Sarela Falrin
Medium psychic lich aasimar gestalt mesmerist (vexing daredevil) 4//vigilante (cabalist) 4
NE outsider (native)
Init +4; Perception +6; darkvision 60 ft
Favored Class: Mesmerist
FCB: +4 skill points
DEFENSE
AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +4 Dex, +1 natural, +1 dodge)
HP 43 (4d8+11)
Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +5
Special Defenses psychic feast; towering ego +4; DR 2/bludgeoning and magic; resist acid 5, cold 10, electricity 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee +1 scimitar +8 (1d6+5/18-20)
Ranged longbow +7 (1d8/x3)
Special attacks piercing strike, hypnotic stare (-2 Will), painful stare 1d6+2, spill blood (4 bleed), touch attack +7 (1d8+1) 6/day, bewildering touch 1/day
Aasimar spell-like abilities (CL 4th, Concentration +8)
1/day - daylight
Cabalist Spells Prepared (CL 4th, Concentration +7)
2nd-level - false life, paranoia (DC 15)
1st-level - bungle (DC 16), cause fear (DC 15), ray of enfeeblement (DC 15), touch of blindness (DC 15)
0-level - daze (DC 14), detect magic, guidance, touch of fatigue (DC 13)
Mesmerist Spells Known (CL 4th, Concentration +8)
2nd-level (2/day) - hold person (DC 18), mirror image
1st-level (4/day) - charm person (DC 18), forbid action (DC 17), grease (DC 15), hideous laughter (DC 17)
0-level - lullaby, message, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation, unwitting ally (DC 16)
Mesmerist tricks - misdirection, false flanker
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +2 (+6 finesse); CMD 16
Traits Domineering (charm person), Master Deception, Mentored (Perform (dance)), Murder
Feats Deft Maneuvers, Dervish Dance, Dodge, Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment), Psychic Defender, Spell Focus (Enchantment, Necromancy)
Skills (ACP -2) Acrobatics(4) +9, Bluff(4) +14 (+19 social ID), Diplomacy(4) +13, Disguise(4) +11 (+31 to appear as current identity), Intimidate(4) +11, Knowledge (arcana)(4) +10, Sense Motive (4) +12, Spellcraft(4) +10, Stealth(4) +13, Use Magic Device(4) +11; Aasimar Racial Skill Bonuses +2 Diplomacy, Perception; Psychic Lich Racial Skill Bonuses +4 Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth
Background Skills Linguistics(4) +10, Perform (dance)(4) +12
Languages Common, Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Infernal, Necril
Automatic Bonus Progression armor attunement +1 (chain shirt), resistance +1, weapon attunement +1 (scimitar)
SQ Consummate Liar, Dazzling Feint (Piercing Strike), Dual Identity, knacks, seamless guise
Social Talents Social Grace (Bluff), Entrepreneur (Perform)
Vigilante Talents Necromantic Focus
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, acid flask, Gear masterwork scimitar, shortbow with 20 arrows, dagger, chain shirt, mesmerist's kit w/ masterwork backpack, bandolier, 5 vials, 22 gp, 5 sp
Cabalist Spellbook:
0-level - all level 0 Witch Spells
1st-level - bungle, cause fear, chill touch, frostbite, infernal healing, lock gaze, long arm, obscuring mist, ray of enfeeblement, touch of blindness
2nd-level - blindness/deafness, false life, paranoia
Special Abilities:
Racial Abilities
Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma
Native Outsider: Aasimar are outsiders with the native subtype.
Medium: Aasimar are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
+2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma: Aasimars are insightful, confident, and personable. Aasimars of specific bloodlines (see below) gain different ability score modifiers as indicated.
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 Diplomacy and Perception checks. Aasimars of specific bloodlines (see below) gain a +2 bonus on different skill checks as indicated.
Spell-Like Ability: Aasimars can use daylight once per day as a spell-like ability (with a caster level equal to the aasimar’s character level). Aasimars of specific bloodlines (see below) gain other spell-like abilities in place of daylight.
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.
Traits
Domineering (Magical): When you were young, you attracted a group of devoted companions thanks to your impressive talent, and the experience inspired in you a powerful self assurance and air of superiority. Your confidence is so strong that others feel naturally compelled to follow your commands. Choose one 1st-level enchantment spell you are capable of casting. The DC of that spell increases by 1.
Mentored (Social): A tutor or private instructor guided you in learning your art, profession, or trade, and through your education, you became capable of teaching and guiding others. Choose a single Craft, Perform, or Profession skill. You gain a +1 trait bonus on checks with that skill. You also gain a +1 trait bonus when you aid another’s skill check with any skill.
Murder (Campaign): You have killed without just cause and been condemned for it. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, this was no typical killing but a particularly savage and unforgiveable act.
You may also have killed someone with powerful friends. Note: You are not allowed to have killed someone in the royal family of Talingarde. You may have tried (this would instead be High Treason -- see above) but ultimately they are too well protected. Punishment: Death by beheading. Benefit: You deal 1 additional point of damage when flanking a foe. This additional damage is a trait bonus.
Benefit: When wielding a scimitar with one hand, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on melee attack and damage rolls. You treat the scimitar as a one-handed piercing weapon for all feats and class abilities that require such a weapon (such as a duelist’s precise strike ability). The scimitar must be for a creature of your size. You cannot use this feat if you are carrying a weapon or shield in your off hand.
Spell Focus (Enchantment, Necromancy)
Choose a school of magic. Any spells you cast of that school are more difficult to resist.
Benefit: Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new school of magic.
Class Features Mesmerist (Vexing Daredevil)
Class Skills: A vexing daredevil adds Acrobatics (Dex) to her list of class skills. This alters the mesmerist’s class skills.
Consummate Liar: A mesmerist adds 1/2 his mesmerist level (minimum 1) as a bonus on all Bluff checks. In addition, the mesmerist qualifies for the Improved Feint and Greater Feint feats, even if he doesn’t have Combat Expertise or an Intelligence score of at least 13. He can also ignore Combat Expertise and an Intelligence score of 13 as prerequisites for other feats that require Improved Feint or Greater Feint.
Hypnotic Stare (Su): A mesmerist can focus his stare on one creature within 30 feet as a swift action. That creature takes a –2 penalty on Will saving throws. This penalty changes to –3 at 8th level. A mesmerist can maintain his stare against only one opponent at a time; it remains in effect until the mesmerist stares at a new target, the opponent dies, the opponent moves farther than 30 feet away, or the mesmerist falls unconscious or dies. The mesmerist can remove the memory of his stare from the target’s mind; the creature doesn’t remember that it was affected (nor does it realize that it is currently being affected) unless the mesmerist allows it. The hypnotic stare is a psychic effect, and relies more on the mesmerist’s focus than the target’s perception of his stare. It can’t be avoided in the same ways a gaze attack can. The mesmerist can use this ability even while blinded, but must succeed at a DC 20 concentration check to do so. Staring at a creature requires the mesmerist’s focus, so if he uses a gaze attack or similar ability, he must target the subject of his hypnotic stare or voluntarily end the stare. The penalties from multiple mesmerists’ stares don’t stack, nor do they stack with penalties from witches’ evil eye hexes. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Knacks: Mesmerists learn a number of knacks, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table 1–5. These spells are cast like any other spells, but they do not consume any slots and can be used again. Knacks cast using other spell slots, due to metamagic feats, for example, consume spell slots as normal.
Martial Weapon Proficiency (Ex): At 1st level, a vexing daredevil picks one martial weapon and becomes proficient in its use. This ability replaces the 1st-level mesmerist trick.
Mesmerist Tricks (Su): A mesmerist can create hypnotic bonds with his allies, implanting magical suggestions in their minds that he can later activate. Each day, he can implant a number of these tricks equal to 1/2 his mesmerist level (minimum 1) plus his Charisma bonus (if any). He can have only one trick implanted at a given time, and implanting a new trick ends the previous one (the mesmerist still loses the use of this ability he spent on the previous trick).
To implant a trick, the mesmerist must take a standard action and either touch a willing creature or implant the trick in himself. A creature can be the subject of only one mesmerist trick at a time. The mesmerist can activate the trick as a free action when a triggering condition is met (as defined in the trick’s description), even if it isn’t his turn. The subject must be within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per level) for the mesmerist to trigger the trick. The mesmerist monitors for the trick’s triggering condition through a subtle telepathic connection, so he doesn’t need line of sight to trigger it—but anything that blocks telepathic contact prevents him from triggering tricks. An implanted trick lasts until the next time the mesmerist regains his spells.
Once triggered, a trick is no longer implanted, and can’t be triggered again until the mesmerist implants the trick again. The duration of the effect caused by triggering a trick is either instantaneous or appears in the trick’s entry. The DC for any mesmerist trick or masterful trick that requires a saving throw or skill check is 10 + 1/2 the mesmerist’s level + the mesmerist’s Charisma modifier.
The mesmerist knows one trick at 1st level, and learns another trick at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 11 tricks at 20th level). Each daily use of mesmerist tricks can be used to implant any trick the mesmerist knows. Unless specifically noted in the mesmerist trick’s description, a mesmerist can’t choose a particular trick more than once.
--Misdirection: An enemy’s perception of an attack by the subject shifts, making the foe unprepared to defend against the attack. The mesmerist can trigger this trick when the subject makes an attack or uses a spell that requires an attack roll. The mesmerist attempts a Bluff check to feint against a single target of the subject’s attack. Unlike a normal feint, this ability can be used on non-melee attacks. If the feint succeeds, the target of the attack is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC against the triggering attack. The target doesn’t suffer any additional effects that the mesmerist or the subject would cause on a normal feint or Bluff check. This is an illusion (glamer) effect.
Painful Stare (Su): When an attack that deals damage hits the target of a mesmerist’s hypnotic stare, the mesmerist can cause the target to take an amount of additional damage equal to 1/2 the mesmerist’s class level (minimum 1). The mesmerist can use this ability as a free action, and can use it even if it isn’t his turn. If the mesmerist uses this ability to increase his own damage, the additional damage increases by 1d6 points for every 3 class levels the mesmerist possesses. This damage is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit. A mesmerist can trigger this ability only once per round, but a single creature can take damage from multiple mesmerists’ painful stares in a round.
Towering Ego (Su): At 2nd level, a mesmerist gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (minimum 0) on Will saving throws. If the mesmerist is under any effect that would prevent him from providing the emotional component of psychic spells (see page 144), he loses this bonus on saving throws.
Vigilante (Cabalist)
Class Skills: The cabalist adds Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft to his list of class skills, instead of Disable Device, Knowledge (engineering), Perception, and Survival. This alters the vigilante’s class skills.
Skill Ranks per Level: The cabalist gains a number of skill ranks equal to 4 + his Intelligence modifier at each level, instead of 6 + his Intelligence modifier skill ranks.
This alters the vigilante’s skill ranks per level.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A cabalist is not proficient with medium armor. Like a magus, he can cast cabalist spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. This alters the vigilante’s armor and weapon proficiencies.
Dual Identity (Ex): A vigilante hides his true identity, allowing him to move about social circles and nobility without carrying the stigma of his ruthless actions. In effect, the vigilante has two identities: one is a polite member of society while the other is a skilled and cunning warrior. To keep up this charade, the vigilante usually has two names: his true name, used in polite company, and his vigilante name, used to strike fear in the hearts of those who oppose him. Knowledge checks about one do not reveal information about the other, unless the vigilante’s true identity is revealed to the world at large.
The vigilante can start each day in either of his identities, referred to simply as social or vigilante. Changing from one identity to another takes 1 minute and must be done out of sight from other creatures to preserve the vigilante’s secret. Changing identities is more than just changing outfits and clothing (although that is certainly a part of it); the process often also involves applying make-up, altering his hair, and adjusting other personal effects. Furthermore, the change is as much a state of mind as of body, so items such as a hat of disguise and similar spells and effects that change the user’s appearance do not reduce the time required to change identities. Most social talents require the vigilante to be in his social identity, but a vigilante who uses vigilante talents in his social identity risks exposing his secret.
Despite being a single person, a vigilante’s dual nature allows him to have two alignments, one for each of his identities. When in an identity, he is treated as having that identity’s alignment for all spells, magic items, and abilities that rely on alignment. For the purpose of meeting a qualification for a feat, class, or any ability, he is only eligible if both of his alignments meet the requirements. A vigilante’s two alignments cannot be more than one step from each other on a single alignment axis. For example, a vigilante with a lawful neutral social identity could have a vigilante identity that is lawful good, lawful neutral, lawful evil, neutral, neutral good, or neutral evil. If a vigilante is the target of an effect that would change his alignment, it changes both of his alignments to the new alignment.
Any attempts to scry or otherwise locate the vigilante work only if the vigilante is currently in the identity the creature is attempting to locate (or if the creature knows that the two identities are the same individual). Otherwise, the spell or effect has no effect, revealing nothing but darkness, as if the target were invalid or did not exist.
Seamless Guise (Ex): A vigilante knows how to behave in a way that appears perfectly proper and normal for his current identity. Should anyone suspect him of being anything other than what he appears to be while either in his social or vigilante identity, he can attempt a Disguise check with a +20 circumstance bonus to appear as his current identity, and not as his other identity.
Social Talent: Starting at 1st level, and every 2 levels thereafter, a vigilante gains a social talent. Unless otherwise noted, a talent can be selected only once. Some talents require the vigilante to meet other prerequisites before they can be chosen, such as having another social talent or attaining a minimum vigilante level. Once a talent has been chosen, it cannot be changed.
--Social Grace: The vigilante selects any one Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-based skill other than Perception or Use Magic Device. Whenever the vigilante is in his social identity, he receives a +4 circumstance bonus on checks with the selected skill. At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, he can select another skill (with the same restrictions) to gain this bonus.
Spill Blood (Ex): A cabalist can cause bleeding when he deals piercing or slashing damage with a melee attack (or a ranged attack within 30 feet) against a living foe who is unaware of his presence, who considers him an ally, or who is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC. The amount of bleed damage is equal to the cabalist’s level. A cabalist can’t deal this bleed damage to a creature with total concealment. This ability replaces vigilante specialization.
Vigilante Talent: Starting at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, a vigilante gains a vigilante talent. Unless otherwise noted, a talent can be selected only once. Some talents require the vigilante to meet prerequisites before they can be chosen, such as possessing another vigilante talent, possessing a particular specialization, or attaining a minimum level. Once a talent has been selected, it can’t be changed.
If the vigilante uses any of these talents while in his social identity, he must succeed at a Disguise check against the Perception checks of all onlookers (without the +20 circumstance bonus from seamless guise) or the onlookers will realize that he is more than his social identity appears to be and perhaps discover the social and vigilante identities are one and the same. If a talent calls for a saving throw, the DC for that save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the vigilante’s level + the vigilante’s Charisma modifier, unless stated otherwise.
--Necromantic Focus (Ex): The cabalist gains Spell Focus (necromancy) as a bonus feat. He also adds additional spells to his spellbook from the following list, provided he can cast spells of the appropriate level: 1st—cause fear, 2nd— blindness/deafness, 3rd—bestow curse, 4th—poison, 5th—feast on fearACG, 6th—slay living.
Spellcasting: A cabalist casts arcane spells and cantrips as a magus. He prepares spells using a spellbook, choosing them from the 6th-level and lower spells from the witch spell list; higher-level witch spells are not on the cabalist’s spell list. This replaces the 4th-, 8th-, 10th-, 14th-, and 16th-level vigilante talents.
Spellbook : A cabalist has a spellbook that functions in the same way as a magus’s spellbook but uses the 6th-level and lower spells from the witch spell list.
Backstory:
There are many paths to evil, but perhaps the most tragic is the fall from grace. Sarela's birth was easy, and her golden hair and radiant appearance clearly showed her blessed by Mitra's angels. Born into a wealthy merchant family in Matharyn, Sarela was fawned over as she grew up, and everyone expected her to become a great priest of Mitra, as befit her heritage. Sarela, however, wasn't interested in the priesthood or service. She just wanted to dance.
Her father, unable to refuse his daughter anything, paid for the finest dance instructors to come and teach her. Naturally graceful and possessed of great beauty, she learned quickly, and was enrolled in the most prestigious dance academy in Talingarde at the young age of 15. There, she continued to excel, drawing high praise from her teachers and envy from her other classmates - save one. Aldina Farr was at least as beautiful and, perhaps, more talented. Sarela and Aldina often competed for the same roles, and neither liked the other. Aldina would accuse Sarela of attempting to sabotage her often, although she could never say how. Their rivalry began to divide the students, as the others felt the need to pick sides, until one day Aldina disappeared.
Such a commotion was caused, and the school was investigated. Sarela was questioned, and she denied knowledge of Aldina's fate. Aldina was never found, and no one knew what had become of her. Sarela became the undisputed star pupil of the school, and laughed off any rumors that she was behind Aldina's death. After all, how could she have spirited Aldina away from the school, murdered her, disposed of the body, and gotten away with it? Sarela was not gifted with great strength, and carrying Aldina would have been difficult for her. Surely someone would have noticed.
The answer, of course, lay in the same reason her father could never refuse her. Sarela had manifested mental gifts that allowed her to bend the minds of others - to convince them to see things in a light favorable to her. The powers were magic, but not of the kind used by Wizards or priests. It was something different - something of the mind. She had used her gifts to charm Aldina into accompanying her to a secluded spot where she ritually sacrificed her rival, as she had been instructed to in the Book. She'd dumped the body in a nearby sewer, and returned to the school, content in the knowledge her rival was no more, and she'd gain power as the Book had instructed.
The Book was a text she had found in a storeroom in the school, entitled The Dance of Kilesa. Kilesa, it appeared, had lived 200 years ago. In the book, she spoke of her life and legacy, as well as detailing specific blood rituals she had used to gain power and remove rivals, ensuring her dominance as the pre-eminent dancer in all of Talingarde. She said the rituals brought her power, ways to inflict harm on those who stood between her and glory, and that eventually they could even bring eternal life. The Book ended with several pages left unfinished - whether Kilesa had discovered the secret to eternal life or died shy of doing so was unclear. Still, Sarela, looking to gain an advantage over her rival, had used the first of these rituals, and the next day, she woke with knowledge of how to impose fear in others, as well as spells for how to manipulate someone's life force. Realizing the knowledge might fade, she wrote the spells down in her journal to preserve them for later.
Sarela was cautious - these rituals were forbidden on many levels, especially since each required the sacrifice of a living humanoid. She’d stolen the necessary funds from her father in order to make her own memoir to contain the power she was creating. Unfortunately, she was not cautious enough. After graduating, she was to be chosen for the lead part in a performance to be performed for the King and Princess. At least, she was until she was replaced by another, more experienced dancer, Tatiana Varilova, at the Princess's request. Sarela, furious at being removed from her leading role, reasoned that if Tatiana were to disappear, she would again be the lead. Sarela made her plan, and struck. She charmed Tatiana and led her to the place where she'd prepared the ritual, and began.
Tatiana was far more high profile than Aldina had been, and her disappearance noticed quickly. A servant had noticed her walking off with Sarela, and the Knights of the Alerion went looking. They came upon a grisly scene - Tatiana, bound to a stone, her throat sliced open, and Sarela calling out for the skill of this sacrifice to become hers, holding a bloody scimitar in her hand.
The girl was quickly subdued - no match for the Knights, was she. The scandal was immense - her parents were disgraced, Tatiana's fate was linked to Aldina's disappearance, and Sarela's dreams of eternal glory in dance stripped away. With the Princess having requested Tatiana, Sarela's conviction came quickly, and she was sent to Branderscar for her crimes, there to await beheading by the axe. Worst, Sarela does not know where her memoir or the Book went - and without them, her legacy cannot be forever.
Physical Description and Personality:
Sarela stands an even 5’9” with a lithe and fit dancer’s body. Her hair is an angelic blonde, perfectly complementing her other angelic features, from her golden eyes that almost glow to her flawless complexion. Indeed, if she possessed wings, one would call her an angel. She moves with a fluid grace, light on her feet, always seeming to be on the precipice of dancing.
Sarela considers herself a dancer without equal, one whose path to inevitable fame and stardom was cut short by those who were jealous of her ability. She is used to those of lesser talent following her, and has an imperious manner because of it. She holds petty grudges and especially hates the Princess Bellinda for having her replaced in her starring role.
