Dolgrin Briskalberd's page

A dwarven scholar researches the lineage of the kings of the old dwarven empires and learns their ancient tactics. She keeps these ancient traditions alive by sharing them with her allies.

Once practiced by the dwarves in their Quest for Sky, the traditions of the stonesinger bards changed when the dwarves arrived on the surface. The tradition still hearkens back to its subterranean origins, however, and is practiced as a form of meditation or worship by many dwarves. Stonesingers are rare bards capable of vocalizing their bardic performances through subsonic harmonies, allowing their performances to carry as subtle vibrations through stone, rather than through the air. They command considerable power underground.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A dwarven scholar is proficient with one weapon of her choosing with the word “dwarven” in its name, in addition to her normal weapon proficiencies. She is not proficient with shields. This alters the bard’s weapon and armor proficiency.

Studied Insight (Ex): A dwarven scholar uses her Wisdom modifier instead of her Charisma modifier to determine all class features and effects relating to her bard class, including her bardic performance ability, bonus spells per day, the maximum spell level she can cast, and the save DCs of her spells.

Earth Magic: A stonesinger is treated as having the Eschew Materials feat so long as he is touching natural or manufactured stone. Additionally, a stonesinger adds the following spells to the bard spell list at the listed level: 1—magic stone, 2—stone shield, 3—stone shape, 4—earth glide, 5—stoneskin, 6—stone tell. This ability alters spellcasting.

Stone Song (Su): A stonesinger’s bardic performance is a subsonic vibration that resonates from his body and travels through solid rock. This vibration is subtle enough to not be heard, though creatures with the tremorsense universal monster ability can distinctly hear the stone song out to a range of 100 feet per bard level. All allies within 30 feet of the stonesinger benefit from stone song, perceiving the effect due to proximity. An allied creature with tremorsense benefits from stone song as long as it’s within the extended range, provided that there is an unobstructed path of solid earth between the creature and stonesinger. Natural and manufactured stone does not inhibit stone song’s range. A stonesinger must use Perform (sing) or Perform (oratory) for this bardic performance. This ability modifies bardic performance.

Bardic Knowledge (Ex): A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.

Bardic Performance: A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Wisdom modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.

Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.

Tremor (Su): As part of another bardic performance, a stonesinger can cause the ground within 30 feet to tremble, throwing enemies off balance and causing them to take a –1 circumstance penalty to AC as long as the stonesinger continues performing. This penalty increases by 1 at 5th level and every 6 levels thereafter. Creatures levitating or flying above the ground are unaffected by this ability. This replaces countersong.

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the distraction, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.

Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.

Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Wis modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.

War Chant (Su): At 1st level, a dwarven scholar can use her performance to inspire the martial prowess of the ancient dwarves in her allies. The dwarven scholar selects a single combat feat she knows. Allies affected by this performance gain the benefit of this feat for as long as the performance is maintained. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the dwarven scholar’s performance. If a combat feat has a daily use limitation (such as Stunning Fist), any uses of that combat feat by the dwarven scholar’s allies while using this ability counts toward the dwarven scholar’s feat’s daily limit. This replaces inspire courage.

Dwarf Race Traits

Slow and Steady: Dwarves have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.

Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Saltbeard: Dwarves occasionally found iron cities along rugged seacoasts, and natives of such cities gain a +2 bonus on Profession (sailor) and Survival checks while at sea. They gain a +1 racial bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against creatures with the aquatic or water subtype. Their greed racial trait applies only to treasure found in or under the water, but applies to all such treasure regardless of whether or not it contains metal or gemstones. This racial trait replaces defensive training, hatred, and stonecunning.

Lorekeeper: Dwarves keep extensive records about their history and the world around them. Dwarves with this racial trait receive a +2 racial bonus on Knowledge (history) checks that pertain to dwarves or their enemies. They can make such skill checks untrained. This racial trait replaces greed.

Hardy: Dwarves receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.

Iron Citizen: Dwarves with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks, and Diplomacy is a class skill for such dwarves. This replaces stability.

Shadowhunter: Those who understand the connection between shadows and the Negative Energy Plane know how to fight the spirits of darkness. Characters with this trait deal 50% weapon damage to incorporeal creatures when using nonmagical weapons (including natural and unarmed attacks), as if using magic weapons. They also gain a +2 bonus on saving throws to remove negative levels, and recover physical ability damage from attacks by undead creatures at a rate of 2 points per ability score per day (rather than the normal 1 point per ability score per day). Dwarves can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.

Azlanti Scholar: You are familiar with an aspect of Azlanti lore. Maybe you first became enamored with this ancient culture after stumbling across a copy of the first volume of the Pathfinder Chronicles or after learning about Azlant in a university or another type of formal education. Perhaps your parents or guardians were scholars and you’ve grown up hearing about and reading about the ancient Azlanti. For years you dreamed about visiting the continent’s ruins and returning with a discovery that could propel your career. Due to this scholarly bent, the Bountiful Venture Company selected you to join the colony at Talmandor’s Bounty. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local), and Use Magic Device checks, and one of these skills is a class skill for you. In addition, you gain Azlanti as a bonus language.

Glory of Old: In your veins flows the blood of dwarven heroes from Tar Taargadth. You receive a +1 trait bonus on saving throws against spells, spell-like abilities, and poison.

Propitiation: Your knowledge of the dwarven pantheon tells you precisely which gods have jurisdiction over which aspects of your life, and you can call upon the appropriate deity for help even if that deity is not your patron. At the start of each day, pick one of the following skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (pick one craft skill), Diplomacy (usually), Intimidate, or Knowledge (local). You gain a +2 trait bonus on that skill until the start of the next day.

Dolgrin was born to the Briskalberd clan of Highhelm. Highhelm is, of course, one of the grandest Sky Citadels constructed by the dwarves, and the center of dwarven culture on Avistan. He was a curious dwarf from an early age, often desiring to leave the relative safety of the Emperor’s Peak and see the Sky that his ancestors had spent so long questing for. He often asked his parents why the dwarves continued to sequester themselves beneath the ground—high up though they may be—instead of spreading out across the face of Golarion. He was told that the Quest for Sky was less about the sky and more about the surface, leaving the Darklands and migrating above. From their Sky Citadels, the dwarves had migrated out. But dwarven culture was still one of stone, and not all dwarves were cut out to be adventurers. The mountains were safe. (Or safe enough.)

This distinctly Holtaksen (mountain dwarf) answer did not satisfy Dolgrin. He yearned to experience the world outside of Highhelm. He yearned to see the Sky! He yearned to become like the Ergaksen: the surface dwarves. But that wasn’t what a Briskalberd did. He was expected to choose a career in the mountain, ideally following in the footsteps of one of his relatives, settling down, and raising a family. When he was deemed ready (in his late 20s), he set out to perform his gladdringgarsun, the “ritual of toil.” His family wondered whose gladdringar he would choose to honor: there were many relatives to choose from who all held comfortable positions in Highhelm society, and any would be honored. When Dolgrin returned to reveal that he had carved his runic name next to an uncle who had long ago left Highhelm, the Briskalberds were vexed. On the one hand, his uncle would not be aware of the honor. On the other, this uncle was also known for having delved deeper underground than any other member of the clan. None could deny that Dolgrin had come of age.

Despite this expressed intent to leave Highhelm, the Briskalberds were staunch traditionalists. Dolgrin took up a position in the mines with his father and settled down with a woman named Yande Helmrunner, a soldier in the Ninth Battallion. With Yande, he raised three children. But their marriage was tumultuous, and by the time their children were fully grown the couple had divorced acrimoniously. Dolgrin wanted to leave Highhelm and forge his own path in the world. So he did.

Dolgrin was uncertain what the future held, but was determined to spend the rest of his days feeling the warmth of the sun and his nights staring up at the stars. He found work on a river boat traveling along the Great Goldpan River. He didn’t expecting to stay at this for long, but found the ever-moving life of sailing appealing. He had little loyalty to a particular boat or crew until he met the gnome sailor Riordmaerbald. The two became best friends, and eventually married, making a name for themselves as a pair of reliable sailors throughout the Lake Encarthan region. Dolgrin and Riordi eventually made a home in Claes, fishing by day and making music by night.

During his decades on riverboats, keelboats, longships, and galleys, Dolgrin had often found his eyes drawn from the sky to the sea. His ancestors had Quested for the Sky, but the sky itself was sparsely populated. Beneath the waves, however, there remained many secrets. Dolgrin wanted to Quest for Deep, delving into the inky depths of ocean. Riordi was as enamored with Dolgrin’s dream as he was with his husband, so he was of course deeply supportive and began working on solutions with him. Neither had much formal training, but they were both possessed of ingenuity and gumption. The work was going well, with Riordi leading the work on a ball of metal and glass that could sink into the depths, when tragedy struck. During one of the experiments, Riordi, along with the entire submersible, were swallowed whole by a giant gar. The people of Claes rallied around Dolgrin in his grief and promised to support him during his time of need, but being in the town just made his grief worse.

Dolgrin didn’t want to give up on his—his and Riordi’s—dream. But Riordi had been the smart one, capable of turning Dolgrin’s vision into something viable. Without him, Dolgrin knew he needed more. So he applied to Almas University, hoping for formal training. University, especially later in life after two full careers (and two long marriages), was a challenge. Dolgrin was bright, but he lacked the innate tinkering talent that so many dwarves (and gnomes) possessed. He could see the big picture, but the details and how they all fit together were hard. He was also stubborn: there were well-traveled paths towards water breathing that could be gained via magic, as many of his colleagues reminded him, but he insisted on developing a method that would not rely on magic. Riordi had gotten has far as he had without magic and without training. Surely Dolgrin could figure it out.

Unfortunately, after years of sampling classes and falling out with different academic mentors, Dolgrin was no closer to figuring out what Riordi had seemed to understand intuitively. His head was full of mathematical theories, historical descriptions, and facts of engineering, but he was no closer to finding his way into the Quest for Deep. He left Almas University without a degree and in significant debt. But the stars seemed to align for Dolgrin at the nadir of his challenges. In his myriad efforts across the university, he had gained a reputation as a generalist with an affinity for drawing insightful connections between disparate fields. He might not have been personally productive and successful with his projects, but others knew to seek him out when they were stuck on a problem. This was the sort of unique perspective that the Bountiful Venture Company wanted in their colonization efforts: a generalist who could find solutions to problems that no one had anticipated. Although he was leaving the university, Provost Felandriel Morgethai personally wrote him a letter of recommendation to the Bountiful Venture Company, praising his resume in glowing terms. Perhaps—after all these years—Dolgrin might find something out in the ruins of Azlant that would help him to finally embark on his Quest for Deep!

1. What is your character’s name? Dolgrin Briskalberd
2. How old is your character? 113 years young
3. What would somebody see at first glance (i.e. height, weight, skin color, eye color, hair color, physique, race, and visible equipment)? Dolgrin is a ruddy-faced dwarf with the worry lines of someone rapidly approaching middle age (though his leathery tan could have been accelerated by a youth spent baking in the sun, smoking flayleaf, and drinking as much rum as it would take to kill a halfling twice over). He is fairly tall for a dwarf at 4’4”, and stout as well (at a solid 200 pounds, though he always says 199 pounds because it sounds better). In the kinder climate of the Lake Encarthan region, his beard is well-coiffed, but it has become a frizzy bush in the tropical heat, resistant to even the best beard oil available in Almas. (He dyed his beard purple before he left, believing that this would help to absorb some of the sun’s rays, but it has faded back into a deep brown to match the hair on his head. His head is usually covered with a hat or bandanna.) It’s hard to tell what color his eyes are through the thick, blue-tinted glasses that he wears, but closer inspection reveals warm honey-brown irises. While sailing, he usually wears a half-unbuttoned cotton shirt, often wrapped around his waist and tucked into his pants if it’s just too damned hot, revealing a barrel chest covered with thick hair and a paunch belly belying years of drink. He always has his clan dagger on his right hip, set with an asscher cut garnet (the gem and cut of the Briskalberd clan). The sheath of the dagger has a rather unsightly empty facet below the garnet. He also carries an enormous heavy-bladed spear that he usually uses for spear-fishing.
4. What additional attributes would be noticed upon meeting the character (i.e. Speech, mannerisms)? Dolgrin is quick to dispense advice, whether it is asked for or not (almost especially when it is not requested). This advice inevitably comes with a history lesson, usually one drawn from the annals of the ancient dwarven Quest for Sky. This behavior can easily come across as pushy or condescending, though he is just as quick to request advice or stories from conversational partners. (After one has gotten to know him, he comes across as amiable and curious.)
5. Where was your character born? Where were you raised? By who? Dolgrin was born and raised in the Highhelm Sky Citadel of the Five Kings Mountains, the center of Avistani dwarven culture. He was raised by the expansive Briskalberd clan, most members of whom (with the exception of his uncle Volioker) live in Highhelm still.
6. Who are your parents? Are they alive? What do they do for a living? Mother Gunda Briskalberd nee Geltheim works with her brother Krogar at the Earth and Ore Smithy in Highhelm, usually helping him mind the books. Father Eckhard Briskalberd is a retired gem miner, having lost his left arm in a carbauxine explosion a few decades back. Eckhard has become a lay-priest of Torag late in life.
7. Do you have any other family or friends? Oh, far too many to count! There’s all the Briskalberds back in Highhelm, the large network of sailors he met while traipsing up and down the rivers and lakes of Avistan, and the academic community of Almas, just to name a few. I can come up with anyone from these parts of his life not mentioned elsewhere.
8. What is your character’s marital status? Kids? Dolgrin is once divorced and once widowed; he doesn’t hold out much home that a third time would be a charm. His ex-wife Yande Helmrunner, is a captain in the Ninth Battalion under her uncle Charak. With her, Dolgrin had three children: twins Merta and Meinhar and the youngest Thurl. After her, Dolgrin married a gnome sailor named Riordmaerbald, who was eaten by a giant gar during an experiment. While working at Almas University, Dolgrin had an on-and-off relationship with an elf wizard named Seldalphon, but he was ultimately too focused on his work to settle down again.
9. What is your character’s alignment? Lawful Good: Dolgrin respects tradition and after many years of trying his own way has come around to see the benefits of living life in the tried and true, straight and narrow fashion. But he doesn’t want to force anyone else to behave in certain ways: he had to learn all this for himself over many years, making ample mistakes along the way, so he fully expects the younger folk to ignore his well-earned advice.
10. What is your character’s moral code? People should behave the way they want other people to behave, because that leads to the most well-ordered society. But it’s important to stick to your principles: just because someone else is a right ass to you doesn’t justify you turning around and treating them the same way. They’re just on the wrong path. By showing them a better way to live, they’ll learn. But Dolgrin is no pushover: he recognizes that not everyone can be changed for the better, and that if someone means him harm he has to defend himself and those he cares about. But he’ll never charge in to harm someone unprovoked.
11. Does your character have goals? Dolgrin has a personal quest that he calls the Quest for Deep. It began as a dream and evolved into a way of honoring both his ancestors’ long-ago completed Quest for Sky and the memory of his dead husband Riordmaerbald. He may not have been able to convince anyone else in the merits of this Quest, but he fully intends to find some way to delve into the depths of Golarion’s oceans and explore that which has for so long eluded the land-dwellers of Golarion.
12. Is your character religious? Yes, more or less—Dolgrin offers obeisance to the whole of the dwarven pantheon, drawing on religious allegory as much as dwarven history to offer his unasked-for advice. Religion isn’t, however, a major part of his life.
13. What are your character’s personal beliefs? Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Measure twice; cut once. Everyone is on their own path; the best you can hope for is that you can walk alongside another person for as long as possible.
14. Does your character have any personality quirks (i.e. anti-social, arrogant, optimistic, paranoid)? Ask ten people in Dolgrin’s life to describe him and the first thing every single one of them will say is that he is stubborn. Beyond that, you’ll get a lot of different answers.
15. Why does your character adventure? Why did your character accept the job? Dolgrin doesn’t adventure. That’s a young man’s game. He might still be relatively young for a dwarf, but he has lived plenty life without a need for adventure. He is hoping that the job at Talmandor’s Bounty will help him break through the blocks that have prevented him from successfully embarking on his Quest for Deep. Maybe Almas University was too stodgy or limiting. Maybe Dolgrin will be able to find something from ancient Azlant to help him. But either way, he was recommended by a well-respected provost at the University for this job, and you don’t say no to that when you’ve been struggling to figure out what to do next.
16. How does your character view his/her role as an adventurer? He doesn’t see himself as an adventurer. He left his adventuring days behind him when he stopped sailing and focused on his education. He’s a colonist here, first and foremost. He’s under no illusion that the colonizing effort will be all sunshine and rainbows, but he expects to put his skills and knowledge to use in other ways.
17. Does your character have any distinguishing marks (birth-marks, scars, deformities)? Years of mining, sailing, fishing, and tinkering have given Dolgrin ample scars, but not are significant enough to draw particular attention.
18. How does your character get along with others? Dolgrin is an amiable fellow, frequently humming to himself wherever he goes. He has some tendencies that rub other people the wrong way (i.e., his penchant for dispensing advice), but genuinely enjoys getting to know other people.
19. Is there anything that your character hates? You might suspect that Dolgrin would hate giant gar or other large fish for taking away his husband, or that he would hate his ex-wife Yande, but he hates neither. Hatred is so unproductive.
20. Is there anything that your character fears? Fear is a strong word. If Dolgrin was afraid of everything that had tried to hurt him or someone he cared about for the last century, he wouldn’t be able to participate in polite society. He has a healthy respect for the dangers of the world, but won’t admit to more specific fears.

Dolgrin rather likes Alba Divenvaar, but not because she’s a dwarf his age stop asking gosh! She is about the only person going on the expedition who has as much life experience as he has. He also appreciates her alchemical prowess, as it’s a subject that he struggled with at Almas University. She thankfully does not remind him of his ex-wife Yande, which is good. Whether she likes him or not, however, is another question.

He has tried to organize a study group of sorts with Alba, Carver Hastings, and Perrell Beys, comparing their notes and knowledge with his own. Dolgrin thinks it would be adorable if Carver and Perrell became a couple and has been trying to drop hints towards that end throughout the voyage so far.

Dolgrin has felt tension with Luetin Calewick since boarding the Peregrine. Maybe it was because Dolgrin talked about his family’s history with smithing. He had probably said something about how humans didn’t live long enough to really master any craft with as much nuance as smithing. Yeah, that might do it.

At base, Dolgrin will not excel in combat but will quickly begin laying the groundwork with the fundamentals (Aquatic Combatant, Combat Expertise (or Dirty Fighting), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, & Power Attack) as he continues to study and observe friends and enemies alike. When you’ve been at this for as long as he has, you forget a lot of what you’ve learned, but you always need the fundamentals. And then, sometimes, inspiration strikes!

Around level 3 (probably upon recognizing that this mission will not merely about setting up a colony), Dolgrin will dip into Brawler. The primary mechanical reason for this is to pick up martial flexibility, but it has the added bonus of nabbing Improved Unarmed Strike. This will enable him to pick up a different combat feat 4 times a day and, with war chant, pass it out to the rest of the party. He’ll continue on with bard unless there is a compelling need to come back to brawler or dip elsewhere.

He’ll have mastered the fundamentals by level 7 and then have room to grow into different specializations. For instance, the insightful advice makes a lot of sense for him, and discordant voice will be a perfect pickup. Since he’ll be wielding a reach weapon, Bodyguard will also be a strong candidate for a permanent pick-up. And he’ll probably work in Craft Wondrous Item to eventually build an Apparatus of the Crab or Apparatus of the Octoupis.