About Artorius PavoBackground:
“In your self-righteous ignorance you condemn me, because you fear the truth I represent. I am a child of the legacy you have wrought. All I ever wanted was opportunity, a chance, but I did not fit the glorious mold your dogma and traditions hold up as the standard. I did nothing more than pull at the seams and wedge open the cracks of dissatisfaction. I am illumination in the darkness of your ignorance. It is for this crime you sentence me. You can hide behind your scriptures and prayers, shield yourself with crown and flag, but it will not, cannot change the simple truth – Your faith is flawed and broken, your dynasty is corrupt and decaying and only by embracing the truth and making reform can you be saved.” — Artorius Pavo on his sentencing for crimes of Sedition, treason, and blasphemy.
Artorius Pavo was the first and only son of Grachan Pavo, a simple rancher who traced his lineage back to a proud line of knights who served the Kings of House Barca. The knights of Pavo were brave men and renowed champions of arms. His great-grandfather and twice-great uncle were both members of the elite cavalry slain on the bridge of Tamberlyn. When the usurper seized power house Pavo was not spared retribution. The majority of its lands were taken and its wealth confiscated. The beautiful manors and estates of the house were seized by the crown and its supports. Yet the house of Pavo continued on, bitter and dejected, but nominally loyal. Most stayed in the Cambrian ports in a bid to gain favor with the Usurper, but not Artorius's grandfather Haldicio. He fled to the heartland and found a small place far from the politics of capital. There he raised horses and kept his family out of politics. It is a policy that saved him and his line. Following the brief reign of King Markadian III, his nephew Marcus returned to the capital and was crowned Markadian IV. To most he was known as "the Zealous" but to house Pavo he was simply "The enemy". The purges that began his reign swept the house of Pavo up in its grip. Most of the house was utterly destroyed, with Haldicio's line only barely surviving due to their relative isolation. Artorius was named after one of the great knights of the age when the Barca's still ruled, but the circumstances of his birth conspired to prevent him from living up to the glory of his ancestors. Artorius was born with a disease of the nerves, causing him to suffer from conditions similar to tetanus - with painful spasms and locking of the muscles, as well as inflamation and pain in the joints. Despite his frailty, his parents provided ample love and nurtured him with stories of the Knights of old. Children being cruel, shunned him, so he found himself more often in the presence of books or animals then other children. Though hurt by the words of the local children, Artorius desperately sought their acceptence. He struggled against his ailment, building his muscles as he dreamed of being a Knight and loved by all. When he was thirteen men jealous of the prosperous ranch that Haldicio and Grachan Pavo had quietly built for their family conspired to take the lands for themselves. Rumors began circulating that Grachan practiced forbidden rites and remained loyal to the Barcas. These rumors gained the attention of some within the capital, for Grachan was a Pavo afterall. An inquisiton fell upon the ranch and rather then suffer through it, Artorius's father Grachan took his own life. Artorius was the one who found him. His body just hanging lifeless from the rafters of the stable. His mother kept the ranch for a little while, but money became an issue and she soon found herself in debt to the very men who orchestrated her husbands fall. At this point Artorius was old enough to become a squire. He believed if he could squire for one of the country knights he could help support his mother. He was ridiculed, humiliated and rejected. No man present wished to have a twitching, spastic squire despite his knowledge of grooming and gracious manner. That he was a Pavo only made it worse. His life-long dream crushed, he nearly joined his father in death, but something in him refused to give in. He found himself blacklisted from any work. His mother eventually was forced to sell the ranch and they moved to Ghastenhall. His mother found work as a seamstress for one of the smaller acting troupes and Artorius found work as an actor, playing the villain or buffon in many a play. Many thought his spasms gave the roles greater novelty. Night after night he was booed or laughed at. More than once when he played a villain he was struck by rotten fruit or worse. Years of frustration, resentment, and abuse hardened his heart and gave birth to a creeping misanthropy. He found mankind to be driven solely by egotism and malice. As his hatred grew he began to believe that he was not meant to play men with power like Kings and Archbishops, he was meant to be one. Only then could he change the injustices of the world. Only with power could he bend and shape reality to reflect a just existence. Why with enough power, he could even overturn death and undo the injustice forced on his father. This new truth was confirmed for him when his mother died in the winter months due to an illness that could have been easily cured. He had pleaded day after day with the priesthood of Mitra, but received only excuses and half-promises. One ragtag acolyte arrived almost two weeks after she passed. The church expressed regret and sadness, but they were happy enough to perform the funeral and take what little coin Artorius could provide for the burial. A month later Artorius was visited by a stranger after the last performance of the comedy “The Sins of Orlo of Asmodeus” a particularly droll play in which the villain Orlo Darca makes one nefarious blunder after another, ultimately ending in his death by the hand of his virtuous Paladin sister and the Male protagonist. The visitor was a man who appeared to be almost a century old. He reeked of a combination of the ports and the grave. There was something off about the stranger as well and it wasn’t just the smell of brine which clung to him. He claimed to be Esus Pavo and a distant relation. A skillful reader of lies even at this young age, Artorius sensed no falsehood in the man’s claim. Finding a quiet corner of a tavern, Esus wove a intricate tale of betrayal and loss. He spoke long into the night and for safety they reached to a room. He began with the destruction of the house of Pavo at the hands of the Priesthood of Mitra and the enforcers of the last King’s peace. He spoke of how innocents were put to the sword or burned alive. He wove in the falsehoods of the Mitran faith and the unjust subjugation of divergent faiths. If there were lies in the story, Artorius did not pick them out, for he wanted to believe. He needed to believe. Finally, when Esus realized he had the full sympathy of the man before him he told how Asmodeus had guided Esus to Artorius. That the Prince of Hell saw vast potential in Artorius. Esus needed to say no more. It was at this moment that Asmodeus had captured the heart of Artorius. He was now a servant of the Prince of Darkness. Artorius left the troupe the next day and journeyed with Esus to Matharyn. Artorius spent years learning his new faith under the guidence of Esus and plotting the downfall of Talingarde. He knew that he could not have been the only one dissatisfied with the reign of House Darius. From their small, unassuming house in Matharyn a web of sedition spread across the islands. It touched the Yutak and the barbaric Iraen, sunk its claws into destitute farmers in the heartlands and poor soldiers on the watchwall. Everything seemed to be going so well, Cells were formed, plans were hatched, Artorius even began delving into the forbidden mysteries of the dark arts... when without warning it all came crashing down around him. It was not a slip up he caused. Up until the day they came for him he was sure that no one suspected a thing. Someone else had leaked his identity and true purpose. He never discovered whether it was a traitor in the cell or merely a weak link who broke under questioning. They came for him in the midst of one of his diatribes against the crown, rooting out his sedition by cloaking two of their number in the guise of two recent recruits. It was too late by the time Artorius realized he had imposters in his midst. The knights overpowered him and locked him in chains, beating him severly in the process. The irony did not escape him - He had become the so-called monster knights fought against. A grand trial was held in Matharyn, an attempt to show that the Crown and Church was strong and once more the evil of the Prince of Darkness had risen only to be brought low. In the beginning Artorius lied and professed his innocence, but when he saw the weight of evidence against him his tone changed. Unwilling to beg those he viewed his lessers for mercy, he spoke the truth. They did not like his version of the truth. The court found him guilty of the crimes of sedition, heresy, blasphemy, and treason. The only crime they missed was witchcraft, not that it mattered. Artorius found himself sentenced to death by beheading. Artorius was escorted to Branderscar, but something went wrong. Immediately following his trial he had a visit from a woman named Tiadora who claimed to be his lover, she put on the act of extreme sadness, while slipping Artorious the means of his escape. A heavy rain delayed the heavily barred carriage that carried him to his the infamous prison and lightning startled the horses while they traveled up the Old Moor Road. His carriage left the others and veered off the road into the marshes, overturning eventually. Artorius freed himself and used his power to turn the one of the two remaining guards into the instrument of his fellow soldier's death. He then finished off Wencelas himself, flaying the flesh from his bones with the repeated release of negative energy granted to him due to his devotion to the lords of hell. Personality:
Artorius started out as the sympathetic underdog people root for in stories and plays, but ridicule and avoid in real life. Ever trying to achieve the standard set by society, his desire for acceptence and recognition has since been twisted and perverted into a desire for control and domination. Years of abuse have shaped him into a misythrope who views all the world as his enemy. In Artorius eyes he is the hero, trying to fix a broken reality, made imperfect by the egos and ignorance of everyone else. He is quick to anger, but has learned to hide it well. He is the type of person who lets no slight against him go unavenged. Riddled by the insecurites of his afflictions, both physical and social, he craves power as means to righting all the injustices inflicted upon him. The Questions:
Why are you evil?It is not I who is evil, it is everyone else. If society were not morally sick and fundementally without justice, I would have no reason to fight against the crown and the church. All I ever wished for was acceptence. As a child I dreamed of becoming a noble knight of Talingarde. I did not fall from this path, I was shoved violently away. Everything and everyone I ever loved has been taken from me. But I will fix all that. I will make those responsible pay, I will make the people see the truth and they will love me for it. I will shattered the foundations of the church of Mitra and make even cruel and arbitrary death kneel before me. What was the specific nature of your crime? Is it a crime to expose the darkness beneath the pristine mask society wears? Is it a crime to pull and pry at the cracks of misery crisscrossing Talingarde? Apparently it is and it is called Sedition. All I did was attempt to make those dissatisfied with the crown see that there is always another option. Apparently plotting to overthrow the crown and topple the holy church is a grievous crime. Through careful planning I created a network of rumormongers, slanderers, and other agents who sought to incite the common soldiers and villagers to revolt. Are you the sort of character who can take the chance to join an evil organization and swear allegiance to the master of the organization and its patron - the dark god Asmodeus?The Prince of Hell has my gratitude and if this mysterious patron will give me the chance at revenge then he/she will have my loyalty... for now.
Appearance:
A handsome man with dark, hungry eyes. His features are strong and prominent, like those one would imagine on a senator or a military leader. His dark brown hair is combed and well kept, while his smile speaks of seductions and conspiracy. Goals:
Immediate: Escape Branderscar Prison. Primary: To topple the House of Darius and the Church of Mitra, and from those ruins forge a new dynasty dedicated to the Prince of Darkness and with me at the helm. Only then can I begin the true goal of fixing all that is wrong with the world. Only then can I bring my vision to life. Secondary: Master powers which will allow me to overcome all my mortal frailties and weaknesses. Find a way to break death's hold upon me, be it through dedicated service to the Prince of Darkness or through fiendish pacts with the other denizens of hell. Tertiary: Return my parents from the stillness of the grave to me. They were taken too soon and without just cause. I would have thme at my side once more, proud expressions upon their faces. Then I will usher in an era of glory for the house of Pavo. Statistics:
Male Human Cleric of Asmodeus/Ruzel (Undead Lord) 2 NE Medium Human (Humanoid Human) Init -1; Senses: , Perception +5 -------------------- DEFENSE -------------------- AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (-1 Dex,+4 chain shirt, +2 heavy steel shield) hp: 20 Fort +5, Ref -1, Will +7 -------------------- OFFENSE -------------------- Spd 30 ft. Melee: +4 Longsword (1d8+3 19-20 x2) or +4 Morning Star (1d8+3 x2) Ranged: +0 Sling (1d4+3 x2) range 50' Or +0 Javelin (1d6+3 x2) range 30' --------------------
Feats: *Command Undead, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Extra Channel, *Undead Master Traits: Sedition: You have attempted to covertly stir up rebellion against your rightful sovereign. This differs from high treason in that you attempted to convince others to make war against Talingarde instead of taking direct action yourself. A subtle difference to be sure. But it is the difference between receiving the swift justice of the axe instead of the slow suffering upon the rack. Punishment: Death by beheading Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Bluff checks and Bluff is always a class skill for you. Further if you ever take the Leadership feat, you gain a +1 trait bonus to your Leadership score. Natural Born Leader:You have an innate gift for command and rulership. It is your destiny to lead. Benefit: Your Cohorts, Followers, Minions, and Summoned Creatures received a +1 moral bonus to Will saves. If you take the leadership feat, it counts as +1 trait bonus. Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). Skill Ranks:+2 skills each level as bonus.
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Bonus Feat
Corpse Companion (Su): With a ritual requiring 8 hours, an undead lord can animate a single skeleton or zombie whose Hit Dice do not exceed his cleric level. This corpse companion automatically follows her commands and does not need to be controlled by him. He cannot have more than one corpse companion at a time. It does not count against the number of Hit Dice of undead controlled by other methods. He can use this ability to create a variant skeleton such as a bloody or burning skeleton, but its Hit Dice cannot exceed half her cleric level. He can dismiss her companion as a standard action, which destroys it. Bonus Feats: All undead lords gain Command Undead as a bonus feat. In addition, at 10th level, she may select one of the following as a bonus feat: Channel Smite, Extra Channel, Improved Channel, Quick Channel, Skeleton Summoner, Undead Master. Unlife Healer (Su): At 8th level, the undead lord's spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities used to heal undead heal an extra 50% damage. At 16th level, these effects automatically heal the maximum possible damage for the effect + the extra 50%. Death's Kiss (Su): You can cause a creature to take on some of the traits of the undead with a melee touch attack. Touched creatures are treated as undead for the purposes of effects that heal or cause damage based on positive and negative energy. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1). It does not apply to the Turn Undead or Command Undead feats. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier. Death's Embrace (Ex): At 8th level, you heal damage instead of taking damage from channeled negative energy. If the channeled negative energy targets undead, you heal hit points just like undead in the area. Domain Spells: 1st—cause fear, 2nd—ghoul touch, 3rd—animate dead, 4th—enervation, 5th—slay living, 6th—create undead, 7th—destruction, 8th—create greater undead, 9th—energy drain. Aura (Ex):Radiates potent evil. Channel Negative Energy (Su): The cleric can release a wave of energy by channeling the power of her faith through her unholy symbol. This energy can be used to cause or heal damage, depending on the type of energy channeled and the creatures targeted. An evil cleric (or one who worships an evil deity) channels negative energy and can choose to deal damage to living creatures or to heal undead creatures. This decision also determines whether the cleric casts spontaneous cure or inflict spells (see spontaneous casting). Channeling energy causes a burst that affects all creatures of one type (either undead or living) in a 30-foot radius centered on the cleric. The amount of damage dealt or healed is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every two cleric levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 3rd, 3d6 at 5th, and so on). Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the cleric's level + the cleric's Charisma modifier. Creatures healed by channeled energy cannot exceed their maximum hit point total—all excess healing is lost. A cleric may channel energy a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier. This is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. A cleric can choose whether or not to include herself in this effect. A cleric must be able to present his unholy symbol to use this ability. --------------------
Domain Spells: 1st—cause fear, 2nd—ghoul touch, 3rd—animate dead, 4th—enervation, 5th—slay living, 6th—create undead, 7th—destruction, 8th—create greater undead, 9th—energy drain. Equipment:
Memorized Spells and Channeling:
0th: Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Light, Spark 1st: Cause Fear, Infernal Healing, Murderous Command, Protection from Good Channels: 9/9 DC: 15 Potential Prestige class ideas:
Modified Libris Mortis Master of Shrouds if I decide to take any levels in summoner. (I'd naturally use a Summon Monster modification with undead and/or Skeletal summoner)
Lord of the Damned or Maybe Agent of the Grave if I dedicate completely to Cleric. If I go down anti-paladin/cavalier/or fighter route I might go Bone Rider or Death King Corpse Companion:
Wencelas (Skeleton Corpse Companion) Inititive: +6, Darkvision, Perception +0 Speed: 30' HP: 13 (2 HD) AC: 20 (+6 chainmail, +2 Natural, +2 Dex) Fort: +1, Ref: +3, Will: +4 Str: 16 Dex: 14 Con: - Int: - Wis: 10 Cha: 10 Defenses: DR 5/ Bludgeoning, Immune to cold, Undead traits Feats: Improved Initiative BAB: +1 CMB: +4 CMD: 16 Attacks: Battle-axe +4 (1d8+3 x3), Claw -1 (1d4+1) or 2 Claws +4 (1d4+3) Ranged: Javelin +3 (1d6+3 x2) range 30' Equipment: Chain mail, helmet, battle-axe, weapon loop, belt, Javelins (3), javelin quiver
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