About Kiritta Narvagoth___________________________________________________________
+3 CMB (+3 BAB, +0 Str)
+4 Crossbow, Light (+3 BAB, +1 Dex) Damage: (1d8)
____________________________________________________________
AC 11 [+1 Dex, +10]
+5 Fort (+2 base, +1 Con, +2 Cloak) (+1 Wizard, +1 Harrower)
Special Abilities Available:
Prescience (Su): 11/11
Blessing of the Harrow 1/1 Harrow Casting 3/3
Mythic Power 7/7 Spells Memorized:
Wizard Spells 0-Level - 4/day
1st Level - 6+1/day
2nd Level - 5+1/day
3rd Level - 4+1/day
4th Level - 2+1/day
^ Wizard School Spell
Skills:
+9 Acrobatics (Dex +1, Ranks 0) ** (Headband Skill, max ranks) +13 Appraise (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3), +0 Bluff (Cha +0, Ranks 0, Class Skill +3) +0 Climb (Str +0, Ranks 0) +12 Craft(alchemy) (Int +8, Ranks 1, Class Skill +3) +15 Diplomacy (Int +8, Ranks 4, Class Skill +3) (Trait - use Int instead of Cha) +* Disable Device (Dex +1, Ranks 0) +0 Disguise (Cha +0, Ranks 0) +1 Escape Artist (Dex +1, Ranks 0) +5 Fly (Dex +1, Ranks 1, Class Skill +3) +0 Handle Animal (Cha +0, Ranks 0, Class Skill +3) +5 Heal (Wis +1, Ranks 1, Class Skill +3) +0 Intimidate (Cha +0, Ranks 0) +17 Knowledge, Arcana (Int +8, Ranks 6, Class Skill +3) +13 Knowledge, Dungeoneering (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) +13 Knowledge, Engineering (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) +13 Knowledge, Geography (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) +13 Knowledge, History (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) +14 Knowledge, Local (Int +8, Ranks 3, Class Skill +3) +16 Knowledge, Nature (Int +8, Ranks 5, Class Skill +3) +13 Knowledge, Nobility (Int +8, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) +16 Knowledge, Planes (Int +8, Ranks 5, Class Skill +3) +14 Knowledge, Religion (Int +8, Ranks 3, Class Skill +3) +15 Linguistics (Int +8, Ranks 4, +3 Class Skill) +5/+7 Perception (Wis +1, Ranks 4) (+2 Alertness when with familiar)(-2 Sight Based - Oblivious) +8 Perform(oratory) (Cha +0, Ranks 5, Class Skill +3) +* Profession, Scribe (Wis +0, Ranks 0, Class Skill +3) +5 Ride (Dex +1, Ranks 1, Class Skill +3) +3/+5 Sense Motive (Wis +1, Ranks 2) (+2 Alertness when with familiar)(-2 - Oblivious) +* Sleight of Hand (Dex +1, Ranks 0) +18 Spellcraft (Int +7, Ranks 8, Class Skill +3) +3 Stealth (Dex +1, Ranks 2) +5 Survival (Wis +1, Ranks 1, Class Skill +3) +8 Swim (Str +0, Rank 0) (Headband Skill, max ranks) +6 Use Magic Device (Cha +0, Ranks 2, Class Skill +3) Skill points gained 9/level (+2 Class, +6 Int, +1 race) + FC Traits/Feats/Drawbacks:
Traits
Feats
[/list] Story Feat --> Accursed (Story)
Prerequisite: You must carry a curse that can be lifted only by a quest or similar great undertaking, or have the Cursed Birth background. Benefit: You gain spell resistance equal to 5 + your character level, as the curse interferes with all magic. Unlike most spell resistance, it can't voluntarily be lowered, though your own spells and magic items still automatically affect you. Goal: Your curse is lifted or you are able to purge the corruption of your fiendish blood (the circumstances of either vary widely based on the nature of the curse, and are up to the GM). Completion Benefit: You lose the spell resistance described above. You gain spell resistance equal to 11 + your character level, but only against harmful enchantment, necromancy, and transmutation spells and spell-like abilities your aura resists further attempts to curse you. Harmless spells automatically bypass this spell resistance whether you desire it or not. This spell resistance can be voluntarily lowered. Drawback Oblivious
Effect: You take a –2 penalty on Sense Motive and sight-based Perception checks.
Racial:
+2 Int Movement: 30 Size: M Bonus Feat
Favored Class & Notes:
Favored Class: Wizard
Wizard Spells/day:
0th Level --> 4
Wizard:
Arcane Bond: Familiar - Lyrakien(Azata) (see below) Divination(Foresight) Arcane School
Forewarned (Su)
Prescience (Su):
Foretell (Su):
Mythic(Archmage):
Path --> Archmage Archmage Arcana --> Wild Arcana(Su)
You don't need to have the spell prepared, nor does it need to be on your list of spells known. When casting a spell in this way, you treat your caster level as 2 levels higher for the purpose of any effect dependent on level. You can apply any metamagic feats you know to this spell, but its total adjusted level can't be greater than that of the highest-level arcane spell you can cast from that spellcasting class. Path Abilities
Tier 2 - Crafting Mastery (Ex)
Ability Score
Mythic Feat
Hard to Kill (Ex)
Mythic Power (Su)
Surge (Su)
Amazing Initiative (Ex)
Recuperation (Ex)
Mythic Saving Throws (Ex)
Force of Will (Ex)
Unstoppable (Ex)
Immortal (Su)
Legendary Hero (Su)
Spellbooks:
Spellbook #1 0 Level Spells
1st Level Spells
Level 2 Spells
Level 3 Spells
Level 4 Spells
^ - Arcane School Spell
Familiar - Xritha:
Lyrakien
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
Constant—detect evil, detect magic, freedom of movement
1/week—commune (6 questions, CL 12th) STATISTICS
Languages: Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; truespeech Special Qualities: traveler’s friend SPECIAL ABILITIES Starlight Blast (Su)
Traveler’s Friend (Su)
Alertness (Ex) - While a familiar is within arm's reach, the master gains the Alertness feat. Empathic Link (Su) Improved Evasion (Ex) - no damage on reflex save, 1/2 damage if save failed Share Spells - The witch may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on herself. A witch may cast spells on her familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar's type (magical beast). Store Spells Deliver Touch Spells (Su) - If a witch is 3rd level or higher, her familiar can deliver touch spells or hexes for her. If the witch and the familiar are in contact at the time the witch casts a touch spell, she can designate her familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the witch would. As usual, if the witch casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates. If the witch activates a hex, her familiar can be used to make the touch. She does not have to be in contact with the familiar to use this ability. Speak with Master (Ex): If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help. Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, monkeys with other simians, rats with rodents, toads with amphibians, and weasels with ermines and minks. Such communication is limited by the Intelligence of the conversing creatures. Harrower:
Blessing of the Harrow (Su): Once per day, a harrower may perform a harrowing for herself and all allies within 20 feet of her. This harrowing takes 10 minutes, and allies to be affected by it must remain within 20 feet of the harrower for the entire time. At the conclusion of the harrowing, count up the number of cards from each suit that were used in the reading. This harrowing provides a bonus based upon the suit with the most cards showing. In case of a tie, choose one suit. The bonus lasts for 24 hours. The suits grant insight bonuses as follows. Strength: +1 on attack rolls; Dexterity: +1 to AC; Constitution: +1 on weapon damage rolls; Intelligence: +1 on all skill checks; Wisdom: +1 on all saving throws; Charisma: +1 on caster level and concentration checks. Harrow Casting (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, a harrower may, as she casts a spell, draw three cards from her Harrow deck. This adds both a somatic component (if the spell does not already have one) and a focus component (the Harrow deck) to the spell, but does not increase the spell’s casting time. Depending on the harrower’s level, the cards she draws might change the parameters of her spell or grant her some other benefit, as described in each tower ability. The harrower gains all of the different tower abilities available to her. If she draws cards that she has not yet gained the use of, those cards provide no benefit. Each card the harrower draws that exactly matches her alignment counts as two cards of that suit. A spell may not be affected by both Harrow casting and a metamagic feat. The harrower may use this ability a number of times per day equal to her class level. Table: Harrow Deck Alignment Associations
Tower of Intelligence (Su): Beginning at 2nd level, whenever a harrower uses her Harrow casting ability, for each card she draws from the suit of Intelligence, she gains a +1 bonus on caster level checks made to penetrate spell resistance. Tower of Strength (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, whenever a harrower uses her Harrow casting ability to augment a spell that deals damage to hit points, the spell deals +1 point of damage per die for each card from the suit of Strength she draws. Tower of Charisma (Su): Beginning at 4th level, whenever a harrower uses her Harrow casting ability, for each card she draws from the suit of Charisma, the save DC of the spell increases by +1. Equipment:
Arms, Armor, and Clothing
(8000) - Headband of Intellect +4
Magic: 21,000
______________________ 19 lbs In Haversack Spell Components Pouch, 2 lbs.
Potions Scrolls: _________ Belt Pouch Chalk, 3 pieces
Carrying Capacity Current Weight: 24 lbs Light Load: x < 33 lbs.
Appearance:
Dark skinned with pale hair. That is how one would describe Kiritta. At least, that is the description one would give if one did not see her clothes. For, Kiritta dresses as Varisian women are known to dress. Her shirts are bright, yellow, red and purple be some of her favorite colors. And her shirts are loose across the chest, frequently showing her tanned midriff. Her pants are, well, pants. Long and baggy allowing easy movement and providing both warmth in the winter and allowing air to cool her in the summer, although this far north such cooling is rarely needed. The other thing of note, which is usually one of the first things that one spots, is the small woman, dresses quite similarly, which sits on Kiritta's shoulder. Small is an understatement for the woman stands barely a foot tall. But even this is not what marks the tiny woman as unusual, it is her bright rainbow colored wings that clearly show the tiny person is something completely different. Background:
The young woman with stark white hair sits back and looks across the table at her new companions: It was near midnight on the solstice, a cool night in the far north of the Linnorm Kings. So far north that the sun never sets in the summer. Instead it sits just above the horizon and goes all the way around, or so I am told. It was also a full moon, but not a normal full moon, a blue moon, the second full moon in a month. That was the night I was brought into this world. Kiritta sits back and takes a sip of the white wine sitting before her:
She again pauses to take a small sip of her wine:
After several years of frustrating studies, it became apparent that I had a talent for the arcane, but not the witchcraft taught by those in my tribe. Perhaps I was naive, or perhaps I was so fixated on proving the destiny foreseen by the oracles and witches so many years earlier, but at the age of sixteen, I left the caravan as it passed near the city of Korvosa and applied to study at the famed Acadamae. I did not expect to be admitted. Heck, I did not even expect to be given the time of day to be acknowledge. After all, in Korvosa, people of Varisian heritage are lucky to be treated as second class citizens. Nonetheless, I applied. Perhaps the testers were not paying attention when I applied, or perhaps some totem is truly watching over me, for I was admitted. Not only was I admitted, but I received a scholarship from some anonymous benefactor. Thus, at the age of sixteen, I a young gypsy girl, entered through the hallowed doors of the Acadamae and began to study the arcane arts in one of the greatest schools in the whole Inner Sea region. Once again Kiritta pauses to take a sip of her wine. She then reaches out and picks up one of the candied nuts in the bowl on the table before again leaning back in her chair to continue her tale.
The white haired girl licks her lips and then pauses to again contemplate what to say:
Me, I too found need on occasion to flee the confines that is the Acadamae, but not for the reasons that most others did. No, I left hoping to learn something of my tribe, my family. However, as I mentioned, those wearing the marks of Varisia are often turned away. As she says this, the young woman stretches out her arms. On the back of her right hand is a tattoo of a purple butterfly, while stretching the length of her left arm is a series of cryptic letters. Thus, rather than going to the wealthy taverns and brothels of the main city, I was relegated to those poorer gathering places. The places where those rejected by society head to be with others of a like kind. The woman pulls her bright red sleeves back down as a chill breeze blows into the tavern after another wanderer walks in looking for something to take away the bite of the late autumn breeze. After all, despite Rostland being much more temperate and warmer than the northern part of Brevoy, when winter comes, it comes with a bite like that of an ice serpent. After another sip of her wine, she again looks across the table at the faces of those she is sitting with. Faces lit be the candle on the table. Faces which now flicker in the light as the breeze from the door causes the candle to wave back and forth menacingly in its protective holder. It was my third year in the Acadamae when I met him. I had just passed my nineteenth jahrzeit and decided that an evening out of the dreary confines of the arcane obsessed world was what I needed. I went to a small tavern, The Card and Klar, a tavern, which as its name indicates, generally catered to the Varisian and Shoanti minorities of the city. While sitting there, I saw a young man walk in and find a seat in the far corner of the room. I have never been very good at paying attention, but something about the man caught my eye. His background was clear from the shaven hear and tattoos covering his shoulders and arms. A Shoanti, one of the warlike tribes which inhabit the far northern regions of Varisia. As I watched, I could see that he was saying something, even though there was nobody else with him. Having studied the language of the Shoanti, as well as many others, I strove to hear what he was saying, but even with the few other patrons, I could not hear. Finally, my curiosity overcame my common sense and I walked over to him and introduced myself. Now, you may ask yourself, “How would a Shoanti warrior react to suddenly being accosted by a Korvosan wizard?”. Well, when I would escape from the sanitary confines of the school, I would usually change to clothes of my heritage. Bright shirts and baggy pants as you see me wearing this night. Thus, the youth, apparently rather surprised, looked up and asked in his native tongue if he could help me. I say, he must have been surprised when I responded in the same harsh tongue of the wandering tribes. In all likelihood he thought that I would not understand him and would simply leave him to continue to brood, but by speaking his tongue I saw a spark of interest appear in his eyes. It took a few moments for the youth to respond, but when he finally found his tongue he responded that his name was Halcorg and that he had come to this great city to prove his elders wrong. To prove that the Shoanti and the Korvosan’s could live in peace and work together. Then, he shook his head sadly while looking down at his hands on the table. When he finally looked back up, he had a look of sadness in his eyes. I have failed. There is nothing in this city to be saved. All here are devoted to either seeking to control others or to their own greed. I have seen wizards summon monsters and send them on tasks such as retrieving a pail of water which even the highest of Shoanti would do on their own. After this, he told me that he had been in the city for nearly a year. That he had slept in the streets many a night because the inns refused to allow one of his blood to stay within. That he had worked for many only to be turned away when he asked for payment for the work done. I listened enthralled. To hear his story was depressing, but also enlightening. In the three years I had been in the Acadamae, I had learned to call creatures from the beyond. I had learned to use magic to manipulate and control the minds of other. To use illusions to deceive and to create flames and arrows of force with which to strike down even the strongest of enemies. I realized that all this learning was slowing changing me, changing me from the free willed Varisian gypsy that had arrived in the city three years earlier into a controlling and manipulative magician. The more I thought about it, the more that I realized that if I continued down this path, I would never be able to return to my people. I would never be able to fulfill the destiny which so many elders had seen, because I would no longer be one of the wanderers. I would no longer be a Varisian. When Halcorg finished, he looked at me, perhaps for the first time realizing that I wore Varisian garb, not the clothes of those who would seek to emulate the devil worshipping Cheliaxians. He asked who I was, and I told him about my life. About growing up on the road and always traveling to the next show, traveling to the next place where the tribe could set up shop and earn enough to survive to the next show. I then told him about having come to Korvosa, much as he had, to seek my destiny. A destiny that I saw as learning to conquer and use the arcane for the betterment of my people and my tribe. At this time he looked fearful. All know that the Shoanti do not view arcane practitioners in a favorable light. Nonetheless, I think that he understood my dilemma. He asked why I remained at the Acadamae and whether I thought that I could return to my tribe after having spent so much time among those who viewed the arcane arts as a tool for their own power, not as a tool to help others. You can see a tear forming in the corner of one eye as the young woman speaks this part of her tale. Suddenly realizing that she had begun to cry, the woman quickly takes out a handkerchief which she uses to wipe her eyes before casting a quick spell which cleans the handkerchief she then returns to her pocket. I am sorry. Says Kiritta. Let me continue. She takes another small sip of her wine before going on:
Back in the Acadamae, things were not the same. While I continued to excel at conjuring creatures and many other arcane skills, I became disillusioned by the process. I realized that this was not my destiny. My path clearly led down the path of the arcane, but which path therein was the question. My talents in calling creatures to aid me was almost without compare in the school and the professors all assumed that I would continue to focus on this. But, my mind continued to drift back to my youth. To the oracles and witches who say the future. Who used all manner of items to see that which could not be seen, to foretell the future and to warn those going forth of dangers which might lay await in their paths. Finally, I chose to focus my study on an area almost ignored by the majority of the school. I chose to study in the Hall of Seeing. The part of the school where diviners were taught and learned to foresee that which would be. Unlike other halls such as the Hall of Summoning, Hall of Induction, Hall of Lies and the Hall of Whispers, the Hall of Seeing is generally neglected. I am sure that if the heads of the other schools had their ways, the Hall of Seeing would be disbanded and turned into a storage area or new dining hall. Nonetheless, it was to the Hall of Seeing that I went. The instructors of the divination arts not only allowed me to use a Harrow Deck, they actively instructed me in its proper use. Once more Kiritta leans back in her chair before stretching to get the kinks out of her lean tattoo covered arms. She then once more licks her lips before continuing.
At the same time that I was increasing my ability my magical skills, my relationship with Halcorg was growing. We would meet every month to speak of our youths. He would speak of hunting with his brothers, of traveling the desolate wastes of the Cinderlands. Likewise, I told him of growing up traveling the lands of the Inner Sea. That I had travelled from the Lands of the Linnorm Kings in the far north all the way to Aldoran in the south. That it was returning from Aldoran to Varisia that the caravan had passed Korvosa at which time I had chosen to leave my family and tribe to seek out the arcane knowledge taught at the great Acadamae. One thing which I learned which surprised me more than anything was when he told me that his clan was the Lyrune-Quah, the Moon Clan. I suppose this should not have been surprising as the lands controlled by the Lyrune-Quah is the closest to Korvosa, but with my birth under a midsummer night’s blue moon, this seemed a little too related to be mere coincidence. We had been seeing each other for over two years when I learned that he was of the Lyrune-Quah. He was no longer spending all his time in the city, but would return every month the day after the new moon to meet with me. We no longer only met in the tavern, but instead would often meet in the parks of the city where we could watch the sky and stars. I had learned to read the stars and occasionally would see signs in them which portended good or woe. It was early fall of my twenty-first year when I was sitting with him when I saw a shooting star pass from the far north through the Shoanti constellation called the great bear. Seeing this, I suddenly knew that change was afoot. I turned to Halcorg and asked him whether he would meet me the next month, but I already knew the answer. Halcorg shook his head and said that he would not. That he would turn twenty-one the next month and he must return to his tribe. He said that he would then have to undertake a long test to become an adult within his tribe. I looked at him with fear and told him that I would watch the stars and cards for signs of him, but that we would always be together. Before he left that night, he gave me his totem of a great mountain lion which was his tribes chief totem. I gave him the deck of Harrow cards which I had treasured and carried with me for so many years. From my vision, I knew that we would be separated for many moons, but that fate would eventually bring us back together again. After that night, I spent all my waking hours studying the arcane arts. Nothing drove me more than to succeed and to pass the final tests so that I could escape the prison which the Acadamae had begun to feel like. To be able to wander the roads again, to openly pray to Desna and to once again join my family and the tribe in the caravan. Two more years I spent in the dark halls of the Acadamae, and when the time came for me to take the tests, I jumped at the opportunity. I passed on the first try, which is good as most do not survive to try a second time. Every trick which the professors tossed my way was avoided and three weeks after my twenty-third birthday, I walked out of the main gates of the Acadamae a free woman. That day I did something which I have rarely done before and will rarely do again. I made a vow. A vow to never again return to the infernal tomb which the Acadamae becomes when one has spent too many years there. When I was released from the school, I quickly gathered my few belongings, my spellbook and my familiar, a small hawk named Eileka. Not wanting to spend any more time in the hellish city than absolutely necessary, I purchased travel supplies and immediately hit the road north and west. I was home, ok perhaps not truly home as I had not found my tribe, but to a wandering gypsy, all the roads in Varisia are truly home. It took me nearly a year to find my family. I finally discovered them near the free city of Ilusurian on the north shore of Lake Syrantula. As families are forever to Varisians, the caravan welcomed me with open arms and soon I was reading Harrow cards and otherwise seeking to divine the best path for the caravan. For two years I travelled with the tribe, visiting villages small and large. Magnimar, Riddleport and Kalsgard, in addition to numerous smaller villages. We had skipped Korvosa and were heading toward Vigil when I had a vision. I saw blood and pain, but not the blood and pain of my family or tribe, rather it was that of another and I knew immediately who that other was. It was Halcorg, and he was in pain, immense unbearable pain. I also knew that he was north, how I knew this I am uncertain, but my senses on matters such as this are rarely wrong. As we were but a few days ride south of Kaer Maga and the lands of the Lyrune-Quah, I took leave of my family and the tribe and set forth to find the strange nomadic man who had captured my heart those years before. To find him and help him to stop the pain which I could feel in my heart with every step my horse took. I travelled north, passing through the chaotic nightmare that is Kaer Maga and then into the wastelands that comprise the Cinderlands. A terrifying land I had never before visited were the Cinderlands. Every day required using the skills I had learned in the university to avoid both the strange creatures and the nightmare dust storms that are the Cinderlands. Fortunately, it was not summer when the fiery Emberstorms roar across the badlands. However, the lack of Emberstorms mean that this is also the season when raiders from the evil empire that is the Hold of Belkin invade over the mountains and raid those few who call this land home. Yes, it is into the bizarre land of fire and dust that my vision led me. For three weeks I travelled. No, I did not travel the entire time as several days were spent hiding in rock outcroppings waiting for dust storms to pass. One lasted four days. Finally, on the morning of the twenty-third day, with a light early season snow falling from the gray sky, I came across the remains of a battle. There was little left, but the pieces of armor and broken weapons seemed to indicate that a group of Shoanti had battled orcs or giants. Then I saw it. There, beneath a torn piece of armor I saw the corner of what looked to be a card. Tentatively I moved the armor and then caught my breath in my throat. There on the ground was the Harrow deck I had given to Halcorg several years earlier. Hesitantly I took the Harrow deck and held it to my heart. Once more Kiritta takes a deep breath before taking another sip of her wine, which has almost been emptied. While she pauses, she flags down the serving girl and asks for a refill of her glass. She then turns back to her listeners.
For two days I followed, and on the evening of the third I saw a fire ahead of me. I released the summoned horse which had been carrying me and proceeded forward on foot to see what was there. When I got close, I saw what had caused the huge prints. There, sitting back from the fire, was a gigantic green humanoid with long distended arms and a bulbous nose, a troll. Its eyes reflected the red of the fire making it appear even more evil. Also sitting around the fire were several other smaller humanoids with fangs and ugly faces. These I knew as I had met some before, orcs. As I continued to scan the area, I saw what I had come for. There, bound and tied to the petrified trunk of a tree, that must have grown in the wastelands thousands of years earlier before it became the Cinderlands, were three men. As the flickering of the fire reflected off their faces, I could see that they were beaten and bruised. However, the noble spirit of the Shoanti was reflected in their faces. All kept their heads held high, their faces emotionless to avoid showing their captors any sign that the beatings and forced march had any effect on them. As I continued to scan the area from my hidden location, I also spotted the loot that the raiding group had gathered. Included in it were several large hammers, earthbreakers I believe the Shoanti refer to them as, as well as the small klar shields favored by the nomadic warriors. There were also several small swords and other equipment including backpacks and rope. Seeing the equipment, I decided what I would have to do. I would wait until the majority of the evil group had gone to sleep for the night and then attempt to disable the remaining guards so that I could free the Shoanti. In preparation, I moved away from the camp and used my magic to create a safe place to rest. I rested there until the wee hours of the morning. Then I climbed down and returned to the campsite. As I had hoped, the troll and most of the orcs had gone to sleep leaving only two orcs watching the plains for any sign of a threat. I do not know what you know of the Cinderlands, but there are many threats there, but most are not of the subtle type. Thus, I assume, the orcs were listening for something big to come charging through the dust and ash covered land. Instead, what came was a young woman under the cover of dark. The first orc was easy. I cast a spell which caused his eyes to droop and then his body to follow as he fell into a deep slumber. I then turned to the second orc and used a spell which caused a brilliant array of colors to spring from my hands. The colors blinded the orc and stunned him into silence. I will never claim to be skilled with weapons, but, knowing what I had to do, I took my dagger and plunged it into the orc’s neck. It took me three strikes, but I severed his spine and watched, my hands covered in his blood, as the orc fell to the ground. Kiritta looks into her nearly empty glass for a moment, perhaps wondering when the serving girl will return, before continuing.
It was while cutting the bonds of the second warrior that I saw the tattoo I knew so well. I wanted to hug him and hold him forever, but I knew that time was precious and if we were to succeed, I could not spent the time. Thus, I cut him free and the third warrior as well. By the time I was finished with the third warrior, the first had returned with two earthbreakers and a longsword. The grim warriors and I then looked at the orcs on the ground, but I immediately noticed that the troll was no longer there. Turning around, I saw the huge shadow coming toward us. I gave a quiet shout as I saw the troll and used one of my more powerful spells to cause a pit to form beneath the feet of the troll. Like a tree in the heart of a storm, the troll fell into the pit. Knowing that the pit would last but a few moments, I motioned the warrior to eliminate the orcs before we were facing a dozen enemies. I heard scratching and clawing and then a roar from the pit and knew the troll was about to climb out. Nonetheless, the warriors did as I hoped and quickly laid into the orcs who had destroyed their tribe and taken them captives a few days earlier. It was not pleasant, it was not something that I am proud of, but the three noble Shoanti did what they had to to survive. Within a few moments there were but two orcs left, the one I had put to sleep and a old orc which appeared to be no threat. Just remember this as appearances can be deceiving. Suddenly, with another roar, the enraged troll suddenly pulled itself from the pit and with a snarl charged me. I am sure that I would have been nothing but a smudge on the ashen landscape, but suddenly between me and the troll appeared my love. He took the brunt of a blow which I am sure would have crushed a boulder. Yet still he remained standing and returned the blow with his huge weapon. The blow struck the troll leaving a deep gouge across its chest. A moment later the other two Shoanti joined Halcorg and likewise struck deep wounds. However, despite what should have been fatal blows, even to a creature as powerful as a troll, the troll appeared to simply laugh before redoubling its attack. I stepped back and tried to recall what I knew of trolls. It did not take long before I recalled a book I had read at the Acadamae regarding unusual humanoids. It had discussed various creatures including the strange two headed ettins, various giants, and trolls. One thing I recalled about trolls were that they had the ability to regenerate and heal damage, however, it was possible to stop this healing through the use of fire or acid. Fortunately, I had prepared a spell which could do just this. Thus, as the warriors continued to be slowly beaten back by the troll despite their noblest efforts, I called on the last of my powerful magic and caused an arrow of acid to appear before me which quickly launched forward and struck the troll. I could almost see the fear in the eyes of the troll which had thought itself invincible moments earlier. Suddenly the blows landed by the warriors bled and continued to bleed as the acid from my arrow burned through the monster’s ability to heal itself. A few seconds later, Halcorg lifted his great earthbreaker above his head and landed a massive blow to the skull of the troll. This blow brushed its skull and like a tree it proceeded to topple forward, landing with a boom which caused the dust and ash to billow forth covering everyone and everything in the vicinity. With a collective sigh, the warriors exhausted bodies relaxed and their weapons were allowed to rest on the ground. However, then I heard the cackling. Turning, I saw the old orc. It was, much to my surprise, a woman. I do not know what she said, but she was laughing as she said it and a moment later, I knew that she had cast some spell upon me, a curse of some sort. I do not know what the curse was, but I assume it was for my thwarting the raiding group’s plans to return with captives to Belkzin. However, since this time, I have had problems with magic. Sometimes spells I or others use on me simply fail. It is as though the magic simply does not want to affect me. Someday I will discover what this curse is, what god or power created it, and I shall be rid of it. But, until that time, I am burdened with the knowledge that sometimes even the most powerful of spells may simply fail when used against me, but beneficial and harmful. I wish I had the chance to question that old woman, but a second later, as she finished cursing me, she took a black dagger from her side and plunged it into her heart. She then fell to the ground bleeding, but still laughing in a maniacal manner which I am sure Lamatshu the mother of beasts would have approved of. The warriors quickly bound the last of the orcs, which I had previously put to sleep, and then looked around at their surroundings. I am unsure whether they were more surprised to see me or that they were alive. However, the smile that appeared on Halcorg’s soot covered face was to die for. We quickly gathered the belongings of the warriors and anything else of value from the raiders and then left the area before scavengers decided that they wanted to make a meal of us. We travelled south back toward the lands controlled by the Shoanti for several days, only losing two to dust storms. On the seventh day, we found a tribe of Shoanti and were welcomed, well, my new companions were welcomed, I, an outsider, was looked on with apprehension, apprehension that was only heightened when they discovered that I was an arcane practitioner. We stayed there for several days, healing and recovering from the abuse that the warriors had sustained during the captivity. While I was not welcomed with open arms, my divining skills soon came to the attention of the tribe oracle. Together we sought to see where our paths led. While the portent for the tribe did not show anything unusual, the reading for myself and Halcorg was not as expected. When asked if out paths lay separate as we had been for several years, the response was a clear no, that we should remain together. However, what was unexpected was that the cards showed pain and death should we return to the lowlands of Varisia. Instead, the cards pointed north and east. To lands I had never visited. Lands of legend, Lastwall, Ustalav, and beyond. We spoke with the other Shoanti and while they did not wish to part with Halcorg as they were the only survivors of their small tribe, they understood the foretelling that had occurred and, with heavy hearts, bit us farewell. Thus, with the winter’s snows but weeks ahead, Halcorg and I set forth to the east. Our intention was to make for the good land of Lastwall before the snows trapped us. Then the following spring to continue our voyage. To find why the fates were pushing us to a land once ruled by a dragon, a land with few Varisians and fewer Shoanti. Suddenly Kiritta stops and looks over at the tiny woman sitting on her shoulder.
Kiritta takes a sip finishing what little wine was left in the glass.
Well, we survived crossing this land, mostly thanks to my silent companion and love, Halcorg, who was able to find copses of woods and caves in which we could sleep while traveling. Finally, we passed south of the snow capped Golushkin Mountains and then followed the Awzera into Brevoy. While this land is perhaps not as civilized as those along the Inner Sea. And while it may not have the famed artists and schools of Magnimar or Korvosa or Oppara, I must say that it is a great land. Having arrived at the land which I had foreseen we were to go to, I once more sought advice from the Harrow cards, but they showed little. All I knew is that this land. This small land far from the rest of the Inner Sea was where we were to be. Kiritta looks over the others as she takes the newly proffered glass of wine from the serving girl.
Well, now, I am ready to continue our adventure. It seems that we are to head south, but not far, to the Stolen Lands and to see if we can tame these lands. And to that, Kiritta raises her wine glass. I toast you all. This is to tomorrow, to success in the Stolen Lands, and to bringing goodness and peace to us all and to those we meet on our travels.
|
|
