The Witness's page

Left as a babe on the doorstep of one of Korryn's many orphanages, Ingen was raised into childhood by the closest thing to a mother he's ever known: Hatmora, the institution's Svenik headmistress. Compassionless even at the best of times, the boy nevertheless felt she picked him out for particularly poor treatment, reserving the cruelest invectives and most odious tasks just for him. Indeed, she made even his name sound like an insult. At the age of 5 he escaped into the streets of the city, surviving on his speed and wits until meeting Parson Grey, the self-proclaimed Archaeoenigmatist and Subsistence Scholar. The older man took the boy under his wing, teaching him his letters and lore, and was impressed how easily the lad took to learning. For his part, Ingen helped Parson carry his things (mostly parchments and ink) and provided extra income - a "father and son" bring in far more as beggars than a lone indigent.

For the better part of a decade the pair traveled the southern half of Cardriss at Parson's direction, often visiting long-historied settlements and crumbling ruins, with notable stays in a Vincenzian library (where Ingen first fell in love with architecture and written lore), the mountain ruins north of Tokelau (where he first saw the seeker's seal, though he didn't know it's significance at the time), and the city-state of Izar. Parson routinely had him make extensive notes and sketches of his observations of the locales they visited, training him in an observational methodology of his own devising. It was during the sea voyage to Tokelau that Ingen awoke in the middle of the night to see a robed figure, barely perceptible in the dim light belowdecks, rifling through his notes of their journeys. Somehow aware of his gaze, the figure turned, and Ingen saw it wore a silver crown seemingly set with eyes. After a moment the strange intruder vanished. Waking Parson and describing what he saw, his mentor was momentarily awed. "You've been witness to the Burglar of Secrets!" The Subsistence Scholar then began to inititate Ingen into his faith of The Treader of All Paths, part of which was the bestowing of his first title: The Witness.

Setting out from Izar for Borroka, the pair were unfortunate enough to pass through the town of Elmridge, where the Archaeoenigmatist contracted a dreadful illness. Fearing for his life and seeking to spare his protege from a similar fate, Parson Grey sent him away to Lorea - far from the sickness that seemed to be spreading through the lands of Borroka. It was the last The Witness has seen of his mentor.

Upon arriving in Lorea the young man discovered the best libraries were owned by the arcane university, and so applied for entry to the divination school and was accepted. He seemed a sponge for knowledge and quickly advanced through his studies. While his impressive mental faculties were enough to win over his Atlaean classmates, The Witness never quite fit in, preferring to avoid revelry and instead celebrated his successes by indulging in tangential or off-curriculum research in the libraries. One of his tangential studies was into the possible combination of the city's horticultural expertise with the art of scrying, specifically through the use of iris flowers. While collecting data and samples in the city's famed public gardens he observed the hummingbirds which dwell there and was impressed by their speed, precision, and - after more tangential research - visual acuity. So impressed, in fact, that he chose one as his familiar - The Choreographer of Flowers.

The rare occasions he did venture to more traditional celebrations were on account of Itzal, a student of the School of Illusion, whom he remains good friends with to this day. The two young wizards appear polar opposites at first, but both have a passion for perception and how it may be used to disguise or shape reality.

During his studies he came across the Seeker's Seal and it's import. Remembering the design from the mountain ruins, he began to consider his old mentor's apparent wanderings. At the time he'd simply accepted Parson's directions without questioning their purpose; now that he did so, it seemed to The Witness that the archaeoenigmatist may have been working to unravel the mystery of the Seeker's Quest and The Tower of Ages. In his spare time the wizard researched the topic, and upon his graduation decided to return to his home city for first-hand investigation.

In a small settlement not far from Lorea, an old man with molten eyes began following The Witness down the road and out of town. Curious, the wizard scanned the man's thoughts and found he'd been dreaming about a figure matching his own description, a dream he believed was prophetic. Furthermore, The Witness had the impression the only reason he was able to read the man's thoughts may have been because he'd been allowed to. Intrigued, he stopped and turned. The man tipped his hat.

"I'm Gavin, but you already knew that." The Witness nodded, and without another word the two left the hamlet behind. The two have shared several adventures in the year since, joining forces with the Posfurore "twins" and Pharasman undead hunter Fenrick to pursue the Seeker's Quest and entrance to the Tower of Ages.

A young man dressed in light grey attire, of average height and build, and possessed of middling features and complexion - possibly a dark-skinned northerner, a light-skinned southerner, or a mix of the two. He keeps his head clean-shaven, a fact easily missed under casual observation due to his habit of wearing his hood regardless of setting and situation. Said hood is home to his hummingbird companion - small, fast, and nimble, its movements seem almost more insectile than avian.

The interests of The Witness are those of the polymath - he seeks knowledge of all things, regardless of how important or trivial they may seem. He strives to temper his curiosity with reason, though oftentimes his goals and logic are so esoteric or convoluted as to seem arbitrary or foolish to the outside observer. He's a devotee of The Throneless King; holding the opinion the unusual deity's focus on stealth and anonymity makes It indifferent to those who seek to bring themselves to It's attention through prayer, he instead seeks to model himself after It - to observe while unobserved, to gain knowledge while remaining secret.

Despite this he's still only human, and enjoys informed discourse. Indeed, it's almost the only discourse he's capable of, as he has difficulty simplifying facts and ideas to effectively communicate with those of relative ignorance on a topic, especially in regards to magic. His explanations of magical and planar theories and phenomena in "layman's terms" may often confound those who had pre-supposed themselves experts in those fields.

Upon finishing their creation of the world, the gods held a great feast; the first and last time they all gathered in peace. Each sat at their place along a magnificent table and extolled their accomplishments, whether boasting of their works or whispering of their secrets. When the celebration came to a close it was discovered there was an extra setting at the table; and though the bones and crumbs of a meal were left behind, none could recall who or what had been seated there...

A nameless deity, strange and obscure, whose worshipers include wanderers, thieves, spies, and any who seek hidden knowledge. The faithful have no organized religious institutions; rather, lone pilgrims and prophets spread stories of their faith, often building small, simple shrines in remote or forgotten locales. Clerics are very rare; more often oracles claim to have been cursed by this deity (usually with the Intrigue or Lore mysteries). In both cases the deity appears to favor those who are themselves nameless, a rare circumstance. Devotees seek the accrual of titles, preferring to be known by description rather than name. Some theologians argue this deity is really one or more deities in disguise, a convenient persona adopted when they want to hide their hand in affairs, while others claim the deity doesn't exist at all, citing a lack of divinely bestowed gifts and a list of dubious accomplishments.

Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Exploration, discovery, knowledge, anonymity, planar travel
Domains: Travel, Exploration, Knowledge, Memory, Trickery
Symbol: An eye beneath a seven-pointed crown.
Titles: There are too many to list, but below are samples of the most common.
General: The... Throneless King, Entitled God, Inscrutable Intercessor, Forgotten Confidant, Cupboard-Thief
Pertaining to Travel: The... Treader of All Paths, Nameless Seeker, Cosmic Pilgrim
Pertaining to Knowledge: The... Crowned Eye, Impudent Observer, Scholar of the Unknown
Pertaining to Trickery: The... Uninvited Guest, Overlooked Attendant, Burglar of Secrets

Male human wizard (scroll scholar) (diviner) 13
Mythic Archmage Tier 2
N medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +23; Senses Perception +33
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DEFENSE
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AC 27, touch 17, flat-footed 22 (+6 armor mage armor, +5 dodge, +2 deflection, +4 natural armor, +0 shield)
hp 110
Fort +10, Ref +13, Will +15
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.

Melee

Ranged
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STATISTICS
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Str 10, Dex 16 (20), Con 12 (14), Int 24 (28), Wis 14 (16), Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +15; CMD 30
Concentration +22

ABP: resistance +4, armor attunement +2 enhancement, weapon attunement +2 enhancement, deflection +2, mental prowess +4/+2 enhancement Intelligence/Wisdom, physical prowess +4/+2 enhancement Dexterity/Constitution, toughening +2 enhancement natural armor

Adventuring Skills (123/182)
Knowledge (arcana)* +31 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait + 6 untyped)
Knowledge (dungeoneering) +25 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Knowledge (local) +27 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 2 racial + 0 trait)
Knowledge (nature) +18 (6 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Knowledge (planes) +25 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Knowledge (religion) +25 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Perception +34 (13 ranks + 3 class + 2 Wis + 10 feat + 0 racial + 1 trait + 5 competence)
Sense Motive +19 (13 ranks + 0 class + 2 Wis + 4 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Spellcraft +25 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Use Magic Device +32 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 6 feat + 0 racial + 1 trait)

Background Skills (59/182)
Appraise +17 (5 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int)
Knowledge (engineering)* +30 (12 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait + 6 untyped)
Knowledge (geography) +18 (4 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 2 racial + 0 trait)
Knowledge (history)* +31 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait + 6 untyped)
Knowledge (nobility) +25 (13 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Linguistics +24 (12 ranks + 3 class + 9 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)

*Gains untyped bonus from Diligent Student archetype ability
ACP of 0 applies to these skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim.

Languages (+33): Common; Abyssal, Aquan, Auran, Axiomatic, Celestial, Draconic, Dwarf, Elf, Giant, Halfling, Ignan, Infernal, Kono’a, Mbamba, Orc, Protean, Svenik, Sylvan, Tel’Aeth, Tengwae, Terran, Vitolian, Old Vitolian, Olde Common, Old Elven, Ancient Tel’Aeth, Old Svenik, Old Tengwae, Alvorexian/Conclavish, True Horse + 2 empty slots

Traits
*Combat: Reactionary +2 trait bonus to initiative checks.
*Religion: Practiced Observation +1 trait bonus to Perception checks, and is a class skill. (Re-fluff of Eyes and Ears of the City trait.) The Witness's religious training included long hours of deliberate and methodical observation of people, places, and things.
**Magic: Dangerously Curious +1 trait bonus to Use Magic Device checks, and is a class skill.
**Social: Clever Wordplay Use Intelligence for Use Magic Device checks.
*Early childhood
**University

Feats
(Familiar) Alertness
(Focused Study 1) Skill Focus - Perception
(Wizard 1) Scribe Scroll
(Character 1) Additional Traits
(Character 3) Alertness
(Character 5) Improved Initiative
(Character 7) Craft Wondrous Item
(Focused Study 8) Skill Focus - Use Magic Device
(Character 9) Arcane Discovery: Opposition Research
(Wizard 10) Arcane Discovery: Knowledge is Power
(Character 11) Craft Staff
(Character 13) Arcane Discovery: Fast Study
(Mythic 1) Mythic Spell Lore (mage armor, wall of force)

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RACIAL ABILITIES
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Human
Campaign-Specific Ability Score Modifiers: Human characters gain a +2 racial bonus to one physical and one mental ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
Size: Humans are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base Speed: Humans have a base speed of 30 feet.
Languages: Humans begin play speaking Common. Humans with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Focused Study: All humans are skillful, but some, rather than being generalists, tend to specialize in a handful of skills. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, such humans gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait.
Wayfarer: Humans maintain the largest trade networks and the farthest-reaching civilizations, putting them in contact with a huge number of cultures. Humans with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Survival checks to avoid becoming lost, Knowledge (geography) checks, and Knowledge (local) checks. Whenever these humans gain a rank in Linguistics, they learn two languages rather than one. This racial trait replaces skilled.
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CLASS ABILITIES
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IN BRIEF:
Initiative +10 (1/2 wizard level, +4 familiar bonus ), always acts in surprise round
Knowledge (engineering, history, arcana) +6 (bonus = 1/2 wizard level)
SLA: identify (constant effect), comprehend languages 3xday
Always aware when being scryed (as if permanent detect scrying); subjects of scrying count as one step more familiar

ARCHETYPE: SCROLL SCHOLAR
A scroll scholar values knowledge and learning as much as her other abilities, trading a portion of her potential in her chosen class for greater breadth of skill at deciphering old texts, piecing together strange fragments of esoteric lore, and deciphering the hidden qualities of strange and unusual magical items.

Diligent Student (Ex) +6 (arcana, engineering, history)
At 1st level, a scroll scholar chooses one Knowledge skill. This becomes a class skill if it is not already one. The scroll scholar adds half her class level to all Knowledge checks of this type (minimum 1). At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, a scroll scholar chooses 1 additional Knowledge skill to receive this bonus.
This ability replaces diviner’s fortune.

Secrets Revealed (Sp)
At 5th level, a scroll scholar gains the ability to cast comprehend languages and identify as spell-like abilities. Her caster level is equal to her character level in whatever class she took the scroll scholar archetype for. She can cast these spells once per day each at 5th level, twice per day each at 7th level, and three times per day each at 9th level. At 11th level, one of these spell-like abilities (scholar’s choice) becomes a constant spell-like ability, and at 13th level, the second one becomes a constant spell-like ability. This ability replaces her bonus feat for 5th level.

Flash of Insight (Su)
At 10th level, once per day, a scroll scholar can gain a +5 bonus on a single attack roll, caster level check, or saving throw as an immediate action. This decision must be made before the results of the roll are known, but can be made after the die is rolled. This ability can be used twice per day at 15th level, and 3 times per day at 20th level. This ability replaces the normal addition of a new 4th-level spell slot to the character’s spells per day— from this point on, the wizard has one fewer 4th level spell slot than other wizards.

Arcane School Specialty: Divination
Diviners are masters of remote viewing, prophecies, and using magic to explore the world.

Opposition School: Necromancy

Forewarned (Su)
You can always act in the surprise round even if you fail to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but you are still considered flat-footed until you take an action. In addition, you receive a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum +1). At 20th level, anytime you roll initiative, assume the roll resulted in a natural 20.

Diviner’s Fortune (Sp) - Replaced by archetype; see above.

Scrying Adept (Su)
At 8th level, you are always aware when you are being observed via magic, as if you had a permanent detect scrying. In addition, whenever you scry on a subject, treat the subject as one step more familiar to you. Very familiar subjects get a –10 penalty on their save to avoid your scrying attempts.

Arcane Bond: Familiar

"The Choreographer of Flowers"

Hummingbird: Master gains a +4 bonus on initiative checks
Alertness (Ex): While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.
Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.
Share Spells: The wizard may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar’s type (magical beast).
Empathic Link (Su): The master has an empathic link with his familiar to a 1 mile distance. The master can communicate empathically with the familiar, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link’s limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The master has the same connection to an item or place that his familiar does.
Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the “toucher.” The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master would. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.
Speak with Master (Ex): If the master is 5th level or higher, a familiar and the master can communicate verbally as if they were using a common language. Other creatures do not understand the communication without magical help.
Speak with Animals of Its Kind (Ex): If the master is 7th level or higher, a familiar can communicate with animals of approximately the same kind as itself (including dire varieties): bats with bats, cats with felines, hawks and owls and ravens with birds, lizards and snakes with reptiles, monkeys with other simians, rats with rodents, toads with amphibians, and weasels with ermines and minks. Such communication is limited by the Intelligence of the conversing creatures.

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GEAR WORN
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Sandals of Quick Reaction- 4000gp - 1
Eyes of the Eagle - 2500gp - 0
Quick Runner's Shirt - 1000gp - 0
Ring of Counterspells (current spell: feeblemind) - 4000gp - 0
Mythic ring of tarnished friendship
Handy haversack - 2000gp - 5
Spell component pouch - 5gp - 2

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POSSESSIONS
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All possessions are in handy haversack unless otherwise noted.

Metamagic Rod, Lesser: Extend Spell - 3,000gp - 5lbs
Mirror, silver (1'x6') - 1,000gp - 40lbs
Scrolls: make whole, stone shape, selective fireball - CL9/DC15, mirror polish, swift girding, arcane lock, locate object, instant weapon, adjustable disguise, arcane sight
Potions: call animal, commune with birds, cure moderate wounds
Components: eye ointment x 2 (true seeing) last cast post

Treasure 3020 gp in assorted currency (-1000gp for 1 week research)

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ENCUMBRANCE (lbs)
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Current Encumbrance Level: Light

Light 0-33 Medium 34-67 Heavy 68-100
Current Load Carried 15
Lift: 230 Drag: 100

Languages of Cardriss
Map of Cardriss
Northreach: The Svenik
Eastwatch: The Atlaeans
Suderan: The Mbala
Southern Isles: The Kono’ana
Vinland: The Vitolians
Westfall: The Tengwar

The Tower of Ages: Lore
Campaign Trait: The Seeker’s Seal
Image: The Seeker’s Seal
The Witness’s Beginning Knowledge

Extant Calendars of Cardriss

Monad referred to The Tower as the "Spire of Power."

ooc]b]Standard:[/b] ; b]Move:[/b] ; b]Swift:[/b] ; b]Free:[/b] .[/ooc]
Research 1st level version of detect magic that works while blinded.
Get greater invisibility.
Circlet and veil for crafting.
Research crown of eyes - 6th level/6 weeks/6,000 gp?
Employ Gavin for gather info checks.
At the beginning of the reign of Torag, on the 7th tran of the era
Spell research DC = 10 + twice spell level + DM modifiers