You are Shayla Barakiel, orphan child of Sarkoris, kin to angels and unstoppable on the field of battle, or so you like to say. You fought to save your homeland from the moment you understood the war, doing all you could the slay dmeons and destroy corruption wherever you found it. You have travelled across the worldwound, fighting demons and abyssal corruption the entire way. And if you had ever been foolish enough to do so alone you would surely be dead.
Your first friend was another child on the streets of Kenabres - Talaith, a tiefling with starry eyes, scarlet skin, surprisingly delicate horns and seemingly uncontrollable magic. It wasn't until the two of you found the hidden temple of Pulura's Falls and she met the god that had been waiting for her that you learned why this was - she is a godcaller of the Stareye clan, promised to the dragon-horse Hengrei Firemane before she was born.
Your second friend was the runt of the litter, a small and sickly ferret left to die by its mother. You shared what meagre food you had with the creature and forged a familiar bond with her, unknowingly allowing her to survive because of your celestial blood. She has been your constant companion ever since, eternally playful and curious when awake and always happy to sleep. What is her name?
[ ] Write in
Your third friend soon became inseparable from yourself and Talaith, the three of you roving Kenabres and finding what joy you could before the inquisitors chased you out. Who was your third friend?
[ ] Dekalev, a silver scaled kobold that travelled to Kenabres in the hope of learning form the city's protector, the silver dragon Terendelev. Though his hero is now dead he did become a noble champion of Iomedae, accompanied by the dancing blade Argent that he claims speaks to him of past glories. Unlike you he remained a soldier of Mendev after the end of the crusade, determined to earn a knighthood.
[ ] Edrekk Hammerfist. A dwarven craftsmen that swore to reclaim the sky citadel of Jormurdun from the duergar that have occupied it for centuries, he was always there to provide a warm place to sleep or a solid meal. Despite his good nature Edrekk was an outcast among other dwarfs for he hates all forms of alcohol, often cursing Cayden Cailean for depriving him of that joy.
[ ] Linna Hartfoot, a halfling thief that never let little things like laws or decorum stop her from getting what she wanted. Whether she needed a lookout, a co-conspirator or an alibi she never hesitated to ask for your help - or to share the rewards. When you joined the crusade she followed a half-step behind, quickly learning the bow and putting her talents to work as a scout. Now she's managed to join the Pathfinder Society after stealing some forgotten relic from a sacrificial pit and spinning a tale about its historical value.
[ ] Taolynn, a half-elven child of crusaders, noble knights of Taldor that perished in battle. Despite their desperate wish, Taolynn felt she could not remain on the sidelines or return to safety. Whether she was blessed or cursed by Gorum she found her calling on the battlefield and she has always been your most trusted comrade, even after answering the call to battle against the lich Tar-Baphon.
Though you'd struggle to call them a friend, you owe much to your mentor. It was they who saw your potential, they who ensured you could combine your gifts for battle and magic, they who convinced you to join the Fifth Crusade. Who were they?
[ ] Fethrymil, an ancient elven wizard and Thassilonian expert
Long ago the empire of Thassilon was ruled by the Runelords, seven mighty wizards who drew power from their own corruption and decadence. It was destroyed by Earthfall, leaving its ruins scattered across Varisia as an endless lure to the curious and ambitious.
Fethrymil travelled to the worldwound to test her hypothesis that the runes of sin would be more effective in sealing an abyssal incursion than the standard, only to be stymied by the demon's control of their own lands. It was when she took up residence in Kenabres that she saw your bond with your familiar and immediately began teaching you the secrets of the arcane. She even taught you which spells were most useful in battle, combining her transmutation spells with a burning glaive as an example for you to follow.
[ ] Kadrina Stormlure, dragonslayer
Those who wish to rule in the Land of the Linnorm Kings must slay a linnorm in single combat and carry its head through the gate of the city they wish to rule.
Kadrina sought to replace Opir Eithfingers of Southmoor, a brutal tyrant that many believed had taken credit for another's kill, but despite slaying a taiga linnorm before seven witnesses form her clan she was brought low by Opir's treachery, her party ambushed as they returned to Jol.
Rather than live with her failure Kadrina travelled to the worldwound, determined to die fighting. Her unrelenting fury and fatalism scared most other crusaders away but you and your friends found her accepting of anyone willing to battle alongside her, never questioning your blood or motives. She was the perfect example of a warrior that couldn't be stopped by anything less than death and she was proud to teach you what she could between battles.
[ ] Sir Reinar Dalessi, disgraced Hellknight of the order of the Chain
The Hellknights are the strictest and most brutal knights in all of Golarion, believing the discipline of Hell itself is needed to stem the tides of chaos and corruption. Numerous hellknights joined the crusades over the years, with Reinar coming to the Worldwound in pursuit of a murderous cultist of Areshkagal, only to exile himself when he failed to prevent the sacrifice and defilement of a dozen Mendevian nobles.
He saw you as the best contribution he could make to the war, teaching you all he knew of the demonic threat and how to endure their attacks, how to ignore their temptations and to strike at their weaknesses. He also taught you the speciality of the Order of the Chain - the identification, pursuit and reforming of criminals. He knew nothing of the intricacies of magic but he prevailed on his old colleges to provide you with a spellbook and scrolls of the highest quality, hoping to make up for his lacking instruction.
[ ] Zertha Strivyn, agent of the Pathfinder Society
Perhaps the largest organisation of adventurers in the Inner Sea, the Pathfinder Society began as a way for adventurers to share their stories and fortunes with each other. Today their agents can be found across Golarion, dedicated to respectful archaeology, careful research and battling evil.
Zertha was one of many pathfinders assigned to the Starrise Spire in Nerosyan, a great lodge the Society uses as a base for expeditions into the Worldwound and a point of refuge for those with nowhere else to go. She was fascinated by the magical traditions of Old Sarkoris and how so many of the survivors have embraced the arcane in their struggle to survive, offering you guidance and support in return for sharing your insights into your people and Talaith's experiences as a wild mage and then a godcaller. Thanks to her you have managed to attain a partial field commission a an agent of the society, enjoying the pay and support that has come with it in your quest to reclaim Sarkoris from the Abyss.
A magus must master their weapon and their magic to find success. Your conflux spells have been determined by your Hybrid Study and your two favourite spells, but your spellbook is currently empty.
Choose two of the below spell packages to add to your spellbook. Each package includes two 1st level spells, one 2nd level spell and a studious spell.
Studious spells are extra spell slots you have gained from your hybrid study, devoted to spells that enhance your power in combat. You already know the true strike spell.
[ ] Defensive Magics
1st level spells: Feather Fall (prevents targets from suffering any damage from a fall, no matter how far), Shattering Gem (a floating gem blocks strikes against the target & retaliates with an explosion)
2nd level spell: Mirror Image (summons illusory duplicates of yourself to befuddle your foe)
Studious Spell: Mage Armour (an abjuration that fortifies your armour with magic)
[ ] Debilitating Magics
1st level spells: Draw Ire (force a foe to target you), Fear (magically frighten a creature)
2nd level spell: Darkness (suppresses light in the area)
Studious Spell: Alarm (alerts you if someone enters an area)
[ ] Mighty Magics
1st level spells: Gravitational Pull (alter gravity to bring people and things to you), Shockwave (make them lose their footing with a minor earthquake)
2nd level spell: Telekinetic Maneuver (telekinesis to grab or shove someone - spellstrike means they or their wepaon goes flying)
Studious Spell: Ant Haul (greatly increase someone's ability to move with a great load)
[ ] Offensive Magics
1st level spells: Grease (makes an object or area slippery), Magic Missile (a projectile that never misses)
2nd level spell: Heat Metal (superheats a metal object)
Studious Spell: Fleet Step (greatly enhances your move speed)
[ ] Tricky magics:
1st level spells: Command (makes them drop/fall/grovel/flee), Deja Vu (forces a foe to repeat their last action),
2nd level spell: Invisibility (turn invisible)
Studious Spell: Feather Fall (don't take fall damage)
[ ] Utility Magics
1st level spells: Friendfetch (drag allies towards you), Lock (magically lock a door or object)
2nd level spell: Phantom Steed (summons a horse for you to ride)
Studious Spell: Endure Elements (ignore environmental extremes)
In your career as a soldier and reclaimer you have endured countless trials and discovered numerous treasures. You were rarely capable of keeping such wonders for yourself, whether they were corrupted, belonged to someone who lived or best suited to another's hand, but you have won several potent advantages for yourself, whether they are material goods or something more ephemeral.
You possess six shinies to spend on the following options. Several will instead grant you additional shinies to spend.
Those who walk as the inexorable iron tide are unstoppable so long as their weapon is in their hand. Whether your weapon is the same hamer you found in Kenabres, the weapon issued to you by the quartermaster when you joined the Fifth Crusade or something more potent you found or earned since, it is an essential part of yourself.
Note: Don't worry about things like +1 runes to hit & damage for this, I'm more focused on tangible effects and the weapon's story.
One of the following options must be selected:
[ ] Salvaged Hammer
A cavalry hammer you found in a scrapheap in Kenabres, presumably replaced with something finer by its original owner. Despite its small size it has served you faithfully ever since. (grants 1 shiny)
[ ] Standard Issue Maul
A maul forged of cold iron you were issued when you joined the Fifth Crusade, it strikes at the essential weaknesses of demons and the fey. A symbol of your service, you have done little to personalise it despite its mass produced nature. (costs 0 shinies)
[ ] Crushing Maul
A weapon awarded to you after the Battle of Threshold, after your lucky blow sent a glabrezu crashing onto the ground and saving the knights it had in its claws. It has been enchanted to resonate with your spells, potentially allowing a spellstrike to leave your foes clumsy and dazed. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] Storm Hammer
Sparks of electricity constantly leap from this warhammer, harming those it strikes. With a word of command you can transform the sparks into lightning bolts, greatly empowering your strikes but exhausting the electricity. You found this weapon in the corrupted Shudderwood while fighting to reclaim it from the corrupted fey that dwell within. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] Demolishing Hammer
This deceptively small black hammer was forged from adamantine and has been enchanted to empower its natural strengths. Any object made of a lesser material will surely crumble before this hammer and constructs would fear it if they could - so long as it is wielded with precision. You claimed this weapon from a duergar at the Battle of Jormurdun. (costs 3 shinies)
Familiars are no simple animals. Their bond with their master both empowers them and allows them to grow far greater than any natural animal, ensuring that any who dare harm them will swiftly draw the wrath of your master. What benefits has your ferret drawn from you?
[ ] Nothing special. Your familiar is fundamentally a ferret, nothing more and nothing less. The two of you share an empathic link, she understands all the same languages as you and she is an extension of yourself for magical matters - but she is a ferret all the same. (+1 shiny)
[ ] Arcane Advisor. Your familiar has come to embody your understanding of all things magic, enhancing her intelligence and yours. She can speak both verbally and mentally and is trained in skills you have never considered. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] Celestial Soul. Your holy heritage has transformed your familiar, creating the only aasimar ferret you've ever heard of. Like you she possesses glowing eyes and perfectly symmetrical features, as well as a healing touch. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] Magical Conduit. Your familiar has the same ability to feel and manipulate magic as you, though to a lesser extent. She has mastered a single spell and is capable of enhancing your own spellcasting - whether you aim through her eyes or deliver the arcane payload through her claws. (costs 1 shiny)
Magic Items:
[ ] An aeon stone is an enchanted rock that grants a magical benefit to whoever it orbits, while a wayfinder is a magic compass that can hold an aeon within and serves as a badge of office for the Pathfinder Society. Your wayfinder is entirely ordinary but the treasure is the gold nodule aeon stone within, invested with the knowledge of an unknown language and capable of allowing you to understand any language for a limited time. (costs 2 shinies)
[ ] An amulet of hidden virtue is a sacred item that safeguards the soul against corruption, granting the wearer protection against all harmful magics. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] A bag of holding is considered an essential item by countless adventurers and you are no exception. Yours holds almost all of your earthly possessions, along with every book you've managed to get your hands on. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] A cold iron breastplate was prized by all crusaders as the perfect protection from the attacks of a demon. Yours has been enchanted with a glamour, allowing you to disguise it as ordinary clothing. (costs 1 shiny)
Divine Blessings:
[ ] Blessed One. Your celestial heritage has been enhanced by the touch of the divine, allowing you to heal others with just a touch. You gain the Lay on Hands ability and your blood counts as holy water. (costs 2 shinies)
[ ] Chosen of Pulura. Your patron goddess noticed you long ago, guiding you to her servants through the stars. Whenever you look up at the night sky you can read the constellations to try and divine her will or to fortify yourself against maladies of the soul. (costs 1 shiny)
[ ] Wings of Heaven. You possess a pair of perfectly functional wings, allowing you to fly as easily as a bird. (costs 2 shinies)
Magical Expertise:
[ ] Geomancer
Magic runs through all things in the universe, alive or not. Geomancy is the art of drawing out the magic of the land around you by attuning your magic to match its resonant properties and you have learned to attune your soul to the land. (costs 2 shinies)
[ ] Ritualist
Not all magic is immediate and flashy, nor does it demand expertise in manipulating the essences of the universe. Rituals are potent and lengthy magical acts that any can learn to perform. Your spellbook contains several rituals you've come across, even if you haven't had the opportunity to cast them all. (costs 1 shiny)
You have been sent to Remnant on a holy mission. You don't know which god chose you for it but you are certain that they have Pulura's approval in doing so. Which of these is your quest?
[ ] The bane of darkness lies in the inky depths of corruption. When the four are united the king shall be freed.
[ ] The sacrifice of one enriches the whole as the new is born. Safeguard the child and ensure the coming dawn.
It is said that none can predict what they will find on the roads, that when the gods play dice with the universe anything may occur. As you arrive on Remnant you will serve as a random encounter, a surprise that none could see coming. Especially not you.
Where do you emerge?
[ ] Encounter on the Road
When travelers meet they offer conversation, to warn of dangers ahead and behind. What better way to meet someone in this new world?
[ ] Battle in the Arena
To interfere in another's fight is to imply they need the help, or so some believe. When you find yourself in what seems to be one of the gladiatorial battles of Tymon you are quickly forced to choose who you fight with.
[ ] Intruder in the Vault
Some would say that if you lose track of an adventurer you simply need to look for them in the one place they should not be. Unfortunately you seem to have found yourself in some sort of sealed chamber and you can already hear the alarms.
One last plan to finish up character creation, then I can start rolling dice and get the story going.
