Blackheart Bishop was born to the hillfolk of “the hills”. He doesn’t know where that was because his family (perhaps tribe is a better word), the Bishops, mostly hid from the outside world. Blackheart’s mam was a priestess of the Old Gods, and took the black mark born over her youngest son’s heart as a sign of favour from them. She trained him as best she could, even teaching him the rudiments of writing and letting him read “The Book”.
The Tribe spent a lot of effort hiding from the world. They lived in caves because buildings might get seen. At best they occasionally stole from nearby farms and travellers.
He was twelve when the Chelaxians came, and Blackheart discovered how wise that was. Those of his tribe who were not killed were rounded up and marched to Westcrown to be sold as slaves. His eldest sister was dead before they got there, and the family was broken up. The elders were systematically sacrificed to Hell.
Blackheart was marched off to Nidal to be sold as a graduation test for the torturers of Zon Kuthon, but along the route he was rescued by anti-slaver freedom fighters out of Andoran. Amids the ruins of the carvan Blackheart found and stole “the book”. Taken back to Androan, he discovered “Blackheart” was an epithet and took the Andoran name Benedict.
This was a turning point for Blackheart . Andoran was a utopia to the young savage. He was adopted by a couple living in a farm in the Aspodell mountains and was smart enough that he was actually taken on as an apprentice by a local arcanist in the nearest village at fifteen. He hid The Book, and almost forgot it existed.
He was nineteen when the Chelaxians came again. He managed to hide in the same hidey-hole that held The Book as they killed and rounded up his new people. Laughing as they killed his adopted parents for rebellion the soldiers talked about the campaign to stamp out Andoran.
Burning with hatred beyond all he had ever known he read the book and saw a ritual his mother had always warned him of.
The Ritual was to open a Gate for Yog-Sothoth. The notes in the margins suggested this would be a very bad thing. Something to be avoided. Something that might wipe out the surrounding area (or, one commentator suggested, the world). Uncaring, he performed it and used himself as the ritual sacrifice. All he hoped was that whatever came through would kill the Chelaxians.
Instead he bound himself irrevocably to Yog-Sothoth. He is the gate through which the great darkness threatens the world. He is a door in the wall that keeps the madness from reality. And Benedict “Blackheart” Bishop intends to use that new power to save Andoran, destroy Cheliax and end Slavery.
Personality:
Benedict is a nice guy. He’s generous, kind, friendly, gives people the benefit of the doubt and thinks the best of everyone. He has two flaws. He believes the Ends Justifies The Means and he hates Cheliax and all it stands for.
He has led a small band of partisans in a guerilla war against Chelaxian invaders in the Aspodell mountains. Nothing is too awful to do to Chelaxians. For example; realizing a dead Chelaxian’s soul goes to strengthen Hell (and Hell is an ally of Cheliax) he poses as a Sarenraean cleric to captured Chelaxians, torturing them “for their own good” until they abandon Hell and embrace Sarenrae’s second chance. Then he kills them.
Crunch:
Benedict Bishop
Human^ Cleric^ (Exploration$, DarkTapestry@) of Yog-Sothoth@
CN Medium Humanoid (Human)
Init +4; Senses normal; Perception +3
----- Defense ----- AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp 21
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +7
----- Offense ----- Speed 40 ft.
Melee Dagger+3 1d4 (20/x2)
Ranged Heavy Crossbow +7 1d10(19-20/x2)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Prepared Spells (CL 4; concentration +7)
At will—Light^, zz,zz, zz
1/day—zz, zzzz, zz and domain: zz
1/day—zzzz, zz and domain: Summon Monster II^ ----- Statistics ----- Str 10, Dex 16(18), Con 11, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats School Specialization^ (Conjuration), Augment Summoning^, Evolved Summon Monster%
Skills Diplomacy +7 (1r+3t+3a) +2 vs aberrations, Knowledge Planes +8 (4r+3t+1a), Knowledge Dungeoneering +2(1r+1a), Survival +4(1r+3a), Spellcraft +5 (1r+3t+1a), Stealth +11 (4r+3t+4a+1trait -1acp) +1 in hilly or rocky areas, Linguistics +8 (4r+3t+1a)
Traits Highlander, Unspeakable Bond
Languages Taldane, Infernal, Aklo, Abyssal, Celestial, Sylvan
SQ ----- Special Abilities ----- Skilled^ +1 skill point per level
Bonus Feat^ bonus feat at level 1
Highlander$ Stealth is a class skill. +1 stealth (+2 in hilly or rocky areas)
Unspeakable Bond@ You are an ally of the unclean creatures of the world, and gain a +2 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with creatures of the aberration type.
School Focus: Conjuration^ +1 DC to conjuration spells
Augment Summoning^ summoned creatures are +4 str and +4 con
Evolved Sumon Monster% one summoned creature per spell gets a one point evolution
Channel Positive Energy^ (Su) 2d6, 5/day Favoured Class Bonus$ Add +4 on caster level checks made to overcome the spell resistance of outsiders.
Travel (Exploration) Domain^ (Ex) +10ft Base Movement
Door Sight$ (Su) 10 inches, 6/day You can lay your hand upon any surface and see what is on the other side, as if using clairvoyance. Using this power takes 1 minute, during which time you must be touching the surface you want to see through. You can keep looking for as long as 10 minutes with each use of this power, but must touch the surface and take no other action the entire time. The surface cannot be thicker than 6 inches plus 1 inch per cleric level you possess. You can use this power a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
It Came From Beyond@ (Su) Once per day, when you cast a summoning spell, any one creature you summon is more powerful than normal. The creature gains the advanced creature simple template. If you summonmore than one creature with a spell, only one of the summoned creatures gains the advanced creature simple template. A summoned creature that gains the advanced creature simple template in this manner appears unnervingly deformed or unnaturally hideous, bringing with it a whiff of the emptiness of the void. This ability works only on spells you cast as a cleric—it does not work on spellcasting abilities gained from any other spellcasting classes you might have.
----- Initial Equipment -----
Book of Cults@ (1500 gp) +1 resistance to will and can use as a lesser extend rod when summoning evil outsiders
Belt of Dexterity^ +2 (4000 gp) +2 enhancement bonus to dexterity
Backpack^ (2 gp)
Bedroll^ (0.1 gp)
Mess Kit^ (0.2 gp)
Rope^ (1 gp) hempen
Spell component pouch^ (5 gp)
10 trail rations^ (5 gp)
Waterskin^ (1 gp)
Wooden Holy Symbol^ (0.1 gp) A dark wooden branch that has naturally formed a spiral
Masterwork Chain Shirt^ (Cost 400 gp) +4 AC, +4 Dex, -1 ACP)
Dagger^(2 gp) 1d4 damage
Heavy Crossbow^ (50 gp) 120ft, 1d10 damage, 19-20/x2 crit
20 Bolts, 20 Cold Iron Bolts, 10 Alchemical Silver Bolts (27 gp)
6 gold and 6 silver remaining
@: Inner Sea Gods
$: Advanced Player Guide
^: Core Rule Book
%: Advanced Class Guide
