The paladins of Shelyn are peaceable promoters of art and beauty. They see the ugliness in evil, even when cloaked in the form of beauty, and their mission is to defend those who devote their lives to the creation of beauty, bring it forth themselves, and prevent the weak and foolish from being seduced by false promises. Their tenets include the following adages.
• I see beauty in others. As a rough stone hides a diamond, a drab face may hide the heart of a saint.
• I am peaceful. I come first with a rose rather than a weapon, and act to prevent conflict before it blossoms. I never strike first, unless it is the only way to protect the innocent.
• I accept surrender if my opponent can be redeemed—and I never assume that they cannot be. All things that live love beauty, and I will show beauty’s answer to them.
• I live my life as art. I will choose an art and perfect it. When I have mastered it, I will choose another. The works I leave behind make life richer for those who follow.
• I will never destroy a work of art, nor allow one to come to harm, unless greater art arises from its loss. I will only sacrifice art if doing so allows me to save a life, for untold beauty can arise from an awakened soul.
• I lead by example, not with my blade. Where my blade passes, a life is cut short, and the world’s potential for beauty is lessened.
Female Human Virtuous Bravo 3 (Oath against Grotesquery)//Cold Iron Warden 3
LG Medium Humanoid (Human)
MAGIC
Alignment Channel: DC 13 = 10 + ½ lvl + cha, 1d6 (As cleric of level-2).
Judgement: 1/day.
Lay on Hands: d6, 3/day. (d6/2 lvls, ½ lvl + cha).
Smite Evil: +cha to hit, +lvl to damage (x2 vs evil outsiders), 1/day.
0 (∞/day): (6) Detect Magic, Guidance, Light, Resistance, Stabilize, Virtue.
1 (3+1/day) : (4) Aspect of the Nightingale, Bless, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith.
STATISTICS
Str 8 (-1)
Dex 18 (+4) [16 +2 racial]
Con 14 (+2)
Int 10 (0)
Wis 12 (+1)
Cha 14 (+2)
FEATS Weapon Focus - Glaive [Level 1]: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.
Bladed Brush [Human 1]: You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a glaive sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon. When wielding a glaive, you can treat it as a one-handed piercing or slashing melee weapon and as if you were not making attacks with your off-hand for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a duelist’s or swashbuckler’s precise strike).
As a move action, you can shorten your grip on the glaive, treating it as though it lacked the reach weapon property. You can adjust your grip to grant the weapon the reach property as a move action.
Slashing Grace [Level 3]: Choose one kind of light or one-handed slashing weapon (such as the longsword). When wielding your chosen weapon one-handed, you can treat it as a one-handed piercing melee weapon for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a swashbuckler’s or a duelist’s precise strike) and you can add your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to that weapon’s damage. The weapon must be one appropriate for your size. You do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or any time another hand is otherwise occupied.
Favored Judgement [Inquisitor 3]: Select a favored race from the ranger’s favored enemies chart (evil outsider). Any sacred or profane bonus you gain from a judgment is 1 higher for attacks you make against or take from creatures that match the selected favored enemy.
Alignment Channel [Inquisitor 3]: Instead of its normal effect, you can choose to have your ability to channel energy heal or harm outsiders of the chosen alignment subtype (evil). You must make this choice each time you channel energy. If you choose to heal or harm creatures of the chosen alignment subtype, your channel energy has no effect on other creatures. The amount of damage healed or dealt and the DC to halve the damage is otherwise unchanged.
TRAITS Voice of Velvet (Race): You gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy and Perform (oratory) checks.
Hunter of Outsiders (Regional): You gain a +2 trait bonus on Survival checks to track evil outsiders and a +2 trait bonus on initiative checks when you know your opponent is an evil outsider.
Inner Beauty (Religion): Once per day when you manifest your faith in your goddess, you gain a +4 trait bonus on a single Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, or Perform skill check. You must choose to use this trait immediately after rolling the skill check but before the result is revealed by the GM.
Fey Taken (Drawback): As a child, you were whisked away to the First World by mischievous fey for a time. When you returned, you were ever after considered odd and distant. You long to return there, and find the mortal world dull and at times revolting, so you do not eat as you should and do not question strange visions. You take a –2 penalty on saving throws against disease, illusions, and poison of all kinds, as well as against the spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities of fey.
Total Points: 24 [3x(6 Inquisitor + 2 background)]
AC penalty is 0
LANGUAGES
Common.
EQUIPMENT
+1 glaive (2310gp)
MW Chainshirt (250gp)
Inquisitors Kit (30gp) This kit includes a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, candles (10), a cheap holy text, a flint and steel, an iron pot, manacles, a mess kit, rope, soap, a spell component pouch, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), a waterskin, and a wooden holy symbol.
Masterwork Sewing Kit (50gp)
375 gold 50 silver 0 copper
SPECIAL ABILITIES Bonus Feat: Humans gain a bonus feat at first level.
Heart of the Fey: Fey-touched humans enjoy senses and reactions superior to those of their kin. These humans receive low-light vision, gain a +1 racial bonus on Reflex and Will saves, and treat Knowledge (nature) and Perception as class skills. This racial trait replaces skilled.
Proficiencies: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields). Virtuous bravos aren’t proficient with heavy armor or shields (except for bucklers).
Aura of Good: The power of a paladin’s aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.
Bravo’s Finesse: A virtuous bravo can use her Dexterity modifier instead of her Strength modifier on attack rolls with light or one-handed piercing melee weapons (though if she carries a shield, she applies its armor check penalty to such attack rolls), and she can use her Charisma score in place of her Intelligence score to meet prerequisites of combat feats. This ability counts as having the Weapon Finesse feat for the purpose of meeting feat prerequisites.
Detect Evil: At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range.
Smite Evil: Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the paladin adds her Cha bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
When using smite evil, a virtuous bravo doesn’t gain a deflection bonus to AC. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.
The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Paladin, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.
Divine Grace: At 2nd level, a paladin gains a bonus equal to her Charisma bonus (if any) on all Saving Throws.
Lay on Hands: Beginning at 2nd level, a paladin can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her paladin level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, a paladin can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two paladin levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the paladin targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a paladin only needs one free hand to use this ability.
Alternatively, a paladin can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the paladin possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.
Aura of Courage: At 3rd level, a paladin is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of her gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the paladin is conscious, not if she is unconscious or dead.
Beauty Unyielding: At 3rd level, a paladin gains spell resistance equal to 11 + her paladin level, but only against non-harmless transmutation effects. This spell resistance can be lowered as a standard action. Additionally, whenever the paladin would take Charisma damage or suffer Charisma drain, she reduces the amount of damage or drain by 1 (minimum 0).
This ability replaces divine health.
Nimble: At 3rd level, a virtuous bravo gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC while wearing light armor or no armor. Anything that causes the virtuous bravo to lose her Dexterity bonus to AC also causes her to lose this dodge bonus. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 paladin levels beyond 3rd (to a maximum of +5 at 19th level). This ability replaces mercy.
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Redemption Inquisition:
Patient Sensibility: You gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy, Perception, and Sense Motive checks.
Redeemer's Mercy: At 4th level, any weapon you wield gains the merciful magic weapon special ability. The weapon immediately reverts to its original abilities when you cease to wield it.
Second Chance: At 8th level, you can give an enemy a second chance to correct the error of its ways. Once per day as a standard action, you can cast atonement as a spell-like ability, targeting a creature that has violated the tenets of a religion you both share or that freely desires to convert to your alignment. If costly material components are required for the atonement, you may choose to accept a permanent negative level as a sacrifice in place of those components. The target of this effect also receives the benefits of a cure serious wounds spell as part of the effects of the atonement.
Judgement: Starting at 1st level, an inquisitor can pronounce judgment upon her foes as a swift action. At 1st level, an inquisitor can use this ability once per day. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the inquisitor can use this ability one additional time per day. Once activated, this ability lasts until the combat ends, at which point all of the bonuses immediately end. The inquisitor must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If she is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until she can participate in the combat again.
When the inquisitor uses this ability, she must select one type of judgment to make. As a swift action, she can change this judgment to another type. If the inquisitor is evil, she receives profane bonuses instead of sacred, as appropriate. Neutral inquisitors must select profane or sacred bonuses. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.
Judgements:
Destruction: The inquisitor is filled with divine wrath, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all weapon damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses.
Healing: The inquisitor is surrounded by a healing light, gaining fast healing 1. This causes the inquisitor to heal 1 point of damage each round as long as the inquisitor is alive and the judgment lasts. The amount of healing increases by 1 point for every three inquisitor levels she possesses.
Justice: This judgment spurs the inquisitor to seek justice, granting a +1 sacred bonus on all attack rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled on all attack rolls made to confirm critical hits.
Piercing: This judgment gives the inquisitor great focus and makes her spells more potent. This benefit grants a +1 sacred bonus on concentration checks and caster level checks made to overcome a target’s spell resistance. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses.
Protection: The inquisitor is surrounded by a protective aura, granting a +1 sacred bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled against attack rolls made to confirm critical hits against the inquisitor.
Purity: The inquisitor is protected from the vile taint of her foes, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, the bonus is doubled against curses, diseases, and poisons.
Resiliency: This judgment makes the inquisitor resistant to harm, granting DR 1/magic. This DR increases by 1 for every five levels she possesses. At 10th level, this DR changes from magic to an alignment (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) that is opposite the inquisitor’s. If she is neutral, the inquisitor does not receive this increase.
Resistance: The inquisitor is shielded by a flickering aura, gaining 2 points of energy resistance against one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) chosen when the judgment is declared. The protection increases by 2 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses.
Smiting: This judgment bathes the inquisitor’s weapons in a divine light. The inquisitor’s weapons count as magic for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. At 6th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as one alignment type (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. The type selected must match one of the inquisitor’s alignments. If the inquisitor is neutral, she does not receive this bonus. At 10th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction (but not for reducing hardness).
Monster Lore: The inquisitor adds her Wisdom modifier on Knowledge skill checks in addition to her Intelligence modifier, when making skill checks to identify the abilities and weaknesses of creatures.
Stern Gaze: Inquisitors are skilled at sensing deception and intimidating their foes. An inquisitor receives a morale bonus on all Intimidate and Sense Motive checks equal to 1/2 her inquisitor level (minimum +1).
Cunning Initiative: At 2nd level, an inquisitor adds her Wisdom modifier on initiative checks, in addition to her Dexterity modifier.
Detect Alignment: At will, an inquisitor can use detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, or detect law. She can only use one of these at any given time.
Track Teleportation: At 2nd level, a cold iron warden may acquire clues about a teleporting creature’s destination by closely examining the place it once stood. As a full-round action while standing in a square that a creature occupied when it cast a conjuration (teleportation) spell or spell-like ability, the cold iron warden may attempt a Survival check (DC 10 + the teleportation spell’s caster level) to sense the direction of the creature’s destination as well as whether the destination lies within 25 feet, 100 feet, 1,000 feet, or more than 1,000 feet of her. She must use this ability within a number of rounds after the creature’s teleportation equal to 1/2 her inquisitor level, after which the trail goes cold. A cold iron warden may use this ability once per day plus one additional time per day for every 4 levels she has beyond 2nd.
At 12th level, if the cold iron warden exceeds the Survival check DC by 5 or more, she can also sense the creature’s location as if using the locate creature spell, using her inquisitor level as the caster level. At 18th level, if the cold iron warden exceeds the Survival check DC by 10 or more, she can also sense the creature’s location as if she had cast discern location. This ability replaces track and the teamwork feats gained at 12th and 18th level.
Abyssal Scourge: At 3rd level, a cold iron warden gains Alignment Channel as a bonus feat and must choose either chaotic or evil outsiders. She can channel energy as a cleric of her inquisitor level – 2 a number of times per day equal to 3 + her Charisma modifier, but only to use Alignment Channel to damage outsiders. The DC of the Will save to halve the damage is equal to 10 + 1/2 the inquisitor’s level + the inquisitor’s Charisma modifier. At 6th level, the energy lingers in the affected area for 1 round as a shimmering, barely perceptible, mist that disrupts Abyssal magic. A creature in the mist that casts a conjuration (summoning) spell or spell-like ability with the selected alignment subtype must succeed at a concentration check or lose the spell. At 15th level, any chaotic or evil creature that casts a conjuration (teleportation) spell or spell-like ability while in the mist must succeed at a concentration check or lose the spell. The concentration check DC for both abilities is equal to 15 + double the level of the conjuration spell.
A cold iron warden can take other feats to add to this ability such as Improved Channeling, but not feats that alter this ability, such as Command Undead. This ability replaces solo tactics and the teamwork feats gained at 6th and 15th level.
Favored Judgement: At 3rd level, the inquisitor gains Favored Judgment as a bonus feat but must choose either outsider (chaotic) or outsider (evil). At 9th level, she gains Favored Judgment as a bonus feat a second time and must choose either outsider (chaotic) or outsider (evil). This ability replaces the teamwork feats gained at 3rd and 9th level.
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Appearance and Personality
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Cyrene’s long contact with the First World as a child has marked her in a number of visible ways. Her white hair, unnaturally long and usually dyed with bright streaks is the first sign. The second is her face, with strangely round eyes and pointed ears. These oddities, taken together have earned her more than a little distrust in Kenabres and more than once only the intervention of Shelyn’s priests, or Cyrene’s own skill in defending herself has prevented her accosted by suspicious crusaders.
In contrast to her brother Cyrene embraced life on the material plane after their return from the First World. Soon finding her way to the temple of Shelyn she found there the explosive colour and music to enliven a world that seemed so dreary and drab after the overwhelming vividness of the First World. Naturally friendly and emotionally open Cyrene was drawn to the church and embraced Shelyn’s creed of love and forgiveness with her whole being. When her brother, disillusioned with his life in one of the cities guard squads turned to a darker path, embracing pain and sadism as the only possible source of true sensation Cyrene tried to reason with him. His scorn and subsequent disappearance gave Cyrene a fire she had previously lacked and she began to focus once again on her martial skills, taught to her by her guardian Zana but dulled through lack of practise. She even took lessons from the grizzled veterans of the Worldwound, learning to track and hunt in case she ever caught Lon’s trail again.
Cyrene’s most deeply held belief is in the power of love to redeem even the most broken souls. She holds fast to Shelyn’s teachings that even Zon-Kuthon, the dark god of pain, might one day be redeemed and makes endless plans to leave Kenabres and seek out her brother, Lon-Dubh, in order to return him to himself. She trusts easily and likes people who are honest and open with her in response. If they can put up with her frequent distractions and non-sequiturs then even better!
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Motivation
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Cyrene’s goal is to find her brother and hopefully rescue him from the corruption he suffers. As a hospitaller of Shelyn she tries to spread peace and joy wherever she can, well aware as are all the Eternal Rose’s clergy that without reminders of what they are fighting for the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade may become little better than the demons that they face.
Since the wardstones fell she has been doing her best to protect civilians and the innocent – fighting off demons and looters with equal vigor to protect those who can’t protect themselves.
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Background
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’The First World is closer to Golarion than anyone realises. It is always a pace away, around the next bend, just out of sight from the corner of your eye. Few mortals ever find their way in and that is all for the better – the nature of the First World is shattering, and those who return are inevitably changed, not always for the better. Although some of the fey are kindly and will shelter travelers in their realm, there are far more whose ways are strange to mortals and represent terrible danger to all mortal life.’ From the writings of Arzim, Priest of the Gates and Groves.
”I’m going to catch you, little birds!” The voice echoed across the hills like a peel of thunder. ”You can’t hide from me, not on my mountain!” The sky rumbled and vivid purple lightning flashed across the clouds illuminating the vast and desolate plains below. The peels of childish laughter that replied were a sound rarely heard in the ruins of Sarkoris, almost as strange as the two children crouched behind a straggly bush high on the mountainside.
”Quiet Cy! You’ll give the game away.” Whispered the boy, although his grin showed that he was just as excited as his companion, if not more so. ”Will not!” retorted the girl next to him, her white hair billowing as she shook her head in vehement denial. Crouching in silence for a minute or more the two children stole glances through the branches, peering down the steep slopes below them. Catching sight of a tall dark skinned man striding towards them up the slope both children huddled further behind the bush, although Io could not suppress her giggles as the tall figure approached the bush, making exaggerated searching gestures. ”Now where could they be I wonder?” He asked rhetorically before leaping, gracefully over the bush onto the two children and tickling them both mercilessly.
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Fifth Sword-Knight Eridar scratched her short hair beneath her helmet. It was new and sat awkwardly on her head, even with the leather arming cap beneath it. Behind her the thirty men-at-arms rode in near silence, only the creak of wet leather relieving the gloom. Sixteen days on patrol was a long time to ride in the Worldwound, even with the Inheritor’s protective blessing and Eridar knew that even her own faith was waning under the ever-present pall of the Wound. Only in the past hour or two had they been able to escape the incessant rain, by riding into a dark forest of close-knit trees and the darkness was almost more depressing than the rain had been.
Suddenly through the trees in front of them Eridar saw her scout jerk his hand up in the signal to halt. Pulling her mount to a halt Eridar passed the signal down the line and watched with pride as her troop came to a halt. Weary and stretched thin as they were they were still a superbly trained fighting unit. Dismounting she approached the scout and, following his pointing finger, saw one of the strangest sights of her life.
In a small clearing in front of them she saw a tall, unearthly woman with her arms wrapped around two children, one dark haired and one light. As she embraced them the tall woman looked up and caught Eridar’s eye, despite the thickness of the trees between them. Gently she disentangled the children and gave them a gentle push towards the bewildered Sword-Knight before stepping back into a tree turnk and vanishing from sight. Only the two children were left, clasping each other’s hands and looking around in bewilderment. Eridar pushed her ay gently through the undergrowth, keeping her hands spread wide as she approached. Seeing her coming the taller child, a boy with raven black hair gently tugged the girl forward to meet her. ”My name is Lon-Dubh and this is my sister Cyrene. Zana said you would take us home…”
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”Lon, Lon – please don’t do this. They’re bad people Lon! You know that. Why do you have to go to them? You have such a gift. Please, please don’t go. Don’t leave me!” Cyrene recoiled as her brother turned to glare at her, his face dark with anger. ”It’s not me Cy! It’s this city, this cursed world! It’s so colourless, so grey! We’re practically dead here in this dreary place. Patrol, pray, eat, sleep. That’s all we ever do! This isn’t life, no-one lives in Kenabres anymore, they just exist! Poised between annihilation and blind, idiotic faith! Not me, not anymore! They make me feel alive Cy! Can you possibly understand that?” In his furious passion Lon-Dubh seized his sisters arm, squeezing so hard that tears formed at the corners of her eyes. At that sight his grin became wolfish and hungry. ”That’s it Cy, feel it! Embrace the pain, that’s how we know we are alive! It’s the only truth in this benighted place – pain is the truth!” Suddenly animated he let her arm go and seemed surprised when his sister pulled a glaive from the wall and levelled it at him.
”Don’t go Lon. I won’t let you!”
Snarling her brother pushed up to her, letting the sharp tip of the glaive jab into his chest. ”Go on then! Strike me! Strike your brother! You can, I know. Zana trained us both well but you won’t. You’re too soft, too weak! You and that useless goddess of yours, always so concerned with art and beauty. You’ll learn. One day.” Batting the glaive aside he strode out, careless of the blood running down his chest. Behind him Cyrene dropped her weapon and watched her brother leave. ”Lady Shelyn, watch over my brother I pray. Protect him this night and always from the demons within and without, because I no longer can.”
