Irene Knapp's page

Irene was born to a moneylender named Christopher and his wife Martha in Kintargo. She was one of three children to survive infancy, alongside her brothers Roger and Bartholomew. While the Knapps were not nobility, they did live in relative comfort. Her brother Roger apprenticed alongside her father and her brother Bartholomew joined the Order of the Rack, looking to elevate the family name. Irene, uninterested in a political marriage as her family had hoped, sought desperately to become a scholar of note.

Irene Knapp worked in the libraries of Kintargo since her youth, devouring information on every subject she could find. While she would read most books set in front of her with little complaint, history was far and beyond her favorite subject. She quickly became enamored with the histories of Cheliax, and despite her tendency to treat some of the oldest texts with the childish glee some treat legends and fairy tales, she was able to piece together parts of history that had seemingly been lost. However, it was not cleverness that allowed her to piece these together where others could not, but rather naivety causing her to tread where others knew it was not safe. When one of her journals, containing a great deal of notes regarding a rather accurate and unflattering history about the rise of House Thrune, was discovered and reported to the Order of the Rack, she was forced to flee Kintargo with what few texts she could carry.

Unwilling to cross into Nidal for fear of the Kuthonites, she fled across the Menador mountains towards Isger. While fleeing into the Whisperwood to escape a Hellknight patrol led by her own brother, Irene came upon a band of outlaws who, after ensuring that she was not a member of the hellknights herself, informed her that she might find both shelter and work in Tadloton, where the information she carried would be treated with the respect it deserved. Adjusting her goal east, Irene headed to Tadloton, following the woodland roads to avoid patrols.

Irene understands the value of information more than most. She was driven from home because of information, and saved because of different information, and so now she knows when and how to allow information to be shared, and when to hide it. She keeps notes regularly in a book that she can erase on a moment’s notice, only transcribing them more permanently when she feels safe doing so. This book has been recently erased.

She tends to be an inquisitive sort, always prodding at other people’s secrets while keeping her own close to the chest. She is generally cautious with who she trusts, especially knowing that she has a poor sense of judgement for people’s intentions; a lesson hard learned.

When pressed, she can be quite imaginative with solutions to problems, but is rather unlikely to notice a fight coming, and may not notice that she needs to help solve a problem until it is pointed out to her. She can ramble on about all manner of literary subjects, but when talking about sensitive topics, she tends to be rather blunt. She doesn’t intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, she just rarely realizes that she’s doing so.

When in battle, she wields two scrolls, one as a weapon, the other as a shield. The first is a scroll of word of recall, the return location of which is no longer known to her. It has written on it “Only for Emergencies”, although she’s now worried enough about not knowing where it goes that she’s not entirely sure what is enough of an emergency. The second is a scroll of Geas/Quest, which appears to have had a note on it that was intentionally blotted out by ink. She is no longer certain if she is the one who blotted it out. She finds every joke about “the pen being mightier than the sword” or “words cutting sharper than steel” hilarious in the context of these weapons. She is incredibly fond of using her arcane mark spell to stamp OVERDUE, OUT OF PRINT, or REMOVE FROM CIRCULATION onto people while attacking and then pretending she doesn't get the joke.

Irene is relatively short, broad shouldered, and wide framed. She carries herself stiffly and has poor posture from years of hauling books in dark and dusty rooms. She has little regard for her professional appearance, having her scholar’s robes draped loosely over her chain shirt, creating uneven and somewhat obvious lumps due to the fabric bunching around the armor. She keeps her black hair cut short, so that it will not intrude into her vision. Her fingers and robes are ink-stained, and occasionally so are her lips from sucking on the end of a quill or pen, and her dull green and gray eyes dart around as she thinks, rarely focusing on what’s in front of her unless it’s a book, or something she has previously read about, which is always cause of excitement.

Irene Knapp
Hexcrafter Magus 2 / Scrollmaster Diviner 3
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +0
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Defense
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AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+5 Armor, +2 Dex, +4 Shield)
hp 40 (5d8+15)
Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +6
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. when encumbered)
Melee Scroll of word of recall (+3 shortsword) +12 (1d6+8/19-20) or Scroll of word of recall (+2 reach shortsword) +11 (1d6+7/19-20)
Melee - With Power Attack Scroll of word of recall (+3 shortsword) +11 (1d6+10/19-20) or Scroll of word of recall (+2 reach shortsword) +10 (1d6+9/19-20)
Melee - With Arcane Pool Scroll of word of recall (+4 shortsword) +13 (1d6+9/19-20) or Scroll of word of recall (+3 reach shortsword) +12 (1d6+8/19-20)
Melee - With Power Attack and Arcane Pool Scroll of word of recall (+4 shortsword) +12 (1d6+11/19-20) or Scroll of word of recall (+3 reach shortsword) +11 (1d6+10/19-20)
Ranged Mwk darkwood composite longbow (+4 str) +5 (1d8+4/20x3)
Special Attacks spell combat (–2 attack, +2 concentration), spellstrike
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 3rd; concentration +5 [+9 defensively]; 20% spell failure)
. . 2nd—detect thoughts, make whole, make whole
. . 1st— monkey fish, silent image, snowball, speechreader’s sight
. . 0 (at will)—detect magic, mending, prestidigitation, read magic
Magus Spells Prepared (CL 4th; concentration +6 [+10 defensively])
. . 1st— chill touch, longarm, shocking grasp
. . 0 (at will)—acid splash, arcane mark, light, mage hand
School Foresight
Opposition Schools Necromancy, Evocation
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Statistics
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Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 13
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 16
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Scribe Scroll, Toughness
Traits magical knack (Magus), pragmatic activator, rough and ready
Drawback Sentimental (-2 to Perception and Reflex vs. traps and to avoid being surprised)
Alternate Racial Traits Wayfarer
Adventuring Skills Climb +8 (-2), Knowledge (dungeoneering, nature, religion) +7, Knowledge (arcana, planes) +8, Knowledge (local) +9, Spellcraft +8, Swim +8 (-2), Use Magic Device +6
Background Skills Knowledge (engineering, nobility) +6, Knowledge (geography) +7, Knowledge (history) +8, Linguistics +9, Profession (librarian) +5
Languages Abyssal, Azlanti, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elvish, Halfling, Infernal, Osiriani, Thassilonian
SQ arcane pool (3 points, +1), forewarned +1, prescience 5/day, scroll blade, scroll shield
Combat Gear 2 alchemist's fire, wand of disguise self (25 charges), wand of enlarge person (50 charges), scroll of bless weapon, scroll of clairaudience/clairvoyance, scroll of command undead, scroll of gentle repose, scroll of grease, scroll of make whole
Other Gear +1 chain shirt, 20 arrows, 20 arrows (cold iron), backpack, 2 bandoliers, bedroll, bell, 10 candles, canvas, 10 pieces of chalk, dagger, erasing book, earplugs, 2 fishhooks, flint and steel, 2 fortifying stones, 2 vials of ink (1 oz.), 2 inkpens, journal, mirror, masterwork darkwood composite longbow (+4), peasant outfit, silk rope (50 ft.), 4 sacks, 2 scholar’s outfits, 3 scroll boxes, scroll case, 2 sewing needles, shortsword, signal whistle, smoked goggles, 2 spell component pouches, string (50 feet), 5 trail rations, 2 empty vials, 32.36 gp
Magus Spellbook All cantrips; 1st- chill touch, enlarge person, expeditious retreat, frostbite, grease, kreighton’s perusal, longarm, magic missile, monkey fish, shield, shocking grasp, snowball, true skill, true strike, vanish
Wizard Spellbook All cantrips; 1st- air bubble, ant haul, crafter’s fortune, disguise self, erase, grease, identify, monkey fish, protection from chaos, protection from evil, protection from good, protection from law, silent image, snowball, speechreader’s sight; 2nd - continual flame, detect thoughts, knock, locate object, make whole, mirror image

Arcane Pool (Su): At 1st level, the magus gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his powers and enhance his weapon. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his magus level (minimum 1) + his Intelligence modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.

At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's base price modifier (see the Magic Weapon Special Ability Descriptions). These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the magus uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the magus.

A magus can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.

Forewarned (Su): You can always act in the surprise round even if you fail to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but you are still considered flat-footed until you take an action. In addition, you receive a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum +1). At 20th level, anytime you roll initiative, assume the roll resulted in a natural 20.

Prescience (Su): At the beginning of your turn, you may, as a free action, roll a single d20. At any point before your next turn, you may use the result of this roll as the result of any d20 roll you are required to make. If you do not use the d20 result before your next turn, it is lost. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.

Scroll Blade (Su): A scrollmaster can wield any paper, parchment, or cloth scroll as if it were a melee weapon. In the hands of the wizard, the scroll acts as a short sword with an enhancement bonus equal to 1/2 the level of the highest-level wizard spell on the scroll; a scroll with only a cantrip or 1st-level spell on it counts as a masterwork short sword. The scrollmaster is proficient in this weapon, and feats and abilities that affect short swords (such as Weapon Focus) apply to this weapon. A scrollmaster cannot wield two scrollblades at the same time.

Activating this ability is a free action. A scroll blade only retains its abilities in the hands of the scrollmaster. The scroll blade has hardness 0 and hit points equal to the highest-level wizard spell on the scroll. Each successful hit by the scroll blade reduces its hit points by 1; this damage cannot be repaired, but does not affect casting from the scroll. When its hit points reach 0, the scroll is destroyed.

If a scroll contains a spell with a metamagic feat, this ability uses the original spell level of the spell (a scroll of empowered fireball counts as a 3rd-level spell).

At 3rd level, when using a 4th-level or higher wizard scroll as a scroll blade, the scrollmaster can choose to reduce its enhancement bonus by 1 (minimum +1 enhancement bonus) to treat it as a reach weapon. For example, he could use a scroll of charm monster (a 4th-level wizard spell) as either a +2 short sword or a +1 short sword with reach.

At 5th level, when using a 4th-level or higher wizard scroll as a scroll blade, the scrollmaster can choose to reduce its enhancement bonus (to a minimum of a +1 enhancement bonus) to give any of the following weapon properties: defending, frost, icy burst, keen, ki focus, shock, shocking burst, speed. Adding any of these properties consumes an amount of enhancement bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Table 15–9: Melee Weapon Special Abilities in the Core Rulebook). The scrollmaster must know the prerequisite spell or spells to craft the weapon property in question (for example, he must know haste to be able to give his scroll blade the speed property). This ability replaces the wizard’s arcane bond.

Scroll Shield (Su): A scrollmaster can wield any paper, parchment, or cloth scroll as if it were a light wooden shield. In the hands of the wizard, the scroll grants a +1 shield bonus with an enhancement bonus equal to 1/2 the level of the highest-level wizard spell on the scroll; a scroll with only a cantrip or 1st-level spell counts as a masterwork light shield sword. The scroll shield has no armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, or maximum Dexterity bonus. The scrollmaster is considered proficient in this shield. A scrollmaster can use a scrollblade in one hand and a scroll shield in the other hand.

Activating this ability is a free action. A scroll shield only retains its abilities in the hands of the scrollmaster. The scroll shield has hardness 0 and hit points equal to the highest-level wizard spell on the scroll. Each successful attack roll against the wizard reduces the scroll shield’s hit points by 1; this damage cannot be repaired, but does not affect casting from the scroll. When its hit points reach 0, the scroll is destroyed.

At 5th level, when using a 3rd-level or higher wizard scroll as a scroll shield, the scrollmaster can choose to reduce its enhancement bonus (to a minimum of a +1 enhancement bonus) to give it any of the following shield properties: ghost touch, light fortification, moderate fortification. Adding any of these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s cost (see Table 15–5: Shield Special Abilities in the Core Rulebook). The scrollmaster must know the prerequisite spell or spells to craft the shield property in question (for example, he must know limited wish to be able to give his scroll shield the fortification property).

If a scroll contains a spell with a metamagic feat, this ability uses the original spell level of the spell (a scroll of empowered fireball counts as a 3rd-level spell).

Ruling stating that you can cast with a light shield, because I saw some people arguing about it while putting this together. Let me know if this is an issue and I can make some adjustments.

Spell Combat (Ex): At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.

Spellstrike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon's critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.