Aldizog's Carrion Crown (PF1)

Game Master Aldizog

To look at me now, you’d be hard pressed to believe I was once considered handsome. These scars are just a fraction of the pain I’ve endured. A year or so back I was content, with family and forge to care for. I grew up in a place so small it didn’t have a name and just like my Da before me, may Torag bless his soul, I was the village blacksmith. Reckon I had it good I did, yes the hours were long and the pay bad, but I was respected. I had a loving wife Clara and a wee bairn, Tara, the light of my life.

Then one night in the teeth of winter, the living dead came. Zombies mostly, but one of them, a soulless fiend who crawled out of the pits of hell, was smart. Most of the village was holed up in the forge but he barricaded the door. He had his thralls pile up the fire wood I’d spent all summer harvesting against the door, and he cackled as he doused it with the keg of lamp oil I kept outside.

As for what happened next. I… I can’t... I can’t… It broke me, mind and body.. I never used to drink before that night, but oblivion can be a solace when a man has lost everything. I don’t know how or why I survived. Near scared the life out of the poor tinker who called by the next day, he thought I was one of the living dead on account of my wounds. He couldn’t believe I was still breathing, and claimed it was a miracle.

That’s how I met Professor Lorrimor of course, he was researching all manner of strange things. He wanted to know everything, and I don’t suppose I was too happy at the time with all his questions, but considering he was paying for my medical treatment I was hardly in a position to argue.

Once handsome, Borys has been scarred by terrible burns all over his body. As bad as the physical damage is, the mental scars are far worse. Borys became taciturn and fatalistic and he drinks too much. Clara was the love of his life and he will never remarry. With nothing in life to look forward to, he’s looking for a cause to die for. Naturally he has an abiding hatred of the undead.

He’s still an imposing presence, with the musculature you’d expect from a former blacksmith. He carries with him an oversized maul known as an earth breaker, all the better for smashing undead with!

Borys of Torag
Human paladin (tortured crusader) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures 65)
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor)
hp 12 (1d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +5
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee earth breaker +4 (2d6+4/×3)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day (+0 attack and AC, +1 damage)
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Statistics
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Str 17, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 14
Feats Furious Focus[APG], Power Attack
Traits indomitable faith, subject of study
Skills Acrobatics -5 (-9 to jump), Craft (blacksmith) +2, Heal +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +6, Sense Motive +6, Survival +6
Languages Common
SQ alone in the dark
Other Gear chainmail, earth breaker[UE]
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Special Abilities
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Alone in the Dark Can use lay on hands only on self, use 2 to gain use of smite evil, and auras only affect self (not allies).
Furious Focus If you are wielding a weapon in two hands, ignore the penalty for your first attack of each turn.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +0 to hit, +1 to damage, +0 deflection bonus to AC when used.

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Note I've not selected all his starting gear. I know there's no crafting in the campaign, the blacksmith skill point is just for RP and he'll select something more useful for level 2.

Quinn’s life really began when he swore an oath to serve Lastwall, to serve the Watcher-Lord, and to serve Iomedae to his dying breath.

He was 10. He was just starting his squiring, well-placed and well-supplied by his family, a prestigious breeder of excellent horses for the famed Lastwall Cavalry.

He broke his oath 6 years later. Her name was Gwen.

They met in the training yard, both squires, both with promise and eyes full of glory. They became inseparable friends, mucking the stables together, sharing rumors about the knights, eventually taking long rides through the country together. The sparkle in her eyes in the moonlight changed his world. He gave her his horse at Armasse, a dun courser named he named Luna. Quinn’s family could provide him with another, but Gwen would never have been able to afford as beautiful a creature as Luna, not as a squire. He knew they would treat each other well.

At 16, Quinn and Gwen both received orders. Quinn was to accompany his knight to Vigil; Gwen, hers to Vellumis. How could the knights be so cruel? The news was enough to give a name to years of feelings: they were in love. An unstoppable love, like none before had ever known. Together, the knight before they were both to deploy, they broke their oaths. Under cover of night, they fled towards Caliphas, to a new life, anywhere but Lastwall.

Galloping the road high above the Path river, perhaps Luna tripped over an obstacle, or perhaps the ground gave way. Perhaps the gods take a dim view of oathbreakers. Whatever the cause, Luna and Gwen plunged into the rapids below. They were gone before Quinn could reach them. He cried into the night, cursing his fate and beseeching anyone who would listen, “Bring her back! I can’t go on without her!”

Whoever was listening had a cruel sense of humor.

When he woke the next morning, shivering in the cold on the rocks beside the river, he felt a familiar if unnerving presence. His own horse had left him in the night, and wolves paced the shores, but none dared approach the unnatural specter of the horse standing protectively over him, shimmering like in dim moonlight.

Together, they made their way to Caliphas. A mile from the gates, he tried to cast her from his life, dismiss her. She went away for a time, but eventually she back. She always comes back. If Quinn is in danger, she has a knack for appearing in the nick of time. On the nights when the memories of Gwen are more than he can bear, Luna is there, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight, and he curses the reminder of his greatest loss even more.

Eventually, Quinn sought out the advice of Professor Lorrimor to rid him of his curse. The Professor advised to embrace the gift of a soul bound so strongly to him to transcend death, but Quinn wasn’t ready to hear it. He decided to move on.

10 years since his oathbreaking and the worst night of his life, Quinn has made a quiet life for himself in Caliphas as a barrister of moderate skill. He has even helped Lorrimor with local affairs a few times over the years, and maintains a casual correspondence. He hopes the gods have forgotten about his oathbreaking, and that the local attitude that things can always be worse is just quaint superstition.

Borys of Torag
Human paladin (tortured crusader) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Horror Adventures 65)
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 armor)
hp 12 (1d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +4
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee earth breaker +5 (2d6+6/×3)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day (+0 attack and AC, +1 damage)
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 15
Feats Furious Focus[APG], Power Attack
Traits subject of study
Skills Acrobatics -5 (-9 to jump), Craft (blacksmith) +2, Heal +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Knowledge (religion) +4, Perception +6, Sense Motive +6, Survival +6
Languages Common
SQ alone in the dark
Other Gear chainmail, earth breaker[UE]
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Special Abilities
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Alone in the Dark Can use lay on hands only on self, use 2 to gain use of smite evil, and auras only affect self (not allies).
Furious Focus If you are wielding a weapon in two hands, ignore the penalty for your first attack of each turn.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +0 to hit, +1 to damage, +0 deflection bonus to AC when used.

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Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.

Human 1st
NG Age:20 Hgt:2 Wgt: 33lb Hair: Brown Eyes:Hazel
Init: Perception: Speed:30ft
Str13 Dex12 Con14 Int16 Wis14 Cha10
Defense:
AC| 15|10+4+1|Touch:11|FF:14|
Chain Shirt:+4+1
CMD:12 |10+1+1|
CMB:+1 |+1|
HP:11
Fort:+2|+0+2
Reflex:+3|+2+1
Will:+4|+2+2

BAB:+0
Weapons:
Lantern Staff: +1 1d6+1
Shovels(3):+1 1d8+1
Daggers(10):+1 1d4+1
Cestus:+1 1d4+1

Ranged
Stone Bow:+1 1d6
Ammo:20 bullets

Skills:11
Craft(Alchemy) +7|1+3+3
Knowledge(Planes) +7|1+3+3
Knowledge(Religion)+7|1+3+3
Knowledge(Nature)+7|1+3+3
Heal +6 |1+2+3
Intimidate +4|1+0+3
Perception +6|1+2+3
Perform(Oratory)+4|1+0+3
Sense Motive+6|1+2+3
Stealth +5|1+1+3
Spellcraft +6|1+3+3

Background 2
Craft(Herbalism) +7|1+3+3
Profession(Mortician) +6|1+2+3

Traits:
On the Pay roll

Feats:
Fast Learner
Shikigami Style

Equipment:
Explorers Outfits
Investigators Kit
Scarf,Filter
Scarf Reinforced
Neck guard
Adventurer’s Sash
Coffee Pot
Coffee (pound)
Silver Holy Symbol(Phrasma)
Holy Text (Phrasma)
3 Shovels
Hammer
Crowbar
Boline
Ear plugs
Grooming Kit
Gear Maintenance Kit

Human:
Ability Score Modifiers: Human characters gain a +2 racial bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
Size: Humans are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common. Humans with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits

Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.

Investigator:
Alchemy (Su)
Investigators are highly trained in the creation of mundane alchemical substances and magical potion-like extracts.

When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an investigator gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the skill check. In addition, an investigator can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to attempt such a check.

Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract. These extracts have powerful effects, but they are also bound to their creator. Extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by dispel magic and similar effects, using the investigator’s level as the caster level.

An investigator can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts per day is given on Table: Investigator. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.

When an investigator mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator’s possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an investigator must reprepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work.

Creating extracts consumes raw material, but the cost of those materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements; extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement.

An investigator uses the alchemist formulae list to determine the extracts he can know. An investigator can prepare an extract of any formulae he knows. To learn or use an extract, an investigator must have at least an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the extract’s level. The saving throw DC for an investigator’s extract is equal to 10 + the extract’s level + the investigator’s Intelligence modifier.

An investigator may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract. At 1st level, an investigator starts with two 1st-leve lplus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new investigator level, he gains one new formula for any level that he can create. An investigator can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. A formula book costs as much as a spellbook. An investigator can study a wizard’s spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An investigator can also learn formulae from another investigator’s or an alchemist’s formula book (and vice versa). An investigator does not need to decipher arcane writing before copying that formulae.

Inspiration (Ex)4
An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.

An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.

Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies
A gravedigger is proficient with simple weapons and scythes, and can fight with gravediggers’ tools such as a shovel or lantern as if she had the Catch Off-Guard feat.

A gravedigger is proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Limited Alchemy
A gravedigger prepares and uses extracts as an investigator but gains no other benefits of the alchemy ability. This also means that a gravedigger can’t take the alchemist discovery investigator talent or any discovery that affects or involves alchemy.

Grave Magic (Sp)
A gravedigger can sacrifice unused extract slots of the level given below or higher to use the following spells as spell-like abilities, using her investigator level as her caster level and her Intelligence to determine DCs: 1st—expeditious excavation; 2nd—calm spirit; 3rd—speak with dead; 4th—rest eternal; 5th—call spirit; 6th—undeath to death.

Relic Focus (Su)
A gravedigger can form a psychic bond with a skull or bone that she has personally exhumed or recovered from a burial site, using it as an occultist necromancy implement and gaining its base focus power. The gravedigger cannot invest mental focus into the implement and thus doesn’t receive any resonant powers. However, once per day she can expend one use of inspiration to use any focus power she knows that has a cost of 1 point of mental focus. She can do this an additional time each day at 3rd level and every 3 investigator levels thereafter. To activate a focus power that costs more than 1 point of mental focus, the gravedigger can expend that number of daily uses of this ability (as well as uses of inspiration) at the same time. In addition, any number of times per day, she can expend 1 use of inspiration to use grave words as spell-like ability.

Mind Fear (Sp)
As a standard action, you can expend 1 point of mental focus to cause a living creature to succumb to fear.

The target must be within 30 feet of you, and it can attempt a Will saving throw to negate the effect. If the target fails the save and has a number of Hit Dice less than or equal to yours, it is frightened for 1d4 rounds. If the target fails the saving throw and has a number of Hit Dice greater than yours, it is instead shaken for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

STR 10, DEX 14, CON 10, INT 19, WIS 12, CHA 10

Female Human
Medium Size
NG (Hedge) Witch 1
BaB +0
Init +2; Senses: Perception +1, Sense Motive +0
CMB +0 (0BaB)
CMD 12 (0BaB +2dexterity)
Favored Class Witch
FC bonus: +1 HP

Defense
AC 12, touch 12 flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) (Consider Mage Armor)
HP 7 (6 + 1 (1*1FCbonus))
Fort +2 (+0 base +0 Con +2 Familiar)
Ref +2 (+0 base +2 Dex)
Will +3 (+2 base +1 Wis) (add 2 vs fear effects)

Offense
Speed 30 ft
Ranged touch attack +4
Space 5 ft, Reach 5 ft

Arcane magic
Patron: Healing

CL 1
Concentration (CL + Int): +5
Familiar: Rat

DC: 15+spell level

Prepared (slots):
Cantrips (3): Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Daze
1 (2): Burning Hands, Charm Person

Spells known
Cantrips: All
1 (7): Bungle, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Comprehend Languages, Ear Piercing Scream, Mage Armor, Obscuring Mist

Hex
Healing
Misfortune

Other abilities and SQ
Spontaneous Healing (Su):
A hedge witch can channel stored spell energy into healing spells that she did not prepare ahead of time. The witch can “lose” any prepared spell that is not an orison in order to cast any cure spell of the same spell level or lower, even if she doesn’t know that cure spell.

This replaces the witch’s hex gained at 4th level.

Empathic Healing (Su):
A hedge witch can minister to a diseased or poisoned target, redirecting the affliction into herself. For a poisoned target, the witch must tend to him as a standard action; he makes his next saving throw against the poison as normal, but the witch suffers the effects of the failed save instead of the poisoned creature. For a diseased target, the witch must tend to the sick person for an hour; he makes his next saving throw against the disease as normal, but the witch suffers the effects of the failed save instead of the diseased creature. The witch does not actually become poisoned or diseased (and is not contagious and does not need to be cured), but suffers the effects of the affliction as if she had been. The witch normally uses this ability to extend the life of someone near death, giving him time to recover. This ability has no effect if the witch is immune to disease or poison.

This replaces the witch’s hex gained at 8th level.

Traits:
Making Good on Promises

Feats:
Lvl 1 - Extra Hex
Human - Accursed Hex

Skills:
Heal +5 (1 Ranks +1 Dex +3 CS)
Knowledge (arcana) +8 (1 Ranks +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge (nature) +8 (1 Ranks +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge (planes) +8 (1 Ranks +4 Int +3 CS)
Perception +2(4) (1 Ranks +1 Wis (+2 Alertness when Familiar is within arm's reach))
Spellcraft +8 (1 Ranks +4 Int +3 CS)
UMD +4 (1 Ranks +3 CS)

Background skills:
Knowledge (history) +8 (1 Ranks +4 Int +3 CS)
Knowledge (nobility) +5 (1 Ranks +4 Int)

Languages: Common, Sylvan, Skald, Varisian, Undercommon

Equipment:
Wealth: 29gp 7sp
Common items
Dagger, Backpack, Bedroll, Winter blanket, Ink, Inkpen x2, Parchment sheet x5, Belt pouch, Trail rations x10, Hemp rope, Sewing needle, Soap, Waterskin, Spell component pouch, Healer's kit (10)

Familiar:
Rat - Lawrence
1HD (3 HP)
Melee Bite +4 (1d3-4)
Saves +2 +4 +3
AC 15
Abilities: 2 15 11 6 13 2
Alertness, Improved evasion, Share spells, empathic link, Store spells

Carla Hiibus always felt it was unfair that the people in Ustalav had to suffer so much. Since she was a little girl she tried helping others and learned how to treat the wounded and sick. She was always trying to learn how she could do more, but never learned. Not identifying herself with any temple, she could only pray to the air.

One day before sleep, she was very tired treating a family of woodworkers who had had an accident in their workshop. Without thinking, she uttered a prayer to any entity that would listen. She asked for the ability to do more for those in need. That night she slept very badly, despite being very tired. She woke up feeling as if she had no sleep at all. However, she felt empowered. For some reason her brother Stephan could not fathom why she was talking to a rat, but Carla knew the rat understood him.

Carla was happy but wanted to understand what was happening to her. After asking around for help, she was able to finally get help from a certain Professor Lorrimor. They met day and night, trying to understand the nature of her new powers. After much work, the two managed to determine that Carla's power came from a patron that provided her with healing powers. She was happy, albeit a little worried that she had enlisted herself in the service of another without her knowledge. Still, she felt that Lorrimor was going to ask something from her in return for all the time they spent piecing the puzzle together. However, the request never came. Only one day, she received a letter telling her of his death and that she's mentioned in his will by name. She was afraid that she'd have to pay her debt in some big manner. But she could not just ignore his request. She packed her things to Ravengro.

Iozif (Io) Galcan
Male human alchemist (chirurgeon, ectoplasm master, sacrament alchemist, wasteland blightbreaker) 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Haunted Heroes Handbook 14, Pathfinder Player Companion: Healer's Handbook 10, 11, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 26, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 18)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 10 (1d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee lantern staff +2 (1d6+3)
Ranged bomb +3 (1d6+3 fire)
Special Attacks bomb 4/day (1d6+3 fire, DC 13)
Alchemist (Chirurgeon, Ectoplasm Master, Sacrament Alchemist, Wasteland Blightbreaker) Extracts Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
. . 1st—cure light wounds, heightened awareness[ACG]
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Healer’s Hands (+1), Point-Blank Shot, Throw Anything
Traits teacher's pet
Skills Craft (alchemy) +7 (+8 to create alchemical items), Disable Device +6, Heal +4, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (engineering) +4, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +4, Knowledge (religion) +9, Perception +4, Spellcraft +7, Use Magic Device +4
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Varisian
SQ alchemy (alchemy crafting +1), sacramental cognatogen
Combat Gear sacramental cognatogen; Other Gear leather armor, lantern staff, alchemist starting formula book, alchemy crafting kit[APG], backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, canteen[UE], flint and steel, ink, inkpen, mess kit[UE], wooden holy symbol, soap, thieves' tools, trail rations (5), 9 gp, 9 sp
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Special Abilities
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Alchemy +1 (Su) +1 to Craft (Alchemy) to create alchemical items, can Id potions by touch.
Bomb 1d6+3 (4/day, DC 13) (Su) Thrown Splash Weapon deals 1d6+3 fire damage.
Healer’s Hands (+1, 1/day) (Su) Full-rd to treat deadly wounds (no limit or kit needed), beat DC by 10 for extra healing.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Sacramental Alchemist Domain (Luck) Granted Powers: You are infused with luck, and your mere presence can spread good fortune.
Sacramental Cognatogen (Su) Gain a special mutagen which grants temp access to domain powers.
Throw Anything Proficient with improvised ranged weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.

Io Galcan is a reserved young man with greasy black hair, dark black eyes, and pale, sallow skin. His nose is beaked, and his mouth often drawn into a thin line, with large, expressive eyes. He's bulky, and somewhat heavy, but carries his weight well, and doesn't seem to easily tire. He seems to dress something like an itinerant scholar, and has a simple wooden holy symbol slung loosely around his neck, in the form of three adjacent circles arranged vertically, bisected by a horizontal line. He wears a pair of thick spectacles that make his eyes even larger, and make him look a little like an owl, and carries a few small books that he's borrowed for a short or long-term loan from a library at his university, the Sincomakti School of Sciences in Rozen. For flavor, mostly Though he seems to act something like a priest, he's obviously something of an academic instead.

While usually quiet, Io will expound quite generously on the nature of the universe, or his favorite subject - mathematics, a passion which he has somehow managed to transfer into a terrific skill at healing others. Despite his heavy frame, his fingers are nimble, and his keen eye can diagnose most ailments, even when others might overlook the source. Though he isn't maliciously cruel, nor does he seem to enjoy dissection, he is skilled with a surgeon's knife, and obviously knows how to wield it. While he believes in magic, obviously, and the divine, he usually ascribes the occurrence of events to natural phenomena - his memory and knowledge of affairs of the mortal plane being robust, though not encyclopedic. To that end, he's become something of a morose cynic, and while he tries to help people, too many he's interacted with have proven to be charlatans in one way or the other, that he is somewhat afraid to trust people. He speaks with an occasional stutter, and seems very embarrassed about the affair, though it tends to go away if you get him talking about philosophy or mathematics (though, of course, he can ramble if not interrupted).

He grew up just outside of Rozen, and his early life was marked by toil. His zealously Pharasman parents spent much of their meager earnings as bookbinders on training for Io to become a priest of the Lady of Graves, but the affair ended up never taking. For all of his brightness, the rituals came slowly to him. The devotion always seemed to rub him the wrong way - and he questioned the senior priests enough that they deemed him something of a hopeless cause, especially as he morosely saw danger and doom around every corner, and with every ritual. He often slept poorly, his dreams filled with symbols and images of devouring maws and shapeless masses, of dead flesh arising, and of tendrils of etheral horrors creeping from between corners. Telling others of his dreams made him unpopular and rarely content.

Seeking to make it up to his parents, he redoubled his efforts to make something of himself, and tried his hand at becoming a physician. This calling was much more to his liking - but his research pushed the boundaries of traditional medicine, and he found himself plumbing the depths of the library in search of more and more interesting and radical remedies. In time, he found obscure references to a monitor demigod of portents, Imot. Viewing the symbol of Imot brought Io a significant measure of calmness for the first time in his life. This obscure demigod, and their mission, allowed him to make sense of a chaotic world. Around this time he met Professor Lorrimer, who was a traveling lecturer at his school, and the esteemed professor ended up encouraging the young man to make something of this.

He asked for leave to move at least some of his studies to be directly under Lorrimer, and ended up leaning upon the older man significantly, all while debating philosophy and religion, until Lorrimer recommended that he try to make better sense of the matters in his mind.

He began to try to analyze his dreams, keeping a journal, and soon his cynicism allowed him to categorize the matters - the portents became explainable, and his fear abated. In return for this measure of control, Io felt he had no choice but to devote himself to being a servant of the very psychopomp that cured him of the madness that had begun to creep into his thoughts. Will devotion be enough of a panacea against the dread? Only time will tell.

Some of the elements here are adjustable but the principle is that this is a support character, and one which can serve as healer for the party, but with more under the hood than meets the eye. He will pick up deific obedience at 3 or 5, and be able to deal with magical traps (if nobody else wants to). And he’s somewhat strong, with some potential for mixing it up in melee.

The sacramental cognatogen is something of a downgrade, in some ways, but adds flexibility to his daily decisions, and allows him to also access inquisitions for additional flexibility.

Ultimately, though, he intends to actually try to bring order to his life by experimenting on himself - so much that I would intend for him to become a master chymist. Such a change would also change his behavior, and his secondary personality would become much more dominant and assertive. Depending on how the campaign went, it would become either lawful or chaotic good, an inversion of the trope of the good character that becomes more savage, and instead being a neutral character who copes with the horrors they experience by changing themself to become “better”, indeed forcefully doing so.

So, later on, he moves into a melee bruiser role, with hopefully some interesting roleplaying opportunities. I considered beastmorph - but it didn’t fit that well thematically, and vivisectionist is not only not allowed - it’s a level of viciousness I don’t think I’m comfortable with.

That said, depending on the party composition - I could easily drop some of the elements and make a simple beastmorph and call it day if that was the role that was necessary.

"...and when I snapped my fingers," the jolly man said through his great mustache demonstrating the action with a crisp snap!, "the earl's wife began neighing like a horse and prancing around the room like the best-in-show. And the earl! Well, he shook my hand, thanking me profusely with tears in his eyes!"

The man's audience of a few local peasants and other travelers roared with laughter at the culmination of the Baron's story which had started off naturally with the Baron Berle being bet he would never gain the approval of the dour Earl of Treshire. "Another! Another!" one rather toasty young merchant cried. She was quickly echoed by fellow listeners.

"Ha, ha! Of course!" Baron Berle Demetriarius made a long show of looking at his empty goblet. "I'm afraid the next tale requires a good swallow of wine to get it out of me. And perhaps a few bites of meat or cheese. Alas! Perhaps next time!"

There were quickly cries for the serving man to bring the baron more wine and a small plate finger foods arrived swiftly after.

"You all must really love these stories of my adventures!" Baron Berle roared, toasting his benefactors with the now full cup. The crowd cheered.

"This next bit is actually why I'm even here, traveling all the way from Taldor. I saved a man's life, you see. One renowned professor, Professor Lorrimor."

"Wait, I thought he died!" one drunken bursts out.

"Indeed he did," Baron Berle nods around bite of cheese. "Most likely because I wasn't here to save him this time."

Baron Berle Demetriarius launches into a rather involved story of chance on how he and the professor met and the baron happened to save his life merely on a whim...

I'll revisit this when I have more time. Need to get this posted!

Baron Berle Demetriarius
Male human (Taldan) occultist (silksworn) 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Heroes of the High Court 29, Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 46)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +4
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Defense
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AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
hp 13 (1d8+5)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +2 (1d4+2/19-20) or
. . heavy mace +2 (1d8+2)
Ranged energy ray +2 touch (1d6)
Implement Schools
. . Enchantment (heavy chain necklace, 4 points) Resonant—glorious presence; Focus—cloud mind
. . Evocation (gloves, 0 points) Resonant—intense focus; Focus—energy ray, shape mastery
. . Illusion (0 points) Resonant—distortion; Focus—minor figment
. . Transmutation (3 points) Resonant—physical enhancement (dexterity); Focus—legacy weapon
Occultist (Silksworn) Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +4)
. . 1st (2/day)—burning hands (DC 14), command (DC 14), disguise self, tears to wine (DC 14)
. . 0 (at will)—daze (DC 13), ghost sound (DC 13), purify food and drink (DC 13), telekinetic projectile[OA]
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Statistics
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Str 14, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 12
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 14
Feats Extra Mental Focus[OA], Toughness
Traits chance savior
Skills Appraise +7, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +2, Intimidate +2, Knowledge (history) +7, Knowledge (nobility) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +4, Sense Motive +4, Sleight of Hand +6, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Ancient Osiriani, Azlanti, Common, Thassilonian
SQ implements 2, mental focus (7/day)
Other Gear dagger, heavy mace, bedroll, belt pouch, chalk (10), flint and steel, ink, inkpen, journal[UE], masterwork backpack[APG], ostentatious garment, ostentatious garment, ostentatious garment, ostentatious garment, pot, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 13 gp
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Special Abilities
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Enchantment (Ostentatious garment - heavy chain necklace 10gp) Enchantment implements allow the occultist to befuddle the mind and charm his foes.

Implements: Censer, crown, helm, musical instrument, necklace.

. .Glorious Presence +1 (Su) Implement grants competence bonus on Charisma skill checks and ability checks.
. .Cloud Mind (dazed 1 rnds HD <= 1, else staggered 1 rnd, DC 13) (Su) 1 focus: Creature in 30 feet is dazed or staggered.

Evocation (Ostentatious garment - fingerless silk gloves 10gp) Implements focused on evocation grant the ability to create and direct energy to protect and to destroy.

Implements: Gloves, rod, staff, wand.

. .Intense Focus +1 (Su) Use implement as focus to add damage to instantaneous evocation spells & effects.
. .Energy Ray 1d6 (Sp) 1 focus to unleash ray of pure energy as a ranged touch attack.

Illusion (Ostentatious garment - feathered hat 10gp) Illusion implements allow the occultist to distort the senses and cloak creatures from sight.

Implements: Crystal, hat, mask, prism, ring.

. .Minor Figment (1 round) (Su) 1 focus: create minor figment, as ghost sound or minor image.
. .Distortion (max 5%) (Su) As standard action, gain miss chance until your next attack.

Transmutation (Ostentatious garment - turned down boots 10gp) Transmutation implements can alter the properties of both objects and creatures.

Implements: Belt, boots, sandals, vest, weapon.

. .Physical Enhancement +2 (Dexterity) (Su) Implement grants bearer enhancement to one physical attribute.
. .Legacy Weapon +1 (Su) 1 focus: weapon touched gains enhancement bonus plus a special ability.

Implements (Su) Gain a series of items which grant access to schools and powers.
Mental Focus (7/day) (Su) You have a pool of points that activate your focus powers.
Shape Mastery (Su) Spend up to your Int modifier to exclude squares from the area of an evocation spell.