About Nathanial TorkenStatistics:
Male Human Dragonrider 5/Bard 1
NE Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +5; Senses Perception +8; low-light vision Eldritch Points 1 ------------------------------ DEFENSE ------------------------------ AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +5 dex) hp 47 Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4 Resist fire 5 ------------------------------ OFFENSE ------------------------------ Speed 30 ft. Melee Greataxe +11 (1d12+8)
Ranged Composite Longbow +10 (1d8+3)
Special Abilities:
------------------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES ------------------------------ Skilled Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level. Eye for Talent Humans have great intuition for hidden potential. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character's choice. Marked by Unknown Forces You may cast light three times per day as a spell-like ability, but this ability only targets the palm of your hand, and it manifests as a glowing sigil representing your ominous birth—a holy or unholy symbol, a demonic symbol, or perhaps some other distinctive marking established by you and your GM. Those who recognize this symbol have a starting attitude toward you of one step closer to friendly (if they are followers of or scholars studying the sign) or one step closer to hostile (if they are opposed to the sign or its followers). Wicked Leader You gain a +1 trait bonus on Charisma checks against evil creatures. If you select the Leadership feat or the Vile Leadership feat at any point when you meet the prerequisites for that feat, you can recruit a cohort who is up to 1 level lower than you (instead of the normal requirement that your cohort must be 2 or more levels lower than you are) as long as your cohort is evil. Desertion You have deserted from the Talirean military and have been recaptured. To get to Branderscar this was not some minor or routine dereliction of duty. You receive one bonus skill point per level that must be spent on the Profession (Soldier) skill. Profession (Soldier) is always a class skill for you. Extremely Fashionable Whenever you are wearing clothing and/or jewelry worth at least 150 gp (and not otherwise covered in gore, sewage, or other things that mar your overall look), you gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks. “Deception is a tool. Master it.” Adrastus Thorn teaches you the subtle arts of deception and how to sense when they are being used against you. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Bluff and Sense Motive. Paranoid Anyone who attempts an aid another action of any type to assist you must succeed at a DC 15 check instead of the normal DC 10 check. Bardic Knowledge A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained. Bardic Performance A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level. Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time. Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both. If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% change to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components. If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components. List of Bardic Performances Countersong At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components. Distraction At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the Distraction, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components. Fascinate At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The Distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function. Inspire Courage A 1st level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard’s performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance. Bonded Dragon Steed (Aurex) A dragonrider has a mystic bond with a youthful true dragon, a bond that guarantees the dragons loyalty to the rider (as long as it is treated with respect), and allows the dragonrider to tap into some of the bonded steed’s arcane power. A character that starts as a dragonrider at 1st level is assumed to have already bonded with a dragon of his choice. Many of a dragon’s normal powers (spell-like abilities, spellcasting, unlimited breath weapon use) are either suspended or modified as the arcane power that drives them is used to fuel the bond between dragonrider and dragon mount. This bond, once forged, ends only if both rider and steed decide to end it, or if one is killed and not resurrected in a timely fashion. Most true dragons are unwilling to undergo this bond (though there is always one that will do so able to find each dragonrider without a bonded steed). For good dragons this is often done to aid good-aligned dragonriders in facing the evils of the world. In some cases it is part of ancient pacts dating back centuries that dictate service of a set number of dragons of a given bloodline, or it is forced upon dragons as punishment for some sin (or as the price demanded by a conqueror). Even among neutral and evil dragons however, there are always a few who seek out such bonds willingly. The reason for this is a desire for power, and an ability to take a long view. A dragon bonded to a dragonrider grows in size and power as the dragonrider gains experience. The payoff comes when the dragonrider dies which almost always occurs long before the dragon steed’s death – even the longest lived dragonrider won’t see his steed reach the very old age category at 600 years, and most dragonriders die in battle long before this. At first the bonded dragon simply must survive as an underpowered dragon, but after a year and a day from its rider’s death if it has no new bonded dragonrider, the dragon begins to gain the full power of a normal dragon of its size (or the oldest category in its size class, to a maximum age category of very old). Consider a red dragon wyrmling. It is Small, and won’t reach Large size for roughly 20 years. It won’t be Huge for 45 years, and Gargantuan size is at least 4 centuries off. But if that red serves as a dragon steed, it becomes Large immediately, and stands a fair chance to become Gargantuan within a few years. If it survives its dragonrider’s loss, the red dragon will gain the full power of a very old dragon within a few years, jumping its (ubiquitous) plans for world domination ahead 6 centuries. While most red dragons feel the price is too high, there are always a few youngsters willing to serve now (though somewhat grudgingly, see the Focus score in the descriptions of dragon steeds, below) for hundreds of years worth of powers later. A bonded dragon can carry it’s rider as soon as it is the same size category as its rider, assuming it’s strength is great enough to bear the rider and his gear. Dragons’ carrying capacity is modified for their size as normal creatures, and as bonded dragon steeds they can fly (at full speed) even if heavily encumbered. A dragon can carry two creatures one size smaller than it, four creatures two sizes smaller, and sixteen creatures three or more sizes smaller (all assuming it has the Strength to do so). The link between dragonrider and dragon grows in strength as the Dragonrider gains levels, allowing them to communicate more easily, feel each other’s location, and even transfer life essence to one another. The abilities the Dragonrider gains with his bonded dragon are listed on Table: Dragonrider. Should a dragonrider’s bonded steed die and not be returned to life, the dragonrider cannot bond with a new mount for 30 days or until he gains another dragonrider level, whichever comes first. During this 30-day period the dragonrider takes a -1 penalty on attack and weapon damage rolls. Link A dragonrider and his bonded dragon steed always know the direction to each other, and are aware of any conditions the other is suffering. Low-Light Vision As the bond between dragonrider and dragon strengthens, it eventually grants the dragonrider some of his steeds amazing senses. At 2nd level, the dragonrider gains low-light vision. If the dragonrider already has natural low-light vision, the range of his low-light vision is doubled (allowing him to see four times as far as normal in dim or shadowy conditions). Share Spells Starting at 2nd level, the dragonrider may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his dragon steed (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on himself. A dragonrider may cast spells on his dragon steed even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the steed’s type (dragon). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants a dragon steed. This ability does not allow the steed to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells. Resist Energy Beginning at 3rd level, a dragonrider gains a natural resistance to damage of the same energy type as the damage of his bonded dragon steed’s breath weapon. This begins at energy resistance 5, and increase by 5 every 5 levels, to a maximum of energy resistance 20 at 18th level. The energy resistance is tied to the dragonrider’s current steed—should he change bonded dragons steed to one with a new type of breath weapon damage, his resistance also changes to the new type. Summon Steed (1/day) Once per day, as a full round action, a dragonrider may magically call his steed to his side. This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to one third the dragonrider’s level. The steed immediately appears adjacent to the dragonrider. A dragonrider can use this ability once per day at 4th level, twice per day at 7th level, and one additional time per day for every 4 levels thereafter, for a total of five times per day at 19th level. Draconic Training The unique experience and training a dragonrider receives as part of his time with his bonded dragon steed grants him a bonus feat at 5th level. The feat must be selected from the list below, and the dragonrider must meet all the feat’s prerequisites normally. The dragonrider gains an additional feat at 9th, 12th, and 17th level. Spells:
------------------------------ BARD SPELLS ------------------------------ 0th level (at will) Detect Magic Light Mage Hand Message 1st level (2/day) Cure Light Wounds
------------------------------
1st level (2/day) Gravity Bow
Gear/Possessions:
------------------------------ GEAR/POSSESSIONS ------------------------------ Carrying Capacity Light 0-76 lb. Medium 77-153 lb. Heavy 154-230 lb. Current Load Carried 0 lb. Money 928 GP 5 SP 7 CP
Background:
Henry and Ellen were a couple who built a house in the outskirts of Daveryn. They were hardworking farmers who lived by the sweat of their brows. Outside Daveryn is not the most fertile land in Talingarde, but being close to the large trade city made selling their crops easy. However, there was one problem with their life. Ellen was barren. With the lifestyle of a farmer they couldn't afford a healer and turned desperate, going into the dark back alleys of Daveryn to find any help they could. They came upon a man in yellow robes who claimed he would help them for nothing more than the privilege to help raise their child. The poor couple did not know that the man was Brume, a cleric of Hastur, and that he had plans in store for them and their granted child. As Brume promised, he cast a spell which allowed Henry and Ellen to have a single child. They had a son and named him Nathanial, and he was the pride and joy of their lives. He grew up tall, strong, and handsome, and became a huge help on the farm and a good person. His parents were endlessly proud of him and all the people he talked to in Daveryn thought he was a great guy, the kind of person who would go out of his way to help somebody in need. Life was good in the Torken family, but Henry and Ellen always wondered about the mysterious man in yellow who never came to visit the child despite wanting to help raise him. On Nathanial's eighteenth birthday, they learned why. Brume returned the midnight that marked the hour Nathanial became a man, knocking on the door and waking the whole family. Henry answered the door, tired and confused, only to see the man who helped his family then vanished eighteen years ago. Before he could say anything, Brume tilted his head and gave a disturbing smile. "I'm here to help raise Nathanial. You won't be needed anymore." Then a cloying miasma of cold, greasy darkness enveloped Henry and killed the man before he could scream. Brume laughed as Ellen and Nathanial came into the room with horrified looks. Brume gestured and made Ellen burst into fire, cackling madly the whole time. Nathanial charged the man with tears of grief, but a single gesture later and his world went dark. The next month of Nathanial's life was utter hell. He woke up strapped to a metal table, every part of his body constrained, in complete and utter darkness. That was where he remained for four weeks. Brume and several of his acolytes took turns reading tomes of Hastur and whispering madness in his ears, all in pitch darkness. Every day two metal claws were placed on either side of his head and electricity ran through his head, causing him to scream and thrash in pain. Every time this happened was prefaced and followed by more voices talking to him, and eventually he began to hear them even when the servants of Hastur weren't there. They became ingrained in his mind. Two weeks into his torture, a beacon of hope was brought into his life. A large red egg which gave off just enough light to allow itself to be seen. It was the only thing he had seen in two weeks, and it was the only thing he saw for the next two weeks. His waking hours were spent transfixed on the egg, and a week later after his electric session, he heard a new voice, one that was much clearer and louder than the others, and one that gave much clearer direction. Eat. Burn. Kill. While malicious and evil, the last voice was at least sane enough for Nathanial to use to hold onto what remained of his tattered mind. He focused on it above all else. On the twenty-ninth day, Nathanial heard one of the familiar voices as he felt the claws being attached to his head, now on top of well-burned scar tissue. He began resigning himself to the session with his seizing movement and familiar screams, when the malicious voice threw a wave of emotion over him, of fury and fear and strength. He felt himself clawing out of something, then his chest grew hot and the room lit up with blinding fire. The electricity stopped and for a brief moment Nathanial saw the faces of his tormenters as they screamed and burned. Then the room darkened and became full of the rings of steel, panicked screams, the smell of blood and death, and the roaring of some terrible beast. Silence followed, and Nathanial heard something thud over to him, ripping his restraints free. Sharp teeth and blistering hot breath accompanied the tug he felt as he was dragged across the floor. Then he heard a wooden door being splintered and broken open, and he saw daylight for the first time in a month, blindingly bright. That's when he saw his rescuer, a red dragon wrymling, freshly hatched. Nathanial and the red dragon who he named Aurex fled into the wilderness. Even though he escaped his hell and his tormenters were dead, the voices in his head were as loud as ever, as if their souls persisted beyond the grave just to torment him. Aurex was cunning even in his youth and realized that whatever bond was created between them was fueling his own power, and knew that if he kept Nathanial alive he would grow more powerful than without him, so he hunted for and protected the human as he tried to cope with his mental state. At first Nathanial tried to drown out, silence, or forget the voices. It only worked for minutes at a time and they came back in greater force than ever. He tried listening to what they said in an attempt to appease them, but it only seemed to make them more eager. Finally he began running through everything he heard from the tomes of Hastur, and learned that reciting the words of madness may not have silenced the voices, but it allowed him to separate them and have only one speak at a time. It was an imperfect and random art to control the voices, but he could have several hours with only one voice at a time, and occasionally with no voices. They never truly went away, but he began to somewhat function. After a few months of training and preparing himself, he gently immersed himself back in civilization. Nathanial didn't want anybody from his previous life to recognize him so he kept his identity a secret. He found work doing manual labor and unsupervised jobs he could complete on his own time so that his fits of madness didn't compromise him. He slowly began to wean the voices to remain quiet when he needed them to, provided he let them run rampant from time to time. He focused his fits into shorter, albeit more extreme episodes. It began making him have distinct personalities but allowed him to function for several hours at a time instead of having his mind change whims every few seconds, giving him the ability to actually function somewhat. Nathanial lived like this for a little over three years when everything went wrong. He began working in the military, hoping the strict regiment would help to give order back to his life. Plus it was consistent work that helped keep his mind active. He managed to control his fits to his off duty times and all was well. Until one day when he was out scouting with a few other soldiers and he came upon a dog-sized lizard. Nathanial smiled moved to pick up the odd lizard. The creature lashed out at him and shocked Nathanial, who stumbled back as the voices all began screaming at him. He completely lost control and his sense of self, and felt the red-hot anger of Aurex in his chest. Ten minutes later, Aurex flew into the camp, causing panic as it raced to Nathanial. He found Nathanial screaming and wildly cutting at the soldiers he was with. With more soldiers quickly approaching, Aurex tried to get Nathanial out, but he couldn't get sense to Nathanial and two dozen more soldiers showed up. Aurex fought with tooth and claw and fire to fend off the attackers, killing one and wounding several others, but all in vain as they slowly began to drag the dragon down. Nathanial was completely irrational and wouldn't flee or climb onto Aurex's back, so the dragon carried him out of danger. It didn't take long for the soldiers to track him back down and capture him for desertion. Appearance and Personality:
Nathanial is tall and has the body of a well-conditioned athlete with lean muscles and a powerful frame. He is tall and has strait blonde hair that he keeps combed back, except on the sides that are kept shaved that reveal two symmetrical burn scars. His eyes are a faint auburn color, and he has a spectacular grin with a wide set of stark-white teeth. On his right hand is a faint mark in the shape of a holy symbol of Asmodeus. Personalities and Voices Nathanial: Nathanial's core identity, hidden behind the others. A kind and gentle soul who is empathetic and calm. Is always willing to do things the right way even if it's harder, and tries to make friends with everybody he meets. Aurex: Nathanial's bonded dragon. Cruel and greedy and ambitious, he uses whatever tricks or flattery or violence that is required to gain more wealth and power. A cunning and evil personality. Brume: An insane psychopath with no remorse. Delights in the suffering of others and even itself. Complete disregard for consequences, although cunning enough to be subtle when necessary. Jahrim: A personality of pure violence. Completely irrational and mindlessly destructive with tendencies towards pyromania. Hadzi: A paranoid sociopath who thinks every action will have extreme, unrealistic consequences. Terrified of being cut off from human interactions but too paranoid to seek it out. Zhen: A kleptomaniac who is endlessly greedy. Very jealous and antisocial, only appeased by gaining objects of wealth. Rubani: A sly and devious grifter who delights in twisting people to his whim to get what he wants (and sometimes just to see if he can). Convincing and sycophantic. Menas: A stoic pessimist who views the world and everybody in it as pointless. Disregards consequences and frequently tries to terrify those that talk to him. Narsius: A very curious scholar who obsesses over tiny details. Train of thought constantly goes off on tangents. Doctor's Notes:
Patient Name: Nathanial Torken
Height: 6 ft. 2 in. Weight: 200 lbs. Past History: The patient arrived at Branderscar Sanitarium by the order of the court of Talingarde. The court files were a vivid read for how short the hearing was. The patient was found guilty on three counts of murder and fourteen counts of assault. The number was hard to specify because apparently he was accompanied by a young red dragon who took part in the crimes, but since the creature escaped capture and the patient was seen talking to the dragon, he was found guilty of all damage. He was originally sentenced be hung by the neck until dead, but after a second hearing the decision was overturned and he was sent to Branderscar for further evaluation. Physical Report: The patient is in excellent physical condition. It has taken multiple guards to subdue him in the past and he was found to be exercising in his cell on multiple occasions. According to the patient, "focusing on physical activities helps with the voices".
Assessment: When I heard the patient mention "the voices", I knew that there was most likely a serious case of schizophrenia. To be sure, I have put him through a full psychopathy checklist.
Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (0 points for absent traits, 1 point for partial traits, 2 points for definite traits) Facet 1: Interpersonal Glibness/superficial charm: {1} The patient on occasion has attempted to flatter or convince me into changing my assessment of him. He is inconsistent with his attempts, but when he is in the mindset he seems very good at convincing others through lies, reason, and intimidation. He seems naturally talented to this from his talking skills as well as taken time to train himself, using textbook techniques.
Facet 2: Affective Lack of remorse or guilt: {1} I had significant trouble classifying this, as the patient gets into different moods with different levels of remorse, but due to his attempted suicide and begs for forgiveness I have decided that he has indeed shown immense remorse for his actions. When I asked him why he attacked those people, he told me it was because the voices convinced him it was the right thing to do. Other times that I've asked it seems he was speaking for these voices, trying to convince me that what he did was a good thing and that he would do it again. Other times he simply laughs at the suffering of others. I have decided that the patient also suffers from multiple personality disorder due to his extreme schizophrenia.
Facet 3: Lifestyle: Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom: {2} The patient is not so much prone to boredom as prone to spiraling out of control if left alone for too long. The longer his isolation, the more he talks to himself and has conversations with the voices in his head. Constant human interaction has helped to keep his erratic fits more manageable, but they are still present.
Facet 4: Antisocial Poor behavioral controls: {2} The patient has almost zero ability to control his own behavior on his bad days. At most I've seem him in control for an hour or two, and only when heavily stimulated with human interaction. He is also prone to fits of random humming and singing.
Score: {18/32} Final Assessment: Nathanial has the most extreme case of schizophrenia I have ever seen, and its severity has also caused multiple personality disorder. He often loses touch with reality and himself, acting as everything from a model citizen to a raving madman and various alterations between the two extremes. The source of these voices is clearly the main problem, and I believe that if we could find a way to silence them or somehow make Nathanial ignore them then there is a real chance for rehabilitation.
Dragonrider Feats:
Dragonrider Feats
Draconic Focus Your bond to your dragon is stronger than that of most draognriders.
Personality Takeover Mechanics:
Can we come out and Play?
The system I set up I cannot find but here is a draft version of what I am thinking. Anytime Nathaniel needs to make a Will saving throw there is a chance that another personality comes to the forefront. Where you make a Will save by 5 or more over the required DC nothing happens. Where you make a Will save by 0-4 or more above the required DC, you need to make a separate save at the same exact DC. If you fail, a new personality comes to the forefront, that personality will be rolled at random [1d8 not counting Aurex] and will be in control for the forseeable future. Where you fail a Will save, a new personality automatically comes to the forefront rolled at random [1d8 not counting Aurex] and is in control for the forseeable future. If you Botch a Will save a new personality comes to the forefront of your choice and that character successfully resists whatever caused the Will check. [Ex. you fail a Feeblemind with a Botch your new personality overcomes the effect by burdening the old one with the effect] This could potentially leave the other personality further mentally impaired as time moves on. |
