About Torgar the GrotesqueFLUFF Appearance, Personality, and Motivations:
Appearance You see before you what at first provokes in you a grimace of cringe and disgust. Upon this stout grey-skinned man lay a face that could only be defined as a face using loosely applied and emphasized terminology. A third of the 'face' seems alright, and makes sense from an artist's design standpoint, but from the mouth up in an asymmetrical pattern there lay nothing but a landscape of chaos. Fragments of a nose, an upper lip hewn away in several places, scar tissue, fractured cheekbones healed in misaligned place, eternally squinting eyes gazing in two different directions, ungroomed junglish eyebrows... You might think his hair and beard could help cover up the mess that he is, but to no avail. Balding hairlines and patchy stubbles abide on this wreck. He has this one shining tooth that you can't seem to take your eyes off of... You hear him humming an off-pitch duergar tune in a deep-but-warm voice, croaking out half-forgotten lines of lyrics every now and again... He wears a tattered hide of some reptilian beast. Everything on his person seems overdue for a wash, and in the mind of one fashionably keen, deserving of an exhaustive overhaul. To contrast the dull musky tones you see 'round his neck a gilt talisman of some origin obviously mystic, which makes no sense in context, for this spear-bearing dwarf is obviously a hunter through and through. Personality
What you don't know is that this hardy mans' man holds a deep respect for all living things. He lives his rugged life in a strict unspoken sense of care and propriety. Words are important to him. Pacts should never be broken. Mistakes may happen, but they must not lay unmolested or forgotten. People deserving should be made whole. He has a daughter he's laid his life down for. She was the tether binding him to this ship. But you wouldn't easily know or learn of those details... A bit more evident, however, is his aversion towards prissier folk. With every metropolitan he passes by, he repays their guttural reaction to his own visage in kind, not out of sarcasm but in true disgust of all manner of pompous airs. In fact, in the time you've sized him up, you've noticed that he's done the same to you, and judging by what you've learned and assumed, he probably knows more at this point about you than you do of him! Goals
I will survive this year, and protect Margren from whatever horrors lay in this new land, be they of foreign or Toragian origin. Perhaps one day I'll see Margren grow old, wed and happy, and tell her children of my better hunts. ...Perhaps one day, I'll even see that wench again, and repay her for what she did to me.
Background:
There was once a dark dwarf hunter who came upon a prey whose proportions and nature struck him heftier than the finest crafted Toragian warhammer. A sundwarven mistress from New Golushkin whose voice was sweeter than mead, whose hair was spun finer than the rarest silkworm's tapestries. Gertrude was her name, and he inclined himself to sweep her off her stout feet. Himself being exactly 1.766666 more rugged than the worst of the rest of the duergar in the underground lake-fort, this task was naught but perilous. However, through means of wit and courage mustered through much ale, one of the nights he danced with her, caught her by the lips, and the rest was history. But Gertrude was by all respects, a city dwarf. The lifestyles they lead were too disparate for their relations to last longer than perhaps 7 span, and after Margren was born, there was a turn for the worse. She wasn't happy. He couldn't give her the luxury she desired. One morn, he came back from his usual tunnel hunt, and found his house clean and empty, wife and babe nowhere to be seen. He was distraught, in a fit full of the rage of a failure. He delved as deep into the earth as any in the duergar fort 'neath the Lake of Mists 'ere did: Torgar tapped into the realm of Orv. He at first didn't realize what he had done. He didn't think it possible. There was supposed to be another world between Nar Voth and the primeval dusk... but his thoughts and intents only got him as far as he got with Gertrude. He saw many beasts he only heard about in oratory legend passed down from generations of the deep. He saw things he never thought could exist, and was changed. Within the turmoiled state of his soul, the predatory circle of violence he saw within the lives of the Orvan serpents spoke to him, at a spiritual level. In awe, he was able to look past himself. To commune with what lay before him. But the tunnel which was opened would not lay still, nor would the tyrant beasts beneath relent of their thrashings. They came upon the dwarf fortress beneath the lake, and as the monsters tore the duergar apart their ichor blood wet the Orvan tunnel with the scent of precious morsels... Torgar came back to find the consequence of what he had done. He came immediately to the aid of the survivors, and told them truly that the blood was on his hands. Thence he swore them an oath; to revenge the blood of their brethren and make whole the only way he knew he could. He didn't care if he died in the process, but Torgar wouldn't abide by his irresponsible mistake. So he delved a second time, into the Orvan jungle.
In a feat of ferocity, he was able to change in spirit and form to match the saurian king, and met him in the mouth of the tunnel before the keep. A primeval battle ensued. A debacle of claw, fang, vigor and flesh became of them, each tyrant keeping in gruesome step with their foe. A duel of attrition in all rites. Amidst the wrestle, an ill omen had begun its manifestation. Torgar's form faded from serpent to dwarf midstrike, and the king reptilian rent his face into what could only be described as what happens when a living storm shatters the castle of a sorceror who tried much too hard to subdue it to his will. Crunched into obscene malformity, all thought the impromptu hunter-champion was surely slain. But from within the flexed jaws of the terror beast, the small grey one grew, and in his spurt he took hold in fist the jaws of the beast, and hence divorced the serpent's head from it's body, holding a twain jaw in each hand. From this stand, all deep dwarves in the lakehold and all the tyrant saurian from beyond bade each other thought and hate no longer, for fear of the torn one towering between them both. Word spread of Torgar's Deed, his boast against boasts, but he would have none of it. He only for longed his solitude, and the adrenal glee of the hunts to be. He swore to keep guard against Orv, but against his desire, the remaining dwarves sent with him retainers to train to hunt the saurians, to help him keep watch of the border. Within several cycles' passing, Torgar recieved word from New Golushkin. Two seals of wax, two letters of request. One addressed by some big-wig fecal wipe, and one penned from the only hand he'd give attention to. The first letter he crunched in his fist and threw aside. The second he anxiously fiddled the seal apart, ever so carefully, trembling. His beloved and estranged daughter Margren told him of the frantic business of the topside dwarves, their doings and plans. She told him that they were planning something unheard of, and that she meant to go with them. 'A New Quest For Sky' she called it, using words brimming of optimism and liberal ideals... But the final line of the note was written a proposition most grave. 'I know we haven't talked in years, but would you consider coming with us, father?' Unprocessed and suppressed emotions ran through the scum-ridden hunter. What will she think of... Me?. He considered critically his begotten form in full, what she would have remembered of him long ago, and what he saw in the dull gleam of the tunnelponds... Torgar made the decision. Damn it all... Damn it ALL! I'm coming, Margren... I hope you recognize me... He then took the former letter into his hands. Uncrumpled, the letter was a call for aid, an offer for employ. They were looking for champion intrepids who lacked fear, leaders, engineers, and those who knew how to till land, among other descriptors. They knew not about his sin but all of his Deed and how he stemmed the onslaught further. So he packed his meager life into a sack, and rode his bulky bony steed into that wretched sun's glare. He made whole to the people beneath, but not yet to those above. "She's the only reason I accepted the invitation. Sure they think they know me. They heard of what I did. They think they respect me. But it's all just a facade, because that's all of what those people are. Sure, I'll come along, for Margren's sake. I'll do the dirty work to keep her safe all night long. But if they slip up and put her in danger then theyre gonna have to REALLY learn the reason why my face looks so marred."
CRUNCH Statistics:
Male Duergar Druid (Saurian Shaman) 4
LN Medium Humanoid (Dward) Init +8; Senses Perception +11 ------------------------------ DEFENSE ------------------------------ AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +2 dex, +1 dodge) hp 39 Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6 ------------------------------ OFFENSE ------------------------------ Speed 20 ft. Melee
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Background Skills:
Special Abilities:
------------------------------ SPECIAL ABILITIES ------------------------------ DUERGAR RACIAL ABILITIES: Slow and Steady: Duergar have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance. Darkvision: Duergar can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Duergar Immunities: Duergar are immune to paralysis, phantasms, and poison. They also gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. Stability: Duergar receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD against bull rush or trip attempts while on solid ground. Spell-Like Abilities: Duergar can cast enlarge person and invisibility each once per day, using their character level as their caster level. Both of these spell-like abilities affect the duergar only. Light Sensitivity: Duergar are dazzled as long as they remain in an area of bright light. DRUID (SAURIAN SHAMAN) CLASS FEATURES:
Nature Sense (Ex): A druid gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (nature) and Survival checks. Wild Empathy (Ex): A druid can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check made to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The druid rolls 1d20 and adds her druid level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the druid and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. A druid can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.
Woodland Stride (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a druid may move through any sort of undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect her. Totem Transformation (Su): At 2nd level, a saurian shaman may adopt an aspect of the saurian while retaining her normal form. This ability functions as the dragon shaman's totem transformation ability, but the druid may select from the following bonuses: movement (+10 enhancement bonus to land speed), scales (+2 natural armor bonus to AC), senses (low-light vision, scent), or natural weapons (bite [1d6], 2 claws [1d4] for a Medium druid, rake, +2 CMB to grapple). While using totem transformation, a saurian shaman may speak normally and can cast speak with animals (reptiles and dinosaurs only) at will. Using this ability is a standard action at 2nd level, a move action at 7th level, and a swift action at 12th level. The dragon shaman can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her druid level. These minutes do not need to be consecutive, but they must be used in 1-minute increments. This is a polymorph effect and cannot be used while the druid is using another polymorph effect, such as wild shape.(4 min/day) Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a druid leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. She may choose to leave a trail if so desired. Resist Nature's Lure (Ex): Starting at 4th level, a druid gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against the spell-like and supernatural abilities of fey. This bonus also applies to spells and effects that utilize or target plants, such as blight, entangle, spike growth, and warp wood.
Spells:
------------------------------ Spells Prepared ------------------------------ 0th (at will) DC: 14 Detect Magic Know Direction Create Water Purify Food and Drink 1st (4/day) DC: 15
2nd (3/day) DC: 16
Animal Companion:
------------------------------ ANIMAL COMPANION ------------------------------ Bogey the Ankylosaur Size Medium; Speed 30 ft.; AC +11 natural armor; Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8; Special Qualities: low-light vision, scent. Defenses HP: 22 AC: 23 (10 Base, +11 NA, +2 Dex Bonus) Fort: 3 Ref: 6 Will:2 Attack Tail +3 (1d6) Feats Link, Share Spells, Evasion, Toughness, Blind Fight Skills 4 Perception +8(4 ranks, trained bonus) Gear/Possessions:
------------------------------ GEAR/POSSESSIONS ------------------------------ Money 0 GP 0 SP 0 CP Attuned Weapon +1 (Amulet of Mighty Fists) Attuned Hide Armor +1 (+5 AC) Pearl of Power (CL2) Spear Waterskin |
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