Agak the Visionary's page

A shaman forms a mystical bond with the spirits of the world. She forms a lasting bond with a single spirit (see Spirits on page 37), which grants a number of abilities and defines many of her other class features.

At 1st level, a shaman gains the spirit ability granted by her chosen spirit. She adds the spells granted by that spirit to the list of spells that she can cast using spirit magic. She also adds the hexes possessed by that spirit to the list of hexes that she can use with the hex and wandering hex class features.

At 8th level, the shaman gains the abilities listed in the greater version of her selected spirit. At 16th level, the shaman gains the abilities listed for the true version of her selected spirit.

If the shaman takes levels in another class that grants a mystery (such as the oracle), the spirit and mystery must match, even if that means one of them must change. Subject to GM discretion, the shaman can change her former mystery or spirit to make them conform.

At 1st level, a shaman forms a close bond with a spirit animal tied to her chosen spirit. This animal is her conduit to the spirit world, guiding her along the path to enlightenment. The animal also aids a shaman by granting her a special ability.

A shaman must commune with her spirit animal each day to prepare her spells. While the spirit animal does not store the spells like a witch’s familiar does, the spirit animal serves as her conduit to divine power. If a shaman’s spirit animal is slain, she cannot prepare new spells or use her spirit magic class feature until the spirit animal is replaced.

Statistics:
N Small Magical Beast
Init N/A; Senses: Perception +5; low-light vision, scent
--------------------
DEFENSE
--------------------
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
HP 4 (Effective HD 1)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3
--------------------
OFFENSE
--------------------
Speed 30 ft
Melee Bite +1 (1d4)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.
--------------------
SPECIAL ABILITIES
--------------------
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a spirit animal takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Alertness (Ex): While a spirit animal is within arm's reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.

Share Spells: The shaman may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his spirit animal (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A shaman may cast spells on his spirit animal even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the spirit animal's type (magical beast).

Empathic Link (Su): The master has an empathic link with his spirit animal to a 1 mile distance. The master can communicate empathically with the spirit animal, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link's limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The master has the same connection to an item or place that his spirit animal does.

Spirit Animal (Su): The shaman’s spirit animal has colorations or markings that resemble a totem or important symbol for the shaman’s tribe. When the spirit animal successfully performs the aid another action, the bonus it provides increases by 1.
--------------------
STATISTICS
--------------------
Str 11, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 4
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 10 (14 vs. trip)

Feats:
Great Fortitude

Skills:
Perception +5

Once, the Splintered Bone tribe was powerful and numerous, wandering the River Kingdoms and rampaging along the way. This changed when they attacked a stronger city-state than they could handle seventy years ago and were decimated. Since then, the Splintered Bones have faltered and begun fading.

Two decades ago, the chieftain of the Splintered Bones took in a human witch as his consort - though other orcs muttered about her enchanting him or cursing them, they kept silent for fear of her power and the chieftain’s protection. Soon, the two had a child that would become Agak. Never as strong as his peers but much wittier, he was apprenticed to his mother until she died of illness in Agak’s tenth year, whereupon his father sent him to learn from the now much-embittered shaman.

Naturally, the old orc hated Agak, and put him through hell over and over again, lending him an undying will and a fierce ability to endure anything thrown at him despite her best efforts. As he grew older, Agak began to hear the voices of the spirits more and more often, until he found a wild pig that seemed to him to speak in their tongue.

Now bonded to Bonecruncher, Agak came into his powers for the first time, and just in time for the tribe to arrive in the Stolen Lands. For the next six years, the Splintered Bones lived as little more than bandits, but Agak grew increasingly certain that this was not the way. When his old mentor died (something he may have helped along), Agak took on the role of shaman to the Splintered Bones and began moving them in a new direction - the Splintered Bones needed to adapt to their changing fates - to wander widely and loot wasn’t a demonstration of strength, as they lacked it. Instead, they needed to show the strength of their people by becoming a true nation. How else would they be able to show their might on the stage of the Stolen Lands?

The chieftain - now Agak’s half-brother - was reluctant at first, but gradually came to accept his advice. At least, he was willing to send Agak out to Restov, where he would act as a means of claiming territory for the Splintered Bones.

Agak’s first priority is to seize land in the Stolen Lands to claim for the Splintered Bones, but in a way that does not immediately cause the other human nations around them to come marching to exterminate the clan.

Secondly, he wants to grow his power - both spiritual and physical. He needs it to do what he plans to do in the next step of his goals of reforming the Splintered Bones.

Once he has managed to do both those things, he plans to return to the Splintered Bones (where they lurk in the wilderness of the Stolen Lands or southern Brevoy), and seize control of his tribe from his doubting half-brother, who mostly sent him away to get rid of him. Usurping his brother would allow him to gain the direct influence he needs to ensure his tribe doesn’t cause trouble - the fact that it would also likely earn him access to some of his brother’s mates (one of whom he has been drawn to for years) is also a significant factor.

In the long term, Agak wants to create a kingdom where orcs, half-orcs, and humans (and the rest, he supposes) can live in relative harmony. He is tired of seeing his people - both of his peoples (orcs and half-orcs) hunted down by others and dying in meaningless droves. It is time for a change.

Agak wears heavy hide armor when he’s expecting trouble (which is almost always, especially in “civilized” lands). He is stocky and taller than most human men - around 6’3” - and has fairly broad shoulders even though his strength is nothing special. Yellow eyes gleam with insight beneath a heavy brow ridge, and small tusks gleam in his mouth whenever he smiles (which is rarely). His ears are slightly pointed, though he usually keeps them hidden beneath a hood, worn to enhance his mystique in the eyes of his often-violent kin.

Agak is covered in ritualistic scars and tattoos - most of them crude and pictographic, with a motif of breaking bones and cracked skulls in crimson and black. He is rarely without Bonecruncher, his loyal pig, who is similarly colored and covered in symbols.