Ormiz's page

When the half woman-half-serpent-half-something reared above me, a bolt of fire in her hand and proclaimed ”For wasting your gifts and squandering your opportunities I bring you death!” I just couldn’t help laughing.

”You laugh? Do you think you, a pitiful backroom drug-maker, can defeat me”

I was testing out a new batch of my experimental synthetic pesh at the time and this wouldn't be the first time I had a bad trip. I know common wisdom is not to interact but I think if you’re going to get on a horse you might as well go for a ride - not that I’ve ever been on a horse.

”It’s just... squandered my opportunities? What opportunities? I was born to a prostitute, when she died all but sold to a pickpocket gang when I was four!”

”Others have been born to misfortune - and triumphed! Your intellect is all but unequaled in human history!”

Hey - I like flattery as next as the next guy but flattery from a delusion seems weird. Plus I thought I gave up on thinking my smarts made me special back when I was a kid.

”I taught myself to read when I was three, living in a garret with two books and running from older kids. I found out about the Academies’ open test and I trained myself to pass it. I barely had enough food to eat in this blasted wasteland of a city, but I still bought, borrowed and stole the knowledge I needed. Learned to be a pickpocket, then a burglar, then a safecracker so I could afford it. When I was twelve I went and sat their test and I passed. I aced it in fact. Every question right - so they assumed I was cheating. Cast a spell that left me with a mark on my palm that says ‘cheater’.” I waved the palm in question at the creature.

”I decided dreams were for other people, all I could do was try to be happy till I died. I started doing drugs, but then I got a job working for a manufacturer and worked out how to make myself a ‘pitiful backroom drug-maker’ by myself. Considering the opportunities I had I did pretty damn well thank you. I’m going to crack this formula, then I’m going to revolutionise the drug market in Nex, and later the world!”

The creature looked taken aback at my outburst

”Your drugs corrode will, destroy obedience to the law. They are an abomination!”

”Hey - not my first choice. I know I was smart, I could’ve been a wizard. You think I don’t dream of being a wizard? I was born in Nex! I lived here all my life in sight of the palace! But I need a teacher to be a wizard, I can’t just work it out by myself!”

”This... this is true. You do need a master.”

I wondered what part of my subconscious had come up with that line.

”You give me a shot - a decent shot - at becoming a wizard and I’ll stop this. I’ll straighten up. Study heard. Be the best wizard my family line - whatever the hell that is - has ever seen!”

The creature smiled - something I got the feeling it did not do often.

”Agreed. Break this compact and I shall devour your soul.” Then it vanished. I took something for my nerves, passed out and woke up seventeen hours later to someone banging on my door.

”Ormiz! By order of the Three and the Nine! Open up”

Panicking I started to quickly push the most illicit things under the couch I called a bed and ran to the door. A messenger presented me with a scroll ”Sorry for the banging. Someone scratched up your door” he indicated ”Weren’t sure you were okay.”

I looked at the door. Scrawled in thassilonian runes was a single sentence which translated loosely read
”Here is your shot, best wizard of the line of Nex.”

Ormiz is a small, young man. He is painfully thin and looks years older than his eighteen years. His alignment is true neutral. It was tending towards chaos and evil (mostly out of desperation and laziness) but a recent divine intervention has left him questioning his moral choices and looking at becoming a hard-working and productive member of society.

Cognatogen: Wisdom
Remaining Bombs: 6/day
Prepared Extracts: 3 per day. Keen Senses, Negate Aroma, Expeditious Retreat)

Human Alchemist (Mindchemist) 2
Str 8 [-2]
Dex 14 [5]
Con 10
Int 20=18 [17] +2 racial
Wis 10
Cha 10

BAB 0
HP 13 (8+5)
AC 14=+2 armour +2 dex
Skills 9=4 base +5 int
Fort 3= 3 base 0 con (poison resistance +2)
Ref 5= 3 base 2 dex
Will 0=0 base 0 atts
BaB=1

18 = 1r Knowledge Local (Int) +1t +3 class +10 int +2 ranks 3 feat
10 = 2r Craft (alchemy) (Int), +3 class +5 int +1 rank
9 = 1r Disable Device (Dex), +3 class +5 int +1 rank
14 = 1r Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +3 class +10 int +1 rank
14 = 1r Knowledge (nature) (Int), +3 class +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (engineering) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (geography) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (history) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (nobility) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (planes) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
11 = 1r Knowledge (religion) (Int), +10 int +1 rank
9 = 1r Spellcraft (Int), +3 class +5 int +1 rank
10 = 2r Stealth (Dex) +1trait +3class +2dex +2 ranks +2 racial
8 = 1r Sleight of Hand (Dex), +3 class +2 dex +1 rank +2 racial
4 = 1r Perception (Wis),+3 class +0 wis +1 rank
1 = Bluff +1t
1 = Sense Motive +1t
Languages: Taldane, Kellish, Osiriani, Thassilonian, Necril, Draconic

Equipment
alchemist’s kit is 25gp 5lbs
Pendia 25gp
Puppies (free)
10 x 1cp for street meat (1sp) from the slums
10 x 1cp of wandermeal (1sp) from a halfling baker at the market gates
bedroll (1sp) picked up off my couch where I've been sleeping
3 flasks (9cp) from around my house. Normally hold something stronger than water - but if that's what I've got...
sack (1sp) - bought from the markets I guess, though the idea of a repurposed shopping sack he had lying around the house is appealing.
assuming a pickpocket's outfit is the free one he starts with (3lbs)
Brass Knuckles 1gp 1lb
Armoured Coat 50gp 20lbs -2 ACP
Leather Armour 10gp 15lbs
Dagger x2 4gp
Wine 1gp (drunk)

life savings: 236 gp 1cp+

Class Abilities
Alchemy,
bomb 1d6, (+2, 1d6+5)
brew potion, mutagen, throw anything
Extracts: 4 per day. 8 known (Polypurpose Panacea, Keen Senses, Negate Aroma, Targeted Bomb Admixture, True Strike, Expeditious Retreat, Crafter’s Fortune, Cure Light Wounds)
Poison Resistance +2
Discovery: Explosive Bombs
Perfect Recall: double into bonus to knowledge skills

Human Abilities: Heart of the Slums, Focussed Study (Knowledge local)
Heart of the Slums - Humans who eke out a life in a city's teeming slums must be quick and clever. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sleight of Hand and Stealth checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks in urban and underground settings. In addition, they may roll twice when saving against disease, taking the better roll. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Feats: Additional traits

Traits: Pesh Addict (Knowledge:Local), Bandit (Stealth), Magical Knack (Wizard), Accelerated Drinker.
Pesh Addict - You spent several years addicted to a drug that you may or may not have kicked. Benefit: You start with only half of the normal starting cash, but your knowledge of the addicts lifestyle grants you a +1 trait bonus on Bluff, Knowledge (local), and Sense Motive checks. One of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.
Bandit - Benefit: Choose one of the following skills: Escape Artist, Intimidate, or Stealth.
You gain a +1 trait bonus on that skill, and it is always a class skill for you.
Magical Knack: +2 CL as Wizard, cannot exceed HD.
Accelerated Drinker: Can drink potion as a move action.

Sometimes it seems like Ormiz knows everyone. He never forgets a face, a name or a rumour. On the other hand, not that many people know Ormiz. The following are the ‘people’ that most know Ormiz. Happy to add more, and would love some PC links.

Lord Atan - One of his mother’s ‘friends’, who used to give toys, treats and once a book to Ormiz. Ormiz used to dream that “Garst” would one day reveal himself as his father, but he vanished upon his mother’s death. When he encountered Garst again (at age 14) he discovered that Garst was a pseudonym and Lord Atan didn’t even remember him.
Barum (M) - the Alchemist Ormiz was slowly driving out of business with his “cheap imitation” Pesh. Barum also makes imitation pesh, but as real pesh is one of the ingredients he calls it ‘stretching’. Barum is a businessman, so Ormiz getting out of the business is something he thinks is a great idea. When Ormiz sold him the last of his stock he even paid a few extra silvers “because now I’m going to save all that money I was being charged to have you killed!”. It’s a little disconcerting to suddenly have Barum as a supporter.
Hasina (F) - One of the girls who was in the pickpocket gang with Ormiz. Lithe, quick and ready to stab you if you so much as look at her wrong. She sees Ormiz as a brother, which means she expects him to share any good fortune he has with her.
Iuni (F) - A promising wizard from a good family Iuni has developed a secret addiction, and relies on Ormiz’s discretion. She’s the closest thing Ormiz has to a girlfriend even though he knows she’s just using him for his alchemical skills. If her family found out about Ormiz she’d risk being disinherited. She studies conjuration and has been praised for her understanding of Chelish techniques.
Jaali (M) - Somehow Ormiz’s friend Jaali managed to straighten up his life, get a real apprenticeship and is now a respectable smith, nicknamed “Jaali the hammer”. Ormiz remembers Jaali fondly, but knows the the nickname comes from the four men Ormiz coldly beat to death over a two month period to get enough money to get out.
Kair (M) - Kair also wanted to be a wizard. Figuring he would never be able to raise enough money to buy his way in and worried he wouldn’t pass exams for a free place he stole money and ran to Geb. Five years ago he came running back as a vampire. Registred with the Nex authorities he now pays for blood. Ormiz has sold to him once or twice and has a number of customers who have done so frequently. Kair was Ormiz’s best friend... but when Ormiz looks in his friend’s eyes now there’s something missing.
Pendia (F) - Ormiz’s dog. Well, a dog that lives with Ormiz. Pendia lurks around Ormiz’s hovel and has dissuaded five men from trying something. In gratitude and to keep her around Ormiz now feeds her, and she has filled out from a slat-ribbed near feral mutt into a wolf-like killing machine. She has recently had puppies and decided to take over Ormiz’s bed. He sleeps on the couch now. Ormiz has only killed two people and one was a man who tried to poison Pendia.
Shiran (F) - the other person Ormiz killed. When he was twelve and on the way to the exams he thought would turn his life around one of the girls in the gang tried to stop him. Ormiz - desperate - threw a dagger at Shiran and killed her. He was never blamed for the death as her body was taken by a rogue ghoul.