About Astein LongbladeStatistics:
Astein Longblade Human (Varisian) witch (cartomancer) 4 (Pathfinder Player Companion: The Harrow Handbook, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 65) CG Medium humanoid (human) Init +2; Senses Perception +1 Defense AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex) hp 26 (4d6+8) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +4 Offense Speed 30 ft. Melee dagger +2 (1d4/19-20) or hair +6 (1d3+6) Special Attacks hexes (cackleAPG, flightAPG, misfortuneAPG, prehensile hairUM) Witch Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +8) At will—feather fall (self only) 1/day—levitate (self only) Witch (Cartomancer) Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +8) 2nd—Aboleth's Lung, Flaming Sphere (DC 16)(cast), glitterdust (DC 16) 1st—mage armor(cast), shocking grasp, shocking grasp, shocking grasp 0 (at will)—daze (DC 14), light, mending, message Patron Elements Statistics Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 19, Wis 10, Cha 12 Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 14 Feats Deadly Dealer, Extra HexAPG, Extra HexAPG, Point-Blank Shot Traits besmara's blessing, harrow chosen (varisian) Skills Fly +8, Heal +4, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (nature) +8, Knowledge (planes) +10, Perception +1 (only -1/20' while using a spyglass, instead of -1/10'), Profession (cook) +6, Profession (fisherman) +4, Profession (fortune-teller) +4, Profession (sailor) +8, Spellcraft +11, Swim +4 Languages Auran, Common, Hwan, Polyglot, Skald, Varisian SQ deliver touch spells, witch's familiar Combat Gear potion of cure moderate wounds, alchemist's fire; Other Gear dagger, bracers of armor +1, harrow deck, spyglass, 2,339 gp, 5 sp, 9 cp Special Abilities Cackle (Su) As a move action, extend the duration of other hexes by 1 rd. Deadly Dealer Arcane Strike: throw cards as if they were darts. Card destroyed when thrown. Deliver Touch Spells (Su) Cards thrown w/ Deadly Dealer aren't destroyed, gain returning quality, and deliver touch spells. Misfortune (1 round, DC 16) (Su) Foe in 30 ft must take the lower of 2d20 for rolls (Will neg). Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet. Prehensile Hair (4/day) (Su) The witch can instantly cause her hair (or even her eyebrows) to grow up to 10 feet long or to shrink to its normal length, and can manipulate her hair as if it were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score. Her hair has reach 10 Witch's Familiar (Ex) Gain the services of a special familiar that stores spells. Spell Deck:
1st: Air Bubble Burning Hands Ear Piercing Scream Enlarge Person Frostbite Identify Infernal Healing Mage Armor Reduce Person Remove Sickness Shocking Grasp Sleep Summon Monster I Touch of Combustion Unseen Servant 2nd:
Description:
This young man’s skin is red-bronzed by years in the sun and his longish dark hair is well tangled by the winds and falls to his muscular shoulders. A closely trimmed beard and his well-kept gear show a fastidiousness and carefulness that belie the colorful Vasirian scarves that he wears about his leathers in the fashion of the Sczarni. Dark, intelligent eyes keenly take in his surroundings, as one hand drifts towards a well-worn oiled leather pouch that seems to hold a squarish object about the size of a deck of cards. Astein is rarely seen without his colorful pet parrot on his shoulder or nearby, green with blue yellow and red plumage the beautiful animal seems oddly intelligent and calm for such a bird. Background:
Born near the docks of Magnimar to a long line of Sczarni fortunetellers, Astein grew up in the city dreaming of becoming a great warrior and leading a life of adventure. Though exceptionally intelligent, becoming a warrior and blademaster were his childhood dreams, based in part on the fact that his father – killed as a tuff in a clan turf war – was famous for his skill with the greatsword. Not wanting that for her son, his mother also trained him in the Harrowing and Astein humored her by sitting long hours with his grandmother learning the ways of the fortuneteller. Unfortunately for Astein, however, the old deck attuned to him and, on his sixteenth nameday, told his fate with great alacrity. For a full month every time a Harrowing was performed by or upon Astein the same cards fell in the same way – and no interpretation could be reached that Astein was under a fateful curse. The Harrowing, repeated in such specificity, indicated that whatever city Astein made his home, great misfortune would befall all around him and eventually Astein would die in misery. One week after the Harrowing first showed the curse, Astein’s youngest sister was trampled by a runaway carriage and left crippled. The following week a slate shingle fell and crushed his mother’s shoulder. One week later, his grandmother died of a stroke. The Harrowing still told misfortunes ahead and Astein fled the city on the first boat he could find. For two years Astein wandered, and as long as he did not spend much time in the same place, his own Harrowings bore normal tidings, and he could predict the futures of others. As soon as he grew comfortable, however, the cursed Harrowings would return, and if he stayed to long ill-fortune would follow. To solve the issue, Astein took work as a sailor, learning the craft easily with his keen mind, and learning the ways of the world. Whenever he arrived in a port, Astein sought out hedge wizards and preachers to see if they had heard of a curse such as his, but no luck. Astein would spend several months on a ship sailing and learning, but eventually the ship would return to its home port – and as soon as it did the cursed Harrowing would begin again. Astein would have to find a new ship and a new start, uprooting himself again. These travels continued for two years, until a wandering priest of Besmara observed Astein’s perform the Harrowing when it showed the curse. The priest realized that Astein was unfortunate enough to be a Chosen of Besmara, called to the life of piracy – and no other life could he have. The next Harrowing Astein drew showed him that this was true – he was cursed to have no home but a ship that had no home, called by Besmara to a life of piracy. Knowing at least there was a live he could lead, Astein took crew with a disreputable ship and began to turn his growing sailor skills to the life of piracy. Soon after making his choice and coming to peace with his destiny, an oddly intelligent parrot came to Astein, and he immediately felt a magical bond to the creature. Soon the innate talent that had manifested in his supernaturally accurate Harrowings bloomed, and so his parrot shared the name Harrowing. As his magic blossomed, Astein began to realize that his fate had not been so unkind, though he still missed the idea of a normal life. Besemra's blessing had brought him this life, and with Harrowing and the power the bird brought to him it began to be a good life. With his nascent magic skills, his skills as a cook and sailor, and his general knowledge and smarts Astein has become a boon to any crew that would have him. Since accepting his fate, Astein's Harrowings have been clean and deadly accurate and Astein only knows peace when he is aboard a ship and without a home - as long as Harrowing is with him. As Astein's Harrowmagic has emerged, his ability to read the future and affect the luck of those around him has lead his crewmates to nickname him the "Luckblade," based on his surname. They have quickly realized that having him around brings fortune to their ship and misfortune to those who oppose them. Coupled with his cooking, especially his signature "lucky stew," Astein fills both the role of good luck charm and a decent ship's cook - two things that a crew can really appreciate.
Personality:
Considering himself cursed, there is a dull acceptance and depression that once permeated Astein's existence. Knowing that he can never truly have a home or return to his family and clan used to make Astein a dark, brooding presence with a tendency towards bitter sarcasm and pessimism. This attitude sometimes returns when Astein gets homesick or angry, and his temper is something that many know to avoid. However, with his newfound magical skills and his significant abilities both physically and intellectually, and his attitude has improved though he would never be described as having a sunny dispositoin. He has the makings of a highly capable seaman and if he had the personality to take the lead on a boat, would someday surely make captain. Lacking that spark, he appreciates his role as sailor, cook, and lucky charm for his fellow crewmates. Not able to have a true family or home, Astein feels very possessive and protective of his crewmates and companions. While he is not overly personable he is someone who can be relied upon to do his part and help his substitute family however he can. By promoting the goals of his crew and companions and helping them gain wealth and notoriety, he feels that being the best pirate he can be is the only way to defy what he feels is his cursed fate. When not otherwise occupied, Astein has a habit of constantly shuffling and cutting his Harrow deck, often mindlessly performing tricks. This deck is also often the source of Astein’s rare glimpses of excitement – fortunetelling. As he does this, his parrot, apparently named for the deck, always grows calm and looks closely at its master. When performing a Harrowing and having the cards fall as they are destined to and not showing his curse, Astein feels reconnected to the life he could have had, and he trusts with certainty that his new magical skills and attunement with his Harrow deck give true fortunes.
Random Harrowing:
Tapestry: C1 C4 C7
[dice=Chosen Card]1d9[/dice] [dice=C1 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C2 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C3 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C4 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C5 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C6 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C7 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C8 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
[dice=C9 Suit]1d6[/dice] 1=Hammers, 2=Keys, 3=Shields, 4=Books, 5=Stars, 6=Crowns
http://pathfinder.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_harrow_cards |
