Kingmaker

Game Master Rackal28

What is my short-term goal?
Wylhia is looking for protection. She's hoping she can find a fey connected enough to the First World to at least explain to her why she's Bleaching, but such a meeting could be dangerous to undertake alone.

What is my long-term goal?
Wylhia wants to find a way to stop the Bleaching, and overall, to finally feel safe again. She also wants to know what happened to the elf from her backstory.

What is my motivation in starting a kingdom, should it come up?
Wylhia has a sort of skewed moral compass—to be expected, considering her upbringing—and a kingdom under her care would be run much like the chaotic River Kingdoms. That said, she wants the land to be safe for travelers, and wishes to promote a more harmonious relationship between mortals and fey.

The name of the bandit crew is up to you (it probably gives you more options to integrate them into the world). If you want me to make something up, though, we'll say they were the Pitax Creek Orphaners, a vicious band that ranged along the Pitax Creek for most of Wisp's childhood—though they did move regularly. Members were distinguished by the water strider tattoos on the backs of their hands. Wisp always wears gloves to hide hers.

A common tactic the Orphaners used would be having someone pretend to be injured or in need of help, usually Moggins (posing as a child) or the charismatic Meerlk, to lure well-meaning travelers into brutal ambushes.

The group had anywhere between 20 and 50 members at its peaks, roughly nine of whom were of the "original band" and thus closest to Wisp. Of the nine, four (humans, a half-orc, an elderly hobgoblin) died while she was a child, including the woman who taught her Druidic. Two retired, and three were still alive and active when she "left".

I'm going into detail below on the surviving members, but feel free to discard as much as you like. I'm by no means expecting it all to go to use in your game, but if I get in, I'll be referring to a lot of it when deciding how Wisp handles situations.

Meerlk: A CE female half-orc bard with a vicious temper and a fondness for fear effects, Meerlk had a soft spot for Wisp, and was very protective of her—though she also taught Wisp some of the worst lessons Wisp has internalized, like the sense that overt friendliness is a sign that someone's getting ready to attack. Meerlk never got along with the Captain. She retired thirty years ago, and invited Wisp to come with her, but most of Wisp's family was still alive at this time, so Wisp stayed and lost touch with Meerlk.

Kavahd: A CN half-orc barbarian and one of the few non-evil members of the crew, Kavahd was a reportedly an exile, though he never told Wisp what his crime had been (I'm thinking he was either Ulfen or from a relevant region—maybe one in common with a PC if we want to connect backstories). He followed the Green Faith, and liked telling Wisp stories of both his faith and his people, and Wisp still carries a buckler with his symbol on it (one that could be recognized by those who exiled him). He got in a lot of arguments with the Captain, often urging the crew to accept surrenders or leave the poor be. He retired sometime before Wisp's departure, though he left unexpectedly and didn't say goodbye to anyone except the Captain. i.e. the Captain definitely murdered him or forced him to leave.

Moggins: A LE halfling cutthroat who liked to give Wisp presents, including her beloved kit of knitting and sewing needles. A lot of his gifts came from people he murdered for the Captain. Moggins was easy-going and likable, but Wisp and Moggins were never terribly close. He was still alive when she left.

Lanelu: A NE Forlorn elf ranger from the Mwangi Expanse who advocated for giving Wisp to a local village, Lanelu was a distant figure for much of Wisp's childhood, a detached archer with a casual comfort for killing. He was one of the crew's founding members, along with Taron and Moggins. Because he was always cold, Lanelu wore a heavy blue quilted cloak—supposedly a gift from a dear friend. Wisp wears it now. He and Wisp developed a closer bond as they watched the other bandits age and die.

Taron, "The Captain": A half-elf melee warrior with a knack for dirty tricks and cruel ambushes, the founder of the crew was always nice to Wisp, and liked to call her "the little rag doll". He spoke often of "doing right" by her, and encouraged her druidic explorations. He was very keen that she should grow up to take part in the bandit raids. Taron was a little more vicious than Kavahd was comfortable with, and Meerlk called him "the adder" and less kind nicknames. For Wisp's part, Taron taught her a lot about staying alive in a cruel world, and she looked up to him a lot.

Meerlk (and Kavahd, if alive) could appear in these adventures as hermits, restless undead (in Kavahd's case), or members of other crews, though they'd likely be in their 40s-50s at the youngest. The bandit crew as a whole could appear, either on its own or absorbed into other forces. Lanelu could appear in just about any capacity—he might be dead, undead, captive, or still working with the Orphaners. It's possible he deliberately took Wisp away from the crew to get her to the better life he knew she deserved, or to get her out of active danger.

Aside from Kavahd and a couple dead members, basically everyone Wisp grew up with was evil, but that doesn't mean some of them didn't genuinely care about her or care about raising her right. That being said, Taron in particular might have had some ulterior motives.

… sitting in a tree / k-i-s-s-i-n-g! ;)

Since Hymbria is basically a puppet state of Kyonin, as I understand it, I imagine that a woodsy aristo without too many family obligations, like Alaïs, might turn up there for a reasonably safe adventure, and she would have met Hyalinnea on one of those some decades before. They would have hit it off and become fast friends without it going any further at first, as they got to know one another and since the one was just visiting and the other’s family moved around a bit (Lina’s father was a merchant-y craftsperson sort). They kept in touch.

In the interval, though, Lina would have acquired her elixir to put the finishing touches on her transition, and in the upshot, after travelling a bit on her own, fallen in with and had a relationship with a Gyronnan that ended badly after said gf’s coven proved less accepting, egged on in particular by a descendant of the last mayor of Heibarr with similar pretensions of nobility. As part of getting her revenge, Lina would have visited Daggermark, and eventually stayed long enough even afterwards to learn a few tricks, before going back home and then resuming her wandering. At some point thereafter, and some indefinite number of visits, both she and Alaïs would separately realize that they had caught feelings.

But Lina knows she’s from a backwater and if the pair decided to make a go of it, doesn’t think she has enough to offer Alaïs, who’s used to a more settled life and in some ways very much more a traditional elven lady. That Lina’s family may have been a very big deal in what is now Sevenarches umpteen generations ago, before Earthfall, is kind of … not helpful? Alaïs, meanwhile, has similar worries from the other side: that she’s been playing huntress and woodswoman and not been open enough about how luxurious her home life is, while Lina’s never been to Iadara (while Alaïs has, at least once), and was badly hurt by a noble in the recent-ish past. And she couldn’t ask Lina to give up traveling the rivers as much as she does when she so obviously loves it, right? So they’re dancing nervously and gently around the issues, afraid to ask too much, mutually pining, and they’re idiots, and I love them. :)

In terms of other ideas and hooks to flesh out, I imagined Alaïs as a skald (court poet, bacchanal), very much an elf-y elf: worshipping Findeladlara, favouring the harp as her instrument, among other performance types. While she’s also fascinated by magic, and would leverage spell kenning and various runestones (theoretically) as much as she can, I like the contrast of her limited spells known compared to Lina’s looser limitations not so much by spellbook capacity but which spells work best with the sort of magus she is. Oh, and Alaïs’ rage powers would revolve around spooky fey spirit stuff. One of the things I had in mind is that though she’s far down the line of succession, her guaranteed inheritance is some spooky old (fey?-) haunted tower somewhere, and her powers are a sign of her right. It could be anywhere foresty and with a view in Kyonin or the River Kingdoms, even conveniently somewhere in the Stolen Lands? ;)

Appearance An attractive young woman with fire-red hair and freckles walks over to a stone bench and sits down. She shrugs off her backpack and adjusts the scabbard at her waist so it isn't digging into her hip. An iron mug filled with dirt and a leafy plant is swaddled at the top of her pack where the plant can get plenty of sunlight. Her clothing is practical for travel except for a gold stag brooch that secures the cloak around her shoulders. Judging by her gear she's a paladin; but as soon as you think you have her figured out, you notice her making almost imperceptible motions at her plant... or was it a twitch?

Background. Serena grew up in the Easternmost part of Brevoy in lands nestled against the Icerime Peaks and the Gronzi Forest. (North of Restov.) Serena is the youngest of four and related to the Medvyed family through her mother. With her two brothers taking over the family business and her sister married off, Serena is free to pursue her own interests. Through her family’s connections, Serena heard whispers about the Lord Mayor of Restov drafting charters. Her mother was able to pull a few strings and grant Serena an audience with the Lord before his decisions were finalized.

Religion. Serena spends an hour every morning in quiet meditation in the company of plants or animals. Serena honors Erastil in myriad ways, but when she travels to cities, Serena takes a potted fern (native to her home) with her. The plant is mundane but has a religious significance which helps ground Serena’s meditation. Serena tends to automatically like (and get along well with) individuals who worship any god with a nature or forest domain.

Paladin Creed. Serena is a self-learned paladin who follows her own self-imposed Paladin oath. Her knowledge of paladins comes from the history books in her father’s library. Serena repeats her paladin creed every morning during her meditation: “Community, Honor, Protection, Duty. It is through cooperation that a community grows strong. Thus, I will contribute all that I can. Honor comes from within and it is something I must earn. When danger threatens, I am no fool, but I will be the vanguard protecting those in my company. When duty calls, I will act. Letting a lapse on my duties makes me a burden on my people. Endurance Overcomes All.”

Secret. Although unconventional for a paladin, Serena has a passion for plants. She loves reading about them, doodling pictures of them, tending to them, and even talking to them. Her obsession with plants motivated her to arduously seek out and learn how to communicate in plantspeech (if GM allows. I imagine plantspeech might be very delicate motions - almost imperceptible - like a plant encountering a slight breeze.) Her dream is to one day create a garden so beautiful and verdant that a leshy will want to move in and help protect it.

Combat Mechanics. Serena is built to be the face of the party in combat and communication. She’ll eventually be suited with full-plate and will be taking feats to ensure she takes the brunt of party damage. Spells she’ll eventually have are: Hero’s Defiance, the Angelic Aspects, Paladin’s Sacrifice, and Blaze of Glory. The Paladin class constrains Serena’s alignment to Lawful Good but she isn’t Lawful Stupid.

1. What is a short-term goal of your character?
Serena's siblings have all found their calling in life. Serena feels as if it's time she found hers. And she's not satisfied with just being married off.
2. What is a long-term goal of your character?
Serena was never formally trained as a paladin, yet Erastil still gave her his blessing. It was a clear sign to Serena and her mother that she ought to go out and give back to the community.
3. If your character was given the opportunity to found their own kingdom what would be their motivation to do so?
Serena would see the opportunity to found a new kingdom as an obligation to the people who live in the region. Erastil has given Serena his blessing so perhaps this is what she is meant to do. Serena would feel obligated to not just govern, but also be with and listen to the people. ...And ensure there is adequate greenery planted so Erastil's values aren't forgotten. If the kingdom were to grow extremely prosperous, Serena might try to commission a greenhouse to grow rare plants and possibly leshy.

20 Point Buy: Str 16, Dex 10 Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14(+2 Human)

Hit Points: 1d10 (+2 Con) = 12/12
Initiative: (+0 Dex) = 0
BAB: 1

AC: 10(+6 Four-mirror Armor)(+2 Shield)(+0 Dex) = 18
Touch: 10(+0 Dex) = 10
Flat-footed: 10(+6 Four-mirror Armor)(+2 Shield) = 18
CMB: (+1 BAB)(+3 Str)(+0 Size) = 4
CMD: (+1 BAB)(+3 Str)(+0 Dex)(+0 Size) +10 = 14

Fort: (+2 Base)(+2 Con) = 4
Ref: (+0 Base)(+0 Dex)(+2 Feat) = 2
Will: (+2 Base)(+0 Wis) = 2 (+1 if Fey caster)

Languages Taldane (Common), plantspeech

Skills (2 +Int, +1 Human, +1 Favored Class, +2 Background Skills)
Craft +0 (0 rank, 3 class, 0 Int)
Diplomacy +7 (1 rank, 3 class, 3 Char) (+2 if Fey - trait)
Handle Animal +3 (0 rank, 3 class, 3 Char)
Heal +0 (0 rank, 3 class, 0 Wis)
Intimidate +3 (0 rank, 3 Char)
Knowledge Nobility +4 (1 rank, 3 class, 0 Int)
Knowledge Religion +4 (1 rank, 3 class, 0 Int)
Linguistics +4 (1 rank, 3 Char)
Perception +7 (1 rank, 3 class, 1 Seeker, 2 Alertness, 0 Wis)
Profession +0 (0 rank, 3 class, 0 Wis)
Ride +0 (0 rank, 3 class, 0 Dex)
Sense Motive +6 (1 rank, 3 class, 2 Alertness, 0 Wis)
Spellcraft +0 (0 rank, 3 class, 0 Int)

Specials Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day

Feats Alertness, Lightning Reflexes

Traits Noble Born: Medvyed, Seeker

Inventory (300gp starting)
Gold brooch of a stag worth 100g (holy symbol) (100g), Four-mirror Armor (125g), Heavy Steel Shield (20g), Longsword (15g), Pouch of 12 gold pieces
Misc Inventory
Backpack (5g), Bedroll, Common Survival Kit (5g), Ink (8g), Inkpen, Iron mug with leafy fern, Portrait Book for Plants (10g), Trowel

Born as the fifth son of Ravelm Rogarvia, Raevis never had much of a prospect of inheriting the throne. Still, as a part of the ruling house of the nation of Brevoy, he was an attractive spouse and a good pawn to forge stronger ties with for the weaker houses and outside countries. He was a proverbial carrot dangled in front of them for years, pushed this way and that by his father.

Perhaps predictably, as he grew older, he started to despise the way choices were made for him – what he was allowed to study and not, who he was allowed to see, how much he should train and even what he could eat. More and more he became a dissident, rebelling in the slightest ways of etiquette at first and more openly as his skill and confidence grew. He questioned the teachings of the Aldori swordlords, one of them his own teacher, refused to be betrothed to anyone and openly became involved with the church of Cayden Cailean – among commoners, no less! To say nothing of the time he actually discarded his dueling sword and took up the Taldan Falcata and STILL claimed himself a Swordlord!

Many a duel was fought over this slight, (often with his teacher, Lothar, standing in for him since ‘If you die, all those years I spent drilling a TINY bit of common sense into your skull would be wasted!’). Yet, somehow, even if the more experienced man didn’t jump in, he always seemed to win.

By the time he’d reached true adulthood, his reputation among the court as a troublemaker was solidified. He was a rebel dreamer, more interested in philosophy and esoteric swordplay than anything else. Too honest to make good use of his wits, some claimed. Too much in love with a sickly childhood friend -Or even commoner? A dwarf from that last diplomatic visit to Brunderton?- and not enough sense of duty to put it aside for ‘the greater good’. Wild rumors speculated that he even moonlighted as a lowly pathfinder! Yet, for all his perceived flaws, he compensated with commoner popularity.

To the outside world, he could pull of the act of the lovable buffoon quite well. It was said that a visit from young Raevis with a bottle of good Andorran wine (or better, a keg of Dwarven ale) could solve any dispute. And there had been other incidents that subtly implied that he was more skilled at this house game then he let on, when investments and undertakings of his enemies tended to mysteriously yet unfailingly meet utterly disastrous results. When confronted with this, he only ever gave his mysterious s@!%-eating grin, followed by a polite bow as was the custom.

For a while, things seemed to be working for him, and that his eccentric behavior became more accepted. Still, he knew deep down that something strange was happening in Brevoy. His father was becoming increasingly restless, withdrawing more and more into himself and away from Brevan high society. He was never truly focused whenever they still met. Uncomfortable whispers surrounding his health started going around the castle. Or was it an affair? A slight? A coming war with this faction or another? Impending civil war between his sons for the throne?
All of the above at once?

But there was nothing – allegedly.
That didn’t make his father’s actions any less strange.
More and more, money from the treasury was spent on exclusive parties – normally never a priority. More and more gifts for expensive maitresses from this race or that, something his father hadn’t truly indulged in since his wife’s death to poison. Extremely expensive clothes and jewels for a normally reserved and frugal ruler.

Then, he started sending his sons away to different corners of the world on the vaguest of missions…. And Raevis knew he’d be next.
He just didn’t expect how, or how severe his own dispatchment would be.
Perhaps it had been based on an excuse, when he’d rejected a courtship from a girl who by his very conservative estimates was *completely crazy*. Seeking to have all the Surtova‘s murdered and blaming it on a convenient third party her family had a regional dispute with was not something he’d sign for anytime soon, no matter the material benefit.
But Honors were slighted, and the other party had put forth an Aldori Swordswoman named Jamandi Aldori.

It was slaughter. His teacher refused to stand in for him, and this opponent was far beyond any he’d faced before. So far, that even during the duel, he’d started to wonder just how many of them had LET him win, just because he was a prince, and realize that he wasn’t nearly as good as he thought he was.

He got crushed, and the final stroke of the swordlord cut deeply into his dominant right hand, which never fully recovered. It might have, with powerful enough magic, but such wasn’t offered to him anymore. Instead, he was brought before he father, claimed to be an embarrassment to the family, disowned and exiled from the court.

That was mere days before the Vanishing, when suddenly the entire rest of his family and their servants seemed to disappear into thin air. Perhaps, now exiled to the stolen lands below, the then sixteen year old Raevis, should have counted himself fortunate to have been exempted, but he’d been too busy trying to cope with suddenly losing everything, including the function of his swordhand.

But it was also a turning point for him, and as he found refuge in a small temple of Erastil, he’d slowly began trying to atone for his earlier cockiness and overconfidence, and being a better man. To pick himself up and learn how to fight again with his other arm.
He settled in a the small community of Erastilian settlers in southern Rostland under a fake name, and lived off the land as he took part in defending the forests and community from this threat or that as he grew older and regained his skill and will to fight.

While initially he held out some lingering ambition of eventually reclaiming his family’s heritage and lands, as he matured, he knew he’d never be able to achieve it and would just throw his life away, even if he could prove he was a surviving heir. Instead, he married a local huntress he’d fallen in love with, Elena, and life was simple, but good.
…Until the day came when he found her dead, along with signs that his cottage had been raided by bandits belonging to the Stag Lord, which he soon realized was a fight he couldn’t hope to win by himself. The man had too many bandits in a land still too unknown. Thus, in order to still chase revenge, he first heads north, hoping there was truth to these rumors that an expedition against him was being formed, one to drive this ‘Lord’ out of his lands…

Raevis is normally a more reserved, intelligent swordsman. At least, that’s how he likes to think of himself now. As a foil to his younger self, he now prefers to carefully study which fights to pick and when, and only result to direct confrontation if there are no better ways to do it. An early life among the court and good teachers have taught him the values of flattering words, a smile and implied rewards for avoiding bloodshed.

Currently, he is mostly set on taking revenge and partly in mourning, and his courtly manners and subterfuge have mostly given way to honesty and the commoner’s straightforwardness. Were these skills ever to resurface, such as if he ever regained a position of leadership, he would calculate how to present himself for the best results of each situation. The position he liked to be in is one where he was underestimated, and he wouldn’t be above deliberately giving wrong impressions or appeared to a duel ‘drunk’ to lure his opposition into a false sense of security.

That said, while the distance to a potential throne has grown extremely long, he still feels a genuine connection to the people of Brevoy and a sense of duty to protect them. To him, the drinks he once shared with his friends in the Local pub or temple of Cayden Cailean (usually after bribing the guards to let him go, or simply offering to take them with him and pay for their drinks) were more real and treasured than the days upon days of calculating what the Look noble X gave noble Y and what hidden agenda’s could be contained within.

In the past, he often took it upon himself to sabotage nobles who grew a bit too power-hungry for their own good. Not out of a sense of personal gain, but rather to spare the people as many bloody disputes as possible. To achieve this, he once worked on local connections with the merchant families and conglomerates of New Stetven to bring about financial ruin of these troublemakers.

Nothing drained your wallet faster than having your iron and copper trading rights revoked due to a ‘contractual error’, having the alternative shipments bought out before you could deliver on your customers, and having your imported exotic spices never arrive. Without money, there was no war. He found the average noble could care less of the possibility of hundreds of his serfs dying, but the prospect of losing money tended to scare them off. Funny, how that worked.

However, there was always the danger that if he *did* regain his earlier life of leadership, importance and perchance luxury, that he would fully regress from the more sober huntsman into the party animal and he’d once been…

While he attempts to hide his lineage, he sometimes gives away that he knows too much for a simple farmer, usually either from political knowledge or from comments about swordfighting techniques. I can see him often quoting passages from the real life Art of War book, for instance, if asked for advice on something.

At a first glance, he is a handsome, if somewhat rugged, Human male in his mid-twenties with a well-trimmed beard and short, reddish hair. Set against his younger self, he intentionally cut his hair short so the chance of visual recognition is lowered. He walks with a confident smile (not before the Stag lord dies – then it’s more of a determined frown) and a distinct confidence of sorts that sets him apart from the average traveler.

He wears a Falcata in a holster on his right, which is also the arm his buckler is strapped to. Longer observation reveals that he doesn’t use his right hand that much and vastly prefers his left for everything, but a pair of leather gloves hide the explanatory deep scar from view. (His injured right hand is also a RP explanation for having slightly below average strength as an ability score.)

He travels with a Horse named Shayenne, which he named after his first love from his previous life – a slightly older servant girl with faint elven heritage who was removed from the castle when it became clear the two of them were involved against status.
In combat, he prefers graceful and precise cuts over brutish swings, often chosing to deflect hits and suddenly striking perceived weaknesses in the stances of his enemies.

[spoiler=Goals]
-Short term goal: Take revenge on the Stag Lord. Raevis is convinced it were his men who raided his cabin and killed his late wife (though the evidence might have been planted by someone else, of course, and it might have been an assassination attempt on him instead?).

-Long term goal: Rebuild the influence of House Rogarvia, if a true opportunity arises, and potentially find out what happened to them/if any of them are still alive. I picture this mostly as a gradually growing desire. It could start with definitively accept that being disowned was something his father did as an attempt to try and save him from the vanishing, rather than a punishment, something that Jamandi Aldori might have been in on, too. This would cause him to forgive his father’s actions, and then he will seek out revenge for whatever happened to his family, potentially also against those who took advantage of the situation when his family disappeared (such as house Surtova if the kingdom ever becomes hostile towards them).

-Motivation for starting a kingdom: See above.

[spoiler=Some more potential plot hooks and conflicts involving him]
His major first and foremost potential plot hook is around his heritage from the disappeared Rogarvia family. He could technically be recognized by anyone who interacted with the Rogarvians in the past (king Irovetti or his servants?), to say nothing of how his father’s family vanishing might be related to the eventual BBEG (redacted in case someone reads this who doesn’t know the book 6 villain). The reaction of said faction who identifies him can play into the story however you like. My personal headcanon for the Vanishing is that it somehow involves the eventual BBEG.

Here are some other ideas, too:
-His right hand was permanently injured in a duel with Jamandi Aldori just before he was exiled from court. While he mostly accepts his former behavior as unfitting and attempts to be a better man, the strength in it still never fully returned. The constant weakness might give rise to growing resentment, which could flare further if the Kingdom ever became at odds with the Aldori, for instance. On the other hand, this event did shake his confidence in his skills and he starts out mostly fearing being discovered by and/or dueled by her again… which is at odds with her being a sponsor for the southern expeditions. Whether she recognizes him and offers him a chance regardless is up to you as the GM!

-Raevis, despite being in his mid teens back then, was a bit of a womanizer during his Court stay and might have a bastard child of his own somewhere, which could come back to bite him in the ass when he least wants it to. Such as, perhaps, if his identity were revealed and he were to rise to an important post, primed to re-marry someone?
-He was a bit of an adventurer in his teen years, too, and might have snuck out of the castle on adventures here or there. So if the ramifications of one such ‘caper’ would be fun to include in the story, I could think of a few. He might have gone on a few adventures with Maegar Varn back in the day, which his father may or may not have known about?

Raevis Rogarvia
Human swashbuckler 1 (Falcata/Rondelero Swashbuckler), remaining levels inquisitor of Erastil.
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 shield)
hp 12 (1d10+2)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee dagger +4 (1d4-1/19-20) or
falcata +5 (1d8+3/19-20/×3) or
falcata +5 (1d8+3/19-20/×3)
Ranged longbow +4 (1d8-1/×3)
Special Attacks deeds (opportune parry and riposte), panache (2)
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +0; CMD 13
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (falcata)(Bonus feat: archetype replaces Derring Do deed with the proficiency), Weapon Focus (falcata), Slashing Grace[ACG].
Traits: Pioneer, Fate’s Favored.
Skills: Acrobatics +0 (-4 to jump), Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Ride +4, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Perception +6, Sense Motive +6, Survival +2 (+4 to avoid becoming lost when using a Mapmaker's Kit as you travel), Swim +0
Languages Common, Skald.
SQ swashbuckler finesse
Combat Gear acid (3); Other Gear lamellar (leather) armor[UC], buckler, dagger, falcata[APG], falcata[APG], longbow, mapmaker's kit[APG], 82 gp
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Special Abilities
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Deeds
Panache (Ex) Gain a pool of points that are spent to fuel deeds, regained on light/piercing crit/killing blow.
Slashing Grace (Falcata) Treat chosen weapon as 1-handed piercing weapon and can add Dex instead of Str to dam.
Swashbuckler Finesse Use Dex for att with light/1-hand pierce wep. Use Cha instead of Int for combat feat pre-reqs.

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Raevis intends to multiclass into an inquisitor of Erastil at level 2 and will remain an inquisitor from there. He intends to take the sanctified slayer and tactical leader archetypes if allowed, which makes his damage a bit more reliable as well as allowing him to share teamwork feats with the rest of the party. The overall flavor will be a somewhat rogueish swordwielding ‘ranger’ who can also hold his own in courtlife.

For combat, he will have good ac (medium armor + high dex + buckler + spells if given time), and along with limited access to Swashbuckler parries he should make for an excellent tank or tanky melee damage dealer. On the damage side he fights with a one-handed 19-20/x3 weapon, which combined with the inquisitor’s plethora of buffs (Studied target, slow sneak attack progression, Bane, Spells, Teamwork feats) should make pack quite a punch! (though it will take a few rounds for him to activate all said buffs, as is common for inquisitors)

He also gets an animal companion from his domain at level 5 (his former house cat, who escaped the attack on his cottage), who can help out a bit on both tanking and damage fronts. When ranged is needed, the same buffs and class features allow him to shoot a bow decently well, though he doesn’t have the feats to really be good at it.

Out of combat, he has a large amount of skillpoints each level (10-11 including background skills) which I intend to spread between social skills, some knowledge skills for monster identification and many skills for wilderness survival and exploration. I expect him to excel in social situations especially because studied target (which he gets in return for judgement through sanctified slayer), adds to all his social rolls in out of combat situations too, and one optional archetype even adds half his level as a bonus on all diplomacy checks.

For kingdom management, the roles he most easily qualifies for are spymaster (using potential old contacts from his court days) and marshall (using his survival skills), though I could buy a headband or take a feat and get his wisdom or charisma up to 16 for any of those other positions. While a small part of Raevis still covets the throne, he might prefer marrying to an existing ruler rather than immediately claim it himself, since that will probably cause less political backlash.

Morof Tarci doesn’t know exactly where he was born. His mother Lucia tells him she doesn’t remember. She was never open to him about his father either, however much Morof would ask her. All he managed to get out of her is that his name was Faxilonius. The people in the farmlands south of Brevoy where they lived kept calling him fey-born, and it was clear why. A human mother having a half-elf baby could only mean his father was an elf, but the bolder and mean folks believed his father was a fawn who had enthralled his mother Lucia. She has never been a comely woman. She was more dreamy than quick on her feet. However, no one denied the deliciousness of her tea and the effectiveness of her medicinal herbs.

Morof learned as much as he could from his mother, but he was ever curious about his father. He was not strong nor fast, but he did like to read, so he tried learning as much as he could about the wilds and he kept watching the woods looking for fey, but he never saw one. From how much he was studying nature, people thought he was about to become a druid. Eventually people started asking him for help with their crops, animals and medicine. He helped as much as he could, but his advice was not always helpful.

One particular girl, Mathilda, kept bullying him. She was stronger than he and kept saying he would never own his own farm. She teased him that he would be good for a wizard, knowing that the people in the farmlands never had the resources to enrol in a proper wizarding school. Her father also said that his fairy father probably disguised himself with illusion magic to trick his mother into fornicating. Clearly, Morof didn’t know those words, at least not yet, but he was a little naive and started to believe them.

Lucia always had a soft spot for Morof, so she actually encouraged him to try to be a wizard, not having the heart to tell him that it would probably never work out like that. He left the small village with his trusted mare Poppy and ventured north, hoping to find an academy. When he eventually did find an academy, they laughed at his face when he said he didn’t have the 50 gold pieces necessary for the first month of classes.

He tried finding work nearby, but was too weak to do any man’s work. He never gave up. One day he was picking some medicinal herbs for an old lady in exchange for the right to sleep under her roof and a plate of soup, when he was approached by an old man with a smile. Morof saw in him a wicked intent, but he clearly a very wise and knowledgeable man. He never told Morof his name, but started tutoring him in magic. Not druidic or mysterious like the sorcerers, but actual hard studied, theoretical and practical arcane magic. Morof was enthralled by the teachings. He studied restlessly and his first questions were naturally about illusion magic.

Two years later, Morof lived in a small hut with the old man and was mastering a few simple spells after having mastered most cantrips. Then the old man told him something odd. He said ”You have a long path ahead of you. I hope you have learned that your eyes are not to be trusted.” Morof heard him, but dismissed his comments as mysterious comments were not sporadic with him. He left the house to treat himself with an orange, but as he turned back to bring one to his teacher, he was no longer there. In fact, the entire hut was no longer there, and a rare purple flower bloomed in its place, as if it had always been there. Poppy, on the other hand, acted naturally, not noticing anything wrong.

Morof became paranoid. He picked the flower and became determined that the mysterious old man was his father. He wanted to go south and randomly walk into every woods that he found, in search of his father. But he thought better and heard rumors that an excursion south would begin. He promptly put his name for it. One day he will find his father.

Morof knows that finding fey is not something that he should rush into. Instead, he has a goal of finding people he can trust and a foothold where he can study the customs and home of the fey. He also wishes to live close to his mother (I know this is not where the AP takes us, so this is something with which he will be disappointed, unless he moves his mother).

Morof is passionate of illusion magic. He wishes to learn more about it and, ideally, learn something from the fey he wishes to find. He also wishes to find out who his father is, if he is an elf, which would make more sense, or if he is a fey as the people in his village teased him about. If so, was he the mysterious old man that taught him magic?

He has a mushy heart, so given the opportunity he would want to make his subjects safe. He would want to make sure anyone has free education if they so desire, and no one would be turned away from any school or academy. He is a little clueless in the political sense, so he would be more focused on the managing.

STR 8, DEX 14, CON 12, INT 19, WIS 12, CHA 10
Male
Medium Size
NG Half-elf Wizard (Illusionist) 1
BaB +0
Init +2; Senses: Perception +11, Sense Motive +1; Low-light vision
CMB -1 (0BaB -1 Str)
CMD 11 (0BaB +1 Dex -1 Str)
Favored Class Wizard + Rogue (+1 skill point)

Defense
AC 12, touch 10 flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex) (add 4 with mage armor)
HP 7 (6 + 1 (1*1Con))
Fort +1 (+0 base +1 Con)
Ref +2 (+0 base +2 Dex)
Will +3 (+2 base +2 Wis) (Immune to magic sleep and +2 vs enchantment)

Offense
Speed 30 ft
Melee Staff -1 1d4-1
Ranged light crossbow +2 (1d8/19-20x2), Range 80ft
Blinding ray +2 (touch) 7/day
Space 5 ft, Reach 5 ft

Arcane magic
CL 1
Concentration (Wizard level + Int): +5

Specialization:
+ Illusion
- Enchantment; Necromancy

DC: 14+spell level
DC for Illusion spells: 15+spell level

Arcane bond: Staff

Spell level (slots): Prepared
Cantrips (3): Dancing lights, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation
1 (2 + spec): Grease, Silent Image + Color Spray

Spellbook
1: Burning Hands, Color Spray, Grease, Silent Image, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist, Ventriloquism

Traits:
Pioneer: You begin play with a horse. Also, choose one of the following skills: Climb, Handle Animal, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Ride, Survival, or Swim—you gain a +1 trait bonus on this skill.
Seeker: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception is always a class skill for you.

Feats:
Half-elf - Skill Focus (Perception)
Lvl 1 - Spell Focus (Illusion)
Wizard level 1 - Scribe Scroll

Skills - (2 class +4 Int +1 Fav. class = 7 ranks/level):
ACP 0
Knowledge arcana +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge local +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge nature +9 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS +1 trait)
Knowledge planes +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge religion +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)
Perception +11 (1 Rank +1 Wis +3 CS +2 racial +1 trait +3 feat)
Spellcraft +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)

Background skills:
Knowledge nobility +8 (1 Rank +4 Int +3 CS)
Profession herbalist +5 (1 Ranks +1 Wis +3 CS)

Languages: Common, Elven, Gnomish, Sylvan, Draconic, Giant

Equipment
Horse (trait)
Will buy if selected - 120gp

Brental’s birth was an auspicious sign in Silverhall. The last Aasimar to be born in Silverhall was a legendary man named Brental Lebeda, one of the local nobles. The legendary Brental was said to be a powerful warrior, a wise man, and a capable leader. As a young man, the legendary Brental fought against trolls that rampaged through the region. When he grew, he helped Silverhall to remain strong during the invasion of Choral the Conqueror, neither joining with Rogarvia nor rattling their sabers like the Aldori swordlords further south. As an older man, Brental Lebeda established a shipping empire that linked Issia and Rostland and opened Brevoy to the wealth of countries further down the Sellen, cementing the family and the city as terrifically affluent.

Brental Fenson (the nonlegendary) remembers growing up and listening to these stories with great interest, imagining himself as this great hero. He and his parents were frequently brought to the court of modern House Lebeda. Over lavish and decadent meals, Lord Kymon (may he rest in Pharasma’s grace) and Dame Sarrona Lebeda inquired about Brental’s growth and development with great interest. There were high expectations of the young Aasimar: perhaps he would grow to be a noble Paladin of Abadar, or Erastil! Brental displayed certain martial talents, but the quiet young man did not show much promise in the path of the holy warrior. The lessons of the local priests similarly fell on mostly deaf ears. Instead, Brental found himself drawn to the land. There was little surprise, just thinly veiled disappointment, when Brental announced his decision to train with one of the local druidic lodges.

Brental was initiated into the Oakstewards in Sevenarches further to the South. His training remained entirely secret, even to his parents. But he emerged an Initiate of the Green Faith. All that House Lebeda asked in return for their investment in his training was that he ensure their family’s continued trade success further on down the River. The Oakstewards have continued to maintain friendly trade relations with the Rostland, and Brental is happy to take any credit for such providence even though he feels like he did little.

One story that Brental can tell is about one of the final tests of his druidic training. The Oakstewards expected him to go into the woods and seek out a young animal to rear as a companion. Some druidic initiates died during such missions as they tried to snatch a cub from its mother’s breast only to be mauled. Brental knew that if he was patient, he would find the right creature. It took many months, and the Aasimar bypassed several wonderful animals that he just could not bond with. Then Brental found a mastodon calf being chased by a pack of wolves. Brental recognized what was going on: the mastodons in the area had been hunted to near extinction, while the wolf population had exploded, causing other problems for local hunters and farmers. With a wild bellow he engaged the wolf pack. He killed one and drove the others off. The mastodon was terrified, but Brental soothed its nerves. The two warmed up to each other quickly.

It did not take long before Brental found more of what had happened: the calf led him back to a glen where the poor thing’s mother was lying sick with numerous sores: diseased beyond Brental’s capacity to heal her. The Aasimar tried nonetheless before accepting the limitations of his powers. Whispering a brief prayer, he summoned the ability to speak with these animals and received the mother’s blessing to take the calf—who was called Vodnykel—and raise him to be strong. Some divine spark passed from the mother to Vodnykel, triggering something in the young calf. Vodynkel’s skin shone with celestial energies not unlike Brental’s. Vodnykel’s mothered was at peace, and Brental took the calf into his care.

His training complete, Brental returned to Silverhall to serve not just his hometown, but all of Rostland as an emissary of the Green Faith. He has fulfilled this duty ever since with quiet humility. He did not think much of joining the charters to settle the Stolen Lands until an invitation arrived from his superiors in the Green Faith. He was encouraged to apply to join one of these expeditions. No further instructions were given, but Brental now has a sense that perhaps he could live up to his namesake. And the Oakstewards would surely not call on him to join such an expedition if they did not have some agenda as well. Brental was prepared to serve his Order faithfully, whenever further orders came.

Brental is an incredibly tall and hardy Archon-Blooded Aasimar, standing at 6’6”. His hair is a tightly cropped shock of vibrant white that shines silvery in the moonlit while his skin is darkly weathered with the labor of the sun. He wears a set of hide armor, stitched together roughly and emblazoned with the insignia of the Oakstewards to demonstrate his commitment to his brethren. He carries a heavy wooden shield carved of a tall oak tree that he felled to help prevent a flood from sweeping away a village during his training. A series of hunting implements and survival tools hang at his back. Everywhere he goes he walks alongside his mastodon calf. Vodnykel has thick, shaggy brown fur, two enormous ivory tusks, and by now stands most of Brental’s height. The mastodon’s coat shimmer gently like Brental’s hair does, a sign of their shared celestial blessing.

1. Short-Term Goals
a. Brental has never been to the Stolen Lands and knows few druids who have gone there and retuned. He wants to know why this is. Is the region inhospitable? Or is it perhaps such a pristine stretch of wilderness that he may never want to leave again, abandoning his charter and living out his days in commune with he wild? Exploration is at hand!
b. Vodnykel has been irascible lately. Brental is doing his best to train the young calf in his transition to full adulthood, but it is taking significant time and effort.
2. Long-Term Goals
a. Brental wishes to live up to his namesake so that he doesn’t disappoint the people of Silverhall who have long had such high expectations of him. The young druid sees a few potential paths forward: fostering Vodnykel’s growth to become a truly fierce warrior (Mammoth Rider) or pursuing the path of an Archdruid to lead even more of his ilk (Green Faith Acolyte).
b. The young druid also seeks to foster a balance between the species wherever he treads. The ecosystem of the Stolen Lands seems to cry out for balance: balance that Brental can provide..
3. Motivation to Found a Kingdom
a. If people are going to be attempting to tame the wildness of the Stolen Lands, then it must be done properly: sustainable agriculture and hunting, respect for the native flora and fauna, and working with nature instead of against it. Brental’s superiors in the Green Faith have not specified any further instructions…yet.

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Defense
--------------------
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +4 armor, +2 shield)
hp 11 (1d8+3)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +5
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5

--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed: 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee: scimitar +3 (1d6+3/18-20), club +3 (1d6+3), shortspear +3 (1d6+3), or cold iron dagger +3 (1d4+3)
Ranged: club +2 (1d6+3), shortspear +2 (1d6+3), cold iron dagger +2 (1d4+3)
Special Attacks:
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st)
1/day - continual flame
Druid Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st (2/day) shillelagh, entangle
0 (at will) detect magic, light, guidance

--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8
Base Atk +0; CMB +3; CMD 15

Feats: Celestial Servant
Traits: Rostlander (campaign), Weathered Emissary (social)
Skills: Handle Animal +3 (+7 for animal companion), Knowledge (geography) +4, Knowledge (nature) +6, Linguistics +7, Perception +7, Sense Motive +5, Survival +10
Languages: Celestial, Common (Taldane), Draconic, Druidic, Sylvan
SQ: nature bond (animal companion), nature sense, orisons, wild empathy (+0), spontaneous casting
Gear Backpack, belt pouch, chalk, club, cold iron dagger, compass, flint & steel, hammer, heavy wooden shield, hide armor, holly and mistletoe, marbles, pitons (4), rope (50 ft), scimitar, shortspear, signal whistle, spell component pouch, twine (50 ft), waterskin, 10 gp, 1 sp, 2 cp

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Druids are proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart, quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear. They are also proficient with all natural attacks (claw, bite, and so forth) of any form they assume with wild shape (see below).

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only those crafted from wood.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

Spells: A druid casts divine spells which are drawn from the druid spell list presented in Spell Lists. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells. A druid must choose and prepare her spells in advance.

To prepare or cast a spell, the druid must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a druid's spell is 10 + the spell level + the druid's Wisdom modifier.

Like other spellcasters, a druid can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Druid. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells).

A druid must spend 1 hour each day in a trance-like meditation on the mysteries of nature to regain her daily allotment of spells. A druid may prepare and cast any spell on the druid spell list, provided that she can cast spells of that level, but she must choose which spells to prepare during her daily meditation.

Spontaneous Casting: A druid can channel stored spell energy into summoning spells that she hasn't prepared ahead of time. She can “lose” a prepared spell in order to cast any summon nature's ally spell of the same level or lower.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A druid can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity's (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Orisons: Druids can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Druid under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Bonus Languages: A druid's bonus language options include Sylvan, the language of woodland creatures. This choice is in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

A druid also knows Druidic, a secret language known only to druids, which she learns upon becoming a 1st-level druid. Druidic is a free language for a druid; that is, she knows it in addition to her regular allotment of languages and it doesn't take up a language slot. Druids are forbidden to teach this language to nondruids.

Druidic has its own alphabet.

Nature Bond (Ex): At 1st level, a druid forms a bond with nature. [This druid has chosen] to form a close bond with an animal companion. A druid may begin play with any of the animals listed in Animal Choices. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the druid on her adventures.

Unlike normal animals of its kind, an animal companion's Hit Dice, abilities, skills, and feats advance as the druid advances in level. If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the statistics and abilities of the companion. Most animal companions increase in size when their druid reaches 4th or 7th level, depending on the companion. If a druid releases her companion from service, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. This ceremony can also replace an animal companion that has perished.

Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks.

Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.

A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check.

Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.

Spell-Like Ability: Lawbringers gain continual flame once per day as a spell-like ability (with a caster level equal to the aasimar’s character level).

Truespeaker: There are some aasimars whose language transcends all boundaries. They gain a +2 bonus on Linguistics and Sense Motive checks, and they learn two languages each time they gain a rank in Linguistics. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Rostlander: You were raised in the south of Brevoy, a land of dense forests and rolling plains, of crystalline rivers and endless sapphire skies. You come from hearty stock and were raised with simple sensibilities of hard work winning well-deserved gains, the importance of charity and compassion, and the value of personal and familial honor. Yours is the country of the Aldori swordlords and the heroes who refused to bend before the armies of a violent conqueror. You care little for matters of politics and nobles or of deception and schemes. As you are thoroughly Brevic, the call for champions willing to expand your land’s influence into the Stolen Lands has inflamed your sense of patriotism and honor, and so you have joined an expedition to quest southward. Your hardy nature grants you a +1 trait bonus on all Fortitude saves.

Weathered Emissary: Your travels in the wildlands gave you insight into how to survive their dangers and communicate with their inhabitants. You gain a +1 trait bonus on all Linguistics and Survival checks, and Linguistics is always a class skill for you.

Vodnykel
Mastodon Celestial Elemental Companion (Water)
N Medium magical beast
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +7

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Defense
--------------------
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +2 armor)
hp 15 (2d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5; SR 6

--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed: 40 ft.
Melee: gore +3 (1d8+2), slam +3 (1d6+2)
Special Attacks: The creature may smite evil 1/day as a swift action (it adds its Cha bonus to attack rolls, and a damage bonus equal to its HD against evil foes; smite persists until the target is dead or the celestial creature rests).

--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 15

Feats: Light Armor Proficiency
Skills: Perception +7
SQ: link, share spells, tricks (attack, attack, defend, down, flank, heel, seek)
Gear leather barding, pack saddle containing [crowbar, bell net, bell tripwire trap, trail rations (5 days), shovel, handsaw, grappling hook, fishing kit, and mapmaker’s kit]