About Adrian ArsbetaADRIAN RISTOMAUR ARSBETA
DEFENSE
Spell-like Abilities
OFFENSE
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 3rd; concentration +7)
Bloodline Shadow STATISTICS
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Studied Target (Ex): Adrian can study an opponent he can see as a move action. He then gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks attempted against that opponent, and a +1 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against it. The DCs of slayer class abilities against that opponent increase by 1. Adrian can only maintain these bonuses against one opponent at a time; these bonuses remain in effect until either the opponent is dead or he studies a new target. If Adrian deals sneak attack damage to a target, he can study that target as an immediate action, allowing him to apply his studied target bonuses against that target (including to the normal weapon damage roll). Studied Witch (Ex): Adrian’s studied target bonus applies on Spellcraft checks and saving throws against arcane spells and spell-like abilities and hexes. This bonus is reduced by 1 (minimum 0) if the target is not an arcane spellcaster, or a being called or summoned by arcane magic. Cloak of Shadows (Sp): At 1st level, as a standard action, Adrian can grant one target a cloak of shadows. This cloak gives the target a bonus on Stealth checks made in areas of dim or no light equal to 1/2 his sorcerer level for 1 round per 2 sorcerer levels he possesses (minimum +1 bonus for 1 round). He may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. Nighteye (Ex): At 3rd level, Adrian's darkvision increases by 30 feet. At 9th level, it increases by 60 feet. BACKSTORY
Around the time he was seven, some of his mother's servants took in a nephew around his age and Adrian finally had a friend. Immediately, the two grew very close with Adrian frequently talking his young companion into all sorts of mischief. One day, the two meant to sneak off to town through the woods, but they quickly found themselves lost. After wandering just long enough to be tired and looking to rest, they came across a lone cottage where an enchanting young woman invited them in and offered them aid. She sat them down, served them some sweet-smelling pastries, and began asking them questions. How old were they? How much did they weigh? What did their fathers do? She had a thick accent Adrian recognized but couldn't quite place and smelt distinctly of elderberries. "Are you not going to eat your vatrushka, dear boy?" she asked him sweetly. Never having had much of an appetite, though, the young dhampir left his food untouched, and it was fortunate for him that he did. Tristan wasted no time in making the delicious treat disappear, and, shortly after he finished, his head hit the table with a loud thud as he fell into a deep and obviously unnatural sleep. "Why could you not just eat, you foolish child?" the woman asked, her voice, once musical and alluring, now harsh and threatening. Adrian lept from his seat calling out to Tristan to wake up, but the other boy would not stir. The dhampir's heart pounded as he felt the witch's gaze upon him. As he made for the door, he felt her magic attempt to envelope his mind like an cool breeze lulling him to sleep. Clawing his way through the mental mist, he let out a shout and unwittingly sent his innate power reverberating through his voice. "STOP!" The witch froze in place, and Adrian hesitated for a brief moment to look back at his slumbering friend. Then, tears welling up in his eyes, the boy fled as quickly as his legs would carry him. After the loss of his friend, Adrian became irritable and withdrawn. For weeks, he shut everyone out and allowed himself to languish. During this time, that kind Pharasman priest would visit him. Sometimes he would tell stories about the Mother of Souls and how innocent souls like Tristan's found peace after meeting her, but more often than not he just sat with Adrian in silence. The young dhampir never did decide he was ready to talk about his encounter with the witch, but eventually he decided he was ready to do something about it. He prayed to the Gray Lady for the strength to avenge his friend and send the monsters that plague the good people of Golarion to be judged. As he got older, Adrian studied techniques for stalking and fighting abusers of arcane magic until, at 18 years old, he left home to hunt witches. Quietly, he hoped to find the witch that had marred his childhood. Adrian's hunt began somewhat aimlessly. He simply followed the rumors of foul magic across Ustalav until one night he had a strange dream. He found himself following a whippoorwill into a blizzard. He spent what seemed like an eternity chasing the bird through that endless void of freezing white before it vanished from his sight. Hearing a familiar laugh behind him, Adrian spun around to see a child playing in the snow. Getting closer he recognized his childhood friend, Tristan, but, when he called out, a flock of ravens descended pecking and tearing at the boy as he screamed. Adrian fired arrow after arrow, trying to protect his friend, but for every one of the birds he shot down, two more appeared to replace it. Just when he began to feel hopeless, the crimson rays of the afternoon sun pierced the storm, and four figures mantled in black appeared on horseback to disperse the avian assault. Adrian felt a brief moment of respite before the ravenous flock reformed and melded into a monstrous bird-like abomination of ice. The witch hunter watched the pitched battle in awe until he noticed the creature getting the upper hand. It was then he remembered the bow in his hand. He launched a volley of arrows at the frozen terror knocking it off balance. The riders charged in to take advantage of the opening and strike a decisive blow. The creature cried out in agony, its death throes sending chills through Adrian's body. In the morning, the witch hunter awoke with a destination in mind: Irrisen. Making his way west into the Hold of Belkzen and following the Flood Road north through the Realm of the Mammoth Lords to Icestair, Adrian managed to find work escorting a trade caravan bound for Chillblight. Arriving in Irrisen relatively late, they spent an evening in Bosorka. Before heading to bed Adrian was enjoying a glass of wine by the fire, when a minstrel's melody caught his ear. He sang of the centenary when Baba Yaga returns to depose the sitting queen and of the riders who roam Irrisen and herald her coming. The caravan embarked early the next morning leaving Adrian without time for further investigation, but, when they arrived in Isseld, he was informed that they would remain there for a few days due to the growing popularity of a "barbarian chic" fashion trend. Adrian took advantage of the time to ask around about the riders and discovered that each rider can only be found during certain hours: morning light went to the Yellow Rider, afternoon sun to the Red, and the dark of night to the Black Rider. He resolved to seek out the Black Rider after seeing the traders to Chillblight. It began snowing shortly after noon the day they left Isseld but not too heavily so they pressed on. As the sun sank in the sky and they began making plans to camp for the night, Adrian heard the faint sounds of a battle still too far to force their involvement but creeping closer. Signaling to the others to wait, he hurried up a ridge toward the commotion taking to the shadows which seemed to embrace him as family. As he crested the ridge, he saw the Red Rider silhouetted by the setting sun. The rider was injured and fending off a pair of ice trolls. Adrian didn't hesitate. He took sight of the troll on the Rider's near flank and loosed his arrow catching the creature unawares. The Rider seized the opening and finished both creatures with two decisive swings of his flaming scimitar. The Red Rider breathed a sigh of relief and approached Adrian, looking him over. "Thank you, young dhampir. I see you are not of Irrisen, but there burns a fire in your heart that may serve my mistress yet," the Rider began. He told Adrian of Elvanna's attempts to prevent her mother's return and cover all of Golarion in an endless winter over which she would rule. Then, claiming to bestow his mantle, the Red Rider charged Adrian with finding the Queen of Witches to deal with her treacherous daughter and rode off. The rest of Adrian's evening, as well as the rest of the trip to Chillblight, passed uneventfully. Not really knowing where to begin, he spent his days in the city learning about the area and brushing up on his Skald; his nights he spent listening around the local watering holes for rumors. Eventually it got back to him that the Red and Yellow Riders had been caught and killed, and he headed south following whispers about the Black Rider. |
