Rakeesh Sah Tarna's page

Rakeesh Sah Tarna
Male aasimar (angelkin) paladin 1
LG Medium outsider (native)
Init +5; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+7 Armor)
hp 14 (1d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +4
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
OFFENSE
Speed 30 feet
Melee bastard sword +8 (1d10+12/19-20)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day
Spell-Like Abilities CL 1st
1/day — corruption resistance
At Will — detect evil
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 21
Base Atk +1; CMB +9; CMD 19
Feats Noble Scion (War)
Skills (ranks)
+9 Diplomacy (1)
+4 Heal (0)
+10 Intimidate (1)
+5 Knowledge (nobility) (0)
+5 Knowledge (planes) (0)
+7 Knowledge (religion) (1)
+3 Perception (1)
+6 Sense Motive (1)
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Hallit, Osiriani
SQ aura of good
Traits Demon Slayer, Exposed to Awfulness, Omen
Gear bastard sword, splint mail
Additional Gear backpack, bed roll, belt pouch, coffee pot w/2 lbs. coffee, cold-weather outfit, flint and steel, grappling hook w/hemp rope (50 ft.), mess kit, Terendelev's scale, trail rations (6), travelers outfit, waterskin, wooden holy symbol, 34 gp 7 sp
Weight 97.5 lbs.

Terendelev's Scale (Cloudwalking): Three times per day as a standard action, a scale can be used to cast levitate. A pillar of roiling clouds rises below the levitating object or creature, growing and shrinking with the target’s altitude. This pillar is 5 feet in diameter (regardless of the target’s size) and provides concealment (20% miss chance) to any creature or object wholly contained within.

“Ain’t you cold?” one of the mercenaries called back.

“Freezing,” Rakeesh stated flatly. “I feel like there is ice pumping through my veins.”

“Then bring yerself over to the fire, ya fool!”

“It is of no help.” Rakeesh looked wistfully off towards the south. “I was once one of the Lords of Osirion… a descendent of Ragathiel himself… a being of glorious golden fire… a child of the princes of Heaven, Hell, and Golarion all in one…” his voice dropped nearly to a whisper. “The retribution of the Empyreal Lord is terrifying, my friends. Do not neglect your duty. Do not squander the gifts of fire and blood.”

“Oh, yeah?” the corner of the mercenary’s mouth turned up in skeptical amusement. “And what brings ya on this trek to the most godsforsaken corner of the world, yer highness?”

“The General of Vengeance has taken the fire from my heart, but has replaced it with purpose. I go now to seek that purpose, to honor the nobility of my heritage. To be worthy of my heritage.”

“Ya thinkin’ to earn yer wings, yer majesty?” the bruiser laughed.

Rakeesh shook his head. “Ragathiel does not forgive. That I live is more than a miracle. Once he turns his eyes upon you in anger…” Rakeesh shivered. “No. I seek vengeance. Demonkind are foul, unholy creatures, unwelcome upon this plane. But, it is not for them that I hold this righteous retribution. I seek vengeance upon myself. It was the gift of my blood that I squandered, and by my blood shall it be paid.”

The mercenary nudged his companion, “Suicide by demon.”

Rakeesh glanced over to where his sword lay propped against a nearby tree. “I am not without some skill in the arts of war. Nor am I a fool, to be easily undone by the guile and deceit of demons and their ilk. A man must be a fool to believe he is invulnerable anywhere, much less on the very doorstep of the Abyss. Crusaders should not expect to live to a ripe old age. But, I do not plan to surrender my life cheaply.”

“I hear’d tell the spawn of angels glow like the sun, and heal folks with their tears. You don’t look much like any angel to me.”

“If you had seen me before, you would not speak such words,” Rakeesh smiled sadly. “My eyes glowed like molten gold, and my hair was a wreath of flame. Now…” he looked upon the man with dull grey eyes and ran his hand through his limp flaxen hair. He stood and stretched himself to his full, considerable height, turning his strong, slender frame to ease the tension in his back.

“Well, at least it makes for an int’restin’ story, yer lordship!” the man guffawed. “Beggin’ yer pardon o’ course!” A few of the other mercenaries that Rakeesh was traveling with chuckled at the joke. “Still, ya can’t kill no demons if ya catch yer death afore ya get there. Come and warm yerself.”

“The fire holds no appeal for me. It is a pale candle to the inferno I hold within…”

.............

Twenty years ago... Tarna Sah Anun spun to avoid the barbed stinger that lashed down. With a leap and another twist he avoided the massive pincer that grabbed at his ankles. He brought his sword in a raking strike across the creature’s foreleg. It barely scratched the surface of his carapace. “I cannot damage it!” he cried.

Nefut Ira Tarna weaved her hands and chanted a litany of power to Ragathiel, bringing holy fire down on the back of the fiendish scorpion. Tarna dashed around the creature as it writhed in agony from the blast. With a massive swing of his sword, he sheared the end of the creature’s barbed tail. A spray of caustic black poison erupted from the wound, covering Tarna’s face. He fell to the ground retching, as the poison seeped into his wounds.

Nefut screamed in horror as the back of the scorpion’s massive claw swept Tarna away, leaving him lying broken dozens of feet from the battle. The Abyssal creature advanced on her, gouts of acidic bile still spilling from its wounded tail. Nefut drew upon her most powerful spell, channeling the divine power of the General of Vengeance directly into her frail body. Instantly her speed and power increased, rivaling that of her warrior husband’s. She charged, scooping up his sword as she attacked.

The raw divine power flowed unchecked through muscle and bone and vein. She swung the sword over and over, chipping away at the demon’s carapace. The fiend lunged at her with claw and mandible. She deflected the great pincer over her head, and drove towards the creature’s maw. As it bit down, she struck up. The sword drove through the creatures open mouth and deep into its brain, bursting forth through the iron-hard shell that had so far remained impenetrable.

Nefut crawled across the sand towards her husband. There was no bringing him back from the brink. All of the gifts of power Ragathiel had bestowed upon her were spent in the battle. The crucible of her final calling still burned white hot within her, divine energy permeating every pore… and deeper places she had not yet spoken of to her husband. “Do not despair, my love,” she whispered. She cradled his shattered head within her lap, and held it close to her stomach, close to her womb. “We are to be blessed.”

………………

One year ago... Rakeesh Sah Tarna reclined on the silken divan. The dancer was lithe and graceful, her movement pleasing, and showing the promise of greater pleasures to come. A scantily clad servant tried to fill his glass as he swayed to the fantasia being played by harp and cymbal. With a squeak she spilled the contents of the decanter across his hand, and on the sleeve of his robe. His eyes, normally the color of molten gold, turned fiery red in an instant. “Worthless, craven insect!” he shouted. “What use have I for a servant such as you?” The flaming mane of crimson that wreathed his head whipped itself into a full conflagration, and the heat pouring off of him forced the terrified girl back.

His mood soured, he stumbled drunkenly to his pagoda. Once he had cooled the inferno within, he would send for the dancer and some more wine. However, within the palatial tent he found an unexpected guest. Nefut did not frequently travel. Injuries from battle and complications in birth had left her corporeal self broken and weak, though she still carried powerful divine magic. “Mother?”

“My son. I have come to beg you once again, turn aside from this life of petty idolatries and vice. You have such gifts within you. Do not treat them with such disdain.” She stood and steadied her son, holding his face in her hands, forcing him to look her in the eye. “I granted you your youthful indiscretions. I stood aside as you pursued this life of ease and purposelessness. I stayed silent while you became a wastrel and a bully. But, I cannot stand silent any longer.”

Rakeesh shook himself free of her grasp, nearly falling in the process. “What would you have of me, mother?” he scoffed. “I’ll not throw my life away on some foolish crusade.”

“WORTHLESS, CRAVEN INSECT!” the words exploded from his mother’s throat, but they were not hers. The power behind them was so immense, Rakeesh was thrown to the floor by the very sound. “WHAT USE HAVE I FOR A SERVANT SUCH AS YOU?”

Blackness descended over him as if he had been suddenly submerged in the deepest ice-cold depths of the ocean. The last words he heard as unconsciousness took him was his mother pleading for his life…

Paladin: Through a select, worthy few shines the power of the divine. Called paladins, these noble souls dedicate their swords and lives to the battle against evil. Knights, crusaders, and law-bringers, paladins seek not just to spread divine justice but to embody the teachings of the virtuous deities they serve. In pursuit of their lofty goals, they adhere to ironclad laws of morality and discipline. As reward for their righteousness, these holy champions are blessed with boons to aid them in their quests: powers to banish evil, heal the innocent, and inspire the faithful. Although their convictions might lead them into conflict with the very souls they would save, paladins weather endless challenges of faith and dark temptations, risking their lives to do right and fighting to bring about a brighter future.

Role: Paladins serve as beacons for their allies within the chaos of battle. While deadly opponents of evil, they can also empower goodly souls to aid in their crusades. Their magic and martial skills also make them well suited to defending others and blessing the fallen with the strength to continue fighting.

Sacred Servant: Paladins as a general rule, venerate the gods of good and purity, but some take this a step further, dedicating themselves to a specific deity and furthering the cause of the faith. These sacred servants are rewarded for their devotion with additional spells and powerful allies. A sacred servant must select one deity to worship. This deity's alignment must be lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good. A sacred servant has the following class features.

Oath of Vengeance: While all paladins uphold the principals of law and good, sometimes these ideas must have a ruthless and dangerous side. It often falls upon a paladin to bring justice in the form of vengeance upon heinous transgressors against law and good. These oathbound paladins are always on the hunt for those who have perpetrated evil, and are the instrument of Heaven's most definitive and implacable judgment.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Paladins are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with all types of armor (heavy, medium, and light), and with shields (except tower shields).

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin's aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to her paladin level.

Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the paladin does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range.

Smite Evil (Su): This functions as the paladin ability, but the sacred servant can smite evil one additional time per day at 7th level, and every six levels thereafter (instead of 4th level and every three levels thereafter). This replaces smite evil.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the paladin adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to her attack rolls and adds her paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.

In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the paladin gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.

The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains her uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, as indicated on Table: Paladin, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Noble Scion (War) Prerequisites: Charisma 13, must be taken a 1st level.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nobility) checks, and that chosen Knowledge skill is always considered a class skill for you.
Scion of War: You use your Charisma modifier to adjust Initiative checks instead of your Dexterity modifier.

Demon Slayer: Having fought in many battles against demons you have learned the best ways to kill them. You gain a +2 trait bonus on weapon damage against demons, evil fey, and plants and animals corrupted by evil.

Exposed to Awfulness: When you were a child, you were nearly slain by a demon that managed to make its way through the wardstones into the lands beyond. The demon was slain before it could kill you, but you lingered at death’s door in a coma for weeks before waking. Ever since then, you’ve been unusually hale and hearty, as if your body had endured its brush with awfulness by becoming supernaturally fit. But still, the scars (whether physical or purely mental) of your brush with death remain, and nightmares of what could have happened often plague your sleep. Something, be it your own personal force of will, some strange “infection” from the assault, or perhaps a combination of both, has made you stronger than before. You’re not sure what to make of the theories that you survived this exposure to awfulness because you yourself have some trace of demonic heritage that helped give you the advantage you needed to survive—but whatever it was, you’reglad for it! Your strange resistance to demonic attacks persists to this day. Once per day when you fail a saving throw against an effect created by a demon that would kill or physically incapacitate you, you can immediately reroll that saving throw as a free action. You must take the second result, even if it is worse. Associated Mythic Path: Guardian. Multiple Characters: You and any others with this trait are related, if only distantly. You could be siblings or cousins—a condition that perhaps lends some credence to the theory that all of you share more than just a common bloodline.

Omen: You are the harbinger of some future event. Whether this event bodes good or ill, you exude an ominous presence. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you. Once per day, you may attempt to demoralize an opponent as a swift action.

+2 Strength, +2 Charisma

Native Outsider: Aasimars are outsiders with the native subtype.

Medium: Aasimars are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

Normal Speed: Aasimars have a base speed of 30 feet.

Darkvision: Aasimars can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Skilled: Aasimars have a +2 racial bonus on Heal and Knowledge (planes) checks.

Incorruptible: Occasionally, aasimars arise with the ability to further ward away evil. Aasimars with this racial trait can cast corruption resistance against evil once per day as a spell-like ability. If an aasimar uses this ability on herself, the duration increases to 1 hour per level. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.

Celestial Resistance: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.

Languages: Aasimars begin play speaking Common and Celestial. Aasimars with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, and Sylvan.

arrows (12), caltrops, copper brooch w/amethyst eyes, flint and steel, knotted gold ring, masterwork backpack, masterwork warhammer, oil flask (2), potion of cure light wounds (3), potion of lesser restoration, trail rations (10)