So, are we ready to pay the Beast and his "father" a visit?" Lorant asks.
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After talking with our GM, I have rejiggered Lorant back to an Inquisitor like he was originally designed, and he has taken his first level in the Knight of Ozem prestige class! The New and Improved Lorant Endronil!:
Lorant Endronil
Dhampir inquisitor (sin eater) of Iomedae 5/knight of ozem 1 (Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Paths of Prestige, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 38, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 2 89, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 46) NG Medium humanoid (dhampir) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +11 (+12 vs. Undead) -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex) hp 39 (6 HD; 5d8+1d10+5) Fort +5 (+2 vs. hot or cold environments and to resist damage from suffocation (does not stack with Endurance)), Ref +2, Will +6; +2 vs. disease and mind-affecting effects Defensive Abilities negative energy affinity; Resist undead resistance -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor) Melee dagger +7 (1d4+3/19-20) or . . longsword +7 (1d8+3/19-20) or . . morningstar +7 (1d8+3) Special Attacks bane (5 rounds/day), judgment 2/day Inquisitor Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +7) . . At will—detect alignment, discern lies (5 rounds/day) Inquisitor (Sin Eater) Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +7) . . 2nd (3/day)—focused scrutiny[ACG], see invisibility, shared training . . 1st (5/day)—cure light wounds, divine favor, protection from evil, shield of faith . . 0 (at will)—create water, detect magic, disrupt undead, guidance, oath of anonymity, stabilize -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 17, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 9 Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18 Feats Heavy Armor Proficiency, Life Dominant Soul, Power Attack, Shake It Off[UC] Traits born in the light, chance savior Skills Acrobatics -2 (-6 to jump), Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +11 (+12 vs. Undead), Sense Motive +13 (+14 vs. Undead), Survival +10, Swim +0 (+2 to resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion (does not stack with Endurance)) Languages Common SQ eat sin, monster lore +2, resist level drain, sentinel against undeath, solo tactics, stern gaze +2, track +2, vampiric empathy[ARG] Other Gear scale mail, heavy steel shield, dagger, longsword, morningstar, backpack, bedroll, belt pouch, candle (10), flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), holy text[UE], manacles, mess kit[UE], pot, soap, spell component pouch, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, wooden holy symbol, 25 gp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Bane (+2 / 2d6, 5 rounds/day) (Su) Make the weapon you are holding a bane weapon. Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only). Detect Alignment (At will) (Sp) Detect chaos, evil, good, or law at will. Discern Lies (5 rounds/day) (Sp) Discern Lies at will Eat Sin 2d8+5 (Sp) 1 min, eat sins of adjacent corpse to heal self. Rush as full rd for half benefit. Judgment (2/day) (Su) Variable bonuses increase as the combat continues. Life Dominant Soul Heal half from energy channeled to heal living or undead. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail. Monster Lore +2 (Ex) +2 to Knowledge checks when identifying the weaknesses of creatures. Negative Energy Affinity (Ex) You are alive, but react to positive/negative energy as though you were undead. Power Attack -2/+4 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage. Resist Level Drain (Ex) Negative levels don't impose penalties or become permanent, but still kill if exceed HD. Sentinel Against Undeath (+1) (Ex) Bonus against Undead on Perception, Sense Motive, dodge AC and CMD Shake It Off Gain +1 to all saving throws per adjacent ally Solo Tactics (Ex) Count Teamwork feats as if your allies had the same ones. Stern Gaze +2 (Ex) +2 to Sense Motive and Intimidate. Track +2 Add the listed bonus to Survival checks made to track. Undead Resistance +2 bonus to saves vs. disease and mind affecting effects. Vampiric Empathy Speak with bats, rats, and wolves and +2 Diplomacy dealing with them. Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at https://www.wolflair.com
What do you boys think?!
Sorry for holding us back, I haven't gotten around to leveling Lorant up.
"Would the former Count Caromarc even have the ability to create those kinds of defenses? From what I recall he was an intelligent man, and a scientist, but not a wizard or anything..."
Lorant thinks on what he remembers from that time.
Lorant shakes his head. "Dylan, the whole reason we got involved in the first place was because Judge Daramid did not want to display bias for or against the Beast. Spreading a rumor that she has hired mercenaries to enforce the court's judgment, or to circumvent it? All her work and ours would have been for naught. No, we need to keep this quiet and resolve it quickly." He turns back to Judge Daramid. "Though now that I think about it, there's a question that arises: from how the Beast spoke of his 'father,' it seems like he was welcome in his home...so why HAS he been roaming the County, sleeping rough, knowing the fear his appearance sparks, when he could simply hide in the castle his father owns?" "And on that note, who IS the Beast's father? Who dwells in Schloss Caromarc? Lepidstadt is a Palatinate County, is it not? You have no feudal lord anymore, correct?"
Lorant proudly smiles as their hard work and diligence has paid off. He whispers a prayer of thanks to Iomedae that justice has been served. Maybe now, the people of Lepidstadt would look inward, and things would begin to change for the better. The reaction of the crowd casts doubt on that, but they'd achieved a near impossible feat in humanizing the boogeyman of an entire county's nightmares to the point that he was able to get a fair trial. He gives a nod to the Beast as he takes his leave. "May Iomedae shelter you with her shield, Pharasma judge you fairly and Andoletta comfort you in your time of trouble." The next morning, Lorant wakes from a death-like sleep looking refreshed, restored and ready for action. He bows when he receives his share of the inheritance from Professor Lorrimor's will. "Thank you, Madame Judge. It was an honor and a pleasure." When Judge Daramid informs them of the burgeoning mob forming to kill the Beast, he frowns. "I agree. I doubt a group of angry townsfolk could simply storm a schloss, but those townsfolk would likely get themselves hurt or worse before giving up. We beat them there and resolve this, and it becomes a non-issue." On her other request, he gets a pensive look on his face. "Controlling the Beast may be more of a possibility than you suspect, Madame Judge: given how the Beast was in some sort of fugue state when it raided the University, seemingly guided by a will not its own, there may very well be some magic or device that enabled that, and the mystery of what happened to the Seasage Effigy can be solved."
Tis cool!
Lorant gives Dylan a bemused look. Being a knightly person, appealing to the base language of commerce and mercenary work was an approach that hadn't occurred to him. It was likely one the common folk would find more convincing than high-flung notions of justice and the distant gods.
Lorant watches the crowd, looking to see what it would take to get them to disperse now that the momentum of their anger had been stopped short.
"You already know?" Lorant says loudly. "Then you have not been in the courtroom these past few days! It has been proven that two crimes the Beast was accused of were committed by other monsters! Monsters who got away with what they did because people jumped to blame the Beast for them. If you wish to be sure of the Beast's guilt, let it be proven in the court of law before the eyes of Pharasma, the final judge!"
"What in the name of Iomedae, Pharasma and Andoletta above is going on here?!" Lorant demands.
Lorant takes the hint. "Come, let us away. We've got to interview our client, maybe see about retracing his steps."
Lorant raises an eyebrow at Dylan's interjection. "Interesting," he says. "You're both right...we definitely need to know what happened to the Effigy, and just what was going through the Beast's head, magic or otherwise, when it did this." He turns to Mathus. "Any thoughts, Doctor? You've been a bit quiet since Hergstag..."
I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but I wound up stranded at the hotel I work at overnight due to a winter storm. May I please request a grace period so I'm not trying to write long complex posts on my phone? :(
"We know the Beast IS capable of gentleness, but you're right, that kind of contrast is incredibly strange. We will definitely need to question him about this, see if he remembers anything." Lorant pauses. "Come to think of it, our previous two investigations have been in outlying villages, places where the Beast could easily retreat to the wilderness to avoid angry mobs. What reason could the Beast have to come here, to the capital of the county, to arguably the very heart of the city to commit this crime?"
Lorant looks about the auditorium, memories flooding back of the last time he'd been here, decades ago...a fresh-faced student who'd scraped together enough to make tuition, sitting here listening to Professor Lorrimor's lectures...where private conversations had revealed his dark heritage and a letter of introduction to the Crusader War College had been written...where his whole life had changed. When Dr. Crowl speaks, however, his eyebrow rises. "What makes you say that, Dr. Crowl?" Not in control of its own actions...depending on what that meant, it could be a mitigating circumstance in the Beast's involvement...
"Yes, Petros. He was a good friend."
Lorant nods at Judah's frank assessment of the Professor's last wishes. "Would you mind if we took a closer look at the scene of the crime?"
Have fun! :D
Lorant yawns. "Compared to what we've been through recently, I'd say this next one should be easy. We can perhaps take a look at dawn...Even an insomniac like me is feeling exhausted."
"Just to clarify, which is the accusation we're defending our client from next?"
"Dylan, I don't think these are connected events," Lorant says, shaking his head. "It's just that The Beast had the unfortunate luck of being in the area when they happened, and being something of a local legend, was an easy target to blame when those experiencing them had no other answers. When people are scared, they will often take whatever answer comes first and most easily, and Ustalav's people, for better or for worse, have much to fear."
I will try to get a move out in the next few days. I just wanted you all to know that if I should suddenly disappear, it's not any of you. Know that I have enjoyed the game and it has been an honor to be your GM. Thank you, WhtKnt. Honestly I'm feeling the same way...please, PLEASE take care of yourself.
You and me both, my friend. :(
Everyone having a good spooky season? :)
"Thank you, Mother Ishanon," Lorant says with another bow before turning back to the assembled. "And there you have it, ladies, gentlemen and honourables: the tragedy of Hergstag, a town preyed upon not by our client but a vengeful, wicked spirit. The Beast's only crime, if one can call it such, was being unable to save his first, and perhaps his only friend, from the true monster. Even now he weeps for her loss. And the people of Hergstag, in their grief, misunderstood his weeping for laughter, for his eye could not shed tears to match his sorrow. In their own sorrow and fear, they drove him away, before being driven away in turn by the spirits of their own children, now slaves to the wraith's malice. That wraith is now truly dead, and in doing so, the children have been freed. Freed to return and share these truths with us if only for a little while. Let us seek to follow Ellsa's example, and see The Beast for what he truly is: a lonely, gentle man who would do the same as any of us when faced with horror and tragedy."
That's five questions right? Also now I'm gonna cry as hard as the Beast. T_T
"Is there anything more you would like to say before you return to Pharasma's embrace, to your family...or to your friend?"
Lorant tries another tack. "Had the Beast of Lepidstadt been present, would he have tried to save you?"
"Did the Beast of Lepidstadt try to save you, Ellsa?"
"Were you killed by a wraith with many red eyes, buzzing like a swarm of hornets or bees?"
"Were you killed by the creature known as the Beast of Lepidstadt?"
Did you want me to ask the other four questions now, or wait till she responds to the first one?
Remind me, this spell only provides yes or no answers, right?
Lorant traces the spiral over his chest and bows respectfully to Ishanon as she arrives. When she performs the ritual he nods somberly. "Are you Ellsa of Hergstag?"
"Please summon Mother Ishanon," Lorant asks the bailiff.
"What we did before was introduce doubt. This is the final proof," Lorant mutters to Dylan.
Lorant's brow furrows. Without being able to prove the spirit's identity, its motive for going after Hergstag's children, all they'd done was introduce some doubt rather than conclusive proof, and while reasonable doubt WAS technically all that was needed, Ustalav's people were far from reasonable when the object of their fireside stories sat before them. He silently cursed himself for not checking previous records about the town before heading there. "Thank you. No further questions. There is one last witness we've to call. By the grace of Our Lady of Graves and the blessing of her priests, we will call Ellsa herself from beyond death to testify." He pauses, waiting for the chaos such a declaration would spark.
Lorant nods. "So you did learn after driving the Beast away that it wasn't his fault. But that doesn't answer my question. A spirit that preys on others doesn't just naturally spring up on its own. They're usually tied to the locations and circumstances of their deaths. So who died atop the hill, at the scarecrow? What could have made them so angry in death that they came back to murder your children, presumably as revenge? Your story shows the Beast was indeed not responsible for the deaths of the children, so who was?"
"That is my question to you: what is the significance of the scarecrow? How could it have become what anchored this predatory spirit to the mortal world?" Lorant punctuates these questions with a stern gaze to the witnesses. "What happened?"
"This isn't laughter, Miss Flicht. This is weeping. The Beast isn't joyful about what happened at Hergstag; he is mourning just as you are, perhaps even more so, having been unable to protect the only friend he'd ever had and watching her die before his own eyes. His eyes just can't produce the tears to show it." Then he turns back to the villagers. "Now, to the subject of the ghost the Beast describes: a red-eyed phantom, buzzing like a swarm of hornets. We encountered such a spirit in our investigations of Hergstag, seemingly bound to a scarecrow atop a hill near town, and put it to rest. What connection would such a ghost have to a scarecrow?"
"Laughing, you say?" Lorant says. "Bring forth the Beast again," he says to the Bailiff. Once the Beast is retrieved, he looks the Beast in the eye. "I want you to think about the day Ellsa died. Think about holding her in your arms...bringing her to the villagers...remember that moment." He waits for the Beast to react. When he begins what he knows is weeping, he turns back to Flicht. "Miss Flicht, is this what you heard when the Beast brought Ellsa to the villagers?"
"The story you've given to the court is very different from the one my client just told. I do not believe, however, that the three of you have been dishonest in your telling. Tell me, when did the deaths of the children begin occurring in Hergstag?"
Hip hip hooray, it's my birthday today! :D Organized Play Character
Aliases
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Uriel Vigee-Lebrum
Abroshtar Jedayvu Temerith
Anwar
Lady Alaina
Lyle "SkyCaller" Highhill
