Cole Keegan's page

• Aura
  
• Spontaneous Casting
  
• Channel Energy 2 max uses/day, 0 used.
  
• Domains: Law (Archon): [1st - Divine Favor] 6/6 uses; War (Tactics): [1st - Magic Weapon] 6/6 uses
  
• pells Memorized
  0-level (DC 13): Detect Poison, Stabilize, Guidance, Light
  1st-level (DC 14): Bless, Shield of Faith, Magic Weapon (D)
  * - Already cast
  

When he was lying down on the ground, his lifeblood oozing out of him, he was waiting to die. He was told later he went into a coma, but one of the local priests of Iomedae was there to bring him back to living.

Since that point in time he knew he had a mission to see the clergy of Iomedae in all corners of the Chelaxian Kingdom. Surely this is a good thing for all citizens, to keep other young children from suffering and dying as he almost did. It was clear if you were not one of the members of the ruling class, you were not as well supported by those in charge, he learned.

Now, newly graduated from the trials of the priesthood, Cole is ready to make his mark on the world...and never mind those who disagree with him. They will learn better...

Now he is starting to have doubts about what his priesthood has become. Maybe it was the way his childhood accident was explained to him, an act of his god, but something doesn't seem right in his heart about that. Also to continuing persecutions against those who choose not to follow his churches way. True, the church has brought order, but sometimes at the expense of humanity. Plus the tales of corruption from one of the crusaders of Iomedae, a young lady by the name of Saorise, also has shaken his faith. If a fine uptanding individual like her father's companion could be corrupted so easily, then how could he, a simple country boy, avoid the same fate?

Finally, his brother has been a vexing issue which his faith seems to have no answer for. He was delivering some sweets to a local lord. As Raff tried to talk his gang out of robbing his brother they turned on him, allowing Cole to make his escape. How he wanted to stay and fight those bastards! But Raff told him it would lead to both of their deaths.

Which is why when he heard Raff, his brother was involved with some gangs and thugs, and accused of performing criminal acts, knew he could not let his brother suffer for his crimes. So he has traveled to Kaer Maga to track the location of his brother down, but unfortunately he has disappeared.

Stuck in a strange city, and knowing little of its ways, he has answered a call from Saorise to explore some dungeon for the church of Pharasmaa. While not fond of crawling around a stinking dungeon, he secretly hopes this triggers his faith again, as he feels his faith slipping. Was his faith in his goddess, his life a lie?

Cole's Intro
Faith is a funny thing - you never know what will make it or break it. Betrayal? Yeah, that will do it. Especially betrayal of family. Nothing cuts deeper than that. Well, maybe a trail gone cold, unanswered prayers...
Once Cole had figured out his brother was not to be found by conventional means, he slipped into a state of questioning depression - asking all those questions that the common folk always asked him when he took the faith of Iomedae into the country and byways of the region.
Why doesn’t she care? Why doesn’t she do something about our troubles? Can she not hear us? Does she no longer accept our tithes, our offerings? What more do we have to give before she will deliver us?

Cole has been in this city of strangers for almost a month, and has learned a more things about this hellhole that he ever wanted to know. The districts in town are very different - each has its own code, its own people. The Warren is a den of rats and thieves for the most part, chock full of vagrants who have little money and little desire to rise above their depravity. Downmarket is a place of sorrow for many who arrive in chains, and anything or anyone can be bought or sold among the crowded stalls. Cavalcade is the industrial heart of the city with its factories, mills, temples, and bathhouses. And it is the district that is most open to the sky.
The fabled balconies of Bis rise several stories over the streets below and some tenants are said to never leave their towers, not wanting to sully themselves with the general populace. The Ardoc family, builders of golems and gearworks rules there. Hospice is where one goes to forget and find succor...in just about any form imaginable. No vice is frowned upon in the red-light district, no secret fetish is too extreme. In Ankar-Te, the dead live again and walk the streets! Known as twiceborn, these zombies are created and controlled by their makers - necromancers who have learned the secrets of such dark magic. The zombies do not have freewill or conscience for that would break one of the few laws of Kaer Maga - no intelligent undead may walk the streets.
Highside Stacks sports 16-story-tall cacophonous hives of steeples and minarets and these towers are the pride of all who live there and consider themselves superior to the “groundlings” below them. Oriat is a district of artisans, a district of cheers, laughter, and song. Unfortunately it is also a warzone where rival gangs vie for control and the Brothers of the Seal, a strict monastic order, try to rise above it all.
The Tarheel Promenade is the magical and religious center of Kaer Maga, with the highest concentration of temples and arcane services in the city. The streets flow with business and even the temple of Asmodeus has a presence here. The Widdershins is where folks live who wish to pretend the debachery of the city doesn’t exist. They hole up in their private villas off the lake and attend lavish parties, while the Constabulary Police protect them and their homes.
And while many districts are ruled by gangs and families, The Bottoms are ruled by an ideal: freedom. The Freemen have localized a revolution and the hard-working class believe in their ideals and many former slaves support their efforts here as well.
And it is to the Bottoms that Cole is making his way today. The Godsmouth Ossuary is there and he has heard that it needs volunteers for a mission...a secret mission. His path takes him toward the Meeting Post by the lake, as it has nearly every day he has been here, hoping to still find some clue as to his brother’s whereabouts. But on this day, he encounters people in a hurry, both going toward the lake and coming from it. On their lips are words like “gonna be a bloody fight” and “four against one hardly seems fair” and “heard he had a magical blade” and so forth. So when Cole arrives, a crowd has begun to gather and in the middle, near the Meeting Post stands five men - Sniv and his boys are spread out trying to encircle the man standing nearest the post. One look and Cole knows this man is not from the city. And that the blade in his hands is indeed a fine one...

Treasure of Arainu Notes
John Sylvercye: John is a human wizard of rather high standing in Haven, he is the head of the library. He is thirty-some years old, black-haired and blue-eyed and with a rather dark, for this region, complexion.
Ashei is a human cleric of Cayden Cailean. She is head of the temple and perhaps the most powerful person in Haven. She is no older than thirty, with light brown hair and green eyes.

Jirah, (NPC)Personal assassin to "His Majesty the Raja."

- The Raja is the king of Qa'drah, with immense political power and significant religious authority. He holds power over the desert chieftains.

- Qa'drah = a desert kingdom to the south of Arun. It acknowledges the Empire of Arainu's authority, but tends to be independent, even troublesomely so. It is known for it's religious authority, worshiping Iomedae mostly, and is a popular stop for merchants.

- Qa'drah, her home, is far to the south, and mainly harsh desert. Women are expected to be docile and silent, and always wear heavy shrouds, and Jirah considers herself lucky, with her freedom to fight and wear (mostly) men's clothes. It is a very traditional country, and Jirah admits she is ignorant on many of the inner workings of common society, as she was raised and trained isolated in her sect's wing of the palace. The Raja is a religious authority, and leads the Church of Iomedae, though Jirah worships Sarenrae, another popular deity. Iomedae and Sarenrae are considered sisters in Qa'drah, and the high priests sometimes personify Qa'drah as their daughter (Jirah does not explain how this is supposed to work, apparently she doesn't know), a lioness. Un-armed fighting, other than brawling, is fairly new to her, and she says that most warriors in her country use light blades, sometimes two (like her), and fight mounted, flaunting their status and fighting using very elaborate techniques. The really superb warriors are the ones who don't get lost in the frequent sandstorms. Jirah is on her way to becoming the king's champion, though unofficial because of her gender the Raja apparently doesn't intend to keep her a complete secret. She is oblivious to the fact that this basically makes her the Raja's private assassin, or she simply doesn't see it that way.