Allich's page

How long have we been a platoon? Well, some of the lads are pretty new, but for as long as I can remember, Orphax, Herac, and I have been together. Oh, for Stone's sake, not like that, you dunce. We've fought together, and bled together, for decades. Ever since we were youngsters, which is its own story. Oh, now you're in a hurry? Well, make the time, recruit, you bloody well asked.
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Somewhere in the vast multitudes of Planes, there is a realm covered in fog and darkness. A realm called the Land of Mists. It is ruled by creatures terrible in their strength and majesty, yet even they are subject to the unfathomable power of the Darkness that truly controls these lands. Rarely, some few have come here, but even rarer are those who leave.

You see, the Mists play their own games, and do not like to let the pieces go.

In the kingdom of Sithicus, where shattered towers and roaming monsters fill the elven wood, human villages are few and far between, surviving only due to the protection of the Lord of the kingdom. But not due to mercy or benevolence, for the death knight Lord Soth has none remaining. Instead, they are permitted to survive as breeding stock for the armies he gathers, for reasons few among these poor souls know. And so, when the cream of the local youth, barely even teenagers, are taken away to serve him, who would speak?

In a way, these few youths were lucky. They were given food and shelter, and taken away from the misery of their village. But Soth's recruiters were harsh taskmasters, and nearly half the dozen or so from the village was left behind to rot before ever reaching the training camps. One boy in particular paid attention to his surroundings as they arrived, having been taught since he was very small that knowledge was its own kind of strength. And so it was he caught sight of another party of ragged boys being dragged in, presumably from some other village. Among them was a youth who seemed too scrawny to possibly have survived the journey, but the first boy saw a fire burning in the small child's eyes, watery though they may have been. This one would not die easily.

The recruits were all gathered into a group, and forced to kneel in the mud while they waited to be organized. The first boy found himself near the smaller, and nudged him surreptitiously, whispering to him, "Hey. Don't let them see you huddling over like that. You'll get yourself hit." Settling down, he nodded to the other. "I'm Allich."

The smaller boy straightened a bit, and Allich nearly flinched away from the anger in those small eyes. "Let 'em hit me," the younger one said defiantly. "My name's Herac, and I can take whatever they can dish out."

From behind them, another voice, more strident than the other two, joined the conversation. "Maybe. But why let 'em?" The two turn to look behind, and find themselves face to face with an older boy, perhaps sixteen or seventeen. "You might be tough enough, sure. But, seems to me, if you can fake it well enough, you don't need to get hit in the first place." He chuckles at his own wit, and adds, "In a place like this, though, I think we could all use a hand. You can call me Orphax. And from here on in, we're taking this place by storm."

Orphax's confidence may have seemed out of place, but something about his words cheered Herac and set Allich at his ease. And to a certain extent, he proved right. The three worked well together, Orphax leading the way and ducking trouble, Allich planning and acting quickly, and Herac putting his all into every task before him with eyes wide open. Over the year they trained together, they all grew substantially, for here they were fed more adequately then ever before in their poverty-stricken lives. Herac in particular began to put on muscle, his frame filling out wider than either of the other two. Allich, in stark contrast, could move like a snake when he needed to, striking with precision and speed. Orphax, not quite as strong or fast as his companions, found himself taking the brunt of the blows in their training - but he adapted, and sooner or later he'd simply take the hit and hit right back, with the other two right behind.

The camp was grueling, but with the three of them working together, covering for each other's weaknesses with their strengths, they proved strong enough for the task. Enough so that they were assigned to the cavalry unit, given special privileges for the added responsibility of taking care of the valuable horses.

Soon enough, though, the time came when there was no more training to be done. Lord Soth was preparing to make war on the vampire Count Strahd von Zarovich, ruler of Barovia, and their human armies were the first spears the two deadly rivals would launch.

Practically without warning, before anyone could have expected, the trio's unit found themselves in a skirmish with Barovian infantry, stumbled on in the mists. It was a bloodbath. The panicked horses threw many of their riders, and in the confusion, nearly all of both units were destroyed. Allich managed to keep a cool head despite the panic around him, and found himself searching for his companions in the eerie silence after the battle. Orphax was still astride his horse, staring down at a Boravian soldier lying dead beneath him. Seeing him seemingly uninjured, Allich cast about for Herac, and found the younger man wandering through the mists, his arms red with blood. At the sight of Allich, Herac's eyes seemed to focus, the battle haze dimming, and they both turned to return to Orphax.

The rest of their unit had either perished or fled, but they found their friend still staring at the Boravian soldier face down on the sodden ground. He had fallen to his knees, and Allich carefully placed a hand on his friend's soldier. "Orphax. Are you alright?"

Orphax did not look up, but gestured out across the battlefield, nearly obscured by mists, but dotted here and there with bodies. "What choice did they have, Allich?"

Allich frowned. "Not much, I would think. Neither did we, though, if you get down to it."

Orphax nodded. "No. No, of course not." He raised his head, and his eyes were filled with sorrow and determination. "But now we do." He stood, and carefully retrieved his spear. "I won't be fighting Soth's battles for him." Almost frighteningly calmly, he went to his horse and mounted. "There has to be somewhere we can go to get out of Soth's grip." And he flashed a grin, the same winning smile that would bring the other two along on mad schemes hundreds of times. "Coming?"

Allich and Herac exchanged a glance. Herac threw his gaze across the death-strewn field and his eyes seemed to harden a bit. Looking back at Allich, he seemed to be questioning, waiting for his calculating friend's thoughts.

Allich ran his tongue along his teeth, thinking for a long moment. Lord Soth was not known to be merciful to deserters. Finally, he looked up at Orphax with a wry smile turning up the corner of his lip. "Alright, then, fearless leader. Where to?"

For almost a month, they rode across Sithicus, trying to evade Soth's armies and scouts while alleviating what pressure they could on the villages they ran across. Eventually, though, they had nowhere left to turn. Their actions driving monsters away from Sitihican villages drew attention to them, and they were driven into a abandoned keep, where they settled in to make their last stand. Just as the battered gates threatened to splinter under axe blows from outside, though, a green light shone through the windows, and the assault stopped. A confused moment passed for the trio, where they heard the sounds of battle and saw flashes of flame, the crackling scent of ozone filling the air. By the time they unblocked the door, it was quiet outside, but the bodies of their pursuers littered the area.

"More of th' bastards!" yelled a voice, and a dwarf carrying a set of bagpipes came charging into view, then came to an abrupt halt. "Here now, what's this then? Ye wouldn't be what yon Sothies were after, would ya?"

From up in the sky, another, more cultured voice replied. "Of course they are, Trillan. Did you expect that they would be attacking a heap such as this one for the stone?" And to the trio's unbelieving eyes, an elf clad in shimmering colors descended from above on a disk of pure force.

The dwarf rolled his eyes. "There be no need tae be talkin' down to me, Spectrum. Ye know as well as I do tha-" the dwarf was cut off, though, by a chiming noise. He pulled from his pocket a round stone, flashing with a bright green light. "Och, I cannae believe it, they got through! Gotta get movin' now, though, they're not gonna have much time. We've got tae open the portal now."

He jabbed at the strange talisman, and between the two, a slash of bright white light appeared in the air and hung there a moment, wavering. The dwarf and elf both watched it intently, matched worried expressions on their faces, but suddenly, the light flashed into a disc almost too bright to look on. The company of three averted their eyes, but then there was a noise like lute strings snapping, and when the flash resolved, there hung a hole in the air. Without hesitation, the dwarf charged through, and the elf stepped stately afterwards, with the trio staring in wonder.

The elf turned back to stare curiously at them for just a moment, silencing excited jabbering from an individual on the other side with a dismissive wave of his hand. His gaze washed over them as if considering something, and then he smirked and asked, "Care to come along?"

The three turned to one another, exchanged the briefest of nods, and then as one, marched through. And not a moment too soon, for as soon as their mounts had cleared the rift in the world, it snapped shut, severing a hair or two from the horse's tail.

The dwarf grinned a welcoming grin, as if about to share a wonderful punchline with the rest of the bar. He clapped Orphax on the thigh and gestured around them at the wondrous sight that met their eyes, unique in all the planes. "Well, lads. I dinnae know what trouble brought ye here tha' quick, but ye're in for a ride."

The elf gestured grandly, gave the companions a bow fit for kings, and spoke three words that, for better or worse, always change a life forever.

"Welcome to Arch."

HP: 84/84
Fort: 12 = 2(Con) + 7(Class) + 3(Cloak)
Ref: 14 = 4(Dex) + 7(Class) + 3(Cloak)
Will: 11 = 1(Wis) + 7(Class) + 3(Cloak)
Initiative: +4
BAB: +7
CMB: 9 = 7(BAB) +2(Str)
Full Attack: 8/3 = 7(Bab) + 2(Str) + 1(Magic) -2(Tower Shield)

AC: 27 (7 armor, +6 tower shield, +4 dex)
~+2 when next to someone with Shield Wall (can stack to +4)
~+2 vs. ranged attacks when next to someone with Duck and Cover (can stack to +4)
~+2 when getting Aid Another against a particular attack. (can stack to +4)
~+1 when using swift action for Dodge
~Automatically block one arrow a round with shield
~Gain total cover benefits from ally's tower shield if they are using it for total cover, for attacks that pass through the tower's effect.

CMD: 23 = 10 + 7(BAB) + 4(Dex) + 2(Str)
~Special: Phalanx Soldier Bonuses
~Special: Teamwork benefits

Human: Combat Reflexes
Cavalier 1:Shield Wall
Fighter 1: Duck and Cover
Level 1:Endurance
Fighter 2:Shield Focus
Level 3:Dodge
Fighter 4:Missile Shield
Level 5:Bodyguard
Fighter 6:Lunge
Level 7:In Harm's Way

• Child of the North Wind
You gain a +4 bonus on all saves against cold effects. You treat heavy snow as normal terrain rather than difficult terrain. You gain a +2 bonus on Survival checks and can use that skill trained, even if you lack ranks in it, while traveling through snowy areas. Also:
Ice Water Veins: You remain stoic even in the face of danger. After surviving howling blizzards and spending months at a time inside your clan home, you have developed mental toughness. You enjoy a +2 bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects.

• Stubborn: +1 to Will saves

Handy Haversack
-Campfire Bead
-Everburning Torch
Ring of Sustenance
Cloak of Resistance +3
+1 Glassteel Tower Shield
+1 Icy Silversheen Longspear
Ring of Evasion
+1 Agile Glassteel Spiked Breast Plate (5,400 gp) (15lbs)
Tail Ring of Sustenance for Blizzard

Fighter

Stand Firm +1
At 2nd level, a phalanx soldier gains a +1 bonus to CMD against bull rush, overrun, pull, push, and trip attempts. This bonus also applies on saves against trample attacks. The bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.

Phalanx Fighting
At 3rd level, when a phalanx soldier wields a shield, he can use any polearm or spear of his size as a one-handed weapon.

Fighter 5

Cavalier

Challenge
Once per day, a cavalier can challenge a foe to combat. As a swift action, the cavalier chooses one target within sight to challenge. The cavalier’s melee attacks deal extra damage whenever the attacks are made against the target of his challenge. This extra damage is equal to the cavalier’s level. The cavalier can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels beyond 1st, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Challenging a foe requires much of the cavalier’s concentration. The cavalier takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of his challenge.

The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious or until the combat ends. Each cavalier’s challenge also includes another effect which is listed in the section describing the cavalier’s order.

Mount
A cavalier gains the service of a loyal and trusty steed to carry him into battle. This mount functions as a druid’s animal companion, using the cavalier’s level as his effective druid level. The creature must be one that he is capable of riding and is suitable as a mount. A Medium cavalier can select a camel or a horse. A Small cavalier can select a pony or wolf, but can also select a boar or a dog if he is at least 4th level. The GM might approve other animals as suitable mounts.

A cavalier does not take an armor check penalty on Ride checks while riding his mount. The mount is always considered combat trained and begins play with Light Armor Proficiency as a bonus feat. A cavalier’s mount does not gain the share spells special ability.

A cavalier’s bond with his mount is strong, with the pair learning to anticipate each other’s moods and moves. Should a cavalier’s mount die, the cavalier may find another mount to serve him after 1 week of mourning. This new mount does not gain the link, evasion, devotion, or improved evasion special abilities until the next time the cavalier gains a level.

Order of the Dragon
At 1st level, a cavalier must pledge himself to a specific order. The order grants the cavalier a number of bonuses, class skills, and special abilities. In addition, each order includes a number of edicts that the cavalier must follow. If he violates any of these edicts, he loses the benefits from his order’s challenge ability for 24 hours. The violation of an edict is subject to GM interpretation. A cavalier cannot change his order without undertaking a lengthy process to dedicate himself to a new cause. When this choice is made, he immediately loses all of the benef its from his old order. He must then follow the edicts of his new order for one entire level without gaining any benef its from that order. Once accomplished, he gains all of the bonuses from his new order. Note that the names of these orders might vary depending upon the campaign setting or GM’s preference.

Tactician: Duck and Cover
At 1st level, a cavalier receives a teamwork feat as a bonus feat. He must meet the prerequisites for this feat. As a standard action, the cavalier can grant this feat to all allies within 30 feet who can see and hear him. Allies retain the use of this bonus feat for 3 rounds plus 1 round for every two levels the cavalier possesses. Allies do not need to meet the prerequisites of these bonus feats. The cavalier can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day at 5th level and for every 5 levels thereafter.

37 total (12(Fighter) +14(Int) +4(cavalier) +7(human))
7 Acrobatics
7 Perception
7 Knowledge (Tactics)
7 Ride
2 Knowledge (the planes)
2 Swim
3 Profession (Soldier)
2 Climb