| Active conditions: heightened awareness (90 min), tears to wine (60 min).
Gender
Male N half-elf (shoanti) occultist 9
About Aru Wandering-Hand
Background:
Aru's earliest memories are all about fear and suffering as he was once a slave to half-mad orc smiths in The Foundry, a lost dwarven forge in the west of the Hold of Belzen. He wasn't one of the "good ones" though. Stubborn, willful, and with an endless well of bad ideas, he was beaten regularly, to the point that his masters ended up giving up on him, beating him to an inch of life and throwing him into the river. Apparently he was too skinny to being eaten.
Covered in mud and bruises, Aru was found by Eshra Dessari, a Pathfinder from Cheliax. With an incredible heart, she took pity of him and nursed him back to health. As it happens, Eshra took a liking for him, as after weeks trying to find someone to taking care of him, in the end she could not let him behind in an orphanage.
Aru traveled with Eshra for a couple years, learning all sort of things. His happiest memories come from this period. Visiting foreign cities and countries, camping and eating her spicy food, hearing stories about ancient places...
One day, while traveling through the Storval Plateau, they came across a patrol of the Spire Clan. They were brought to the clan and Aru was told he one of them, pointing to his necklace, his oldest possession. He was told that his father fled the clan with him when he was two summers old. At that time, he was the grandson of the chief. Despite is protests, the clan and Eshra insisted for him to stay with them.
Aru's mother was long dead, having killed herself after his father fled. Of him, he never learned much aside from the fact he was deeply despised by everyone. An outsider, with equal chances of being an elf, a fey or even a demon. They never even told him his name as to ward off evil. He learned about the Shoanti's ways and culture, always eager to learn more, yet deep in his heart he never felt he belonged, always dreaming with the paths not taken.
Aru fled when he was fifteen, before earning his name. He traveled alone, he joined Varisian travelers, he even was part of some adventures before he reached Magnimar in hopes of joining the Pathfinders. As he sailed to Absalon, he thought his dreams were all coming true... and they did, for a while.
Aru graduated and became a Pathfinder. He met Eshra again, even if she was already too old for the adventures herself. For years he joined expeditions to foreign lands, uncovering mysteries, making enemies and friends along the way. His best friend was his companion Doro Eckrans, wiry half-orc sorcerer with an endless sense of humor... a mostly dark sense of humor, but the funniest bastard he had ever met.
Aru and Doro were like brothers, inseparable, and thus it was to no one's surprise that when Doro died in a dangerous dungeon, Aru was completely crushed. They had many plans and hopes together and as Aru was holding Doro's broken corpse and lying to him that everything was going to be alright, Doro was secretly working on a desperate ritual in order for him to stay a little longer. He tried to trap his own soul in a gem, in order for Aru to use it later to bring him back from the dead... but he was already half-mad from the pain and instead of inhabiting the gem, his soul ended up in Aru's very own right hand! Aru stare at his hand, moving on his own... and laughed his ass off as it slapped him and poked his ribs and eyes.
Knowing he needed a break, the Society put him on a leave and so Aru returned to the Shoanti, now much wiser than before. Aru of the Wandering-Hand he was called, to Doro's uttermost pleasure about the double meaning. Now, after a year of forced vacations, Aru travels the Storval Plateau towards Korvosa intending to take a boat to Magnimar...
Appearance and Personality:
Aru is a tall shoanti with friendly eyes and an easy smile. His eyes are light brown, his head is shaved, and his face is covered with a black stubble beard. Half his skull is covered in red and blue runes, marking him as a member of the Shundar-Quah (The Spire Clan). His ears are clearly pointed.
His clothes are not those of a shoanti, however. He wears fine, even if old, traveler's clothes, along with colorful fabrics. Beneath it he hides an ancient breastplate. His left arm is covered in metal armor, ending in a polished gauntlet with gems of different colors on each knuckle. His right arm is uncovered, tanned, and possess many armrings and rings of a multitude of different styles.
Aru Wandering-Hand
Male half-elf (shoanti) occultist 9
N Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Initiative +4; Senses darkvision, low-light vision, see invisibility; Perception +20
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DEFENSE
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AC 26, touch 15, flat-footed 22 (+8 armor, +1 deflection, +4 Dex, +1 natural, +2 shield)
hp 66 (9d8+18)
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +8; +2 vs. enchantment
Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune sleep
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee mw gauntlet +11/+6 (1d3) or
Melee dagger +10/+5 (1d4/19-20)
Ranged dagger +10 (1d4/19-20, 10 ft) or
Implements
>Brooch of the Fox and the Owl - Abjuration [Focus 2]
>>Resonant Power: warding talisman
>>Focus Powers: mind barrier
>Book of Useless Knowledge - Divination [Focus 9/10]
>>Resonant Power: third eye
>>Focus Powers: danger sight, mind eye, sudden insight
>Ring of Fiery Letters - Illusion [Focus 4]
>>Resonant Power: distortion
>>Focus Powers: cloak image, minor figment, shadow beast
>Bejeweled Gauntlet - Transmutation [Focus 4/6]
>>Resonant Power: physical enhancement
>>Focus Powers: legacy weapon, mind over gravity
Occultist Spells Known (CL 9th; concentration +14)
3rd (5/day) - akashic communion, dispel magic, displacement, haste
2nd (6/day) - invisibility, locate object, resist energy, weapon of awe
1st (7/day) - fastidiousness, heightened awareness, tears to wine, vanish
Knacks (at will) - detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, resistance
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Aura Sight (Su) Aru can read the auras of creatures around him as a standard action. This functions as the aura sight spell with a duration of 1 round.
Hand's Autonomy (Feat) Aru reduces the penalties for fighting with two weapons by 2, to a minimum penalty of –1. When Aru is unconscious, paralyzed, asleep, or stunned, his possessed hand can still act on his behalf in a limited fashion. The hand uses his statistics when performing any action in this manner. The hand can’t take attacks of opportunity, but can draw attacks of opportunity from actions it takes. The hand can perform the following actions each turn on Aru's initiative count.
<> The hand can retrieve or pick up an item or weapon as a standard action.
<> The hand can attempt any of the following skill checks at a –4 penalty: Disable Device, Escape Artist, Heal, Sleight of Hand, or Use Magic Device.
<> The hand can knock him prone as a free action, and drag him while he's prone at a speed of 5 feet as a full-round action.
<> The hand can perform any other action appropriate for a hand and an arm, such as pouring a held potion into his mouth or awakening him from a sleep spell.
<> The hand can make a single melee or ranged attack with a light or one-handed weapon as a full-round action.
Hand's Knowledge (Feat) Escape Artist and Knowledge (Nature) becomes a class skill for Aru. Once per day as a swift action, Aru can gain a bonus to any of the following skill checks equal to 1/2 his character level: Disable Device, Escape Artist, Heal, Sleight of Hand, or Use Magic Device.
Magic Circles (Su) Aru can draw magic circles. To draw a circle, he must have chalk, salt, blood, powdered silver, or some other appropriate substance at hand. This takes 1 minute and costs 1 point of mental focus. Once completed, this circle functions as a magic circle against any alignment of his choosing. The circle remains active until its form is physically broken by a living creature or until he creates a second circle. This type of magic circle can’t normally be focused inward to bind an outsider.
Magic Item Skill (Ex) Aru’s knowledge of magic items grants him a bonus when attempting to use them. He gains a bonus on all Use Magic Device checks equal to 1/2 his occultist level.
Magic Trick (Mage Hand) (Feat) Aru can increase the weight of objects he can move with mage hand by 5 pounds for every 3 ranks he has in Spellcraft. Aru also learned to use his mage hand to tug at an opponent’s hair, clothing, and equipment. He can use the aid another action at range, attempting a ranged touch attack instead of a melee attack.
Object Reading (Su) Aru learned how to read information from items he examines. Examining an item in this way requires him to spend 1 minute handling the item. If the item is a magic item, he learns its properties and command word. This ability does not reveal whether the item is cursed unless Aru’s occultist level is equal to or greater than the caster level of the item. If the item has any historical significance, he learns one piece of information about its past. Finally, if the item was last used no longer than 1 day ago per Aru’s occultist level, he learns one piece of information about the last creature to use the item.
Outside Contact (Su) Aru knows the true name of one particular outsider. This outsider can have no more than 3 Hit Dice. Whenever Aru creates a magic circle, he can expend 1 additional point of mental focus to focus the circle inward and lure that outsider to the circle. The outsider is bound for up to 10 minutes. During this time, Aru can bargain with the outsider for one piece of information. This requires a payment of at least 20 gp (or items of at least that value that are of interest to the outsider). The bargaining requires him to attempt a Diplomacy or Intimidate check opposed by the outsider’s Sense Motive check. Succeeding at the check by 5 or more reduces this cost to 10 gp. Failure increases the price to 30 gp, whereas failure by 5 or more allows the outsider to escape without giving any information (or receiving payment). The information gained can be anything that might be learned through a divination spell. The information is always correct but is frequently cryptic. It typically takes the outsider 1d3 hours to gather the information, at which point it returns of its own accord to deliver the information as promised. The outsider always resents being used in this way, even if the occultist and the outsider share an alignment component. After Aru bargains with the outsider, the magic circle loses all power and the outsider is sent back to its home plane.
Possessed Hand (Feat) Aru's possessed hand helps him in numerous ways, but its periodic, uncontrolled antics are distracting; he takes a permanent –2 penalty on concentration checks. Any attack Aru makes with a one-handed weapon, light weapon, unarmed strike, or natural attack with his possessed hand gains a +1 insight bonus on the attack roll and damage roll. He also gains a +1 insight bonus on Disable Device and Sleight of Hand checks. Once per day as a swift action, he can retrieve any stowed object he carries on his person, provided the object weighs no more than 5 pounds.
Psychic Sensitivity (Feat) Aru gains access to occult skill unlocks for any skills in which he has ranks:
<> Automatic Writing (Linguistics): Once per week, Aru can spend 1 hour posing questions while Goro unconsciously scribbles messages of varying legibility and accuracy. At the end of this hour, he attempts a Linguistics check to decipher the meanings of these messages. If successful, he gains information as though he had used augury. If he has 10 or more ranks in Linguistics, he can attempt a higher DC check to instead gain information as though he had used divination. The chance of successfully producing coherent or meaningful writing from any of these effects equals 60% plus 5% for every 1 by which his check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%).
<> Dowsing (Survival): Once per day, Aru can follow a dowsing rod’s movements to locate water, graves or metal and gems. Each attempt requires 10 minutes of intense concentration, after which he attempts a Survival check. The maximum range at which he can detect anything using dowsing is 400 feet + 40 feet per rank in Survival he possesses. The rod’s directions persist for up to 10 minutes.
<> Hypnotism (Diplomacy): Once per day, Aru can use hypnotism to implant a suggestion or recall a memory. The DC of a Diplomacy check to hypnotize is 20 + the subject’s Will save modifier against mind-affecting enchantment (compulsion) effects.
<> Read Aura (Perception): Once per day, Aru can examine the natural aura of a creature or object to discern its alignment, emotions, health, or magic. This requires 10 minutes of concentration and a Perception check. Each time, he must pick one of four auras to read and he must be within 30 feet of the target at all times during the reading.
<> Phrenology (K. Arcana): Once per day, Aru can use his fingertips to examine the shape of a creature’s skull. This requires 1 minute of concentration and scrutiny while he physically manipulates the skull. This technique can be used on a willing, helpless, or paralyzed creature, or on decomposed remains. The GM attempts a secret Knowledge (arcana) check. With a single check, Aru determines all the information whose DC he meets.
<> Prognostication (Sense Motive): Once per day, Aru can predict a creature’s fortune for the near future. He spends 10 minutes interpreting the divination means at his disposal. The GM then attempts a secret Sense Motive check with a DC modified by the subject’s Hit Dice. The result of the check can give him basic insight into the subject’s nature and might reveal clues to the creature’s immediate future. Determining the immediate future as an augury spell has a chance of successfully interpreting meaningful readings equal to 60% plus 5% for every point by which the check result exceeds the DC (to a maximum of 90%). With a single check, Aru determines all the information whose DC he meets.
Shift Focus (Su) Aru can shift his mental focus from one implement to another, though some of the focus is lost along the way. Shifting mental focus removes a number of points of mental focus from one implement and adds the same number – 1 to another implement; this takes 1 minute of quiet contemplation while touching both implements. Aru can shift his mental focus only from one implement to another implement; he can’t shift generic focus into an implement. Unlike expending focus normally, this shift can reduce the effect of a resonant power in the implement from which the mental focus was taken. It does not, however, add to the resonant power of the implement to which the focus is added.
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IMPLEMENTS
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Cloak Image (Sp) As a standard action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to hide his appearance behind an illusion, as disguise self. The effect lasts for 1 minute per occultist level he possess. Aru can expend 1 additional point to appear as a creature of a different type, and/or 1 additional point to target a willing creature other than himself with this ability.
Danger Sight (Sp) As an immediate action, Aru can protect himself from harm by expending 1 point of mental focus. he can use this ability whenever he is the target of an attack or is required to attempt a saving throw against a special ability, spell, or trap. Doing so grants him an insight bonus to his AC or on his saving throw equal to 1/2 Aru's occultist level. This bonus applies only to the next attack against him or saving throw him attempts, and if not applied by the end of the round, the protection fades and he gains no benefit.
Distortion (Sp) The Ring of Fiery Letters allows its bearer to distort his form and location, protecting him from harm. As a standard action, the bearer can gain a concealment miss chance equal to 5% for every point of mental focus invested in it, to a maximum of 5% + 5% for every 2 occultist levels Aru possesses, until the next time the bearer makes an attack. If this miss chance reaches 50%, it doesn’t increase further, but the bearer gains all the benefits of invisibility. Creatures with see invisibility, true seeing, or similar abilities ignore the miss chance from this ability.
Legacy Weapon (Su) As a standard action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus and touch a weapon to grant it an enhancement bonus equal to 1 + 1 for every 6 occultist levels Aru possesses, which stack with those of the weapon, to a maximum of +5. Aru can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability with an equivalent enhancement bonus less than or equal to his maximum bonus by reducing the granted enhancement bonus by the appropriate amount. The item must have an enhancement bonus of at least +1 to gain a weapon special ability. In either case, these bonuses last for 1 minute.
Mind Barrier (Sp) As a swift action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a shield of mental energy that protects him from harm. It prevents a total of 2 points of damage per occultist level he possesses and lasts until the start of his next turn or until exhausted. Aru can activate this ability as an immediate action, but doing so costs 1 extra point.
Mind Eye (Sp) As a standard action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a mind eye, a magical sensor through which he can see and hear. It is invisible and Fine, with an AC of 18. Any amount of damage to the eye destroys it, but it can be harmed by only spells or magic weapons. The eye has a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability and can travel up to 1 mile away from Aru. He must concentrate as a standard action to direct the eye and receive sensory images through it. The mind eye sees as Aru's eyes see, including any additional senses he possesses. The mind eye lasts for 1 minute per occultist level Aru possesses.
Mind Over Gravity (Sp) As a standard action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to give himself a fly speed of 60 feet with perfect maneuverability that lasts for 1 minute per occultist level he possesses.
Minor Figment (Sp) As a standard action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to create a minor figment. This can function as either ghost sound or minor image. In either case, the effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to his occultist level and he can cause the figment to change once during its duration when a specified condition occurs.
Physical Enhancement (Su) The Bejeweled Gauntlet enhances its bearer’s body. When Aru invests mental focus in the implement, he selects a physical ability score. The implement grants a +2 temporary enhancement bonus to that physical ability score for every 3 points invested in it (to a maximum of +2, plus an additional 2 for every 6 occultist levels Aru possesses).
Shadow Beast (Sp) As a standard action, Aru can call forth one or more beasts made of shadow by expending 1 point of mental focus. This functions as shadow conjuration, but it can be used to duplicate only the effects of summon monster spells. Creatures created with this spell deal 50% of the normal damage to those that disbelieve the illusion, and their nondamaging effects have only a 50% chance of affecting disbelieving targets. This can be used to duplicate any summon monster spell up to summon monster V. For every 2 additional occultist levels Aru possess beyond 9th, the maximum spell level he can duplicate increases by 1. The creatures remain for 1 round per occultist level Aru possesses.
Sudden Insight (Sp) As a swift action, Aru can expend 1 point of mental focus to gain an insight into his immediate future, which he can use as a free action before he rolls any one ability check, attack roll, or skill check to gain an insight bonus on that roll equal to 1/2 Aru's occultist level. If it’s not used by the end of his turn, the insight fades and he gains no benefit.
Third Eye (Su) The Book of Useless Knowledge allows its bearer to notice that which can’t easily be seen. It grants a +1 insight bonus on Perception checks per 2 points of mental focus stored in it, to a maximum bonus equal to Aru’s occultist level. It also grants lowlight vision if he stores at least 3 points of mental focus in it, darkvision if he stores at least 6 points, and see invisibility if he stores at least 9 points.
Warding Talisman (Su) The Brooch of the Fox and the Owl wards against adverse effects. Whoever wears it gains a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws for every 2 points of mental focus invested in the implement, to a maximum bonus of 1 + 1 for every 4 occultist levels Aru possesses.
