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Hope everything is okay with GM.
Pfflÿs ducks as a glob of acid flies over his head. He glances harshly at the elf, "What in the abyss, was that?" With a determined look upon his face, he draws forth the arcane essence of shadows that emit from the shambling creature as it enters the doorway. The shadows gather up to trap the creature and keep him at bay
Shadow Trap: DC16 (Will):
Shadow Trap: You pin the target’s shadow to its current location, causing the target to become entangled and preventing it from moving farther than 5 feet from its original position, as if its shadow were anchored to the terrain. Duration: 1 round
With a quick survey of the young hunter, Pfflÿs resigns himself to the fact that doesn't have the healing arts to save the young man. His thoughts turn immediately to the figures outside. Seeing the elf's reaction, the gnarled old gnome shouts above the crowd, "No, no other ideas. That is the best we can do... funnel them through a single entryway. I'll try to aid you as best I can!" Pfflÿs ambles forward, positioning himself within a step of the blacksmith.
Pfflÿs climbs atop his seat and raises a hand, "Hello, I'm Pfflÿs and this is, well, yes... ok. We've seen a lot in our time in the shadows under Frostfall." The aging gnome gestures to no one in particular, then continues his internal argument for all to see. " Right?!? Yes, truly!" he concludes with a clap of his hand. "This business of yours... that you've been having with people disappearing from the woods and then others becoming ill and what naught... I agree that you are under attack, and these fine gentleman here," he continues clearly pointing towards the others. "Well... if they'll give it a go, then so will I."
I hadn't mentioned anything but... On Tuesday morning at 4am, my wife had a heart attack. She's 44, 5'5" & 113 lbs. She does yoga, rides her road bicycle often as she can, walks with me in the evenings 4-5 miles 3-4 times a week and lifts weights. She did 8,000 sit-ups between Memorial Weekend and our trip to the Dominican Republic a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say, she is very fit and active. So, she shouldn't have had a heart attack! Anyway, it was her left anterior descending coronary artery that was blocked just below where it breaks off from the coronary artery. It supplies all the blood to the front of the heart. Having a blockage there is called "the Widow Maker" for good reason. Only a 6% survival rate. She survived. Undoubtedly due to her fitness. We are very lucky and blessed! She's recovering well and was up walking around yesterday afternoon. The doctors are ecstatic. They say she may come home in the next day or two but will be off work for at least two more weeks. Well, you know the saying... When it rains, it pours? Well, on top of my wife's heart attack, Kansas City was hit with flash flooding last night. Luckily, my 17-year old daughter was in the basement, sleeping on the couch when she heard water. Must have been a miracle as she can sleep through a tornado at times. Anyway, our 2-year old sump pump failed and I got 4 inches of standing water in our finished basement... which we remodeled last summer! So, I'm a bit pre-occupied. LOL. I fully intend on continuing playing, but the frequency of my posting will be sporadic. Thanks for the understanding.
"What? Me break down the door? I didn't know elves had a thing for humor," the gnome chuckles. "Nope, I prefer subterfuge when dealing with unknowns. Morven, on the other hand, is a little too curious for his own good at times." Pfflÿs watches as Ian and Duglin move away from the house, then nods at the elf. "Let's go." While the pair make their way to the town hall meeting, Pfflÿs comes an ever-watchful eye out for the strangers.
The town map looks great. What app did you make it in? I've used Inkarnate for the regional maps before. That one looks awesome too!
Grateful for a tasty meal, Pfflÿs bows to the purveyor of the tavern, "Well, of course, we're here to help. Came from Frostfall, I did with just that purpose in mind. Your generosity is much welcomed and noted!" At last, the gnome sits down upon the barstool grimacing as he takes the seat. Reaching into a back pocket, he pulls out a severely bent spoon. "Ah... found it." With a quick wink, Pfflÿs calls forth a bit of magic to mend the spoon and takes to slurping up his stew.
Following the crowd out to the street, Pfflÿs turns to the dwarf and tips an imaginary hat, "Pfflÿs, at your service." Then turning to Athanasius, he continues, "Quite convenient of them to force the non-humans to associate together. I suspect the townhall meeting will prove..." Spying the cloaked individuals headed in the opposite direction, he looks quickly to the elf and to Duglin, "Now, if that isn't suspicious! What do you think those two are up to?" Ducking between the crowd, Pfflÿs tries to discern their faces and wither they carry anything in their hands, but there are two many people for the short gnome to get a good look at them. As he scampers through the throngs of people, he ducks out of sight.
Pfflÿs surveys all the people staring in his direction and slowly raises his right arm high above his head. Keeping a vigilant eye upon the crowd, he leans his nose into his armpit and takes a quick sniff. "Not me... must be the elf," he murmurs to himself. Then looks up at Athanasius and smiles half-heartedly. Motioning to a table near the center of the tavern, he reverts to elvish uttering the formal invitation of the elvish courts. Elvish:
"Join me for the breaking of bread?" With a nod, he moves towards the bar continuing to pat his pockets. Morven, did you move it again? I'd wish that you left my things be." Reaching the table the gnome, pulls out the chair then nimbly hops upon the seat and rests his handbo, which serves as a crutch at times, over the the seat back. Still standing upon the seat, Pfflÿs produces an elk horn mug from his belt loop and waves a hand over it. A clean water fills the bug with a spirited gurgle and is quickly consumed by the oracle. With a sharp whistle, he calls out to the man bustling through the common room, "Me and my, um..." I can't rightly call him a friend, now can I, Morven? No, no, that might insult him. "My, um, acquaintance would like some stew, if you please. Oh, And some fresh bread if you have it." "Strange occurrences here, don't you think?" Pfflÿs says turning to Athanasius. As he bends a knee to take a seat upon the high-backed chair, the old gnome continues his thought, "I heard a woman outside saying that her nana went on about it 'not being the end for her'. Said it just before she passed, it seems. From my experience, death is the end."
"Me, um, no... nothing that matters at least," the gnome replies, his nose sniffing the air having caught a whiff of the stewing meat. Without so much as a glance back at the elf, Pfflÿs steps through the doorway looking for a suitable table to rest his weary legs.
Pfflÿs looks up at Athanasius, "Oh, no... no, no, no, no... nope." The wizened gnome shakes his head violently. "I am NO sir... just Pfflÿs." He bows before the taller elf. Sylvan:
"And I hail from many places." Some dark and terrifying... he thinks to himself. Continuing, he smiles, "But most recently I come from Frostfall, and as to my origins, my people hail from the Silverwood far to the north. Do the mysteries that have befallen Sorrowmoor bring you here too?" Pfflÿs begins to pat his pockets, searching in vain. "Oh, yes... and your name! What shall I call you?"
With a blustering flap of his lips and a shake of his head, Ghrezzd came to a halt. The young, spirited pony would have none of it. He spread his legs bracing for the inevitable swat of his hind side with the master's cane. "Oh, come along now, Ghrezzd!" the gnarled, old gnome chuckled. "I know the forest looks grim... and dangerous... but its much faster to cut the corner. If we veer from the path right here, we'll make Sorrowmoor well before dusk. If not, we'll probably roll into town during the townhall meeting. Frighten all the good folk of the town, we will!" Pfflÿs leaned forward and whispered into the pony's ear. With a loud bray, Ghrezzd lurched forward and trusted the gnome. The shortcut proved to be difficult but worthwhile. The undergrowth was thick and on several occasions, Pfflÿs had to call upon his unseen companion, Morwen, to bend stray branches out of his and Ghrezzd's way. The ghostly boy's hands had come in handy over the years, but a day didn't go by when the old gnome hadn't thought of the young boy who died beside him in the Shadows. Pfflÿs was glad that the young spirit had stayed with him. They kept each other company and offered a little comfort and familiarity to the unlikely pair of friends. When they finally made their way back to the main rode, Pfflÿs could see the town up ahead. It was busier than he had imagined from the tales that he heard in Frostfall. All the people that had gone missing and those, that hadn't vanished outright, had taken it upon themselves to leave out of fear. Perhaps he could help. Perhaps his knowledge of shadows and dark places would be valuable. Perhaps this time he could save a boy... or perhaps a girl he thought as a smile crossed his lips. With some time to spare, Pfflÿs followed the sounds of the town and came upon a crowd gathering outside the Huntsman's Howl. Tying off Ghrezzd's bridle to a sturdy post outside the tavern's stable, the gnome hobbled toward the crowd. With a quick flick of the wrist, he sends the ghostly hand to gently pull back the hood of another traveler... not enough to reveal a face, but enough that the traveler could see more clearly. "With a hood pulled down so low, master elf, it is a wonder if you can see anything at all." Not waiting for a reply, Pfflÿs cuts through the crowd to and enters the tavern.
GM: Sorry, it is confusing and I didn't explain it well. My mystery is Shadow and my Bonus Spells for that mystery are Blurred movement (2nd), invisibility (4th), deeper darkness (6th), etc. But... when you take Dual-Cursed your Bonus Spells are replaced with ill omen (2nd), oracle’s burden (4th), and bestow curse (6th). The bonus spells for 8th level and beyond are unaffected. Now, deeper darkness is on the oracle spell list as a 3rd level spell, so when I hit 6th level and get my first 3rd level spell, I can choose to take deeper darkness as my "known spell". However, neither blurred movement not invisibility are on the oracle spell list, so I can never "know" them. Unless, you house rule those two spells on to my oracle spell list and allow me to select them with my normal "known spell" slots when the time comes. My aim here is to get some invisibility. Pfflÿs is physically weak so he can't wear armor. I'm inclined to find ways to keep him safe and out of harms way. Thanks for considering. As for the human favored class bonus, I imagine that the fell shadows that fell over him and the young lord within the crypts of Frostfall magically fused the human's essence into the gnome as he learned the mystery of the shadows. Also, I believe his Haunted curse is the young lord who died in the crypts with Pfflÿs. I'm thinking that hidden in a pocket of his black clothing is a bone from the fallen boy, or perhaps a token the boy carried that Pfflÿs kept as a reminder of his failure to protect the boy. Come to think of it, I imagine that is why he's answered the call to come and defend Sorrowmoor.
GM Laugh - A couple of quick questions/requests... 1. Taking Dual-Cursed, replaced 3 of my mystery spells, 2 of which are not on my spell list: blurred movement and invisibility. Could I add those spells to my spell list to select them as known spells as I have appropriate slots open up? 2. The gnome favored class bonus for oracles is pretty much useless for me as it just increases my effective class level for determining access to class features. Since my only class feature is bonus spells and no new abilities its value is, well, lacking. Would you be agreeable for me taking the human favored class bonus instead? 3. If it is okay, I've sold my masterwork thieves tools for a regular pair of thieves tools. Then, I used the extra gold to purchase and equip a combat trained pony for Pfflÿs to ride.
Two syllables. Accent on the first syllable. Pif' - lis :)
Greetings and thank you! I really enjoy homebrew games and hoping this one really takes off! I think you've got some great character concept here and looking forward to building and experiencing this world. Pfflÿs is a shadow illusionist focused Oracle. He of course has some healing abilities in cure light wounds. I also used some resources to get him some stealth and trap finding & disabling skills. With his strength score so low, he isn't wearing armor and will not be engaging in melee combat. He does have some limited range attacks however.
Pfflÿs is all ready and good to go!
This is Valjoen_KC's submission... Pfflÿs, the gnarled, old gnome shadow oracle. I have his basic crunch done, but haven't checked it against herolab as I'm currently on vacation. I also haven't completed my purchases, and I'm still trying to figure out his encumbrance. I'll get it cleaned up this weekend when I'm back home. I'm also still working on his backstory.
Updated Pfflÿs, the Illusionist. Crunch:
Pfflÿs - Sorcerer (Illusion)
Female gnome sorcerer 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Animal Archive) CG Small humanoid (gnome) Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size) hp 8 (1d6+2) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; +2 vs. illusions -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 20 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +5) 1/day—dancing lights, enhanced diplomacy, ghost sound (DC 15), mending, prestidigitation, recharge innate magic[ARG], spark[APG] (DC 14), speak with animals Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5) 1st (4/day)—color spray (DC 16), silent image (DC 16) 0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), mage hand, prestidigitation Bloodline Arcane -------------------- Statistics -------------------- Str 10, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 19 Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 10 Feats Effortless Trickery, Eschew Materials Traits etymologist, magical lineage, scholar of the ancients Skills Acrobatics +1 (-3 to jump), Bluff +9, Diplomacy +5, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Linguistics +7, Perception +8, Sense Motive +2, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception Languages Common, Draconic, Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Shoanti, Sylvan, Thassilonian, Varisian SQ arcane bond (Pferryt, weasel [pilferer]), bloodline arcana (+1 DC for metamagic spells that increase spell level), fey magic, gnome magic Combat Gear reagent, silver; Other Gear bedroll, belt pouch, candle (10), chalk, familiar satchel[UE], flint and steel, masterwork backpack[APG], mess kit[UE], pot, sack, silk rope (50 ft.), soap, trail rations (5), waterproof bag[UE], waterskin, 37 gp, 10 sp, 10 cp -------------------- Special Abilities -------------------- Bloodline Arcana: Arcane (Ex) When a spell level is increased by a metamagic feat, it gains +1 DC. Effortless Trickery Maintain concentration on 1 illusion spell per rd as a swift action. Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar. Eschew Materials Cast spells without materials, if component cost is 1 gp or less. Familiar Bonus: +2 to Reflex saves You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach. Fey Magic (Favored Terrain [Urban]) Gain spell-like abilities in selected terrain. Gnome Magic Add 1 to the DCs of any saving throws to resist illusion spells cast. Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail. Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch. -------------------- Background: Pfflÿs is a gnome of many interests, and her constant bantering with anyone who is standing nearby, not to mention with herself, is a testament to his overactive mind. Her first love was that of history. As a young gnome, whose father was a traveling 'salesman' of ancient and religious artifacts, as well as the best gnomish fireworks in all of Golarion, she spent many years crisscrossing the Varisian landscape. Every ancient Thassilonian monument her caravan passed, became the site of a heroic adventure that Pfflÿs played out in her mind.
It was during this time that his skill as a linguist became evident. Pfflÿs would listen to all sorts of people talk, some using their native language while others employed other rare languages in an effort to communicate without understanding of a business adversary. She often translate for her father and quickly developed fluency in draconic, giant, goblin, orc, Shoanti, Thassilonian and Varisian. In fact, it was her fascination with draconic that led her to the grand library in Korsova. There she 'acquired' several ancient arcane texts which she studied with an intensity that bordered on obsession. While her innate arcane talents as a gnome with an abundance of fey heritage were always present, her obsessive dedication to the arcane arts manifested itself on a journey to Magnimar from their home just across the river from Wartle in the Sanos Forest. Pfflÿs was staring at an ancient structure of the Thassilonians, day-dreaming of a life as a heroic, swashbuckling champion battling a fire-breathing dragon who had nested in the ruins hording its treasure. Suddenly the guards mobilized, racing to protect the caravan from becoming collateral damage in an epic battle. Woman and children burst into tears screaming for their lives, and the entire caravan burst into fleeing mode. The terrified shouts of her father as their cart rambled forward brought Pfflÿs back to reality. Her concentration of her day-dream gone, the dragon and his opposition faded from view, leaving the entire caravan talking of witchcraft for the remainder of the quiet journey. Knowing she was the source of the illusion, Pfflÿs spent the next several years in seclusion once again taking her dedication to her newly found powers to an unhealthy obsession. Deep in the forest, she developed her art of imagery making all sorts of visual and auditory illusions. She is able to detect and discern all types of magical auras and even cause small objects to be lifted and moved with just a wiggle of her finger. Her most notorious incantation is the vivid burst of color that she can emit from her hands at a moment's notice. Many of the woodland creatures in the Sanos Forest have fallen victim to the mischief of the young illusionist and her color spray. However, her opus, as she has named it, is the small ball of smoke that seems to find her daily and continually circle her hands and head. Pfflÿs has developed the effortless mastery of a single illusion throughout a day. This small ball of smoke can erupt at anytime into a darkened cloud out of which any number of things may come to life... or perhaps burst into a ring of fire that encircles his prey... or perhaps coalesce into a gargantuan boulder that hovers, threateningly above. In addition, her ever-scheming mind creates various noises and sounds to enhance the illusory trick. With her father's health failing, her mother has asked her to accompany her father to Sandpoint as he delivers a supply of gnomish fireworks for the Swallowtail Festival. Upon her arrival, she delivers the goods as promised, then makes her way to the Rusty Dragon to get a drink and perhaps catch a song at the renowned establishment. Can't get to uninhibited tonight, Pfflÿs. Tomorrow is the festival and the firework display must go as planned if you wish father to be paid properly.
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