About Ruarc BataarUnarmored Reference Image
DMPC Version:
Ruarc Bataar Male Oni-Spawn (Iobarian) Inquisitor of Ragathiel (Heretic, Sin Eater) 1 Age 27 NG Medium Humanoid (Tiefling) Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60'; Perception +5 --------------------
AC 21 (23), touch 13, flat-footed 18 (20) (+6 armor, (+2 shield), +3 dex, +2 natural armor) HP 10 (1d8+2) Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +3; +2 vs demon mind affecting
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Speed 20 ft. Melee Justice bastard sword +4 (1d10+4 19-20x2) OR +4 (1d10+3) with shield Ranged Sling +3 (1d4+3) 50' range increments Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft. --------------------
0 - brand, daze (DC 12), detect magic, sift 1 (2/Day) - cure light wounds, disguise self --------------------
Eat Sin (Sp): At 1st level, as a free action, when the sin eater inquisitor kills an enemy, she may eat the sins of that enemy by spending 1 minute adjacent to its corpse. This provokes attacks of opportunity. The inquisitor can rush this ritual, performing it as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, but she only gains half the normal benefit (see below). Eating the enemy’s sins heals the inquisitor of a number of hit points of damage equal to 1d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +5). The enemy must have been killed by the sin eater within the last hour, and it must have had at least as many Hit Dice as half the inquisitor’s level. The inquisitor can use this ability once for each enemy she kills. This ability has no effect on mindless creatures or those with Intelligence 2 or less. At 5th level, the healing increases to 2d8 plus her inquisitor level (maximum +10); it increases to 3d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +15) at 9th level and to 4d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +20) at 13th level. In some faiths, this “eating” is a purely symbolic act, while in others, the inquisitor must eat a small amount of food and water as part of the ritual. A few extreme faiths actually require the inquisitor to eat some of the body of the slain enemy. At 8th level, when a sin eater eats the sins of a creature that would rise as an undead (such as someone slain by a shadow, specter, or vampire), the sin eater may choose to accept 1 temporary negative level to absorb the taint in the corpse, preventing it from rising as an undead. This negative level can be removed with the appropriate magic, though it automatically expires after 24 hours, and never becomes a permanent negative level. At the GM’s discretion, this ability may prevent a ghost from using its rejuvenation ability. This ability replaces an inquisitor’s domain. Judgement (Su) 1/Day:Starting at 1st level, an inquisitor can pronounce judgment upon her foes as a swift action. Starting when the judgment is made, the inquisitor receives a bonus or special ability based on the type of judgment made. At 1st level, an inquisitor can use this ability once per day. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the inquisitor can use this ability one additional time per day. Once activated, this ability lasts until the combat ends, at which point all of the bonuses immediately end. The inquisitor must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If she is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until she can participate in the combat again. When the inquisitor uses this ability, she must select one type of judgment to make. As a swift action, she can change this judgment to another type. If the inquisitor is evil, she receives profane bonuses instead of sacred, as appropriate. Neutral inquisitors must select profane or sacred bonuses. Once made, this choice cannot be changed. Destruction: The inquisitor is filled with divine wrath, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all weapon damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Healing: The inquisitor is surrounded by a healing light, gaining fast healing 1. This causes the inquisitor to heal 1 point of damage each round as long as the inquisitor is alive and the judgment lasts. The amount of healing increases by 1 point for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Justice: This judgment spurs the inquisitor to seek justice, granting a +1 sacred bonus on all attack rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled on all attack rolls made to confirm critical hits. Piercing: This judgment gives the inquisitor great focus and makes her spells more potent. This benefit grants a +1 sacred bonus on concentration checks and caster level checks made to overcome a target’s spell resistance. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Protection: The inquisitor is surrounded by a protective aura, granting a +1 sacred bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled against attack rolls made to confirm critical hits against the inquisitor. Purity: The inquisitor is protected from the vile taint of her foes, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, the bonus is doubled against curses, diseases, and poisons. Resiliency: This judgment makes the inquisitor resistant to harm, granting DR 1/magic. This DR increases by 1 for every five levels she possesses. At 10th level, this DR changes from magic to an alignment (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) that is opposite the inquisitor’s. If she is neutral, the inquisitor does not receive this increase. Resistance: The inquisitor is shielded by a flickering aura, gaining 2 points of energy resistance against one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) chosen when the judgment is declared. The protection increases by 2 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Smiting: This judgment bathes the inquisitor’s weapons in a divine light. The inquisitor’s weapons count as magic for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. At 6th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as one alignment type (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. The type selected must match one of the inquisitor’s alignments. If the inquisitor is neutral, she does not receive this bonus. At 10th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction (but not for reducing hardness). Escape (Su): Each time the inquisitor using this judgment hits an opponent with a melee or ranged attack, she can use a move action attempt to create a diversion to hide (see the Stealth skill). Stern Gaze (Ex): Inquisitors are skilled at sensing deception and intimidating their foes. An inquisitor receives a morale bonus on all Intimidate and Sense Motive checks equal to 1/2 her inquisitor level (minimum +1). Lore of Escape (Ex): At 1st level, the heretic uses every trick she knows to escape those now pursuing her. She adds her Wisdom modifier on Bluff and Stealth skill checks in addition to the normal ability score modifiers. This ability replaces monster lore. Hide Tracks (Ex): At 1st level, a heretical inquisitor is adept at hiding her tracks. Creatures attempting to track her take a –5 penalty on rolls to find or follow her tracks. --------------------
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +0; CMB +3 (+5 vs Demons); CMD 16 Drawback:
Traits:
Rich Parents - Ruarc's family has been successful in Kenabres for generations and when his father died he left quite a bit of money behind. Most of it went to raising Ruarc and Valki, but when he reached the age of maturity Ruarc inherited the rest. Feats: Armor of the Pit Skills (7 points - 6 inquisitor, 1 favored class):
Racial Modifiers: +2 str, +2 wis, -2 cha, alter self 1/day, +2 disguise and bluff, fiendish resistances, prehensile tail Languages: Common, abyssal, infernal --------------------
Location: On Persons Carrying Capacity Light:73 lbs. Medium:74-153 lbs. Heavy:154-230 lbs. GP:7 GP 8 SP 0 CP Justice Masterwork Bastard Sword 6 lbs. - 385 GP
Breastplate 30 lbs. - 200 GP (-4 ACP)
Dark Knight Kit (Custom) 33.5 lbs. - 225 GP 1 SP 6 CP
Location: Belt Pouch x2 1 lbs. - 2 GP (carries 20 lbs. of stuff)
Wand of Cure Light (5/50 charges) - 75 GP Total Weight:89 lbs. Justice:This wide bladed hand-and-a-half sword is a steely grey-black color everywhere except the edge, which shines with a wicked gleam in the light. A deep, wide fuller runs partially down the blade, stopping where it meets the word JUSTICE engraved in block script just above the guard. The cross guard is shaped like two feathered angelic wings, flaring outward from where they meet the base of the blade. The black lacquer covering them looks recent, and is chipped in a few places to reveal slivers of red and gold beneath. The long grip is wrapped in braided black leather cord. On closer inspection a lock of dark colored hair appears to woven in with the braiding there. The pommel is a simple, a utilitarian disk weighted to perfectly balance the long blade. The scabbard is of plain black leather, reinforced with iron piping. Advancement Choices:
1st: Inquisitor (Sin Eater, Heretic); sin eating, judgement, stern gaze, lore of escape, hide tracks, orisons, armor of the pit, favored class (skill point) 2nd: Rogue (Chameleon); sneak attack (1d6), misdirection 3rd: Fighter (Lore Warden); Power Attack (Bonus), Celestial Obedience Fanguar's Game:
Ruarc Bataar Male Oni-Spawn (Iobarian) Inquisitor of Ragathiel (Heretic, Sin Eater) 1 Age 27 NG Medium Humanoid (Tiefling) Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60'; Perception +6 --------------------
AC 21 (23), touch 13, flat-footed 18 (20) (+6 armor, (+2 shield), +3 dex, +2 natural armor) HP 23 (2d8+1d10+6) Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +3; +2 vs demon mind affecting
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Speed 20 ft. Melee Justice bastard sword +5 (1d10+4 19-20x2) OR +5 (1d10+3) with shield; +1 hit/+2 damage Alter Self Ranged Sling +4 (1d4+3) 50' range increments Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft. --------------------
0 - brand, daze (DC 12), detect magic, sift 1 (2/Day) - cure light wounds, disguise self --------------------
Eat Sin (Sp): At 1st level, as a free action, when the sin eater inquisitor kills an enemy, she may eat the sins of that enemy by spending 1 minute adjacent to its corpse. This provokes attacks of opportunity. The inquisitor can rush this ritual, performing it as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, but she only gains half the normal benefit (see below). Eating the enemy’s sins heals the inquisitor of a number of hit points of damage equal to 1d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +5). The enemy must have been killed by the sin eater within the last hour, and it must have had at least as many Hit Dice as half the inquisitor’s level. The inquisitor can use this ability once for each enemy she kills. This ability has no effect on mindless creatures or those with Intelligence 2 or less. At 5th level, the healing increases to 2d8 plus her inquisitor level (maximum +10); it increases to 3d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +15) at 9th level and to 4d8 + her inquisitor level (maximum +20) at 13th level. In some faiths, this “eating” is a purely symbolic act, while in others, the inquisitor must eat a small amount of food and water as part of the ritual. A few extreme faiths actually require the inquisitor to eat some of the body of the slain enemy. At 8th level, when a sin eater eats the sins of a creature that would rise as an undead (such as someone slain by a shadow, specter, or vampire), the sin eater may choose to accept 1 temporary negative level to absorb the taint in the corpse, preventing it from rising as an undead. This negative level can be removed with the appropriate magic, though it automatically expires after 24 hours, and never becomes a permanent negative level. At the GM’s discretion, this ability may prevent a ghost from using its rejuvenation ability. This ability replaces an inquisitor’s domain. Judgement (Su) 1/Day:Starting at 1st level, an inquisitor can pronounce judgment upon her foes as a swift action. Starting when the judgment is made, the inquisitor receives a bonus or special ability based on the type of judgment made. At 1st level, an inquisitor can use this ability once per day. At 4th level and every three levels thereafter, the inquisitor can use this ability one additional time per day. Once activated, this ability lasts until the combat ends, at which point all of the bonuses immediately end. The inquisitor must participate in the combat to gain these bonuses. If she is frightened, panicked, paralyzed, stunned, unconscious, or otherwise prevented from participating in the combat, the ability does not end, but the bonuses do not resume until she can participate in the combat again. When the inquisitor uses this ability, she must select one type of judgment to make. As a swift action, she can change this judgment to another type. If the inquisitor is evil, she receives profane bonuses instead of sacred, as appropriate. Neutral inquisitors must select profane or sacred bonuses. Once made, this choice cannot be changed. Destruction: The inquisitor is filled with divine wrath, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all weapon damage rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Healing: The inquisitor is surrounded by a healing light, gaining fast healing 1. This causes the inquisitor to heal 1 point of damage each round as long as the inquisitor is alive and the judgment lasts. The amount of healing increases by 1 point for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Justice: This judgment spurs the inquisitor to seek justice, granting a +1 sacred bonus on all attack rolls. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled on all attack rolls made to confirm critical hits. Piercing: This judgment gives the inquisitor great focus and makes her spells more potent. This benefit grants a +1 sacred bonus on concentration checks and caster level checks made to overcome a target’s spell resistance. This bonus increases by +1 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Protection: The inquisitor is surrounded by a protective aura, granting a +1 sacred bonus to Armor Class. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, this bonus is doubled against attack rolls made to confirm critical hits against the inquisitor. Purity: The inquisitor is protected from the vile taint of her foes, gaining a +1 sacred bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 for every five inquisitor levels she possesses. At 10th level, the bonus is doubled against curses, diseases, and poisons. Resiliency: This judgment makes the inquisitor resistant to harm, granting DR 1/magic. This DR increases by 1 for every five levels she possesses. At 10th level, this DR changes from magic to an alignment (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) that is opposite the inquisitor’s. If she is neutral, the inquisitor does not receive this increase. Resistance: The inquisitor is shielded by a flickering aura, gaining 2 points of energy resistance against one energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) chosen when the judgment is declared. The protection increases by 2 for every three inquisitor levels she possesses. Smiting: This judgment bathes the inquisitor’s weapons in a divine light. The inquisitor’s weapons count as magic for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction. At 6th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as one alignment type (chaotic, evil, good, or lawful) for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. The type selected must match one of the inquisitor’s alignments. If the inquisitor is neutral, she does not receive this bonus. At 10th level, the inquisitor’s weapons also count as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction (but not for reducing hardness). Escape (Su): Each time the inquisitor using this judgment hits an opponent with a melee or ranged attack, she can use a move action attempt to create a diversion to hide (see the Stealth skill). Stern Gaze (Ex): Inquisitors are skilled at sensing deception and intimidating their foes. An inquisitor receives a morale bonus on all Intimidate and Sense Motive checks equal to 1/2 her inquisitor level (minimum +1). Lore of Escape (Ex): At 1st level, the heretic uses every trick she knows to escape those now pursuing her. She adds her Wisdom modifier on Bluff and Stealth skill checks in addition to the normal ability score modifiers. This ability replaces monster lore. Hide Tracks (Ex): At 1st level, a heretical inquisitor is adept at hiding her tracks. Creatures attempting to track her take a –5 penalty on rolls to find or follow her tracks. Sneak Attack (1d6):If a rogue can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from her attack, she can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The rogue's attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty. The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment. Misdirection (Ex) (1/1 points): At 1st level, a chameleon begins her career knowing that the secret to disappearing lies in deceiving the senses of her observers. Every day she gains a pool of stealth points equal to her ranks in Bluff. These points refresh at the start of each day. Before making a Stealth check, she can choose to put stealth points into the roll, gaining a bonus on Stealth checks equal to the number of stealth points she puts into the roll. If she gains a bonus on Bluff checks because of a feat (such as Skill Focus [Bluff ]), she adds a number of points to her stealth pool equal to the bonus the feat grants. --------------------
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +1; CMB +4 (+6 vs Demons); CMD 17 Drawback:
Traits:
Stolen Fury - Ruarc was abducted and subjected to an unknown ritual by cultists during his time living at the temple. Rich Parents - Ruarc's family has been successful in Kenabres for generations and when his father died he left quite a bit of money behind. Most of it went to raising Ruarc and Valki, but when he reached the age of maturity Ruarc inherited the rest. Feats: Armor of the Pit, Power Attack, Celestial Obedience Skills:
Racial Modifiers: +2 str, +2 wis, -2 cha, alter self 1/day, +2 disguise and bluff, fiendish resistances, prehensile tail Languages: Common, abyssal, infernal, celestial --------------------
Location: On Persons Carrying Capacity Light:73 lbs. Medium:74-153 lbs. Heavy:154-230 lbs. GP:66 GP 3 SP 93 CP Justice Masterwork Bastard Sword 6 lbs. - 385 GP
Masterwork Breastplate 30 lbs. - 350 GP (-3 ACP)
Dark Knight Kit (Custom) 33.5 lbs. - 225 GP 1 SP 6 CP
Location: Belt Pouch x2 1 lbs. - 2 GP (carries 20 lbs. of stuff)
Wand of Cure Light Wounds 0 lbs. - 15 GP (1 charge)
Total Weight:89 lbs. Justice:This wide bladed hand-and-a-half sword is a steely grey-black color everywhere except the edge, which shines with a wicked gleam in the light. A deep, wide fuller runs partially down the blade, stopping where it meets the word JUSTICE engraved in block script just above the guard. The cross guard is shaped like two feathered angelic wings, flaring outward from where they meet the base of the blade. The black lacquer covering them looks recent, and is chipped in a few places to reveal slivers of red and gold beneath. The long grip is wrapped in braided black leather cord. On closer inspection a lock of dark colored hair appears to woven in with the braiding there. The pommel is a simple, a utilitarian disk weighted to perfectly balance the long blade. The scabbard is of plain black leather, reinforced with iron piping. =================================================== Background:
Part 1:Origins Ruarc's great grandfather was Temujin Bataar, a Kuwa Oni sorcerer who came over the Crown of the World during the early 4600s. After the Worldwound opened, he took advantage of the chaotic migration of Sarkorians and Mendevian-Iobarians eastward to establish himself in a position of power in Kenabres, then a mere town. In 4622 when the crusaders began flooding in, he accumulated a veritable fortune through his position as an advisor to the leader of the rapidly growing town. By then he'd had a son, Taarlek, with a native Iobarian prostitute. Temujin kept his son a secret, separating him from his mother as soon as he was old enough to walk. He covertly taught Tarrlek everything he knew about manipulation and guile as the boy grew. Crusaders eventually killed Temjuin in 4635 after they discovered his true identity. Temujin had advance warning of the discovery and he managed to smuggle away most of his portable wealth to Taarlek. Taarlek's only fiendish feature was his golden skin, which allowed him to pass as an aasimar. Once Taarlek was old enough, he used his father's treasure to establish himself as an arms merchant in the new crusader boomtown. The Second and Third crusades ensured that he became filthy rich. He catered especially to the low templars and rogues who began to flock to the Worldwound for their own ignoble reasons. Taarlek married an ethnically Ulfen woman who was also a native of Kenabres. In 4642 they had a human son, and named him Roga. Roga was different from Taarlek and Temujin before him. Where they were cruel, he was compassionate. Where they were domineering, he was accepting. Where they broke the law and disregarded innocent life, he saw the law and innocent life as sacred. Taarlek and Roga butted heads at every turn. This went on for years as Roga grew into a young man. He eventually learned that Taarlek was truly a tiefling, son of Temujin the Black, and of his involvement with the Ivory Labyrinth Templars of Baphomet. This was the final straw for Roga. He turned his father in to the newly formed Third Crusade. The Crusade burned Taarlek at the stake for his crimes, and Roga never looked back. He joined the third crusade as an inquisitor of Ragathiel, seeking to avenge all the wrong his family had done. He focused his efforts on rooting out the corruption inside Kenabres itself. The city was rife with demonic influence. Ivory Labyrinth Templars within the church of Iomedae even managed to tarnish the church's reputation with an extremely overzealous mass "witch" burning. Roga worked tirelessly to combat such threats, but against overwhelming odds. The Crusade ultimately came to nothing, piddling out in 4668. For Roga, it couldn't be the end of the Crusade. He joined the city guard and continued his own personal crusade against the cultists infecting the city. He married a native Iobarian woman named Kala, who worked as a potter. Kala quickly became pregnant, and in 4686 she gave birth to Ruarc Bataar. Ruarc was a tielfing, but his mother and father loved him as they would any other son. To spare him as much pain as possible, they sheltered him from the outside world. Whenever he went in public, they cloaked him heavily, hiding his golden skin and horns from view. Four years later his sister Valki was born, a normal human. By this time Roga had worked his way up to the position of Inspector in the city guard, and had a reputation for being brutal against Ivory Templar activity. His abilities as an Inquisitor of Ragathiel were uniquely suited to rooting them out and putting them in prison. Part 2:Childhood
As they rounded a corner onto a small side street, a terrifying sight stopped them short. Ruarc vividly remembers the three men wearing minotaur skull masks, with the twisted runic symbol of Baphomet graven on their foreheads. The tallest of the three, their apparent leader, stepped forward when he saw Ruarc's father. His greasy tangled beard and thin smirking lips were visible beneath the cracked yellow of the skull-mask's upper teeth. "Ah, the great Roga Bataar. Long have you been a thorn in the side of the Ivory Labyrinth. But no longer, tonight Taarlek will have his revenge." Above them all the sky exploded with lightning. Ruarc looked above him to see the impossibly huge Storm King in battle with the silver dragon Terendelev. Blasts of icy breath clashed with huge jagged sheets of lightning as the dragon slammed into the balor lord, grabbing him and tearing into his flesh. The demon broke free, and sent a thick rope of lightning into the wardstone in the center of the city. A great cracking sound sent a shudder through the earth that left Ruarc cowering on the ground in terror. His father had no time to spare for watching the battle above. Roga drew Justice, his long black blade, and stepped forward to block Kala and the children from the cultists. "Ragathiel, may your eyes fall upon us, and your wings shield my children," he prayed. A snort of laughter escaped the gaunt man opposite them as he raised his arms and began chanting a spell. The fat, dark skinned man to his left and the muscular, blond haired man to his right did the same. The air seared with the foul tones of the abyssal tongue as their hands traced arcane gestures. Kala knelt over her children while Ruarc grabbed tight onto Valki's hand and whispered, "Don't worry, everything's gonna be okay." But it wasn't. Good triumphed in the sky as Terendelev nearly killed Khorramzadeh, forcing him to retreat, but evil won out on the street below. The balor lord teleported out of the sky just as the cultists were finishing their incantations. Black lightless flames sprang up around their hands, before shooting forth in three rays. Two of the black beams struck Roga in the chest as he was charging forward, the third took Kala in the back as she shielded her children. Both of their heads whipped back and they screamed as the veins in their necks and face went terribly, awfully black. Ruarc watched in horror as blood erupted from his parents' tear ducts before they both collapsed and died in front of him. Tears of white hot rage, terror and grief streamed down his face as he screamed wordlessly into the roiling sky. The Ivory Templars did not miss the results of the aerial battle, nor did they miss the squad of paladins that came hustling around the corner a moment later. The cultists broke into a run, black robes fluttering behind them as they split off into three different alleyways. Valki was leaning on Kala and crying while Ruarc ran forward to fling himself over Roga's body. He grabbed onto the hilt of Justice as he sobbed, staring at the word engraved on the blade. It was the first word his father had taught him to read. It echoed through his shocked young mind, suddenly meaningless. The paladins then gathered up the children, comforting them while they took them to safety in the temple of Ragathiel. Roga had made arrangements long before his death that his cleric friends would care for the children in Ragathiel's church should anything happen to him and Kala. Ruarc and his sister would join the other young boys and girls in the temple training as acolytes. Roga thought it would be the best place for them, as they had no other family. Ruarc was a difficult and troubled child. With his parents gone, he was exposed to the harsh realities of life for the first time. His first several years at the temple were rough. Everyone was mistrustful of him, and some people were downright cruel because of his fiendish heritage. One night, he woke up confused in his bed. His head was fuzzy and unclear. He was naked and he knew something had happened to him, but he didn't know what. From that night on, he started to have the same nightmare over and over. All he can ever remember is flashes of fire, and chanting, pain and the sickly feel of dark magic. He always awakes from the dreams in terror, covered in sweat. The grief of losing his parents, dealing with bullies among the acolytes, the nightmares, and living with strangers eventually made Ruarc hard as a rock. He swallowed all the anger, all the sadness and buried it deep. He built an armor of cynicism around himself. If he always assumed and expected the worst, he could never be disappointed. If he never felt anything, he couldn't be hurt. He buckled down and took to the acolyte training with gusto. He was always big and strong for his age, as tall and fast as any of the other boys in the temple. He was clever as well, and began to obsessively study demons and how to best them. He had inherited the bastard sword Justice when his father died. As the favored weapon of Ragathiel, he had plenty of people to teach him to use it. He trained daily with the paladins, clerics and inquisitors in the temple, shunning the social pursuits that distracted the other adolescent acolytes. When he wasn't training with arms or praying, he was eating, sleeping or reading. The only other person he had time for was his dear sister Valki. The gentle girl didn't remember their parents' death and had little of Ruarc's angst. She loved to study the healing arts and eventually moved to a temple of Iomedae to train as a cleric. Ruarc would visit her often to listen to her sing, or just to talk to someone who wasn't jealous of his accomplishments, scared of his appearance, or hateful toward his tiefling heritage. Valki's best friend was a Varisian acolyte named Irianne. Irianne was beautiful with smooth latte skin, huge black doe eyes and a mountain of raven curls. The first time she saw Ruarc, Irianne showed no signs of fear or distrust. She simply looked him in the eye, smiled and said, "Hi, my name's Irianne." He tried to stammer a reply but only fell silent in embarrassment, which made her giggle. "It's okay, I already know your name," she said with a mischievous grin. From that moment forward, Ruarc was in love. Whenever he would go to the temple of Iomedae, he would both hope and dread seeing Irianne. He felt hope because of the way his heart soared at her every word and gesture, and dread because it seemed that in her presence, he was a master of inventing new ways to make a fool of himself. Though he saw her around the temple quite often, he never managed more than a couple words and a few painfully awkward smiles. She treated him with great kindness despite his strange behavior. He always treated her with respect, and Irianne developed a secret fondness for Ruarc. The results of his training and going through puberty eventually began to show, and soon enough he was too big to be bullied any longer. In his teen years he found himself drawn to the inquisitorial branch of the church, like his father had been before him. As his studies intensified, he found less time for Valki and Irianne. This saddened him, and he often missed spending time with them. Part 3:Sin Eater
Many parts of Kenabres were no longer safe at night, and the leadership of the Crusade was horribly corrupt. The same cultists who had taken his parents from him were out there doing more evil to innocent people every day. Ruarc requested permission to join the Kenabres guard, and the temple granted it to him swiftly. The guard placed him under the leadership of an aasimar paladin of Iomedae, Sergeant Georg Haffersohn. Georg was quick to recognize the talent he had on his hands in Ruarc. He was also worried that Ruarc's tireless dedication and cold emotionless logic might one day lead him down the dark path of becoming that which he hunted. Georg took Ruarc under his wing and assigned him to the Ivory Templar unit of the investigative service. He started to do undercover work at night, posing as a potential cultist to get leads. He was a terrible liar, but he usually didn't need to lie to get his job done. All he needed to do was reveal what was already true: he was a tiefling, and he was interested in learning about demon worship. His fiendish heritage was just what the task force needed to break the dam they'd been hitting for several months. Soon enough they were raiding cult meetings and apprehending low-level cultists in handfuls. Things were going great and Georg fast tracked him for advancement, but Ruarc's path changed radically one night on a special raid. Ruarc and five other officers, along with Sergeant Haffersohn, were to raid a cult meeting where an Ivory Labyrinth Templar leader was purportedly going to give instruction on binding a demonic familiar. This raid was the culmination of months of grueling intelligence work, and it was the first chance they'd had to actually get to a high-ranking Templar since Ruarc had joined the force. The meeting was to take place in the basement of a gnome-owned laundry called Soriander's Suds. Haffersohn took lead on the front door, while Ruarc and one other man took the back. When Haffersohn gave the signal, Ruarc slammed the back door open with a portable ram. The door dropped quickly, and he lead the way in shield first with Justice ready in his other hand. They came into one of the laundry rooms, dark in the after hours gloom. The great copper tubs sat tarnished and empty, casting weird moonlit shadows across the planks of the floor. Piles of unwashed linens lent an unsavory scent to the room. Ruarc heard a dim chanting and spotted a glimmer of light coming from in between two of the floorboards. Signaling his backup, he crept forward in a crouch to the trap door. A tossed aside rug indicated that it would normally be covered. Ruarc signed that he would go first, and drew the door up as quietly as possible. As he opened the door, he saw earthen walls and the chanting immediately grew louder. Ruarc crept down, his well oiled armor barely making a noise. Flickering firelight led him down a short passage and around a bend. What he saw in the chamber there changed him forever. Standing in front of three kneeling cultists was a man wearing a minotaur skull mask, graven with the twisted vile rune of Baphomet. Suddenly he was six years old again, and his father had just been taken from him. All the rage, all the pain, all the darkness that had been bottled up inside him for the past couple decades burst forth at the sight of that mask. Ruarc could feel the Oni taint in his blood rising. There was no more thought, only hunger and action. Ruarc's body rippled and changed, his muscles bulging and his fiendish features becoming exaggerated as his horns extended and his eyes began to glow a fiery orange. Dropping his shield, he was across the room in moments as the cultists' leader was still raising his hand to point, his mouth forming a cry of warning. Ruarc leaped right over the kneeling acolytes' heads, slashing Justice down with him to slice the leader's arm off at the elbow. The man's scream was cut short by a gurgle as Ruarc whirled around, reversing his grip on the blade and shoving it to the hilt in the man's heart. The cries to stop and the pounding of booted feet behind him went unnoticed as Ruarc grabbed the newly formed corpse by the neck with one knotty hand. He lifted it up to his mouth as if to kiss the dead cult leader. The sin eater opened his mouth wide as the other officers and Sergeant Haffersohn came rushing across the chamber toward him. He breathed in and seemed to inhale endlessly, drawing a twisting ropy string of iridescent black energy out of the dead man's mouth and eyes and into his own. As he ate the man's sins, the corpse shriveled and withered in his grasp. With a shudder, Ruarc dropped the body to the floor, leaning forward and hanging his head, breathing hard. Sergeant Haffersohn had been shouting, getting tangled up trying to shove past the cultists who were trying to flee from the terrifying Ruarc. When he and the other guardsmen saw what happened, the room instantly grew silent. The next sound was the clanking of armor as his own comrades raised their blades to point at Ruarc. "Drop the sword, son." Haffersohn's commanding voice cut through the silence. Ruarc turned slowly, drunkenly around, grinning. "Sure thing, Sarge," he replied, letting Justice clatter to the floor. His dopey expression and manic grin didn't let up as he raised his hands in front of his waist, ready to accept manacles. "Arrest me," he said, giggling. "I just don't give a f*ck." Part 4:Dark Knight
She and Irianne had heard he'd been arrested, and were worried sick. He told them what had happened, and they both assured him that everything was going to be okay. Irianne could see how distraught Ruarc was over what he'd done, and it pained her. She asked him to come to her chamber, and once they were alone she reassured him that he was still good. She reminded him of how he'd always treated her kindly and with respect, and of how strong and brave he was. She told him that everyone had a dark side, even her, and that it was nothing to be ashamed of. Finally she told him that she loved him, that she always had. He confessed his love for her as well. Then they made love, the first time for the tiefling. It was a short, hot explosion of youthful passion, but it comforted him greatly. Afterwards they repeated the process until they could no more, and then they slept. That night Ruarc had a vision in his dreams. Ragathiel himself descended from the clouds above on his fiery wings, blinding in his glory. Ruarc fell to his face, prostrate in the dirt calling out, "Lord, forgive me! I have succumbed to the shadow inside me and committed murder." Ragathiel touched down in front of Ruarc and extended one hand. "Rise Ruarc, son of Roga, son of Taarlek, son of Temujin. You are forgiven. What you committed was not murder. It was justice." Ruarc slowly, hesitantly, pushed himself up onto his knees. Ragathiel spoke again once their eyes had met. "Long has your destiny been in the making. The seed of darkness in your soul is the tool I would use for the working of good. I too was born of evil, and battle constantly with my darker half. But that is not my weakness, it is my strength. It is the black rage of my father that makes me so zealous an avenger of wrongdoing. You must become my dark knight. Use the darkness inside you to become the surgeon's blade that cuts the tumor from the flesh of Golarion. Too long have the servants of Deskari and Baphomet trod upon the weak and innocent. Go now, and show them what fear is." With that final command, Ruarc awoke in a chill sweat, still in bed with Irianne. He knew what he must do. He rose silently from the bed, and wrote a letter to Irianne explaining that he loved her, but his destiny was too dangerous to involve her in it. He would always watch out for her from a distance, but he couldn't risk her safety by seeing her again. He wrote another letter to his dear sister Valki, and left a small note asking Irianne to pass it on to her. While his lover was still sleeping, he cut a lock from her hair and wove it into the grip of Justice's hilt. Then he left before dawn, taking all of his money and belongings. He went to an armorer and commissioned a special suit of black lacquered armor, including a helmet designed to cover his horns and lend him a fearsome predatory appearance. While the smith worked on his armor, he bought all the gear he would need to hunt the evil plaguing his city. The suit was completed just in time for the festival of Armasse. Ruarc plans to watch the festival closely, convinced that such joviality and relaxation is bound to be exploited by the demons.
Personality:
Personal Goal: Ruarc's goal in life is to get revenge on those responsible for the death of his parents. He sees the entire Worldwound and all the demonic cults and corruption it brings with it as the target for this revenge. Only by destroying the Worldwound itself can he put an end to the death and pain it creates in Mendev and the rest of Avistan. He bears a particularly burning hatred for the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth and other servants of Baphomet. Pysch Traits:
Knight in Sour Armor The death of his parents has left him permanently cynical, as has the slow advance of the Worldwound and the potential loss of his people's homeland at any moment. The Stoic Ruarc rarely displays any emotion, when he does it is almost universally anger. Another exception to this is for a short time after he eats sin. While euphoric from the process, he loses his stoicism and becomes expressive and emotionally unstable. Character Traits:
Combat Pragmatist Ruarc is not above doing anything in combat if it will allow him to win. He isn't intentionally cruel, but to him there is no such thing as a fair fight. Covered with Scars As a tiefling, Ruarc got into a lot of fights as a child. This didn't change when he became an Inquisitor. His body is covered in scars from the many injuries he's sustained over the years. Dark and Troubled Past The murder of his parents and growing up a tiefling orphan left him scarred. His response to the pain and loss was to withdraw into himself. He became unemotional and stoic as a way of protecting his sanity. The Cowl Ruarc's domain is the night, where his fiendish vision grants him advantages over others. There his specially crafted armor looks even more terrifying than normal. He seeks to use darkness and fear as a tool for good rather than evil. He breaks the trope when it comes to killing, he will kill anyone proven to have committed a truly evil act without hesitation. Everyone else he avoids killing if at all possible. Dark is Not Evil Ruarc could easily be mistaken for evil if his appearance were the only thing you were judging. It's Not You, It's My Enemies Deeply in love with Irianne since his early childhood, Ruarc refuses to be with her. If he were to be selfish and maintain a relationship with her, it would only put her in terrible danger. Bad Powers, Good People Ruarc has a powerful hunger for the sins of others. It's extremely pleasurable for him to kill a sentient and eat their sins. However he struggles constantly against the desire, and tries to use his powers for good by removing only demonic taints from the world. Personality Traits:
Good is Not Nice Ruarc doesn't make friends with anyone. He can't afford to let others get close to him because his enemies will use them against him. Brutal Honesty Ruarc doesn't lie, or believe in tact. Temperament:Melancholic - Introverted and task-oriented. These characters can be extremely passionate and have high ideals. The intentions and longings found in this temperament are mainly to be mannerly and follow the rules and to see justice and goodness done, being the community's moral compass. These characters focus on the world of internal thought and the best way to apply those thoughts. Independent, courteous, organized, hard-working, analytical; but also a detached, neurotic, obsessive perfectionist whose insanely high standards can lead to depression. Rather than forgive, tendency to withdraw and brood; tendency to blame others, self, and "all of the above" — sometimes all at once. Prone to greed or gluttony. Often The Sneaky Guy or a very serious form of The Smart Guy. Can often hide in a sour shell and, if female, be a more brooding loner type Ice Queen, Dark Action Girl, Femme Fatale or Mysterious Woman. Those melancholics who have taken to lives of action can be the Byronic Hero or a Magnificent Bastard. I Work Alone may also come into play. The bolded is what applies to Ruarc, the rest doesn't fit him well.
Appearance:
Uncovered and undisguised, Ruarc is clearly a tiefling of some sort. His skin is a dull golden orange color and metallic looking. It is hard and smooth to the touch like metal, yet warm like flesh. His eyes are a dull orange, lacking both pupils and irises. He has small aural openings in the side of his head, with funnel shaped upwards pointing horns above them. His hair is black and straight, a few inches long. He is neither handsome nor ugly, having plain broad features. He stands a little under six and a half feet tall, and weighs around 200 lbs. He's got a smooth skinned, rodent-like prehensile tail that he takes great pains to hide inside his clothing when it's not in use. His armor is specially crafted to look menacing and to cover as much of him as possible (without necessarily protecting it) to help hide his tiefling appearance. |
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