Bartholomew Grayson's page

Heart of the Slums: Humans who eke out a life in a city's teeming slums must be quick and clever. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sleight of Hand and Stealth checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks in urban and underground settings. In addition, they may roll twice when saving against disease, taking the better roll. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Focused Study: All humans are skillful, but some, rather than being generalists, tend to specialize in a handful of skills. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, such humans gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait.

Eidolon Alar

Life Link (Su) Whenever the eidolon takes enough damage to send it back to its home plane, the summoner can sacrifice any number of hit points. Each hit point sacrificed in this way prevents 1 point of damage done to the eidolon. This can prevent the eidolon from being sent back to its home plane. Whenever the eidolon takes enough damage to send it back to its home plane, the summoner can sacrifice any number of hit points. Each hit point sacrificed in this way prevents 1 point of damage done to the eidolon. This can prevent the eidolon from being sent back to its home plane.

Bond Senses (Su) 5 rnds/day Starting at 2nd level, a summoner can, as a standard action, share the senses of his eidolon, hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching everything the eidolon does. He can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to his summoner level. There is no range to this effect, but the eidolon and the summoner must be on the same plane. The summoner can end this effect as a free action.

Shield Ally (Ex) At 4th level, whenever a summoner is within his eidolon’s reach, the summoner receives a +2 shield bonus to his Armor Class and a +2 circumstance bonus on his saving throws. This bonus does not apply if the eidolon is grappled, helpless, paralyzed, stunned, or unconscious.

Maker’s Call (Su) At 6th level, as a standard action, a summoner can call his eidolon to his side. This functions as dimension door, using the summoner’s caster level. When used, the eidolon appears adjacent to the summoner (or as close as possible if all adjacent spaces are occupied). If the eidolon is out of range, the ability is wasted. The summoner can use this ability once per day at 6th level, plus one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 6th.

Amulet 6/day (Replaces Summon Monster SP)

Shooting Stars Shoots two 1d4+1 shooting stars per shot dealing fire damage. Range is 100ft. These otherwise act like magic missile. Using this while cloaked in the Shadows of the In-between dissipates and burns away the shadows.

Shadows of the In-between Gains a +2 to stealth and concealment in all but bright light for one minute. Begins to feel unnaturally cold after one minute and thus Bart instinctively turns off the power at this point.

Before leaving the city to set out on his own (away from possible experimentation on Alar) Bart passed through that same alley where the shadowy figure had attacked, and fortunately forced off by the Hellknight, Veren. Something caught his eye. Upon a bit of searching, he found an amulet with a deep black stone, that under the right light sparkled as if there were minute stars within. It was identical to the one his mother had worn, but could it be the same one? And if so, how did the shadowy creature come to posses it? Those thoughts went through the young man's mind as he fled. Better to think on it away from trouble.

The Black Stone Amulet - – Unknown Origins (but similar to the one Bart’s mother once wore) -- Found in alleyway – The stone itself: Solid black occasionally filled with tiny specks which appear to be moving/falling stars. (Could have come from Veren/Hellknight or the Shadowy figure or even Bart’s mysterious father ….)

Bart did not wear the amulet around his neck immediately. He could intuitively sense the amulet’s power and feel the danger of possessing/wielding such power. At first Bart was curious as to the extent of the power and how far he could push the amulet to unlock all of its secrets. However, Alar warned against it – counselling Bart to slowly unlock the power/s within the Black Stone Amulet in case of magical reprisal.

When Bart did put the amulet around his neck, as soon as the black stone lay against his young chest, Bart could feel a strong, ever-present pressure much like gravity, pressing down on him, and it caused him to catch his breath and he constantly feel its presence.

Initial power of amulet:

-As a standard action, Bart can activate the amulet to shoot a missile of magical black energy (flecked with minute stars) directly from his amulet (the amulet would shine with bright, tiny stars at this point or whatever flavour you’d like to give it) and strike at a target 100ft away, dealing 1d4+1 fire damage, 6/day. (As you level up, you can do more magic strikes.) (It is similar to ordinary magic missile, the only differences’ being it’s a flat 100ft range and deals fire damage like a star, instead of the normal force damage.) This ability works of Bart's caster level -2, so that he is one step behind another caster of his level with magic missile.

-As a swift action (and part of the 6/day ability), Bart can alter the function/power of the amulet to provide a mode of concealment and give himself a stealthy advantage (+2 bonus to Stealth in dim light or darkness). This concealment can be similar to Alar’s Shadowblend (in any condition of illumination other than bright light, Bart disappears into the shadows, giving him concealment (20% miss chance).) Bart has gone as long as one minute in this shadow form, but after that he begins to feel an uncomfortable and frightening chill.

The amulet’s power replaces Summon Monster 6/day.

New powers in the amulet will unlock as Bart levels up (growing in experience and maturity).

Bart is a short lad, standing at only 4'7. Time seems to suggest he will grow taller, but the youth is impatient for that time to come now. Being of the age of 13, or perhaps 14 as he can't seem to recall what is birthday is despite his brilliant memory, Bart seems less then typical for someone his age.

The first noticeable thing about him is his garb. Worn leather and cloth clothing, well traveled in despite the clear indication that they were all custom made for the lad. His boots in particular show signs of being traveled in a great deal. Months on the road will do that to clothes. He wears a jacket of fine cloth mixed with leather covering a much simpler and very comfortable shirt. Beneath that, he wears, hidden from others eyes, a very expensive piece of Mithral Chain armor, specifically a shirt made from the rare and valuable metal.

It was Alar that insisted the lad purchase it, spending nearly all the coin they had earned delivering important messages. It took a great deal of convincing* on the Lions part, but Bart was eventually swayed too spending what is in truth a vast fortune for someone like him on the excellent protection. Now a day's, he actually seems proud of the armor, though he hides it from sight, just in case.

Along with all of that, Bart has a few oddities to his traveling outfit. A backpack is not odd, but the messenger bag that he has along with it might be. Its usually full of letters or valuable's he's been tasked to deliver. Surprisingly, the courier business is quite lucrative when you don't need to worry about dangers in the wild. As well, he has a pair of fingerless gloves that seemed strangely burnt on the hands and a pair of red-lenses goggles he wears, claiming they let him see the stars better at night. Almost always, Bart has a piece of straw between his teeth. It is a habit he had picked up watching a mercenary he thought looked cool, and emulated to try and gain that same sort of intangible 'cool' factor.

The hat he wears is constantly on his head, and along with his long hair, the mark that tells all that he is not entirely normal remains hidden by entirely mundane means. It is a mark, several stars within a circle, that Alar also bares on his forehead. It is a mark that says they are connected and that Alar is on the same plane. It is a mark that is always there and always hidden because Bart fears to dismiss his friend to whence he came, lest he one day lose the ability to call Alar back. Irrational fears, perhaps, given there is no evidence to suggest it will happen. But a fear that is so pervasive, Bart has gone to great lengths to never make it necessary. The goggles similarly work to hide something, though its a much less common occurrence. When Bart casts spells, his eyes seem to change a little, taking on the appearance of a starry night. The stronger the spell the more acute the change is.

There are times, typically when Bart thinks he is alone, that the young lad pulls an amulet out from beneath his shirt and vest. The item is a simple thing, with a single metal chain and even a simple clasp to hold the jewel. The gem or stone or whatever it is has a difficult nature to discern. Bart has never tried to sell it, but he has asked and the best answer he has gotten is that 'maybe' its a magicked river stone or something. The jewel in question is as empty as the night sky without stars, black like the void.

(*- Alar's method of convincing Bart to find better protection for himself involved sitting on the young lad when Bartholomew refused to spend his fortune, then waiting for Bart to give in. The child argued back repeatedly that being able to sit on him proved nothing, since armor wouldn't protect him from that, but Alar countered in his typically direct manner and pointed out that buying armor would keep Alar from sitting on him at this moment. Eventually the lad gave in. This is one of the few times that Alar has gone against Bart's wishes. Despite the fact that it was still for Bart's own good, this is noteworthy.)

Honestly, Bart looks as he does in the Avatar image I chose for him, minus the pointed ears.

Bartholomew, or Bart as he was often called, was always a curious child. When he was old enough to walk, he was trying to get out of his home and see the world. When he was old enough to speak, he was constantly asking questions of his mother and those around him. And when he was old enough to read, he devoured books as if they were air and he needed to breathe.

By the age of five, Bart was clearly something else. Smarter then the other kids his age by far the child was almost bored of what little schooling he received, enjoying himself far more when he had the chance to read on his own about the topics he wanted to learn. More often then not it was history lessons that drew him, stories of real heroes that saved lives and made a difference. Growing up poor with only a mother for a parent, Bart often wondered if his father was a hero like that, often dreamed the man might have been trying to save lives when he left him and his mother. She never told him more then that 'he loves you very much' though...

By the age of seven, Bart had begun secretly stealing away from his home to practice magic in alley ways. He had learned from a book a wizard had left behind a very simple spell, one that could lift objects from a distance. He didn't quite understand it, but his knowledge was enough to bridge the gap between experience and a natural talent for the craft. He delighted in playing tricks using this magic, often spending hours seeing if he could lift just a little more, then returning home near morning to steal a few hours of sleep.

This habit of his saved his life. Whether by accident or malicious intent, Bart one day returned to find his home, and a dozen other homes, burnt to the ground. There was no sign of his mother. Bart would learn many years later that it had been an accident of sorts. A fight had broken out between two gangs and one had brought a magic user in. But even had he known then it would have offered him no solace to know it hadn't been something directed specifically at his mother. For a week, the young child was unable to really comprehend this loss. The local church cared little for the Urchin, Asmodeus taught strength and Bart was clearly weak, so he was left to his own devices.

Despite his clear intelligence, cunning and skill for his age Bart had not the will nor the strength to do anything but starve... until he met Ziggy.

Ziggy claims to have saved Bart from ruffians, but in truth the thin halfling had nearly tripped over the child. Despite being a thief of some ill repute, and in Cheliax no less, the man was not without a heart. He took the child into his care and quickly taught the young lad his craft. It turns out that, while his fingers were deft at weaving simple cantrips, Bart didn't really have the dexterity for pick pocketing. It was of course no matter however. When Ziggy learned Bart had a bit of magic, they took advantage of that instead, with Ziggy doing the leg work, then tossing the item in question away before he could be caught and letting Bart 'catch' it.

Ziggy was, for the most part, a kindly sort with Bart. He was cleverer then he let on as well, and when Bart picked up on the mans quick wit the two got along famously. But Ziggy was a man of the road and Cheliax was a particularly brutal place to be a thief. After a time, he left, and though he had offered to take Bart with him the child simply couldn't leave. For some unexplained reason, he stayed, watching his only friend since his mothers death vanish into the sunset.

Alone again, Bart began spending more and more of his time sneaking into a nobles library. Apparently the man was a dabbler in magic, or a collector of sorts, since he had a great many tomes on the stuff. Bart learned over the years, learned as much as he ever did with Ziggy's aid, and slowly his talent grew... to the point where others took notice.

In particular, a group of crooks. Like Ziggy, they saw the potential. Unlike Ziggy, they cared little for the childs welfare. Instead, all they cared for was the money they could make. One night they lay a trap, but they underestimated Bart. He narrowly escaped and led them on a merry chase through the alley ways until Bart ran head first into an armored clad figure. A Hellknight.

At first, Bart was certain the man was going to kill him. Ziggy had warned the young lad all about Hellknights. Dangerous, zealous, and merciless the lot of them he would say. But instead of cutting down the child that dare cross his path, the tall armored figure interposed himself between the young human and the thugs.

The fools charged head long into the fight, not wanting to give up their prize. Ten to one odds seemed to put the battle in their favor too. It wasn't even close.

They never so much as scratched the mans armor. Glorious armor it was too, twisted in the image of a vicious lion. The man dealt with each of them almost contemptuously and when they all lay unconscious on the ground, without him ever having drawn a blade, the knight turned to look at the one they were chasing. His eyes were hard, but the hand he offered Bart was careful. He introduced himself as Veren Alar, asked after the child's well being and the reasons why he was being chased.

Ziggy had been very careful with Barts lessons. The young lad knew how to lie his ass off and there were few that could catch him in the act. But a Hellknight, particularly one that had saved his life, deserved more in the young mans eyes. He told the knight the truth. It surprised him at first and he seemed to doubt Bart, but the lad have a small demonstration by setting one of the unconscious thugs hair on fire.

The hellknight thought he knew what he stood before. A sorcerer. They weren't exactly common, but a seasoned man such as himself had heard of them and dealt with a couple over his life time. One as young as Bart was rare but... The Hellknight turned to glance toward the thugs when one of them groaned, and when he looked back Bart was gone. The youth was grateful for the save, but Ziggy's warnings rang in his ear. Still... he wished he could have asked the man... what a Lion was really like.

It wasn't until a year later that Bart ran into trouble again. He had grown accustomed to being very careful who he showed his powers too, wary about anyone discovering. After a time he would even begin to hear of rumors of a Hellknight asking after him every once in a while, but nothing ever came of them. Bart thought he was free of all the trouble, free to study at his leisure and simply survive. He was wrong.

Unbeknownst to him, the nobles house he had been sneaking to belonged to more then just a dabbler. An infernal summoner lived there, one who could call upon only little things but was quite clever in the pacts he made. One night he tried to summon something bigger though, certain the constant intrusions into his home were assassins after his life. He summoned a devil, bound it to his will, and sent it after the one that continued to sneak into his home.

Bart.

Bart was unaware of the devil until it very nearly killed him. He had left the nobles home a couple hours ago and was nearly to the small, ruined house he still called home when it stepped out from the shadows and smacked him straight through a wall. Thankfully it was the burnt remnants of a real wall or the impact itself might have killed Bart. Instead, it merely stunned him.

The young lad spent several moments collecting his wits, but while he did the massive devil stepped through the wrecked wall and into the home that had burnt down so long ago. The stone crunched beneath his feat and his eyes burned red. He raised a hand, ready to kill the child, and Bart thought of the fierce visage of the lion that had come to save him the last time he was in trouble. He thought of it and hoped beyond reason.

The world lit up so bright he was forced to close his eyes. Bart felt incredible pain seize his body and his forehead seemed to light up with fire beyond imagining. There was a roar so loud it seemed like thunder and then a crash.

Bart... opened his eyes. It might not have seemed special to you, but he hadn't been expecting to do that again. There, standing atop the demon, one large paw pressing down on its throat was... a Lion. Sort of. It was a Lion in the way the Astral sign in the sky called Leo was a lion. It was a lion made of stars. At each joint was a bright point of burning light so intense looking directly into them hurt. Each point was connected by a long line, like those scene on star maps. The lines were surrounded by ethereal flesh of every color imaginable, every color one could find in the Astral sea. And its eyes... Brilliant stars in their own right that burned with a savage ferocity. It raised its head and thunder peeled once more through the silent night.

And then the devils throat crunched beneath its strength.

Bart would eventually learn that what had happened had been rather contained. The devil had assumed it was coming after an assassin and, not wanting to be interrupted, had cast some form of spell that kept the sounds of the fight from going much further then his home. He would also learn that Alar hadn't just appeared in a flash of light. He had come straight -through- the roof of his ruined home, leaving a hole where he had and a crater in the ground where the devil had been. A single lone wizard studying the Astral plane through a scope would claim after that night to have witnessed a star falling straight into the city, only to vanish about thirty feet above the ground. No one would believe him.

Bart was, at first, naturally terrified of the Lion. But then he saw something, something that was so painstakingly familiar, yet foreign to his young mind, that he instinctively reached up and touched his forehead. He knew, without knowing how, that on his head a mark resided... a small, brilliant point of white light that matched the creatures eyes and the star that made up its head perfectly. And then he wasn't afraid anymore. He knew, as did the creature, who stood before him. A guardian. Alar.

Over the coming weeks, Bart would grow more and more bold. He learned rather quickly that Alar was nearly as stealthy as him, and was getting better as the days went past. Together they stalked the alley ways, taking down the thugs that Bart used to have to avoid, cleaning the streets. The young man never killed, never let Alar take that last swipe. That wasn't the point. Bart finally had the power to make a difference, to stop the violence and cruelty that had taken his mothers life.

Bart could be a hero. A protector. He even imagined getting armor like the hellkinght, Veren, only brighter to match Alar. He thought perhaps, instead of fearing the hellknights, he could join them. Or the guard. Or just keep at it! The joy of it all, of no longer having to live in fear, of actually saving lives sometimes and putting down criminals made him careless.

For the third time in his life it was luck that saved him. Bart was on his usual 'patrol' with Alar only a month after the creature had come into his life. The lion did not speak often, but when he did he showed a remarkable intelligence for the creature he was shaped after, though the fact that he could speak at all probably made that fact evident. The pair had become fast friends, this understanding between them having made it easy for them both to trust the other. And Alar understood magic in a way Bart had never thought of before, though how he knew and where he was from were mysteries even to the large creature.

It was no matter. The two both reveled in the hunt, and Alar seemed to... enjoy the act of protecting not only Bart but others in general. Nothing seemed capable of hurting the creature, especially when Bart used his new found knowledge to shield him further from harm. Until the knight they came across a rather horrifying sight. Bart was smart enough to know it was a trap, but his conscious mind was distracted by all the blood. A person dead, pinned to the wall by... something. Even as Bart looked at the spike like obtrusion's his head began to ache, forcing him to look away.

In that moment of weakness it struck. Not his body or Alar's, but his mind. Alar vanished from beneath him with a violent burst of starry sparkles and Bart fell to the ground, dazed. He looked up and he saw... a figure... cloaked in shadow. It hurt to even see that much and he quickly pulled himself to his feet and started running. It didn't seem to matter -where-, he knew he just had to get away at all costs, find some place safe, and then call Alar back.

The person kept pace on the roof top. Though Bart didn't dare look back, he knew it was watching him, his or her eyes focused on the back of his head. He ran harder, knowing he had to get away, unable to feel anything but fear.

It was luck that the one chasing him was unaware of the fact that the Hellknights kept an active presence at night in cities as chaotic as this one, on the fringes of Cheliax's borders. It was too small to have many, but the one or two stationed here were diligent beyond reason. And unlike the priests of Asmodeus, the one named Veren cared a great deal about protecting innocents. So much so that when he heard Bart screaming in the night, he quickly moved to find the source. It was a near thing. The shadowy figure, seemingly tired of chasing after Bart on the rooftops, descended to the street below and attempted to grab the child.

A shield smashed into their face, flinging them more then a dozen feet back. Veren growled as he took a defensive stance in front of Bart and stared down the thing. Suddenly the fear vanished from Barts mind, as if whatever the shadowy figure was doing was being blocked by the Hellknight. Bart stared at the armor clad figure for a moment and only a moment. And then he began calling upon Alar, -his- Alar, once more.

Veren dare not spare a glance at what Bart was doing. He knew whatever he was facing was a dangerous, chaotic -thing-. It wanted the boy, but not dead either. And it was seemingly unharmed as it stood up. "Stay close." He growled, his tone commanding. Bart was in no position to argue. The thing charged and Veren readied himself to defend, but even as he moved his shield to intercept its strike the hands seemed to shift around the imposing steel wall in a way that was not physically possible.

Veren gasped as it punched a hole in his armor, but rather then surrender he swung his blade even harder, attempting to remove its arm. It pulled back with that same sickening grace, its limbs moving to perfectly and bending too sinuously to be natural.

Its head turned to the side, and then it focused intently on Bart behind the armored man, and though it was impossible to see its eyes Veren and Bart could both feel its focus shift. Bart muttered the final word and then light filled the street. The starry lion figure appeared once more standing beside Veren and roared at the creature. If Barts screaming had gotten one soldiers attention, that roar was loud enough to wake the city. Veren was uncertain what was happening but decided to trust the boy. Together Veren Alar and Alar the Astral Lion charged the shadowy thing and for the first time it didn't look quite so sure of itself. Its body noticeably tensed as it ducked a blade, only to feel razor sharp claws no where near as ethereal as they looked cutting through the shadows.

The shadow figure jumped back, but the word jump doesn't really do this act justice. It literally threw itself twenty feet into the air behind it and landed on a nearby rooftop. It looked down at the pair and Bart heard in his mind a very cold and dark voice. "I will take you one day..."

And then it vanished, leaving Bart alone with Veren once more. This time the young lad did not try to escape either. Not right away at least. Veren put two and two together rather quickly looking at Alar, figuring that the reports of a 'ghost cat' taking down gangs and criminals was not so far from the truth. Only when he was certain the creature wasn't evil though did he let it near Bart.

Alar suffered the mans actions, recognizing a fellow guardian in the Hellknight, but the moment Veren stopped standing between them he went right to Barts side and started acting like any housecat might, nuzzling the young lad and even licking at him with an ethereal tongue. Veren watched the display and shook his head, then led the pair away from the scene and toward his rather simple home in the city. There he questioned Bart on the nature of Alar, the shadow, and the nightly activities Bart had been participating in.

Bart was once again honest. The no longer armor clad Veren listened as he bound his injury and inspected his armor. He would have thought the child lying were it not for the fact that Bart was currently laying against the lions side. The starry lion. Though it didn't do so for Bart, clearly, Veren felt the same headache he had felt when staring down the shadow whenever he looked to closely into the Lions stars. He couldn't help but feel there was a connection of some sort.

In the end, Veren decided to call in a replacement in the morning to watch the city, and then lead the boy deeper into Cheliax, to House Leroung's main estate. If anyone could answer his questions it would be them. Bart... was uncertain. He trusted Veren, but the man was vague about what might happen to Alar should they go. He promised to protect Bart but the lion...

"If its dangerous, and it very well could be, I won't make an oath I can't keep." The man spoke seriously, but there was no hint of anger or malicious intent in his voice. It was almost but not quite tinged with regret about the possibility he spoke of. The man stood, his simple cloth garb settling a little bit better on him now that he wasn't wincing every time he moved his right arm. The shadow stalker had punched right through his chest and it was only luck that Veren hadn't suffered anything worse then a hole he could cover.

He walked to the door of his small guest room, which had seen many guests over the years, and only stopped to glance at Bart when he was halfway into the hall. For a moment, he hesitated... and then he asked the question that had been on his mind since he had heard the lads story, but had put off for more important thoughts. "Why did you name it Alar?"

Bart looked up. He had been lost in his thoughts and hadn't noticed that Veren was still there. The question made him tilt his head to the side and for a moment Veren could have sworn his eyes burned white like the lions. It was only a reflection of the creatures light, in the end. "I... I didn't." He said shyly, blushing just a little as he recalled Veren carried that as a surname and possibly even a minor noble house name. "Its... just what he is. Alar... Guardian."

Veren studied the Lion, who studied him right back. The creature was capable of speech but had yet to say a word. The two looked at each other... and then Veren looked away, his head hurting. Once again, like it had whenever he had stared to long at the monster that had attacked the boy. "And its just a coincidence that he bears a resemblance my families crest and my armor?"

Bart looked up to Veren and then shrugged, his eyes once more falling to the floor. Bart was simply embarrassed about this revelation. He could explain that in the end Alar might have been shaped by his subconscious image of what a guardian might look like, but he thought that would only embarrass him more. So he remained quiet until Veren left him alone.

The Hellknight would realize by morning why Bart hadn't let himself fall asleep, despite all that he had gone through. The young lad was gone from his room and the lion with him. In a surprisingly legible and neat note, Bart apologized and said that he would write when he could and send it to House Leroung, but that it was too dangerous to be near him. Veren cursed, but by the time he was at the gates to the small city and talking to the guards he knew Bart was long gone.

Beer tasted awful. Bart had been hoping, for all the talk he had heard of the drink, that it would be one of the best things he had ever had. It simply made him bury the awful taste with the meat he had been given, which was hot enough to simply burn it right off his tongue. He got some strange looks from the man behind the pub but Bart knew how to play the game and ignored the guy.
Aside from being hot, the meat really wasn't that good either, and Bart began to hope that maybe beer was better tasting when it wasn't from this little piss hole. It definitely wasn't his favorite, but with the rain outside falling as it was tonight he didn't really have much choice but to stop here. The nearest town in either direction was at least two days and that was while riding Alar, which Bart could only do at night.

He glances back behind him to the table in the corner. There was a group of four mercenaries. The Red Sashes or something like that, he hadn't really been paying attention. Right now they were the only ones aside from Bart in the inn, but they were loud enough that Bart could hardly tell the difference when he wasn't looking. The group was right now talking about jobs. Or laughing, rather. The story they were just finishing up wasn't terribly interesting. Something about a farmer that had tried to hire them to save his wife.

Barts ears burned at some of the phrasing they used to the describe the woman they 'saved', apparently naked and in bed with the man she had willingly run away from her husband with. He turned away. Hopefully stuffing his face would make it easier to drown out their loud voices. And then one said, "Hey, you remember that message going out? That guy from Dustpawn that you owe a couple gold? We going to go to that?"

They were all drunk, so the words weren't quite as clear as that, slurred and stumbling. But Bart was able to pick out the meaning. It was a surprisingly serious question from the man who had apparently started all of the storytelling. But Bart quickly realized from the snickers they were all holding back that it was just a lead in to another story. "Can you believe it? From the stars above, a SHIP of all things crashed into the ground! And he wants people to go and check it out! If I weren't afraid of ruining our reputation I'd bring us down there in a heart beat to take that fool's offer and his gold."

"Hey, kid, you okay?" The deep voice of the bartender draws Barts eye. The young lad looks up to the man, then down to the food he had dropped on the counter before him, half eaten. The words of the mercenary behind him continued to ring in his ear so he could only nod numbly for a few moments. Unfortunately, after laughing about the fool they called Dalviss Crenn, instead going on to other weird stories. But their words continued to move through his mind and long after they retired, Bart sat there, thinking about the possibilities. The only sound that filled the inn with the drunks gone was the rain pitter-pattering outside.

It was probably near midnight by the time the Bartender interrupted his thoughts again. "If you're not going to finish that, you need to head to bed so I can close up for the night."

Bart looked up to the man, who seemed quite tall, and nodded slowly. As he grabbed at Barts leftovers, a rare occurrence for the orphan who normally ate every scrap of his meals, Bart reached out and took the mans wrist. Gently, of course. Not that he could really be anything else to someone that big. Barts worst shot would be like a light pat to the man. When he had the bartenders attention, the lad let go. "Who is Dalviss Crenn?"

The man tilts his head to the side curiously. He had heard the mercenaries laughing earlier, but had long since learned to ignore such rabble. It didn't do for a man to learn to much of other peoples buisness after all. "Dalviss... thats a name I've been hearing a lot recently. He's an... ex-adventurer of sorts. Runs an inn in... Dustpawn was it? I think so. Why you asking?"

Bart hadn't thought far enough ahead to think the man might be curious but his lie rolls quickly off of his tongue. "I have a message for him, but I've been hearing a lot of... crazy things. People are saying he's looking for help to investigate a space ship or something? Get a little worried about a job like that."

The bartender nods knowingly, actually respecting the pragmatic attitude of the younger man in front of him. "Well, Dalvuss... was good people but its been years since I've heard anything about him. At the very least, he ain't a liar, so if the rumors are true he really does believe something like that fell from the sky. I'd suggest- Kid, where you going?"

Bart had left a couple silver on the counter for the food and was now running up the steps, his mind racing far ahead of him. The Bartender grumbled, but took the rather nice tip as thanks and went about his business as the young lads light footsteps ceased upstairs. Bart quickly ran to his room, shutting the door and waiting a heartbeat or three before looking around. The shadows in the corner bent and twisted, and then Alar stepped out from them. It happened naturally, apparently. Though his body -seemed- to burn like miniature stars, what with all the bright points at each of his limbs, Bart had realized that Alar represented more then the light of the Astral sea. The darkness between the stars could steal across the Lion and make him difficult to spot. But Bart knew what to look for.

When the Lion fully stepped out from the shadows and into the candle light of Barts room, the young man through his arms around the creature. Alar bristled, as he always did, but after a moment he nuzzled the boy back. The creature had been with Bart for several months now and a large part of that was spent on the road alone. They were more then friends now. But he was still unused to the affection Bart showed him, despite his own nature of returning it almost instinctively. "I expected you back hours ago."

The lion spoke simply, as he always did. His voice was deep, but soft and quiet, aware that anyone could be listening. Bart nodded and whispered back, "I heard a rumor. Some guy... Dalviss Crenn... he says he saw a ship fall from the sky!"

The Lion took several moments to consider this news, tilting his head to the side curiously as he did. Those bright points of light burned as the creature leaned forward and took the ridiculously large hat Bart wore off of his head, setting it aside. It revealed the glowing mark the child hid beneath it. Since the day they had been attacked, Bart had not returned him to the stars, ever fearful of being alone. Instead he wore the hat to hide the mark, letting him travel about in broad daylight without fear while Alar followed him in the shadows. The young mans unkempt hair fell into his eyes, but Alar knew he saw sparks similar to his own flickering in them for a brief moment. Reflections, perhaps. Or perhaps not. "You are curious about this?"

Bart nods vigorously. "It could be a clue! Maybe more like you? You fell right through my roof, and you said you came from up there right? Maybe its someone looking for you or someone who needs your help!"

Alar once again took his time thinking it over. He knew Barts mind went much faster then his own and rather then let this bother him, he took the chance to teach the boy patience while he accepted his own limitations. Eventually he replied, to the chagrin of Bart, "It could be danger as well."

Bart grimaced, but he was not one to lie to Alar. He dips his head in acknowledgment of this and says to Alar, "I know. But... we have to go and look. None of the towns we've been too had anything on what you were. Somethings were similar, summonings from other planes, but nothing fit your origins. Maybe we could get answers there! Maybe we could find out more about whoever attacked us back... back home."

The young mans words were no longer as excited as they had before, so Alar leaned into the childs side to give him something to lean against. It was a familiar gesture, one that Bart took great comfort in. It was also not something a Lion would do, at least from what the books said. At times, especially in battle, Alar acted a lot like a lion. But at times he seemed almost like a pet, sharing similar habits with house cats or dogs even. Bart again wondered if his friend was really his friend or something imaginary he had accidentally made with his magic. He wondered and worried. "Why not go to the House of... Leroung? Brother-Guardian thought that this... Leroung might have answers."

Bart winced, and quickly shook his head. "If I go there, they might take you away. Veren wasn't willing to make a promise to protect you as he did me and I couldn't risk losing you." His arms tighten around the star lion's neck, despite the fact that he wasn't nearly big enough to wrap them all the way around. The creature weighed several hundred pounds, against all evidence that he was an ethereal and weightless creature. Ontop of that his translucent fur felt as real as any animal Bart had ever encountered, even the mane. The young man took comfort in the creatures presence. "I... can't... I can't..."

The boy shakes his head into the creatures pelt, hiding his tears, while the Lion waits patiently for his young ward to calm down. It took several long moments, but Bart managed to gather himself once more, and he quickly wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his arms. "I'm not willing to risk losing you. We could run into danger investigating this rumor, but you'll definitely be in danger if we go back to Cheliax. Veren might have been willing to protect me, but he didn't care about you, and he wouldn't hesitate to kill you or take you away if they told him you were a danger. Even if you weren't. I know I could send you back to wherever you come from and then call you again, but by all accounts, House Leroung sounds like the exact type of people who would know how to prevent you from escaping even with that."

Alar said nothing. The two had argued about leaving Veren behind since Bart had made the call. Bart continued to insist that they need to investigate without the authorities, for Alar's safety. Alar insisted that 'Brother-Guardian' as he called Veren could be trusted to protect Bart, even from himself, and that meant he was trustworthy in the Lions eyes. In the end, Alar went along with Barts wishes, letting the argument drop, but they both knew that if Bart really got hurt that the lion wouldn't leave him a choice in the matter. They looked at each other for a moment, and then Alar finally allowed himself to feel his own curiosity. "Perhaps... we will learn more about who and what I am. I hope we do."

Bart smiled, broadly, and nodded. "We'll leave first thing in the morning for Dustpawn."

"What about our task to deliver the letters?"

Bart looked over to his bag and thought about the letters within, then shook his head as he scooped up his hat and made his way over to the corner where he and Alar would sleep. "They can wait. They're nothing important. I know, I already read them."

Bart is a clever young man with an optimistic streak a mile wide and a grand imagination. Despite the dangers he has faced, the young lads concern is often for others rather then himself. This represents a sense of selflnesses rarely encountered in adults, nonetheless orphans. He can be brave, when needed, and likes to appear so in front of others. In truth, he is much more afraid then he lets on, but whether taught or self learned, Bart seems to know that bravery is not to be without fear but to face it.

He was always intelligent and quick witted. The child has a silver tongue he is rarely afraid to use, though he prefers to be honest with those he respects. At a young age he taught himself magic. This probably wouldn't have been possible if it were not for his innate talent, but perhaps he awoke it rather then it awaking on his own? Either way, he is far smarter then a lad his age has any right to be, and though he often defers to his elders, there are times when Bart thinks he knows the right of things. He can be incredibly stubborn, especially when it involves the safety of a friend.

Despite his maturity, Bart has some naive and hopeful perceptions that life seems to be trying to strip from him. He is as often willing to go on his gut and hope as he is the knowledge he has. Truth be told, its saved his life at least once, so perhaps there's something more to it?

(This first section is all the basic stuff that Alar gets. Like an animal companion, he grows naturally stronger as he levels.)

Quadruped Eidolon, Evolution Pool 10, Summoner Level 5

Starting Statistics

Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Saves Fort (good), Ref (good), Will (bad); Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 14, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11

Free Evolutions

bite, limbs (legs) (2).

Darkvision (Ex) The eidolon has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

Link (Ex) A summoner and his eidolon share a mental link allows for communication across any distance (as long as they are on the same plane). This communication is a free action, allowing the summoner to give orders to his eidolon at any time. In addition, magic items interfere with the summoner’s connection to his eidolon. As a result, the summoner and his eidolon share magic item slots. For example, if the summoner is wearing a ring, his eidolon can wear no more than one ring. In case of a conflict, the items worn by the summoner remain active, and those used by the eidolon become dormant. The eidolon must possess the appropriate appendages to utilize a magic item.

Share Spells (Ex) The summoner may cast a spell with a target of “you” on his eidolon (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on himself. A summoner may cast spells on his eidolon even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the eidolon’s type (outsider). Spells cast in this way must come from the summoner spell list.

Evasion (Ex) If an eidolon is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex save for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Ability Score Increase (Ex) +1 Int, +2 str, +2 dex

Improved Natural Armor Increase +4

(This second section is his evolutions, the abilities that key off of the Eidolon's evolution pool.)

Evolution Pool= 10 Points
-Claws (Ex) (1 Point); Gain two primary claw attacks, dealing 1d4+str points of damage.
-Improved Natural Armor (Ex) x2 (2 points); +4 to Natural Armor
-Pounce (Ex) (1 point); Can full attack on a charge
-Scent (Ex) (1 point); Gain Scent Ability
-Skilled: Stealth (Ex) (1 point); +8 Racial Bonus to Stealth
-Skilled: Perception (Ex) (1 point); +8 Racial Bonus to Perception
-Ability Increase: Strength (Ex) (2 points); Add +2 to Str
-Shadow Blend (Su) (2 Points); In any condition of illumination other than bright light, the eidolon disappears into the shadows, giving it concealment (20% miss chance). The eidolon can suspend or resume this ability as a free action.

Alar is the stars given form, a primal beast transcended, a child of the Astral Sea in truth. He is a massive cat, larger then any natural born dog, with a wild mane and burning bright stars for eyes and joints. His body is ethereal and translucent. One can easily see the stars and lines between the stars that make up his form. Any astronomer could point out that this is how celestial bodies in the sky are often depicted in art, with white lines drawn between the points that shaped the great figures that painted the night sky.

Many astronomers would be stumped as too how Alar moves about as he does. As would any nature folk. He is not an Golarion born creature, that is certain.

Hanging about his form always, like a cloak or a light mist, are motes of flickering lights that appear and vanish seemingly at random. Bart has determined after a weeks straight of intense study that there is nearly three thousand patterns being played out in these motes, but around this time a rather creepy thought came to mind. If Alar's joints, the brilliant points of light that were connected by lines of light in the creatures body, were stars... what were the lights?

He hasn't given it much thought since.

Around the creatures waist lies five more 'star' points, connected by a band of light that is notable for wrapping around -outside- the lions body. Bart learned that the belt* could be removed from Alar, and when done, it changed into something more akin to a belt of this plane, made of leather and metal. He has determined that in either form it grants the wearer greater strength, but when trying to study it in its astral form, Bart has gotten several headaches. The magic is mostly the same, but it feels different. Not wrong, just alien, as if it were born from another world entirely.

There are times when, on Alar's will, the lion will take on an entirely different appearance, one that somehow remains achingly familiar and true to his original form. The light of his skin will dim and the star points will darken into an inky blackness, making his form difficult to discern from the shadows that start to surround him. In bright light the shadows look ink black, but distinct and as easy to spot as his starry form, if seeming much more cold. In anything else, the darkness of his form seems to spread outward, distorting his body and blending it into the surrounding area a bit, making it much harder to see him.

(*-Bart jokingly named the belt Alar's belt, after the ancient myth of Orion in the sky. Alar seems to have taken this joke seriously and refers to it as such, though secretly he is simply 'pulling' Bart's leg.)

Example 1 This image is a good frame of mind when picturing Alar's form, how his skin and fur can be translucent and ethereal, and how the dots and lines make up his body. Admittedly this is one of the inspirations for the concept as a whole, though Alar has evolved beyond simply being 'something cool to look at' a while ago.
Example 2 This image is a good one for Alar in general, although it's not -quite- right. Mix this with Example 1 and you get exactly what I'm thinking of when I try and describe Alar. Hopefully you got it with my words alone, but just in case...

Alar is, by and large, a very serious and direct individual. He recognizes that he is not as smart as other sentient races in Golarion, though this seems to be slowly changing, and instead of letting it bother him he accepts his limitations and works with them rather then against them.

He is an extremely noble creature. His highest priority on this world is to protect Bart, but a close second is protecting and guarding innocents in this world. He was more then happy to fight against thugs and criminals that preyed upon the weak when he was first called to this world and since he has been itching to do something good. He is a Guardian, just as his name sake suggests. But Bart and Bart's safety come first in the creatures mind. Not because Bart is his tether here, but because Bart is his brother.

He usually acquiesces to Bart's wishes, seeing the cunning and intelligence in the lad. But when something is particularly dangerous, Alar tends to err on the side of caution, sticking close to Bart when he can. Several times since they came to be partners, Alar has gone directly against Bart's wishes and never once backed down. Each time was for the young mans own safety, and each time he showed a stubbornness that rarely showed up before. Time has slowly worn away at the edges of this mindset. Alar recognizes that the pair are a team, partners, and that they will face challenges together. It does not mean he won't worry a little.

Over time, Alar is also learning a bit about humor. Bart is too innocent to insult people, but the child still has a wry sense of what is funny and amusing, and Alar is picking up on it slowly. There are even times, such as with Alar's belt, that the Lion will get the better of his smarter companion.

Alar has no memory of the time before or between. He is conscious of the fact that he goes somewhere when he is not on the plane that Golarion resides on, but where he has no idea, and cannot recall upon returning. Bart has expressed worry that Alar might not go anywhere, that he might simply be an imaginary friend. It has slowly become a great fear of the young lads, but Alar insists that he -is- and Bart has needed to rely more and more on the Lions faith as time goes on and questions remain unanswered. Experimentation was, at first, common. But since the attack from the Shadowy figure, Bart has dismissed Alar only twice, and then only with great reluctance. There is still no change in the situation. Alar still recalls nothing of where he is from or where he goes.