• Allowed source materials: All 3.5 books - please name your source for anything outside the PHB so that I don't have to search forever. Dragon materials and such on a case-by-case basis.
• Setting: special. See explanation below.
• Alignment: Any. The obvious rules apply: you must be able to work together, and not harm each other. (You will quickly realise it is for your own good to cooperate with your party members, despite ideological differences.)
• Level: ECL 17, maximum 11 class levels. (In other words, must have at least +6 LA.) Maximum of one template. Racial HD count towards class levels, but you may apply up to half (rounded down) of any racial HD to LA if you so desire.
As an example, we'll build an Ogre Werebear: Take your Ogre (4 HD, +2 LA), use 2 of the ogre's giant HD towards the LA total, bringing it up to +4, and then take the afflicted Lycanthrope template for the additional +2, giving you your required +6 LA. You then apply the remaining 2 giant HD and the 6 bear HD to your class level total (that makes 8), leaving you able to take 3 levels in an actual class. To clarify: the HD are not converted to LA, they are just allowed to count towards the LA requirement. All racial HD are still taken as they normally would. (So the Ogre Werebear in the example would still have 10 racial HD factored into his HP.)
If this is confusing (because it is), please feel free to ask and I will attempt to explain it better or illustrate with more examples.
• Stats: Rolled - 6d20. Use InvisibleCastle's dice roller with the algorithm 1d20.minroll(3) in the "Dice" field. In the "Name" field, enter your username on the RA boards followed by Limbo. (For example, I would enter soudouLimbo.) I will not accept rolls that are not done properly. Scores of 19 or 20 will be adjusted down to 18 with the extra points given to spend into other scores. If the average of your ability scores is less than 10, you qualify for automatic reroll. (Yes, this is a weird and brutal system - but Limbo is a weird and brutal place.)
• Starting Wealth: Standard 17th level (340,000gp, no more than half spent on one item), PLUS one free minor artifact that MUST BE EXPLAINED IN YOUR BACKSTORY. As the official list of such items is very small, you may create your own minor artifact, subject to DM approval.
• Favored classes will work similar to languages. By spending 2 skill points, you may effectively "learn" a new favored class, adding it to the one(s) you already have.
Criteria for Character Selection • Four to six slots. (I may expand this if there are a ton of really good submissions, but I'm concerned that more than six characters might be a bit excessive.)
• As this is meant to be a highly free-range adventure, I will be choosing characters almost entirely on the basis of good backstory and hook generation. (Possible bonus points for playing an interesting or highly exotic race.) Because of this, your character submission need not be an entire fleshed out sheet. Backstory with appearance and personality and a build outline will do fine. For example: Smak Thingkiller, Ogre Werebear Ogre 4 / Bear 6 / Paladin 3 / LA +4 = ECL 17 BackstoryShow
Regarding the Setting: • This game originated as an idea to do a high-level, free-range adventure, where players control the majority of where the game will go. It has blossomed to have its own plot, but I want to stay as true as possible to the original idea. (So you can see where a strong backstory will be important to the campaign.)
• You may use any setting you please for your backstory. Using Limbo as the central point of the campaign allows the game to drift into any setting (including allowing me to try out some elements of a homebrew setting I've been slowly working on).
• Do not worry about getting your character to Limbo if you don't want to. You are all going to be ripped away from your normal lives or quests or whatever and deposited, bewildered, in front of a monolith in the middle of the swirling chaos. That's all I'll say on that for now.
For those whom God to ruin has designed He fits for fate, and first destroys their mind.
Breathe the Fire; Walk the Air; Drink the Earth; Warm your hands at the Water.
Appearance: Standing at 16ft, Taraxis is a towering construct. His weathered plating, though stained, remains unpitted, and despite the years his leonine visage is still stern but kind. His massive frame is dominated by his two heavy arms and long wemic like body with wide, heavy paws. His cool blue gem eyes glow softly.
History: Eons ago the Arch-Mages of Hearn began a war for the entire realm. So great was their power that they fielded vast armies of magical creatures to war for their masters. The war golems of the High Artificer Chem did battle with the aberrations of Fleshweaver Murlaz, the elementals of Evocature Hana, and the undead monstrosities of the Lich Vordac for decades, laying waste to the lands on which they clashed. After a few centuries little was left but battlefields, and the powerful wizards who had created these armies began to die or fade away one by one, leaving their minions to do battle in their name for the rest of existence. Grand Evocature Hana's elemental legions returned to their respective planes as the mages who summoned them fell. Then the aberrations fell to the implacable hands of the construct legions and undead hordes. Finally, over several hundreds of years, the mindless, venal undead were destroyed by the constructs.
Taraxis served as a leader and a siege engine in Chem's legions, loyally fighting his creators war for over a thousand years. When, finally, all of the enemies forces were destroyed, he and the other constructs were left without purpose in a world made nigh unlivable by the unending war. Masterless, they waited for directions that would never come. In time the recovering world wore down many, and others simply became more and more remote until they were more statue than anything else. For his part, Taraxis wondered and explored in his eons after the world spanning conflict. He cast down the ghosts and shadows that remained and tended the slow regrowth of the thoroughly disrupted ecology. He watched massive trees grow from saplings, traced the incredibly slow path of glaciers as they pushed their slow way down mountains, and walked the length and breadth of Hearn many times.
Given eons even an immortal can become bored, and Taraxis was world weary indeed the day he saw the monolith appear. Intrigued by seeing something new, he moved to investigate.
Personality: Taraxis is old beyond calculation, but even when he was young he wasn't a fast thinker. While slow, he ponders things ceaselessly, and experience has taught him that there is nothing he can't accomplish in the fullness of time. This quiet surety is paired with his absolute confidence in what is right, as well as the determination to act on it. Slow to rouse and of nearly endless good humor, The Lion is nonetheless a terrible foe when provoked.
Gender: Male Personality Class: Warforged Charger/Saint/Paladin('forged sub levels)/Warforged Juggernaut (4/2/2/5) Alignment: Lawful Good Race Warforged Charger Level 7 (HD 11) XP
Hit Points: 160 (6d10 5d12 110=172 -12) AC: 35 Touch 18, Flat 35 Init: +0 BAB: +8/+3, Grap +24 Speed: 35 (base 45, Heavy armor) Saving Throws: Fort +25 (+8), Ref +3 (+2), Will +17 (+2) Damge Reduction: DR 2/adamantine, DR 5/magic, DR 5/evil Resistance: 10 fire, 5 Sonic Fast Healing: 2 Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Blindsense 30ft, Low Light Vision Immune to: poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausia, fatigue, exhaustion, sickness, energy drain, Acid, Cold, Electricity, Petrification, to non-lethal damage, Crits and Sneak Attacks, all mind-affecting spells and abilities, death effects and necromancy effects, ability damage and ability drain, effects from spells of the Healing subschool, and cannont benefit from consumable spells and magic items. Does not eat, sleep or breath.
Weapon: Sonic Cone (every 1d4 rounds) Save: DC 27 Range: 30ft Damage/Crit: 6d8 Sonic Weapon: Armor Spikes Attack Bonus: +22/+17 Damage/Crit: 1d8+16 20x2 Weapon: Charge Atack Attack Bonus: +29 Damage/Crit: 6d6+27 20x2 +1d6 lightening +1d6 non-lethal (+1d6+1 to Evil, 1d8+1d4 to Evil Undead/Outsiders, and Golden Ice) Weapon: Slam x2 Attack Bonus: +25/+25 Damage/Crit: 2d6+19 20x2 +1d6 lightening +1d6 non-lethal (+1d6+1 to Evil, 1d8+1d4 to Evil Undead/Outsiders, and Golden Ice) Weapon: Secondary Claw Attack x2 Attack Bonus: +17/+17 Damage/Crit: 1d6+8 20x2 +1d6 lightening (+1d6+1 to Evil, 1d8+1d4 to Evil Undead/Outsiders, and Golden Ice) Weapon: Secondary Gore Attack Attack Bonus: +17 Damage/Crit: 2d6+8 20x2 +1d6 lightening (+1d6+1 to Evil, 1d8+1d4 to Evil Undead/Outsiders, and Golden Ice)
Misc Size: Huge Age: thousands of years Height: 16' Weight: 3480lbs Eyes: blue pools of light Hair: none, but a light blue halo Skin: Tarnished but smooth adamantine plates, ancient grey weathered livewood
Languages: Common (plus the permanent Tounges effect)
Feat: Power Attack Book/Page Ref PHB:feats Description: trade attack bonus for damage bonus, up to BAB, double for two handed weapon Feat: Improved Bull Rush Book/Page Ref PHB:feats Description: no AoO on Bull Rush, +4 to Str check Feat: Admantine Body Book/Page Ref ECS:feats Description: armor bonus of 8, DR 2/adamantine, land speed 20ft, considered to be wearing heavy armor Feat: Powerful Charge Book/Page Ref ECS:feats Description: Deal and extra 3d6 damage on charge Feat: Greater Powerful Charge Book/Page Ref ECS:feats Description: charge bonus damage goes up a catagory, to 4d6 Feat: Sanctify Natural Attack (exalted) Book/Page Ref BoED:feats Description: natural attacks considered good aligned, deal +1 damage to evil creatures, +1d4 to evil outsiders and undead Feat: Touch of Golden Ice (exalted) Book/Page Ref BoED:feats Description: touch, fists, and natural attacks afflict evil targets with Golden Ice (see page 35 BoED) Feat: Favoured of the Companions (exalted) Book/Page Ref BoED:feats Description: gain a +1 luck bonus on any one role 1/day as long as it is part of a good act
Warforged Charger -Age: -1 Str Con Dex, +1 Int Wis Cha -Stat Bonus: +10 Str, +10 Con, -6 Int, -4 Wis, -8 Cha -Large Size (-1 AC, -1 Att, -4 Hide, +4 grapple) -Space/Reach 10ft -Base Speed 30ft (reduced to 20ft by Adamantine Body) -Racial HD 4 -Racial Feats: Adamantine Body, Powerful Charge, and 2 others -Natural Weapons: 2 slams 1d8 -Adamantine Fists(Ex):Slams are considered Adamantine -Adamantine Plating(Ex): +8 armor bonus, 2/adamantine DR -Immune to: poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausia, fatigue, exhaustion, sickness, and energy drain. Does not eat, sleep or breath. -Medium fortification: crit hits/sneak attacks have a 75% chance to fail. -Does not heal naturally. -LA +4
Saint -Type becomes Outsider(native) -Stat Bonus: +2 Con, +2 Wis, +4 Cha -Immune to Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Petrification -Fire Resistance 10 -AC Bonus: Wisdom bonus (+4) -Low Light Vision -Darkvision 60ft -DC +2 to all special attacks, spells, abilities -Fast Healing: 2 (hd/5) -Tounges always in effect -Holy Touch: melee attacks do +1d6 Holy damage vs Evil Creatures (+1d8 vs Evil Undead/Outsiders), and Evil creature that attacks the Saint with a Natural Attack takes the same damage -At will: Guidance, Resistance, Virtue, Bless at 11th (HD) level -Protective Aura: 20ft radius nimbus of light as a free action. Acts as double strength Magic Circle agains Evil and a Lesser Globe of Invlun. -Dr 5/magic, 5/evil -LA +2
Paladin (Warforged sub levels) -Aura of Good -Detect Evil(su) -Smite Construct(su): as Smite Evil, but vs a construct -Smite Evil(su): 1/day -Durable Will(su): Con bonus to Will save -Repair Damage(su): repair (Con bonus x Paladin lvl) HP
Warforged Juggernaut -Armor Spikes(ex): armor spikes, deal 1d8 damage on successful grapple -Expert Bull Rush(ex): add 5 to Str checks for Bull rush, and to Str check to break down doors -Bonus Feat: Powerful Charge -Reserved: -5 to Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Info, and Sense Motive -Charge Bonus(ex): +2 bonus to attack on Charge -Construct Perfection(ex) I, II, III, IV: Immune to non-lethal damage, Immune to Crits and Sneak Attacks, Immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities, Immune to death effects and necromancy effects, Immune to ability damage and ability drain -Extend Charge(ex): +5ft to speed on Charge -Healing Immunity: Immune to effects from spells of the Healing subschool, cannont benefit from consumable spells and magic items -Superior Bull Rush(ex): deal armor spike damage + Str on Bull Rush, if part of a Charge, may also use bonus Charge damage -Bonus Feat: Greater Powerful Charge
Tauric Belt (attached component) -Can apply or remove effect as a standard action that does not provoke an AoO -Size increase from Large to Huge (+8 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, +3 NA, -1 AC, -1 Attack, -4 Hide, +4 grapple) -Land Speed +10ft -Stat Bonus: +4 Str, +2 Con -Gain 2 secondary claw attacks (1d6 damage due to size)
Battlefists (embedded components) 2600gp each, 40000gp for enhancements, total 45200gp -Slam damage increases from 1d8 to 2d6 -Slam treated as bludgeoning and piercing damage -Enhancement bonus of +3 -Merciful: adds 1d6 non-lethal damage, all damage is non-lethal unless wielder otherwise wishes it -Parrying: +1 insight bonus to AC and saves
Ioun Stone, Pale Blue Rhomboid +2 enh Str (orbiting) 8000gp Ioun Stone, Pink Phomboid +2 enh Con (orbiting) 8000gp
Embedded Weapon Prevention System (functions as a Ring of Force Shield) (finger) 8500gp Embedded Energy Barrier (functions as a Ring of Protection +3) (finger) 32000gp Embedded Processing core (functions as a Periapt of Wisdom +6) (neck) 36000gp Embedded Social Interaction Module (functions as a Cloak of Charisma +6) (shoulders) 36000gp Embedded Surge Batteries (functions as Bracers of Lightening) (arms) 11000gp Embedded Maneuver Boosters (functions as Gloves of Dexterity +6) (hands) 36000gp Embedded Battlefield Scanner (functions as Eyes of Truth) (face) 5500gp Embedded Flight System (functions as Horseshoes of the Zephyr) (Shoes) 6000gp Embedded Ramming Horns (functions as a Horned Helm) (Head) 4000gp Wand of CLW (pack, -) 750gp Wand of Restoration, Lesser (pack, -) 750gp
Warforged Repair kit (pack, 5lbs) 50gp Flint & Steel (pack, --) 1gp 5 sheets of paper (pack, --) 2gp Inkpen and ink (pack, --) 8gp 1sp Small steel mirror, (pack, 1/2lb) 10gp
Coins- 1228gp, 2sp, 0cp (pouch, 2lbs)
Item Effects and sources From Races of the Dragon Draconic Grafts- DR 2/magic, all natural weapons considered magic Glaring Eye: +2 to Search and Spot, Blindsense out to 30ft, Immune to Sleep Effects Gleaming Scales: +1 NA, Resistance 5/sonic Metabolic Fire: Breath Weapon-30ft Cone of Sonic energy for 6d8 damage, Ref save for half DC 25, every 1d4 rounds
From the SRD (www.d20srd.org/index.htm) Wand of CLW: 50 charges Wand of Restoration, Lesser: 50 charges Ring of Force Shield: create shield of force as a free action (+2 AC) Horse Shoes of the Zephyr: move without touching the ground
From Magic Item Compendium Bracers of Lightening: as a swift action, all melee attacks are treated as shocking +1d6 Horned Helm: Gain a 1d8 Gore (increased to 2d6 for size) attack as Secondary Natural Attack
Abilities Str 14 [+2] ...06 base (+8 racial) Dex 32 [+11] ...18 base (+10 racial + 4 enhancement) Con 28 [+9] ...14 base (+10 racial + 4 enhancement) Int 22 [+6] ...14 base (+8 racial) Wis 32 [+11] ...18 base (+8 racial + 6 enhancement) Cha 37 [+13] ...18 base (+10 racial + 3 level + 6 enhancement)
Feats - Alertness [Bonus] - Multiattack [Bonus] - Multiweapon Fighting [Bonus] - Combat Reflexes - Weapon Finesse - Touch of Healing (heal 3*highest level healing spell with touch; only up to 1/2 hit points) - Versatile Spellcaster (trade 2 spells of the same level for 1 spell 1 level higher) - Landlord (grants money for a stronghold and matches personal use of money) - Iron Will [Legendary Location, Otyugh Pit (Hadrian)] - Craft Staff [Legendary Location, Heward's Hall (Erd)] - Improved Multiweapon Fighting [Item, Gloves of the Balanced Hand]
Sharn Traits - evasion - spell resistance 20 + 8 class levels - immune mind-affecting spells and abilities - 9 claws (primary 1d6), 3 bites (secondary 2d6) - DR 10/cold iron or lawful - independent action (3 standard + move, full + move, full + standard) - inviolate form - regeneration 2 (lawful) - weapons (wield medium weapons) - hex portals
Wish List Strand of Prayer Beads 25,800 Ankh of Ascension 9,000 Dispelling Cord 1,000 Ring of Enduring Arcana 40,000 Ring of Freedom of Movement 40,000 Third Eye Sense 24,000 Daazzix's Vest 25,000 Ring of Invisibility 20,000 Cloak of Displacement, Minor 24,000
Hadrian (Human, Blackguard Rogue) | Mercenary | NE
Trellis was, before its creation, an unlikely trio of adventurers.
Liandra, the leader, was a Tethyrian noble who had studied at the academy of the arcane at Darromar. Bred on intrigue, the young mage was a natural diplomat and set off on adventure after early graduation from the academy. Pursuing studies beyond those the college was willing to condone, she ended up joining a group of adventurers with...less than perfect morals.
It was within this group that she met Hadrian, a criminal who had only escaped incarceration because of certain connections he had among the nobility. Those ties were actually what brought them together initially (introducing Liandra to the group) and what had eventually led to a romance between the two, despite their differing outlooks.
In all likelihood, were it not for an unfortunate encounter with a couatl, the pair would have eventually married. However, about two years after Liandra had taken up with the adventurers, they encountered one of the winged serpents. Most in the party, like Hadrian, were unrepentant criminals and the creature had few compunctions about attempting to kill them-- Liandra, however, was, if not of the best moral character, still not tainted by her associations.
The couatl, Yllienssis, in a bid to save her from herself, plane shifted the young woman away from the material plane to the House of the Triad. Needless to say, this action, combined with a suitably pompous speech, did very little to endear Liandra to the location she was sent or the outsider. However, with no way home and very little in the way of supplies, there wasn't much that she could do about it.
For the next several weeks the young woman worked upon the plane in an attempt to gather the gold required to return to the material plane. While that wasn't an inconsequential sum, it should have been well within her means, yet it seemed as if every time she accumulated it another debt would spring up.
Finally, after this had happened for the fourth time, she grew frustrated and began to search for allies. It didn't take long for her to run into a bard who was experiencing many of the same roadblocks that she herself had encountered, though he seemed to be suffering more for his presence on the plane. Introducing himself as Erd, the pair soon decided to make their way out of the cities of Celestia and attempt to find a portal.
The trials that they encountered lasted for the better part of a year, the pair growing closer until Liandra finally gave in and kissed him, Hadrian forgotten for the moment. Unfortunately, the close contact was enough to bypass the illusion that Erd had been using and reveal a very female form, a shock that shook the young mystic theurge to the core.
It took nearly a week for Erd to convince Liandra to talk to him (or her) again and forgiveness required another week plus the unvarnished truth and a demonstration, revealing his true form as a song dragon. Unwilling to lose her only real companionship, Liandra reluctantly began their travels again, attempting to ignore the redoubled courting of her sometimes female companion.
It was only after another six months on the peaceful plane, during which Erd finally wore down the resistance of the noblewoman, that Liandra finally learned how to send a message beyond the bounds of the planes. And while she was reluctant due to the circumstances, she eventually called upon Hadrian and worked out a plan by which they could attempt to leave through the portal that would open as he stepped out from the Astral Plane.
While the plan would ultimately work, it did result in the trio being chased by archons upset at the "desecration" of their plane by Hadrian. (As the young man had, since the split between himself and Liandra, been consorting with demons, devils, and yugoloths in an attempt to get back to her.) The month that they spent battling archons and travelling through the planes was hectic enough that odd love triangle did not immediately come out, though it was on Liandra's mind for most of that time.
It wasn't until they were back upon the Material Plane that the issue came to a head, both Hadrian and Erd reaching for the woman simultaneously. Upon receiving a reluctant confirmation of the relationship from Liandra on both parts, the pair nearly came to blows and only held back because of the noble's threats and cajoling. (Hadrian, if truth be told, wasn't entirely upset at the idea... up until he found out that their beautiful travelling companion was actually male.)
The trio continued to adventure as they worked through the odd relationships, with Liandra playing peacemaker between Erd and Hadrian. Occassionally, the mage would share the tent of one, at other times the other, however, she was scrupulously fair about the issue and they fell into an uneasy, bickering truce.
The following years would see the group chased by jealous female song dragons (irked that one of the rare male song dragons would take up with a human), track down and be tracked by the Yllienssis the couatl, and even encounter and thwart the former adventuring companions of Liandra and Hadrian. (Which was followed up by assisting them in another endeavor after that one was foiled.)
It was only when the group ventured into the ruins of Myth Drannor that they would finally come to an end... and a new beginning. While battling the devils in the ruins, the group retreated into the exact center of the city, a long buried building revealed by a magical earthquake. The center and unknown to them the location of the damaged mythal which had once protected the City of Beauty.
Within the center of the chamber lay a magnificent staff that immediately caught the attention of the three adventurers. As their enemies moved in to strike, Liandra finally identified the item as a Staff of the Magi and immediately rushed forward to grab it, calling out to Hadrian and Erd to do the same. The wave of spells that were unleashed at the group when the devils saw that staff would have overwhelmed the artifact and caused its destruction, were it not for the mythal itself.
Seizing upon the magic of the artifact, the released spells and spell-like abilities of the devils, and the protective enchantments of the trio themselves, the mythal cast the three out of the plane and into the roiling miasma of the Dark Disaster.
When they emerged from that demiplane, it was as a single being, albeit three separate consciousnesses. Of their original possessions, they had only a few items, most having been destroyed in the explosion of energy as were the devils. However, the staff that had caused the odd change remained pristine, fully charged and crackling with energy.
Since that time, the Sharn comprised of Liandra, Erd, and Hadrian has most often gone by the name of Trellis. Erd and Hadrian continue to snipe at each other and Liandra maintains the peace, however, when it is necessary, they are able to work in concert.
Enemies:
Female Adult Song Dragons (Shimmer, Sparkle, Sheen - clutchmates, who agreed to share)
Couatl Sorcerer 7 (Yllienssis)
Archons of Celestia
Devils of Myth Drannor
Scyialla's Alabastar Army (former adventuring group, sometime allies)
Born among the nobility of Tethyr, Liandra Trellisbane took in intrigue and deception with her mother's milk and acquired an inherent sense of justice and a desire to do good in this world from a father she almost never saw. With most of the wealth of her family coming from her mother's side, the young woman grew up with a respect for the defense of those fortunes and the family's reputation by Elliana Trellisbane. The woman was a noble through and through, yet she always took the time out for her daughter and endeavored to teach her everything she would need to know as her heir.
Her father on the other hand, with his constant travels was seldom seen by the young girl and later young woman. A knight of some reknown, he had wooed and won her mother when younger and still settled in the capital with the home guard. Rumored to have the celestial blood lines of the Seldarine within his veins, he could do little wrong at home or within the ranks. However, shortly after the birth of his daughter, Mitam Seldine advanced far enough to indulge a wander lust that had not previously been apparent. While it was not doubted that his actions enhanced the greater good and seldom received anything but praise, at home, they had the opposite effect, causing Liandra to grow to resent the so frequently absent presence of her father.
While the lands that her family owned were technically on and near the Omlardin mountains far to the east, Liandra seldom saw them with the exception of the occassional vacations out to the country. By far, the majority of her childhood saw her within and around the city of Darromar, most frequently at court with her mother.
A precocious child, she picked up many of the skills that were so essential to success among the infighting nobles of Tethyr by the time she was twelve. It was also around this time, as she was making the transition into her teenage years, that she began to fight against her own nature, seeing in it the father that was so frequently absent. While she was never in any trouble that most nobles would have seen as wrong, in her father's eyes life at court was corrupting her and Mitam began to pressure his wife to send her back to the ancestral lands, away from the influence of her peers.
Eventually, the pair reached a compromise, and Liandra was instead sent to the academy of the arcane in Darromar at the age of 13. While she still saw her mother, their time together was much reduced, increasing the latent anger she felt towards her father, despite finding that she enjoyed her studies. As she the years passed, she rapidly picked up the basics of the arcane arts and proceeded beyond them, continuing to hone the skills that her mother had taught her and more. Adding spells that enhanced her own abilities or replaced those that she didn't have, Liandra began to dabble in more direct espionage-- going so far as to begin stealing from her fellow nobles, occassionally on a lark with friends and more frequently in preparation for her majority and simply to prove to herself that she could.
For during her studies, she began to understand the forces that compelled her father and herself to good acts. Studying the genealogy of her family led to validation of the tie to the celestials of the Seldarine, a bloodline which she began to see as a form of compulsion, a curse that restricted her own free will. Her own studies were largely centered upon charms, compulsions, and other spells that would give her advantage in the game of houses that the nobility played and it was difficult not to see that mirrored in herself.
It was during her 16th year, however, that Liandra would put aside her theoretical studies, and indeed the arcane arts themselves for a time. Her mother, always healthy up to this point, began to sicken, a slow wasting disease that seemed to resist the influence of the typical cleric's magics. While she seemed in no immediate risk of death, it was not long before she could no longer stay at court, and was forced to retire to their lands in the country.
Liandra, convinced that there was a solution to the problem, abandoned her direct studies of the arcane and began to research the concept of divine law and the magic of the gods. It did not take her long at that point to stumble upon a philosophical concept that let her tap into the very laws that guided the divine and allowed the gods to grant their petitioners power. In the same manner that she had applied her energies over the years to her arcane studies, the young mage began to delve into this new source of power... and then began to go beyond, weaving together the arcane and the divine in a manner her teachers had seldom seen prior to this.
No longer willing to be constrained by the dictates of the school, even as much as she had listened in the past, Liandra petitioned for early graduation in order to continue her studies on her own, with no interuptions and fewer questions. Her studies already far beyond those of most graduates a decade older than her, there was little opposition to granting the request, and Liandra was shortly left on her own-- only to feel the cursed wanderlust of her father shortly after.
Raging against the dictates of her blood, she fought the compulsion with every iota of her considerable will power. However, in the end, she failed and was forced to travel...
Hadrian was Liandra's lover before (and after) she began travelling the planes. During the time that she was gone, he abandoned the adventuring group that he had been traveling with in order to pursue her. In that pursuit, he began to make deals with dark powers that promised him her back, though few followed through.
He eventually became a blackguard in the service of Beshaba, on the assumption that most of his recent luck had been bad luck. Shortly thereafter, he was contacted by Liandra and has served Beshaba faithfully since that point.
Erd was a male song dragon, a rare breed, who spent as much time as any song dragon in human form, though he frequently disguised his female form in male guise (for which he actually created a custom spell.) He eventually fell for Liandra during the time they were trapped on the lawful good plane of the House of the Triad. While his dual nature, draconic and human, male and female, shocked her, she eventually overcame that and the two of them became lovers.
While Erd used to worship Aasterinia, the draconic goddess of pleasure and invention, he changed his patron to Tymora several months after Liandra and he met up with Hadrian, simply to tweak the rogue. Though Liandra has tried to reconcile her two lovers in the past, they continue to be near polar opposites. The transformation into a Sharn has done little to alleviate the pointless opposition to each other and it is doubtful that it ever shall.
Trellis' personalities are much the same as they were during life. Though Liandra has an ingrained desire to do good, she has fought it most of her life because she considers it a particularly insidious form of compulsion. Despite this, the Liandra personality is most definitely dominant in Trellis and she frequently plays the role of peacemaker and mediator between the extremes of Erd and Hadrian.
The Hadrian personality is, for the most part, calculating and a touch cruel except when dealing with Liandra. When it comes to the Erd personality, however, most of that cool goes out the window and rage comes into play strongly. Almost any action proposed by the song dragon personality will immediately be opposed by Hadrian unless it will make him look particularly foolish.
The final personality in Trellis is Erd, formerly a male song dragon. Possessed of a unique perspective on life due to the odd duality inherent in being a male song dragon with a female form, he is a largely happy-go-lucky personality on the surface. Significant portions of his time are spent on taunting or pricking the Hadrian personality though and similar to Hadrian, he will oppose almost anything suggested by the former blackguard.
Short Description Large, 12'9" tall, 2800 lbs, 2 months old (Liandran 21, Hadrian 26, Erd 143) No hair, irridescent blue eyes, black skin
Speaks Common, Draconic, Elven, Celestial, Abyssal, Infernal, Druidic (Liandra dominated a druid during her search for knowledge about diseases in order to review several druidic texts she had recovered)
Description The creature floating before you has a coiling black and silver body lit by continual magic flares. Its three heads and grinning jaws sprout from a single trunk. No visible eyes, hair, or ears mar the smooth skin above its flaring nostrils. Two massive arm-trunks flare from the sides of its body and another arm-trunk sprouts from its back. Each arm-trunk supports three smaller arms equipped with clawed three-digit hands. Each of the nine small hands has multiple small eyes covering it.
An odd collection of equipment can be seen upon the limbs and torso of the creature, ranging from several rings scattered about the nine separate hands to amulets, sashes, and even a cloak that is split to allow the central arm freedom.
• Battle Clarity – Gain insight bonus to Reflex saves (+6)
• Weapon Aptitude – Qualify for feats that require fighter levels as if you had Warblade - 2 fighter levels;adjust weapon training (such as weapon focus) each morning
• Battle Ardor – Gain insight bonus on rolls to confirm criticals (+6)
• Improved Uncanny Dodge – Retain AC to Dex if flatfooted, can no longer be flanked
• Returning Attacks- Any weapon thrown behaves as though it has “returning”
• Martial Throw – Can initiate a strike from Iron Heart discipline with a thrown weapon
• Thunderous Throw – As swift action, can choose to treat ranged attack rolls as melee attacks, using strength bonus, feats, etc.
• Lightning Ricochet – Thrown weapons return immediately and can be caught as a free action, allowing full attacks to be made
• Power Attack – subtract up to 12 from BAB, add to damage, double if 2-hand weapon
• Blindfight – benefits for fighting invisible opponents, see PHB 89
• Point Blank Shot - +1 to attack/dam on ranged attacks up to 30’
• Precise Shot – ranged attacks into melee without the -4 penalty to attack rolls
• Throw Anything – Throw a melee weapon you are proficient with as if it were ranged, with 10’ increment
• Spot The Weak Point skill trick [CSc 89]
• Strongarm Bracers of Great Collision & Quickstrike (2/day extra damage on critical hit, 1/day extra attack)
• Ring of Adamantine Touch (all attacks considered adamantine)
Melee Attacks
Additional Conditions:Maneuvers, Power Attack, Great Collision, Quickstrike, Punishing Stance
+31/+26/+21Hammer of Thunderbolts +5, 4d6+26+1d6 Elect (20/x3 Bludgeoning) (Two-Handed)
• Type – Outsider, Medium Size, 30’ base speed, 60’ Darkvision
• 2HD Racial Outsider HD (2d8, BAB 2, F/R/W +3)
• Blindfight
• 5 x (8 + Int Mod skill points), Class Skills:Appraise, Climb, Craft (Stone), Intimidate, Knowledge (History), Knowledge (The Planes), Listen, Search, Spot, Survival
• +8 Str, +8 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha
• Simple & Martial Weapons, Light & Medium Armor, Shields
• Battle Clarity – Gain insight bonus equal to Int (with max = Warblade level) to Reflex saves
• Weapon Aptitude – Qualify for feats that require fighter levels as if you had Warblade - 2 fighter levels;adjust weapon training (such as weapon focus) each morning
• Uncanny Dodge – Retain Dex bonus to AC even if flatfooted
• Battle Ardor – Gain insight bonus equal to Int on rolls to confirm criticals
• Improved Uncanny Dodge – Can no longer be flanked
• Returning Attacks- Any weapon thrown behaves as though it has “returning”
• Throw Anything – Gain ‘throw anything’ as bonus feat
• Martial Throw – Can initiate a strike from Iron Heart discipline with a thrown weapon
• Thunderous Throw – As swift action, can choose to treat ranged attack rolls as melee attacks, using strength bonus, feats, etc.
• Lightning Ricochet – Thrown weapons return immediately and can be caught as a free action, allowing full attacks to be made
• Power Attack – subtract from BAB, add to damage, double if 2-hand weapon
• Blindfight – benefits for fighting invisible opponents, see PHB 89
• Point Blank Shot - +1 to attack/dam on ranged attacks up to 30’
• Precise Shot – ranged attacks into melee without the -4 penalty to attack rolls
• Weapon Focus - +1 to attack rolls with selected weapon
• Weapon Specialization - +2 to damage with selected weapon
• Throw Anything – Throw a melee weapon you are proficient with as if it were ranged, with 10’ increment
• Ranged Weapon Mastery – when using ranged weapon with damage type selected, gain +2 to attacks and damage and increase range increment by 20’
• Endurance – gain +4 on various checks and saves, PHB 93
• Steadfast Determination – Use Con modifier instead of Wis for Will saves, no longer automatically fail fortitude saves on a natural 1
Hammer of ThunderboltsDMG p 279 – +5 Large Returning Warhammer, allows Gauntlets of Ogre Power and Belt of Giant Strength to stack; strikes dead any giant it hits (DC 20 Fort negates death effect);range increment 30’, when thrown on a successful attack it emits a clap of thunder causing all creatures within 90’ to be stunned for 1 round (DC 15 Fort negates)
Crystal of Energy Assault, Lesser (Electricity)MIC p 64 – adds 1d6 electricity damage to attached weapon
Scarab of Protection with Fateweaver & Celestial Wanderer ChronocharmsDMG p 266, MIC p 85 added Chronocharms for 750 ea.Grants SR 20 and absorbs up to 12 energy-draining attacks, death effects, or negative energy effects;Celestial Wanderer chronocharm allows immediate reroll of Listen or Spot;Fateweaver chronocharm allows immediate reroll of Balance, Climb, or Tumble check
Gauntlets of Ogre Power, Extended Range, and Dex +6DMG p 257, MIC p 10. added extended range for 3,000 and Dex +6 for 36,000.Grants +2 Str, +6 Dex, and double range increment on thrown weapons
Eyes of Truth
MIC p 99 +5 competence bonus to spot, 1/day true seeing for 1 round
Winged Vest of Steady Spellcasting and Natural Armor +3MIC p 195, 144 added steady spellcasting for 3,750 - +5 competence on all Concentration checks, +3 Natural Armor, 5/day fly with speed of 60’ and good maneuverability for 5 rounds
Strongarm Bracers of Great Collision and QuickstrikeMIC p 139, 81 added great collision for 2,250 and quickstrike for 2,100;Can wield weapons as if one size category larger than normal; 2/day, activate for extra 2d6 damage (3d6 if 2-handed) on successful critical; 1/day make additional attack at full BAB
Ring of Adamantine Touch, Sustenance, and Protection +3MIC p 121 added sustenance for 3,750 and protection for 18,000;attacks treated as though adamantine weapons
Kraki is one of an exceedingly rare breed known as a stonechild.His skin is mottled, with alternating shades of grey, brown, and black, combining to look like the stony bottom of a creek, or a scree-covered slope.He stands an imposing 7 and a half feet tall, and weighs about 450 pounds.His shoulder are enormously broad, his hands large and powerful.His chest is deep;his voice, slow and thoughtful, rumbles out of it like boulders tumbling down a mountainside.
A mithril breastplate covers his huge chest;a wide leather belt encircles his midsection and thick leather gauntlets cover his hands.A stylish vest can be seen peeking out from beneath the breastplate.Solid metallic bracers protect his forearms, and a thin leather strap rests on his forehead, where it would normally serve to hold back one’s hair.A strange talisman hangs from his neck, with two small charms to each side of it.A large warhammer is carried nonchalantly over one shoulder.
A creature of few words is Kraki.He prefers to let his actions speak for him.When he does speak, his voice is low and gravelly, hard to understand.His personality is fairly abrasive, having grown up with only his mother around;the two did not get along very well, so he has had few positive relationships in his life.
Even with the strained relations between him and his mother, Kraki owes everything that he is to her, and is still looking to exact retribution on Blokdurreph.Once a decision has been reached and a course of action decided upon, Kraki tends to stick with it.He *will* one day overcome Blokdurreph, and he *will* repay his debt to Dratta.Dratta and his band of traders are really the only people that Kraki knows well and trusts.He treats all others with whom he comes into contact with suspicion and disdain.Once trust has been gained, though, it is not easily lost.
Kraki is not possessed of many social graces, due largely to his upbringing, but also in part due to his very nature.He’s just not a terribly likeable fellow.
Rare is the union between mortal and elemental, producing a stonechild such as Kraki.It takes a different sort of human to willingly mate with a being that looks like a collection of boulders and stones.Kraki’s father was an earth elemental, summoned to the Prime Material Plane by an errant sorcerer, from whom he escaped and set out to wander and explore this new land to which he’d been brought.In his travels, he came across an attractive human female, or so he thought.It’s not that much of a surprise to learn that Kraki’s mother, that ‘attractive human female’, actually turned out to be a mountain landwyrm sorcerer named Grageloutha, polymorphed into human form for a day or two of fun.
In Anauroch, deep in the Scimitar Spires to be more precise, Kraki came into the world surrounded by the very rocks and stones he resembled.His father was no longer around, having been banished back to the Plane of Earth by his mother, once she was through with him.He grew up with only his mother for company, scrambling around the dry dusty plains and up into the towering peaks.They would occasionally make the trek all the way down to the ShadowSea, cradled within the confines of the mountainous range that Grageloutha ruled over.
He spent time in his youth learning the arts that his mother knew, but he was far more skilled in the martial ways than in the ways of sorcery, and eventually they both agreed that he would be better off focusing his talents in that direction.Shortly after this decision was reached, Grageloutha was attacked by a rival landwyrm, Blokdurreph, who was attempting to expand his domain.She fought off the attacker and drove him away, but was severely wounded in the process.Kraki was about 15 at this point, and as a stonechild matured slightly faster than a human would;he was full-grown, and possessed of a prodigious strength.It was this raw physical power that allowed him to assist his mother, half-dragging her along at times, down through the Spires to the trade routes along the ShadowSea.It was a trip of 3 days at the speed they were able to make, and Kraki didn’t stop.When his mother was too weak to go on, Kraki simply carried her and continued forward, one step at a time.
Once he reached the main throughways, he stashed Grageloutha nearby and waited till a likely trade caravan came along.It was a group of dwarves, led by one Dratta Stonehand, that Kraki had had dealings with in the past.The dwarves were able to tend some of the more severe wounds that Grageloutha had incurred, and she made a full recovery.Kraki promised Dratta, in return, that if that worthy should ever need his assistance that Kraki would make himself readily available.
From there, he returned to his mother’s horde to retrieve the mighty Hammer of Thunderbolts to seek vengeance on his mother’s attacker.He tracked Blokdurreph from the site of the battle back into the heart of his territory, but lost the trail in the rocks and was unable to find and finish the other off.He realized that there remained one last place to check, through the far side of the Rock Grotto.As he passed over the Grotto’s threshold, however, a strange dizzying sensation overtook him and, for the first time in his life, Kraki lost consciousness.When he came to himself, he was in a strange, strange place indeed…
LA+4, 4 HD from Doppelganger (2HD applied to +6 LA requirement)
Appearance: Five masks lay on the elegantly carved table – the wrinkled visage of the archmage, the gaudy bright colors of the jester, the grim gladiator, the cruel assassin, the bejeweled and stunning dragon…with pursed lips, the breathtaking blonde beauty sitting before the dressing mirror laid the sixth, and newest, next to the others. The Faceless. Only a pair of empty eyeholes adorned the oval, porcelain mask of her latest creation. In comparison to the others, so boring and bland. Yet this one offered protection from scrying eyes and prying minds, and that made it well worth the while. Laughing as if at an amusing memory, the young woman glanced into the mirror, her face changing to that of a haughty dark-haired human just past her prime, deep furrows between her beady eyes showing displeasure at the world in general…This should throw you off track for a while, Morgana….
After changing into clothes appropriate for the long journey ahead, the woman chose the gladiator, dragon, and the faceless, slipping them over the perfect porcelain skin of her face with a practiced hand, each layer disappearing until all three masks are invisible. And now a bearded middle-aged man glances into the mirror before striding confidently out of the room.
Personality: Who am I? Who are you looking for? I'm just kidding -- I'm Alethea of course, the infamous Sarlonan Dancer!
Very few have pierced the masks of the doppelganger born "Jhaasha" to discover the real personality beneath. He can be impetuous and bold, cold and calculating. As Shaeria she can be timid and coy, or passionate and strong as the Lady Jhylaes. He can be everything in between, and anything beyond.
The most well-known personality, however, is Alethea, a consummate performer and scoundrel infamous throughout Khorvaire. She rarely stays in the same city for more than a week, packing theaters and then disappearing before the crowds of angry wives and..prudes...can catch up with her. Alethea lives for accolades and adventure, loves cities, and hates being told what to do. It is said that Prince Jurian was enamored with her and managed to keep her in Fairhaven for several months, lavishing her with a fortune in gifts -- but you know how trustworthy gossip is.
A master of manipulation, he has one cardinal rule, both as a matter of morality and as a personal challenge: never, ever, will he directly control or subvert a person’s free will. It’s not easy to tell which side she is on, even without her masks and magic, but in the end she always seems to come out on the side of good. Perhaps the closest most people come to meeting her is through her music, where something of her true self is realized – her hopes, her sensitivity, his courage, his fears.
She envies anyone who grew up with a family, and is suspicious of psionics and anyone who uses them.
History: Dubbed Jhaasha by her trainers, she does not know if she was bred by Unity eugenics specialists in Durat Tal or simply purchased as a baby with great potential to serve the Inspired. She has been told variations of both stories, but she's never been able to determine the truth.
If changelings stand between humans and the Chosen on the Path of Inspiration, Jhaasha as a doppelganger must stand even higher as a superior being. So she was taught in her indoctrination into the Thousand Eyes, where she was expected to serve selflessly in whatever identity was required of her, for whatever purpose others deemed she should follow. Even as a child, she felt a rebellion against her appointed place in life, felt like the fish from the Riedran proverb, who was really destined to fly. But she learned well and quickly, and became a favorite agent of the high minister of the Thousand Eyes, Lady Sharadhuna.
Jhaasha's extraordinary abilities soon led to her position in the port of Dar Jin, where she observed and reported on foreign travelers. In various guises, she came to learn from these travelers and her rebellious thoughts grew. She began to fear the random but frequent mind probes used on agents, that her hidden thoughts would be discovered and punished swiftly and decisively. Moreover, she began to realize that freedom was worth giving up her respected position in society, was in fact worth giving up her life. When her request to receive training in arcane arts was turned down, she felt sure that her status was in question and began making plans to find a new Path -- a path to freedom.
His opportunity came when he learned of an Inspired ambassador leaving for one of the major cities of Khorvaire. Impersonating the changeling agent who was slated to travel with Lord Torakhun was not easy, but Jhaasha was up to the task, and used all of his highly trained abilities to disappear once they reached the vast continent of Khorvaire. As due payment for his years of work for the Inspired, he took a few trinkets along with him...
The War was still undecided, which made traveling difficult but also made evading any hunters (and Jhaasha was certain he would be pursued) a lot easier. Even the unexpected horrors of a land torn apart by war, which he had only heard of before, could not dampen the revelry at knowing true freedom for the first time. A new name was in order, and he chose the Flying Fish (in the Riedran tongue) as his personal emblem and true name. But many other names would he use in his travels, many other guises to travel and learn new skills, meet new people.
Alethea quickly became a favorite persona, and her fame grew throughout the cities of Khorvaire. But there were others, including Julaan, the war hero behind the mask of the gladiator. It was the persona of Lady Jhylaes that fell in love with a Brelish soldier and considered ending the endless roles. She even trusted him enough to share her past and the truth of her existence -- but he could not trust that he really knew her (and perhaps wisely so), and that she would be happy as just Jhylaes. To prove herself, she sought an ancient artifact she had learned of from a changeling in Sharn, a ring known by various names, but perhaps most commonly as the Final Face. She found it, and could not bear to use it. She has not seen Blaise since, and never takes the guise of Jhylaes. She does, however, prefer female personas since her time with Blaise.
Unfortunately, the theft of the artifact from the Tyrants in Sharn added new pursuers to her trail and Khorvaire is beginning to feel quite crowded.
Minor artifact: The "Final Face", a platinum ring set with dragonshards in the form of a mask.
Allows the wearer to use True seeing for up to 1 hr/day. Seeing the true form of the wearer, even with true seeing, requires a DC 25 Will save. At the wearer's choice, the ring can be used to make the current form of the wearer permanent, also imparting immunity to shapechanging. If used in this fashion, the ring's other magical abilities are consumed and it becomes a simple piece of jewelry.
Legend has it that a changeling who called herself Fax once fell in love with a king. Nobody remembers who this king was, but this was long before the War, before Galifar had even united the land into one empire. He returned her love, but could not risk his kingdom and the trust of his subjects to crown a changeling queen. A special wedding ring was commissioned, one that, once willingly worn, would prevent Fax from ever changing form again.
All is fair, however, in love and war. Fax could not bear the thought of being imprisoned in one form forever. Nor could she give up her love. So she found a way to have it all, or so she thought -- stealing the ring away without anyone knowing, she had a new enchantment added. It would appear to anyone watching, even with magic, that her true form was that of her current form. But she could still change at will.
As with all deceptions, Fax's only brought ill in the end. A court wizard discovered the truth, and used it to drive a wedge between king and queen. In the end, civil war resulted and Fax ended her own life.
The ring eventually ended in the treasury of the Tyrants, a most prized possession and tool in their own games of power and deception. That is, until a doppelganger from Sarlona stole it...and, like Fax, could not bring herself to use it. Unlike the changeling queen, however, Jhylaes would not use the ring to deceive her beloved. Main Stats and Combat Info
Str 20 +5 Dex 20 +5 Con 12 +1 Int 20 +5 Wis 16 +3 Cha 26 +8
Special: +3d6 sneak attack if using Assassin mask +3 to attack and damage if using Gladiator mask +1 to attack and damage if using inspire courage +4 bonus to attack if tumble to avoid opponent’s AoO
Acrobatic backstab –If succeed on Tumble check to move through an enemy’s space, can treat that enemy as flat-footed against the next melee attack you make against it on your current turn.
Nimble stand – Can stand up from prone without provoking AoO
Mosquito’s bite – If using a light weapon to hit flat-footed opponent, can choose to have the opponent not realize it has been hit until the start of your next turn; instead, opponent acts as if you had attacked and missed
Assume quirk – When impersonating a particular individual, can eliminate Spot bonus granted to familiar viewer
Social recovery – If your Diplomacy check to influence an NPC’s attitude fails, can spend another full round talking to the NPC, then make a Bluff check with a -10 penalty. Use this in place of the Diplomacy check result, except it can only improve attitude by one step.
Feats Combat panache (PHB II tactical feat) – access to three special tactical maneuvers (Fortuitous tumble, Play Dead, Sneering Glower, see text)
Chaos Music (Dr 326) – +4 to effective bard level for purposes of bardic music
Acrobatic strike (PHB II) – +4 bonus (untyped) on an attack; to use, tumble by an opponent so that you avoid an AoO by going through a threatened or occupied square and then attack
Master manipulator (PHB II) – Two new uses for the diplomacy skill (Captivating Speech and Trap of Words, see text)
Versatile performer (CAd) – Pick a number of Perform categories equal to your Int modifier; when making checks, treat all categories as if they had as many ranks as your highest-ranked category. Also gain +2 bonus to check when using more than one of these categories together.
• Archmage: Deep purple fluorite, sculpted in the image of a heavy wrinkled old man. A roughly circular tangle of arcane runes appear where the visage’s mouth should be.
+2 to CL for arcane spells, Alignment appears CG (total CL = 10)
• Assassin: Hardened black leather and metal clasps create the disturbing aspect of the assassin. A jagged, cruel slit forms the opening for the mouth, and the mask’s edges are worn and stained.
Can deliver sneak attack of +3d6 when flanking or when target is denied Dex bonus.
+6 competence bonus to Hide and Move Silently, Alignment appears LE
• Dragon: Multihued mask of precious metals and scintillating gemstone forming a terrible visage of a snarling wyrm. A sunburst of metallic and bejeweled scales flares out around the reptilian face.
3/day can breathe a cone of fire as a standard action: 30 feet long, 6d8 dmg (Reflex half, DC 26)
Must wait 1d4 rounds between use, Alignment appears NE
• Faceless: Only a pair of empty eyeholes break this otherwise featureless oval, porcelain mask.
You gain a +5 competence bonus on saves against mind-affecting abilities and spells.
You are protected from divination effects as if by a nondetection spell (DC of CL check is 18), Alignment appears N
• Gladiator: Wyvern-hide mask shaped like the face of a grim warrior, scars covering the surface with silver chainmail rings surrounding the outer edge.
Gain proficiency with all martial and exotic weapons.
+3 competence bonus on all attack and damage rolls, Alignment appears N
• Jester: Gaudy ribbons, tinkling bells, bobbing ****comb adorn this leather mask. Brightly hued eyeshadow, lipstick, and alternating red, black, and white diamonds paint the angular features.
+6 competence bonus on Balance, Perform, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble; Alignment appears CG
Equipment (340,000 starting gold):
Armor: Glamered Vengeful Magic-eating Sentira chain shirt +5 (Sentira and Vengeful from Secrets of Sarlona, Magic-eating from MIC) (+49,950gp) [worn]
652.8gp left, in mixed gold and gems [center pouch, in silk bags embroidered with a stylized fish with wings leaping from the water]
Misc Notes
-Vengeful sentira armor: Vengeful armor harnesses and amplifies the wearer's desire for revenge on those who wrong him.
Description: The armor shell is the color of fresh blood, and it appears wet to the touch (although it is not). Anyone who strikes the wearer of the armor in melee combat feels an immediate telepathic surge of anger.
Prerequisite: The vengeful property can be applied only to armor made from sentira.
Activation: The power of vengeful armor is activated whenever the wearer takes damage or is targeted by a hostile spell, psionic power, or other aggressive effect.
Effect: The wearer of vengeful armor receives a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls made against anyone who damaged her or targeted her with a hostile effect since her last turn. She also receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against effects generated by these enemies.
Attack and Combat Options Sneak Attack Deal an extra 3d6 damage when flanking or the target is flatfooted. Double Dagger Cast Can hold the charge for one touch spell in each dagger. Invocation of the Knife Can turn ½ of a energy spells damage into magical slashing. Crystal of Life Drinking Gain 5 hit points each time the primary knife hits up to a total of 50 hit points max.
Feats Sylph: Combat Casting PH - (+4 bonus on concentration checks to cast a spell defensively and while grappled or pinned.) Sylph: Empower Spell PH - (+2 to spell level. All variable numeric values are increased by 50%) Vamp: Improved Initiative PH - (+4 initiative) Flaw (Pathetic): Practiced Spellcaster CDiv - (+4 to CL. -2 to Wisdom for the flaw) Level 1: Force of Personality CADV - (Use Cha instead of Wis for Will saves against mind affecting spells or abilities) Level 3: Spell Focus PH - (+1 DC for Conjuration spells) Level 6: Weapon Finesse PH - (Use Dexterity for attack bonus with light melee weapons) Level 9: Two Weapon Fighting PH - (Can use a light weapon in off-hand with no additional penalties.)
Geater Invisibility: (At will standard action. Self only.) Summon Elemental(Sp): (1/day use Summon Monster VI at caster level 12th to summon a large Air, Earth, Fire, or Water elemental) Darkvision: (60 ft) Wild Empathy: (As Druid class feature) Spells: (Sylphs cast spells as a sorcerer of their HD+4). Charm Gaze: (30ft; Standard Action; DC = 10+1/2 level+Cha; HD level Caster; Use Charm Monster) Fast Healing: (Gain 1 hit point per round when you have less than half your total hit points) Crystal Vial of Demon Power : (Gain up to 3 of the following abilities each day with a successful 1d20+1/2 level+Cha vs. Will (DC 14) check for each ability. Standard Action for each check.) 1) Damage reduction 15/cold iron and good 2) Darkvision 60 ft 3) Flaming body (Su): Grappling causes 6d6 points of fire damage each round 4) Immunity to electricity 5) Immunity to fire 6) Immunity to poison 7) Resistance to acid 10 8) Resistance to cold 10, 9) Spell resistance 28 10) Telepathy 100 ft 11) True Seeing (Su) (20th level) 12) Death Throes (Ex) 13) Spell-Like Abilities (Choose): (At will: blasphemy (DC 25), dominate monster (DC 27), greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), insanity (DC 25), power word stun, telekinesis (DC 23), unholy aura (DC 26)) (1/day: fire storm (DC 26), implosion (DC 27)) 14) Summon Demon (Sp): 1/day summon 4d10 dretches, 1d4 hezrous, or one nalfeshnee, glabrezu, marilith, or balor. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.
Equipment Worn and Carried Dress of Resistance +6 (Torso) [2 lbs] [36,000 gp] Dagger, Defending +3[sup][/sup] (Left Boot) [2 lbs] [32,302 gp] Crystal of Life Drinking (Greater) (Pommel of Spell Storing Dagger) [0 lbs] [6,000 gp] Dagger of Spell Storing +3[sup] [/sup] (Right Boot) [20 lbs][32,302 gp] Crystal of Lesser Cold Assault (Pommel of Defending Dagger) [0 lbs] [3,000 gp] Headband of Charisma +6 (Head) [2 lbs] [36,000 gp] Gloves of Dexterity +6 (Hands) [1 lbs] [36,000 gp] Belt of Health +4 (Waist) [0 lbs] [16,000 gp] Choker of Protection +3 (Neck) [0 lbs] [18,000 gp] Ring of Evasion (Right hand) [0 lbs] [25,000 gp] Ring of Arcane Might (Left hand) [0 lbs] [20,000 gp][MIC page 121] Boots of Speed (Feet) [0 lbs] [12,000 gp]
The Crystal Vial of Demon Power (Minor Artifact) (Kept on a chain and hung around neck) [0 lbs] [Free] DescriptionShow
[OoC]I had an idea of what I wanted and tried to find a similar item in one of the books. I based this very loosely off the "Iron Flask of Tuerny the Merciless" from the Arms and Equipment Guide. But I made a lot of changes to suit my intent.
The possessor of this vial can steal a portion of a Demons power and imprison the power within this vial. To do so the possessor must be within 30 feet of the Demon. If the Demon has spell resistance the possessor must make a spell resistance check using the caster level of the vial (20). The Demon must then make a will save versus DC 20 to avoid the imprisonment.
If the Demon fails, a portion of it's power is trapped within the vial until it is released by the owner of the vial, the owner loses the vial, or it breaks free. While the demons power is trapped it suffers as if it had received an energy drain (negative levels) equal to 1/4 it's hit dice. However there is no save to end this effect.
If the person that trapped the demon's power ever loses possession of the vial or trades the vial, the demon's power is immediately released and the demon appears immediately.
The demon and owner are able to communicate through the vial no-matter how far apart they are, even if they are on different planes. And each day the Demon can attempt to exert a limited amount of it's will upon the owner. Each day the demon can make a 1d20+1/2 it's new level+Cha/Wis vs. Will check to start breaking down the owners defenses. This is a Mind Affecting Ability. If the demon succeeds the owner suffers a -1 penalty to Will defense. This condition lasts until the owner saves against the Demon at which point all the penalties are gone. The -1 penalties are cumulative up to -7. If the Demon succeeds 7 days in a row causing a -7 penalty to Will defense, it convinces the owner to un-stopper the vial and the owner becomes stunned for 1 round which causes the owner to drop the vial. The power is freed and the Demon can arrive instantly next to the vial to claim it's power which restores it to it's full hit dice.
Three times per day as a standard action the owner can make a 1d20+1/2 level+Cha/Wis vs. Will (with the penalty from the negative levels) check to gain the use of one of it's special qualities, one of it's spell like abilities, or one of it's supernatural/Special/Exceptional abilities. It lasts for 24 hours then fades away.
Each time the possessor uses one of the Demon's abilities the Demon knows it regardless of wherever it is. And the demon losses that ability for the day.
Typically the only way a Demon trapped by this vial can regain it's full power is to hunt down and kill the owner of the vial or to convince it to unstopper the vial. It can then steal the owners soul and carry it into the abyss. Having it's power trapped within the vial offers no special ability to track down the possessor. The vial is immune to any kind of magical locating.
Divine has trapped a balor demon named Mammon.
Handy Haversack [5 lbs] [2000 gp] Tome of Leadership +2 [1 lbs] [55,000 gp] Lesser Rod of Extend [1 lbs] [3,000 gp] Empowered Spellshard (attuned to Vampiric Touch) [1/4 lbs] [6,000 gp] Mighty (+2) Composite Shortbow Masterwork[sup]Heirloom[/sup] [2 lbs][525 gp] (60) Arrows [0.15 lb each = 9 lbs] [0.05 gp each = 3 gp]
Sylph Small Outsider (Air) HD: 3d8 LA: +5 Speed: 30 ft, Fly 90 ft. (good maneuverability) Base saves: +3 Fort / +3 Reflex / +3 Will Ability score adjustments: -2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Con, +4 Int, +6 Wis, +6 Cha Feats (the race starts with these feats from the racial HD): Combat Casting, Empower Spell Spell Resistance = 11+HD Greater Invisibility at will (self only) as a standard action Summon Elemental (Sp): Once per day, a sylph can use summon monster VI (caster level 12th) to summon a Large air, earth, fire, or water elemental. Darkvision 60 ft. Wild Empathy (as the Druid class feature) Sylphs cast spells as a sorceror of their HD + 4. (So out of the box, they cast as a 7th level sorceror.)
Half Vampire Natural Armor bonus to AC improves by +2 Cold Resistance 5. Electricity Resistance 5. +2 Racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, & Spot checks. Damage Reduction 5 / silver or magic Str +2; Dex +2; Cha +2; Lvl +2 Gains a 1d6 Slam Attack (if Medium). The Half-Vampire's Natural Attacks are considered 'magic' for purposes of bypassing Damage Reduction. Gain Feat: Improved Initiative. Fast Healing - 1 hp per round as long as the vampire has less than half its hit-points (but at least 1). Charm Gaze - by making a gaze attack against a target within 30' as a Standard Action, the target is affected by Charm Monster, using the Half-Vampire's HD as Caster level. (WillNeg). If the target's save is successful, he/she is immune to this Half-Vampire's Charm Gaze for 24 hours.
Daggerspell Mage Hit points = d6 Skill Points = 6+Int modifier Sneak Attack +2d6 (+3d6 at 9th) Daggercast: Can cast spells while holding knife in both hands. Can deliver touch spell with a dagger attack. Invocation of the knife: Can turn half the damage from energy spells into magic slashing damage. Energy resistance does not apply to this damage. Double Daggercast: Can hold a charge in each dagger.
On the world Divine comes from, chaos rules. Fiends and all manner of monstrosities walk openly through the streets. The civilized races hide underground or deep with the mountains and woods. Divines heritage is not so strange upon her home world. The offspring of a Vampire and another creature is common enough. Fortunately Divine's heritage was not wholly bad. She also inherited strong magical abilities that she used to escape the world she came from. Though she will never be a good kind person, she could not stand to live on a world where everyday cruelty was a fact of life and death was commonplace. But more importantly everything she loved was gone and she was being hunted. So she escaped. And now she wanders the planes. Most likely, those that have crossed her path, have wished she never left her home world. But such is life.
Here is her story:
Divine grew up with her mother, Arianna. She was a Sylph. She had been part of a small Sylph tribe that lived deep within the tops of a huge mountain range. Arianna had the unfortunate luck to be taken by vampire. When she gave birth to Divine, they were driven away by the tribe that did it's best to hide from evil creatures like vampires. Unable to survive on their own, Arianna and her daughter spent years living and hiding on the fringes of what passes for towns. Life was hard, and her delicate mother did not last long among the cruel beings who claimed the towns as home. In fact one day, when Divine was still quite young, she was made to watch, as a demon by the name of Mammon, tore the wings from her mothers small body for the fun of it. His grunting laughter echoing down the street. Afterwards he simply dropped her and left her lying in the mud of an alleyway. She still clung to life, but a Sylph with no wings is no better off than a butterfly without wings. Divine cried, weeping over her mothers broken body, but there nothing to be done. Once her mother was mercifully at peace, Divine made three powerful oaths that day. She swore before all the gods that she would get her revenge. She swore she would never be weak and helpless again. And she swore she would never cry again. Two of the oaths she would keep. But they were at a terrible price.
Thanks to her heartless father, Divine was made of sterner stuff than her mother, and she survived her childhood. For a time she was alone on the streets. Her oaths were all but forgotten as her days were occupied with merely surviving. But eventually she learned the loosely enforced rules and the people that ran the city. She learned that the powerful Demon named Mammon ruled the city. Maybe not in title, but in every other way. Everyone feared him and they were forced to pay tribute to him. Nobility gave him "Gifts". Respectable, or at least what ran as respectable upon this world, business owners paid him taxes. Thieves gave him 30 percent of whatever they made. No one was outside of his reach. He also commanded the armies of the land and would often force them to war against other Demon's and enemies of Mammon. The city was not a fun place to live. But no place was.
Eventually Divine met some other young thieves who reluctantly paid their tributes to Mammon. Divine was ideally suited to a life of crime. She was small and quiet and could easily reach places others could not. Plus her inherent magical abilities had blossomed and she had learned to wield them with incredible skill. Their friendship became strong and their pockets rich.
Whenever it was time to bring Mammon their cut, Divine always refused to go. And she would become cold and distant. One day her friends finally pried the story from her about what happened to her mother at the hands of Mammon. She told them of her oath at revenge. But she despaired that she would never be able to challenge the powerful Demon. Her friends instantly swore the same oath even though she begged them not to. But thus given, their path was chosen. They began staking out Mammon's lair whenever they had time. Secretly watching him and trying to develop a plan. Mammon was quite observant and scouting was dangerous business and came with limited success. They had all but given up hope until one day Divine watched silently from a high window as Mammon took out a crystal vial and began speaking to it. Whatever was said back to him she could not hear, but Mammon laughed mockingly at whoever was on the other end. He said, "You will never be freed Ronwe. You failed me and now your power is mine to command. You need only come defeat me in battle and it shall be returned." Mammon laughed and laughed then put away the vial.
Divine asked her friends who Ronwe was but they didn't know. She quietly inquired about him throughout the city. Most people clearly didn't know, but some she suspected were lying. Finally she was forced to use one of her powers she inherited from her father and with her gaze she forced one unfortunate soul to speak. She learned that Ronwe use to be Mammon's right hand man long ago but had suddenly disappeared one day.
Divine and the others continued to watch Mammon, trying to discover what the vial was. For some reason Divine just knew it was the key. And so it was. Over time the group discerned it's powers by watching and researching. They learned the lore about a crystal vial so powerful it could trap a demon forever. A person need only to possess it to use it.
And so the planning began in earnest. They would steal the vial and trap Mammon forever. In the end, the plan was simple. Divine would slip in while Mammon was resting and simply take the vial from the pouch that hung around the Demon's neck. It was risky, but she didn't care. The others would keep watch outside and make sure she was not interrupted.
The day came and all was going well. Divine slipped inside Mammon's palace and fluttered down just over the Demon. She wanted to kill the foul creature, but knew nothing she did would permanently destroy it. And trapping it was so much more fun. She flew down and gently opened the pouch. Mammon's eyes shot open, but it was too late. She had the vial and held up triumphantly as she quickly backed away. But the nothing that happened next went according to plan. Another Balor Demon popped into existence right next to her. It looked around confused for a moment but then roared in rage and triumph. Mammon in turn shouted, "NOOOOO. Give me that vial!" The other Demon punched Mammon square in the face then lunged for Divine. She managed to skirt out of the way, but soon both Demons were fighting each other and trying to grab her. One of the Demon's grabbed her leg as she tried to fly out of reach. Her pale skin began to smoke and burn and she screamed in pain. At that point all hell broke loose as her friends smashed through windows and came to her aid.
Divine did the best thing she could think of. She held up the vial and concentrated on Mammon. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she pitted her will against his. The Huge Demon finally emitted a cry of despair and succumbed to the vial's power. But the effect was not as expected. He did not disappear. He still stood there staring at her with hatred. She could feel the vial humming with power but she had no idea what to do with it. And Mammon came after her with all his fury. She flew as fast as she could but still he came. She could hear his voice in her head, telling her all the things he would do to her when he caught her. She had left her friends to an unknown fate as they still battled the other Demon. Even if they survived she knew they could not protect her. Nothing could protect her. Mammon would find her no matter where she hid. So she did the only thing she could think of. She used the Portal to Nowhere. No one knew where it lead to, and those brave, desperate, or foolish enough to try it had never returned to say. Divine flew straight to it, the balor demon's bellows following in her wake and booming within her head. She couldn't think, she just knew she had to go somewhere he could not or would not follow. She hesitated on the threshold of the portal, but as Mammon smashed his way through the too small outer door, in desperation she plunged into the Portal to Nowhere, but Mammon's promises of torture did not cease. And she would live to discover they never would. In the days and years that followed, she would never have to wonder what would happen to her if Mammon ever caught her. Every day he explained it to her in graphic detail, and nothing could block out his voice in her head.
Divine had her revenge, but at what price? And so she broke her final oath as she huddled in a muddy ally in a city she didn't know, on a world she had never been, and cried. She cried so hard her small body looked as if it would tear itself apart. She cried alone, far from home and friends, in a world she did not understand. And the Demon's voice laughed and laughed and made its horrible promises. And no matter where she ran, he said he would find her.
With time, Divine became colder and tougher and learned to live with the vial she could never get rid of.
Appearance Divine has delicate and very attractive features. And at a distance you might think such a small and frail thing needs help. But up close you will never mistake her for a kind or helpless woman. She has very pale ghostly white skin with black hair the color of deepest night. She wears heavy black leather boots that rise to her upper calf. Her dress is mostly semi translucent black as if her very attractive body is concealed by a slight haze. She wears little else other than some jewelry. Despite all that, when she looks shyly at you with lowered eyes, you can't help but think she is a helpless little girl. But then she looks up and her cruel eyes with pupils the color of blood bore into you and she smiles a mocking laugh that reveals the elongated points of her canine like teeth. You can't help but shudder and know that this wee little thing is no one you want to be near.
Personality The best thing you might be able to say about her is that she is fun loving. Unfortunately her fun is usually derived at the expense of others. She enjoys playing pranks. Sometimes those pranks are a bit on the cruel side. She is far from compassionate, but despite the undead blood that flows in her veins, she is not needlessly cruel. At one point in her life she was even caring. But events had changed her. Now she is a very practical person and only deals harshly with those that get in her way.
She has few friends, but she is also quite capable of turning on the charm when it suits her needs. And she will often play the pretty and helpless little girl to get others to do what she wants. Most men, and even women, that have dealings with her, end up wrapped around her delicate little finger.
Divine doesn't like to do any real work either. She relies upon her charms to get her out of doing work.
Experience Starting: ?? XP Earned: 0 XP Spent: 0 XP Remaining: 0 XP
Gold Starting: 340,000 gp Earned: 0 gp Spent: 335,000 gp Remaining: 2,000 gp
Hey! Everyone that's still with me and hasn't posted their character sheets, please go ahead and post them, regardless of how ugly the sheets may look. We've definitely lost a few players, but I figure it's time to just cut losses and move on. I'm casting true rez on this puppy. All in?
