Additionally I could learn monstrous mount and choose a griffon, if the DM allows it.
You have learned how to tame and ride exotic beasts.
Prerequisite(s): Handle Animal 4 ranks; Ride 4 ranks; divine bond (mount), hunter's bond (animal companion), or mount class feature with an effective druid level of 4.
Benefit(s): You can select an exotic beast from the list of monstrous mounts to serve as your animal companion or special mount. You acquire and advance this creature in the same way as the mount or animal companion detailed in the class feature used as a prerequisite for this feat. You can also dismiss the creature as dictated by your class feature.
You must meet additional prerequisites to choose a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, as described in each creature's entry.
I just realized I can't take this feat since it is from the Inner Sea guide and is not allowed for the Mystara campaign.
I realize this post is three years later, but for anyone else with this question should look at the feat: Monstrous Mount at d20pfsrd link for Monstrous Mount.
At 1st level, a falconer earns the trust and companionship of a bird of prey. The bird can be of any type of large hunting or scavenging bird (even a vulture). This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the nature bond class feature), but the falconer must take the bird animal companion, and that companion has only half the normal hit points. The falconer cannot teach the bird of prey the work trick, but can teach it either the roam or distract trick for free. Whichever trick the falconer does not pick then can be picked as a trick later.
Additionally I could learn monstrous mount and choose a griffon, if the DM allows it.
You have learned how to tame and ride exotic beasts.
Prerequisite(s): Handle Animal 4 ranks; Ride 4 ranks; divine bond (mount), hunter's bond (animal companion), or mount class feature with an effective druid level of 4.
Benefit(s): You can select an exotic beast from the list of monstrous mounts to serve as your animal companion or special mount. You acquire and advance this creature in the same way as the mount or animal companion detailed in the class feature used as a prerequisite for this feat. You can also dismiss the creature as dictated by your class feature.
You must meet additional prerequisites to choose a creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, as described in each creature's entry.
I am playing in a homebrew setting in Mystara. Everyone except me has two characters, which are in two separate groups that are in the same world. They are indirectly at odds with each other being in the warring nations. I am about to create my second character to go into the "good" campaign. Another character who is level fourteen CN barbarian has become the deity to many goblins. Ironically, his group includes a couple of paladins. So, I am creating a level 5 CN goblin that had actually been in a battle against the "evil" campaign group and has information that he needs to tell his god.
My dice roll was 16, 13, 12, 12, 12, 12.
I finally decided I want to play a mounted archer. I am allowed to choose a goblin dog or wolf to start with for free as a mount, whether or not I choose to go with a class that gets me a mount or animal companion. I am required to choose any core class except for wizards. If I choose barbarian, then I can't multiclass with monk (even ex-monk or martial artist) or paladin.
I am allowed to use the full $10,500 GP.
I was thinking about playing a ranger with the falconry archetype, choose the ranger archer bonus feats, choose a roc, and focus on mounted archery and possibly using the spear during a mounted charge due to the falconry's level six feat. Therefore, I was wondering, should I choose my first level as a barbarian for the rage or as a rogue for sneak attack +1d6 and trap sense?
Pyron steps in, takes a look around, and reads the note aloud. He goes over to the food, removes and casts the cantrip, "Purify food and water." He takes a piece of bread, a cup of water, and takes a seat at a chair. He casts the cantrip, "detect magic" to get a good idea what is around him; he will cast it as long as he thinks is necessary. Afterwards, he eats the bread and looks closer at the tapestries and other items of interest from his chair, adjusting as necessary. perception:1d20 ⇒ 1 If he has the time to take a 20, then he will, the dice roll is if there isn't enough time.
For those who see, the second small pouch that was connected to his belt was his spell component pouch.
Thanks for the update. I appreciate communication. Do you have specific times throughout the day that you, more or less, respond to the players and the game?
"Well, whether you like it or nor, I also received a harrow card, so the person here is giving me a chance." After that He knocked on the door himself.
"Hahaha! The last time I delivered swift justice, my parents' murderer ended up with his head on a pike in the middle of town square in my hometown." Pyron takes a moment before continuing. "This fellow may be behind their deaths. I want to question him. Does anyone else intend to question him?"
When they arrive, let's just say it was right after Gauis knocks on the door and probably when Rakdon, Vuk, and Daud arrive, Pyron sees that there was a group of people at the door apparently waiting for someone to answer. He approaches the group with a smile. "I see you guys are already here. It would seem that this task is requiring quite a few professionals. Don't worry, I am a professional too. I just happen to be representing the guards on this mission. Also, I may have some personal stake in the matter. By the way, if anything happens, we have the go ahead from my sergeant to take care of this individual and his dealings."
Rakdon would see if they met on their way, as well as everyone else when Pyron and Rakdon arrive at Door #3: A 6'0" 160 lb, lean and cut man. He is red with silvery-blue streaks and is bald with red horns that has silvery-blue tips. He is wearing a soldier's uniform, hide shirt, and an armored kilt. He has a buckler on his left arm, a morningstar on his right hip with a cord going from the weapon to his right arm (for those with the perception to see the cord), a couple of javelins in a javelin quiver on his back, a belt pouch, and for those looking hard enough a canteen on his belt bouch, a compass, and a second pouch secured to the belt.
Was there a bounty list and is the person in question on it? Or does the sergeant know of any bounty on him?
When Rakdon went to the authorities, he would likely have ran into Pyron. Pyron was already there for the entire day training, so I want to give the GM the chance to respond to my request and thoughts before having Pyron talk to Rakdon and prior to having Pyron and possibly Rakdon meet up with everyone at the house.
All equipment is in my alias's profile, so I won't be making more any updates here. I made a few minor changes which are in the profile under equipment.
Also, I will be out of town Friday and Saturday, so I don't know if I will be able to post since I will be out of my phone's service provider for the mobile data. However, I will post when I can or as soon I can.
Two things, first, he would likely have already talked to the sergeant before Rakdon made it over. Then he can talk with Rakdon and the two of them can make it over to the house.
Second, I finally completed my equipment and stats. It took time to figure out my max without going over light load while in combat.
This is what he will be wearing in combat from now on.
Soldier's Uniform (The character came with the explorer's outfit, but since he is coming from training and he represents the training field, then he will be wearing a soldier's/guard uniform. Also, he is requesting to represent the sergeant/commander for this requested assignment.)
Hide Shirt
Armored Kilt
Buckler
Morningstar (Weapon cord between right wrist and weapon, because it helps from the problem with the curse.)
Javelin
Dagger in right wrist with a spring loaded wrist sheath, so if he has to quickly cut the weapon cord, then he can do easily. What would the action be: swift or move?
Sling (no bullets)
Spell component pouch hooked to the belt pouch
Wooden holy symbol
Wooden unholy symbol
Signal whistle
Compass
A few coins inside his belt pouch
I went ahead and changed some of my equipment, since he doesn't have all the special abilities as a witch, he needs to be a bit more front-line, so I purchased hide armor or hide shirt and armored kilt for him and dropped a few items, specifically some weapons that he doesn't really need and the barbed vest. I am in the process of finishing updating his info on the alias page.
Whatever you decide happens between the sergeant and Pyron is fine. Once their discussion ends, he will take any advice that the sergeant may offer and will follow it before leaving to the appointed place and time with the intent to be early. Also, I will upload the rest of the character info in the morning.
Pyron thinks back when his parents' murderer whispered things into his ear. He wonders, "Was there someone else behind his parents murders? Was the guy I killed just a guy getting paid to take them out?"
He knows his belongings at his place will be safe, and he already has his normal weapons and gear on him. (He doesn't wear armor, except for what he borrows from the training hall, so I don't think he would take that home, unless you want to say that he does, because I didn't buy him armor except for the neck guard.) So, he takes the card, tells the sergeant that he is checking out a mission someone offered him and gives him the name of his target. He asks him if there is a bounty on the named guy that he can collect if he either takes the guy dead or alive.
Sanjin and Pyron left for Korvosa. Sanjin decided to speak up. "Pyron, I have a proposal for you."
"What's that?"
"If you train with us for two months, then I can teach you how to be a fighter. It will add to your abilities. We'll feed you and pay you. After two years, you can choose to continue as a guard and move up rank or then choose to either separate or take the riskier jobs at your choosing."
Pyron shook his head. "If you give me one week of training with your men, and one month of rent somewhere and an allowance, then I will do one immediate job with no questions asked. I want to check out the other jobs in the city to see my options."
Sanjin takes a couple of minutes to think about the counteroffer. "Have you ever been on a boat?"
"Yes, but I don't care too much for it. I get seasick."
"I have a job I need you to do, but I would only be able to give you housing in the barracks until the job is done, basic allowance during those two weeks, and 2 weeks additional rent to boot if you do well at the job."
"Pyron thinks about it. Okay, you have a deal."
...
Pyron goes through a week's worth of training with the other guards. During his time off, he went and checked out the jobs around town. Then he was sent on a month-long trip to escort an important official on an overseas trip. The trip did not have any trouble except for the seasickness for Pyron. When he came back, Sanjin made good on his promise.
Pyron now has two weeks of paid rent and time to check out for jobs and see if an adventure will present itself. Otherwise, he'll have to take another job from Sanjin.
I have my equipment on my page. I just need to upload my stats.
In the morning, Pyron went to see the deputy. "Morning, deputy."
"Morning. So have you decided to join them?"
"Well, i want to know my options. How much money will they pay me and will I have a place to stay if I join? Also, is there an option to not be on staff where I can choose the jobs when they need extra support?"
The deputy smiles and waves to a man standing next to him. "Let me introduce you to Sainjin. He is one of the top seargents."
Sainjin offers a hand which Pyron grasps strongly. "Well, son. If you want security then I suggest being a hired hand, but if you want options at the cost of security, then we will allow you to train in our training grounds and perhaps even to some of our more important training functions. We would then let you know when we need you for the riskier jobs."
The deputy spoke up when Sainjin stopped speaking. "I suggest you take one of the two options to stay on their good side if something trouble does befall you."
Pyron thinks about it. "Alright, I will do that. I would like to have options, and it sounds like a good idea to stay in the security's favored eye. I am ready to go if you have a ride."
"We can leave at once. I have an extra horse I brought with me."
A gentleman knocked on Pyron's door. "Pyron, you in there?" Yelled the man.
"Yeah, I am. One moment." A minute later, Pyron opened the door and saw the local deputy standing at his door. "How can I help you?"
"Did you kill Jensen, cut his head off, and tell all the locals that you were here to protect the innocent?"
"Yes."
"Well, it looks like news got to some important people at the next city over, Korvosa. They seem to be having some trouble there. A few groups of people are looking for recruits, and a few people have been pointing them your way. I thought I would would stop by to see you first, if I could."
"Why's that?"
"Well, Korsova's deputies and town guardsmen (ooc: whatever they are) are recruiting. I thought you might want to stay in the light of the law, especially after your recent event. The only reason you are not be punished is because the guy who you killed had been on our list for some time. Think about it. Come talk yo me for transport if you are interested."
Will do. How much starting gold? Also, there are a couple of options I thought about my character background. First, he could have still learned from the witches, went to see how the compsognathus lived, but won't actually perform the ceremony until he levels up in the game. When he gets the familiar, then he will get his witch stuff from his training. Else, we could work his history in with the actual game.
I am pulling out, because I had tossed my hat into another game with a large pool of applicants. He did it by a simple random sample method as a lottery system. I made it in surprisingly. I would have liked to play in this game too, but I don't have time to play in two games. Good luck to you guys. Maybe I will throw in my hat again in another game with you guys.
Do we get the lump sum of 1650 gp for a 3rd level elite npc and choose how to use it, or do we have to go within the limits that are imposed for the NPCs, such as 650 for weapons and 800 for protection? For example, would a wand of mage armor or cloak of resistance be acceptable? I remember reading that they would not go through for those who died, but what about for natives?
Yeah, I read that afterwards. The death section can be easily deleted. I didn't even like that transition all that much anyway. My character could have heard news about trouble brewing in the nearby neighboring town, or my town. (I haven't read what the group has been doing, but I can easily do that.) I can make a good transition for the character into meeting the group. I would keep the "Ready for an Adventure" section and adjust his story from there.
Is there anything else that you guys would like to know about my character then? Equipment, personality, the information that Goragg was suggesting to Miruru, etc?
Any idea when you are closing the recruitment? Just curious as it seems like there are a lot of good submissions already and I am eager to see the results.
I should also state that should I be selected I am looking at taking the mounted combat style progression to complement the hippogriff aspect of the character.
Please let me know if there is anything else you would like to know or have questions about my submission. Thanks again GM_Fenwick.
He is doing it tonight via simple random sample as his way of doing it as a lottery.
OOC:
@Kalasin: Okay. Well thank you.
@Goragg: Thank you very much.
Since the character is native, then the death portion of the story would be cut out. Also, the books would become even more useful, since they would be regarding the native land.
IC:
Pyron's sitting at the bar having a couple of drinks. Looking to his left at Goragg, "Well, Goragg, are you saying you are not the group's bard? I heard you telling great tales of the awesome Hobgoblins! If you aren't a bard, then you might just have a knack for it. By the way, may I ask what it is that you do?"
OOC: I realize I have not been accepted, but maybe I can show my roleplaying skills for a little bit to see if you guys would like me in your group, like an interview.
@Kalasin I think the three books would be arcane, history, and planes. By the way, will you let applicants know if the group has rejected a character or if the players will accept it if certain changes were made?
I would love to play. I created a character for another campaign, but there were too many applicants. It is built up to level 3, but I can work it where the stuff he learned doesn't materialize until the time of when he levels. Here's his crunch that I created for him and his background if it interests you.
Name: Pyron Firehide
Crunch:
Primary race (for build purposes): Peri-Blooded Aasimar (Outside-Native)
Secondary race (for looks and history purposes): Tiefling
Tertiary race (for some looks and history purposes): Human
Looks: 6'0" 160 lbs, Red skin with silvery-blue streaks and markings
Bald head with two red horns with silvery-blue tips and a halo that has red and silvery-blue colors swirling around.
Alignment: CN
Age: 90 years old (He was trained) (Height, weight, and age was randomly generated)
Ability Scores:
Str. 14+0=14
Dex: 12+0=12
Con: 12+0=12
Int: 8 +2=10
Wis: 10+0=10
Cha: 17+2=19
Class Levels:
1st: Oracle (Purifier Archetype)
2nd-3rd: Witch (Beast-Bond Archetype
4th-20th: Oracle
Feats:
1st Level: Skill Focus: Knowl. Arcane
3rd Level: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane): Familiar option (I will continue to get more of this feat to further pursue the arcane power line.)
Traits:
Dangerously Curious
Reactionary
Oracle Mystery: Dark Tapestry
Witch's Patron: Insanity
Familiar: Compsognathus (Bones)
Story of the Father:
A Peri-Blooded (Emberkin) Aasimar, nicknamed Pyro, grew up in a Peri society in the good Outer Planes. He could not control his inner nature and powers, struggled with his complex array of emotions, and ended up being shunned from much of society. Despite having supporters, judgment was made that he must be cast out. He fell from grace. Having been rejected, he sought out to how to have a future outside of the Peri society. A few supporters helped him travel to the Material Plane.
His anger grew and hate swelled up inside him when he lost his homeland. He turned back on his good ways and focused on what would make him powerful. An member of the Peri society who wanted to see him be punished even more tricked him into going down into a lair full of denizens from hell. While he was in there, he realized what was happening and made a deal with them. They would help each other fight the individual(s) who has/have been attacking the lair and tried to send Pyro to his death.
The feud and fighting went for a long time. During that time, Pyro mated with a Tiefling as his ultimate proof and act of rebellion against his home society.
Story of the Mother:
A beautiful Tiefling named Tish grew up in a darker society that had a mixture of creatures of the underworld and of evil men. She was trained to use her natural charm to beguile men of various races, show them a good, time, get the information, and leave the informer alive for future information or not. She traveled throughout a small region and made a small name for herself. She was sent to a post to elicit information from a couple of guards in a hidden outpost.
While she was at the outpost, a flame-touched creature that was obviously not supposed to be there came inside. Seizing the moment, she stopped the intruder and the few militia inside from attacking. She beguiled the otherworldly creature to not attack and to see if she or the others may be able to offer their services to him. Her offer surprised everyone, but her command and her presence kept everyone from attacking each other.
After hearing his story and listening to the local militia that others who were of a similar nature to this foreigner had been attacking them recently. She asked him if he was willing to turn against the Peri who sent him there, because she sensed that he might not be lying about being an outcast on the run. Since he was not eager at first, she tried to seduce him a little bit to see it her way. It was then when he agreed and it was this that helped her trust him a bit more than if he was willing to switch sides so easily.
After he agreed, he was put under her care, else he would be killed without her protection. She used this power to get control over him, to keep him alive to maintain that power, and to turn his heart over to her. He was not a yes-man, but required to be more of a partner, well as much as possible, which she allowed.
After a couple of years of warring, she knew the only way to maintain control over him was to have his child; it surely wasn't out of love. Tish told Pyro that he should to show that he should do it to prove to the other Peri that he indeed has left them for good.
Early Childhood and the Blessing:
The announcement of Pyron's birth was known to both society's, as a military and political ploy. On the day of his birth, Factions of the Peri, including some Aasimars, attempted to break through the denizens defenses. Larger battles broke out over this, which is what the denizens wanted: havoc. The Peri wanted to kill the child.
When the child was a few years old, an emissary was allowed to safely enter to meet with the family. She had a gift for the child. She proposed that if the gift is unacceptable, then they may take her life. This was the proposal: She would arrive to bless the child. The blessing would be a mark that would be known by both societies. This mark will show both sides that he is not to be harmed and that he must be allowed to make his own choices without fear of retribution. When he makes his choice, then the societies could choose to act accordingly. The parents and a representative of their society agreed.
She placed her hand on his head, between his small horns, moved her hand up and in a circle. A halo appeared over his head. This halo, though, was a mixture of red and silvery blue, just like the silvery blue markings on his body that he had since birth. Ever since that blessing, the war was reduced to battles between factions that grew from the war or had been happening prior to the war.
I don't know about the class yet, so I don't know about his history since early childhood.
Story of Becoming an Oracle:
Pyron Firehide grew up in a very controlling household. He grew up to be rebellious like his father and controlling like his mother. He lived in a place filled with evil men that dealt with demons and devils. Even still, the good-aligned emmissary came to visit him to ensure the pact was not broken that was made when he was younger. These interruptions confused Pyron about good/evil and love/hate.
When he was a bit older, things seemed to get a bit strange. It started out with him thinking someone was watching him. Then a breeze would pick up when the windows were closed. It got worse when items started moving on their own. His family moved thinking that the house might be haunted. It took only a week before Pyron started noticing the mysterious happenings. Finally, if he ever dropped an item, it would fly a few feet away from him.
When his family noticed that it was getting worse, they hired an oracle to come to the house to see what was wrong. During the ceremony, the oracle realized that the son was likely an oracle himself. "He has an oracle's curse. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you allow him to train as an oracle. He is haunted by the spirits, but I can train him how to control the effectsof the curse." The oracle announced this to the family. The family had mixed concerns and emotions. Pyron seemed to have lost hope. Then he decided that he wanted to pursue the path. After much discussion, the oracle offered her services to train the boy for a fee of course. The family agreed.
The first thing that she taught him was to control his actions by not letting go of things. He had to first have control over his curse. Then she taught him how to use the spell mage hand to help him retrieve his dropped items. Over time, he started moving other things on his own. When she saw this, she taught him how to cast the spell ghost sound. She told him that as he pursued this path, that even if she is not around, he is an oracle and will learn about the mysteries and revelations of being one. "What mysteries and revelations are you talking about?" He asked.
"There is much more to being an oracle than controlling your curse. There is a mystery behind your curse. As you focus your mind and allow yourself to open up, then the mystery will begin to reveal itself to you. Come back to me when it starts revealing itself to you and report to me what you have learned."
During that period, Pyron stayed up late to meditate. He would take a stroll along the block at night to help him think. Normally, he used his halo to help him see, but after a time he didn't; he wanted to open his mind. It was strange, but he seemed to be able to start seeing further in the darkness than he normally had before.
When he went back to report, she told him that she was surprised that he couldn't before knowing his race. Then she realized his halo was affecting that. "Your mystery is the Dark Tapestry. It is a dark mystery, one that has made a few oracles go mad. But don't worry. You have grown up in a dark and evil society. This mystery might even help you to survive in such a society." So she started teaching him a few spells that would help him survive like create water, purify food and drink, detect magic, and protection from alignment. He innately learned how to cast virtue and bless.
He asked her why this was the case. She explained, "The blessing given to you when you were younger is causing you to be balanced in your training. Do not fret. Use it to your advantage. Do not look at a blessing as a curse. Remember, there are forces from all sides that is affecting your training. Just be careful to know who you are despite the blessings and cursings that have been placed upon you. You are the result of a nasty war and an adverse lineage; it is very rare to see one who comes from a lineage of both fiends and Aasimars."
While he practiced, he started reacting to things before others. Also, he became curious about the arcane practices. He tried to control things that had magical properties. At one point, his parents found an old wand that had a few charges left in it. The father started to burn his own body with his hands, as he had taught Pyron to do when he was younger, hence Pyron's father's name: Pyro. Then his mother used the wand to heal the burn. They showed him how to use it correctly. Finally he got a hang of it. Then she showed him some magic scrolls and taught him how to read them. She even gave him a chance to cast a spell from a scroll before it disentegrated. She told him that was a part of the process of casting the spell.
Story of Becoming a Witch:
With all this knowledge, he started thinking that he was some kind of god. He tried to control things and then finally tried to control people. He started to go crazy and even a bit mad. Finally, the family contacted another being in the occult realm, a witch. She and her two sister witches (not necessarily blood-sisters) told them that they could help him with his madness, with his insanity, for a fee of course. The family relented.
The sisters took Pyron into their hut and let him use the guest portion of the dwelling. They brewed potions and practiced hexes and spells while watching for him to respond. He asked, "How or where do you learn your hexes and spells?" They replied by their patrons. They told him that he could have a patron. "What should my patron be," he asked.
"Insanity," they replied together. "You have become insane, and so your patron should be the patron of insanity. This may help you overcome your insanity." He agreed. So, they taught him how to become a witch.
He asked about their familiars. After a lengthy discussion, he asked if there was a familiar that could help him with reacting to situations better. They told him about the greensting scorpion, but he declined since it was too small for him. He wanted something a bit bigger. After looking through their papers, they told him about the compsognathus. "It is a dinosaur, so you will have to go to where they are to learn more about them. We will teach you the rituals. The first ritual should be done near where they live. After that, if your familiar dies, you will be able to perform a ritual in a different location than where they live.
His family and the witches prepared for him to go on his journey. He started his journey on a ship. He quickly learned that he did not like to travel over the water. He had to travel overland through some towns, hire a guide, and go into the nature to look for the compsognathus. When the guide brought him to where they lived, they camped. During the night, he had some wierd dreams, but he couldn't make out their meanings. Then the next couple of days, the guide taught him what he knew and showed him about their living habits. Finally, on the third full day, he performed his ritual. A couple of compsognathus came to him but rejected him. The third compsognathus did not turn away and became Pyron's familiar. All the spells that the witches tried to teach him seemed to leave his mind and enter the mind of the familiar. Now he truly understood what they meant that the familiar stored the spells for him.
Pyron, his familiar, and the guide returned back to the guide's town. Pyron rested before travelling back home. What happened when he was gone changed everything in his life when he returned.
Story of His Return Home:
When he came back to port, he went to visit the witches. They congratulated him but told him there was urgent news from his home. He left immediately for his home. When he arrived, he was surrounded and hugged by a few family friends and some others from town. There were tears on many of the faces. Bewildered, he looked around for his parents. An aunt, seeing his frantic look, clasped his hand and told him that his parents were murdered. Overwhelmed and shocked, he dropped down to the ground crying and shaking uncontrollably. He thrashed out to anyone who tried to go near him.
In his bout, images of insanity came to his mind, and he realized that his patron was insanity. He could tell that his familiar was trying to help him in his mind to help him find solace in the insanity and to control the chaos in his mind. Through his familiar, he Pyron was able to come back to reality.
He slept on his bed for a few days, because he was exhausted from both his trip and the death of his parents. The oracle came to see him. At first, he didn't want to talk with her. "Your training caused me to go insane!" He yelled.
Story of Becoming a Purifier:
"That was not from me. That is your mystery. It started to reveal itself to you through my training. Without the training, you would have gone insane anyway, but it woud have taken you much longer to understand it. I hear your training with the witches have helped you gain control over it. I am happy for that."
"Then why are you here?" He accused.
"Now that you have control over the chaos in your mind, you need to finish your training as an oracle."
"Why would I do that?" He asked.
"It will help you purify your soul. Additionally, it will help you avenge your parents' deaths."
When Pyron heard that, he sat upright. After staring at her and blinking a couple of times, he jumped out of bed, startling Bones, his familiar. "Then let's start immediately." She agreed.
They left to a place that he had visited before. It was outside of the city limits. She told him they were to meet another oracle who wanted to finish his training. There, they met him, but he was not a local. He was an Aasimar. Pyron was shocked. "Why would an Aasimar be here?"
"The emissary told him about your training. He felt that needed to learn some things that I could not teach you. You can trust him."
When they reached the opening of the fence, the Aasimar greeted him. "Hello and well met, Pyron Firehide."
"Hello," Pyron replied.
"We have much to discuss. My name is Tule. Please come inside." He brought them into a hut where he was staying. First, I want to give you my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents. Since we made our truce, and since your parents have upheld their bargain, I would like to finish the agreement."
"Finish the agreement?" Pyron asked.
"Yes, the agreement included that we had a chance to offer you training to allow you to have full opportunity learn our ways, learn what we can do to help you, and to offer you a chance to either be a full member of our society or at least be a redeemed exile. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so."
Tule continued, "Do you know about your halo and what it means?"
"Yes, I do. It was a way to stop the war between your people, the Peri society, and my people. It was presented in the form of a blessing for me." Pyron had a guard up inside. He didn't know about this man yet.
"That is correct. We blessed you to show good faith that we would not harm you. Now that you are older, and under the circumstances, we are ready to make you this offer. If you will train with me, then I will teach you the basic history of our people, the war according to our point of view, the history of your father's exile from our point of view, and recent history. If after the training you choose to accept goodness into your heart, because you need to understand both good and evil, then I will teach you how to be unlock the Aasimar part of yourself as an oracle."
"What is that?" Pyron asked.
"We call it purification. You would be known as a Purifier."
The other oracle, Pyron's first teacher, Shayla, raised her eyebrow and commented, "I have not heard of that."
Tule responded, "Aasimar oracles have always been able to go through a purification process. It is a part of who we are." She just nodded. Looking to Pyron he asks, "Once you have gone through the purification process, and I approve, then the emissary will ask you a few questions to determine if you will be given either the full member status or the redeemed exile status. If it is the latter, then you, your descendants, or both will have the chance to request for full member status at a later date; otherwise, they will automatically receive the redeemed exile status."
Pyron nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's get started."
The history lessons took a month. Once Pyron was indoctrinated, he agreed that he understands goodness for what it was. Once he proved that he accepted goodness into his heart, they started the purification process. That took two more months. Finally, at the end, Tule responded that they were successful and that Pyron was now a Purifier. Tule told Pyron to go home and wait for the emissary.
Story of Vengeance:
When he went home, he started to grieve again for the loss of his parents. He became angry again. He remembered that this training would help him avenge his parents. So he went around to gather up people who would support him or go with him to avenge his parents. After gathering information and garnering support, he and a few others went to a hideout of evil men who sent devils to kill his parents. The battle took the lives of a few of the members of his band. But when Pyron had the leader's throat in his hands at the end of the battle, the leader whispered some dark matters and conspiracies in his ear. Pyron didn't know what to make of it, but that didn't change his purpose. So, he slit the throat of the leader and avenged his parents.
Taking the head of the leader, he went to the town square and yelled, "I have done it! I have avenged my parents! If anyone doubts me, let them see the head of their murderers. Let this be a warning to any who hurts my family, my friends, my teachers, my comrades, or any decent person." He stuck stuck a pike in the ground and skewered the head with the top of the pike, leaving it there for others to see.
He went back to Shayla to tell her his deed and to see if the emissary has arrived. She was glad that Pyron was able to avenge his parents. The emissary has not arrived yet, so she suggested that he visit the witches.
He went to the witches and told them what happened. They could see the darkness in him and the insanity and chaos residing in him. "Let us finish your training before you leave to be a Purifier. Once we are done, you will be able to continue to train on your own." So they continued the last bit of his training. They explained how the hexes worked with each other, how the cackle could extend his evil eye hex and other hexes for as long as he continued to cackle. They told him about other hexes and suggested he look into the fortune and misfortune hexes while he is on his journey. Lastly, they taught him how to fly on a broomstick. He learned how to take off, maneuver, and land. They didn't have an extra one for him, but he could pick one up later on or even adapt his training if he ever grew wings, which they did say may happen to him someday.
Story of the Final Decision:
He finally received notice that the emissary arrived. So, he bid the witches farewell to go through the final test. "Who knows," Pyron exclaimed, "maybe I will have citizenship in two planes and two societies." So he left them not knowing if he woud ever see them again.
He went and met up with Shayla and Tule at Tule's residence. Shayla greeted him and brought him inside. Tule and Purest, the emissary, were discussing recent events. They greeted Pyron with a smile and welcomed him inside.
Purest started, "Tule was telling me that you made it through your purification ceremony."
"Yes, that's right. My training with Shayla and the witches helped prepare me to expect the unexpected."
Purest responded with a gentle laugh, "Yes, that would make sense. I am pleased to see that you have grown up with the chance to learn both sides of your ancestory. I do want to give you my condolences of your parents. It is a terrible loss to lose one's parents."
Pyron nodded, "My familiar helps me through the tough times."
Purest turned to look at the compsognathus. "I have never seen a compsognathus before. Is it gentle?"
"Yes, he's gentle. His name is Bones, because I can see his bones through his flesh pretty easily."
Purestlaughed again. "Yes, I see you are right. Now tell me Pyron, what have you done since the purification ceremony." This time she looked at him questioningly.
Pyron knew this was the test, the most important part of the interview. "I, uh, I avenged their death."
She put her finger to her mouth before asking, "How did you avenge them?"
Rushing into his answer, knowing immediately after that he rushed too quickly, "I killed their murderers." He paused when she was taken aback by his brashness. He slowed down his speech, "I investigated the situation, talked with local townspeople, and took a group to find their hideout. They sent devils after my family! Their actions were cruel and evil. They couldn't do it again. That's why the others went with me; they didn't want this to happen to others, again. It wasn't the first time they murdered someone in the area." He was breathing heavily this time.
"I see," she said quietly.
"What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let them get away with it just to kill someone else with devils?"
"They surely needed to be judged," she agreed. "But the way that it happened may not have been the best way. By the way, how many of the townspeople who went with you were killed?"
Shaking his head, "I don't know. A few. Five, I believe. One other had bad wounds, but I heard he was better after a week."
"What happened afterwards? What did you do? Did you stop after killing them?" She asked.
"No, no. I took the head of the leader, grabbed a pike, and went to the townsquare. I announced to those around that if anyone ever does this to anyone important to me or to any innocent person, then they need to think agin if I am around. I don't want to see this again. Whether they are an evil person or they say they are a good person yet performing evil deeds, I won't have it. Then I stuck the pike in the ground and stuck the head on the pike for people to see to show them that I mean it."
She nodded silently. "What do you think about good and evil?"
He squinted is eyes while he thought for a moment. "They are very similar."
"What do you mean?" She probed.
"I mean," he started, "people who are good are selfish for themselves and others. They try to do right by other people, but at the same time, when push comes to shove, they care more for themselves than other people. They may help others when they can, but if they can't, then they don't or can't care for others. People who are evil are selfish for themselves and sometimes for others. They try to do right for themselves. When it comes to other people, they use them as tools. They might help them, only as long as they get a favor in return. Good people ask for favors in return too. Both good and evil people fail to keep their word. Evil people will intentionally lie, where good people will accidentally lie. Does that make sense? Did I explain myself well enough?"
"Yes, you did. Did you finish your training with the witches? Do you intend to pursue that path? Or do you intend to be a Purifier?"
"I have sufficient training from the witches to be able to practice on my own. They gave me some useful tools and Bones, here, is a great protector. He helps me with my path into the Dark Tapestry mystery. The purification really helped me too. It seemed to be a calling, whereas the witches helped give me tools for that path. I started as an oracle originally; the witches just helped me control the insanity and chaos within me. I am a Purifier, and I intend to continue down that path."
"I am glad to hear that you know your calling and have found your path. It seems that you have much more within that needs purifying, so hopefully that path, your tools, and your familiar will help you with that. Now, in regards to your future with the Peri society, I would like to sleep on it. I have much to consider, and I don't like to rush into a decision. I feel that is the best way to be fair to you. Do you agree?"
Pyron smiled. "I agree."
"Then I will see you tomorrow. You should stay here tonight." After that, they were all quiet for the evening with the exception of the good-nights. They all woke up early. After breakfast, they sat to discuss his future in relations to the society. "I have considered the matter all evening and have slept on it. I have come to my decision."
Pyron adjusted in his chair to hear her answer.
"I feel that you have learned a lot. Indeed, you have met my hopes for you. I feel you have a path that you must follow for yourself. You have potential to do well in our society with the exception of the chaos within your mind. You need to focus on controlling it. Right now, you have your familiar to help you. That is a good thing, and you should continue to have him. He will be a great asset to you. However, I feel that it will take an entire lifetime to gain full control over the chaos, madness, and insanity in your mind and soul. You have a path that will not make it in our society."
Pyron started to have tears in his eyes after hearing that last part. "But I have not rejected the society unlike my father."
"I know. I agree and I understand. Please understand that this is a difficult judgment to make, but I must make it. If I allow you full citizenship rights, you would likely be worse off than if I were to give you a redeemed exile status. You have redeemed yourself from your father's decision, but you are not ready to make it as a citizen. You would likely be exiled in your lifetime, which is worse than where you are now. The society is judging you to be better off than where you were. Yes, it is by my decision, but it is based off of the society's principles."
Pyron didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream inside. He wanted to run out and yell at everyone. Then Bones came and nudged on his leg. Bones. My insanity. He's here to help me through this. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am not ready. I do have to go through this path to purify my soul. "Alright. You are right. I have to purify my soul. I accept the redeemed exile status. As long as all of my future generations have the opportunity to be accepted back with full rights on their own volition, accord, and ability, then I accept. Please tell them thank you for being here when my parents were killed. It does mean a lot to me. Tule, thank you for your help with the purification process, the history lessons, and the conversations about the different planes. I am interested in visiting them."
"Your welcome," Tule responded. "It was my pleasure to help you with your purification process and your start as a Purifier. Never forget that you are still an Aasimar Purifier. That has not changed and will never change. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." Pyron affirmed. Turning to Purest, "Am I allowed to visit you, Tule, or the society?"
"Yes, you may as a redeemed exile. But you may only visit for so long during your authorized visits. I would love to meet up with you again to see how you progress."
Tule agreed, "The same with me. Maybe I can help you with your path again someday. Don't hesitate to holler to visit me."
Story of His Eldritch Heritage:
After saying their good-byes, Pyron and Shayla left together and spoke about his plans. He said he was going to his parents, because there was some things that his mother had taught him that were in writing. He wanted to see what else she could teach him from beyond the grace. Shayla smiled and agreed. "If you need anything, please let me know. Even though you are a Purifier, you are still an oracle and still me student." He acknowledged her and agreed to visit her with questions. For now, he wanted to see what his mother had left.
He went home finally. Family and friends helped clean up the place. He was allowed to live there until the prepaid rent was used up. He looked at the useless wand with which he used to practice when he was younger. He looked through the parchments and saw some scrolls. He took out one that interested him when he was younger. It was about the arcane.
He remembered that she said she had sorcery in her blood. What did she call it? He looked down and saw the words "Eldritch Heritage" scribbled on the top of the scroll. He looked through the scrolls that were bound with it. He read over it. He saw that the first thing she picked up from it was the ability to cast more spells. Though, it has a note that others in her history had familiars like Bones, well different types of animals. He studied this section and realized why it wasn't so hard to get a familiar for himself in the first place. It was in his blood.
He focused on his familiar and considered what this means. He took the scrolls and went to the witches. They were overjoyed to see him but wondered why he was visiting them. When they were inside, he explained all that happened with the Peri emissary, then he explained about what he had been reading in his mother's scrolls. They nodded in agreement that it was in his blood.
"You have a very close bond with your familiar. Even closer than we could ever attain. You may be able to pass things on to your familiar, feats of unimaginable possibilities that we could never do. Usually, when most witches who stop training as a witch, their familiar stops growing. With you, though, your familiar will always grow when you grow, no matter your path. This will serve you well with your control over the chaos and insanity within your mind and soul. If you continue to read her scrolls, then in due time you may have more abilities come up from your eldritch heritage that may serve you well."
Ready for an Adventure:
He thanked them for their insight and their advice. After enjoying a nice meal and spending the night, like he had in the past, he left back for home. When it was nearing the time of the end of his lease, he started hearing rumors that interested him. Maybe it was a sign. He was ready to leave, ready to start an adventure. He packed his belongings and told his family. They moved out all the stuff that was of value. They told him that they had a place for him. Soon, people were visiting and asking if anyone could help with a mission. The locals pointed them to Pyron's way. They explained what he had done and that he would be a perfect person to consider.
Primary race (for build purposes): Peri-Blooded Aasimar (Outside-Native)
Secondary race (for looks and history purposes): Tiefling
Tertiary race (for some looks and history purposes): Human
Looks: 6'0" 160 lbs, Red skin with silvery-blue streaks and markings
Bald head with two red horns with silvery-blue tips and a halo that has red and silvery-blue colors swirling around.
Alignment: CN
Age: 90 years old (He was trained) (Height, weight, and age was randomly generated)
Ability Scores:
Str. 15+0=15
Dex: 13+0=13
Con: 15+0=15
Int: 11+2=13
Wis: 11+0=11
Cha: 17+2=19
Class Levels:
1st: Oracle (Purifier Archetype)
2nd-3rd: Witch (Beast-Bond Archetype
4th-20th: Oracle
Feats:
1st Level: Skill Focus: Knowl. Arcane
3rd Level: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane): Familiar option (I will continue to get more of this feat to further pursue the arcane power line.)
Traits:
Dangerously Curious
Reactionary
Oracle Mystery: Dark Tapestry
Witch's Patron: Insanity
Familiar: Compsognathus (Bones)
Questions Regarding Equipment:
I may either want to purchase up to three Adventure's Chronicle Books:
Do you know which or if any of the knowledge books may be useful in your game out of these five knowledge skills: arcane, history, nature, religion, or planes?
Oracle's 0-Level Spells Known: 4
Create Water
Purify Food and Drink
Virtue
Detect Magic
Oracle's 1-Level Spells Known: 2
Bless
Protection from Alignment
Witch's Patron: Class Level 2, Level 1 Spell: Memory Lapse
Witch's 0-Level Spells Known: All
Arcane Mark
Bleed
Dancing Lights
Daze
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
Guidance
Light
Mending
Message
Putrefy Food and Drink
Read Magic
Resistance
Spark
Stabilize
Touch of Fatigue
Witch's 1st-Level Spells Known: All
Air Bubble
Alchemical Tinkering
Beguiling Gift
Blend
Blood Money
Bungle
Burning Hands
Cause Fear
Charm Person
Chill Touch
Command
Compel Hostility
Comprehend Languages
Cure Light Wounds
Damp Powder
Dancing Lantern
Decompose Corpse
Delay Disease
Delusional Pride
Detect Secret Doors
Diagnose Disease
Ear Piercing Scream
Enlarge Person
Forced Quiet
Frostbite
Fumbletongue
Hex Ward
Hypnotism
Icicle Dagger
Identify
Ill Omen
Infernal Healing
Inflict Light Wounds
Interrogation
Jury-Rig
Karmic Blessing
Ki Arrow
Lock Gaze
Mage Armor
Marid's Mastery
Mask Dweomer
Mount
Mudball
Negative Reaction
Nereid's Grace
Obscuring Mist
Peacebond
Ray of Enfeeblement
Ray of Sickening
Recharge Innate Magic
Reduce Person
Reinforce Armaments
Remove Sickness
Restore Corpse
Sanctify Corpse
Shadow Weapon
Sleep
Sow Thought
Strong Wings
Summon Minor Monster
Summon Monster I
Theft Ward
Touch of Combustion
Transfer Tattoo
Unbreakable Heart
Undine's Curse
Unerring Weapon
Unprepared Combatant
Unseen Servant
Urban Grace
Vocal Alteration
Weaken Powder
Web Bolt
Youthful Appearance
Story of the Father:
A Peri-Blooded (Emberkin) Aasimar, nicknamed Pyro, grew up in a Peri society in the good Outer Planes. He could not control his inner nature and powers, struggled with his complex array of emotions, and ended up being shunned from much of society. Despite having supporters, judgment was made that he must be cast out. He fell from grace. Having been rejected, he sought out to how to have a future outside of the Peri society. A few supporters helped him travel to the Material Plane.
His anger grew and hate swelled up inside him when he lost his homeland. He turned back on his good ways and focused on what would make him powerful. An member of the Peri society who wanted to see him be punished even more tricked him into going down into a lair full of denizens from hell. While he was in there, he realized what was happening and made a deal with them. They would help each other fight the individual(s) who has/have been attacking the lair and tried to send Pyro to his death.
The feud and fighting went for a long time. During that time, Pyro mated with a Tiefling as his ultimate proof and act of rebellion against his home society.
Story of the Mother:
A beautiful Tiefling named Tish grew up in a darker society that had a mixture of creatures of the underworld and of evil men. She was trained to use her natural charm to beguile men of various races, show them a good, time, get the information, and leave the informer alive for future information or not. She traveled throughout a small region and made a small name for herself. She was sent to a post to elicit information from a couple of guards in a hidden outpost.
While she was at the outpost, a flame-touched creature that was obviously not supposed to be there came inside. Seizing the moment, she stopped the intruder and the few militia inside from attacking. She beguiled the otherworldly creature to not attack and to see if she or the others may be able to offer their services to him. Her offer surprised everyone, but her command and her presence kept everyone from attacking each other.
After hearing his story and listening to the local militia that others who were of a similar nature to this foreigner had been attacking them recently. She asked him if he was willing to turn against the Peri who sent him there, because she sensed that he might not be lying about being an outcast on the run. Since he was not eager at first, she tried to seduce him a little bit to see it her way. It was then when he agreed and it was this that helped her trust him a bit more than if he was willing to switch sides so easily.
After he agreed, he was put under her care, else he would be killed without her protection. She used this power to get control over him, to keep him alive to maintain that power, and to turn his heart over to her. He was not a yes-man, but required to be more of a partner, well as much as possible, which she allowed.
After a couple of years of warring, she knew the only way to maintain control over him was to have his child; it surely wasn't out of love. Tish told Pyro that he should to show that he should do it to prove to the other Peri that he indeed has left them for good.
Early Childhood and the Blessing:
The announcement of Pyron's birth was known to both society's, as a military and political ploy. On the day of his birth, Factions of the Peri, including some Aasimars, attempted to break through the denizens defenses. Larger battles broke out over this, which is what the denizens wanted: havoc. The Peri wanted to kill the child.
When the child was a few years old, an emissary was allowed to safely enter to meet with the family. She had a gift for the child. She proposed that if the gift is unacceptable, then they may take her life. This was the proposal: She would arrive to bless the child. The blessing would be a mark that would be known by both societies. This mark will show both sides that he is not to be harmed and that he must be allowed to make his own choices without fear of retribution. When he makes his choice, then the societies could choose to act accordingly. The parents and a representative of their society agreed.
She placed her hand on his head, between his small horns, moved her hand up and in a circle. A halo appeared over his head. This halo, though, was a mixture of red and silvery blue, just like the silvery blue markings on his body that he had since birth. Ever since that blessing, the war was reduced to battles between factions that grew from the war or had been happening prior to the war.
I don't know about the class yet, so I don't know about his history since early childhood.
Story of Becoming an Oracle:
Pyron Firehide grew up in a very controlling household. He grew up to be rebellious like his father and controlling like his mother. He lived in a place filled with evil men that dealt with demons and devils. Even still, the good-aligned emmissary came to visit him to ensure the pact was not broken that was made when he was younger. These interruptions confused Pyron about good/evil and love/hate.
When he was a bit older, things seemed to get a bit strange. It started out with him thinking someone was watching him. Then a breeze would pick up when the windows were closed. It got worse when items started moving on their own. His family moved thinking that the house might be haunted. It took only a week before Pyron started noticing the mysterious happenings. Finally, if he ever dropped an item, it would fly a few feet away from him.
When his family noticed that it was getting worse, they hired an oracle to come to the house to see what was wrong. During the ceremony, the oracle realized that the son was likely an oracle himself. "He has an oracle's curse. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you allow him to train as an oracle. He is haunted by the spirits, but I can train him how to control the effectsof the curse." The oracle announced this to the family. The family had mixed concerns and emotions. Pyron seemed to have lost hope. Then he decided that he wanted to pursue the path. After much discussion, the oracle offered her services to train the boy for a fee of course. The family agreed.
The first thing that she taught him was to control his actions by not letting go of things. He had to first have control over his curse. Then she taught him how to use the spell mage hand to help him retrieve his dropped items. Over time, he started moving other things on his own. When she saw this, she taught him how to cast the spell ghost sound. She told him that as he pursued this path, that even if she is not around, he is an oracle and will learn about the mysteries and revelations of being one. "What mysteries and revelations are you talking about?" He asked.
"There is much more to being an oracle than controlling your curse. There is a mystery behind your curse. As you focus your mind and allow yourself to open up, then the mystery will begin to reveal itself to you. Come back to me when it starts revealing itself to you and report to me what you have learned."
During that period, Pyron stayed up late to meditate. He would take a stroll along the block at night to help him think. Normally, he used his halo to help him see, but after a time he didn't; he wanted to open his mind. It was strange, but he seemed to be able to start seeing further in the darkness than he normally had before.
When he went back to report, she told him that she was surprised that he couldn't before knowing his race. Then she realized his halo was affecting that. "Your mystery is the Dark Tapestry. It is a dark mystery, one that has made a few oracles go mad. But don't worry. You have grown up in a dark and evil society. This mystery might even help you to survive in such a society." So she started teaching him a few spells that would help him survive like create water, purify food and drink, detect magic, and protection from alignment. He innately learned how to cast virtue and bless.
He asked her why this was the case. She explained, "The blessing given to you when you were younger is causing you to be balanced in your training. Do not fret. Use it to your advantage. Do not look at a blessing as a curse. Remember, there are forces from all sides that is affecting your training. Just be careful to know who you are despite the blessings and cursings that have been placed upon you. You are the result of a nasty war and an adverse lineage; it is very rare to see one who comes from a lineage of both fiends and Aasimars."
While he practiced, he started reacting to things before others. Also, he became curious about the arcane practices. He tried to control things that had magical properties. At one point, his parents found an old wand that had a few charges left in it. The father started to burn his own body with his hands, as he had taught Pyron to do when he was younger, hence Pyron's father's name: Pyro. Then his mother used the wand to heal the burn. They showed him how to use it correctly. Finally he got a hang of it. Then she showed him some magic scrolls and taught him how to read them. She even gave him a chance to cast a spell from a scroll before it disentegrated. She told him that was a part of the process of casting the spell.
Story of Becoming a Witch:
With all this knowledge, he started thinking that he was some kind of god. He tried to control things and then finally tried to control people. He started to go crazy and even a bit mad. Finally, the family contacted another being in the occult realm, a witch. She and her two sister witches (not necessarily blood-sisters) told them that they could help him with his madness, with his insanity, for a fee of course. The family relented.
The sisters took Pyron into their hut and let him use the guest portion of the dwelling. They brewed potions and practiced hexes and spells while watching for him to respond. He asked, "How or where do you learn your hexes and spells?" They replied by their patrons. They told him that he could have a patron. "What should my patron be," he asked.
"Insanity," they replied together. "You have become insane, and so your patron should be the patron of insanity. This may help you overcome your insanity." He agreed. So, they taught him how to become a witch.
He asked about their familiars. After a lengthy discussion, he asked if there was a familiar that could help him with reacting to situations better. They told him about the greensting scorpion, but he declined since it was too small for him. He wanted something a bit bigger. After looking through their papers, they told him about the compsognathus. "It is a dinosaur, so you will have to go to where they are to learn more about them. We will teach you the rituals. The first ritual should be done near where they live. After that, if your familiar dies, you will be able to perform a ritual in a different location than where they live.
His family and the witches prepared for him to go on his journey. He started his journey on a ship. He quickly learned that he did not like to travel over the water. He had to travel overland through some towns, hire a guide, and go into the nature to look for the compsognathus. When the guide brought him to where they lived, they camped. During the night, he had some wierd dreams, but he couldn't make out their meanings. Then the next couple of days, the guide taught him what he knew and showed him about their living habits. Finally, on the third full day, he performed his ritual. A couple of compsognathus came to him but rejected him. The third compsognathus did not turn away and became Pyron's familiar. All the spells that the witches tried to teach him seemed to leave his mind and enter the mind of the familiar. Now he truly understood what they meant that the familiar stored the spells for him.
Pyron, his familiar, and the guide returned back to the guide's town. Pyron rested before travelling back home. What happened when he was gone changed everything in his life when he returned.
Story of His Return Home:
When he came back to port, he went to visit the witches. They congratulated him but told him there was urgent news from his home. He left immediately for his home. When he arrived, he was surrounded and hugged by a few family friends and some others from town. There were tears on many of the faces. Bewildered, he looked around for his parents. An aunt, seeing his frantic look, clasped his hand and told him that his parents were murdered. Overwhelmed and shocked, he dropped down to the ground crying and shaking uncontrollably. He thrashed out to anyone who tried to go near him.
In his bout, images of insanity came to his mind, and he realized that his patron was insanity. He could tell that his familiar was trying to help him in his mind to help him find solace in the insanity and to control the chaos in his mind. Through his familiar, he Pyron was able to come back to reality.
He slept on his bed for a few days, because he was exhausted from both his trip and the death of his parents. The oracle came to see him. At first, he didn't want to talk with her. "Your training caused me to go insane!" He yelled.
Story of Becoming a Purifier:
"That was not from me. That is your mystery. It started to reveal itself to you through my training. Without the training, you would have gone insane anyway, but it woud have taken you much longer to understand it. I hear your training with the witches have helped you gain control over it. I am happy for that."
"Then why are you here?" He accused.
"Now that you have control over the chaos in your mind, you need to finish your training as an oracle."
"Why would I do that?" He asked.
"It will help you purify your soul. Additionally, it will help you avenge your parents' deaths."
When Pyron heard that, he sat upright. After staring at her and blinking a couple of times, he jumped out of bed, startling Bones, his familiar. "Then let's start immediately." She agreed.
They left to a place that he had visited before. It was outside of the city limits. She told him they were to meet another oracle who wanted to finish his training. There, they met him, but he was not a local. He was an Aasimar. Pyron was shocked. "Why would an Aasimar be here?"
"The emissary told him about your training. He felt that needed to learn some things that I could not teach you. You can trust him."
When they reached the opening of the fence, the Aasimar greeted him. "Hello and well met, Pyron Firehide."
"Hello," Pyron replied.
"We have much to discuss. My name is Tule. Please come inside." He brought them into a hut where he was staying. First, I want to give you my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents. Since we made our truce, and since your parents have upheld their bargain, I would like to finish the agreement."
"Finish the agreement?" Pyron asked.
"Yes, the agreement included that we had a chance to offer you training to allow you to have full opportunity learn our ways, learn what we can do to help you, and to offer you a chance to either be a full member of our society or at least be a redeemed exile. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so."
Tule continued, "Do you know about your halo and what it means?"
"Yes, I do. It was a way to stop the war between your people, the Peri society, and my people. It was presented in the form of a blessing for me." Pyron had a guard up inside. He didn't know about this man yet.
"That is correct. We blessed you to show good faith that we would not harm you. Now that you are older, and under the circumstances, we are ready to make you this offer. If you will train with me, then I will teach you the basic history of our people, the war according to our point of view, the history of your father's exile from our point of view, and recent history. If after the training you choose to accept goodness into your heart, because you need to understand both good and evil, then I will teach you how to be unlock the Aasimar part of yourself as an oracle."
"What is that?" Pyron asked.
"We call it purification. You would be known as a Purifier."
The other oracle, Pyron's first teacher, Shayla, raised her eyebrow and commented, "I have not heard of that."
Tule responded, "Aasimar oracles have always been able to go through a purification process. It is a part of who we are." She just nodded. Looking to Pyron he asks, "Once you have gone through the purification process, and I approve, then the emissary will ask you a few questions to determine if you will be given either the full member status or the redeemed exile status. If it is the latter, then you, your descendants, or both will have the chance to request for full member status at a later date; otherwise, they will automatically receive the redeemed exile status."
Pyron nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's get started."
The history lessons took a month. Once Pyron was indoctrinated, he agreed that he understands goodness for what it was. Once he proved that he accepted goodness into his heart, they started the purification process. That took two more months. Finally, at the end, Tule responded that they were successful and that Pyron was now a Purifier. Tule told Pyron to go home and wait for the emissary.
Story of Vengeance:
When he went home, he started to grieve again for the loss of his parents. He became angry again. He remembered that this training would help him avenge his parents. So he went around to gather up people who would support him or go with him to avenge his parents. After gathering information and garnering support, he and a few others went to a hideout of evil men who sent devils to kill his parents. The battle took the lives of a few of the members of his band. But when Pyron had the leader's throat in his hands at the end of the battle, the leader whispered some dark matters and conspiracies in his ear. Pyron didn't know what to make of it, but that didn't change his purpose. So, he slit the throat of the leader and avenged his parents.
Taking the head of the leader, he went to the town square and yelled, "I have done it! I have avenged my parents! If anyone doubts me, let them see the head of their murderers. Let this be a warning to any who hurts my family, my friends, my teachers, my comrades, or any decent person." He stuck stuck a pike in the ground and skewered the head with the top of the pike, leaving it there for others to see.
He went back to Shayla to tell her his deed and to see if the emissary has arrived. She was glad that Pyron was able to avenge his parents. The emissary has not arrived yet, so she suggested that he visit the witches.
He went to the witches and told them what happened. They could see the darkness in him and the insanity and chaos residing in him. "Let us finish your training before you leave to be a Purifier. Once we are done, you will be able to continue to train on your own." So they continued the last bit of his training. They explained how the hexes worked with each other, how the cackle could extend his evil eye hex and other hexes for as long as he continued to cackle. They told him about other hexes and suggested he look into the fortune and misfortune hexes while he is on his journey. Lastly, they taught him how to fly on a broomstick. He learned how to take off, maneuver, and land. They didn't have an extra one for him, but he could pick one up later on or even adapt his training if he ever grew wings, which they did say may happen to him someday.
Story of the Final Decision:
He finally received notice that the emissary arrived. So, he bid the witches farewell to go through the final test. "Who knows," Pyron exclaimed, "maybe I will have citizenship in two planes and two societies." So he left them not knowing if he woud ever see them again.
He went and met up with Shayla and Tule at Tule's residence. Shayla greeted him and brought him inside. Tule and Purest, the emissary, were discussing recent events. They greeted Pyron with a smile and welcomed him inside.
Purest started, "Tule was telling me that you made it through your purification ceremony."
"Yes, that's right. My training with Shayla and the witches helped prepare me to expect the unexpected."
Purest responded with a gentle laugh, "Yes, that would make sense. I am pleased to see that you have grown up with the chance to learn both sides of your ancestory. I do want to give you my condolences of your parents. It is a terrible loss to lose one's parents."
Pyron nodded, "My familiar helps me through the tough times."
Purest turned to look at the compsognathus. "I have never seen a compsognathus before. Is it gentle?"
"Yes, he's gentle. His name is Bones, because I can see his bones through his flesh pretty easily."
Purestlaughed again. "Yes, I see you are right. Now tell me Pyron, what have you done since the purification ceremony." This time she looked at him questioningly.
Pyron knew this was the test, the most important part of the interview. "I, uh, I avenged their death."
She put her finger to her mouth before asking, "How did you avenge them?"
Rushing into his answer, knowing immediately after that he rushed too quickly, "I killed their murderers." He paused when she was taken aback by his brashness. He slowed down his speech, "I investigated the situation, talked with local townspeople, and took a group to find their hideout. They sent devils after my family! Their actions were cruel and evil. They couldn't do it again. That's why the others went with me; they didn't want this to happen to others, again. It wasn't the first time they murdered someone in the area." He was breathing heavily this time.
"I see," she said quietly.
"What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let them get away with it just to kill someone else with devils?"
"They surely needed to be judged," she agreed. "But the way that it happened may not have been the best way. By the way, how many of the townspeople who went with you were killed?"
Shaking his head, "I don't know. A few. Five, I believe. One other had bad wounds, but I heard he was better after a week."
"What happened afterwards? What did you do? Did you stop after killing them?" She asked.
"No, no. I took the head of the leader, grabbed a pike, and went to the townsquare. I announced to those around that if anyone ever does this to anyone important to me or to any innocent person, then they need to think agin if I am around. I don't want to see this again. Whether they are an evil person or they say they are a good person yet performing evil deeds, I won't have it. Then I stuck the pike in the ground and stuck the head on the pike for people to see to show them that I mean it."
She nodded silently. "What do you think about good and evil?"
He squinted is eyes while he thought for a moment. "They are very similar."
"What do you mean?" She probed.
"I mean," he started, "people who are good are selfish for themselves and others. They try to do right by other people, but at the same time, when push comes to shove, they care more for themselves than other people. They may help others when they can, but if they can't, then they don't or can't care for others. People who are evil are selfish for themselves and sometimes for others. They try to do right for themselves. When it comes to other people, they use them as tools. They might help them, only as long as they get a favor in return. Good people ask for favors in return too. Both good and evil people fail to keep their word. Evil people will intentionally lie, where good people will accidentally lie. Does that make sense? Did I explain myself well enough?"
"Yes, you did. Did you finish your training with the witches? Do you intend to pursue that path? Or do you intend to be a Purifier?"
"I have sufficient training from the witches to be able to practice on my own. They gave me some useful tools and Bones, here, is a great protector. He helps me with my path into the Dark Tapestry mystery. The purification really helped me too. It seemed to be a calling, whereas the witches helped give me tools for that path. I started as an oracle originally; the witches just helped me control the insanity and chaos within me. I am a Purifier, and I intend to continue down that path."
"I am glad to hear that you know your calling and have found your path. It seems that you have much more within that needs purifying, so hopefully that path, your tools, and your familiar will help you with that. Now, in regards to your future with the Peri society, I would like to sleep on it. I have much to consider, and I don't like to rush into a decision. I feel that is the best way to be fair to you. Do you agree?"
Pyron smiled. "I agree."
"Then I will see you tomorrow. You should stay here tonight." After that, they were all quiet for the evening with the exception of the good-nights. They all woke up early. After breakfast, they sat to discuss his future in relations to the society. "I have considered the matter all evening and have slept on it. I have come to my decision."
Pyron adjusted in his chair to hear her answer.
"I feel that you have learned a lot. Indeed, you have met my hopes for you. I feel you have a path that you must follow for yourself. You have potential to do well in our society with the exception of the chaos within your mind. You need to focus on controlling it. Right now, you have your familiar to help you. That is a good thing, and you should continue to have him. He will be a great asset to you. However, I feel that it will take an entire lifetime to gain full control over the chaos, madness, and insanity in your mind and soul. You have a path that will not make it in our society."
Pyron started to have tears in his eyes after hearing that last part. "But I have not rejected the society unlike my father."
"I know. I agree and I understand. Please understand that this is a difficult judgment to make, but I must make it. If I allow you full citizenship rights, you would likely be worse off than if I were to give you a redeemed exile status. You have redeemed yourself from your father's decision, but you are not ready to make it as a citizen. You would likely be exiled in your lifetime, which is worse than where you are now. The society is judging you to be better off than where you were. Yes, it is by my decision, but it is based off of the society's principles."
Pyron didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream inside. He wanted to run out and yell at everyone. Then Bones came and nudged on his leg. Bones. My insanity. He's here to help me through this. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am not ready. I do have to go through this path to purify my soul. "Alright. You are right. I have to purify my soul. I accept the redeemed exile status. As long as all of my future generations have the opportunity to be accepted back with full rights on their own volition, accord, and ability, then I accept. Please tell them thank you for being here when my parents were killed. It does mean a lot to me. Tule, thank you for your help with the purification process, the history lessons, and the conversations about the different planes. I am interested in visiting them."
"Your welcome," Tule responded. "It was my pleasure to help you with your purification process and your start as a Purifier. Never forget that you are still an Aasimar Purifier. That has not changed and will never change. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." Pyron affirmed. Turning to Purest, "Am I allowed to visit you, Tule, or the society?"
"Yes, you may as a redeemed exile. But you may only visit for so long during your authorized visits. I would love to meet up with you again to see how you progress."
Tule agreed, "The same with me. Maybe I can help you with your path again someday. Don't hesitate to holler to visit me."
Story of His Eldritch Heritage:
After saying their good-byes, Pyron and Shayla left together and spoke about his plans. He said he was going to his parents, because there was some things that his mother had taught him that were in writing. He wanted to see what else she could teach him from beyond the grace. Shayla smiled and agreed. "If you need anything, please let me know. Even though you are a Purifier, you are still an oracle and still me student." He acknowledged her and agreed to visit her with questions. For now, he wanted to see what his mother had left.
He went home finally. Family and friends helped clean up the place. He was allowed to live there until the prepaid rent was used up. He looked at the useless wand with which he used to practice when he was younger. He looked through the parchments and saw some scrolls. He took out one that interested him when he was younger. It was about the arcane.
He remembered that she said she had sorcery in her blood. What did she call it? He looked down and saw the words "Eldritch Heritage" scribbled on the top of the scroll. He looked through the scrolls that were bound with it. He read over it. He saw that the first thing she picked up from it was the ability to cast more spells. Though, it has a note that others in her history had familiars like Bones, well different types of animals. He studied this section and realized why it wasn't so hard to get a familiar for himself in the first place. It was in his blood.
He focused on his familiar and considered what this means. He took the scrolls and went to the witches. They were overjoyed to see him but wondered why he was visiting them. When they were inside, he explained all that happened with the Peri emissary, then he explained about what he had been reading in his mother's scrolls. They nodded in agreement that it was in his blood.
"You have a very close bond with your familiar. Even closer than we could ever attain. You may be able to pass things on to your familiar, feats of unimaginable possibilities that we could never do. Usually, when most witches who stop training as a witch, their familiar stops growing. With you, though, your familiar will always grow when you grow, no matter your path. This will serve you well with your control over the chaos and insanity within your mind and soul. If you continue to read her scrolls, then in due time you may have more abilities come up from your eldritch heritage that may serve you well."
[spoiler=Ready for an Adventure]
He thanked them for their insight and their advice. After enjoying a nice meal and spending the night, like he had in the past, he left back for home. When it was nearing the time of the end of his lease, he started hearing rumors that interested him. Maybe it was a sign. He was ready to leave, ready to start an adventure. He packed his belongings and told his family. They moved out all the stuff that was of value. They told him that they had a place for him. Soon, people were visiting and asking if anyone could help with a mission. The locals pointed them to Pyron's way. They explained what he had done and that he would be a perfect person to consider.
Death?:
He joined the group and they told him they had to go out of town. He had no problem with that. When they got outside of the town limits, they went to the edge of a cliff, told him he was going to pay for what he did, and that they were going to throw him over the cliff. Before he or his familiar could react, they knocked him out.
...I must admit that I am quite impressed by the story that you have written for your character (I sound like a college administrator...BWAH). Be proud of yourself and your skills in writing a backstory. I'll look into it further later when I get home from work.
Primary race (for build purposes): Peri-Blooded Aasimar (Outside-Native)
Secondary race (for looks and history purposes): Tiefling
Tertiary race (for some looks and history purposes): Human
Looks: 6'0" 160 lbs, Red skin with silvery-blue streaks and markings
Bald head with two red horns with silvery-blue tips and a halo that has red and silvery-blue colors swirling around.
Alignment: CN
Age: 90 years old (He was trained) (Height, weight, and age was randomly generated)
Ability Scores:
Str. 14+0=14
Dex: 12+0=12
Con: 12+0=12
Int: 8 +2=10
Wis: 10+0=10
Cha: 17+2=19
Feats:
1st Level: Skill Focus: Knowl. Arcane
3rd Level: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane): Familiar option (I will continue to get more of this feat to further pursue the arcane power line.)
Traits:
Dangerously Curious
Reactionary
Oracle Mystery: Dark Tapestry
Witch's Patron: Insanity
Familiar: Compsognathus (Bones)
[spoiler=Story of the father]
A Peri-Blooded (Emberkin) Aasimar, nicknamed Pyro, grew up in a Peri society in the good Outer Planes. He could not control his inner nature and powers, struggled with his complex array of emotions, and ended up being shunned from much of society. Despite having supporters, judgment was made that he must be cast out. He fell from grace. Having been rejected, he sought out to how to have a future outside of the Peri society. A few supporters helped him travel to the Material Plane.
His anger grew and hate swelled up inside him when he lost his homeland. He turned back on his good ways and focused on what would make him powerful. An member of the Peri society who wanted to see him be punished even more tricked him into going down into a lair full of denizens from hell. While he was in there, he realized what was happening and made a deal with them. They would help each other fight the individual(s) who has/have been attacking the lair and tried to send Pyro to his death.
The feud and fighting went for a long time. During that time, Pyro mated with a Tiefling as his ultimate proof and act of rebellion against his home society.
Story of the mother:
A beautiful Tiefling named Tish grew up in a darker society that had a mixture of creatures of the underworld and of evil men. She was trained to use her natural charm to beguile men of various races, show them a good, time, get the information, and leave the informer alive for future information or not. She traveled throughout a small region and made a small name for herself. She was sent to a post to elicit information from a couple of guards in a hidden outpost.
While she was at the outpost, a flame-touched creature that was obviously not supposed to be there came inside. Seizing the moment, she stopped the intruder and the few militia inside from attacking. She beguiled the otherworldly creature to not attack and to see if she or the others may be able to offer their services to him. Her offer surprised everyone, but her command and her presence kept everyone from attacking each other.
After hearing his story and listening to the local militia that others who were of a similar nature to this foreigner had been attacking them recently. She asked him if he was willing to turn against the Peri who sent him there, because she sensed that he might not be lying about being an outcast on the run. Since he was not eager at first, she tried to seduce him a little bit to see it her way. It was then when he agreed and it was this that helped her trust him a bit more than if he was willing to switch sides so easily.
After he agreed, he was put under her care, else he would be killed without her protection. She used this power to get control over him, to keep him alive to maintain that power, and to turn his heart over to her. He was not a yes-man, but required to be more of a partner, well as much as possible, which she allowed.
After a couple of years of warring, she knew the only way to maintain control over him was to have his child; it surely wasn't out of love. Tish told Pyro that he should to show that he should do it to prove to the other Peri that he indeed has left them for good.
Early childhood and the Blessing:
The announcement of Pyron's birth was known to both society's, as a military and political ploy. On the day of his birth, Factions of the Peri, including some Aasimars, attempted to break through the denizens defenses. Larger battles broke out over this, which is what the denizens wanted: havoc. The Peri wanted to kill the child.
When the child was a few years old, an emissary was allowed to safely enter to meet with the family. She had a gift for the child. She proposed that if the gift is unacceptable, then they may take her life. This was the proposal: She would arrive to bless the child. The blessing would be a mark that would be known by both societies. This mark will show both sides that he is not to be harmed and that he must be allowed to make his own choices without fear of retribution. When he makes his choice, then the societies could choose to act accordingly. The parents and a representative of their society agreed.
She placed her hand on his head, between his small horns, moved her hand up and in a circle. A halo appeared over his head. This halo, though, was a mixture of red and silvery blue, just like the silvery blue markings on his body that he had since birth. Ever since that blessing, the war was reduced to battles between factions that grew from the war or had been happening prior to the war.
I don't know about the class yet, so I don't know about his history since early childhood.
Story of becoming an oracle:
Pyron Firehide grew up in a very controlling household. He grew up to be rebellious like his father and controlling like his mother. He lived in a place filled with evil men that dealt with demons and devils. Even still, the good-aligned emmissary came to visit him to ensure the pact was not broken that was made when he was younger. These interruptions confused Pyron about good/evil and love/hate.
When he was a bit older, things seemed to get a bit strange. It started out with him thinking someone was watching him. Then a breeze would pick up when the windows were closed. It got worse when items started moving on their own. His family moved thinking that the house might be haunted. It took only a week before Pyron started noticing the mysterious happenings. Finally, if he ever dropped an item, it would fly a few feet away from him.
When his family noticed that it was getting worse, they hired an oracle to come to the house to see what was wrong. During the ceremony, the oracle realized that the son was likely an oracle himself. "He has an oracle's curse. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you allow him to train as an oracle. He is haunted by the spirits, but I can train him how to control the effectsof the curse." The oracle announced this to the family. The family had mixed concerns and emotions. Pyron seemed to have lost hope. Then he decided that he wanted to pursue the path. After much discussion, the oracle offered her services to train the boy for a fee of course. The family agreed.
The first thing that she taught him was to control his actions by not letting go of things. He had to first have control over his curse. Then she taught him how to use the spell mage hand to help him retrieve his dropped items. Over time, he started moving other things on his own. When she saw this, she taught him how to cast the spell ghost sound. She told him that as he pursued this path, that even if she is not around, he is an oracle and will learn about the mysteries and revelations of being one. "What mysteries and revelations are you talking about?" He asked.
"There is much more to being an oracle than controlling your curse. There is a mystery behind your curse. As you focus your mind and allow yourself to open up, then the mystery will begin to reveal itself to you. Come back to me when it starts revealing itself to you and report to me what you have learned."
During that period, Pyron stayed up late to meditate. He would take a stroll along the block at night to help him think. Normally, he used his halo to help him see, but after a time he didn't; he wanted to open his mind. It was strange, but he seemed to be able to start seeing further in the darkness than he normally had before.
When he went back to report, she told him that she was surprised that he couldn't before knowing his race. Then she realized his halo was affecting that. "Your mystery is the Dark Tapestry. It is a dark mystery, one that has made a few oracles go mad. But don't worry. You have grown up in a dark and evil society. This mystery might even help you to survive in such a society." So she started teaching him a few spells that would help him survive like create water, purify food and drink, detect magic, and protection from alignment. He innately learned how to cast virtue and bless.
He asked her why this was the case. She explained, "The blessing given to you when you were younger is causing you to be balanced in your training. Do not fret. Use it to your advantage. Do not look at a blessing as a curse. Remember, there are forces from all sides that is affecting your training. Just be careful to know who you are despite the blessings and cursings that have been placed upon you. You are the result of a nasty war and an adverse lineage; it is very rare to see one who comes from a lineage of both fiends and Aasimars."
While he practiced, he started reacting to things before others. Also, he became curious about the arcane practices. He tried to control things that had magical properties. At one point, his parents found an old wand that had a few charges left in it. The father started to burn his own body with his hands, as he had taught Pyron to do when he was younger, hence Pyron's father's name: Pyro. Then his mother used the wand to heal the burn. They showed him how to use it correctly. Finally he got a hang of it. Then she showed him some magic scrolls and taught him how to read them. She even gave him a chance to cast a spell from a scroll before it disentegrated. She told him that was a part of the process of casting the spell.
Story of becoming a witch:
With all this knowledge, he started thinking that he was some kind of god. He tried to control things and then finally tried to control people. He started to go crazy and even a bit mad. Finally, the family contacted another being in the occult realm, a witch. She and her two sister witches (not necessarily blood-sisters) told them that they could help him with his madness, with his insanity, for a fee of course. The family relented.
The sisters took Pyron into their hut and let him use the guest portion of the dwelling. They brewed potions and practiced hexes and spells while watching for him to respond. He asked, "How or where do you learn your hexes and spells?" They replied by their patrons. They told him that he could have a patron. "What should my patron be," he asked.
"Insanity," they replied together. "You have become insane, and so your patron should be the patron of insanity. This may help you overcome your insanity." He agreed. So, they taught him how to become a witch.
He asked about their familiars. After a lengthy discussion, he asked if there was a familiar that could help him with reacting to situations better. They told him about the greensting scorpion, but he declined since it was too small for him. He wanted something a bit bigger. After looking through their papers, they told him about the compsognathus. "It is a dinosaur, so you will have to go to where they are to learn more about them. We will teach you the rituals. The first ritual should be done near where they live. After that, if your familiar dies, you will be able to perform a ritual in a different location than where they live.
His family and the witches prepared for him to go on his journey. He started his journey on a ship. He quickly learned that he did not like to travel over the water. He had to travel overland through some towns, hire a guide, and go into the nature to look for the compsognathus. When the guide brought him to where they lived, they camped. During the night, he had some wierd dreams, but he couldn't make out their meanings. Then the next couple of days, the guide taught him what he knew and showed him about their living habits. Finally, on the third full day, he performed his ritual. A couple of compsognathus came to him but rejected him. The third compsognathus did not turn away and became Pyron's familiar. All the spells that the witches tried to teach him seemed to leave his mind and enter the mind of the familiar. Now he truly understood what they meant that the familiar stored the spells for him.
Pyron, his familiar, and the guide returned back to the guide's town. Pyron rested before travelling back home. What happened when he was gone changed everything in his life when he returned.
Story of his return home:
When he came back to port, he went to visit the witches. They congratulated him but told him there was urgent news from his home. He left immediately for his home. When he arrived, he was surrounded and hugged by a few family friends and some others from town. There were tears on many of the faces. Bewildered, he looked around for his parents. An aunt, seeing his frantic look, clasped his hand and told him that his parents were murdered. Overwhelmed and shocked, he dropped down to the ground crying and shaking uncontrollably. He thrashed out to anyone who tried to go near him.
In his bout, images of insanity came to his mind, and he realized that his patron was insanity. He could tell that his familiar was trying to help him in his mind to help him find solace in the insanity and to control the chaos in his mind. Through his familiar, he Pyron was able to come back to reality.
He slept on his bed for a few days, because he was exhausted from both his trip and the death of his parents. The oracle came to see him. At first, he didn't want to talk with her. "Your training caused me to go insane!" He yelled.
Story of becoming a Purifier:
"That was not from me. That is your mystery. It started to reveal itself to you through my training. Without the training, you would have gone insane anyway, but it woud have taken you much longer to understand it. I hear your training with the witches have helped you gain control over it. I am happy for that."
"Then why are you here?" He accused.
"Now that you have control over the chaos in your mind, you need to finish your training as an oracle."
"Why would I do that?" He asked.
"It will help you purify your soul. Additionally, it will help you avenge your parents' deaths."
When Pyron heard that, he sat upright. After staring at her and blinking a couple of times, he jumped out of bed, startling Bones, his familiar. "Then let's start immediately." She agreed.
They left to a place that he had visited before. It was outside of the city limits. She told him they were to meet another oracle who wanted to finish his training. There, they met him, but he was not a local. He was an Aasimar. Pyron was shocked. "Why would an Aasimar be here?"
"The emissary told him about your training. He felt that needed to learn some things that I could not teach you. You can trust him."
When they reached the opening of the fence, the Aasimar greeted him. "Hello and well met, Pyron Firehide."
"Hello," Pyron replied.
"We have much to discuss. My name is Tule. Please come inside." He brought them into a hut where he was staying. First, I want to give you my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents. Since we made our truce, and since your parents have upheld their bargain, I would like to finish the agreement."
"Finish the agreement?" Pyron asked.
"Yes, the agreement included that we had a chance to offer you training to allow you to have full opportunity learn our ways, learn what we can do to help you, and to offer you a chance to either be a full member of our society or at least be a redeemed exile. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so."
Tule continued, "Do you know about your halo and what it means?"
"Yes, I do. It was a way to stop the war between your people, the Peri society, and my people. It was presented in the form of a blessing for me." Pyron had a guard up inside. He didn't know about this man yet.
"That is correct. We blessed you to show good faith that we would not harm you. Now that you are older, and under the circumstances, we are ready to make you this offer. If you will train with me, then I will teach you the basic history of our people, the war according to our point of view, the history of your father's exile from our point of view, and recent history. If after the training you choose to accept goodness into your heart, because you need to understand both good and evil, then I will teach you how to be unlock the Aasimar part of yourself as an oracle."
"What is that?" Pyron asked.
"We call it purification. You would be known as a Purifier."
The other oracle, Pyron's first teacher, Shayla, raised her eyebrow and commented, "I have not heard of that."
Tule responded, "Aasimar oracles have always been able to go through a purification process. It is a part of who we are." She just nodded. Looking to Pyron he asks, "Once you have gone through the purification process, and I approve, then the emissary will ask you a few questions to determine if you will be given either the full member status or the redeemed exile status. If it is the latter, then you, your descendants, or both will have the chance to request for full member status at a later date; otherwise, they will automatically receive the redeemed exile status."
Pyron nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's get started."
The history lessons took a month. Once Pyron was indoctrinated, he agreed that he understands goodness for what it was. Once he proved that he accepted goodness into his heart, they started the purification process. That took two more months. Finally, at the end, Tule responded that they were successful and that Pyron was now a Purifier. Tule told Pyron to go home and wait for the emissary.
Story of vengeance:
When he went home, he started to grieve again for the loss of his parents. He became angry again. He remembered that this training would help him avenge his parents. So he went around to gather up people who would support him or go with him to avenge his parents. After gathering information and garnering support, he and a few others went to a hideout of evil men who sent devils to kill his parents. The battle took the lives of a few of the members of his band. But when Pyron had the leader's throat in his hands at the end of the battle, the leader whispered some dark matters and conspiracies in his ear. Pyron didn't know what to make of it, but that didn't change his purpose. So, he slit the throat of the leader and avenged his parents.
Taking the head of the leader, he went to the town square and yelled, "I have done it! I have avenged my parents! If anyone doubts me, let them see the head of their murderers. Let this be a warning to any who hurts my family, my friends, my teachers, my comrades, or any decent person." He stuck stuck a pike in the ground and skewered the head with the top of the pike, leaving it there for others to see.
He went back to Shayla to tell her his deed and to see if the emissary has arrived. She was glad that Pyron was able to avenge his parents. The emissary has not arrived yet, so she suggested that he visit the witches.
He went to the witches and told them what happened. They could see the darkness in him and the insanity and chaos residing in him. "Let us finish your training before you leave to be a Purifier. Once we are done, you will be able to continue to train on your own." So they continued the last bit of his training. They explained how the hexes worked with each other, how the cackle could extend his evil eye hex and other hexes for as long as he continued to cackle. They told him about other hexes and suggested he look into the fortune and misfortune hexes while he is on his journey. Lastly, they taught him how to fly on a broomstick. He learned how to take off, maneuver, and land. They didn't have an extra one for him, but he could pick one up later on or even adapt his training if he ever grew wings, which they did say may happen to him someday.
Story of the final decision:
He finally received notice that the emissary arrived. So, he bid the witches farewell to go through the final test. "Who knows," Pyron exclaimed, "maybe I will have citizenship in two planes and two societies." So he left them not knowing if he woud ever see them again.
He went and met up with Shayla and Tule at Tule's residence. Shayla greeted him and brought him inside. Tule and Purest, the emissary, were discussing recent events. They greeted Pyron with a smile and welcomed him inside.
Purest started, "Tule was telling me that you made it through your purification ceremony."
"Yes, that's right. My training with Shayla and the witches helped prepare me to expect the unexpected."
Purest responded with a gentle laugh, "Yes, that would make sense. I am pleased to see that you have grown up with the chance to learn both sides of your ancestory. I do want to give you my condolences of your parents. It is a terrible loss to lose one's parents."
Pyron nodded, "My familiar helps me through the tough times."
Purest turned to look at the compsognathus. "I have never seen a compsognathus before. Is it gentle?"
"Yes, he's gentle. His name is Bones, because I can see his bones through his flesh pretty easily."
Purestlaughed again. "Yes, I see you are right. Now tell me Pyron, what have you done since the purification ceremony." This time she looked at him questioningly.
Pyron knew this was the test, the most important part of the interview. "I, uh, I avenged their death."
She put her finger to her mouth before asking, "How did you avenge them?"
Rushing into his answer, knowing immediately after that he rushed too quickly, "I killed their murderers." He paused when she was taken aback by his brashness. He slowed down his speech, "I investigated the situation, talked with local townspeople, and took a group to find their hideout. They sent devils after my family! Their actions were cruel and evil. They couldn't do it again. That's why the others went with me; they didn't want this to happen to others, again. It wasn't the first time they murdered someone in the area." He was breathing heavily this time.
"I see," she said quietly.
"What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let them get away with it just to kill someone else with devils?"
"They surely needed to be judged," she agreed. "But the way that it happened may not have been the best way. By the way, how many of the townspeople who went with you were killed?"
Shaking his head, "I don't know. A few. Five, I believe. One other had bad wounds, but I heard he was better after a week."
"What happened afterwards? What did you do? Did you stop after killing them?" She asked.
"No, no. I took the head of the leader, grabbed a pike, and went to the townsquare. I announced to those around that if anyone ever does this to anyone important to me or to any innocent person, then they need to think agin if I am around. I don't want to see this again. Whether they are an evil person or they say they are a good person yet performing evil deeds, I won't have it. Then I stuck the pike in the ground and stuck the head on the pike for people to see to show them that I mean it."
She nodded silently. "What do you think about good and evil?"
He squinted is eyes while he thought for a moment. "They are very similar."
"What do you mean?" She probed.
"I mean," he started, "people who are good are selfish for themselves and others. They try to do right by other people, but at the same time, when push comes to shove, they care more for themselves than other people. They may help others when they can, but if they can't, then they don't or can't care for others. People who are evil are selfish for themselves and sometimes for others. They try to do right for themselves. When it comes to other people, they use them as tools. They might help them, only as long as they get a favor in return. Good people ask for favors in return too. Both good and evil people fail to keep their word. Evil people will intentionally lie, where good people will accidentally lie. Does that make sense? Did I explain myself well enough?"
"Yes, you did. Did you finish your training with the witches? Do you intend to pursue that path? Or do you intend to be a Purifier?"
"I have sufficient training from the witches to be able to practice on my own. They gave me some useful tools and Bones, here, is a great protector. He helps me with my path into the Dark Tapestry mystery. The purification really helped me too. It seemed to be a calling, whereas the witches helped give me tools for that path. I started as an oracle originally; the witches just helped me control the insanity and chaos within me. I am a Purifier, and I intend to continue down that path."
"I am glad to hear that you know your calling and have found your path. It seems that you have much more within that needs purifying, so hopefully that path, your tools, and your familiar will help you with that. Now, in regards to your future with the Peri society, I would like to sleep on it. I have much to consider, and I don't like to rush into a decision. I feel that is the best way to be fair to you. Do you agree?"
Pyron smiled. "I agree."
"Then I will see you tomorrow. You should stay here tonight." After that, they were all quiet for the evening with the exception of the good-nights. They all woke up early. After breakfast, they sat to discuss his future in relations to the society. "I have considered the matter all evening and have slept on it. I have come to my decision."
Pyron adjusted in his chair to hear her answer.
"I feel that you have learned a lot. Indeed, you have met my hopes for you. I feel you have a path that you must follow for yourself. You have potential to do well in our society with the exception of the chaos within your mind. You need to focus on controlling it. Right now, you have your familiar to help you. That is a good thing, and you should continue to have him. He will be a great asset to you. However, I feel that it will take an entire lifetime to gain full control over the chaos, madness, and insanity in your mind and soul. You have a path that will not make it in our society."
Pyron started to have tears in his eyes after hearing that last part. "But I have not rejected the society unlike my father."
"I know. I agree and I understand. Please understand that this is a difficult judgment to make, but I must make it. If I allow you full citizenship rights, you would likely be worse off than if I were to give you a redeemed exile status. You have redeemed yourself from your father's decision, but you are not ready to make it as a citizen. You would likely be exiled in your lifetime, which is worse than where you are now. The society is judging you to be better off than where you were. Yes, it is by my decision, but it is based off of the society's principles."
Pyron didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream inside. He wanted to run out and yell at everyone. Then Bones came and nudged on his leg. Bones. My insanity. He's here to help me through this. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am not ready. I do have to go through this path to purify my soul. "Alright. You are right. I have to purify my soul. I accept the redeemed exile status. As long as all of my future generations have the opportunity to be accepted back with full rights on their own volition, accord, and ability, then I accept. Please tell them thank you for being here when my parents were killed. It does mean a lot to me. Tule, thank you for your help with the purification process, the history lessons, and the conversations about the different planes. I am interested in visiting them."
"Your welcome," Tule responded. "It was my pleasure to help you with your purification process and your start as a Purifier. Never forget that you are still an Aasimar Purifier. That has not changed and will never change. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." Pyron affirmed. Turning to Purest, "Am I allowed to visit you, Tule, or the society?"
"Yes, you may as a redeemed exile. But you may only visit for so long during your authorized visits. I would love to meet up with you again to see how you progress."
Tule agreed, "The same with me. Maybe I can help you with your path again someday. Don't hesitate to holler to visit me."
Story of his Eldritch Heritage:
After saying their good-byes, Pyron and Shayla left together and spoke about his plans. He said he was going to his parents, because there was some things that his mother had taught him that were in writing. He wanted to see what else she could teach him from beyond the grace. Shayla smiled and agreed. "If you need anything, please let me know. Even though you are a Purifier, you are still an oracle and still me student." He acknowledged her and agreed to visit her with questions. For now, he wanted to see what his mother had left.
He went home finally. Family and friends helped clean up the place. He was allowed to live there until the prepaid rent was used up. He looked at the useless wand with which he used to practice when he was younger. He looked through the parchments and saw some scrolls. He took out one that interested him when he was younger. It was about the arcane.
He remembered that she said she had sorcery in her blood. What did she call it? He looked down and saw the words "Eldritch Heritage" scribbled on the top of the scroll. He looked through the scrolls that were bound with it. He read over it. He saw that the first thing she picked up from it was the ability to cast more spells. Though, it has a note that others in her history had familiars like Bones, well different types of animals. He studied this section and realized why it wasn't so hard to get a familiar for himself in the first place. It was in his blood.
He focused on his familiar and considered what this means. He took the scrolls and went to the witches. They were overjoyed to see him but wondered why he was visiting them. When they were inside, he explained all that happened with the Peri emissary, then he explained about what he had been reading in his mother's scrolls. They nodded in agreement that it was in his blood.
"You have a very close bond with your familiar. Even closer than we could ever attain. You may be able to pass things on to your familiar, feats of unimaginable possibilities that we could never do. Usually, when most witches who stop training as a witch, their familiar stops growing. With you, though, your familiar will always grow when you grow, no matter your path. This will serve you well with your control over the chaos and insanity within your mind and soul. If you continue to read her scrolls, then in due time you may have more abilities come up from your eldritch heritage that may serve you well."
Ready for an adventure:
He thanked them for their insight and their advice. After enjoying a nice meal and spending the night, like he had in the past, he left back for home. When it was nearing the time of the end of his lease, he started hearing rumors that interested him. Maybe it was a sign. He was ready to leave, ready to start an adventure. He packed his belongings and told his family. They moved out all the stuff that was of value. They told him that they had a place for him. Soon, people were visiting and asking if anyone could help with a mission. The locals pointed them to Pyron's way. They explained what he had done and that he would be a perfect person to consider.
I just created a character with an amazing backstory for another potential game. There were too many applicants, so I am hoping to keep the character and backstory. The character was made to start at level three, though I can always pull him back. My only thought is that some of his time backstory is about getting a couple of levels in a 2nd class. Would you accept his story and when he actually gets that level, then the realization of the character's backstory just comes into play?
This is the final portion of his history to the present day, or close enough. (Please note, it is really long. Sorry, but it represents the rest of the life of this character up to this day.)
Recent history:
When he came back to port, he went to visit the witches. They congratulated him but told him there was urgent news from his home. He left immediately for his home. When he arrived, he was surrounded and hugged by a few family friends and some others from town. There were tears on many of the faces. Bewildered, he looked around for his parents. An aunt, seeing his frantic look, clasped his hand and told him that his parents were murdered. Overwhelmed and shocked, he dropped down to the ground crying and shaking uncontrollably. He thrashed out to anyone who tried to go near him.
In his bout, images of insanity came to his mind, and he realized that his patron was insanity. He could tell that his familiar was trying to help him in his mind to help him find solace in the insanity and to control the chaos in his mind. Through his familiar, he Pyron was able to come back to reality.
He slept on his bed for a few days, because he was exhausted from both his trip and the death of his parents. The oracle came to see him. At first, he didn't want to talk with her. "Your training caused me to go insane!" He yelled.
"That was not from me. That is your mystery. It started to reveal itself to you through my training. Without the training, you would have gone insane anyway, but it woud have taken you much longer to understand it. I hear your training with the witches have helped you gain control over it. I am happy for that."
"Then why are you here?" He accused.
"Now that you have control over the chaos in your mind, you need to finish your training as an oracle."
"Why would I do that?" He asked.
"It will help you purify your soul. Additionally, it will help you avenge your parents' deaths."
When Pyron heard that, he sat upright. After staring at her and blinking a couple of times, he jumped out of bed, startling Bones, his familiar. "Then let's start immediately." She agreed.
They left to a place that he had visited before. It was outside of the city limits. She told him they were to meet another oracle who wanted to finish his training. There, they met him, but he was not a local. He was an Aasimar. Pyron was shocked. "Why would an Aasimar be here?"
"The emissary told him about your training. He felt that needed to learn some things that I could not teach you. You can trust him."
When they reached the opening of the fence, the Aasimar greeted him. "Hello and well met, Pyron Firehide."
"Hello," Pyron replied.
"We have much to discuss. My name is Tule. Please come inside." He brought them into a hut where he was staying. First, I want to give you my sincere condolences for the loss of your parents. Since we made our truce, and since your parents have upheld their bargain, I would like to finish the agreement."
"Finish the agreement?" Pyron asked.
"Yes, the agreement included that we had a chance to offer you training to allow you to have full opportunity learn our ways, learn what we can do to help you, and to offer you a chance to either be a full member of our society or at least be a redeemed exile. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I think so."
Tule continued, "Do you know about your halo and what it means?"
"Yes, I do. It was a way to stop the war between your people, the Peri society, and my people. It was presented in the form of a blessing for me." Pyron had a guard up inside. He didn't know about this man yet.
"That is correct. We blessed you to show good faith that we would not harm you. Now that you are older, and under the circumstances, we are ready to make you this offer. If you will train with me, then I will teach you the basic history of our people, the war according to our point of view, the history of your father's exile from our point of view, and recent history. If after the training you choose to accept goodness into your heart, because you need to understand both good and evil, then I will teach you how to be unlock the Aasimar part of yourself as an oracle."
"What is that?" Pyron asked.
"We call it purification. You would be known as a Purifier."
The other oracle, Pyron's first teacher, Shayla, raised her eyebrow and commented, "I have not heard of that."
Tule responded, "Aasimar oracles have always been able to go through a purification process. It is a part of who we are." She just nodded. Looking to Pyron he asks, "Once you have gone through the purification process, and I approve, then the emissary will ask you a few questions to determine if you will be given either the full member status or the redeemed exile status. If it is the latter, then you, your descendants, or both will have the chance to request for full member status at a later date; otherwise, they will automatically receive the redeemed exile status."
Pyron nodded and replied, "Okay. Let's get started."
The history lessons took a month. Once Pyron was indoctrinated, he agreed that he understands goodness for what it was. Once he proved that he accepted goodness into his heart, they started the purification process. That took two more months. Finally, at the end, Tule responded that they were successful and that Pyron was now a Purifier. Tule told Pyron to go home and wait for the emissary.
When he went home, he started to grieve again for the loss of his parents. He became angry again. He remembered that this training would help him avenge his parents. So he went around to gather up people who would support him or go with him to avenge his parents. After gathering information and garnering support, he and a few others went to a hideout of evil men who sent devils to kill his parents. The battle took the lives of a few of the members of his band. But when Pyron had the leader's throat in his hands at the end of the battle, the leader whispered some dark matters and conspiracies in his ear. Pyron didn't know what to make of it, but that didn't change his purpose. So, he slit the throat of the leader and avenged his parents.
Taking the head of the leader, he went to the town square and yelled, "I have done it! I have avenged my parents! If anyone doubts me, let them see the head of their murderers. Let this be a warning to any who hurts my family, my friends, my teachers, my comrades, or any decent person." He stuck stuck a pike in the ground and skewered the head with the top of the pike, leaving it there for others to see.
He went back to Shayla to tell her his deed and to see if the emissary has arrived. She was glad that Pyron was able to avenge his parents. The emissary has not arrived yet, so she suggested that he visit the witches. He agreed.
He went to the witches and told them what happened. They could see the darkness in him and the insanity and chaos residing in him. "Let us finish your training before you leave to be a Purifier. Once we are done, you will be able to continue to train on your own." So they continued the last bit of his training. They explained how the hexes worked with each other, how the cackle could extend his evil eye hex and other hexes for as long as he continued to cackle. They told him about other hexes and suggested he look into the fortune and misfortune hexes while he is on his journey. Lastly, they taught him how to fly on a broomstick. He learned how to take off, maneuver, and land. They didn't have an extra one for him, but he could pick one up later on or even adapt his training if he ever grew wings, which they did say may happen to him someday.
He finally received notice that the emissary arrived. So, he bid the witches farewell to go through the final test. "Who knows," Pyron exclaimed, "maybe I will have citizenship in two planes and two societies." So he left them not knowing if he woud ever see them again.
He went and met up with Shayla and Tule at Tule's residence. Shayla greeted him and brought him inside. Tule and Purest, the emissary, were discussing recent events. They greeted Pyron with a smile and welcomed him inside.
PUreststarted, "Tule was telling me that you made it through your purification ceremony."
"Yes, that's right. My training with Shayla and the witches helped prepare me to expect the unexpected."
Purest responded with a gentle laugh, "Yes, that would make sense. I am pleased to see that you have grown up with the chance to learn both sides of your ancestory. I do want to give you my condolences of your parents. It is a terrible loss to lose one's parents."
Pyron nodded, "My familiar helps me through the tough times."
Purest turned to look at the compsognathus. "I have never seen a compsognathus before. Is it gentle?"
"Yes, he's gentle. His name is Bones, because I can see his bones through his flesh pretty easily."
Purestlaughed again. "Yes, I see you are right. Now tell me Pyron, what have you done since the purification ceremony." This time she looked at him questioningly.
Pyron knew this was the test, the most important part of the interview. "I, uh, I avenged their death."
She put her finger to her mouth before asking, "How did you avenge them?"
Rushing into his answer, knowing immediately after that he rushed too quickly, "I killed their murderers." He paused when she was taken aback by his brashness. He slowed down his speech, "I investigated the situation, talked with local townspeople, and took a group to find their hideout. They sent devils after my family! Their actions were cruel and evil. They couldn't do it again. That's why the others went with me; they didn't want this to happen to others, again. It wasn't the first time they murdered someone in the area." He was breathing heavily this time.
"I see," she said quietly.
"What was I supposed to do? Sit back and let them get away with it just to kill someone else with devils?"
"They surely needed to be judged," she agreed. "But the way that it happened may not have been the best way. By the way, how many of the townspeople who went with you were killed?"
Shaking his head, "I don't know. A few. Five, I believe. One other had bad wounds, but I heard he was better after a week."
"What happened afterwards? What did you do? Did you stop after killing them?" She asked.
"No, no. I took the head of the leader, grabbed a pike, and went to the townsquare. I announced to those around that if anyone ever does this to anyone important to me or to any innocent person, then they need to think agin if I am around. I don't want to see this again. Whether they are an evil person or they say they are a good person yet performing evil deeds, I won't have it. Then I stuck the pike in the ground and stuck the head on the pike for people to see to show them that I mean it."
She nodded silently. "What do you think about good and evil?"
He squinted is eyes while he thought for a moment. "They are very similar."
"What do you mean?" She probed.
"I mean," he started, "people who are good are selfish for themselves and others. They try to do right by other people, but at the same time, when push comes to shove, they care more for themselves than other people. They may help others when they can, but if they can't, then they don't or can't care for others. People who are evil are selfish for themselves and sometimes for others. They try to do right for themselves. When it comes to other people, they use them as tools. They might help them, only as long as they get a favor in return. Good people ask for favors in return too. Both good and evil people fail to keep their word. Evil people will intentionally lie, where good people will accidentally lie. Does that make sense? Did I explain myself well enough?"
"Yes, you did. Did you finish your training with the witches? Do you intend to pursue that path? Or do you intend to be a Purifier?"
"I have sufficient training from the witches to be able to practice on my own. They gave me some useful tools and Bones, here, is a great protector. He helps me with my path into the Dark Tapestry mystery. The purification really helped me too. It seemed to be a calling, whereas the witches helped give me tools for that path. I started as an oracle originally; the witches just helped me control the insanity and chaos within me. I am a Purifier, and I intend to continue down that path."
"I am glad to hear that you know your calling and have found your path. It seems that you have much more within that needs purifying, so hopefully that path, your tools, and your familiar will help you with that. Now, in regards to your future with the Peri society, I would like to sleep on it. I have much to consider, and I don't like to rush into a decision. I feel that is the best way to be fair to you. Do you agree?"
Pyron smiled. "I agree."
"Then I will see you tomorrow. You should stay here tonight." After that, they were all quiet for the evening with the exception of the good-nights. They all woke up early. After breakfast, they sat to discuss his future in relations to the society. "I have considered the matter all evening and have slept on it. I have come to my decision."
Pyron adjusted in his chair to hear her answer.
"I feel that you have learned a lot. Indeed, you have met my hopes for you. I feel you have a path that you must follow for yourself. You have potential to do well in our society with the exception of the chaos within your mind. You need to focus on controlling it. Right now, you have your familiar to help you. That is a good thing, and you should continue to have him. He will be a great asset to you. However, I feel that it will take an entire lifetime to gain full control over the chaos, madness, and insanity in your mind and soul. You have a path that will not make it in our society."
Pyron started to have tears in his eyes after hearing that last part. "But I have not rejected the society unlike my father."
"I know. I agree and I understand. Please understand that this is a difficult judgment to make, but I must make it. If I allow you full citizenship rights, you would likely be worse off than if I were to give you a redeemed exile status. You have redeemed yourself from your father's decision, but you are not ready to make it as a citizen. You would likely be exiled in your lifetime, which is worse than where you are now. The society is judging you to be better off than where you were. Yes, it is by my decision, but it is based off of the society's principles."
Pyron didn't know what to do. He wanted to scream inside. He wanted to run out and yell at everyone. Then Bones came and nudged on his leg. Bones. My insanity. He's here to help me through this. Maybe she is right. Maybe I am not ready. I do have to go through this path to purify my soul. "Alright. You are right. I have to purify my soul. I accept the redeemed exile status. As long as all of my future generations have the opportunity to be accepted back with full rights on their own volition, accord, and ability, then I accept. Please tell them thank you for being here when my parents were killed. It does mean a lot to me. Tule, thank you for your help with the purification process, the history lessons, and the conversations about the different planes. I am interested in visiting them."
"Your welcome," Tule responded. "It was my pleasure to help you with your purification process and your start as a Purifier. Never forget that you are still an Aasimar Purifier. That has not changed and will never change. Got it?"
"Yes, sir." Pyron affirmed. Turning to Purest, "Am I allowed to visit you, Tule, or the society?"
"Yes, you may as a redeemed exile. But you may only visit for so long during your authorized visits. I would love to meet up with you again to see how you progress."
Tule agreed, "The same with me. Maybe I can help you with your path again someday. Don't hesitate to holler to visit me."
After saying their good-byes, Pyron and Shayla left together and spoke about his plans. He said he was going to his parents, because there was some things that his mother had taught him that were in writing. He wanted to see what else she could teach him from beyond the grace. Shayla smiled and agreed. "If you need anything, please let me know. Even though you are a Purifier, you are still an oracle and still me student." He acknowledged her and agreed to visit her with questions. For now, he wanted to see what his mother had left.
He went home finally. Family and friends helped clean up the place. He was allowed to live there until the prepaid rent was used up. He looked at the useless wand with which he used to practice when he was younger. He looked through the parchments and saw some scrolls. He took out one that interested him when he was younger. It was about the arcane.
He remembered that she said she had sorcery in her blood. What did she call it? He looked down and saw the words "Eldritch Heritage" scribbled on the top of the scroll. He looked through the scrolls that were bound with it. He read over it. He saw that the first thing she picked up from it was the ability to cast more spells. Though, it has a note that others in her history had familiars like Bones, well different types of animals. He studied this section and realized why it wasn't so hard to get a familiar for himself in the first place. It was in his blood.
He focused on his familiar and considered what this means. He took the scrolls and went to the witches. They were overjoyed to see him but wondered why he was visiting them. When they were inside, he explained all that happened with the Peri emissary, then he explained about what he had been reading in his mother's scrolls. They nodded in agreement that it was in his blood.
"You have a very close bond with your familiar. Even closer than we could ever attain. You may be able to pass things on to your familiar, feats of unimaginable possibilities that we could never do. Usually, when most witches who stop training as a witch, their familiar stops growing. With you, though, your familiar will always grow when you grow, no matter your path. This will serve you well with your control over the chaos and insanity within your mind and soul. If you continue to read her scrolls, then in due time you may have more abilities come up from your eldritch heritage that may serve you well."
He thanked them for their insight and their advice. After enjoying a nice meal and spending the night, like he had in the past, he left back for home. When it was nearing the time of the end of his lease, he started hearing rumors that interested him. Maybe it was a sign. He was ready to leave, ready to start an adventure. He packed his belongings and told his family. They moved out all the stuff that was of value. They told him that they had a place for him. Soon, people were visiting and asking if anyone could help with a mission. The locals pointed them to Pyron's way. They explained what he had done and that he would be a perfect person to consider.
I realized my height was incorrect. It was 5'2" + 2d8 not 110" + 2d8. So 5'2" + 10 (from the roll above) = 6'0" (72")
Backstory since childhood through oracle training:
Pyron Firehide grew up in a very controlling household. He grew up to be rebellious like his father and controlling like his mother. He lived in a place filled with evil men that dealt with demons and devils. Even still, the good-aligned emmissary came to visit him to ensure the pact was not broken that was made when he was younger. These interruptions confused Pyron about good/evil and love/hate.
When he was a bit older, things seemed to get a bit strange. It started out with him thinking someone was watching him. Then a breeze would pick up when the windows were closed. It got worse when items started moving on their own. His family moved thinking that the house might be haunted. It took only a week before Pyron started noticing the mysterious happenings. Finally, if he ever dropped an item, it would fly a few feet away from him.
When his family noticed that it was getting worse, they hired an oracle to come to the house to see what was wrong. During the ceremony, the oracle realized that the son was likely an oracle himself. "He has an oracle's curse. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you allow him to train as an oracle. He is haunted by the spirits, but I can train him how to control the effectsof the curse." The oracle announced this to the family. The family had mixed concerns and emotions. Pyron seemed to have lost hope. Then he decided that he wanted to pursue the path. After much discussion, the oracle offered her services to train the boy for a fee of course. The family agreed.
The first thing that she taught him was to control his actions by not letting go of things. He had to first have control over his curse. Then she taught him how to use the spell mage hand to help him retrieve his dropped items. Over time, he started moving other things on his own. When she saw this, she taught him how to cast the spell ghost sound. She told him that as he pursued this path, that even if she is not around, he is an oracle and will learn about the mysteries and revelations of being one. "What mysteries and revelations are you talking about?" He asked.
"There is much more to being an oracle than controlling your curse. There is a mystery behind your curse. As you focus your mind and allow yourself to open up, then the mystery will begin to reveal itself to you. Come back to me when it starts revealing itself to you and report to me what you have learned."
During that period, Pyron stayed up late to meditate. He would take a stroll along the block at night to help him think. Normally, he used his halo to help him see, but after a time he didn't; he wanted to open his mind. It was strange, but he seemed to be able to start seeing further in the darkness than he normally had before.
When he went back to report, she told him that she was surprised that he couldn't before knowing his race. Then she realized his halo was affecting that. "Your mystery is the Dark Tapestry. It is a dark mystery, one that has made a few oracles go mad. But don't worry. You have grown up in a dark and evil society. This mystery might even help you to survive in such a society." So she started teaching him a few spells that would help him survive like create water, purify food and drink, detect magic, and protection from alignment. He innately learned how to cast virtue and bless.
He asked her why this was the case. She explained, "The blessing given to you when you were younger is causing you to be balanced in your training. Do not fret. Use it to your advantage. Do not look at a blessing as a curse. Remember, there are forces from all sides that is affecting your training. Just be careful to know who you are despite the blessings and cursings that have been placed upon you. You are the result of a nasty war and an adverse lineage; it is very rare to see one who comes from a lineage of both fiends and Aasimars."
While he practiced, he started reacting to things before others. Also, he became curious about the arcane practices. He tried to control things that had magical properties. At one point, his parents found an old wand that had a few charges left in it. The father started to burn his own body with his hands, as he had taught Pyron to do when he was younger, hence Pyron's father's name: Pyro. Then his mother used the wand to heal the burn. They showed him how to use it correctly. Finally he got a hang of it. Then she showed him some magic scrolls and taught him how to read them. She even gave him a chance to cast a spell from a scroll before it disentegrated. She told him that was a part of the process of casting the spell.
Background of becoming a witch:
With all this knowledge, he started thinking that he was some kind of god. He tried to control things and then finally tried to control people. He started to go crazy and even a bit mad. Finally, the family contacted another being in the occult realm, a witch. She and her two sister witches (not necessarily blood-sisters) told them that they could help him with his madness, with his insanity, for a fee of course. The family relented.
The sisters took Pyron into their hut and let him use the guest portion of the dwelling. They brewed potions and practiced hexes and spells while watching for him to respond. He asked, "How or where do you learn your hexes and spells?" They replied by their patrons. They told him that he could have a patron. "What should my patron be," he asked.
"Insanity," they replied together. "You have become insane, and so your patron should be the patron of insanity. This may help you overcome your insanity." He agreed. So, they taught him how to become a witch.
He asked about their familiars. After a lengthy discussion, he asked if there was a familiar that could help him with reacting to situations better. They told him about the greensting scorpion, but he declined since it was too small for him. He wanted something a bit bigger. After looking through their papers, they told him about the compsognathus. "It is a dinosaur, so you will have to go to where they are to learn more about them. We will teach you the rituals. The first ritual should be done near where they live. After that, if your familiar dies, you will be able to perform a ritual in a different location than where they live.
His family and the witches prepared for him to go on his journey. He started his journey on a ship. He quickly learned that he did not like to travel over the water. He had to travel overland through some towns, hire a guide, and go into the nature to look for the compsognathus. When the guide brought him to where they lived, they camped. During the night, he had some wierd dreams, but he couldn't make out their meanings. Then the next couple of days, the guide taught him what he knew and showed him about their living habits. Finally, on the third full day, he performed his ritual. A couple of compsognathus came to him but rejected him. The third compsognathus did not turn away and became Pyron's familiar. All the spells that the witches tried to teach him seemed to leave his mind and enter the mind of the familiar. Now he truly understood what they meant that the familiar stored the spells for him.
Pyron, his familiar, and the guide returned back to the guide's town. Pyron rested before travelling back home. What happened when he was gone changed everything in his life when he returned.
Recent history-the final portion of his history to present day: I should be able to finish this today.
Bloodluster, while I appreciate the interest and eagerness, the double/triple posting isn't really necessary. You can just go back and edit posts made within the hour, or wait until I've seen it to fret about any mistakes you left out.
Alright. Will do. Did you get a chance to look it over?
Okay, I have the character completed with the exception of gear and finalizing the rest of the backstory. Please let me know what you think about the character build. What is your preference in my showing you my character sheet and more detailed information?
Build:
Name: Pyron Firehide
Size: Medium
Gender: Male
Alignment: Either CN
Deity: None, unless you have a suggestion
Witch Patron: Portents
Character Level: 3
Race: Aasimar Peri-Blooded / Outsider (Native)
Age (Trained)::8d6 + 60 ⇒ (5, 5, 4, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6) + 60 = 90 Height (in.)::2d8 + 110 ⇒ (5, 5) + 110 = 120
Weight (lbs): (Height - 110)*5 + 110 =
Skin Color: Red with Silvery-Blue accents throughout
Hair Color: Bald plus horns
Horns Color: Red with Silvery-Blue tips
Halo Color: Red and Silver-Blue constantly swirling
Eye Color: Silvery-Blue
Class Levels: Oracle 1, Witch 2
1st Level: Oracle
2nd Level: Witch
3rd Level: Witch
4th-20th Level: Oracle
Favored Class: Oracle
Feats:
Level 1: Skill Focus Knowledge (Arcana)
Level 3: Eldritch Heritage (Arcane Bloodline) (First power will obviously be the familiar. I will likely continue to repeat this feat to get most if not all 5 bloodline powers in the tree.)
Languages:
Automatic: Celestial, Common
Bonus: Draconic
Oracle Curse: Haunted
Oracle Mystery: Dark Tapestry
Oracle Revelation 1st Level: Pierce the Veil
Witch Hexes:
Evil Eye
Cackle
(I will likely take an Extra Hex feat to grab Fortunate.)
Witch's Familiar (Witch and Sorcerer Arcane Bloodline from EH):
Compsognathus (Familiar level will always be the same as my character level: Witch class level plus EH Sorcerer level = Class Level -2)
Skills:
I used my first level of Oracle's favored class bonus towards skills.
Diplomacy: 1 rank, +3 misc
Fly: 2 ranks, +3 misc
Know (Arcana): 1 rank, +6 misc
Know (History): 1 rank, +3 misc
Know (Nature): 2 ranks, +3 misc
Know (Planes): 1 rank, +5 misc
Sense Motive: 1 rank, +3 misc
Spellcraft: 1 rank, +5 misc
Use Mag Dev: 1 rank, +4 misc
I need to edit one thing on what I posted, though it isn't crucial.
Primary on-battlefield duty: controller, debuffer, potentially buffer (not a healer)
I have been wanting to do this for a long time. Azlant has been a favorite of mine and exploring its ruins more so. But exploration is that cherry on top.
It also involves Andorran so it won't be overburdened by outside forces at least not yet, granted it's the first book.
This is a recruitment for at least 4-5 players, depending on submissions. I am looking for casual players and I will endeavor to post at least 1+ posts per day. I work a busy schedule and will do my best to give a heads up on delays if I encounter them.
Your characters will be cut off from all the luxuries of Society, you won't be able to buy or sell items with as much luxuries as normal. Expect several weeks for an item to go to the mainland to be sold and items to be brought back for your use.
Enchanting items will be more difficult as well since it is a frontier / isolated community.
Character Creation Guide
===
For those of you who like to do the crunch as part of the characters story. Feel free to use the following! And Ask Questions!
===
- Allowed Materials? I would like to stick with Paizo only, I allow some of the SGG classes on a case by case basis.
- Level: 1st.
- Classes: All Paizo, Some SGG only if approved, however the book is dungeon crawl heavy. there is some open areas but not a lot. Pick Mounted Classes with care. Not going to say no, but you've been warned!
- Hit Points: Max HP for the 1st level, roll for HP for 2nd and above.
- Races: Any core, featured and other races (depending on discussion)
- Classes: Any.
- Starting Wealth: Roll for class, average is the minimum.
- Traits: One campaign trait, and one trait of your choosing.
- Drawbacks: One is allowed, remember to keep track of it and it will be part of the game.
- Alignment: I prefer No evil, only because I lack the imagination to entertain darker tastes.
- Other Notes: If you need any specific details let me know. I'll be recruiting until August 25th, I think one week is long enough to get submissions completed. It would be preferable for at least once a day on weekdays and weekends are weekends.
- About Me: I'm an experienced DM, I have a lot of up's and down due to my working in remote camps where internet, long workshifts of 14+ hours, can make posting difficult. I enjoy homebrew and aim to make the experience fun for my players as best I can. I will stick closely to the book's.
Rolling your Attribute:
So rolling will be as followed:
For each attribute, roll 4d6, dropping the lowest die. If you rolled less than a 7, re-roll, i.e., 7 is the minimum allowed attribute score.
In addition, roll 7 attribute scores and drop the lowest.
Assign attribute scores as you will.
Alternately, you may employ "epic rules" and roll 1d3+15 for any attribute you choose, BUT for every attribute you roll this way, you must roll one other attribute as 1d10+6. So let's say you're rolling a sorcerer(ess). You would probably want to roll 1d3+15 for your charisma, and then take 1d10+6 for maybe strength or dex, leaving your other attributes as standard rolls.
What do I expect from you right now?
Realistically just your Race, Class and background is needed. I won't deny you from doing all the crunch, hence why its offered above. But don't spend a ton of time on it, make profiles and what not. Aside from that. Let the fun commence!
I have searched through the books but other then being able to use weapon finesse to add Dex to Hit there doesn't appear to be a way to add dex to Damage for natural attacks.
Was curious if there was something I missed, searched older threads and came up empty handed. Any help is appreciated. :)
Allowed Races: Work in progress. Looking at possibly three different groups.
Including but not limited too. Humanoids, Goblinoids and Centaur's.
Possible Starting lvl: 3-5, Most likely 5 due to new mechanics being introduced.
Party size? Four, five at most depending on how adventure builds play out.
Allowed classes: Depending on group. Humanoids (Any) Mercs are a assest in Iobaria so that allows for a lot of wiggle room. Goblinoids. More martial classes, nothing like Samurai, Ninja, Inquisitor or Paladins. Centaur's.... Same as humanoids, it is not uncommon for Centaurs to be enslaved, whether as indentured servants or acting as brainwashed guardsmen or even mercs for the highest paying nobles. Granted Inquisitors and Paladins would be an extreme rarity.
What will be in this adventure?
Looking at using Kingmaker rules out of the Ultimate Campaign book.
With the possibility of multiple groups the idea of a goblinoid war may be inevitable. Whether this leads to three different groups of PC's fighting is yet to be determined.
Centaurs Available so far: Nomen, a more common breed of centaur and direct reflection of what players are familiar with.
The other tribes are Azova, the Rashalka, and the Tsolniva. They are currently being built to suit their backgrounds.
Skinwalkers. Due to the heavy presence of Were-creatures in the Fangard I have considered making a fourth group or at least the race available. Being a lycanthrope is not outside the realm of possibility. Especially since they don't get their DR until they change shape. >:3
Goblinoids would include: Goblins, Hobgoblins, Bugbears. Essentially a darker more evil campaign of conquest, domination and slaughter with this group. Humans know better than to tread for long in the Coreth wood...
What are these groups doing?
Humanoids:
The Prince or Orlov, a despot in his own right, has greatly taxed his people, who are now at the breaking point. An uprising is about to occur but the revolutionary members are being hunted down to be captured and executed by the Princes new bodyguard. The four Demon's as they are called. Do you have the resolve to rise against a tyrant?
There are a number of cities, this is but one of a dozen scenarios I can imagine right now~
Goblinoids:
The humans of Orlendas destroy your homeland, they cut down the trees and take them away, they have made game scarce by over hunting. They kill those of you foolish enough to be caught in the open alone... Its time the humans of Orlendas learned a deadly lesson and once you're done with them... Who knows Franax looks like it needs to be finished off for good and Orlov looks weak enough to be taken...
Centaurs:
There is unease stirring in the wind, the land is restless and somethin dark stirs at the heart of Iobaria. The Eye Mount crackles with dark energy once more and a sickness has come to your people. For the first time in your tribes history... Plague has come to destroy you...
Nomen Centaur
Negotiations with the new rulers of the Stolen Land have broken down, amid their struggle with the tainted one that your tribe was supposed to keep trapped forever. Now the ancient evil plagues those you had sought to ally with, forcing your people to head back towards your homeland in the hills and Steppes of Iobaria. However when you arrive you find raiders have slaughtered those who had resided here. The elderly lay brutally slain and the cairns that held your honored dead have been ransacked. Vengeance will be yours!
Skinwalkers and Lycanthropes
For generations you lived in peace, the Fangard your home and sanctuary from a world that hated and despised you. Your curse had no place in Fangard where everyone was immune, so the natural tribes lived near one another. It wasn't completely harmonious but when an outside threat appeared the tribes would move as one to quell it. Afflicted Lycan's are hunted down and destroyed. Lest the tribes of the Fangard get the attention of the Outsiders more seriously then before....
But now the tenuous peace is broken, poison seeps into the water of the Fangard. It turns the tribes people blue and kills them like the silver weapons of their enemies. This malady doesn't kill swiftly, often leaving those who ingest the tainted water sick for weeks, lingering on the edge of death before finally surcumbing. The rage of the tribes was building and the one thing on their minds was who needed to die so peace could be restored?
Still in the process of the building the cities and such using the rules but thought I would put what I was working on out there and get some advice/feedback.
So trying to make a second entry for a Gestalt WotR and was working on making a Paladin / Inquisitor. But I am very new with Gestalt and so far every game I have started never launched. So I was wondering if you could look at the character below and give me some advice.
I want to go the front line route. Took Rich Parents, as a sort of Church funded champion / hunter of evil. So his gear is nice but I don't mind switching things out to make it work better.
Recruitment Details:
Level: 1 (Gestalt Rules)
Abilities: 25 point buy on a 1-1 basis. No abilities higher than 18 (before racial modifiers) or lower than 10 (after racial modifiers)
Alignment: Good is preferred, Neutral is accepted. No backstabbing the party.
XP: Rather than giving our XP, I'll let you know when you should level up. This makes it easier to give proper rewards, because honestly, you're mythic gestalts and I will totally be increasing the difficulty of encounters to compensate. This ensures you level at the right pace. XD
Races: Core, along with Aasimar/Catfolk/Kitsune/Tiefling/Elemental-blooded
Classes: Any Paizo.
HP: Max per hit-dice
Skills: 1 bonus skill point at each level, spent on Craft, Profession, or Perform. This represents your character's talents outside of combat and adventuring.
Traits: 2 (one must be a Campaign Trait), 3 if you take a Drawback
Starting Gold: 150 GP
Backstory: Yes, please. This is the main way I separate characters, and will be a major factor in my final decision. Note that this adventure focuses around the Crusade against the Worldwound - characters who can be inspiring leaders (as opposed to, say, self-loathing loners) are more suitable for this campaign, though they can certainly be the type to grow into such a role (or support someone else instead). Just keep the themes of the campaign in mind.
Sourcebooks: All Paizo, 1001 Spells, and Deep Magic. No Psionics (not quite the flavor I'm looking for - and Mythic Psionics from Mythic Mania isn't out yet). Other 3PP available on request.
-> Exchanged for the ability to cast Continual flame+1 to Hit & Damage vs. Evil Outsiders +1 racial bonus on attack and damage rolls against evil outsiders.
Cleric Domain (Archon)
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white vision only).
Detect Evil (At will) (Sp) You can use detect evil at will (as the spell).
Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Exposed to Awfulness (1/day) Vs Death/Incapacitation by demon: Reroll saving throw as free action, keep 2nd result.
Judgment (1/day) (Su) Variable bonuses increase as the combat continues.
Monster Lore +3 (Ex) +3 to Knowledge checks when identifying the weaknessess of creatures.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +4 to hit, +1 to damage, +4 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Touch of Law (6/day) (Sp) Treat all d20 rolls as 11 for 1 rd.
If Inquisitor is sub par I am up for suggestion because I haven't found very many recent ones to try out.
I have heard that:
Pal/Sor (Dragon Disciple?)
Pal/Warpriest (Still too new to decide if that is right or not)
Pal/Monk (Zen Archer)
Pal/Cleric
are decent options. :/
I am still looking through archetypes to find ones that would work well together with the above character.
Trying to build a ratfolk Gunslinger / Alchemist and despite having some major advantages I just can't find a way to make it work. For some reason I keep thinking that Gunslinger will fall behind.
Its for a Gestalt WotR game.
We are allowed 28 point buy at a 1-1 basis so literally 28 stat points. Level 1. Any Paizo Material and some 3pp stuff with approval.
Edit I am taking the Gunslinger (Gulch Gunner) / Alchemist (Grenadier) Archetypes.
Any advice would be great as I am considering going Magus (The usual Kensai / Bladbound) / Alchemist to focus on a Dex and Int build instead of spreading it across Dex, Int and Wis.
Thanks again and any helpful links would be appreciated as I couldn't find anything really useful by trying to search the forums alone with search engine.
Yesterday we rescued a young lady from her pursuers and put down a handful of bandits. It took awhile for her to open up to us and when she finally did we had lost nearly a day on tracking down her sister. A terrible storm pinned us within an elven burial mound and forced us to lose another day. Because of the storm we were unsure the tracker Jack could find any useful tracks.
Luckily the Nine were with us and her captors suffered several setbacks which aided in us overtaking them a stone throw from their base. Despite being disorganized we overwhelmed them, taking the older girls young sister into our possession along with one bandit. He was given mercy and swore to change his ways, the others however fought to the death lest they faced the rope.
We returned to the burial mound and decided our next course of action. A direct assault was suicide. Pretending that some of us were bandits, with our Teacher playing the part of the Noble girl and I the part of her bodyguard. I had offered the suggestion of drawing them out and fighting them alone in the wilderness. Out of concern for me Jack, our normally quiet half-elven tracker voiced disagreement quite heatedly. I was moved by his words but I still believed I could defeat them in the open. Lord Finnabar however decided that we disguise ourselves and lie to gain entry.
The Staglord is finally within our grasp. Lord Finnabar and the others seem confident we can take them down from within, however I harbor doubts that my acting will be on par to what is needed of me. Perhaps my dirty bloodline will allow me to slip in easily among these bandits.
I can barely stand bringing dishonor to my sword but after what these bandits have done. I cannot allow them to continue brazenly killing innocent people and terrorizing defenseless children. I will face judgment from the Order of the Sword if I must but these bandits have to be stopped...
Basic scenario, Acid Cloud is casted ahead of a moving vehicle that has no time to avoid or slow down. So the vehicles own movement carries it into the cloud and the occupants/vehicle take damage.
Would this cancel out Invisibility? As the vehicle movement happened after the spell was casted?
I ruled that this wouldn't cancel out Invisibility as the RAW states " For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character's perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area."
Which I interpreted as since the cloud did the damage to the vehicle because it wasn't able to stop in time, that the Invisibility wouldn't be canceled out.
Hopefully that is clear enough for how the situation is.
Here we can discuss whatever you want of course, ask questions of myself or others and get a general feel for those we are playing alongside in this grand adventure.
Skyfall is a high fantasy, mainly homebrew setting with steam-punk epicness thrown in. It will included firearms and gunpowder, so if you don't have the stomach for it please don't argue as to why I built the world I did.
Maps will be made through the use of CC3 from Profantasy and it takes me a little time to build them so please be patient. And It begins...
All characters will start at level 4.
Allowed materials are as followed: any Paizo Product currently printed and any SGG material is fine. I may allow additional books so long as I have them.
Rolling will be as followed:
For each attribute, roll 4d6, dropping the lowest die. If you rolled less than a 7, re-roll, i.e., 7 is the minimum allowed attribute score. In addition, roll 7 attribute scores and drop the lowest. Assign attribute scores as you will. Alternately, you may employ "epic rules" and roll 1d3+15 for any attribute you choose, BUT for every attribute you roll this way, you must roll one other attribute as 1d10+6. So let's say you're rolling a sorcerer(ess). You would probably want to roll 1d3+15 for your charisma, and then take 1d10+6 for maybe strength or dex, leaving your other attributes as standard rolls.
Information about the Old World::
The Demi-human races are long gone, only remnants of Elven, Dwarven, Halfing or other demi-human kind remain. Or the crumbling ruins of cities that were once inhabited by them before they're mysterious departure. Many left the world through unknown means, tired of Humanities ceaseless violence and war. Once they were gone though, much of the worlds highest magics and knowledge faded away, forgotten over time.
Despite the existence of dragonkind, they are not as majestic or as regal as legends once told. Besides they're shining scales and powerful frames they are merely steeds, nothing more and nothing less. There are many theories as to why the the legends are so far fetched compared to the current state dragonkind exists in but unless your scholar such theories and debates are beyond most peoples reach.
A multitude of kingdoms exist but few are so grand as those that rose after the fall of the Bright Empire. The Kingdoms are as followed.
The Imperium of Man / The Imperium:
- Lawful Neutral/Evil
Born from the fires of anarchy and from the betrayal of demi-human allies, the rise of the Imperium was bloody, brutal and without mercy. When the Bright Empire was wracked by war with the hordes of greenskin, the royal family was among the first to be lost in the conflict and with them all stability was lost. Once loyal vassals abandoned the dying Empire, retreating to their holes and watching the empire die from disobedience, civil war and the horde.
That was when the High Inquisitor came, bring the wrath of Abadar and humanity down on the enemies of man. Those who refused to obey were purged by blade and flame. Those who failed to aid humanity were deemed enemies of the Imperium and were subjugated or purged depending on their crimes. Every person who refused to obey, be they general, soldier or craftsman, was judged a traitor of humanity. Leading to immiediately being placed upon the rack and used as an example to those who thought disobedience would go unpunished.
Demi-humans of any kind are tortured and questioned relentlessly before being wracked or executed, most die in prison from malnutrition or their injuries sustained during torture.
The Holy Kingdom of Lyonesse:
- Lawful Good
An Oligarchy, dedicated to the worship of Lyonesse and upholding her tenants to the highest degree possible. The High Priestess of the religion, the Hand of Lyonesse, is the ruler of this fair and lawful nation and makes sure that the concern of its citzens recieve the utmost attention from the benevolent goddess.
Empire of Qin:
- Lawful Neutral
Consisting of many clan houses and ruled by an ancient dynasty. Qin is one of the most stable kingdoms of the five super powers, its people are hardy and ruled by strong traditions of honor. Following the code of the bushido, while being protected by some of the finest warriors the world has ever known.
The Nation of Cygnus:
- Neutral Good
The most technological of the goodly kingdoms and the only one actively engaged in war with Cryx. Cygnus is well known for creating revolutionary advancements as they continue to stave off the machinations of Cryx and their unholy warmachines.
Cygnus is the only democratic nation, with the most advance military the world has ever seen. Their airships are second to none and are on equal terms when engaged with Cryxian Blackships. The only other nation that comes close to matching the resolve, training and discipline of Cygnus's troops is the holy kingdom of Lyonesse.
Cygnus was the first to develop long guns and utilize them with brutal efficiency when they invaded the Cryxian port of Blackwater and reduced it to burning rubble. Ever citizen of Cygnus is reputed to own at least a pistol if not a rifle and are required to serve for five years in the military starting at the age of fifteen. Some make a career of it, others becoming craftsmen and help advance their society with the dedication and discipline they received during their time in the military.
And the Nightmare empire known simply as: Cryx:
AL - Lawful Evil
Cryx scouts the nations for corpses, slaves and any knowledge that they can aquire so that they can undermine the lands beyond their broken islands. Cryx is a nation of murderers, cutthroats and pirates that wouldn't hesitate to sell their neighbors or even their own families to the Meat Market for coin. It is a nation that thrives off piracy, smuggling and slave trade as its major industries. But the living do not rule the Nightmare Empire, no, it is a land ruled by the dead.
Torak, the greatest Dracolich ever to exist, rules over the broken isles of Cryx with an admantine claw and beneath him are his twelve Lichlords who carry out his will to the far edges of the known world. Each of his Lichlords were selected for their abilities and professions in their 'mortal' life. Some were great scholars of their time, easily seduced by the temptation of immortality and some were the most blood thirsty of pirates from days long past, who refused to let old age or death stand in their way.
Beneath the Lichlords are the Ironliches and their armies of thralls, necrotechs and servitors who help ensure that the nightmare empire has fresh goods, and corpses, to keep its industries running while advancing the unread warmachine as they plot to conquer the world. Putting every soul under absolute dominance.
Racial Choices:
Humans are of course the main race and others I would strongly like to see fewer of. Granted that doesn't mean you can't play an elf or dwarf, I just hope to not make a whole party of them.
As an extra incentive for Human Folk, you gain an additional +2 to apply to your ability scores, it is however not stack-able with the +2 that humans already get.
Another Race that is available is the Tabaxi~
The tabaxi (called cat-people or tigerfolk by some) are a reclusive race
of feline humanoids that dwell far from settled areas, making their home
deep in the forests and jungles. They rarely engage in trade or dealings
with other races, preferring to keep to themselves most of the time.
Tabaxis are very graceful and catlike in their movements. They resemble humanoids with feline characteristics most akin to a tiger. Both hands and feet sport vicious claws that can do significant damage when they leap upon their prey. Although tabaxis have little use for clothing or other material possessions, they have a great fascination for and aptitude with weapons of all kinds, learning to employ them with great skill after only a little practice. Tabaxis are skilled with using their claws and bite in combat, often striking from ambush or a height, pouncing upon their prey and attacking with all four claws at once. However, due to their love of weapons many will instead employ a hand-held weapon of some kind while in melee, foregoing their natural attacks. Tabaxis can still employ their bite as a secondary attack if using a weapon, as well as one claw as an offhand attack if the hand is free, but they cannot use their grab or rake abilities while doing so.
A typical tabaxi stands 6 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds.
Tabaxi Society
Tabaxis live in small groups called prides deep in jungles and warm
forests. A typical pride consists of 1–3 each of males, females, and young. The females tend to be slightly larger than the males, and
typically are the dominant members of a pride. They live a nomadic lifestyle, prowling through their chosen range and hunting in groups of three to five. They carry little in the way of possessions, although they often sport a miscellaneous array of weapons wrested from past prey. Unless hungry, most tabaxi prides leave other intelligent creatures alone, though they may attack if intruders in their range bear especially interesting looking weaponry.
Tabaxi Characters -
Tabaxi characters possess the following racial traits.
+2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom.
Darkvision: Tabaxis can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Racial Hit Dice: A tabaxi begins with two levels of humanoid, which
provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw
bonuses of Fort +0, Ref +3, and Will +0.
Racial Skills: A tabaxi’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 2 x (2 + Int modifier).
Racial Feats: A tabaxi’s humanoid levels give it one feat.
AC: +1 natural armor bonus.
Natural Weapons: Tabaxis can fight with 2 claws that deal 1d4 base
damage, plus a bite attack that deals 1d3 base damage. They also can
rake with their hind claws for base 1d3 damage when pouncing or when
grappling a foe, but only if both hands are free.
Special Attacks: Grab, pounce, rake (See Above).
Special Qualities: Weapon aptitude (see Below).
Languages: Tabaxis begin play speaking Common and Tabaxi. Bonus
languages can be chosen from the following: Elven, Gnome, Goblin,
Orc, and Sylvan.
Weapon Aptitude (Ex) Tabaxis have an instinctive love
of weaponry of all kinds, and an innate knack for quickly
learning to employ them skillfully. This grants them
proficiency with all simple, martial, and exotic weapons.
Copyright Notice
Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Lawrence Schick.
This campaign will be a sandbox setting and I am very free form, I don't mind using races other then humans and if you choose to do more Monster races I can change the beginning of the campaign to suit. As I stated before I love free form.
Ask whatever questions are on your mind as I am sure I haven't covered every base and this will help me get the feel of those I am dealing with.
This recruitment thread will be up for 2 weeks so that I can get a solid group of players before beginning. Thank you and fire away!
I understand this is the recruitment thread but i'm looking at starting a PBP that includes several facets of high fantasy.
Airships, Firearms, Magic and varying amounts of steam power may or may not be present depending on where the PC’s start off. The PC's have a number of different places to start at and it will affect where exactly they may eventually end up. I will also accept most 3rd party products, such as Supergenius Games, so long as I own a copy of the material wanting to be used.
I am also looking for the most votes on starting level as well. I am looking at starting between 1st or 6th level.
I have seen successful campaign’s start at lvl 1 but the levels tend to drag out and so if people convince me to start the party off at lvl 1 then I will plan the adventure for that level and hopefully have something posted in due course. Lvl 6-7 also broadens players abilities to craft a character they can enjoy from the get go and not spend months waiting for that ‘next level’.
I like the randomness of dice and I am borrowing the idea of high powered rolling from DM Downrightamazed. As I would like to see people actually play heroes and not get hosed up by poor dice rolls.
So rolling will be as followed:
For each attribute, roll 4d6, dropping the lowest die. If you rolled less than a 7, re-roll, i.e., 7 is the minimum allowed attribute score.
In addition, roll 7 attribute scores and drop the lowest. Assign attribute scores as you will.
Alternately, you may employ "epic rules" and roll 1d3+15 for any attribute
you choose, BUT for every attribute you roll this way, you must roll
one other attribute as 1d10+6. So let's say you're rolling a
sorcerer(ess). You would probably want to roll 1d3+15 for your
charisma, and then take 1d10+6 for maybe strength or dex, leaving your
other attributes as standard rolls.
The Demi-human races are long gone, only remnants of Elven, Dwarven, Halfing or other demi-human kind remain. Many left the world through unknown means, tired of Humanities ceaseless violence and war. Once they were gone though much of the worlds highest magics and knowledge left with them and left it too weak to reverse the coming Armageddon.
The characters will start off on their dying home world, the apocalypse has come and everyone is scrambling to survive or find some way to escape. Among the many natural and unnatural catastrophe's occurring in the world, the dead have risen and a vast army is sweeping across the land. Snuffing out what few kingdoms and empires that have remained cohesive despite the end times. Along with this undead army comes the forces of Cryx (Iron Kingdom Reference and awesome name), a nation comprised of some of the darkest necromancers and ruled by Lich kings and a foul godlike dracolich.
As armies continue to wage endless war in the air, on the high seas and on foot it seems as if there is no hope in sight. No escape from what looks to be certain death. That was until the gates were erected. Harnessing the highest of magics, the high clerics and mages of the few remaining lands created portals to lands unknown. The gates harnessed the naturally occurring 'ripples' that appeared every few years and seemed to tear through the veil between worlds. If the ripples were large enough that you could glimpse another world, one far different from their own on the otherside. It was known that some had passed through to these other worlds but the ripples only stay open for a short time and sadly no one has ever returned...
This isn't a recruitment, just testing the water and hopefully I will have the start to my campaign up and going in a couple of weeks. Thank you for feedback!
Bodyguard (Combat)
Your swift strikes ward off enemies attacking nearby allies.
Prerequisite: Combat reflexes.
Benefit: When an adjacent ally is attacked, you may use an attack of opportunity to attempt the aid another action to improve your ally’s AC. You may not use the aid another action to improve your ally’s attack roll with this attack.
Normal: Aid another is a standard action.
If my understanding is correct then bodyguard can possibly be used on more then one person per round correct?
Or if you use it are you stuck with aiding a single ally?
I was just wondering how many times it could be used. Appreciate any clarity and advice I receive.
Leap: You can get your mount to leap obstacles as part of its movement. Use your Ride modifier or the mount's Jump modifier, whichever is lower, to see how far the creature can jump. If you fail your Ride check, you fall off the mount when it leaps and take the appropriate falling damage (at least 1d6 points). This usage does not take an action but is part of the mount's movement. [ooc]I pulled
Now i'm trying to get my mount to jump over a 10 ft obstacle and by the rules written for leap I can only use my ride modifier +5 and thus can only clear a 5ft obstacle. Am I reading this right or do I make another check to see how far I clear it?
I understand that long jumping is in the Acrobatics skill's description but Ride: Leap seems to have a different approach to the jumping rules. Any help is appreciated.
It doesn't really specify or maybe I missed it. But my question is:
If your a Druid with an animal companion and then you take ranger to at least 4th level and take animal bond would you get a second animal companion? Or is that not possible?
I was thinking of doing a Druid/Ranger/Nature Warden combo and didn't know how it would all work out dealing with the animal companion's. I understand that it will come to a point of choosing one or the other companion to advance but I just wanted to know if maybe there was a sourcebook or errata I was overlooking.
That is my question, i'm looking at buying some of the genius guides and I have always been a fan of the Dragonriders of pern and so I was wondering if anyone has used this class in their campaign and whether it was worthwhile?
Just thought i'd ask for a little help in finding a good way to setup an online PBP. I've seen a lot of maps made through the use of paint or other types of Photoshop programs. But I was just wondering what other programs are out there the DM use to streamline there games on the forum.
