Ishan Grayhill's page

Death. Or at least the resemblance of it is perhaps the simplest way to describe Ish. Most of Trunau knows him and if asked to describe him would probably say, "He looks dead."
A half-orc, he is by birth not much to look at. Usually clad in a dirty grey cloak and drab looking clothes. His armor is clearly second hand, pieced sections of toughened hide reclaimed from the wilds. The same can be said of the great axe stowed over his back. It is an amalgamation of three different pieces which have been skillfully mended together to form a whole. This ensemble of salvaged equipment often gives an impression of Ish being a homeless vagrant, but without the accompanying smell; Ish's hygiene is in fact above average. Yet it is his complexion that leads people to label him so crudely. Ish has pasty grey skin with, upon closer inspection, traces of green and brown splashed through out like beauty spots. Combined with his pale, lifeless grey eyes, he can understand the moniker however this is not how he sees himself. He’d say he looks more like a rock. In fact, his body exhibits several shades of grey commonly found in many rocks of the area to which Ish feels a special connection. He can’t adequately explain this connection but he knows that in time he will.
Ish is profoundly familiar with death. He was born and spends most of his days in the barren wilds of Belkzen just outside of Trunau. His human mother was raped - given her capture by orcs this fate was inevitable. She somehow escaped and after wondering the barren lands of Belkzen gave birth to her bastard son during a storm. Despite his heritage she loved him instantly as only a mother could. She praised Pharasma for the goddess’ blessing then named her child Ishan as, from that moment onwards, he meant more to her than all the riches in Golarion. To celebrate the occasion of his birth, she gave him the only item of value she possessed, her holy symbol of Pharsama. Ish wears this tarnished metal spire to this day, keeping it at the end of an old leather cord.
In some way, miraculously, the two survived for nearly three years. She hid herself and Ish from wandering orc tribes and used similar tactics to evade most of Belkzen’s dangerous native beasts. She scrounged what she could from the barren land and kept on the move hoping to one day reach civilization. Unfortunately their luck was bound to run out and a week before Ish was to turn three, his mother was killed by a chance encounter with a Bristle Boar. Startled by their sudden appearance, the animal had charged and she selflessly put herself between it and her son. Ish watched in stunned silence as the boar trampled and gored his mother with its deadly spines. Then, when the animal at last it moved on and Ish crawled to his mother’s side. Holding her cold, limp hand Ish stayed perfectly still, patiently waiting for his mother to return to life. When the scavengers came to ravage the remains of her body, Ish imagined himself to be like a rock closing his eyes to await the creature's upon him. Amazingly, the carnivores left him unharmed. He stayed like this for two days before collapsing himself of thirst and hunger. Had the caravan not come across him when it did, Ish would surely have perished beside his mother.
They caged him like an animal. For two years Ish breathed the dust from behind the trader’s wagons as it made its way across Avistan. When he wasn't caged, he was abused and beaten for 'practice' by the caravner's young. Ridiculed, living off scraps of food, life was tough and the young half-orc longed to be reunited with his mother, but the Lady of Graves would not come to take him. As the goddess had watched over him at his mother's side, Pharasma continued her tiny vigil and kept Ish alive until one day the caravan came to the village of Trunau. There a lady named Halgra freed Ish and he finally found freedom and a home. Halgra taught him language, schooled him in combat as well as other skills and for a time he was happy. Ish displayed a talent for survival and a connection to the wilds of Belkzen.
The walls and steep cliffs surrounding Trunau however, are a bothersome reminder to Ish of being caged. He craves the freedom of the lands, to wonder its mountains and barren fields as his mother had and perhaps most of all, he yearns to understand himself and this strange connection. A few years ago, Ish began leaving Trunau for a few months at a time and has been wondering the outskirts of the village now and then ever since. Outside Trunau's walls he lives wonders the land alone, never pealing off his crude armor. He explores his connection with the rocks, spends nights half buried in holes and as a result keeps a few tricks up his dirt caked sleeves. Ish uses these to keep out of sight of orc patrols and some of Belkzen's other dangers. As he roams the hills he hunts small game and collects articles of metal left behind from the numerous battles which have scarred the landscape. All that he owns he has salvaged from fallen orcs - there is no shortage of war in Belkzen, or victims. What isn't claimed by the victors Ish eventually finds and when he can carry no more he returns to Trunau to trade these scraps to Jess Meeson, reconnect with his friends and family.

Mountaineer (Ex): At 2nd level, a mountain druid gains a bonus on Initiative checks and Climb, Knowledge (geography), Perception, Stealth, and Survival checks equal to half her druid level in mountainous terrain, and she cannot be tracked in such an environment. This ability replaces woodland stride. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Sure-Footed (Ex): At 3rd level, a mountain druid suffers no penalty to speed or on Acrobatics or Stealth checks when walking across steep slopes, rubble, or scree. This ability replaces Trackless Step. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Spire Walker (Ex): At 4th level, a mountain druid does not lose her Dexterity bonus when climbing. A mountain druid is immune to altitude sickness and ignores the effects of a cold climate as if under the effects of endure elements. This ability replaces resist nature's lure. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Wild Shape (Su): A mountain druid gains this ability at 6th level, except that her effective druid level for the ability is equal to her druid level – 2. A mountain druid cannot use wild shape to adopt a plant form.
The ability to turn into any Small or Medium animal and back again is once per day. Options for new forms include: all creatures with the animal type. This ability functions like the beast shape I spell, except as noted here. The effect lasts for 1 hour per druid level, or until she changes back.
Changing form (to animal or back) is a standard action and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. The form chosen must be that of an animal with which the druid is familiar.
A druid loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal can make, but she can communicate normally with other animals of the same general grouping as her new form. (The normal sound a wild parrot makes is a squawk, so changing to this form does not permit speech.)
A mountain druid can use this ability an additional time per day at 8th level and every two levels thereafter, for a total of eight times at 20th level. At 22th level, a mountain druid can use wild shape at will. As a druid gains levels, this ability allows the druid to take on the form of larger and smaller animals, and elementals. Each form expends one daily use of this ability, regardless of the form taken.
At 8th level, a mountain druid can also use wild shape to change into a Large or Tiny animal or a Small elemental. When taking the form of an animal, a druid’s wild shape now functions as beast shape II. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid’s wild shape functions as elemental body I.
At 10th level, a mountain druid can also use wild shape to change into a Huge or Diminutive animal, or a Medium elemental. When taking the form of animals, a druid’s wild shape now functions as beast shape III. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid’s wild shape now functions as elemental body II.
At 12th level, a mountain druid can also use wild shape to change into a Large elemental or a Large plant creature. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid’s wild shape now functions as elemental body III.
At 14th level, a druid can also use wild shape to change into a Huge elemental. When taking the form of an elemental, the druid’s wild shape now functions as elemental body IV.
At 16th level he can assume the form of a Large giant as if using giant form I.
At 20th level, he may assume the form of a Huge giant as if using giant form II. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Thin Air (Su): At 8th level, as a free action, you can surround yourself with a 5-foot aura of supernaturally thin air that draws the breath from creatures adjacent to you. Creatures beginning their turn in the aura are fatigued (Fortitude negates). A fatigued creature that begins its turn in the aura must save or suffer from altitude sickness, taking 1 point of ability damage to all ability scores (see page 430 of the Core Rulebook). At 16th level, the aura increases to 10 feet. Creatures that do not breathe are immune to this aura. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your druid level; the rounds need not be consecutive. (Ultimate Magic p35)
Mountain Stance (Ex): At 9th level, a mountain druid gains immunity to petrification and receives a +4 bonus on saving throws or to CMD to resist any attempt to push, pull, bull rush, or drag her, or to resist any other effect that would physically move her from her position (e.g., repel wood, reverse gravity, or being blown away by high winds). This does not protect her against being tripped, grappled, or overrun. This ability replaces venom immunity. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Mountain Stone (Ex): At 13th level, a mountain druid can transform her body into a weathered stone outcrop and back at will. This effect functions as statue. This ability replaces a thousand faces. (Advanced Players Guide pg. 100)
Timeless Body (Ex): After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.