About Rufus van HildegoathRufus van Hildegoath
Rufus's Formulae Book:
Mutagen (Su):
At 1st level, an alchemist discovers how to create a mutagen that he can imbibe in order to heighten his physical prowess at the cost of his personality. It takes 1 hour to brew a dose of mutagen, and once brewed, it remains potent until used. An alchemist can only maintain one dose of mutagen at a time—if he brews a second dose, any existing mutagen becomes inert. As with an extract or bomb, a mutagen that is not in an alchemist’s possession becomes inert until an alchemist picks it up again. When an alchemist brews a mutagen, he selects one physical ability score—either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution. It’s a standard action to drink a mutagen. Upon being imbibed, the mutagen causes the alchemist to grow bulkier and more bestial, granting him a +2 natural armor bonus and a +4 alchemical bonus to the selected ability score for 10 minutes per alchemist level. In addition, while the mutagen is in effect, the alchemist takes a –2 penalty to one of his mental ability scores. If the mutagen enhances his Strength, it applies a penalty to his Intelligence. If it enhances his Dexterity, it applies a penalty to his Wisdom. If it enhances his Constitution, it applies a penalty to his Charisma. A non-alchemist who drinks a mutagen must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the alchemist’s level + the alchemist’s Intelligence modifier) or become nauseated for 1 hour—a non-alchemist can never gain the benefit of a mutagen, but an alchemist can gain the effects of another alchemist’s mutagen if he drinks it. (Although if the other alchemist creates a different mutagen, the effects of the “stolen” mutagen immediately cease.) The effects of a mutagen do not stack. Whenever an alchemist drinks a mutagen, the effects of any previous mutagen immediately end.
Background:
About the whole mansion and domain there hung an atmosphere peculiar to themselves and their immediate vicinity—an atmosphere which had no affinity with the air of heaven, but which had reeked up from the decayed trees, and the gray wall, and the silent tarn—a pestilent and mystic vapor, dull, sluggish, faintly discernible, and leaden-hued. The House of Hildegoath is not a warm place. Not for decades past has it heard of birdsong, or children’s laughter, or of the sweet music sung to set pretty little babes to rest. Certainly not since Cornelius hung himself to death in the garden house, nor since handsome young Edgar flung himself from the library’s balcony. And that was years ago. Now the only sounds that fill the air of Hildegoath manor are the screech of mockingjays and relentless ticking and chiming of decrepit clocks. There is a stillness in the house, but not one that feels at ease. The stillness is rather an absence of life--the empty sound of what remains when joy itself has departed, and left in its place only memories. Only sorrow. Only ashes. It was here that Rufus grew up, surviving the torments of childhood under the eccentricities of a lonely, bitter mother, only to endure the agonies of pubescent boyhood without companionship. The van Hildegoath name, what was once a great and noble family, brought him no advantage, shadowed and discolored by the shameful fate of his father and elder brother. Indeed, although he and his mother lived within a manor’s walls, there was no money. The servants and gardeners were sent away, for there were no funds with which to pay them. There was barely food to eat. Despite living in poverty, Rufus was a bright and self-driven student who devoured the books that remained in his father's library--those too blasphemous to sell for grain money. Books on history and philosophy, theology and magic, and even alchemy, in which Rufus took a special interest. And there were his father’s journals and notes, for the patriarch of House van Hildegoath himself harbored an appetite for...fleshcraft. These notes served as a great inspiration for Rufus, fueling his own imagination and leading him to develop his own experiments, usually on wildlife and birds he could catch around the estate. Eventually he hit walls in his own experimentation, however, and so turned to the larger collections available at the University of Lepidstadt. This was how he met Professor Lorrimor, who took kindly to the unusual but inquisitive youth. The Professor introduced Rufus to Leeoli. The Professor knew that the latter was ever in search of like-minded individuals, and that the former could use an outlet for his own research. Leeoli and Rufus had much in common. Both were the second eldest sons of their respective families. Both were brilliant. Both were drawn to the shadows. They shared ideas and notes. Rufus maintained his friendship with Lorrimor, and worked with the Professor on several experiments "off the books" and away from the prying eyes of the University’s administration. Lorrimor actually developed one of Rufus’s ideas into a paper. Rufus also took an immediate interest in Kendra, and that feeling might have been mutual, except Rufus ended up sleeping with another young woman, effectively quelling Kendra’s interest in him. Rufus distanced himself then, establishing his permanent home within his family's manor in Lepidstadt, and focusing almost exclusively on restoring his father's laboratory. Recently, Rufus received a missive from the town of Ravengro, summoning him personally to the aid of the named heirs to the Lorrimor will, the recipients of the Professor’s private journals. Rufus was more than a little put out he wasn’t named in the will to begin with, but wouldn’t turn down an invitation to review the research. Or to see Kendra once more...
Appearance:
Rufus is tall and lean, dressed in aged, slightly worn gentleman's clothes that reveal the slightest fraying at the seams. He favors lengthy sleeves in the old styling, with a faded, white undercoat. that rides high up his neck and extends to the very ends of his wrists. None of his flesh, other than that of his face and hands, is exposed. His leggings are slim and elegant, a pair of dark woolen pants tucked into sturdy, low-heeled walking boots, themselves wrapped in leathern spats secured by a series of buckles running up his shins. Although he might be considered young by Inner Sea standards, in Ustalav reaching the age of thirty-three and a quarter year is truly an accomplishment. Still, the weight of his hard, gray-washed existence shows, as his skin is tired-looking, his face gaunt and bearing a ghastly pallor of the skin. He sports short-cropped dark hair and a gentryman's moustache, all revealing premature signs of gray. With its gossamer texture, his hair seems to float rather than fall above his crown. Dark circles coalesce beneath his eyes like gathering clouds, and crow lines etch their way around their periphery. He smiles at you then, though it is the mirthless expression of one who is merely resigned to their existence. He carries the stillness of the grave, for all about him there is an air of melancholy, as though the sun were ever so reluctant to shine in his direction.
Character Advancement:
Level 1: Feat (Toughness); Alchemy; Martial Weapon Proficiency (greatsword); Mutagen; Sneak Attack 1d6; Throw Anything Level 2: Alchemical Weapon; Bonus Feat (Extra Discovery (Infusion)); Discovery (Preserve Organs); Torturer's Eye Level 3: Feat (Power Attack); Cruel Anatomist; Sneak Attack 2d6; Swift Alchemy Level 4: Ability Score (Str); Discovery (Spontaneous Healing) Level 5: Feat (Extra Discovery (Preserve Organs)), Sneak Attack 3d6 Level 6: Discovery (Feral Mutagen), Directed Blast Level 7: Feat (Combat Reflexes), Sneak Attack 4d6 Level 8: Ability Score (Str), Discovery (Preserve Organs) Level 9: Feat (Iron Will), Sneak Attack 5d6 Level 10: Discovery (Bleeding Attack), Staggingering Blast Level 11: Feat (Dodge); Sneak Attack 6d6 Level 12: Ability Score (Str); Discovery (Greater Mutagen) Level 13: Feat (Extra Discovery: Lingering Spirit); Sneak Attack 7d6 Level 14: Discovery (Mummification); Persistant Mutagen Level 15: Feat (Improved Iron Will); Sneak Attack 8d6 Level 16: Ability Score (Str); Discovery (Grand Mutagen) Extracts: Blur, Displacement, Fly, Channel Vigor, Heroism, Ablative Barrier, Greater Invisibility, Greater False Life, Freedom of Movement, Overland Flight, Heal, True Seeing, and Giant Form I. Items: belt of strength, helm of the mammoth lord
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