Ossok the Scarred's page

Ossok knows very little about where he came from, but his upbringing is a bit of a sordid tale.

His father was an Orc shaman, a witch doctor that members of race looked to for spiritual guidance and healing. He wore a mask of his tribe that he wore with pride, never removing it unless absolutely needed. One day, slavers came to the Sodden Lands coast where his people lived and despite killing most of his clan, the pirates saw money to be made in the shaman. They recognized that he was not as aggressive and a bit more intelligent than the rest of his kin, so they grabbed him with the intent of selling him for a nice pouch of gold. The shaman did not fight back and resigned himself to his fate.

Throughout the long voyage, the orc caught the attention of most of the crew, bewildered at the sight of such a docile member of his race. One pirate in particular, a female human, became especially fascinated with the shaman, bringing the orc extra food rations on occasion. The two bonded, and a romance was formed. It wasn't long until the human found herself pregnant.

The crew soon discovered her secret and, being a superstitious bunch, feared the horrendous omens that a spawn between the voodoo shaman and human would bring. They tossed the two overboard near Bloodcove and left them to die. The two survived and settled away from civilization, near the site of the shaman's tribe that was destroyed. The half-orc, half-human baby was born shortly after. The father named him "Ossok", meaning "The Storm" from the tongue of his old clan.

Ossok spent his childhood living with just his mother and father just off the storm-lashed Sodden coast. His father instilled a great respect and reverence for Gozreh, the lord over all elements which compose this world. He would watch as the frequent hurricanes and typhoons of The Eye wrecked the distant shores, realizing the destructive power the storms held. But the destruction also brought new life, part of an unending circle that his father often spoke of. Ultimately, Ossok learned many of the same practices of the witch doctor, such as tending to wounds, and worship of the spirits that gave them strength.

At some point shortly after adulthood, Ossok decided to leave his family for a short time to seek out new herbs and remedies from the nearby Mwangi Expanse. The half-orc was only gone for a year, exploring the jungles and discovering much about himself on his journey. Upon returning, he arrived home to devastation. The decayed remains of his parents lay there, dead for possibly a few months. The wounds indicated that others had come, possibly slavers or simply savage boggards or scavengers. Regardless, his family was dead and he was not there to protect them.

Anger and rage filled Ossok like he had never known, the long-dormant fury of his Orc heritage boiling over. But something calmed him before the rage completely took over. Everything his family owned was looted, except for his father's mask that he rarely ever took off, as his face was horribly scarred. His father had explained that his ancestors have passed this mask down for many generations, and when a shaman dies, his spirit is absorbed into the mask to guide its inheritor. Ossok took the grotesque mask and put it on, and fell asleep.

Strange visions and frightening apparitions appeared to Ossok in his slumber, but a familiar voice called out to him. The deep, snarled voice explained that he must overcome the tests of his ancestors before their powers would be granted to him. Ossok slumbered for three days and three nights, as he wrestled with various tasks and enemies that seemed very real to him, despite being in his dreams. When he finally awoke, he felt changed. And he felt a comforting spirit walking beside him now as he wore the mask.

From that day on, Ossok decided to pursue what his father had named him after. He enlisted aboard various vessels to help tend to the wounds of those injured by the mighty powers of the storms. Though he revered the weather, Ossok knew that Gozreh does not needlessly kill as well. Unfortunately, the witch doctor never found himself aboard any particular ship for long, as most crews eventually became uncomfortable and superstitious of the shaman. Now, Ossok finds himself in Port Peril, a site with the promise of joining a new crew to set out with towards the open sea.

Ossok stands tall at a bit over 6 feet with a muscular physique to accompany his imposing stature. He wears little compared to most men, his torso mostly exposed above the haramaki he wears around the waist. His skin his a dark shade of brown that has many scars across it.

He wears a strange, wooden grotesque mask that he rarely ever removes. It's painted in various shades of red with intricate shapes and symbols that are difficult to discern. The flowing mane of mangy, black hair flows down from his head around the mask. When he wears it, his half-orc heritage is barely recognizable except to those with exceptionally trained eyes.

Ossok rarely speaks unless addressed directly. He prefers actions over words. He has a strong reverence towards the elements, often driving his motivations. He employs strange shamanistic methods of healing that seem unorthodox, but are generally effective. Many crews find him unsettling though as a few have spotted the half-orc with his mask removed, hanging from his bunk, while he whispers things to it. Some have even said they've witnessed Ossok with a knife in hand, cutting at his own face while he speaks with his mask. This typically results in him getting kicked off at the next port, unfortunately.

A scarred witch doctor uses Constitution instead of Intelligence when determining the highest level of spells she can cast, her spell save DCs, number of spells known at 1st level, and any effects of her hexes normally determined by her Intelligence.

At 1st level, a scarred witch doctor forms a bond with a wooden mask. As she gains power, her connection to this mask causes it to grow ever more hideous and grotesque as it absorbs the weight of the self-induced pain that underlies her magic. Her spells derive from the insights her patron grants her while she's enduring the cuts, burns, and other sorts of mutilations she inflicts upon herself. Her fetish mask acts in all ways like a witch's familiar for the purpose of preparing and gaining spells. Rather than communing with a familiar to prepare spells each day, a scarred witch doctor hangs her mask on a wall, tree branch, or something similar and contemplates the agony it represents.

When wearing her fetish mask, a scarred witch doctor gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Heal and Intimidate checks and gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against effects that specifically cause pain or have the pain descriptor. If the mask is destroyed, the witch doctor can create another fetish mask (which almost immediately adopts the shocking appearance of the original) for the same price and time it takes a witch to replace a dead familiar.

At 5th level, the scarred witch doctor gains the ability to add magical abilities to her mask as if she had the Craft Wondrous Item feat.

This ability otherwise functions like and replaces the standard witch familiar.

Whenever a scarred witch doctor learns a hex, she must carve or brand a symbol in her flesh to represent this hex. She can disguise these scars with mundane or magical means, but they cannot be permanently removed.

At 1st level, a scarred witch doctor learns how to harden her mutilated skin, gaining an enhancement bonus to her natural armor bonus equal to 1/2 her class level (minimum +1). She can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her class level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive but she must spend them in 1-minute increments.

This ability replaces the witch's 1st-level hex.

2nd—shocking grasp, 4th—flaming sphere, 6th—fireball, 8th—wall of ice, 10th—flame strike, 12th— freezing sphere, 14th—vortex, 16th—fire storm, 18th—meteor swarm

Each day, when you prepare your spells, you can select a masterwork or magical dagger, transforming it into a witch knife, which serves as an additional focus component for witch patron spells. Add +1 to the DC of all your patron spells. (UM)

You gain a +2 trait bonus on concentration checks when spellcasting. (ISP)

You came to Port Peril in search of your destiny, and after a few drinks at a tavern called the Formidably Maid, you went down to the docks to take in a view of the sea. The last thing you remember is a blow to the back of your head and the waves rushing up to meet you.

Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Swim checks and Swim is a class skill for you. In addition, penalties on attack rolls made underwater are lessened by 1.

You were born in a region where your faith was not popular, but you never abandoned it. Your constant struggle to maintain your own faith has bolstered your drive; you gain a +1 trait bonus on Will saves as a result.