It's Tough to Be a God Caller (RWBY/Pathfinder Quest)

In the Age of Legend, when the cruel Runelords sought to bind men's souls to sin, it was the spirits that showed us the path to wisdom and virtue, guiding us to our home.

In the Age of Darkness, when chaos swallowed empires entire and left new peoples in their wake, it was the spirits who showed us the value of blood and unity.

In the Age of Enthronement, when men once more sought to claim the land, we shared our strength with the spirits and made them gods.

It was then that we were doomed. Foul things always sought the home of the spirits and it was through us that the locusts took hold. If not for the Last of the First the land would have been lost.

In the Age of Lost Omens, when Aroden died and prophecy with him, the land was split in twain. Demons poured forth from the Worldwound and the land was lost.

We fought and lost yet found no refuge when we fled. The righteous were turned against us and the meek revealed their foulest faces. As clans scattered and kin were abandoned the spirits were forgotten.

By the time the Gods acted, Sarkoris was destroyed, no matter how many they saved.

But hope remained. When the Mendevians finally found success in their Fifth Crusade it was with the aid of the truly faithful - a child and a star wolf, born with hope for the future. An ancient chieftain and a celestial griffon, who remembered the glories of the past.

The demon lords are dead. The Worldwound is sealed.

As we heal the land, the spirits will return. All we need to do is listen and wait.
--
The year is 4719 AR. Six months have passed since the Worldwound was closed and the Fifth Mendevian Crusade was declared a success.
Four glorious months of reclaiming the cities and sacred sites of old Sarkoris with an army that finally outnumbered the demons. And two foul months since most of the army marched south to fight the escaped Whispering Tyrant.

You didn't go south. Instead you've answered your brother's request for aid and found yourself on another world, where humans are near omnipresent, magic is a child's fable and adventurers are known as Huntsmen.

But who are you?
A human of Kellid, Iobarian or Taldan descent, that much is certain. But also something more. Another inheritance of your blood that must have been evident from birth.
What are you?

Article:

[ ] Namathkar Dromaar

You are what most call a half-orc, clearly descended from the orcs of Belkzen Hold by your dazzling green skin, tall, muscular physique and your battle instincts.
You have the following Ancestry Traits:​

Drums of War: When your heart pounds in the heat of battle your magic answers. The echoes of your spells resound and redouble.
Ferocious Will: Orcs never stop fighting and never yield without being truly beaten. Even a fatal blow won't stop your fury.
Towering Build: You are tall and powerfully built, with long arms and stocky legs. You were taller than most men when you were 14 and only recently stopped growing.​

[ ] Riftmarked Nephilim

There's a dozen foul names for what you are - cambion, tiefling, pitborn, motherless and worse. Properly speaking you are a Planar Scion - a human infused with the energies of the Great Beyond and born with demonic features.
You have the following Ancestry Traits:​

Fiendish Form: The skin, the horns, the eyes, the tail, the unevenness of your features - you will never be mistaken for human, and even those who accept the nephilim can find you disquieting.
Occult Surges: There are times when you call your magic that something else answers. Chthonic runes shine through your skin and your spells become unpredictable.
Unnatural Resilience: You don't look like a physically impressive specimen. But there's a hidden strength in your blood, one that makes you alternately strong, durable and flexible. At times fire even fails to burn you.​

You were an orphan, found in the wastes by the Starstone Brewers and given a home at the First and Last Tavern in Kenabres. You took the name Cailean for the god they followed and had a mostly happy childhood with your new siblings, marred by the terror of the Inquisition and the ever present threat of the Worldwound.

When the city fell you saw your sister cut down in an instant and survived only through luck. When the Incursion ended and the Fifth Crusade began you tried to sign on. You were turned away, but like too many fools you joined the march regardless. One of those among the soldiers saw your potential and took you on as a protege. They taught you all they knew and when you were grown you fought beside them.

Who was your teacher?

Article:

[ ] Sir Kazrel Rhukov

Paladin of Iomedae and Knight of the Order of the Sunrise Sword. An ageing warrior who'd lost most of youthful idealism, he saw steel in you that could cut the sky and took you as a squire. You learned how to stand with any soldier of the crusades then rode to battle with the Order. The only reason you aren't a knight is that you don't feel ready.
You have the following Background Traits:​

Sacred Lore: You've studied the secrets of the celestial realms and the holy beings that dwell within, as well as their foul counterparts. There are few secrets of divinity that you haven't at least heard whispers of.
Veteran Crusader: You've served in shield walls, as hidden reinforcements, astride horses and alongside angels. You've learned from Sword Lords, Paladins, Students of Perfection, Hellknights, Shieldmarshals and Dragon Disciples and can hold your own against any of them.​

[ ] Natty Bellows, Pathfinder and Adventurer

An expert in the unexplainable and hero of a thousand stories, Natty taught you to see danger wherever it lurks and how to wring magic from symbols and scraps. You have a standing invitation to join the Pathfinders, but it doesn't feel right to leave your home for the years of training required.
You have the following Background Traits:​

Esoteric Lore: Your experience with the infernal and occult, as well as the tales you've exchanged with other adventurers, has taught you about strange phenomena of every kind. And how to best poke at them.
Seasoned Scout: You have a knack for spotting things that are out of place. It takes powerful magic and a truly cunning mind to catch you off guard, and even then your weapon always finds its way into your hands…​

It was in the last few years of the Crusade that everything changed. You met your god and bound your soul to them, acting as their anchor to the physical world.
Who is your god and how did you meet them?

Article:

[ ] Eltira, Umbral Cat

A spirit that has long guided the people of Sarkoris, Eltira chose you as her latest partner. Enigmatic at the best of times, she can appear as both a humble forest cat and a monstrous dweomercat, both capable of blending perfectly into the shadows.
Eltira claims that the two of you share a destiny as grand as it is mysterious and you can't tell if she knows more than she shares.
You have the following Summoner Traits:​

Chosen Vessel: You and you alone among the crusading army were suitable to become Eltia's summoner. Why that is will be revealed in time.
Shadow Magic: Eltira is a creature of shadows and questions. Naturally the magic she shares with you would be similar.​

Eltira has the following Eidolon Traits:​

Inconspicuous Form: Eltira can take the form of a humble forest cat and is skilled at getting even the most suspicious inquisitor to dismiss her as a simple beast.
Darkness Domain: Eltira is a creature of the night. Darkness hides nothing from her and she can call on it to blind her foes.
Independent Spirit: Eltira is a cat and acts as she wills. She isn't bound to stay close to you and can maintain her corporeal manifestation even if you are knocked unconscious.​

[ ] Lorcain, Rift Wolf

Your sister Inkit was a god caller of the Neverhome clan and Lorcain her constant companion, the son of Sturovenen the dragoneagle. While his father shines with the light of Heaven, Lorcain resembles the ruinous dragons of the Outer Rifts and was scorned for this corruption.
When Inkit fell during the crusade it was you who inherited her duty and god, and have never stopped missing her.
You have the following Summoner Traits:​

Inherited Duty: You aren't a member of the Neverhome Clan by blood, but the ties of family bind you nonetheless. You won't let Inkit down.
Untamed Magic: Lorcain's magic flows from the wildest parts of nature. From cursed werebeasts, from ancient arboreals and the destructive flux of the elements. The spells you've learned are much the same.​

Lorcain has the following Eidolon Traits:​

Untapped Potential: Lorcain is a young god, still growing into his full power. His form is mutable and he can twist it as necessary - at times he stands as tall as an owlbear, at others he possesses the acrid breath weapon of a dragon.
Destruction Domain: Lorcain is a harbinger of destruction, corroding objects with a howl and possessing a keen eye for weaknesses in his foes.
Tainted Heir: Lorcain is the son of Sturovenen and can call on his father's heavenly mantle, as well as on the antithetical magics of the Outer Rifts.​

[ ] Posolo, Fiery Griffon

When the crusade reached the city of Domora you were one of the first into the ruins. In its depths you found five gods of old Sarkoris, locked in combat with a foul beast demon. One of them called to you and guided you through an ancient ritual even as demons sought to end you both. You sacrificed your name and freed the griffon god, ending a century long stalemate in the process.
Posolo is a griffon that radiates the heat and light of a blazing bonfire, an ancient and noble soul that is on some level ashamed of his reliance on you, but determined to honour your pact.
You have the following Summoner Traits:​

Burning Magic: Whenever Posolo teaches you a new facet of magic he demonstrates with fire. As a result you've found your repertoire to be rather focused.
Domoran Rite: To free and strengthen Posolo you sacrificed much. A trinket from your kin, your favourite flask, your first weapon. Even your name. Exactly what this means you don't know, but Posolo has promised to you that it will be worth it a thousand times over.​

Posolo has the following Eidolon Traits:​

Flying Steed: To ride a griffon is a rare honour and one you get to experience every day. Larger and more ferocious than any horse, Posolo's only flaw lies in long distance endurance.
Fire Domain: Fire is Posolo's gift and he wields it with the same grace that he flies with. He can start fires with an angry stare and when he dives he resembles a meteor more than a bird of prey.
Ancient Legacy: Posolo speaks of Dyzad, the first god to be called by a Sarkroian, as an equal. He is reluctant to speak of his past, but you suspect he is older than you first believed.​

Before you became a God Caller you were as pious as any soldier. Only a fool would forsake prayer when fighting demons and facing the corruption of the Outer Rifts.
Which God was your favourite?

Article:

[ ] Cayden Cailean, the Accidental God. God of Drink and Freedom.

A mortal who rose to godhood in a night of drunken bravado, Cayden is widely considered the patron god of adventurers. Like countless orphans across Avistan you bear his name and do all you can to embody his carefree bravado as you fight for freedom.​

[ ] Gorum, Lord in Iron. God of Battle.

Said to have been born from the wars between humans and orcs in the Age of Darkness, Gorum is an enigmatic figure. He demands his followers seek worthy battles and you found his teaching appealing when that was all that stood before you.​

[ ] Iomedae, the Inheritor. Goddess of Honour and Justice

Once a mortal paladin of Aroden, Iomedae is known throughout Avistan as a celestial paragon. You strive to live up to her example in all you do and have sworn to never let righteousness blind you to the consequences of your actions.​

--

Welcome to It's Tough to Be a God Caller, a refinement of a previous quest that should be much closer to the idea that's been inspiring me.

This is a plan vote with a few synergies between the options - some aren't obvious so don't worry too much, anything can be good once I focus on the story. The only non-obvious part of the vote I should point out is that if you want to rely more on spellslinging than fighting you should vote for Natty Bellows, not Sir Kazrel.

To make planning easier I've provided some basic plans:

[ ] Plan Blood Knights
-[ ] Riftmarked Nephilim
-[ ] Sir Kazrel Rhukov
-[ ] Lorcain, Rift Wolf
-[ ] Gorum, Lord in Iron. God of Battle.

[ ] Plan Flying Adventurer
-[ ] Riftmarked Nephilim
-[ ] Natty Bellows, Pathfinder and Adventurer
-[ ] Posolo, Fiery Griffon
-[ ] Cayden Cailean, the Accidental God. God of Drink and Freedom.

[ ] Plan Holy Hunter
-[ ] Namathkar Dromaar
-[ ] Natty Bellows, Pathfinder and Adventurer
-[ ] Lorcain, Rift Wolf
-[ ] Iomedae, the Inheritor. Goddess of Honour and Justice

[ ] Plan Knight in Shining Armour
-[ ] Namathkar Dromaar
-[ ] Sir Kazrel Rhukov
-[ ] Posolo, Fiery Griffon
-[ ] Iomedae, the Inheritor. Goddess of Honour and Justice

[ ] Plan Mystic Thiefling
-[ ] Riftmarked Nephilim
-[ ] Natty Bellows, Pathfinder and Adventurer
-[ ] Eltira, Umbral Cat
-[ ] Cayden Cailean, the Accidental God. God of Drink and Freedom.

[ ] Plan Subtle and Blatant Partnership
-[ ] Namathkar Dromaar
-[ ] Sir Kazrel Rhukov
-[ ] Eltira, Umbral Cat
-[ ] Gorum, Lord in Iron. God of Battle.

Sarkoris was the land. Sarkoris was the spirits. Sarkoris was us.
Sarkoris is dead. We will soon follow.
Such is the fate of the foolish, who equate demons to angels and hills to gods. If we are to save these primitives we will have to beat true faith into them.
Excerpt from the Witch-Cults of Northern Avistan, by Bromon Shy

--

You have always been called a tiefling as far back as you can remember. It's a foul word, meaning 'little fiend' or 'lowborne' in Taldan, and used as a curse in Kenabres because of how many of you that have been born in the century the Worldwound has been open for.

What do you look like?

Article:

[ ] A Chimeric Beast

You have the tail of a lion, one curving horn of a ram and one arcing horn of a dragon. One of your eyes belongs to a lion and the other to a goat, and the opposite is true for your ears, while your teeth are all far too sharp and prominent.​

[ ] A Pitborn Cambion

Your right leg has two knees and ends in a hoof, your tail is forked with the shorter part curling around the other and one horn never got larger than a few inches while the other grows long and brittle, often breaking off.​

[ ] A Uneven Bug

Your left eye bulges unpleasantly and is large, pitch black and multifaceted, like a centipede or mantis. Your right thumb and middle finger resemble the mandibles of a bug while your horns resemble the black chitin of a beetle and a stinger is present at the end of your tail.​

[ ] Write In

Feel free to find whatever picture you want or to make something up, but there will be an element of asymmetry no matter what and I'll veto anything that's too easy to hide.​

You were thirteen when you first met Natty. It was the day after Tamarie's funeral, a week after the miraculous end of demonic invasion of the city. Ausk and Kelva had joined the soldiers marshaling on the fields, Jerek was lost in his books and you were despondently wandering the streets after being rejected by the officers in charge of recruitment.

You recognised them on sight - a tall white haired Iobarian who stayed at the First and Last every time their assignments brought them to Kenabres and made sure everyone knew all the nonsense that would finally get their name into the Pathfinder Chronicles - and Natty recognised you. They shared their flask with you to get you talking and not ten minutes later you were trying to prove yourself capable by fighting them.

You lost over and over again, the last attempt ending with Natty knocking you down with a book instead of their sword. But Natty hadn't left it at that. For the next month they lectured you while teaching you to fight, quizzed you while making you run and climb, and spent the evenings convincing Ma Rosie that she shouldn't try and stop you.

When the army of the Fifth Mendevian Crusade marched into the Worldwound you and Natty followed, acting as rear scouts. You spent the entire Crusade as Natty's unofficial apprentice, learning from the stories told by Natty and the other Pathfinders as much as you did from their explicit lessons and the harsh battles of the war.

What weapon did you take up during the invasion of Kenabres, taken from the corpse of a fallen warrior?

Article:

[ ] An Aldori Dueling Sword

The Aldori Swordlords are the masters of Rostland and renowned for their skill with the sword across Avistan. You haven't attained that sort of mastery or dedicated yourself to their swordpact, but you do wield their signature weapon, a long single edged blade with a slight curve and a fine point, easily wieldable with or hand or two.​

[ ] A Mendevian Broadspear

The Mendevian Crusades officially lasted for 96 years and the standard arms and armour have adapted over that time to best battle demons. Their spearheads resemble long leaves, shaped so the cold iron can easily cut through the flesh of a demon while the point still wards off those demons and cultists that wear armour or posses unusual hides.​

[ ] A Sarkorian Francisca

A traditional Sarkorian throwing axe, the francisca is a single handed weapon with a curved handle that can be used as a tool as easily a weapon. Few were willing to wear them in Kenabres because any symbol of old Sarkoris drew the questioning eyes of the witch hunters.​

[ ] A Taldan Longsword

The traditional sword of a Taldan knight and the same style of weapon that Iomedae carried in her mortal life. It must have been owned by a paladin, as the elaborate crossguard is shaped like the sunburst of Iomedae's holy symbol.​

[ ] A Varisian Starknife

From a central metal ring, four tapering metal blades extend like points on a compass rose. It can be gripped on a central metal bar for stabbing and slashing attacks and thrown like a chakram. It's the favoured weapon of the goddess Desna and popular among Varisians, making it a familiar sight all across the Inner Sea.​

Natty is not a true mage. They are a dabbler in a dozen and one different magical arts, a skilled brewer of potions and they know enough languages to activate any scroll or staff that finds its way into their hands, but when it comes to proper spellcasting they're simply incapable. Instead they use symbols and relics as intermediaries, manipulating the magic of the world through them.

From the start Natty knew the same wasn't true for you. That you had the gift of magic in your blood and all you needed was to unlock it. You did your best to learn Natty's secrets but didn't understand them until Eltira got involved. But you do carry your own implements - the weapon of a fallen warrior, emblematic of the harrow suit of hammers, and one other.
Which of these Implements have you learned to wield?

Article:

[ ] The Bell of First and Last

Symbols of the power that song and emotion can hold over mortals, this bell was once rung at the First and Last to announce last call, as well as to begin the festivals of Merrymead, Ascension Day and First Brewing. The discordant ring of this bell can distract and disrupt your foes and when harmoniously rung it heartens and empowers your allies.​

[ ] The Lantern of the Watchman

Light driving back shadows and darkness to expose the truth is a universal motif and this lantern channels that belief into its flame. It belonged to a Watchman of Nerosyan that brought the Skinveil Slaughterer down and yearns to push back against ignorance and reveal that which is hidden. It can shine with a flame that only you see, reveal the invisible and ethereal, and if you with effort burn away illusions.​

[ ] The Wand of the North Star

The classical symbol of magical mastery, wands are the perfect channel for mystical energies, allowing you to fling simple spells with the ease of an archmage. This one was carved from darkwood grown in the village of Shadow Spring and sculpted to match the horns of Gwyddion, a tiefling cleric of Pulura that protected the village when the Worldwound first opened.​

You noticed Eltira for the first time six months ago, in the Forest of Embers. You thought little of her at first, taking the presence of a wildcat as proof that the forest was finally starting to heal from what the Cult of Flauros had done. Then she led you to a sacred spring hidden beneath ash and charcoal and you started to pay attention.

She followed you for over a month as you traveled across Sarkoris and Mendev, always present just out the corner of your eye but avoiding everyone else's notice. She never did anything to hinder you and even helped several times, culminating in her sauntering up to you at the Starrise Spire, somehow hiding in the shadows despite the celestial beacon shining atop it and the numerous skilled Pathfinders on guard.

She rather haughtily informed you of her nature as a spirit guide and that she'd chosen you as her new god caller, while refusing to properly identify herself. You believed her immediately, but Natty took a little more convincing. Fortunately the Pathfinder Society had been seeking out the history of Sarkoris and its people for several years and were able to verify most of what she claimed.

The summoning rite was surprisingly simple, with the two of you exchanging names and secrets beneath the stars before mixing your blood in a circle inscribed with what was apparently the written form of Hallit.

She is Eltira of no particular clan, though she has belonged at times to the Bloodstone, Clefthorn, Meadbow and Windstep Clans through her callers. Now she belongs to the clan Cailean, the same as you.
And your name is?

Article:

[ ] Belos
[ ] Hwaith
[ ] Telka
[ ] Yngvilda
[ ] Write In

--

For reference, this is what Eltira looks like when small (just all black) and this is when she gets big. It's worth noting that whichever weapon you choose will be cold iron (because you used it to fight demons) and the Bell is just as effective as the Lantern against certain illusion using foes you're expecting to run into. (The wand can be useful against them, but it really depends on the spells you know).

Your last name is Cailean, though you can add up a byname like Ashbraid or Bearcatcher if you want.