Colorful Characters 18: Laura Kraul

Laril Kraul spent his early years in a small village on the Venusian coast. For generations his family–along with most other families in the village–had been fishermen. Laril was taught to use a net and spear from a young age, and proved adept in their use. During his teen years, he even created and popularized a form of gladiatorial jousting within his village which used the tools (the spears were blunted, of course). As he grew older, however, he became increasingly aware of the fact that he was different from the others in the village. The responsibilities he was expected to shoulder were awkward for him, and he often fantasized about what it would be like to be other people within his village. To experience their lives, and everything that went with that.

When Laril reached manhood, he took his leave of the village. He had always been strong, and the call of adventure gave him ample opportunity to explore his feelings of discontentment. Mastery of his unusual weapons proved beneficial to adventuring life. After a handful of minor successes on his own, Laril was approached by a small band of dungeon delvers who were impressed with his deeds. They asked if he would like to join them as they hunted for treasures hidden in crypts beneath the earth, and Laril was happy to accept. Adventuring life was dangerous, and he’d been hoping to find some companions to mitigate some of that danger.

The group traveled together for several months, and their excursions were largely profitable. Laril took pleasure in the excitement of the hunt. The fact that he’d recovered more gold to than anyone in his village had ever seen before didn’t hurt either. Yet his discontentment remained. Even in the life he’d made for himself, he felt out of place.

About a year after joining the group, Laril and his companions were exploring a particularly dank cavern. They’d slain the troll who lived there, and were beginning to worry that the treasure the beast had supposedly hoarded was fake. It took them nearly an hour to find the chest, modestly sized, hidden under a pile of rocks. Its contents were hardly worth their trouble. A measly few bags of silver coins, a pair of jewels, and a jade-studded leather belt with a silver buckle. Everyone agreed the belt must be the greatest prize, and they rolled bones to see who would get it.

Laril won, and immediately began putting the belt on while his companions set about dividing the rest of the loot between themselves. He was surprised by how comfortable it felt. In fact it affected his comfort much more than he would have imagined a belt could. He began to comment to his companions that the belt seemed to be magical, only to have his thoughts interrupted by the sudden and hysterical laughter of his friends. He asked what was funny, and noticed that his voice sounded strange in his ears. Worried, he went to his pack and began to fumble around for the steel mirror he kept there. As he rummaged through his bag, he noticed something else:

He had breasts.

“It’s a belt of gender changing!” the group’s wizard called to him, having finally regained his breath. “A cursed item. You won’t be able to take it off without a spell ofRemove Curse.” Laril was silent for a long moment as he pondered this development. Despite a change which should have upset him, he still felt strangely…comfortable. More comfortable than she’d ever felt in her life. The nagging discontentment which had pestered her in otherwise quiet moments was nowhere to be found. She felt whole.

Laril remained silent for the moment, unsure of how to broach this issue with her fellows. But when the morning came and the wizard had prepared his spell, she knew she couldn’t go back. She refused to allow the Remove Curse spell to be cast upon her, stating that she was happier this way. The party was confused, and concluded that the belt must have additional magical properties they were unaware of–some manner of mind control. They took hold of her and held her in place while the wizard performed his spell. Laril protested, but the others were certain they were doing her a favor, and held fast.

The spell was completed, and the belt destroyed. Laril again found herself in a male body, once again disconcerted, once again less than whole. She was so overwhelmed by rage and loss that all she could do was sit and weep over the ruined remains of the belt that had changed her life. Her companions were concerned for her, and opted to remain another night without traveling, to allow her some time to work out whatever was wrong. The following morning, she informed them that she had come to two decisions.

The first was that she would no longer remain with them. Now that she’d found what she’d been looking for, she intended to waste no time in figuring out how to get it back.

“And the second thing?” they asked.

“My name is Laura.” she answered. Then left.

Laura Kraul (CR 5)

XP: 1,600
Female Human Fighter 6
LG humanoid
Init +8; Senses Perception -1

Defenses

AC 20, Flat Footed 14, Touch 16 [10 + Dex(4) + Armor(5) + Dodge(1)]
hp 53 (6d10 + 24)
Fort +7 Ref +6 Will + 1

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Shocking Burst Longspear + 9 (1d8 + 3 + 1d6 Electricity/x3 + 2d10 Electricity)
Melee Net +10 (Causes the Entangled condition)(Ranged Touch Attack)(10ft)

Stats

Str 16 (+3) Dex 19 (+4) Con 14 (+2) Int 11 (+1) Wis 9 (-1) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +6/1; CMB +9; CMD 23
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (Spear), Weapon Specialization (Spear), Dodge, Weapon Focus(Net), Quick Draw, Lunge, Toughness
Skills Craft (Boatswain)(+11), Knowledge (Engineering)(+11), Ride (+10), Survival (+5)
Languages Common, Dwarven
SQ
–Lunge: Can increase the reach of your melee attacks by 5ft in exchange for a -2 AC penalty.
Gear Slick Lightly Fortified Hide Armor; Mithril Shocking Burst Longspear; 3 Silk Nets; Backpack; 842 GP, Dagger, Bedroll, 10′ pole, steel mirror, 3 weeks rations, 1 lantern, 3 flasks of lantern oil, small jar of salt, fishing line, 3 hooks.

Colorful Characters 17: Limenent Geary, Duchess of Greyholm

Limenent Geary was the same as lot of kids who grew up on the streets of Darton; she had a tough exterior, no idea where she came from, and no respect for a legal system which would rather see her die of starvation than live through theft. She was just a lot better at that last part than the other kids were. By the time she was in her teens, Limenent had been accepted into the Darton Thieves’ Guild. Before she was twenty she had made a reputation for herself as a thief with a knack for daring heists, and never getting caught. Her specialty was the manor houses of the rich, and she made a comfortable living for herself.

During one such heist, Limenent broke in at ground level and made her way cautiously into the basement. In her experience, many of her ‘patrons’ (as she sometimes called them) kept pieces of artwork and other valuables in storage. By fencing these, rather than the more visible wealth in the living areas, the theft might not be discovered for weeks, or even months. But this house was strange. The building’s sublevels were as finely furnished as the living areas normally were, with carpets covering the stone floors, and pieces of artwork hanging on the walls or resting on tables, rather than stored in crates or covered by tarps. She didn’t understand what was going on, and she didn’t like not knowing what was going on. Thinking she could just hit up a different house the next evening, she turned to leave–and slammed face first into what felt like a stone wall.

What it turned out to be was a man’s chest. A man of no great height or girth, but a man as cold, hard, and sturdy as stone. Limenent was no fool. The man was clearly more than he appeared to be, most likely a a spellcaster of some sort. She immediately tried to dart past him, hoping she moved quick enough to prevent him from getting a good look at her. Her face was covered, but there was no point in taking undue risks. It didn’t matter, though, because the man was twice as fast. His hand darted out like lightning, taking hold of Limenent’s neck and lifting her effortlessly to slam against the wall. In desperation, a dagger appeared in Limenent’s hand, and she stabbed into the man’s arm, but it only tore his clothes and glanced harmlessly aside.

The two stared at each other for a long moment. Limenent struggled to breathe, but she refused to betray any weakness in her gaze. Blackness started to appear at the edges of her vision, and she felt herself about to lose consciousness. Then the grip on her neck weakened, and she felt her back sliding down the wall until her feet were safely on the ground. She looked up, unaware of when she had broken her captor’s gaze. He bared his teeth at her, and for the first time she saw that they were unnaturally sharp. She had only begun to wonder why that was when he forced her head back, and drove his razor teeth into her jugular vein.

Limenent Geary died.

When she awoke some time later, lying in a bed in a dark room, she knew exactly what had happened. Something about her transformation had granted her understanding–not that it was difficult to figure out. The man had been a vampire, and now she was one too. A fledgling undead bound to serve the one who created her until he was destroyed. She immediately set about planning that destruction, but each time she tried her mind would wander elsewhere. She would later learn that the same magics which compelled her to obey her new master also prevented her from plotting against him.

As it turned out, Baron Telmalane–that’s what he called himself–had been impressed by Limenent’s resourcefulness. While she had been easy prey for him, he recognized that she had not been prepared to encounter a vampire. He even complimented her by noting that if she had been, she might have stood a chance against him. With the vampiric might he had bestowed upon her, she would make an impressive agent of his will. And though she was unable to disobey him, he promised that the rewards for her service could be great.

For decades the younger vampire did as she was told. She dutifully carried out her master’s will, be it delivering a message to a fellow, or assassinating a rival. And, as he had promised, she was well rewarded for her work. She had personal wealth, status among her master’s servants, and freedom to feed upon whomever she pleased. But she chaffed beneath the yolk of servitude. She strained against the mental bonds which diverted her each time she tried to plot against her master, but even a century after her enslavement she found her focus constantly diverted.

Circumstance intervened on her behalf one night when Baron Telmalane was again staying in his Darton manor. While gazing out the top story windows, Limanent saw a party of heavily armed men and women approach the house. There were ten of them, and based on their equipment there was only one thing they could be: hunters. They had discovered that the lord of the manor was a vampire masquerading as a reclusive noble, and come to destroy him. Seeing a ray of hope for herself, Limanent recalled that her master had expressed a desire for more exercise a few months back. Surely he would enjoy fighting these weaklings himself. She found a candle, and climbed out the window onto the rooftop so she could have a better view of the stars. Once she was there, she poured the candle’s wax into her ears, because the warm sensation might feel nice on her cold skin.

She gazed up at the moon, and sought to hold on to the fragile illusion she had created for herself. She did not know her master was in danger, could not hear his cries for her aide. She sat in still silence for a quarter hour, then a wave of pain slammed into her. Her temples throbbed, and her back arched as a scream escaped her lungs. And as soon as it began it was over. She lay panting on the roof, weak from pain. But she knew, instinctively, that she was no longer controlled by anyone. She picked the wax from her ears and listened as the hunters searched the house for any more creatures. They never thought to search the roof, which was good because Limanent could not have stood against them. She waited until they left, then cautiously climbed back into the manor just in time to avoid the morning sun.

Once she recovered, Limanent immediately set to work. While she’d never been able to plot against Baron Telmalane, she’d spent decades planning what she would do if she were ever free of him. She knew his manor was no longer safe, so she immediately took flight to find a safe haven where she would–at least temporarily–be safe from vampire hunters. Through the following months she returned to her her roots as a thief. In life, it had afforded her a comfortable living, but in death she was capable of so much more. By transforming herself into a cloud of mist, she could enter a building through a crack in the wall, rather than fumbling at a locked door. With her great strength, she could heavy sacks of riches effortlessly. And a century of vampirism had left her with little regard for human life, allowing her to easily dispose of anyone who discovered her pilfering. When she ran out of public buildings to rob, she began using her vampiric charms to coax an invitation from unwitting residence.

Within a year, Limanent was fabulously wealthy by mortal standards, but the people of Darton were well aware that they had a master thief among them. So she hired a battalion of porters, and moved away. She boarded a ship, and crossed the southern sea. When she reached the continent of Edargeln, she purchased a manor house of her own in the capitol city of Abingarde. She filled it with riches, and introduced herself to high society as the Duchess of Greyholm. A place which did not actually exist, but was very far away so it was understandable no one has heard of it.

Limenent continues to live there, though by now she is known as Duchess Geary the Third.

Limenent Geary, Duchess of Greyholm (CR 11)

XP: 12,800
Female Human Vampire, Rogue 10
NE Undaed
Init +10; Senses Perception +23 (+28 to locate traps), Darkvision (60ft)

Defenses

AC 26, Flat Footed 19, Touch 17 [10 + Dex(6) + Armor(3) + Natural(6) + Dodge(1)] (AC 29 v. traps) (Cannot be caught flat footed, nor flanked, nor sneak attacked by a rogue of less than 14th level)
hp 78 (10d8 + 20)
Fast Healing 5
Fort +3 (Immune unless effect can target objects, or is harmless) Ref +15 (+16 v. Traps)(On 1/2 damage, takes no damage) Will +5
DR 10/Magic & Silver
Resist Fire 20, Channel 4, Cold 10, Electricity 10
Immunities Mind affecting effects, Bleed, Death effects, Disease, Paralysis, Poison, Sleep effects, Stunning, Nonlethal Damage, Ability Drain, Energy Drain, Physical Ability Score Damage, Exhaustion, Fatigue effects, Death from massive damage, effects which require a fortitude save

Offense

Speed 40ft
Melee Shortsword of Subtlety +15/10 (1d6 +6/19-20 x2)[Sneak Attack +17/12 (1d6 +9/19-20 x2)]
Melee Slam +12/7 (1d4 + 5/20 x2)(Magic Weapon)(Energy Drain)
Ranged Shortbow +16/11 (1d6 + 2/20 x3) [Range Increment: 70ft]
Sneak Attack 5d6 against flat footed or flanked opponents.

Stats

Str 20 (+5) Dex 22 (+6) Con — (–) Int 17 (+3) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 20 (+5)
Base Atk +7/2; CMB +12; CMD 28
Feats Quick Draw, Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Iron Will, Run, Weapon Focus(Shortbow), Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness
Rogue Talents Fast Stealth, Stand Up, Surprise Attack, Weapon training(Shortsword), Opportunist
Skills Acrobatics (+19), Bluff(+26), Craft(Trapmaking)(+16), Diplomacy(+20), Disable Device(+24), Knowledge(Dungeoneering)(+16), Knowledge(Undead)(+13), Perception(+23)(+28 to locate traps), Sleight of Hand(+19), Stealth(+33), Use Magic Device(+18)
Languages Common, Thieve’s Cant, The Gravespeech
SQ
–Quick Draw: May draw weapons as a free action.
–Point Blank Shot: Ranged weapons gain +1 to attack and damage within 30ft.
–Far Shot: Each range increment imposes only a -1 penalty, rather than a -2.
–Run: May move 5 times normal movement rate when running, and maintains full Dex bonus to AC while doing so.
–Fast Stealth: May move at full speed while moving stealthily at no penalty.
–Stand Up: May stand up from the prone position as a free action. Still provokes attacks of opportunity.
–Surprise Attack: During a surprise round, foes are always considered flat footed. Even if they have already taken an action.
–Opportunist: 1/round, may make an attack of opportunity against a foe who has been struck for damage in melee by another character.
–Blood Drain: If an opponent is pinned, may deal 1d4 Con damage per round. Gains +5 HP (or +5 temporary HP) for each round blood is drained.
—Children of the Night: 1/day, summon 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or 2d6 wolves as a standard action. Creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds, and remain for 1 hour.
–Create Spawn: Creatures slain by blood drain or energy drain rise as subservient vampires within 1d4 days.
–Dominate: Target must succeed on a will save (DC 20) or fall under the effects of a Dominate spell.
–Energy Drain: Creatures hit by slam attacks gain two negative levels.
–Change Shape: May assume the form of a dire bat or wolf, as Beast Shape II
–Gaseous Form: As a standard action, or upon reaching 0 HP, the vampire can assume Gaseous Form indefinitely. Has a fly speed of 20ft with perfect maneuverability.
–Shadowless: Casts no shadows, nor is he reflected in a mirror
–Spider Climb: May climb surfaces as though under the effects of the Spider Climb spell.
–Combat Reflexes: May make up to 5 attacks of opportunity per round. Even while flat footed.

Weaknesses
–Aversion: Cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic, mirrors, nor strongly presented holy symbols. Must succeed on a DC 25 will save each round, or stay at least 5ft away from these objects.
—Entrance: Cannot enter any private home or dwelling unless invited by someone with the authority to do so.
–Sunlight: Exposure to direct sunlight causes the staggered condition in the first round, and utter destruction in the second round.
–Running Water: Being submerged in running water deals damage equal to 1/3rd of max hit points per round. Upon reaching 0HP, the character could not escape using gaseous form as normal.
–Wooden Stake: If a wooden stake is driven through the heart while Limenent is helpless, she is instantly slain. However, if the stake is ever removed, she returns to life unless her head is also severed and burned.

Gear +2/+4 Shortsword of Subtlety, +2 Shortbow, 24 Arrows, 6 Sleep Arrows, 8 Arrows of Ice (+2d8 cold damage), Masterwork Studded Leather Improved Fire Resistance Armor, Ring of Water Walking, Ring of Speed +10, Softfoot Boots (stealth +6), 350 gp

Colorful Characters 16: Novre Homberk, Tailor Savant

Little Novre Homberk never really seemed to be paying attention to anything. It concerned his parents, Helen and Krastus, that he would rarely look anyone in the eye, and did not start to talk until he was four years old. The child spent much of his time staring into the distance, twisting his fingers together and untwisting them, or playing games no one around him really understood. The other children sensed something was different about Novre. At first they avoided him out of fear, but as time passed, they took to teasing him for his apparent disconnect from the material plane.

After Helen died, Krastus was left to raise his son alone. He started to drink heavily. Occasionally he would even beat his son whilst in a drunken rage, but he was not so much a monster that he didn’t regret it once he’d sobered up. His business as a small town’s clothier and tailor began to suffer. Orders were ignored, and the quality of his work began to drive people away. All Krastus could do was drink more and more heavily, decreasing the quality of his work further. Losing his livelihood seemed to be a foregone conclusion, until one day he stumbled in through his shop door to discover that he had accidentally locked 9 year old Novre in the night before; and that all of his tailoring work had been completed.

And not only was everything finished. Everything was done with a remarkable quality which Krastus could never have matched in his life. His customers were ecstatic, and congratulated him on sobering up. Seeing an opportunity to make a great deal of money, Krastus took the money he had been spending on booze and bought materials of higher quality than he had purchased in many months. He gave the materials to Novre, and watched in astonishment as the child created some of the most beautiful clothes the tailor had ever seen. Elaborately embroidered dresses, robes, shirts, pants, gloves, the child seemed possessed of some type of divine talent, and Krastus was not about to let it go to waste. He immediately began selling the boy’s work as his own, and his business grew at an exponential rate. Within a year nobles were traveling for days simply to buy the magnificent clothing which Novre was quietly creating in the back room.

A local wizard of small repute named Erlem, himself a member of the nobility, eventually came to investigate Krastus’ shop, and was very pleased by the elaborate and fashionable items sold there. He purchased a number of clothes for himself, and returned to his home. Erlem was proud of his new clothes, and wore them whenever he found an opportunity, but when he did he sensed something strange. The clothes felt somehow…off, to him. He began to study the clothing in earnest, and was surprised to discover that not only were the clothes very fine, they were magical. The pants he had purchased granted the wearer the ability to resist spells, and the gloves made his somatic gesturing somehow more precise. Erlem was pleased, but confused. He had paid a hefty price for the clothes, but the magical abilities of the clothes made them worth fifteen or twenty times more than what he had paid.

Erlem was not very skilled with divination, but spent the next few days observing Krastus and Novre via an expensive crystal ball. That told him everything he needed to know: Krastus didn’t understand the depth of his son’s talent. Somehow the boy was creating powerful magical clothing, and the father was selling it for a pittance because he thought its value was purely aesthetic. Erlem returned to Krastus shop the next morning, and placed an order so large that the fraudulent old tailor fainted. It cost him much of his fortune to do so, but in the months following the delivery of the goods, Erlem made his fortune back many times over by quietly selling the clothes to adventurers and other wizards.

That arrangement has existed now for a year or so. Erlem the wizard exploits Krastus the tailor by purchasing clothing well below market value, and reselling it at a fair price. Krastus, in turn, exploits his son by selling his son’s magnificent work as his own. And Novre, now a boy of 18, doesn’t care. He happily creates beautiful garment after beautiful garment, content in the act of creation.

Thoughts on Use

The players might encounter either Erlem, attempting to sell them magical items made of cloth. This encounter might end with the purchase of the clothing, or if the players have some reason to be suspicious, they might inquire as to how a low-level wizard of no great skill produced such fine garments. Erlem is terrible at keeping secrets, so it’s only a matter of time before he spills the beans to someone. Alternatively, the players might encounter Krastus as a purveyor of fine clothing.

Magical Garments

Novre can craft any magical item which is made from cloth within 1/8th the normal amount of time it would require, using materials which cost 1% of the normal cost for the item.

Novre Homberk (CR 2)
XP: 600
Male Human Expert 4
CN humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception -3

Defenses

AC 16, Flat Footed 14, Touch 16 [10 + Dex(2) + Jerkin of Deflection(4)]
SR 19
hp 28 (4d8 + 8)
Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +11 (+2 to disbelieve Illusions)

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Unarmed +5 (1d3 + 2; 20/x2)

Stats

Str 15 (+2) Dex 14 (+2) Con 10 (+0) Int 6 (-2) Wis 4 (-3) Cha 18 (+4)
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Naturally Gifted, Skill Focus (Craft: Cloth), Skill Focus (Craft: Clothing)
Skills Craft(Cloth)(+10), Craft(Clothing)(+10), Spellcraft(+7), Use Magic Device(+7)
Languages Common
Gear Jerkin of Deflection +4, Sewing Kit

New Feat: Naturally Gifted

You are able to call upon extraordinary abilities without first gaining the usual prerequisites.
Prerequisites: Level 1, Character must be an NPC
Benefit: Damned near anything. A natural gift can take whatever form the GM wishes. For Novre, it is an uncanny ability to create magical items of cloth. But for other characters it might be the ability to unerringly see the future, or to solve complex magical formulas.
Drawback: While not strictly required, it is customary for characters who receive such marvelous gifts to suffer a corresponding drawbacks. Characters who can see the future may be blind, or they may be cursed to never be believed, or they may simply be unable to express themselves in a clear fashion. Novre has savantism as his drawback. While he excels in creating wondrous and magical clothing, he is disconnected from the real world, and will never be able to function as an adult.
Normal: You’ve gotta kill a bunch of shit and take their stuff and level up and it’s this whole thing.

Colorful Characters 15: Mahudar Kosopske

The premature child which was left in the desert had no name. When he was born, he was tiny and weak, and could not easily draw breath on his own. The elders of the gnomish clan into which the child was born deemed him unfit to survive the harsh life of a desert nomad. As was their custom, they left the child in the desert to fend for itself, comforting themselves with the thought that if the gods wished the child to live, they would protect him. As they continued on their way, leaving the child behind them, they sang a grim song beseeching the gods protect the child, or grant him a painless entrance into their midst.

No one expected the gods to grant the former.

As it happened, a traveling adventuring party was crossing the desert in search of the entrance to an ancient dungeon. The party’s bard, a half elf named Arhood, heard the child’s cries in the wee hours of the morning, before the group began its daily march. He separated from his band to search for the source of the noise, and stumbled upon the nameless baby at the same time that a dire scorpion found it. The bard was still new to adventuring, and was not yet an experienced swordsman, but he leaped into battle against the scorpion just the same. The battle was brutal. By the time he thrust the broken hilt of his rapier into the scorpion’s belly, Arhood’s delicate half elven frame was covered in cuts and poisoned wounds. It was hours before his companions found him, legs trapped beneath the scorpion’s body, arms protectively around the young gnomish child.

Fortuitously, Arhood traveled with a paladin of Iomedae who was able to cure his wounds, and return him from the brink of death. But the bard’s once fair features were now crisscrossed with puckered scars, and splotches of discoloration from the dire scorpion’s poison. Arhood, a master of the seductive arts, grieved for his lost beauty. But he did not allow it to lessen his concern for the child he had found. He and his companions, hoping to find the child’s family, returned to the village from whence they had set out to inquire if anyone had lost the child. None recognized the child, but the party did learn that it was customary fro many desert nomads to abandon weak children.

An orphanage in the town offered to take the child in, but Arhood would not have it. Even his companions tried to convince him that the orphanage would be better than the life of an adventurer for the child. The bard replied:

“Perhaps it is foolish of me to think I can care for this child, but if we cannot find his family, then let my scars be an oath which binds me to him. I will raise him as my own.” Arhood purchased some milk from a wet nurse, and the party returned their attention to the desert, and the ancient dungeon they had been searching for. They found it, and plundered its depths. Arhood, who had previously preferred to participate more directly in battles, relegated himself to providing support to his compatriots with his magical songs. It took several days for the group to penetrate to the deepest levels of the dungeon, but when they did, Arhood made an amazing discovery: a book detailing the life of a hero who had long been forgotten. The bard penned a number of songs based on what he read of the heroes life, which would later bring him great fame. More importantly, however, he saw a connection between the life of the hero and the life of the child. Both had been forgotten, both had been found by him, and both–he decided–would be named Mahudar Kosopske.

Arhood raised Mahudar on the road, despite everyone’s objection that it was too dangerous. He none the less took the child’s safety seriously. There were a few close calls, but the group was strong, and took cares to protect the child. The entire group took on responsibility for the child’s education. The child’s first lessons of history and mathematics came during periods of rest in torchlit dungeon rooms, hastily barricaded against intruders so the party could get some much needed rest.They soon discovered that despite the young boy’s weak body, he had an almost unbelievably keen mind. He took particularly well to Daryl’s lessons on the nature of magic, and was even managing a few simple cantrips by the time he reached adolescence.

Everyone agreed that the young man should be given an opportunity to study the magical arts in greater detail. Daryl enjoyed her time teaching the boy, but he had his own research to pursue. That, in combination with the task of adventuring, and resting each day to recover his spellcasting energy, left him with precious little time. Certainly not enough time to turn the fledgling caster into a wizard. They consulted with Mahudar, and decided that the best course of action would be to let the boy remain in the town where the party kept its base of operations. There he could attend a wizard’s academy and receive the education his intellect demanded. It was a tearful parting–the group had spent many years living as closely as a family, but all knew that it was for the best.

Mahudar studied there for many years, and excelled amongst his classmates. But he never forgot the adventuring life of his early years. Staying in a single place, not being threatened by monsters daily, seemed entirely alien to him. His classmates often sought him out for tales of life on the road, and he was happy to relive some of his more exciting memories for them, but throughout this entire education he was restless. When Arhood and the other party members would return to town to rest from an adventure, he would stay with them, and inquire as to their exploits, eager even for second-hand adventure. Soon after he gained mastery over the basic tenants of the arcane, Mahudar left the academy, and returned tot he road with Arhood and the rest of the adventuring party.

The group continued adventuring for a number of years. Mahudar proved himself a valuable asset to the team, and advanced quickly, guided by Daryl. But Mahudar was reckless. His lifetime of experience had accustomed him to the danger, and as a child he’d never had to worry about defending himself. The others always took care of him. Now that he had power of his own, he felt invincible. The others tried to reign him in, and teach him caution, but each successful encounter only left Mahudar more cocky. It was only a matter of time until something dreadful befell him. Which, in this case, took the form of an axe-wielding troll lopping off the young gnome’s leg at the knee. The healing of his companions saved him from bleeding to death, but their magics were insufficient to restore his leg.

Mahudar, sobered by the loss of his leg, took his leave of the party. He traveled several days South East of the party’s stronghold within the city, and constructed a tower for himself where he could retire. Since that time he has devoted himself fully to the study of magic, breaking only to help those who seek him out for aid.

Personality

Mahudar is a cheerful fellow, but he prefers to be left alone these days. Which isn’t to say that he’s unfriendly, merely solitary. You can expect him to put up barriers to prevent people from dealing with him (hiding his tower behind an illusion, forcing those who visit to pass through a number of challenges, etc.) but it’s unlikely any of his tests would harm anyone, and if someone does reach him, he tries to be a courteous host. And he never turns down anyone in need, even if they don’t have the coin to pay him full market value for his spellcasting ability. He may not always help in the way one expects, however.

Tactics

Mahudar is a wizard, and prefers to lean on his spells if he is in danger. His preference is to avoid combat entirely, either by confusing his foes, or escaping from them. If he is trapped and forced to fight, however, he will attempt to confuse his foes, hide from them, and use damaging spells to attack without being noticed.

Thoughts on Use

I use Mahudar in one of my games as a low level quest objective/quest giver. The party needs a magical spell cast (either for themselves, or for another questgiver) and they go to Mahudar. Once Mahudar tests & helps them, he can give them a new quest, such as recovering a magic item for him. He’s a useful fixture for low-level characters to rely on, providing item crafting services, and spellcasting.

Mahudar Kosopske (CR 10)
XP: 9,600
Male Gnome Wizard 11
NG small humanoid
Init +3; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +6

Defenses

AC 14, Flat Footed 11, Touch 14 [10 + Dex(3) + Size(1)] (+4 Dodge v. Giants)
SR 19
hp 77 (11d6 +33)
Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +11 (+2 to disbelieve Illusions)

Offense

Speed 10ft (Due to Peg Leg)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 11th; Concentration +16; +1 save DC for Illusion spells)
5th– Baleful Polymorph, Polymorph, Cone of Cold
4th– Beast Shape II, Stoneskin, Dimensional Door, Phantasmal Killer
3rd– Gaseous Form, Dispel Magic, Slow, Fireball
2nd– Fox’s Cunning, Alter Self, Alter Self, Invisibility, Shatter
1st– Expeditious Retreat, Hold Portal, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Magic Missile
0 (at will)– Mending, Read Magic, Message, Ray of Frost, Detect magic
Wizard Spells Available Mahudar has good library of spellbooks available to him in his tower, containing any spell from the Pathfinder Core Rulebook, level 5 and below. As well as a number of specialty spells which he has researched himself.
School Transmutation
Opposition Schools Necromancy, Divination
Transmuter Abilities
Physical Enhancement (Su)— +3 Bonus to one physical ability score (Str, Con, Dex) Can switch bonus to a different ability score every morning when spells are prepared. Currently applied to: DEXTERITY.
Telekinetic Fist (Sp)— 8/day, may attack a foe within 30 feet with a ranged touch attack. Fist deals 1d4+5 bludgeoning damage.
Change Shape(Sp)–For 11 rounds each day, Mahudar may change his shape as with the beast shape II or elemental body I spells. Rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Gnomish Spell-Like Abilities (Save DC: 14)
1/day–Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Speak with Animals

Stats

Str 5 (-3) Dex 17 (+3) Con 16 (+3) Int 20 (+5) Wis 18 (+4) Cha 17 (+3)
Base Atk +5; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Scribe Scroll, Metamagic: Heighten Spell, Metamagic: Extend Spell, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Brew Potion, Forge Ring, Metamagic: Widen Spell,
Skills Acrobatics(+6), Bluff (+14), Craft(Bows)(+15), Disguise(+9), Knowledge(Arcana)(+19), Knowledge(Geography)(+13), Knowledge(History)(+14), Knowledge(Planes)(+15), Linguistics(+12), Perception(+6), Ride(+7), Sleight of Hand(+10), Spellcraft(+19), Stealth(+7)
Languages Common, Elven, Gnoll
Gear Robes of Spell Resistance 19, Ring of Friend Shield (Mated with Arhood’s), Figurine of Wondrous Power: Obsidian Steed

Familiar: Kochrin

Tiny Animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5
AC 19, touch 14, flat footed 17 [10 + Dex(2) + natural(5) + size(2)]
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +1
Speed 30ft, Climb 30ft
Melee bite +4 (1d3 – 4 plus)
Space 2 and 1/2 ft.; Reach 0ft
Str 3 Dex 15 Con 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 6
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Perception +5
Familiar Special Abilities Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak with Master, Speak with animals of its kind, Improved Evasion

Colorful Characters 14: Moreven

My ladyfriend has contributed a number of pieces of artwork for my Magical Marvels posts, including Kofek’s Tongue, Wallcraft’s Offerings, and Gravewhisper’s Claw. Recently, she’s been working on a character portrait to commemorate the first character she ever played in one of my games: Moreven the sorceress. I’m so impressed by it that I wanted to post it here on Comma, Blank_, and since it’s Friday anyway, I thought I’d take a break from my series on the Weapons of the Ascendant Crusade to turn Moreven into a Colorful Character! The real Moreven was killed by orcs, but now you can include a clone of her in any game you choose! As always, you can see more of my ladyfriend’s art on her DeviantArt page.

Moreven was always something of a goof. During the simple education children in her town received, she frequently distracted from the lessons to make her classmates laugh–despite the punishment it earned her. As she grew older, she became somewhat notorious as a practical joker. If someone found themselves surprised and humiliated by an unforeseen happenstance, odds were good that they’d hear laughter and running feet right after it. Most of the town’s adults looked on her as a troublemaker–though one which they hoped would ultimately grow out of her propensity to make a nuisance of herself. Among her peers, however, Moreven was a queen. Though they sometimes fell before her pranks themselves, her peers none the less adored her for the entertainment she provided them, and for her part, Moreven reveled in their adulation.

When Moreven was 12, she found that she was beginning to develop some very peculiar abilities. Abilities which allowed her to bend or even break the laws of nature. Immediately she began using her newfound skills to mastermind even more elaborate pranks, and for a time this worked. But it didn’t take long for people to figure out that Moreven was doing things which shouldn’t be possible. Things which scared the people of the small rural town. Many of them, even her adoring fans, began to distance themselves from her, then to shun her. They whispered amongst themselves that she was haunted or possessed–whispers which only grew louder when she began to talk to a weasel she had found amongst the crops. Moreven retaliated against the townspeople’s whispers with more devious pranks. Pranks which started to skirt the line between harmless fun, and genuinely causing harm. Unsurprisingly, this only strengthened the growing opinion that Moreven was becoming unnatural, and unsafe. Things came to a head when one of the town elders demanded she keep away from his son. Moreven responded by magically knocking a ladder out from under him when he was repairing the roof of his home. She heard the wet cracking sound of his legs breaking as he hit the ground, and knew that she had gone too far. She fled the village then, at the age of 15, without bothering to even say goodbye to anyone.

For a while, Moreven managed to earn enough money for food by performing magic tricks in small towns. Her natural clownishness made her an excellent performer, and she found that she could recapture the adulation she had felt from her classmates when she used her powers to entertain, rather than to harm. But her simple magic tricks only kept a given village entertained for so long before she moved on–though rarely before tapping into her skills as a prankster to punish a heckler or two.

Eventually, Moreven met up with a troupe of halflings who made their living the same way. They offered to let her travel with them, and for a few months she did. Traveling with a group had its advantages. On her own, Moreven had been accosted by bandits several times, which was less of a problem in a larger group. And while the halfling jugglers, singers, and comedians were good, none were good enough to draw attention away from Moreven’s increasingly elaborate magical shows. On the face it was a good deal, but Moreven quickly became frustrated with the Halfling’s mannerisms. Though she craved the attention of admirers, Moreven was not a very sociable person, and found the constant friendly hounding of her traveling companions infuriating. They never seemed to want to stop jabbering on about nothing at all. Things came to a head when Moreven discovered that one of the halflings had been stealing from her purse whilst she was asleep. Swearing off ever working with halflings again, Moreven left the troupe in the same manner that she had left her village–though not before setting one of their carts on fire.

In the next town, Moreven was performing a show in a tavern when she was approached by a woman with horns and a tail, who asked if she would be interested in working together to solve the town’s bandit problem. Morrie had never thought of applying her now well-developed sorceress’ abilities to adventuring, but the woman assured Moreven that she was one of the most talented young spellcasters around. Moreven had come to love her life of performing, but realized she would never make enough to pay for more than food and a room before needing to move on to another town. Adventuring would give her an opportunity to make some real money. And besides–nothing was stopping her from performing in the towns they visited.

Moreven quickly showed an aptitude for the life of an adventurer. There was gold to be had, and she wanted a piece of it. Moreven and her band were very successful, and when they heard rumors of a secret cathedral to an evil god which was filled with unbelievable treasures, they set out looking for it immediately. It took some doing, but they eventually found the cathedral buried in a cliff side, managed to sneak in, but what they found was not gold and gems. What they found was a necromatic hellhouse. They saw people held in cages, fed to undead monsters to make them strong, necromancers sewing bits of corpses together to create unholy abominations, and numerous other horrors which should not be spoken of.

Moreven was disgusted by the blatant display of evil before her. Egging her compatriots on, the party descended on the cultists, and sent them to their dark god. Once the grisly work was done, there was little treasure to be found, though the freed prisoners managed to pool a few dozen gold pieces in thanks. What Moreven was able to find was a clue to the location of another cathedral, and she insisted that the party investigate. They did, and found the location to be much the same, in both the level of evil, and the level of treasure. The party wanted to move on to more profitable ventures, but Moreven pushed them to continue hunting the undead and the necromancers who create them.

For a time, the party humored her. She was a valuable sorcerer, and surely one of the temples would have treasure more valuable than the few baubles they’d been able to gather so far. Meanwhile, Moreven was becoming more obsessed with fighting and destroying these horrible monsters. She began to study their craft, guiding her own sorcerous development into the necromatic magics, to better combat her hated foes.

Eventually, Moreven’s increasing desire to hunt undead rather than seek out treasure caused the group to part ways amicably. Moreven now travels on her own, moving from town to town as a performer, and listening intently for any rumors which would point to any nearby bastion of necromancy.

Personality
Moreven craves the attention of an adoring crowd, but in more intimate social situations she’s a recluse. She prefers not to be hassled by peoples problems, or even their genuine interest in her. She’s not completely without social graces, though, and can maintain a conversation if she needs to. She simply prefers not to need to.

Tactics
Moreven has become remarkably adept with Necromancy spells, and with the help of a powerful magic item (the Skull of Necromatic Mastery) she is able to attack her opponents using negative energy spells from even a great range. She does, however, keep a few conventional evocation spells at hand if necromancy fails her.

Being a performer, Moreven has a large number of spells which are primarily useful for entertaining a crowd. She often uses these spells to confuse or distract her enemies in combat.

Thoughts on Use
If all you need is something to spice up a small town, then adding Moreven as a traveling entertainer can do that. Having a sorceress casting flashy spells in the background of a scene can add depth and flavor to a game world.

In a more serious context, Moreven has become somewhat renowned as an “Undead Hunter.” She can be sought out by PCs in this capacity to offer advice, or other assistance in hunting and destroying undead.

Moreven The Sorceress (CR 3)
XP: 25.600
Female Human Sorceress 14
CG humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 15, Flat Footed 13, Touch 15 [10 + Dex(2) + Robes of Deflection (3)]
hp 79 (14d6 +28)
Fort +6 Ref +8 Will + 12

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Undying Staff – 4 (1d0/18-20 x2)
Ranged Light Crossbow + 2 (1d8/19-20 x2)(80ft)
Sorcerer Spells (CL 14th; Concentration +18; +2 save DC for Necromancy spells; +4 to overcome spell resistance)
7th (3/day)– Reverse Gravity
6th (5/day)– Acid Fog, Symbol of Fear, Undeath to Death, True Seeing
5th (6/day)– Waves of Fatigue, Cone of Cold, Seeming, Overland Flight
4th (7/day)– Dimensional Door, Arcane Eye, Ice Storm, Fear, Rainbow Pattern
3rd (7/day)– Explosive Runes, Gentle Repose, Ray of Exhaustion, Flame Arrow, Fireball, Dispell Magic
2nd (7/day)– Ghoul Touch, Command Undead, Pyrotechnics, Spider Climb, Invisibility, Whispering Wind
1st (7/day)– Magic Missile, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Ventriloquism, Floating Disk, Identify
0 (at will)– Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Mage Hand, Light, Ghost Sound, Touch of Fatigue, Prestidigitation
Bloodline Arcane
Bloodline Arcana
Whenever you apply a metamagic feat to a spell that increases the slot used by at least one level, increase the spell’s DC by +1. (Does not stack, does not apply to Heightened Spell.)
Bloodline Powers
Arcane Bond — Able to summon a familiar.
Metamagic Adept (3/Day) — May use a metamagic feat without increasing a spell’s casting time.

Stats

Str 11 (+0) Dex 15 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 14 (+2) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 19 (+4)
Base Atk +7/2; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Eschew Materials, Spell Focus (Necromancy), Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy), Metamagic: Extend Spell, Metamagic: Maximize Spell, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Combat Casting, Improved Counterspell, Iron Will
Skills Bluff (+21), Knowledge (Arcana)(+19), Spellcraft(+19), Knowledge (Religion/Undead) (+19)
Languages Common, Elven, Gnoll
Gear Robes of Deflection +3, Light Crossbow, Bag of Holding, 100ft of silk rope, 10 days of rations, crowbar, bedroll, spyglass, the preserved right arm and left leg of a full grown gnoll, Undying Staff, Skull of Necromatic Mastery

New Item: Undying Staff

Moreven’s signature staff was acquired when I ran her and her fellows through the Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 module The Standing Stone. It is constructed from humanoid bones wired together into a single piece. The staff has 1 charge of Animated Dead, and 2 charges of Create Undead. Moreven had a smith modify it to mount a blade on the end, allowing it to serve double-duty as a glaive.

New Item: Skull of Necromatic Mastery

This mysterious and ornate skull is immensely powerful. Any caster who possesses it is able to cast their Necromancy spells with an additional range of 60ft. This range increase includes spells with a range of “touch,” which allows the Necromancer in question to use frighteningly powerful spells without putting themselves in direct confrontation with their target.

Familiar: Weasel, the Weasel

Tiny Animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
AC 22, touch 14, flat footed 20 [10 + Dex(2) + natural(8) + size(2)]
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +1
Speed 20ft, Climb 20ft
Melee bite +4 (1d3 – 4 plus attach)
Space 2 and 1/2 ft.; Reach 0ft
Str 3 Dex 15 Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 5
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 6 (10 vs. trip)
Feats Weapon Finesse, Alertness
Skills Acrobatics +10, Climb +10, Escape Artist +3, Stealth +14
SQ: Attach (Ex) When a weasel hits with a bite attack, it automatically grapples its foe, inflicting automatic bite damage each round.
Familiar Special Abilities Share Spells, Empathic Link, Deliver Touch Spells, Speak with Master, Speak with animals of its kind, Spell resistance, Scry on Familiar, Improved Evasion

Colorful Characters 13: Maedhar Krekpe

Note: I’m considering supplementing Colorful Characters with some other features. Something like “Malevolent Monsters”, or “Amazing Artifacts.” Just to give myself some more options on what to post on a Friday/Saturday. Let me know in the comments if you would like more variety like that, or if you’d prefer Colorful Characters remain a weekly feature.

Maedhar Krekpe was born in a massive city to an affluent merchant family. He was always a thin, bookish child, and excelled in the expensive private academies his family sent him to. He decided very early on in life that he wanted to become a Wizard, and worked hard to pursue that goal. He applied to the magic academy when he was eleven. His aptitude was so impressive, that one of the test administrators offered him the opportunity to become her personal apprentice. An offer the young boy accepted eagerly.

They boy excelled in his studies, which focused primarily on the school of evocation and the practice of alchemy. In the evenings, his teacher–an elderly woman, with leathery skin and calloused hands–would tell him stories about her life as an adventurer. Tales of goblin tribes and slain dragons. Some were perhaps exaggerated, but they none the less filled the young students head with visions of himself as a traveling wizard, using his skills and knowledge to triumph over evil, and rescue a village in the process.

Maedhar grew, and learned, and when he was 28 he joined a small group of adventurers as a fully certified Wizard. The group went on a number of adventurers together, and in many ways it was just as Maedhar had imagined. He never managed to slay any dragons, but he did stop a tribe of orcs which was stealing pigs from an outlying village. After a couple years on the road with his companions, the group heard that a barbarian tribe was poaching in the King’s forest, and took it upon themselves to bring the uncivilized brutes to justice.

They scoured the forest for a week before finding the tribe’s encampment. They contemplated whether or not to attempt diplomacy, but the party’s leader–a cleric with much more experience than the rest of the group–decided that it wasn’t likely enough to work for them to sacrifice the element of surprise. They made plans, and launched a surprise attack.

They were slaughtered.

Maedhar awoke days later, bound in a tent. He wasn’t sure why he had been spared, because the last thing he remembered was seeing his compatriots hacked to pieces by the masterful barbarian warriors. He waited, unable to move, for some time before anyone came to check on him. The barbarian spoke a few words, but Maedhar didn’t understand his language. Then the barbarian pointed to Maedhar’s ring–which depicted a bear–and then to his own chest, which was tattooed with the silhouette of a roaring bear. Apparently the tribe viewed him as somehow connected to them, and had decided to spare him. At least, for a little while.

He was then unbound, and led through the village to a large hut, where a middle aged woman sat on a large chair. He was made to sit on the ground before her, while she questioned him in broken common. He gathered that they were the Tribe of the Dire Bear, and that she was their matriarch. They did not understand that this was the King’s forest, and did not accept that they were not allowed to hunt here.

During his questioning, Maedhar heard wet, sickly coughing from the corner. He looked, and saw a young boy laying on a mat on the ground, sweat covering his forehead. He asked what was wrong with him. The matriarch did not answer at first, staring at him in stony silence, contemplating whether to humor him. Finally she answered that the boy was her son, and that he was very sick. They had been unable to help him with any of their traditional remedies. Maedhar offered his help. Again, the matriarch considered, obviously distrusting of the violent outsider, but eventually allowed him to try.

Maedhar still had a few healing potions with him, given to him by his adventuring companion. He gently poured the magically healing liquid into the boy’s mouth, and he visibly improved instantly. He sat up, and quaffed the rest of the potion in a few large gulps. There was a murmuring in the hut, and the Matriarch approached Maedhar. She kissed him on the forehead, and said.

“Dire Bear send you to help us. You be Clan of Dire Bear now.”

Maedhar wished to return to civilization, but the matriarch would not have it. She said that he must stay with them, for he knew the location of their village. And, after seeing the brutal efficiency with which they fought, the bookish Maedhar was not inclined towards any foolish escape attempts.

It has been three years since Maedhar was accepted into the Tribe of the Dire Bear. In that time he has integrated himself fully into their society. He has married a woman, and has a young child of his own. He no longer wishes to return to civilization, but still views himself as a scholar.

Personality
Maedhar has not lost himself in barbarian culture. He is still a bookish fellow, without much interest in developing himself physically. However, he now holds community and family as paramount values, which he feels civilization has lost sight of.

He speaks boldly, and cares deeply for the members of the Tribe of the Dire Bear. He is also compassionate and welcoming towards outsiders, but is deeply distrusting of them at the same time.

He is always eager to study the spells or scrolls of Wizards he meets. A lack of magical study material is, he says, the only downside to living among the Tribe of the Dire Bear.

Tactics
Maedhar is not a close quarters combatant, and he knows it. In battle, he lets his barbarian compatriots handle the direct combat, while he stays to the side and focuses on buffing them, and casting ranged damage spells such as Scorching Ray and Magic Missile.

If forced to fight alone, Maedhar will prefer to flee. If he can’t, he will cast Mage Armor and Shield, and quaff his Potion of Bear’s Endurance, before attempting to fell his enemies with his offense spells and clumsy dagger thrusts.

Thoughts on Use
Maedhar could show up in a game in a number of different ways. If your adventurers encounter a group of barbarians, the presence of Maedhar can provide an unexpected challenge. Not only is Wizardry an unusually skill to find amongst barbarians, but education is likewise uncommon. If your party is attempting to negotiate with the tribe to get them to leave the lands of Baron Hammak, Maedhar will be able to tell his barbarian cohorts that Baron Hammak is untrustworthy, thanks to his knowledge of the nobility.

Maedhar’s affluent family might also engage the PCs to find their son. They would likely believe him to be dead, but they might have heard tales of the wizard who lives amongst the barbarians.

Maedhar Krekpe (CR 3)

XP: 800
Male Human Wizard 4
LG humanoid
Init +2; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 12, Flat Footed 10, Touch 12 [10 + Dex(2)]
hp 29 (4d6 + 2)
Fort +3 Ref +3 Will + 5

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Silver Dagger + 0 (1d4 – 2/19-20 x2)
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 4th; Concentration +7;)
2nd (3/Day)– Bear’s Endurance, Scorching Ray, Scorching Ray
1st (4/day)– Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Mage Armor, Shield
0 (At Will)– Acid Splash, Flare, Message, Message

Stats

Str 7 (-2) Dex 14 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Wis 13 (+1) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 12
Feats Scribe Scroll, Brew Potion, Metamagic: Empower Spell, Metamagic: Extend Spell
Skills Craft (Alchemy)(+10), Knowledge (Geography)(+10), Knowledge (History)(+10), Knowledge(Nobility)(+10) Spellcraft (+10)
Languages Common, Elven, Gnomish, Tribe of the Dire Bear Tongue
SQ
–Bonded Object: Masterwork quality silver ring, with a bear etched into it and gilded with gold. A single small emerald is set into the ring, serving as the bear’s eye.
—Evocation Specialist. Opposition Schools: Divination, Necromancy
—-Intense Spells: Evocation spells which deal HP damage have their damage increased by 1/2 the caster’s Wizard level.
—-Force Missiles: (6/day) As a standard action, you can unleash a force missile which automatically strikes a foe. The missile deals 1d4 points of damage, plus the damage from Intense Spells. This is a force effect.
Gear Fine Purple Robes, a few pieces of ornate silver jewelry, 2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds, 2 Potions of Bear’s Endurance, Small silver dagger
Spellbook:
Level 0– Resistance, Acid Splash, Daze, Dancing Lights, Flare, Light , Ray of Frost, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Arcane Mark, Prestidigitation
Level 1– Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Mage Armor, Enlarge Person, Feather Fall, Magic Weapon, Shield
Level 2–Bear’s Endurance, Darkness, Gust of Wind, Scorching Ray

Colorful Characters 12: Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth

Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth was born to the aging monarchs of a small human kingdom. The day she was born, a great festival was held for all the people of the kingdom, as it had been thought that the kindly king and queen were too old to produce an heir. These festivities were to last for seven days, but were brought to an early end when the queen–who was greatly loved by her people–died two days after Herea’s birth.

In the absence of his wife, the king doted on their daughter. Were it not for the nannies and tutors helping to raise the girl, he would have spoiled her rotten. Even so, the girl grew up with a somewhat inflated sense of self and an expectation that she could always get what she wanted eventually. Fortunately for her future subjects, these faults were tempered by the girl’s intelligence, and education.

As a child, the future queen became immensely fond of riding, and of mounted combat. The king saw to it that she was trained in each by the finest riders in his kingdom. And each year on her birthday, the king held games in her honor. The winning jouster was awarded a finely crafted mithril lance, presented to them by the young princess herself.

When Herea was 15 years old, her father took ill. The clerics did their best to save him, but the disease was virulent and violent. Every time the king coughed, he sprayed a mist of blood into the air. After several weeks of ineffective casting, he ordered his clerics to stop their attempts to cure him, and he had Herea brought to him. In his final hours, he spoke to the princess on matters of state. And imparted to her all the wisdom he could between hacking coughs, and gasps for breath. He hung on for perhaps a day, and when Herea left his side, she did so as queen.

A few hours of hastily imparted wisdom cannot turn an impetuous teenager into a ruler, however. Herea’s rule has been plagued by misjudgements and a failure to understand the complexities of ruling over a large population. She has at least had the wisdom to delegate more power to her father’s most trusted stewards and advisers. And in the last decade, they have done much of the ruling of the kingdom–though some bear a growing resentment of the child queen they serve.

While she allowed her kingdom to be ruled by others, Herea developed a taste for gambling. A vice which has cost her dearly, and depleted her family’s fortune to critical levels. Now 25, the queen has sworn off gambling, but fears that her grumbling advisers may use her mismanagement of her fortune as an excuse to stage a coup. So in an attempt to rebuild her family fortune, she has been discreetly funding parties of adventurers. She provides the basic equipment which they cannot afford, and in return receives 25-50% of the treasure (negotiated with each individual adventuring party.)

Thus far the venture has been only somewhat successful. Herea is waiting for the right adventuring party to come along, one which she can trust, so she can share with them a map she found amongst her family heirlooms. A map to an ancient treasure which would solve all of her money problems for a long time…

Personality
Herea is smart, but she’s not quick. She’s still a little spoiled as well. She doesn’t take things too seriously, even though her situation is often quite serious. In negotiations, however, she is fierce. A trait no doubt born of her expectation that she will always be able to get her way eventually.

Tactics
Queen Herea is not a combatant. Her best option if attacked is the small dagger she keeps hidden in the folds of her gown. Most of the time, however, the palace guards are more than able to handle anyone who threatens her. If not, she will likely run.

If attacked while mounted, though, Herea may get caught up in the joys of mounted conflict, and fight much more fiercely.

Thoughts on use
She’s a quest giver, da-doy!

For evil characters, she would also make a good assassination target.

Queen Herea Yellinda Quist the Fourth (CR 5)

XP: 1,600
Female Human Aristocrat 7
CN humanoid
Init +1; Senses Perception +0

Defenses

AC 11, Flat Footed 10, Touch 11 [10 + Dex(1)]
hp 29 (6d8 + 0)
Fort +2 Ref +3 Will + 6

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee +4 Bejeweled Dagger +8 (1d4 + 4/19-20 x2)
Ranged +4 Bejeweled Dagger +9 (1d4 + 4/19-20 x2) (10ft.)

Stats

Str 10 (+0) Dex 13 (+1) Con 10 (+0) Int 17 (+2) Wis 9 (-1) Cha 15 (+2)
Base Atk +4; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Skill Focus (Ride), Mounted Combat, Iron Will, Leadership
Skills Appraise (+12), Bluff (+11), Diplomacy (+11), Knowledge (Nobility)(+12), Ride (+13), Sense Motive (+8)
Languages Common, Old Common, Elven
SQ
–Mounted Combat: Once per round when your mount is hit in combat, you may attempt a ride check to negate the hit. The hit is negated is your Ride check result is greater than the opponent’s attack roll.
–Royal Privilege: Any service which can be sourced locally can be purchased at cost. (Half the listed price).
Gear Small Bejeweled Dagger, +4, Amulet of True Seeing, 100gp
Available Funds: Can spend up to 7k on an adventuring party. Prefers not to spend more than 1k. Has a total of 22,000 gold pieces left in treasury. Current taxes and expenditures have the treasury being reduced by an amount of 100gp per day.

Colorful Characters 11: Ione Grear, Disgraced Pilot

Ione was born and raised on Coruscant, in the heart of the Emporer’s new order. His human family prospered when the Old Republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire. They were not wealthy, but they were proud citizens of the Imperium, and raised their children to respect and obey Palpatine’s government. Ione, like his siblings, was encouraged to consider military service. And when he was of age, Ione enlisted in the Imperial Naval Academy.

The academy was a harsh trial for Ione. He had always been heavy, and his instructors were merciless in their disapproval. The young recruit was singled out for additional training many times during his education, often in needlessly cruel ways. Once he was required to undergo an additional hour of exercise in the middle of every sleep cycle for over a month. For his part, Ione rarely complained. Not that he had anyone to complain to. He was not well loved by his classmates, due to his ability to get the entire group marked for half rations, or second laps through the obstacle course.

Despite his difficulties, Ione successfully graduated from the naval academy with the rest of his class. He barely managed to skirt beneath the maximum weight limit, but he was an officer in the Imperial Navy. And like all officers, the first year of his commission was spent in a TIE cockpit. He took great pride in his skills as a pilot, and even volunteered to help the technicians keep his squadron’s TIEs in top fighting shape. His skill and dedication were noticed, and he was given a posting on the Imperial Class Star Destroy Judicator as a TIE Interceptor pilot.

Ione had been stationed on the Judicator for two years when he received word that his family, parents and two younger brothers, had been killed in a speeder crash. His elder sister, also in Imperial service, but stationed on Imperial Center, was arranging the funeral. Ione was crushed by his family’s passing, but could not abandon his duties as an interceptor pilot. He did his best to carry on, but despite his efforts, he began to gain weight as he sought to find some solace in the comforts of food. His commanders were understanding at first, but his weight continued to increase. When disciplinary action failed to curb his eating problem, Ione was dishonorably discharged from his majesty’s service.

Without a career to focus on, but unwilling to abandon his values or his love of ships and flying, Ione took his half of his family’s inheritance and bought a ship. Nothing too impressive, just a little Seinar Fleet Systems scout ship. He also bought a TIE/In Fighter from a black market dealer, and burned through the last of the credits modifying the two in a cheap garage on Corellia. He improved the weapons systems and the speed, as well as adding some minor shield power to the TIE, in exchange for losing some of its maneuverability. The biggest modification was adding a docking clamp to the scout ship, allowing him to carry the TIE with him, and launch it when needed. He self-deprecatingly named the ship Grear’s Folds, and christened the TIE Spitball One.

These days Ione does whatever freelance work he can pick up. Much to his chagrin, this often includes smuggling work, which Ione avoids if at all possible. He prefers to keep his work legal, and still has some friends in the Empire who help him out if there’s ever a freelance Imperial contract to be had.

Personality
Grear is a morose fellow. He’s probably suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression, but he wouldn’t allow himself to blame a medical problem for his outlook even if he could. He’s simply doing his best to get by, even if he sometimes wonders if ‘getting by’ is worth it. Despite being a diehard Imperial, he is not so sexist or xenophobic as most members of the Imperial military. Just the same, ff he happens to encounter rebels, it’s likely he’d attack them in the hopes of going out in a blaze of glory–perhaps even to be remembered by the Empire.

Tactics
Grear is unlikely to engage in combat unless he meets with rebels. If he does find rebels, or is attacked by another aggressor, he will use his flying skills to the best of his ability to defeat his foe, and will not retreat. If the attacking ships attempt to use superior maneuverability to defeat him, he will put Grear’s Fold on auto-pilot, and attack them in Spitball One. If outmatched, he may attempt to trick foes into believing he is defeated by allowing Grear’s Fold to drift powerless through space, only to launch in his TIE when the enemy’s defenses are down.

If attacked outside of his ship, Grear will attempt to escape to the safety of his ship. Or to the safety of his TIE, if Grear’s Fold has been boarded.

Thoughts on Use
Grear and his ship make a great source of transportation for any type of player–though rebels will want to keep their affiliations secret!

Ione Grear
Type Discharged TIE Pilot
Gender/Species Male/Human
Age 32; Height 1.5 meters; Weight 148 kg.
Physical Description Short and squat, with folds of excess weight barely fitting in to his sweat stained and threadbare olive drab uniform.

Dexterity 3D
—Blaster 4D
Perception 3D
Knowledge 2D
Strength 2D
Mechanical 4D
—Starfighter Piloting 5D
—Space Transports6D
—Astrogation 5D
Technical 4D
—Space Transports Repair 6D

Special Abilities None; Force Sensitive No
Move 10
Force Points 1; Dark Side Points 1; Character Points 5

Equipment The Grear’s Fold, Blaster Pistol (4D), 2x Thermal Detonators (10D/8D/5D/2D), Datapad, Comlink, 10,000 credits

The Grear’s Fold
Craft Modified Seinar Fleet Systems “Lone Scout B”
Type Modified Scout Vessel
Scale Starfighter; Length 30 meters
Skill Space Transports – Lone Scout
Crew 1; Passengers 2
Cargo Capacity 150 metric tons; Consumables 6 Months
Hypderdrive Multiplier x1.5; Backup Hyperdrive x10; Nav Computer Yes
Maneuverability 1D; Space 5; Atmosphere 295; 850 kmh
Hull 4D; Shields 2D
Sensors
–Passive 30/1D
–Scan 50/2D
–Search 75/3D
–Focus 5/4D
Weapons
–1 Quad Laser Cannon
–Fire Arc: Front
–Skill: Starship Gunnery
–Space Range: 1-3/12/25
–Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
–Damage: 6D
Droid Pilot Astrogation 4D, Sensors 2D, Space Transports 2D+1, Starship Gunnery 2D, Starship Shields 2D+2

Spitball One
Craft Modified Seinar Fleet Systems TIE/In Fighter
Type Modified Space Superiority Fighter
Scale Starfighter; Length 6.4 meters
Skill Starfighter Piloting – TIE
Crew 1
Cargo Capacity 25 kilograms; Consumables 2 Days
Maneuverability 2D; Space 10; Atmosphere 415; 1200 kmh
Hull 2D; Shields 1D+2
Sensors
–Passive 20/0D
–Scan 40/1D
–Search 60/2D
–Focus 3/3D
Weapons
–2 Laser Cannons (Fire-Linked)
–Fire Arc: Front
–Skill: Starship Gunnery
–Fire Control: 2D
–Space Range: 1-3/12/25
–Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5km
–Damage: 5D

Colorful Characters 10: Khatael Nafleed, Elven Soldier

In the immense forest of Uvnebrie, larger in size than any of the great nations, Lady Tevre is the absolute authority. For centuries she has led her fellow wood elves in the judicious application of law in the largely lawless wilderness. She is a kind and goodly ruler, and freely allows any who wish to pass through the forest in peace to do so unmolested. But if any wrongdoing occurs within the Uvnebrie’s boundaries, Lady Tevre’s network alerts her instantly. What her scouts do not see, her wizard’s wards spells or her cleric’s divinations will catch. And what they do not catch will be whispered to Tevre’s druids by the trees themselves. Nothing happens within Uvnebrie to which the wood elves are not a party.

And when wrongdoing does occur, The Lady’s justice is swiftly carried out by her fearless and loyal warriors. Khatael Nafleed is one such soldier. He has served the lady with a fierce loyalty since shortly after her reign in the forest began, as one soldier amongst thousands. And he has always been happy in his role as a bringer of justice, and as a vassal to the Lady Tevre. Like many of her subjects, Khatael loves her as his queen.

Some few decades past, Khatael was part of a team sent to dispatch a necromancer. The fool human had thought he could twist the forest’s creatures into fearsome undead predators, and avoid The Lady’s justice with his simple concealment spells. The battle was bloody. The necromancer had managed to corrupt a number of wolves and bears, and bend them to his service. Four elves were lost, but the Necromancer was felled, and his abominations put properly to rest.

This was the most significant altercation within the forest boundaries in several decades, so lady Tevre herself came to survey the damage that had been done. She sent her honor guard to help gather the corpses of the corrupted animals for burning, and knelt in prayer beside each of the four elven corpses, wishing them a speedy journey to the afterlife. As she prayed, an undead wolf, who had escaped the earlier fighting, bounded into the clearing. The monster made to leap upon the elven queen, but Khatael ran between them, taking a vicious bite to his face before a volley of arrows ended the wolf’s unnatural life.

Lady Tevre herself helped Khatael onto her horse, and for Oakshead Fortress, her stronghold in this section of Uvnebrie. She pushed her horse forward without rest, but even so it took the better part of a day for her to get the wounded soldier to the healers at the citadel. The healers were able to stop Khatael from worsening, but were unable to completely heal his wounds. The bite-marks of the undead wolf had been suffused with necromatic magics. They would remain as black craters in the soldier’s skin for the rest of his life. For his part, Khatael viewed the wounds as a badge of honor.

The healers would not release Khatael for two weeks, until they were certain they had done everything they could for his wounds. Once free of the healers, he was immediately summoned to appear before lady Tevre, who had since withdrawn to her primary stronghold of Forestheart Citadel. When he arrived, she offered her personal thanks for saving her life. And, in recognition of his devotion to his duties, she granted him the rank of Captain, and gave him command of a dozen soldiers. Finally, as a personal gift given in gratitude, she gave him a rapier which had belonged to a very dear human friend and companion, who had died long before she had become ruler of Uvnebrie.

In the time since, Khatael has led the elves under his command on many successful campaigns throughout the forest. They were the first to discover that some more of the necromancer’s animals had gotten loose, and spread their corruption to others in the forest, and were on the forefront of the battle to eliminate the monsters. They also routed the attacks of several drow raiding parties. Perhaps what Khatael is best known for is his defeat of the Great Forest Worm, a colossally sized vermin which destroyed whole acres of trees before it was killed.

Personality

Khatael’s only concern is his service to the Lady Tevre and her goals. He is utterly, and ruthlessly indifferent to all other concerns. He considers any problems outside of the Uvnebrie forest to be of no importance to him. He lacks even the foresight to see which outside problems could potentially spread to become problems within Uvnebrie. However, if a clear argument is made, demonstrating how an outside problem will soon affect Unvebrie, he may be willing to listen. However, he is still likely to conclude that any problems can be dealt with once they reach the forest.

Tactics

Khatael is a master of both the blade and the bow, and can engage in armed combat of any kind comfortably. He is significantly more skilled as an archer, however, and often prefers to snipe his enemies from a great distance. While fighting within the borders of Unvebrie, he will never give up. He may retreat temporarily to tend to wounds or to formulate a plan, but he will never remove himself so far that he might lose track of where his foe is.

Thoughts on Use

Khatael could be used during any encounter with wood elves. If the PCs are working in the interest of a forest, Khatael could be a very useful ally. Though if their actions could be viewed as harmful to a forest, Khatael and the elves under his command (Rangers & Fighters of levels 5-8) could make deadly foes. It’s also worth noting that Khatael is the type who could easily become overzealous in his duty. While his patroness is Lawful Good, Khatael himself is Lawful Neutral. He may be of the opinion that it is simply better to never let anyone into the forest, rather than risk allowing them to harm it.

Interesting Facts

This character was largely randomly generated. Dice were rolled to determine everything from gender, to class. Stats were rolled organically (thank goodness they matched up with the class!) Number, type, and specific magic items in his possession were likewise rolled. I drew magic cards randomly from my green collection to determine events in his past, and what type of personality he was. Even his name is based off items in a randomly selected pages of randomly selected books.

Khatael Nafleed, Elven Soldier (CR 10)

XP: 6,400
Male Elven Fighter 11
LN humanoid
Init +8; Senses Perception +6, Low Light Vision

Defenses

AC 24, Flat Footed 19, Touch 15 [10 + Armor(9) + Dex(4) + Dodge(1)]
hp 85 (11d10 + 11)
Fast Healing 1
Immunities Sleep effects, Bleeding
Fort +8 Ref +7 Will + 4 (+6 v. Enchantments)(+7 v. Fear)

Offense

Speed 30ft
Melee Rapier of Puncturing +17/+12/+7 (1d6 + 5/18-20 x2)
—–Special(Wounding): Successful hits also deal 1 point of bleed damage. Damage stacks, applied at the start of each turn.
—–Special(Puncturing): 3/day, wielder may make a touch attack with the weapon to deal 1d6 points of CON damage.
Ranged Composite Longbow +21/+16/+11 (1d8 + 10/x3)(100ft)

Stats

Str 16 (+3) Dex 19 (+4) Con 12 (+1) Int 13 (+1) Wis 8 (-1) Cha 15 (+2)
Base Atk +11/+6/+1; CMB +14; CMD 28
Feats Dodge, Iron Will, Lunge, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Longbow), Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Specialization (Longbow)
Skills Perception (+6), Intimidate (+16), Stealth (+10), Survival (+13) [Armor Check Penalty: -2]
Languages Common, Elven
SQ
–Weapon Training 2: +2 to Bows, +1 to Light Blades
—Lunge: You can increase the reach of your melee attacks by 5ft for one turn by taking a -2 penalty on AC until your next turn.
–Quick Draw: Draw weapon as a free action.
—Point Blank Shot: +1 attack and damage for ranged weapons on targets within 30ft
–Far Shot: Range penalties reduced by half
–Precise Shot: No penalties for shooting into melee
–Rapid Shot: Make one extra ranged attack. Both attacks suffer a -2 attack roll penalty.
Gear +3 Composite Longbow (Str Rating +3), 50 arrows, Rapier of Puncturing (PFCR Pg. 474), Ring of Regenration (PFCR Pg. 462), Gem of Seeing (PFCR Pg. 514), Iron Flask (PFCR Pg. 521), Masterwork Full Plate Armor, 50ft of fine elven rope, three days worth of rations, a warm cloak, 80gp.

Colorful Characters 9: Raughm Saltbeard

Like all members of the Saltbeard clan, Raughm, son of Thulas, was born with stark white hair. And, also like all firstborn men of the Saltbeard clan, it was ordained that Raughm would join the clergy of Moradin. During his early life, Raughm met those expectations without complaint or incident. Though he had no skill as a scholar of Moradin’s teachings, he served his clan will with his simple wisdom, devotion to duty, and loyalty. He did not stand out amongst dwarven folk, for good or for ill.

Shortly after Raughm entered his second century, the stronghold of the Saltbeared clan was visited by travelers. They were dirty from the road, and claimed to be refugees from the Greenstone Clan, who lived far to the south in the jungle of Dejich. Their mountain stronghold, they said, had been destroyed by a great shaking of the earth. Only two score of Greenstone dwarves remained, and they asked whether they might be allowed to settle amongst the Saltbeards, as their numbers were too few to continue as a clan of their own. The Saltbeards, being an amicable people, accepted the Greenstone clan as full citizens.

The next few decades proceeded very normally for both clans. They mined for precious ores, forged weapons and armor of great beauty, and warred against goblins and orcs whenever the opportunity arose. The two clans had been living as one for thirty years before the woman approached Raughm. She was a Greenstone named Ryllen, and a picturesque example of dwarven nobility. At first she was simply flirtatious, flattering the simple dwarf. As the months progressed, though, she became more aggressive. She told Raughm that, for the good of her people, she wanted to be wed to him. Despite living together as a single clan for decades, the Saltbeards had been wary of endangering the white beards they were so proud of by becoming bonded with the Greenstones. It was Ryllen’s hope that seeing a “respected and honored paragon of Saltbeard values,” such as Raughm, wed to a Greenstone noble would break the taboo.

Raughm was excited to have the attentions of such a beautiful dwarven woman, and immediately agreed to the wedding. Ryllen had one stipulation, however, which she insisted Raughm meet before they announce their bonding plans. There were two items of great importance to the Greenstone clan which had been left behind in their destroyed stronghold. She would need Raughm’s help to retrieve them. Only them would she wed him. The task seemed minor enough, and Raughm agreed to accompany her on her quest.

The journey south to the Dejich Jungle was a long and difficult one. Raughm had never been more than a few miles from the Saltbeard clan stronghold before, and found the increasingly humid temperatures nearly unbearable. The two faced many challenges along the road, and Raughm grew ever more devoted to Ryllen during their journey. Finally, after six months of travel, the two reached their goal. The Greenstone clan stronghold. Just as the Greenstones had claimed, the mountain had split violently down the middle. Raughm wondered about what violent force could possible caused such destruction.

The two entered cautiously, and made their way through the crumbling hallways to Ryllen’s former chambers. A wooden shelf lay cracked and broken on the ground, exposing a stairway behind it. The two descended down into what appeared to be a hidden chamber. Ryllen gleefully ran over to some skeletal dwarven remains. She removed some unusual hide armor, and a great warhammer, from the corpse. Believing their great journey to be at an end, Raughm asked if these were the heirlooms they had been seeking. In response, Ryllen smashed him in the side of the head with the hammer.

Ryllen left him there to die. And as he lay bleeding on the ground, he called out to Moradin for aid. But no answer came from the All Father. Instead, the room began to warp and twist, the stone trembling. A bloody mist seeped into the room, and coalesced into the form of a 10ft tall dwarf. It spoke in a booming voice, sputtering acid onto poor Raughm as it spoke.

“Your weakling god cannot hear you here, cleric. I have profaned this room, which my servant brought you to. The hated dwarf god is blind here. But I will help you.”

“Who are you?” Raughm thought, unable to speak. He could feel his extremities growing cold, knew his life would leave him soon.

“I can give you back your life. I can grant you vengeance against she who betrayed you. I can make you my champion…all you must do is agree to serve under the sign of the Dead Mountain. I am Agg. Enthrall your will to mine and you will live.”

Raughm was no scholar, but he knew of Agg of the Dead Mountain. No god was so feared and loathed by dwarven kind. Yet death drew ever nearer, and Raughm was afraid. He found the strength to bloodily sputter the words out of his mouth: “I enthrall my will to Agg, the terrible, of the Dead Mountain. Grant me life. Grant me vengeance…”

Agg drew in a deep breath, and exhaled mightily, filling the room with ash. A moment later, Raughm emerged fully healed of his injuries. He had always been a temperate dwarf, but now he felt filled with unholy rage. He ran out the chambers, and through the dwarven citadel. He found Ryllen as she was descending the path leading back into the jungle below. He leaped upon her, taking her by surprise. She never even fought back as he smashed her head into the stone again, and again, and again, leaving nothing but a bloody mess in his hands.

When he stood from his bloody work, Agg was again standing over him.

“Don the armor, and take the weapon, then go forth into the world. Rot the trees and salt the earth. Let nothing grow where you have been.”

Raughm, unable to reject the will to which he had bound himself, merely nodded, and complied. Since that day, hundreds of years ago, Raughm has traveled from village to village doing Agg’s will.

Personality

Even among dwarves, Raughm is quiet. Amongst other races he does not speak at all, because he was never able to master the common tongue. He tries to appear friendly, offering healing to any in need. He often offers his healing spells to poor villages with sick or wounded members, who would otherwise be unable to afford magical healing. Only once Raughm is well loved and allowed to stay in the village, does he begin his work corrupting the land, spoiling the food, eventually forcing the entire village either to move, or to die.

Tactics

Raughm is not the greatest combatant, and avoids direct conflict when he can. If forced to fight, he will use his hammer and his spells as appropriate, but will flee at the first opportunity to do so.

Thoughts on use

Raughm is a good mystery villain, much like Hiles Gorefeet. The mystery can be set up one of two ways: either the characters are in a town whose land is dying, and are tasked with finding the cause. Or, alternatively, the characters can learn of a series of towns which each suffered similar famine-like conditions, and from there learn that the same dwarven cleric visited all the towns.

Raughm Saltbeard (CR 10)

XP: 9,600
Male Dwarf Cleric 11
CE humanoid
Init +0; Senses Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.), Darkvision 60ft

Defenses

AC 14, Flat Footed 16, Touch 16 [10 + Armor(4) + Dex(0) + Size(0)]
hp 96 (11d8 + 33)
Fort +7 Ref +3 Will + 12 [+2 to any save v. poison, spells, or spell-like abilities.]

Offense

Speed 20ft
Melee Deadearth Hammer + 11/6 (2d6 + 3/x3)
Channeled Energy: 6d6 [6/day; Negative Energy; Will DC: 16][May substitute normal effect to heal or harm earthen outsiders]
Prepared Cleric Spells (CL 11th; Concentration +16 [+20 when casting defensively]) (Domain Spell is in Bold)
6th (1 + 1)–Antilife Shell, Harm
5th (3 + 1)–Insect Plague, Unhallowx2, Wall of Stone
4th (4 + 1)– Giant Vermin, Unholy Blight, Cure Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds, Inflict Critical Wounds
3rd (5 + 1)–Contagion, Meld to Stone, Greater Rot, Cure Serious Wounds, Inflict Serious Wounds, Stone Shape
2nd (5 + 1)–Desecrate x2, Death Knell, Undetectable Alignment, Cure Moderate Wounds, Soften Earth and Stone
1st (6 + 1)–Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Inflict Light Wounds, Curse Water, Rotx2, Magic Stone
0 (at will)– Stabalize, Create Water, Purify Food and Drink, Light
Domains Destruction, Earth
Domain Powers
Acid Dart (Sp)(8/day): As a standard action, attack a foe within 30ft with an acid dart as a ranged touch attack. Dart deals 1d6 + 1/cleric level damage.
Destructive Smite (Su)(8/day): Melee attack gains damage bonus equal to 1/2 of cleric level. (5) Must be declared prior to making the attack.

Stats

Str 13 (+1) Dex 11 (+0) Con 16 (+3) Int 4 (-3) Wis 20 (+5) Cha 13 (+1)
Base Atk +8/+3; CMB +9; CMD 19 (23 v. Trip & Bull Rush)
Feats Skill Focus (Diplomacy), Combat Casting, Extend Spell, Quicken Spell, Extra Channel, Elemental Channel (Earth)
Skills Appraise -4 (-2 for precious metals & gemstones), Diplomacy +25, Perception +5 (+7 with regards to stonework.)
Languages Dwarven
Gear Famine Hide Armor, Deadearth Hammer, Holy Symbol of Agg of the Dead Mountain, Four potions of Cure Critical Wounds, Ring of the Ram (PFCR Pg. 482), Glove of Storing (PFCR Pg. 515), Wineskin filled with Blackberry Wine, Wineskin filled with Acid, 250 gold pieces

New Spells

Rot
School Necromancy; Level cleric 1, Sorcerer/Wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell draws the nutrients from whatever it is cast upon. A pot of stew or plate of food can become fetid and unpalatable. A single tree, shrub, or other plant can will wither and die. A patch of ground with a roughly 10ft radius from the caster can be rendered completely barren for three weeks, killing all but the most hardy plants growing there.

Greater Rot
School Necromancy; Level cleric 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range Touch
Target Food, earth, or plant
Duration Instantaneous
Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)
This spell functions as Rot, but with greater range. Greater Rot could be used to spoil an entire store room of food, or all the food in a decently sized kitchen. It can be used to kill 3d6 trees or shrubs, so long as they are within 50ft of each other. If cast upon the ground, Greater Rot causes an area in a 30ft radius to be rendered completely barren for two months.

New Equipment

Famine Hide Armor
Aura Strong Necromancy; CL 12th
Slot Armor; Price 18,900 gp; Weight 25lb.
This armor appears to be normal Hide armor, though it is somewhat discolored. The hide used to create this armor was harvested from an animal who died due to famine. Once a week, this +2 Hide Armor allows its wearer to drain all nutrients from an area of earth up to 100 square feet in size. This process takes a minute, and grants the armor’s wearer full health when it completes. The land will remain completely barren for a year.
Requirements Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Circle of Death, Hide of an animal killed by famine. Cost 11,750gp

Deadearth Hammer
Aura Strong Transmutation; CL 13th
Slot none; Price 50,320 gp; Weight 16 lb.
This +2 Heavy Warhammer (two handed martial weapon, 2d6 damage for medium creatures) is crafted from stone harvested from the heart of a mountain, magically strengthened to be as hardy as steel, though much heavier. The 4ft long handle is crafted of mithril, with a leather grip. Once per month, the hammer may be smashed into the ground to cause an earthquake, radiating out as much as 2 miles from the hammer’s impact.
Requirements: Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Move Earth; Cost 25,320 gp

New Deity: Agg of the Dead Mountain

Magmaheart, The Stonebreaker
Lesser Deity
Symbol A mountain on one side. On the back side is a mountain split in two.
Alignment Chaotic Evil
Worshipers Evil dwarven cultists
Domains Destruction, Earth, Chaos, Evil, Fire, Maddness
Favored Weapon Warhammer
Agg was once a celestial revered by the dwarves, called Aggonem. In ages long past Aggonem entered into a great battle with the demon hordes of the abyss. Details of the battle are not known, but it is said that he fought on tirelessly for years, as only a celestial could. After long ages of war, Aggonem was brought low by the demons. A demon general stepped forward, and struck Aggonem’s head from his neck with the celestial’s own warhammer. So strong was the force of Aggonem’s will, though, that his death caused a every demon within a mile to be sucked into a vortex centered on the place of his death. When the screams of the demons had died down, and silence momentarily covered the abyssal battlefield, Agg emerged. The evil god seeks the destruction of all which dwarves hold dear.