Going to try and work on finishing up Machine tonight and Thursday night
Search Posts
My worry with your character is: how would he get along with non-Kellids, considering his motivation is to shepherd merely his own people? Like his father, he knows that there are limits to what any man or tribe can do on their own. That means building trust and rapport with others. While it failed for his Father, Lu has little choice but to try himself. Were his tribe whole, he might have had significant negotiating power moving into the Stolen Lands, but he is guiding refugees, not a fully functioning tribe. That means he will have to place some faith in people outside his tribe and work together with them to ensure a place for his people. Likely, this means that many of their traditions will go by the wayside, and the lives of his people fundamentally altered.
Presenting Faluhann 'Lu' Windborne, heir to the blood of Gorum and leader both spiritually and in practice of the Windborne Kellid tribe. He's a Brawler 1/Shaman 3/VMC Barbarian working down the Hierophant path, possibly with a dual path in Guardian. He's mostly done, but I need to go through and double-check everything crunch-wise, buy some additional minor gear/supplies, and fill out the actual maths for stats/skills/gear purchases.
15
GM:
Yup, that's correct. The intention is that there's two major plot hooks: 1) What happened to his brother, and when will that come back to bite Aramondis in the ass?2) What was the sealed vessel he ended up selling, and will it get him tied up in something big down the line? Aramondis is pretty sure his brother is dead, because he knocked him out and into the water.
Darius Filipes & Ariana Sibylla:
Having been around at the time, Darius was involved in the investigation of the murder of the homeless man by an Acadamae aspirant, Ariana Sibylla. While she was being questioned at the guard house, he paid a visit to her home; instead of finding anything that pointed to a murderer, however, he found the signs of someone who'd devoted themselves to alchemy and entering the Acadamae through sheer force of will. While more than a little impressed that a kid would have the knowledge he found displayed in her notebooks, he continued the investigation knowing that there were plenty who went to terrible lengths to get knowledge.
Ariana's insistance on her innocence did little to convince him either. All the accused did so. Her argument for letting her speak to the witness seemed sound however, and allowances could be made for it. Behind the scenes he had reported enough information that the prosecutor on the case agreed that something else might be afoot, and so arrangements were made to allow her to meet with the fisherman. Darius, who had tailed them separately, was impressed by her ability to convince the old man to confess without cajoling him. Later that day he tracked down the witness to get a statement as to what had happened. While he had made an official statement already, Darius hoped he might be willing to provide a lead on whomever had actually killed the homeless man. When Darius finally found him, however, it was in a back street beaten to a pulp. The thugs who had just finished doing so fled faster than he could keep up, leaving him to take the dying man's final words and carry him to try to get help. In the aftermath the prosecutors agreed to drop charges based on the old man's new statement and Darius corroborating it. Darius made an effort to dig further into the murder, but it seemed that the person most likely to be responsible, young man named John Seamus, had disappeared quickly once the charges had been dropped on Ariana. Unfortunately, he'd heard that the more well-to-do families at the Acadamae had blistered at the notion of having an accused murderer--innocent or not--in the class with their children, and the girl's admission was dropped. In the years since, Darius occasionally seeks Ariana out when looking for alchemical supplies or formula for his own book, his impression of her as an expert in the matter having been solidified quickly by rummaging through her house back then. He also keeps tabs on her as someone rumored to be tied to the thieves' guild, though either those rumors are exaggerated, or she's kept a low enough profile to avoid being on the wrong end of an investigation since the murder. Darius Filipes & Mackeson Slatethorne: As best Darius could figure, Mackeson was an exiled dwarf. He seemed to have no connections or obvious interactions with his kind. If anything he appeared to shun them. The tattoo artist worked in the area Darius covered, so Darius had bumped into him a few times--much to his distaste given the effects of a life of addiction written across his face. Though Darius had suspected the dwarf over the years of having ties to the local thieves' guild and drug trade, his investigations had always failed to turn up even the slightest hint of impropriety. In fact, the dwarf behaved in most ways as a rather devout worshiper of Cayden Cailean.
In time Darius reluctantly came to accept that the dwarf might simply be trying to help others avoid his own fate. Though Darius's experiences prevent him from truly believing that Mackeson has bested his own demons, the dwarf's actions have caused Darius to back off a bit. He's even mentioned him to the guards, pointing out that they might get aid from him to help prisoners addicted to shiver. Doing so provides aid to those in need, and allows them to keep closer tabs on the lot of them as well, after all.
Looks like Darius will be interacting with Ariana Sibylla and Mackeson Slatethorne! Will update when I've had a chance to write something up.
Ok, had a bit too much time available today, and probably wrote too much, but here we go. Presenting Darius Filipes, ex-paladin of Sarenrae, part-time alchemist and bounty hunter (occasionally) on the Guard's payroll. Crunch is in the linked profile (along with duplicates of all this stuff). Return to Korvosa:
The tavern was far too high-class for him, Darius thought as he sat alone in the corner. The richly appointed chairs, fine hardwood furniture and brightly lit interior were far removed from what he was used to. Leaning forward, he looks into his half-empty mug of ale, sloshing it around briefly. He pondered the time, wondering if his friend would show. He’d only sent her a letter a few weeks ago, and from what he’d heard she’d become a big shot in the guard. Might not have time for a random drop in like this.
“Darius?” a voice calls out, causing him to look up from his drink. The raven-haired woman standing before him in full armor was unfamiliar enough that it took him a few moments to react. “Cr… Cressida?” he says somewhat incredulously. It was obviously her once he pulled himself together. She had grown quite a bit in the years since he’d seen her last. “I wasn’t sure if you’d make it. Getting kind of late.” “Sorry about that,” she responded sincerely, “urgent business. Job keeps me busy you know.” “I imagine! Head of the guard and all that. Field Marshal no less. You’ve really made something of yourself,” he says with a laugh. ”And here I am dragging my sorry hide back to Korvosa broke and looking for work. Surprised you had time to meet with me.” He looks down into his drink again for a moment before picking it up and taking a swig. “What happened?” Cressida asks, broaching the subject gingerly. ”The last I heard from you was when you set out with Jerold to join the crusades in Mendev. You were pretty excited back then, no?” ”I was, yeah. Was also a kid back then, filled with my Uncle’s ideas of redemption and beating back the darkness. The training was great, got to be a real paladin of Sarenrae and all that hullabaloo. Got my shield, my armor, the divine blessing of the Dawnflower. Real blast for a kid, let me tell you. We ended up stationed in Kenabres, helping out with refugees and the like. Not always the most savory characters coming through, but the church and my Uncle were all about redemption. ‘There’s no one who can’t rise above their past,’ Jerold used to say…” Darius’s voice trails off as he gets lost in his memories. The early days in Kenabres had been something truly spectacular. Jerold had arranged for their travel to get them to Kenabres in time for Armasse, which only added to his excitement. They’d been joined by three of his Uncle’s friends who’d come up from Nimirthas; All three, like his uncle, were followers of the Dawnflower who intended to join up to help in the battle against the demons pouring out of the worldwound. It was easy to get caught up in the excitement, and he took to their teachings eagerly on the long trip up. The reality of the Third Crusade was something else entirely, however: In the years he spent there, he saw nothing but opportunists and zealots; burners punishing anyone and everyone they didn’t like the look of; low templars and others coming in and abusing their positions in the crusades for power. There was nothing glamorous or exciting about the truth of it. The days of the crusaders valiantly pressing back the hordes of the demons were truly gone, it seemed. Still, despite all that, Darius had believed in his Uncle’s words, in his convictions. As a paladin of the Dawnflower, he—like the others there with him—worked to aid the refugees and help those in need. They often extended their help to people that were mistreated by the overzealous followers of High Prelate Hulrun Shappok, working hard to offer them opportunities at redemption. ”What did that get him?” he says absent-mindedly as he raises his head to look at Cressida again. ”Several of the young men we had taken in turned out to be cultists of Baphomet. They had been operating out of the small building we had set up as a barracks to help those who would have fallen between the cracks otherwise. The men murdered one of Hulrun’s assistants, and when caught the Burners forced a confession out of them that Jerold had been their ringleader.” Darius winces for a moment and leans back in the too-comfortable chair, looking up at the ceiling. ”They didn’t listen to anything we said…” ”I am truly sorry Darius, Jerold was a good…” the Korvosan woman starts, only to be interrupted. ”Being a good man didn’t get him anything,” he spits out, before catching himself. ”Sorry, Cress, it’s just… what was the point? In the end the Iomedeans cracked down on that particular group of burners, and Jerold was proven innocent. Fat lot of good it did him. Being proven innocent posthumuously… seriously. The rest of us were let go afterwards. The church of the Dawnflower was compensated for the loss, but that was it for me.” He looks at Cressida, the sympathy clearly written on her face and stops himself for a moment with a laugh. ”Gods I’m pathetic,” he says, taking another swig of his drink. ”So when did this happen?” she asks, sloshing her own mug around in her two hands. This certainly wasn’t exactly the light-hearted, warm reunion he’d imagined when he left all those years ago. Life was life though, and he wasn’t exactly ready to roll over and die, even if it did seem to suck most days. He’d just have to make do with what he had, and Cress was one of the few friends he had left, so this is how it had to be. ”Donno, that was just over a decade ago maybe? Hung around for a few years there before I left. Had no connection to the Dawnflower anymore, so I travelled for a while with some Varisians who were headed back in this general direction. Thought I might be able to come back here and work for the guard or something. Had my uncle’s alchemy book and what little he’d taught me, used that to earn my keep on the trip. Sent you a letter when I got a good idea of when I’d be arriving here. Glad you showed up,” he says awkwardly before jokingly adding, ”I mean, I’m pretty sure they’d have thrown my scruffy ass out the door shortly if you hadn’t.” That comment earns him a brief glare from the old man tending the bar, but Darius does his best to ignore it, turning back to the conversation at hand. Cressida manages a laugh and followed by a bittersweet smile. ”I don’t know if I can give you a position in the guard, or if you even really want one, Darius. But we do have need of freelancers from time to time. I also know a couple people who might be able to help you out with a place to stay until you can earn enough to pay for your own,” she says as she shifts her seat back slightly and pushes her finished drink off to the side. ”Thanks, Cress. It’s good to know you have my back,” Darius responds sullenly. ”I do,” she starts in response, ”but the next time you show up out of the blue with a s~+! story like this, you are NOT cheaping out on me with ale. I have standards, you know. You owe me a bottle of good Korvosan Whiskey or the like,” she chides him. Standing up, she steps over and slaps a hand on his shoulder. ”Now finish that and go sleep off your stupor, Darius. I’ll arrange for a room for you here tonight, and send an aide to help you get things sorted out tomorrow.” Darius laughs for a moment before finishing off his drink. He watches as Cress turns and heads out, stopping only briefly to speak with the proprietor, then gathers his things as the old man approaches him to lead him to his room. ”This way, ser.” Backstory:
Raised in a small town in Nirthimas, Darius Filipes spent his early years tending his family’s small farm, and later working in the town militia to help support his parents. His father and mother both passed when he was seventeen, and with little left to tie him to Nirthimas he headed to Korvosa to live with his uncle, Jerold Filipes. His uncle kept a small house in the poor part of town, and between his powers as an acolyte of the dawnflower and his expertise in alchemy, managed to tend to their needs quite effectively.
When he arrived, he spent time training to get into the city guard, perhaps with the thought of eventually joining the Sable Marines. In his spare time, he helped with Jerold’s tending to the poor and sick, picking up bits of knowledge in alchemy here and there as he did. It was during that time he met Cressida Kroft. The Abadarans in the city often made use of Jerold’s services, and during one visit they brought along the young black-haired girl. The daughter of nobles, she would normally not have interacted with someone like Darius, but having set out upon the path to become a paladin of Abadar, Cressida spent time learning the duties that might become hers in Korvosa. Darius is close-lipped about those days in his life, but it is clear that he and Cressida became close friends. The two sparred regularly, pushing each other in their training and discussing their futures within the city. When his uncle began receiving letters from old friends of his, however, things changed quickly. Jerold began regaling Darius with tales sent by his friends of Sarenrites who had gone to Mendev to aid in the battle against the demons there. Adventure, excitement, the triumph of good over evil… These all appealed strongly to Darius; Far more, in fact, than the mere thought of simply becoming a guard again. So when Jerold informed him that he and his friends were planning to go to Kenabres to join up, Darius didn’t hesitate for a moment. He packed up and left, stopping briefly on that same morning to say goodbye to Cress before heading out. Years later, after being worn down by the reality of the third crusade in Kenabres, Darius eventually began his journey home. Having found a spot on a small Varisian caravan returning back towards Korvosa, he payed his way by further honing his alchemical skills as well as working as a caravan guard. In the years since returning to Korvosa, Darius has worked as a freelance investigator and bounty hunter for the guard. He has honed his skills in alchemy, as well as in deduction in general, using his intellect to help him keep up with criminals that have otherwise outwitted the guard. He and Cressida meet once or twice a year to catch up, spending an evening drinking in an establishment suitable for someone of her station. Darius’s remaining free time and money goes to far less reputable establishments, where he often spends his day drinking the cheap swill he can afford while waiting for another job. Appearance and Personality:
Clean shaven, well-groomed, brightly polished, well-kept armor… these are not traits that apply to Darius. Perhaps they may have once, but not these days. Generally sporting stubble suggesting he hasn’t shaved in days; his short, slightly curly salt-and-pepper hair unkempt; and his cloak wrinkled and stained from years of use, one might think him to be a mockery of a guardsman. His shield, once painted with a vibrant rendition of the holy symbol of the Dawnflower has lost most of its paint, and what little remains is faded and cracked, though the shield is still functional and well maintained otherwise.
At his hip is his scimitar in a simple scabbard, the weapon he'd trained with all those years ago. Across his chest is a bandolier containing several vials and flasks he has mixed up that day, depending upon what it is he might be required to do, along with a small pack full of alchemy supplies on the hip opposite his sword. Gruff and self-deprecating, Darius doesn’t exactly seek out friends or companionship these days, though he’ll often share stories with others drinking in the bar. A story for a story’s a fair trade, after all, even if most of his stories don’t have happy endings. Despite his hardened nature, however, he still manages to make use of the skills he’d picked up in Kenabres to talk his way out of—and honestly just as often into—sticky situations. He still believes in the system overall. Law had gotten things right in the end with his uncle after all. It was just that sometimes the system needed aid getting things done quickly enough so that people didn’t die. To that end he’s often willing to bend the rules somewhat, and has become adept at gaining entry into people’s houses and belongings when doing so is likely to aid him in catching a criminal. He draws a bright line at profiting off of those skills directly, however, and looks harshly upon those who use such dubious skills for personal gain. This unique combination of flexibility, morality and skill has netted him a positive reputation with the city guard and those in contact with them, and a fair bit of infamy with those whom he is often tasked with hunting. Of course it doesn’t hurt to be friends with the head of the guard either, and he has received requests through her aides on more than one occasion for his help with more sensitive matters. Role and Advancement:
Darius, as an ex-paladin of Sarenrae is built as a Paladin(Vindicative Bastard) 1/Inquisitior(Empiricist) 1. Future progression will focus on his investigative skills, taking extra levels of Inquisitor unless something major happens. He will be able to use intellect for quite a few skills as empiricist, giving him rogue-like trap-finding, disable device, and strong perception/sense motive, while being built as a front-line guardian in heavy armor. In combat he’ll be able to demoralize foes by dealing non-lethal damage, as well as aid others in their attacks. Eventually he’ll be able to provide buffs to his allies via infusions as well, or use them to bolster himself in combat.
Depending on how his story progresses, could eventually move in one of two other directions: Redemption, which leads towards his becoming a paladin again, or further frustration and dissatisfaction, leading him to gravitate towards service as a Hell knight. Why am I excited about Darius?:
Firstly, I love the contrast between him, a fallen paladin, and Cressida. They exemplify two different ends of the spectrum of success and fulfillment of their life’s goals.
Secondly, while as a character he’s somewhat tropey, what with being a washed up guard and something of a hard-boiled detective/noir type. I believe that the setting and nature of his fall give him the possibility to become something far beyond the tropes he seems to embody. I can truly see his character moving either towards redemption or falling further depending on how his adventures in the city progress, or possibly even remaining balanced firmly between them. Overcoming his jaded nature and becoming devout again would be an interesting twist, and one that could involve returning to Sarenrae or perhaps even converting over to Abadar given his ties to Cressida. On the other hand, his desire to help stamp out lawlessness could easily be driven to obsession by the loss of friends he makes along the way, leading him to sympathize with and perhaps even attempt to join the Order of the Nail. Modified Code of Sarenrae: As an ex-paladin of Sarenrae, his moral code still strongly derives from his training. He has, however, made revisions and simplifications that better reflect the reality of the world he has to deal with, rather than the idealistic, naive view of his once peers. • I will protect my allies with my life, as will I protect those who cannot protect themselves.
@Tick: Keep in mind that you still get the strength damage touch attack. Against an unprepared foe, you can lie in wait and assassinate them just with your touch attack. Obviously if stealth/scouting/assassination isn't your character's kit, it's not as attractive though. The downgrade from see-in-darkness does kinda stink too :p
Working on putting something together for this now. @leinathan: 1) Is there any issue with a character being a close personal friend of Cressida Kroft? 2) When purchasing additional formulas for an investigator at creation, do you pay just ink, ink + rented book (50% above ink cost), or scroll + ink cost? 3) Will retraining be feasible/allowed? I'd like to pick up Combat Advice early on and "upgrade" it to Studied Expertise later (after taking the appropriate talent pre-req, of course).
@Tick: James Jacobs on Shadow Projection That said, it's a pretty awesome ability even if you can't cast in it. It's one hell of a recon/assassination trick.
Ok, here's the crunch for Aramondis Ja'kyorai. Will drop the fluff in there as well shortly.
Behold, the story of the scion of a fallen house, and his rise to power and wealth! A daring captain who will lead his followers and crew in wild adventures throughout the Dying Sea! Backstory!:
Captain Valdyr Ja'kyorai, a name soon to be known along the coast of the Dying Sea! Fiendishly clever and dashing; a cutthroat rake who has just now embarked on a path to rise above his accursed beginnings. Aboard his vessel, the Nightless Son, he stands out as the sole, superior specimen on the deck. His long, elegant hair and fine trappings mark him as someone destined for nobility, nobility he has purchased through the time-honored drow traditions of murder, extortion and theft. In a mere hour he will be meeting with his contacts at House Vexidyre with a gift—A sealed, lead-lined ornate vessel inscribed with demonic runes and the symbol of Abraxas—which was recently ‘gifted’ to him by a courier from House Azrinae who seemed to have lost any desire to deliver it. Whether that lack of enthusiasm had something to do with the dagger Valdyr had planted in his back was unclear, but the arrangement was certainly agreeable! Some further sacrifices would need to be made, thankfully by the remainder of the crew; Shortly they would be convinced to volunteer their shares of the treasure for Valdyr’s sake and be sent on their way to wherever it was House Vexidyre disposed of rubbish at. Truly this was the beginning of a story that would be remembered for ages, one that would be told in taverns along the Dying Sea: The story of a scion of a fallen house who had returned to nobility through cunning, deviousness and wit.
“Unfortunately, brother,” Aramondis says, “this is not your story.” With a swift crack of an oar to the back of the head and a firm boot to the back, the former captain of the keelboat formerly known as the Nightess Son fell into the black waters with an unceremonious sploosh. “He always did sound better in his own head,” the former first mate of the ship says. “Hard to port, bring us around Tormhul! It is time to find a new buyer for this silly pot!” “Aye, cap’n,” the surly duergar says as he turns to the rest of the crew. “Any of ye lot have a problem?" the grey skinned dwarf grunts at the rest of the crew. “No Sir!” they respond quickly. “All's well then!” the new first mate responds. Looking out as the lights of the port swing off to their right, Aramondis turns back once more to his companion, “Oh, and do have someone bring up some drinks, we must toast to Valdyr’s new path in life, and to our new ship! Hmm, but what should we call it?” He thinks for a moment seriously on the subject before cracking into a smile and then finally bursting into laughter. “Of course! We should name it in his honor! Henceforth we shall sail upon My Brother’s Wake. Drinks! Celebration! We shall all be rich when we return to Telderist!" Cheers went up from the crew, crying out the vessel’s name in celebration as it receded into the dark waters away from the tiny port they’d been approaching. Clearly Valdyr had gone to much effort when working with House Vexidyre to arrange a meeting in such a far-off location out of sight of the spies of House Azrinae. Whatever was contained within the vessel must have been of great strategic value for the house to have offered him nobility through marriage. The fact that Valdyr had not been open about who was buying the vessel, and the remoteness of the location had attracted the attention of both himself and Tormhul. Together they had been able to effectively spy on his brother until they received the information needed. He did admire his brother for having the audacity to attempt to regain noble status with such a trade, however cutting the rest of the crew out of the deal was simply unforgivable, especially since he had been caught doing it. In the weeks afterwards, Aramondis successfully led the crew to unload the item onto the black market in yet another remote port, as selling in Telderist would have attracted the attention of House Vexidyre. Instead, he had posed as his twin brother during the deal, rumors of which would likely find their way back to Vexidyre and them off Aramondis. With his brother dead, they would likely never get the answers they desired, and would continue thinking that Valdyr was merely one step ahead of them. “Almost too good to be true,” he says with a laugh as they disembark into Telderist. The ship had been retrofitted, repaired and repainted with the proceeds from their purchase. As the new captain, he himself had received the lion’s share, nearly 16000 gold pieces worth after all was said and done—though of course the others on the crew had made out well enough to ensure their continued service and loyalty. From there he made a point of quickly making connections in the Nightrunner’s Guild and gaining an apprenticeship. It afforded their ship with ‘legitimate’ work to cover for any other recreational activities they might be involved with, and provided them with some modicum of protection due to working under the auspices of House Misraria, something that they would need were Vexidre or Azrinae ever to find out the truth of what happened to Valdyr and his package. Background:
Captain Aramondis Ja'kyorai is the last living member of House Oraikal, having dumped his good-for-nothing twin brother into the drink near some backwater port of no consequence. Taking command of My Brother's Wake, he serves as a trader, messenger, pirate, spy, and anything else that earns him and his crew the profit they desire.
His parents attempted to use trickery and subterfuge to unseat house Azrinae from their position as Abraxas's favored and failed, leading to the death of all but Aramondis and his brother Valdyr. In the aftermath, the two disappeared onto the first boat they could find, changed their names and did everything they could to erase their former identities, even going to the trouble of finding bodies close enough to their own to fake their deaths. After all, it would hardly do to have House Azrinae continually seeking to kill them. The two worked their way up through the ranks on the keelboat eventually known as "Nightless Son", and once they had become the captain's trusted and loyal enforcers, promptly demoted him to fish food. As the 'elder' brother, something Aramondis had never quite agreed with, Valdyr took control of the ship and the two continued their escapades until the recent unfortunate falling out between the siblings. Unlike his brother, Aramondis has always been closely tied to the Dying Sea and has harbored no desire to return to the life of nobility. As a child he fell into the waters--with some help from Valdyr--and nearly drowned. It was there beneath the waves that some form of water spirit approached him and offered him a deal: If he vowed to return and consign his body and soul to the Dying Sea in a century, he would be granted the opportunity to save himself. Quickly accepting the deal, he found himself able to breathe and move effortlessly beneath the waves of the sea. Needless to say, his brother was quite disappointed when Aramondis surfaced completely unscathed. Since then he has been attended by a wave that aids him in his travels, though he dismisses it when entering places where leaving a trail of water might be considered reason to remove his head. He also is capable of drawing upon it to batter his foes with blasts of water and to quench fires.
Appearance:
Aramondis cuts a dashing figure at a full 6'1", his now short-cropped hair a silken, perfect white. He favors bright, fanciful and above all, expensive clothes; Most days, however, he simply makes due with his sleeves of many garments to provide him with the appropriate attire without risking sullying such fine clothing. The sole exception is his hat, a jaunty purple number made from the finest lizard leather and spider silk available in Telderist; which has been affixed with a plume from some creature unlucky enough to be captured on the surface and dragged down into the darklands solely for the purpose of appointing his hat. He had paid quite a bit for that privilege, after all, as well as the privilege of setting the remnants of the creature aflame after picking out the plume to ensure his was the only of its kind.
Headgear digression aside, he favors high boots, also of the finest leather, and a tight, turquoise fitted doublet enhanced with magic to protect his personal belongings should he wind up in the drink himself. Note: this happens frequently His fine cloak rounds out his appearance, adding just the right dash of flair and granting him the magic necessary to both maintain his appearance and abscond with Apart from his attire, Aramondis is unique in that he is almost always attended by a small wave of water, especially when out on his boat. The water that follows him around seems to spirit him along effortlessly, speeding his every movement.
Mechanics and Progression:
Aramondis is a Drow Cavalier(Daring Champion) 6/Hydrokineticist (Aquakineticist, Overwhelming Soul) 2 He leans heavily on swashbuckling tropes, and functions as a face/skill monkey/front-line fighter with the ability to use aquatic environments to their fullest. His primary skills are Bluff, Intimidate, Perception and Stealth. He makes a strong showing in Profession(Sailor) and Appraise, both skills necessary for keeping the profits flowing and his crew happy. He dabbles in several other skills, especially those that fit his role as swashbuckler and captain. As part of his kit, I have purchased both a keelboat and used Leadership to provide the crew. I will provide a separate background document for his cohort when I get a chance, but here’s a brief description in the meantime: Tormhul is a Duergar Druid (Elemental Ally) 6 who uses his elementals to support their endeavors (Earth for hauling cargo and protecting any passengers they have been paid to escort, water for scouting the sea and helping to propel the boat, air for scouting and spying, and fire for providing a flame source as well as for protection). He is an outlier for a Duergar, revering the elements as a source of chaos, creation and destruction. This reverence led him to favor Aramondis, who had been blessed by the Dying Sea, over his brother from the very start. He has training both as a sailor and a shipwright, and makes use of his druidic magic to ensure their success and effect repairs as needed. @The Faceless GM: A couple questions: 1) I'm making use of Leadership and purchasing a Keelboat to have a fully crewed sailing ship. Is this appropriate? I can rework the background/story of either of them are not acceptable. 2) If the cohort is acceptable: How do you interpret the Elemental Ally archetype? The text explicitly says that they gain all of the "base evolutions from their subtype", which for elementals explicitly includes a single evolution point at 4th level. It subsequently goes on to say they don't get an evolution pool, which contradicts that. Do they get the one point from subtype? Or no points because that point would be part of an evolution pool?
Also they allow that any feat that gives an animal companion evolution points grants them to the Elementals. I assume this implies that Evolved Companion could be taken if so desired. If so, does the feat apply to a single eidolon, or does each one get a point?
Tired now, so will do more later, but her's what I've got so far. Fal, "The Fixer" Fluff:
Known as "The Fixer", Fal has served as at various times as a courier, scout, scavenger, and 'retrieval specialist' for various people in Torch for the past two decades. She has something of a reputation in town, both as someone who delivers what she promises, and also for the fact she always stays completely covered up, including wearing a mask. Her coat has various scraps of machinery salvaged through the years affixed to it, and the hood and filter mask she wears render her an enigma to the people in town. Those who claim to have seen her face alternately claim that she is a hideously disfigured Keleshite or something monstrous like a half-orc. Whatever the truth of her situation, she seems not to care terribly much what they say about her. Though she has worked for many people in the city of Torch, she ran no small number of errands for Khonnir Baine. Through him she gained an understanding and appreciation for technological devices, which is ironic given her true heritage. She spent quite a few years learning from him while doing deliveries or sneaking pieces of technology out from under the Technic League's noses. Since then she has become closer to Khonnir and his daughter Val, the latter of which is the only person in Torch to have seen her true identity. Even with Val she has spoken little of her first decade after awakening, only briefly mentioning that she traveled around the inner sea for a time. When push comes to shove, she is capable of defending herself by shooting bolts of force from her hands, or by levitating nearby objects and tossing them at her harassers. She makes an effort to conceal these abilities, however, and generally carries a spear for show.
Crunch: Fal Female android telekineticist 1/wizard* (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 147, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5 19, Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 10) NG Medium humanoid (android) Hero Points 1 Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+1 armor, +3 Dex) hp 12 (1d8+4) Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +0; +4 vs. mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, and stun, +2 bonus vs. inhaled poisons or diseases and other inhaled particles such as smoke or spores Defensive Abilities constructed; Immune disease, emotion, exhaustion, fatigue, fear, sleep -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee dagger -1 (1d4-1/19-20) or . . shortspear -1 (1d6-1) Ranged Telekinetic Blast +3 (1d6+4) Special Attacks kinetic blast Kineticist Wild Talents Known . . Defense—force ward . . Infusions—extended range . . Blasts—telekinetic blast (1d6+4) . . Utility—basic telekinesis -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 8, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10 Base Atk +0.75; CMB -1; CMD 12 Feats Point-Blank Shot Traits clever wordplay, keeper of the veil, local ties Skills Acrobatics +7, Appraise +4, Bluff +2, Climb -3, Diplomacy -2, Disable Device +8, Disguise +8, Escape Artist +1, Fly +1, Heal -2, Intimidate -2, Knowledge (local) +4, Perception +6, Ride +1, Sense Motive -6, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7, Survival -2, Swim -3; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, -4 Sense Motive Languages Common, Hallit, Kelish, Varisian SQ burn (1 point/round, max 6), emotionless, exceptional senses, gather power, hero points, meticulous, nanite surge, specialized school (teleportation[APG]) Other Gear haramaki[UC], dagger, shortspear, backpack, belt pouch, filter mask, lockpick set, trail rations (5), waterskin, 17 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Burn 1/round (1 nonlethal/burn, 6/day) Burn HP to gain greater effects on your wild talents. Constructed (Ex) Counts as both humanoids and constructs for effects that target type. Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only). Emotionless (Ex) Androids have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a –4 penalty on Sense Motive checks. Exceptional Senses Androids have darkvision to a range of 60 feet and low-light vision. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. Extended Range Kinetic blast has range of 120ft. Gather Power (Su) Move: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 1 or Full-round: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 2 Hero Points Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses. Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases. Immunity to Emotion (Ex) You are immune to all emotion effects. Immunity to Exhausted You are immune to the exhausted condition. Immunity to Fatigue You are immune to the fatigued condition. Immunity to Fear (Ex) You are immune to all fear effects. Immunity to Sleep You are immune to sleep effects. Kinetic Blast (Sp) The kineticist can unleash her kinetic blast at a range of 30 feet at will. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail. Meticulous -2 on all untrained skill checks Nanite Surge +4 (1/day) (Ex) Bonus to any one d20 roll. Glow like a torch for 1 round when used. Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet. Telekinetic Blast (Sp) Level 0; Burn 0 (1d6 + 1 + 3 con) Teleportation Associated School: Conjuration
I can do kineticist heavy plate (kinetic knight) or kineticist blaster. Going with android for race. I could be convinced to pick up some healing, as I'll be Aether, but man kineticist healing is all kinds of horrible :P
Dot dot dot!
It just occurred to me, but are there enough Gnomes in Nidal for it to be reasonable to have one as a Vigilante character? Having cover as a merchant doesn't do much good if there are literally like only 1-2 gnomes in a town, and one of them is new, and suddenly there's a gnome vigilante running around :p
DBH: I was considering taking VMC Rogue if no one else was going to have trapfinding. But if you can take that, then I'll focus more on my character being a Face type (Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise) and either VMC something else, or find some other use for those feats (like more combat feats for my familiar).
As far as Automatic Bonus Progression goes, is it possible to assign part of the bonuses to my Familiar instead?
The Procurer is probably going to be LN/N for his social/vigilante identities. His actions might serve a greater good, but for him it's more about leveling the playing field and not really a good vs evil thing.
I think I've come up with my character: He will be a Gnome who is ostensibly a Travelling Merchant and follower of Abadar, travelling with his pet cat. Secretly, however, he is a spy for the Book Club known as The Procurer, accompanied by a large golden feline earth elemental. I'm rolling him up as a Vigilante(Magical Child) with (eventually) a two level dip in Fighter(Eldritch Guardian). He'll be support and combat, aiding his mauler-archetype elemental familiar.
Option one for me as well! What materials do we have for building characters? Super Genius/Rogue Genius Games stuff ok (thinking Godling given that the campaign could go high-level/mythic)? I have a couple ideas in mind, but need to know what's available before I settle down on a build and story. Gyrfalcon: I thought Unafe was familiar, that was a great character. Loved reading her background during the recruitment for Kiora's campaign.
I don't know if that would work though. It's pretty specific about the effect only extending a couple inches from the gloves, which would rule out all but the smallest pistols. Maybe if you had one hand where the actual combustion took place, and a second near the end of the weapon? Then you'd silence the sound of the initial explosion, and the sound of the bullet exiting the barrel. Of course silence needs line of effect I think, so you'd need a custom barrel that had some small holes in it near the ignition point.
5gp a round is expensive, but if the gun user can craft(Alchemy), then it's not so bad, and it's really meant to be something for special situations. As for permanently silenced, you could go for three tiers. Decide what the DC for hearing a gunshot is (probably 'hear sounds of battle' at DC -10), and have the first and second tier act as silencers instead of true magic silence. The first could increase the DC by 10, and the second by 20. I'd probably price them at half the rate of skill bonuses, so that'd be 5000 for the first, and 20000 for the second. The first tier would make the gun sound about as loud as normal conversation, and the second as quiet as someone walking. Reasonably quiet enough to use somewhere without drawing everybody to you, but still leaving room for the perma-silence upgrade, or using the alchemical rounds. :)
I don't know off the top of my head, but if not, adding an alchemical cartridge that acts as a silenced round would be one way of making use of them stealthily. With proper pricing it'd be a accessible for when it's needed without negating the drawbacks 100% of the time.
Picking up Skill Focus(Stealth) as a Static Bonus feat is 2 points and eventually gets you a +6. If you want good stealth you might consider that route instead. For 4 points you can pick up the human Focused Study and get 3 for the price of two.
Hello everyone! I'll be whipping up a kineticist for the party. Currently thinking CG Human(Chelaxian) Kineticist(Air/Water/?)|VMC Cavalier(Order of the Dragon). Will be focused on melee with hopefully a good bit of support/utility. Still roughing out the background, but the general idea is ex-spy/assassin working for House Thrune (or some other allied noble house) who was spared by her target. She eventually turned and pledged herself to aiding others and working against House Thrune. Thinking Ex-Asmodean for campaign trait, since she is directly opposed to House Thrune.
Considering going Summoner then?
That sounds like a great plan, especially since I have no clue what the *wink wink nudge nudge* stuff is about :p If she was that 'wide ranging' though, it's pretty likely she'd have had a child in Sandpoint too :)
Discussing! So half-brothers attending their human parent's funeral? Father would probably be the obvious choice, although mother would certainly make for an interesting twist :p
Any chance of using pre-errata animal soul? I'm seriously considering doing a Shoanti who ended up exiled by her Quah after she was found to be pregnant with the child of a Chelaxian. She ended up in Korsova with her husband, and (long story short) had her daughter kidnapped. Gonna really play up the feral aspect of the character, and the old Animal Growth/Atavism friendly version is definitely nicer than just being able to ignore spells/abilities that don't affect animals.
This is the discussion thread. This is a post that's pointless. Is that pointless RAW, or RAI?
Still here as well, but going back to the drawing board. Tikston's character and story don't mesh the well with Kineticist/Summoner, and the most logical combination for the character Bard(Archaeologist)/Summoner isn't striking my fancy.
Hey, as long as the brain-eating horror living in the head-next-door is entertaining and/or not a complete ass, that's ok! :p
Yup, I've read through that, along with some other discussions about it. Seems like bad stuff happens, but from what I've read it doesn't give me the darker feel of say Carrion Crown or even Wrath of the Righteous.
Hmm, this is taking way longer than I had planned. The remaining background will fall into two parts: The discovery of a strange temple underground containing some form of portal, its collapse and Tikston's escape (after acquiring Rockington). The second will detail Tikston's life afterwards, and his search for another such portal. Everything will likely get second pass for polish once I'm done writing, but I don't think anything too major should change. In the meantime here's Tikston's character sheet and the background that's been completed. Reading the other submissions so far, though, I wonder if I'm not off on tone for the campaign with Tikston.
I'm going to make a push to finish my back ground tonight and tomorrow. Decided to go Gnome Kineticist/Summoner/VMC Bard instead, 'cause Kineticist looks really cool. In the meantime, here's an introduction to Professor Tikston Yarnspinner, Archaeologist Extraordinaire. Feedback is always welcome! : Tikston Yarnspinner is short, even for a gnome. Perhaps it's his advancing age, or perhaps height is just one of those things Yarnspinners always seem short of, like marbles for instance. Despite his stature, his features are quintessentially gnomish (at least to him), with large eyes and mouth, a shock of unruly orange hair linked by sideburns to a beard ending in a sharp point at his chin, and a massive hooked nose that could only be described as a paragon of its kind. A small pair of reading glasses adorn his nose, their size juxtaposed against that of his proboscis. He prefers to wear fine, brightly colored clothing, clothing suited more for a noble than an explorer, and keeps a spare set just in case he needs to look his finest after an expedition (or during it). Tikston is friendly, perhaps even boisterous, happy to greet new friends and happier still to greet new clients. He greatly enjoys jokes, and absolutely loves pulling one over on his clients, especially for a profit. Despite that, he is always true to his word, feeling that lies are fine in negotiation or pranks, but as a businessgnome, a contract's a contract. He deals with all manner of races and clients, taking jobs that range from pure archaeology to less than legal smuggling of artifacts. His ever-present accomplice, Rockington, appears as a squat, human-sized mass of carved stone and rubble. The stones and rubble appear to have once belonged to some sort of ancient ruin or another, having sharp corners and other constructed features. Strange writing decorates many of their surfaces, remenants of some lost civilization. Semi-precious stones and crystals also adorn Rockington, protruding in various patterns that it changes to suit its whims. Where its "head" is, two large garnets float amidst the rubble, appearing to be the creature's eyes.
"Professor Tikston Yarnspinner, world-renowned archaeologist, spelunker, explorer, antiquities trader, merchant, etcetera, at your service!" the small red-headed gnome said cheerfully with a bow. "And this is my assistant Prof. Rockington Pebb..." His introduction of the mass of carved stone and rubble standing behind him was interrupted by a rumbling voice. In passable common the elemental began to protest. "My name is Kszkr..." Before it could finish, however, the aging gnome returned the favor, cutting him off as well, "Yes, yes, Rocky. Look, no one can pronounce your name, so we're going with Professor Rockington Pebblesworth, Esquire. We've had this conversation a half-dozen times. You know I don't pay you to stand around complaining about a perfectly good name!" "You don't pay me at all..." the elemental rumbled back, finishing with a pebbley harrumph. "Details, Details! Anyway, you've totally interrupted my train of thought." The gnome rubbed his temples, trying to remember what he was doing. "What was I doing?" he thought aloud. Rockington tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at the man standing just a few feet away from him. "What? Yes, there's a man there, stop bothering me while I'm thinking." Rockington tapped him again, this time rumbling "Client" as he did. "Client? What? Don't be prepo... That's what I was doing! I was introducing myself to a client, it's a good thing I've got a memory like a steel trap or we'd never get anything done. My apologies for my assistant's poor manners. Used to be that elementals knew proper ettiquite, but now it's all interruptions and complaints about naming and not getting paid and being overworked and..." Tikston coughed loudly and restarted the conversation where it should have been. "So you know of an Azlanti ruin, and you want something retrieved from it, yes? You'll find Rockington and I are the best there are. We've been through ruins all over the world and even under it. In exchange I just ask for a small amount of gold up front to cover the expenses associated with the expedition, and a finder's fee upon delivery. Additionally we split any additional artifacts or magic items we've found evenly between the three of us." Tikston listened to his client's complaints in regards to the split before responding. "What? Not 50/50 good sir! We split it between the three of us: a third for you, a third for me and a third for Rockington, of course. It's not like he works for free. What do you take him for, some sort of bound elemental servant or something? Absolutely preposterous!" Tikston rolled his eyes and snorted disapprovingly. "So do we have a deal?" Tikston said, extending his hand to shake on it. "Excellent, Rockington and I shall depart first thing tomorrow morning, we'll just need that gold now, and we'll be in contact with you again in the near future." After taking the gold from the man, he and Rockington departed. Once he was sure the man was out of earshot, he burst into laughter. "Did you see the look on his face when I said you didn't work for free, Rocky? He was so confused! It's enough to make my week!" he said, delighted at successfully bluffing his way to a two-thirds share of the loot. He jingled the coin purse once for good measure before putting it safely in his pack. The elemental emitted a high-pitched sound like two rocks grinding together, which functioned remarkably well as a sigh. "You still havent given me the gems you promised..." "Yes, yes, Rocky, I'll get you gems! I've got an IOU right up here!" he said, tapping his pointer finger against his temple. "But first we've got an expedition to plan!"
Popping in to ask a question real quick: Do you have any issues with Unchained Summoner/Synthesist?
I'm planning a Sylph Summoner/Sorcerer as a Tank/Blaster. I haven't decided for sure on a Synthesist vs a straight Summoner, but knowing what options I have helps!
It's been a blast reading all these backgrounds, kinda scary how stiff the competition is though! Good luck to everyone!
Woops, it did indeed. Moving stuff between files is dangerous work, and sometimes sentences die a grisly death as a result. Lemme go dig up what's supposed to be there :P Oath/Code(Take 2!):
To fight against the forces of the worldwound to her dying breath. She views this as an admonition to live and fight to protect her adopted city at all costs. Doing so, however, does not mean recklessly throwing away her life. The cost of her survival was too high for such a meaningless gesture.
Thanks! Going legendary for Lleuad-a'r-Sêr and having it reborn was definitely part of the plan for Li'an, along with gaining a good bit of casting via bookish rogue/major magic/elven favored class bonus to cement her half-a-magus status.
Ok, think I've got everything in order finally. Here's Li'an Va'ardalia, Elven Rogue/Magus(VMC), Trickster path. Let me know if anything's unclear or missing. Fluff & Questions:
Li'an Lleuad-a'r-Ser Li'an is a typically lithe, pale-skinned elf with silvery eyes. She tends to wear simple clothing with muted colors along with her leather armor most of the time. Once or twice a year, during major festivals, she will allow herself the pleasure of wearing something more colorful, although still nothing quite so impractical as a dress. She shares her father's more gregarious (for an elf, anyway) nature, especially after the events during the fourth crusade. She works hard to do what she can to aid others and seemingly never offers complaint. When unobserved a deep sense of sorrow can be seen in her eyes. In recent years she's begun to develop a love of reading and writing epic poems, very likely due to the spark she acquired from Lleuad. She hopes one day to set down the tale of Elan Va'ardalia and Lleuad-a'r-Sêr on paper, that they might live on beyond her.
Her blade, Lleuad-a'r-Sêr, belonged to her father before her. While she is unaware of it, Lleuad-a'r-Sêr was once a powerful Raelis Azata who had travelled the world with her father extensively. Her form destroyed in a battle with a powerful demon, Elan attempted to save her with a wish, but ended up sealing her essence within his blade instead. She wields it not only because it was her father's, but also due to the oath she made to Lleuad-a'r-Sêr when it saved her. After her return to Kenabres, she has formed a close bond with the weapon despite its silence. She considers Lleuad her only remaining family and often confides in it. She keeps the blade close at all times and would likely be quite traumatized were she to lose the last link to that portion of her life.
Due to her loss and the oath she swore, she feels her highest duty is to use all her abilities to continue their fight to protect others from the blight of the worldwound. She inherited her father's free spirit and recklessness, however, and rapidly grows tired of the constraints imposed by those with a more lawful worldview.
The trip was uneventful until the second day out. They were travelling through a densely wooded area when she heard a warning cry from her father's hawk familiar. In a matter of moments Elan had vanished, having cast a spell she suspected was invisibility, although she'd still not gotten adept enough to identify spells as they were cast yet. With her father gone, she immediately began scouting out a good hiding place. Between looking for a hiding place and trying to keep an eye on her father's familiar she didn't hear the footsteps behind her until it was too late. When she awoke, she was chained to a wall inside a small cell. Standing before her was a gaunt man wearing a set of ornate black robes. He smiled at her and then spoke. "Welcome! We don't get too many visitors out here. You'll have to forgive the poor hospitality, as the few we do get tend to be intent on killing us. Might I get your name my fair elven lass?" Li'an shook her head and remained silent, wondering if she'd really been this stupid. "That won't do at all... you should really answer when your host asks a simple question. Lets try this again," the man said as he began to make arcane gestures. "Li'an Va'ardalia..." escaped from Li'an's lips before she knew what had happened. She felt as if she was being pushed out of her own mind somehow, reduced to merely watching as her body acted on its own. The man put his hands together and grinned. "See? That wasn't so hard, now was it? You're the daughter of Elan, that elven magus who has been giving us trouble for ages, what a treat! He doesn't know you're here does he?" "No, I followed him out here," she answered without hesitation. "Oh my! This will be quite a surprise then, won't it? Come, we must prepare a warm welcome for him. The look on his face should be priceless..." The man gestured at the manacles and they fell open, leaving her free. She willed herself to run for the door, but instead she bowed and then followed obediently behind her captor. Whether he had been summoned by the black-robed mage or had found this location on his own Li'an never knew, but within a few hours she heard cries of alarm and the sounds of fighting and spellcasting out in the old square of the town. She'd heard stories about her father's recklessness, but it still surprised her that he was enaged in a frontal assault on the cultist's base by himself. As the fighting neared, two of the cultists grabbed her by the arms and she felt a command echo through her head "Resist them with all your might, little girl. Put on an act that Elan will never forget!" She fought and kicked as the two cultists dragged her out into the square, where her father waited, his bronze blade drawn and blazing with arcane energy. "Li'an! How?" he cried out, a look of despair on his face. In her mind she screamed, but the puppet that was her body fell to her knees weeping, responding only with "I'm so sorry...". "Elan, so good of you to come! Who knew we'd have the pleasure of hosting a touching family reunion here." the head cultist taunted. "Of course I can't just hand her over you know, that would hardly be fair as we've had to provide her with food and board while she waited for you to rescue her. I believe that blade should about cover it," he added, revelling in his final victory over his foe. Elan sighed and looked at his blade. He paused, contemplating it long enough for Li'an to wonder if he would really trade that blade for her life. After what seemed like an eternity he raised his head and answered the mage. "Very well," he said as he sheathed the blade and tossed it to the earth ahead of him, quickly drawing a spare dagger he kept in reserve. "Let her go," he said as the sheathed blade hit the ground. The cultists released Li'an and she ran to her father as he beckoned. She crashed into him, throwing her arms around him as he took her in one arm. "It's ok now Li'an, it's over." he said reassuringly as he looked down at her. "Yes, father, it is over..." she responded flatly as she slid out the dagger she'd hidden up her sleeve and slid it through a gap in his leather armor, puncturing his kidney. While the wound was serious, it wasn't enough to kill him, but as he staggered back in shock, the cultists were able to disarm and restrain him. "How terrible! What kind of father are you to be betrayed by your own daughter? It's quite sad really." the man in black taunted. "Li'an, be a dear and pick up that blade, won't you?" he said, gesturing to the sheathed weapon. "We really should give it back to your father, no? I bet he'd appreciate that greatly. The look of horror on Elan's face as Li'an approached with the blade unsheathed would be forever burned into her mind. As she plunged the blade through his chest, killing him, she could feel the mage's delight, a sensation so cruel and remorseless it she wondered if he had any humanity in him at all. "Tell me, girl, how does it feel to be responsible for your father's death?" the man said to her, releasing his hold on her mind as he did. All she could do in response was collapse to her knees, screaming. In the midst of her agony a new voice came to her mind, familiarly soothing, yet stern. "Li'an Va'ardalia, listen to me and act quickly child. You must do what I say while he has relinquished control of you." it said in a commanding tone. "I will save you here, for it was the final wish of your father, to whom I owe my very existance. I will ask two things of you, however, the first is that you swear an oath to devote the remainder of your life to continuing the fight Elan and I have fought since my fall in Sarkoris during the First Crusade. You will fight to end the blight that is the worldwound to your dying breath." Li'an looked down at the blade, realizing the voice in her mind was somehow originating within it. The oath the blade had requested carried a weight with it she could feel. Still, what choice did she have? If this was all a nightmare, it wouldn't matter in the end, and if it wasn't she was very likely going to die here. "I will do it, I swear here before my father that I will continue his fight, and yours until the day I die." "Very well child, the second thing I shall ask of you is that you plunge me into your heart..." The mage looked on the scene with great pleasure. He'd truly outdone himself this time, what great fortune he'd had to stumble upon the girl while he was attempting to scry on her father. Now Elan was dead, and he'd be able to present his body and that accursed blade to his own patron. I can taste the power already, perhaps I'll even be granted the power to abandon this putrid human form for something more befitting my status, he thought. Letting her free of the domination momentarily was an exquisite torture, he thought, relishing her screams as she collapsed over her father's corpse. I should remember to bring her when I go to Raliscrad, Minagho would pay handsomely for the opportunity to break... He was interrupted mid thought by the sight of his prisoner attempting to commit suicide. He laughed loudly and applauded the show as she drove the blade into her chest. "Get that blade out of the girl and see that she's healed immediately," he called out to the guards. The guards, however, never got the chance. The girl, hilt of the blade protruding from her chest and her eyes blazing with white light, stood and traced a single rune in the air. " नींद " the girl commanded in a voice not her own, and the guards all collapsed to the ground. Even the black-robed man felt his conciousness beginning to slip away as the symbol burned itself into his mind. Somehow he'd been forced out of the girl's mind completely, the domination broken by whatever it was that possessed her now. "No... My prize..." he thought as he joined his guards in their slumber. Moments later Li'an was in a clearing she didn't recognize. Her body still burned with the energy released from the blade, although she collapsed to one knee immediately. "Time is short now, child, the last of me fades" the voice spoke aloud as it kneeled and began to trace a symbol into the ground. "Forever remeber the oath you swore to Lleuad-a'r-Ser, and the price she and your father paid for your life, little one." it added as it grasped the hilt of the blade and pulled it out of her chest. The blade fell to the ground with a dull thud, and Li'an felt the last of the energy leave her. A final thought echoed through her mind, "know that your father forgives you child, as do I...". The last thing she remembered was a flash of green coming from the symbol beneath her as she passed out. She awoke days later in the hospital ward of the temple of Iomedae in Kenabres. She'd been found by a patrol atop the remnants of some sort of healing glyph, and alongside her ornate, but otherwise mundane blade.
Crunch:
Li'an Va'ardalia Female Elf Rogue/Magus(VMC) 1 NG Medium Humanoid (Elf) Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
Melee Lleuad-a'r-Ser +4 (1d6, 19-20/x2)
Special Attacks Sneak Attack +1d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1):
Feats Weapon Finesse (class), Arcane Strike
Combat Gear Lleuad-a'r-Ser, Studded Leather Armor
Maths: Stats Str: 11 = 11 roll Dex: 17 = 15 roll + 2 racial Con: 9 = 11 roll - 2 racial Int: 15 = 13 roll + 2 racial Wis: 11 = 11 roll Cha: 12 = 12 roll Attacks
Favored Class (Rogue) 1: +1 skill Gold & Encumberance
=11
15 points on the dot. Pretty average stats, but c'est la vie! Planning on rolling up an Elf Rogue/VMC Magus|Trickster. Will get something up today or tomorrow. |