Illthir Winlowe's page

"Nice and honest" salespair knows of magic flute held by "blue small things". Mites? Ask Kobolds?

Pretty picture!

Party sucks at cooking. Hire chef? (follower/cohort angle? Or Kingdom project ...)

Illthir's pale features hints of her snowcaster heirtage and her deep blue irises confirm that the blood isn't pure. Her mother was a twilight speaker, a wandering priestess of Findeladlara, that became enamoured by a Restovian merchant. The relationship was quite shallow at first, a few sweet summers here and there, but that changes as Illthir was conceived.

The snowcasters are a xenophobic people and while love for an outsider was barely tolerated a child was right out. Especially with an non-elf. Illthir was taught many of her peoples customs and rituals, but her mothers exile soured that heritage. Instead Illthir embraced her human side. She dug trough every book she could get her grubby mitts on, memorized every tale told. Even the doubtful stories of the dockside bar patrons.

Central to many local legends were the swordlords and their heroics. The young woman developed a healthy fascination soon border to obsession. Sadly, not for the lack of trying, she couldn't even begin to master their intricate style of swordplay lacking both aptitude and trainer. She did, however, grow quite adept at out-fencing a nearby lamp-post.

As she came to realize facts, and her neighbours grew tired of perpetual lamp-post maintenance, she looked around for a different path. If she couldn't be the blazing sword at the centre of the stories-to-come maybe she could instead be the one that recorded it? She already had a decent mind for tales, on account of frequent exposure, and this avenue would surely give some opportunities for slipping in an heroic deed or two anyhow.

While finding prospective heroes in the sword-schools of Restov wasn't too hard getting them to actually perform heroics was trickier. Turns out the average adventure didn't have that many epic quests and a few too many rat-filled cellars for her taste. Now, granted, she didn't think this things would come easy. But maybe she was looking in the wrong place? This whole nation-building to the south *does* sound like something one could build a good story on! (And while what smelled very much like civil war would probably also make a decent tale eventually one of the two options sounded much nicer.)

---Personality---

Quiet, prefers to mind her own thoughts. Unless of course there is a good story to be had - or a somewhat less good joke to be made. Somewhat cowardly though this is a trait she does her best to hide out of pride.

---Likes---

Fresh snow. The world is so beautiful wrapped in it. Not to mention the interesting muted acoustics. And skiing!

Bravery. She always have to take a deep breath before plunging into danger or the unknown, but for some it comes so easily. Very admirable quality.

Rhymes, puns. Clever wordplay should be in the repertoire of every skald worth their salt. A bit that good original ones are hard to come by. Oh well, practice makes perfect (and sometimes annoyed companions)!

---Dislikes---

Prejudice, xenophobia. She feels that everyone should be judged by their own merits and acts - their own story - rather then fitted to a mould.

Rigid traditionalists. Doing something just because you did that way last year seems like a flimsy excuse. Especially if you claim you didn't *want* to do it - but tradition dictates.

Contradictions. Life would be so much easier without them. And Illthir would feel a bit better over the clash between her prejudice towards people and her prejudice towards prejudices.

---Pros---

Magical versatility. As a human blooded skald Illthir has access to the excellent +spell known favoured class bonus, granting a naturally deep pool of bard spells. At level 5 she will also have Spell Kenning which lets her cast any one wizard, cleric or bard spell (of a level she can cast) once per day; really handy for those situational spells. And an extra Lesser Restoration during the downtime. Lastly she has Scribe Scroll to build a small stash of utility magic.

Excellent support package. Her song gives a solid edge in melee combat and on will saves. Even a flimsy gnome can do some damage in melee thanks to the Lesser Spirit Totem (or rather, the free spirit attack can do harm for them)! While songs of anger isn't for everyone Illthir has access to the excellent bard spell list that is full of goodies like Heroism and Glitterdust - perfect to improve the party or hinder the opponents. She also comes readily equipped with a reach weapon if something needs to be tripped or poked or something.

Skills! Illthir knows a bit about everything and a lot of history, which is always handy. She has a decent eye for details and an even better one for personalities - and she can tell outrageous lies with a mostly straight face. Comes in handy while polishing deeds for a song. The best thing is thanks to Versatile Performance her array of skills is only going to grow wider!

---Cons---

Quite squishy. A character with d8's for health always wants to be a bit careful around big stompy things and Illthir is no different. While her medium armour offers decent protection her use of a two handed weapon makes her a bit easier to hit that the generic shield-n-mace cleric. Not to mention the small but significant -1 to AC from Inspired Rage. Her Fast Healing from Skald's Vigor helps a bit - but no terribly much if a troll decides to smack her face in.

There's only one of me! Illthir can do plenty of things - but only one or two at a time. If she is Spell Kenning Tongues she can't cast Remove Fear (and before level 5 she can't do either :P). If she want to sing she'll have to use her action and can't cast a spell and so on. Most of these restrictions will lessen with levels and can, to some degrees, be played around. But for now it is something to keep in mind.

Second-rate caster. Her DCs will never quite be as high as a full caster. Nor will she have equally powerful spells either. So while she can do plenty of useful stuff truly heavy magical lifting is a bit out of her reach.

ability array starts at 15 15 12 12 12 16 (7+7+2+2+2+10=30)
+1 Str @ level 4
+2 Cha @ Half-Elf

Favoured Class Bonus is extra spell 1 level below max (x4; 3 cantrips and 1 st)

Triple Time Masterpiece is learned instead of one 1st level spell

All skills are arranged by the type of points used to purchase them (ie background/non background). Skill pool is 15 (4 per level, +1 per level from int).

Gold:
-550 Mwk Agile Breastplate
-1000 Cloak of Resistance +1
-315 Mwk Lucerne Hammer
-250 Traveller's Any Tool
-250 1st level scrolls x10
-10 Daggers x10
-.2 Sling Bullets x20
-90 Cold Iron Sword Cane
-102 Alchemical Silver Warhammer
-16 Cold Weather Outfitx2
-30 Courtier's Outfit
-10 Explorer's Outfit
-8 Hot Weather Outfit
-5 Cleats
-5 Skiis
-1 Ponchos x2
-50 Mwk Backpack
-1 Waterproof Bag x2
-10 Spell Component Pouch x2
-2 Waterskin x2
-5 Scroll Box
-1 Blankets x2
-0.1 Bedroll
-0.01 Soap
-10 Small Tent
-1 Animal Glue x2
-10 Silk Rope 50'
-1 Signal Horn
-0.1 Candles x10
-17 Waterproof Bull's Eye Lantern
-5 Trail Rations x10
-50 Tome of Epics
-10 Journal
-5 Gear Maintenance Kit
-1 Grooming Kit
-0.2 Mess Kit
-2 Scrivener's Kit
-100 Mwk Pan Flute
-1 Flint and Steel
-20 Alchemist's Fire
-.5 Lamp oil x5
-4 Sunrods x2
-20 Acid x2
-5 Alchemist's Kindness x5
-20 Smokestick

Cold-Honed (from Arctic Region): Half-elves from arctic regions with this racial trait can move through natural snow and ice at their normal speed and gain a +4 racial bonus on Fortitude saves to avoid nonlethal damage from cold environments. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities racial trait.

---Performance---

Inspired Rage (Su) At 1st level, affected allies gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution and a +1 morale bonus on Will saving throws, but also take a –1 penalty to AC. While under the effects of inspired rage, allies other than the skald cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the song’s bonuses on Will saves increase by 1; the penalty to AC doesn’t change. At 8th and 16th levels, the song’s bonuses to Strength and Constitution increase by 2. (Unlike the barbarian’s rage ability, those affected are not fatigued after the song ends.) If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian’s rage, bloodrager’s bloodrage, or skald’s inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). However, inspired rage does not allow the ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features.

Song of Marching (Su) At 3rd level, a skald can use raging song to inspire his allies to move faster without suffering from fatigue. By expending 1 round of raging song, the skald invigorates allies within 60 feet, who may hustle for the next hour; this movement counts as a walk (not a hustle) for the purpose of accruing nonlethal damage and fatigue. The skald must continue to perform the song for the remainder of the hour, otherwise its effects end, but only 1 round of raging song is expended for that hour.

Triple Time (Percussion, String, Wind)

Prerequisite: Perform (percussion) 3 ranks, Perform (string) 3 ranks, or Perform (wind) 3 ranks.

Cost: Feat or 1st-level bard spell known.

Effect: This bright and spritely tune mimics the sound of human feet, slowly building to a steady, ground-eating pace. When you complete this performance, you affect one ally in hearing range per bard level. This masterpiece increases the affected target’s base land speed by 10 feet for 1 hour. This adjustment is treated as an enhancement bonus. There is no effect on other modes of movement, such as burrow, climb, fly, or swim. As with any effect that increases your speed, this spell affects your jumping distance (see Acrobatics).

Use: 1 bardic performance round.

Action: 1 minute.

---Rage Powers---

Rage Powers (Ex)

At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, a skald learns a rage power that affects the skald and any allies under the influence of his inspired rage. This cannot be a rage power that requires the creature to spend a standard action or rounds of rage to activate it. For example, the skald cannot choose terrifying howl (which requires a standard action to activate), but can choose knockback (which is made in place of a melee attack).

Unless otherwise noted, a skald cannot select an individual rage power more than once.

When starting an inspired rage, the skald chooses which rage powers (if any) to add to the song, and all affected allies gain the benefit of these rage powers, using the skald’s level as their effective barbarian level. The skald uses his skald level as his barbarian level for the purpose of selecting rage powers that require a minimum barbarian level. If the rage power’s effects depend on the skald’s ability modifier (such as lesser spirit totem), affected allies use the skald’s ability modifier instead of their own for the purposes of this effect.

If a rage power requires another rage power (such as disruptive, which requires superstition), the skald cannot grant that rage power to allies unless he can also grant that power’s prerequisite. He may add multiple rage powers to an inspired rage at the same time using this ability (such as granting superstition and disruptive simultaneously).

If a rage power can only be used a certain number of times per day or per rage (such as renewed vigor), each ally affected by the inspired rage song is subject to that limit (with once per rage abilities limited to once per inspired rage).

If the skald has rage powers from another source, he (but not his allies) can use those rage powers during an inspired rage. He cannot select a duplicate rage power, unless that rage power can be taken multiple times.

If the skald has the ability to rage from another source, he can use his skald rage powers during that rage as well.

Spirit Totem (lesser)

Benefit: While raging, the barbarian is surrounded by spirit wisps that harass her foes. These spirits make one slam attack each round against a living foe that is adjacent to the barbarian. This slam attack is made using the barbarian’s full base attack bonus, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier. The slam deals 1d4 points of negative energy damage, plus the barbarian’s Charisma modifier.

---Feats---

Skald’s Vigor

Prerequisite(s): Raging song class feature.

Benefit: While maintaining a raging song, you gain fast healing equal to the Strength bonus your song provides, starting in the round after you begin the song. If you stop maintaining your song, the fast healing ends, even if the effects of your song persist.

---Spells---

---Reinvigorating Wind---
Source Villain Codex pg. 177
School enchantment (compulsion) [air, mind-affecting]; Level bard 2, druid 3, hunter 3, shaman 2, skald 2, witch 3
Casting
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M/DF (a flower petal)
Effect
Range 30 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Description
You exhale deeply, creating a gentle magical wind that invigorates any allies in the affected area, as follows. Any sleeping allies immediately wake up. Fascinated allies are shaken free of the fascinate effect. Flat-footed allies no longer count as flat-footed even if they have not acted yet. The duration of effects that cause any allies to be confused, frightened, paralyzed, slowed, or stunned is decreased by 1d4 rounds (roll separately for each target). If the duration of any such effect is reduced to 0 rounds or fewer, the effect ends for that ally. Finally, any allies lying prone may stand up as an immediate action, provoking attacks of opportunity as normal.

---Tears to Wine---
Arcane Anthology
School transmutation; Level alchemist 1, bard 1, cleric 2, druid 1, medium 1, occultist 1, shaman 1, sorcerer/wizard 2, witch 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a single grape)
EFFECT
Range 10 ft.
Target 1 cu. ft./2 levels of liquid (see text)
Duration 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
DESCRIPTION
This spell turns nonmagic liquids—including spoiled, rotten, diseased, poisonous, or otherwise contaminated drinks, tears, seawater, and similar fluids—into mead or wine of average quality. This spell does not prevent subsequent natural decay or spoilage.
Unholy water and similar liquids of significance are spoiled by tears to wine, but the spell has no effect on creatures of any type or on magic potions.
Creatures that drink the mead or wine created by this spell become sharp-witted and clear-minded, gaining a +2 enhancement bonus on all Intelligence– and Wisdom-based skill checks. This increases to a +5 bonus at caster level 9th, and to +10 (the maximum) at caster level 15th.

---Gallant Inspiration---
Advanced Player's Guide
School divination; Level bard 2
CASTING
Casting Time 1 immediate action
Components V
EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets one living creature
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
This word of arcane-empowered inspiration often ensures success of a crucial endeavor. Cast this spell when a creature fails an attack roll or skill check. The creature gains a +2d4 competence bonus to the attack roll or skill check retroactively.
If the bonus is enough to turn the failure into a success, the roll succeeds.

Aura faint evocation; CL 1st

Slot none; Price 200 gp; Weight —
Description
This opaque orb contains the distilled essence of sunlight. On command up to once per day, it releases a small vial of sunlight that produces a bright light in its square for 1 hour, during which time it provides enough energy to satisfy a single plant creature’s daily nourishment requirements. The light counts as natural sunlight in the square containing the vial. If the vial enters the square of an undead creature with a weakness to sunlight, the creature can attempt a DC 11 Will save; if it succeeds, the vial is instantly extinguished. The creature can attempt this saving throw each round the vial remains in its square, but the sunlight isn’t strong enough to actually damage creatures susceptible to sunlight. Shattering the vial extinguishes its light. A vial has hardness 2 and 5 hit points. After the orb has released 50 vials of sunlight, it loses its magical properties.

Aura weak divination; CL 1st

Slot none; Price 450 gp; Weight —
Description
This simple copper coin establishes a connection with the most recent person to keep it under her tongue for 24 hours. Once established, this connection allows its owner to determine its current direction and distance each time she casts detect magic. The connection instantly breaks if the coin travels to another plane or enters an antimagic field.

Aura faint transmutation; CL 5th

Slot none; Price 300 gp; Weight 4 lbs.
Description
Exquisitely carved from the very finest dark mahogany and polished to a smooth sheen, this 4-inch-long stick feels surprisingly heavy for its size when hefted in the palm. Three notches divide the twig into four 1-inch segments. Snapping the twig at any notch is a swift action that creates smaller twigs of appropriate sizes.

The first caber twigs were created not for combat applications but for performances at tournaments or other festivities. When thrown, a length of caber twig releases a thunderous crack and transforms into a massive log. For every segment of twig used, this log measures 5 feet long and weighs 300 pounds. No matter the length, the log created is always 2 feet in diameter. Only one length can be thrown at a time. The dramatic expansion of a caber twig segment proved a popular element of festivals throughout the Abendego coast before the advent of the storm, in much the same way fireworks help accentuate celebrations elsewhere in the world.

The thrower can toss a caber twig at a creature, object, or space within 30 feet. The resulting log always lands upright upon the target. A targeted creature must succeed at a DC 16 Reflex saving throw or be forced into an adjacent space while taking an amount of bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 points per caber twig length used.

Immediately after striking its primary target, the log tilts and crashes down in a direction of the thrower’s choosing. All creatures within a straight line that is the length of the log extending from the space of impact must succeed at a DC 13 Reflex saving throw or take 2d6 points of bludgeoning damage.

Once created, a caber twig log is permanent.

Aura faint transmutation; CL 3rd

Slot none; Price 1,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.
Description
This looks like a one-gallon stoneware jug with white glaze, black birds painted around the middle, and a cork stopper tied about the neck with a hemp cord. Any liquid placed within the jug becomes safe to drink, as though affected by purify food and drink (though the jug only affects liquids). Three times per day, the bearer can command the jug to alter the temperature of its contents so that it ranges anywhere from ice cold to boiling hot. Once per day, the bearer can command water placed into the jug to transform into plum liquor, sake, or tea. A tengu jug holds up to 1 gallon of any liquid.

5500gp (Mysterious "dungeon" room in Sword Lords cursed mansion
-1000gp +1 to armor
-4000gp amulet of charisma +2