +5
Favored Class: Vigilante
FCB: +1 Skill Point

DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +3 armor, +1 shield, +1 Dodge)
HP 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3

OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft
Melee falcata +4 (1d8+3, 19-20/x3)
Melee spiked gauntlet +4 (1d4+3, x2)
Melee dagger +4 (1d4+3, 19-20/x2)
Ranged dagger +2 (1d4+3, 19-20/x2, 10 ft)

STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15
Traits Civilized, Disgraced Noble (Campaign, Class Skill: Linguistics)
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata), Dodge
Skills (ACP -3) Bluff +6 (+8 to conceal identity), Diplomacy +10, Disguise +6 (+26 to appear as current identity), Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nobility)* +2, Linguistics +4 (+6 to spot or produce forgeries), Perception +5, Profession (gambler)* +5, Sense Motive +5, Stealth +2
Languages Common
Social Talents Social Grace (Diplomacy)
SQ Dual-identity, seamless guise, vigilante specialization (Avenger)
Other gear falcata, spiked gauntlet, 4 daggers, studded leather armor, buckler, explorer’s outfit (free outfit worth 10 gp or less), courtier’s outfit, 50 gp worth of jewelry, belt pouch, dice, cards (worth 1 gp), 2 signet rings (House Villarius, “House Kryn”), 6 gp, 9 sp

Eregos had a gift for discussion, often laying out convincing arguments and speaking with distinction and poise. He hoped to use this skill to prove himself worthy of his father’s affection, but while he applauded Eregos’s linguistic talents, he spent no more time with him than he had previously. Eregos was disappointed. He’d hoped his father would see potential for something in him - perhaps even a place in the Senate. Instead, he was yet an afterthought. Desperate, he turned his attention to his martial training, seeking to prove to at least his father that his skill-at-arms made him just as worthy as his brother. As he grew, he became larger and more muscular than Marcus, in the image of his maternal grandfather. While this helped him in his martial training, it did not help him learn the proper way to use the signature Taldan weapon, the Falcata. He consistently relied on his strength to strike with the blade instead of finesse and agility. In the end, his efforts weren’t enough, and his father continued to all but ignore him.

Then, tragedy struck. At the age of 14, his mother fell ill and died. Eregos was heartbroken at the loss, but the pain was made all the greater by the fact that his father decided Eregos should go to a private school away from home, as his father did not have time for his younger son. So, a mere week after his mother’s funeral, Eregos was sent away, to Oppara. Eregos was so angry. He’d tried so hard, done everything his father asked, to prove himself worthy of his father’s time, and instead, he found himself sent away from the family home, barely able to mourn his mother. It was in his anger that Eregos realized the truth - nothing he did mattered to his father. He was nothing but an afterthought. If that was how his father saw him, then it was fine - it meant he could do whatever he wanted.

Eregos arrived at the school in Oppara with a mission. He was going to enjoy himself, and who cared what his father thought about it. It started small - sneaking out at night, breaking curfew with a few friends, other second and third sons sent away from home. They began frequenting taverns, gambling halls, and brothels, spending money freely, laughing and showing up to classes half-asleep and yawning. They earned and then cultivated a reputation as carefree hedonists, men who did what they wanted, when they wanted. After all, they said, what did any of it matter? They were clearly afterthoughts to their families, and no one would care. Unbeknownst to them, someone did.

After 4 years, Eregos graduated the program and was to return home. As he prepared to do so, his father arrived, furious. Eregos’s reputation had reached home, and his father demanded to know if it was true. Deciding not to bother with a lie, Eregos replied that yes, it was true. His father demanded to know what had possessed him to sully the family name so, and Eregos laid everything out. He lit into his father for never spending time with him, for favoring Marcus over him, for sending him away with barely a chance to mourn his mother. They were both shouting by the time it was over. Eregos’s father called him a disappointment and a disgrace. Eregos called his father a washed-up, useless fool, and told him he was so concerned with appearances and his reputation that he’d probably never truly loved his wife. It was the final straw. Eregos’s father told him not to bother returning to the family seat, and that he was disowned, cast out of the family. Eregos said it was fine with him - it wasn’t like he had ever been treated like part of the family anyway.

Eregos remained in Oppara, but it didn’t take him long to learn that he wasn’t well-suited to life outside of the net that had supported him. With no truly marketable skills, he found his only way to make money being gambling. His friends stopped associating with him. Over the next three years, he gradually sold various valuables and finery for coin, relying on gambling and other games of chance to earn enough so he could desperately try and keep himself alive. In desperation, he began working to forget letters of credit, allowing him to occasionally draw funds from merchants and the like.

It was during this time that he found out just how badly the commoner had it in Taldor compared to the nobility. The safety nets and advantages he had once enjoyed gone, he saw how hard-strapped they were, and how hard they worked for no reward as nobles like him spent money without consequence. He no longer looked down on them - now, he saw them as the true soul of Taldor.

Eventually, he learned the true reason his father had been so furious at him. His father had challenged Maxillar Pythareous, Taldor’s military commander, on some political matter, and won the day. In retaliation, Pythareous accused his family of engaging in demonic and hedonistic rituals and conspiring with enemies of the throne to overthrow the Grand Emperor. Preposterous accusations, all, but Eregos’s behavior in the capital was used as evidence of the hedonistic nature of the family. His father was now dead, supposedly killed in a riding accident, but Eregos knew, deep down, it was no accident.

Eregos was distraught. His actions had directly contributed to the rapid decline of his House. The Villarius name was worthless now - his brother, Marcus, was said to have sold the family estate to someone else, and was constantly shunned by those of high society. Eregos knew reaching out to his old friends would result in no response - they had likely stopped associating with him because of the charges Pythareous laid against his father. Eregos began to quietly hatch a foolish plan - find Pythareous, assassinate him, and then redeem his family name. He could reconcile with Marcus, and then the two of them would be able to rebuild.

But how could he accomplish this plan? He would never get close to Pythareous - his guards would make sure of that. But maybe someone else could. Eregos crafted himself an alternate identity - Hargus Kryn, a minor noble from near the World’s Edge Mountains. This identity would allow him to easily move about society, without the tarnish he’d given the family’s reputation. As Hargus Kryn, he could redeem the Viillarius family name, and then reveal his true identity to his brother, reconciling them. It meant forging patents of nobility, and sometimes bribing clerks to file forgeries in the right places, but he began to work his way back into society life. As he did so, he learned of Princess Eutropia and her cause. She seemed to have the best interests of Taldor’s citizens at heart - and as he’d learned over the past three years, it was about time someone did. His identity as Hargus Kryn allowed him to test the waters on some of her ideas, and quietly make his support known. With the Grand Day of Exaltation arriving, Hargus seeks a way to influence the upcoming Senate vote - although what could a noble from the fringes of Taldor truly hope to accomplish?

He was then struck by something more physical, as his knees inevitably collided into a wooden pew. He swore under his breath as he righted himself. Hopefully not too many people had seen him make a fool out of himself, he thought as he looked about the half-deserted space. That hope was quickly dashed. For the woman just a few feet away from him could hardly not have noticed his blunder. After all, she was sitting on the same pew he had thought abandoned.

“Oh! Excuse me. Wasn’t watching my step. Sorry to… disturb you?”

His wonder at the woman slipped into his apology, for as his eyes took her in he found her odd indeed. Physically there was little noteworthy about her. The woman was utterly average in height and build, albeit perhaps somewhat paler than most Taldans. While not unattractive, she had reached that age one couldn’t call ‘young’ anymore – perhaps thirty or so, and her hair was doubly unassuming, being both brown and cut in a conservative style. No, what the young man perceived as unusual about the woman was her dress and conduct. If the fine clothes hadn’t already made it obvious, then the signet ring on one slender finger confirmed that she was a noble. And as for her conduct, well… She was praying. In the temple of a dead god. Praying fervently at that, hands clasped and head bowed. So occupied was she that neither the young man’s tumble nor apology had convinced her to even look up; he had to wait for her to finish. When she did, the woman turned towards him.

“That’s perfectly alright. I’m glad you find our church so beautiful as to forget the ground beneath you.”

More oddities leapt out at the man. Although her features were fairly plain, the woman’s beautiful voice and regal bearing lent her no small amount of appeal. But what truly stood out to him were her eyes. These were not beautiful. No, they were a horrid uniform white, two large milky pools that gave this otherwise so unassuming woman an air of exoticism. She was clearly blind. The way she looked only in his direction, not directly at him, confirmed it.

Good, he thought. That meant she wouldn’t be able to see nor remember his red face.

“Yes, um… Yes, it is that. Very beautiful. Magnificent.”

He hesitated. The young man didn’t want to pry, nor come of as rude, especially to a noble-lady, but he’d always been the curious sort. ‘Our’ church? Had he heard her right? Perhaps she had simply meant it in the loosest civic sense, but coupled with the prayer he had to wonder. Arodenties were a very rare breed today indeed. Had he come across one?

“May I… Forgive me, but may I ask… Just now, were you praying?”

“I was.”

“To… Aroden?”

A wry smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Yes. To Aroden.”

The young man made an indication of surprise, hoping that she would elaborate, before he remembered that she was blind and therefore oblivious to these social cues. If he wanted to know more, he would have to ask.

“Miss, could you, um… Again, I mean no disrespect, but…”

“Why am I praying to the divine equivalent of a carcass? Is that what you want to know?”

The words were far harsher than he had expected, but the smile never left left the woman’s lips. She didn’t seem at all angry, nor even annoyed. If anything she looked a bit bemused. Honestly, she reminded him of his last visit to a brothel, where the madam easily and unashamed broached subjects he was hesitant to even voice.

“Well, I suppose… Yes, I suppose that’s what I’m asking. I mean, why worship something that you know is, um… gone?”

“Gone?”

The woman lifted her light eyebrows in surprise; he couldn’t quite tell whether it was feigned or not. She then lifted a fine hand and pointed to one side of the hall without looking. Her dead eyes never moved once.

“That fresco over there – can you see it?"

“Yes.”

“Describe it to me.”

“It, um… I think that’s Aroden himself standing over a slain… devil, perhaps? I’m sorry; I’m not very good with these things. It looks like he’s entering a doorway of some sorts.”

“That’s a perfectly adequate description,” the woman smiled. “Although your ‘devil’ is actually a demon. A demon lord at that. That fresco depicts how our lord Aroden departed our world for the great unknown after slaying the demon lord Ibdurengian. You see, our current situation is not entirely new. The Last Azlanti has abandoned his people before. There was a time where he walked among us, his chosen, and guided us, fought alongside us, even founded the great nation we now reside in. I have no doubt that humanity back then, as we do now, felt an enormous loss and frustration at the moment shown in that fresco – the moment Aroden departed our reality to become the unseen force we now understand as a deity.”

If the woman’s voice was beautiful earlier, the young man now found it spellbinding. Narcotic, even. There was a conviction in her every syllable that brooked no interruption or argument. Dimly the young man realized that the woman was more preacher than devotee.

“Do you know why Aroden left us then? Because he loved us. He loved us too much to see us so dependent on him. The last Azlanti saw fathomless potential in humanity. He raised us from nothing into the greatest civilization on the planet, not for personal glory or adoration but because he could recognize the great destiny hidden within us, just as he recognized himself as the hero of the Starfall Doctrine. He was both leader and servant. As we worshiped him, he worshiped us. And I’m sure it broke his immortal heart to see the people he so adored, the people he knew had no limits, grow reliant upon him. To define themselves after him. That is why the Living God left us. Like a mother bird kicking its own young out of the nest so that it may learn to soar, Aroden abandoned his children so that we might be free. Free to do all and be all he wanted us to be, free to pursue our destiny.”

The young man gulped, audibly. He had never heard any priest, of any god dead or alive, speak with such fervour.

“I… I see. But that was then. Now he hasn’t just… retired to the great beyond. He’s dead.”

Her smile only grew wider.

“Young man, I worship him because he’s dead. Don’t you see? The sapling can never grow strong with an ancient oak cloying it. It is because our lord Aroden is dead that we are limitless. If we truly want to be worthy of the god that loved us, then we must prove that we can thrive without him. This is the destiny he foresaw us. His death set us free. Humanity’s, and thus Aroden’s, greatest triumph was his death. And besides, a god of human greatness was always a paradox. After all, only a weak humanity would need a god.”

Underneath her blank eyes the woman’s smile seemed serene. And just a little insidious.

However, every cloud having a silver lining, her disability didn't come without advantages. Maddalena herself believes that she would have grown up as xenophobic as most every other Taldan if not for her blindness. Because while others judged by appearance, she never had that option. Instead, she listened. And the young Merosett found a great deal worth listening to from a great variety of people. Foreigners usually so distrusted in Taldor represented nations with philosophy, magic and science every bit as worthy as that of Taldor itself. Even in Qadirans, their long-standing enemy, Maddalena found something to admire. She became convinced that all the tribes of humanity should reunite under a new banner, a new super-civilization. A new Azlant.

If only there was something that could band them all together, some common ground all of mankind could unite over. It was then that it struck her. There had once been such a thing. Not long ago at all, at that: Aroden. The one true god of humanity, the Last Azlanti, had unified them all through shared purpose. Why shouldn't he do so again? The deity might be gone, but his teachings were not. Maddalena reasoned that if entire nations such as Rahadoum could be centered around a philosophy, then why couldn't the principles of Aroden lead humans as they once had? In pursuit of this goal, she dedicated herself to the betterment of the failing church of Aroden, and because she wanted to lead by example, even started to pray to the dead deity. This had an unexpected consequence that ensured the young Merosett's undying devotion to her cause: she began to see.

Comments:
So yeah, Maddy is a devout follower of Aroden, but more so as a philosophy than a faith. Can’t really be called a faith in-universe what with the god being dead. She believes in innovation, civilization, justice, the strong protecting the weak, work ethic, culture, the preservation of history, and the community over the individual. Really, she’s pretty much an Abadaran except her beliefs are centred entirely on the human race. And boy, does she have big plans. Her end goal in the political mess that the adventure path purports to be is more funding from Taldor to the Arodenite church, which I understand from the lore still exists, albeit extremely diminished. I love that, by the way. No better sign of how resistant Taldor is to change than the fact that they’re still keeping the church of a dead god around. Maddy wants to utilize the Arodenite church, this one thing every human tribe on the planet has in common (or rather used to), to unify all of humanity. I mean, if religions in our world can do it without magic, then why shouldn’t that follow on Golarion? She doesn’t think this can be done in her lifetime. Heck no, this will take time. But that doesn’t really matter to her as long as she can set humanity on the right course. Others will follow in her footsteps, and all of this will begin in the nation Aroden himself founded: Taldor. Starting small, right?

As far as her personal life goes, I didn’t want to write anything too specific as I don’t know if following chapters in the AP will have specifics on the Merosetts that my scribbles will just run against. I do have this idea though, that only her closest family members know that Maddy isn’t blind. Not entirely anyway, according to the mechanics of the Oracle curse. She keeps up the lie to disarm people; it makes others underestimate her. Additionally, even though she has her own agenda at court (mo’ money for the church), princess Eutropia from the player’s guide intrigues her. After all, she is a woman herself and would benefit from the end of Taldor’s primogeniture. I’m hoping that these goals (a personal political motive; fixing Taldor in Aroden’s eyes; Eutropia’s reform) will make Maddy a good fit for the path.

If you're still reading at this point, thanks.