Arlaan

Arlaan, Dwarf Defender

Arlaan Abarakolor

Background

On Mithril

An ancient saying claims that mithril belongs to the Kandruns alone. When the fey arrived in the mountains, they were changed to suit the needs of the Kaldruns. Only when the dwarves were made worthy through hardship and hard work were they entrusted with its secrets. Because of this, every item made of mithril is seen as holy - set aside and reserved for the purposes of the Kaldruns and it's children, the dwarves.

Mithril has ever been the dwarves' most closely-guarded secret, passed on from father to son for centuries. It is said that even if it is lost, the mountain will give the secret to a new generation, in order to manifest the greatest blessing it can give.

Recently, the secret of mithril has been stolen by enemies of the dwarves and the Kaldruns.

Arlaan

Arlaan was born very small and given a name that means "worthless wet rubble." (Ossyllargh) He was a member of the Thedron clan, from the village of Mahan near Calador.

Template:H:title some travelers came through Mahan, claiming to be in search of the "King of the Dwarves."

Arlaan was one of many in a town who helped the Mithrilthief. Once the secret was stolen by outsiders, the Kaldruns themselves cursed many who helped the thief. In a dream, deep in a cavern depth, Arlaan saw a dream of himself being thrown from the mountains into the Northlands. He took on a hideous shape, like a deformed giant-man, naked all over, hands the size of ore carts. In his shame, he lashed out against armies of rodent-like swarming orcs. He thrashed against their ropes and barbs, ever growing, his fists becoming like siege rams on arms, until he travelled to a completely alien place, like nothing he'd ever imagined. There, he found a silver child of pure dwarven beauty, glowing. He picked up the child, which he called Mithril. Though it burned him to touch the child, Arlaan scooped it up in his oversized mitt and carried him to safety in the mountains again.

Many others in his village had dreams and were cursed in various ways. Arlaan chose to escape when other dwarves arrived and began imprisoning the cursed ones. Many were marked as criminals, but because Arlaan left and his curse had not yet become apparent, he escaped without being officially cast out. He doesn't know if anyone implicated him or not. He stopped in few settlements, until word got out about escaped traitors, cursed by the Kaldruns. In the wilderness he went, where he found the bear.

 But, he has gigantism.  When this was discovered, he was cast out of his clan.  They see the condition as being a curse and call it "the curse of the mountain's disdain" (Thutel Dorsargh).

He left his people, and while in the winderness, he saved a bear cub from a mountain puma. The cub's mother was a talking bear (dire bear, or "Awakened" bear). She taught him how to fight, and taught him of his own value to others. She have him his new name, which means, "boulder of the wild's strength" (Arosonn Abarakolor)

10 questions

• Describe what your hero's glorious death might be.
  • Standing guard in a narrow pass, his bulk filling the gap from side to side, facing a legion of orcs who suddenly feel small staring up at the face of a dwarf the size of a house. The mounting piles of orcs at his feet after having fought for many hours, he eventually falls to exhaustion as his allies sieze the advantage they now enjoy, having lost but one against a decimated army of orc and legate.

• Describe what your hero's worst fated death at the hands of [the ENEMY] might be.
  • Enslaved by minions of the Shadow, he serves alongside trolls and ogres as a living machine, forever pushing a grinding stone. His beard stubble never getting long enough to notice before it is burned off, and the sores under his heavy manacles perpetually bleeding, he eventually gives in the the despair that grips all who fall under the thumb of the Shadow and ends his own life under the weight of the grinding stone.

• What is the worst thing [the Shadow] could do to your hero? (this could include things done to loved ones)
  • Crush his spirit through enslavement. Convince him somehow of the worthlessness that his own family instilled within him as a child.

• Describe a victory that your hero would like to have against [the Shadow].
  • To return one of the greatest mirrors to nature, or to know that the dwarven people's defenses will always hold against the Shadow.

• What action would your hero never do? (meaning type of action "like burn a village down", NOT a general idea like "give in to the shadow")
  • Have sex with a man.
  • Crush the spirit of a child.

• What would cause your hero to break down to sadness or fear?
  • Enslavement and powerlessness.

• What do you hope your hero's honorific would be?
  • "Irreplacable" or "the Grizzly-Father"

• What would it take for your hero to turn traitor? (these can result from bribe or blackmail)
  • Most likely, trickery. Or, if he was convinced that all those he trusted had betrayed him.

• PLAYER: What's your favorite monster or NPCs to fight?!!
  • Anything intelligent enough to use tactics and have great swag. Except vampires - they suck. Goblins are always fun, since they're almost people, and not so monstrous that there are no laughs to be had.

• PLAYER: What do you most enjoy about RPGs & D&D? (meaning battling monsters, solving puzzles, political roleplaying, etc..?)
  • Kevin :) Okay, with less sucking up... I love working toward having a great story to tell. Building interesting twists in the history of the characters that comes together in the end to be really intriguing. Many times, this comes through killing bad guys, which I love. Especially if I get to keep their stuff and get rich. Not so big on the puzzles.

3x3

Contacts

• Tiede Ciuchtu - Tiede is a snow elf tracker who's lived in the northlands at large for several decades. Tiede is exceptionally skilled at keeping her tracks hidden and avoiding drawing attention to herself. She trailed Arlaan for nearly an arc as he wandered aimlessly in the wilderness. During a particularly rough time for him, Tiede left some food with him while he slept. Curious about it, Arlaan spent the next few days trying to track down the source of the gift. Tiede eventually introduced herself to him, and they formed a basic friendship. They spent about two weeks together, her showing him some basics about how to survive in the Northlands. Tiede remained guarded during their time together, and rarely got close enough for the unusually large dwarf to touch her. She is generally untrusting toward everyone, elves included, and wastes no time in killing those she determines to be an enemy, or even a threat. Tiede knew that Arlaan was incapable of hurting her as long as she kept her distance, and so enjoyed spending some time with someone that didn't pose a direct threat. Tiede continues to think of Arlaan as being a nice enough man, and fascinating for his unusual size and situation in life. Arlaan never quite warmed up to her as much, but respected and appreciated her help and company. Because of how interesting he is to her, Tiede may have motivation enough in the future to spend time with him again, and to help him out if he needs it. Other Thoughts: I envision her as being highly intelligent, but course and clumsy in how she deals with people. Not unattractive, but her Charisma is low because she simply doesn't understand how to interact. She is capable of travelling on foot for days without rest, and without leaving enough of a trail for her to be tracked by non-magical means. Perhaps she's an Elven Raider? She has absolutely no compunction about killing (especially orcs and those who serve the Shadow) but does so only when she is sure that it is necessary. She will calculate and examine a situation, her prey, or a person for long periods of time if necessary, in order to determine the best way to kill them (should the need arise) and whether the risk is acceptable if she involves herself. Because of this, she has an extreme level of confidence in her deductions, which have been anylized to the Nth degree - this and her cold detachment makes it difficult for others to tolerate her friendly involvement for long.
• Kunkel Stonebraker - Kunkel is a highly skilled dwarf carpenter who lived close to Arlaan when he was a boy. Kunkel was in a caravan carrying three families, one of which was his own. They were ferrying the supplies necessary to build three houses for them when they arrived in a new location, their intention being to start a new settlement in the hills to the east. An orc raiding party slaughtered everyone in the caravan and carried off the supplies. Only Kunkel survived, and just barely. He eventually made his way back to his original home and regained his health. His family killed and his home taken over by another family, he had nothing to live for and no where to do it. He left, heading east, claiming that he would build a ship and sail the coastline of Aryth, seeing the world. He has the skills necessary to build the ship, and may have succeeded eventually. If so, he could be anywhere now. He is a friendly enough dwarf, though now has a dark sadness about him whenever he thinks of his past. He is the type who would remarry and start over, if given the chance. Arlaan was still young when last they saw each other, but Kunkel's for dwarves, especially old friends, would be enough to give him reason to help Arlaan, if asked. Kunkel is tremendously brave and has an adventurer's spirit. He lead the group that set off to start a new settlement, and he thought little of heading off alone with no more of a plan than "I'll build a boat," though he'd never had a boat or built one (this may have involed a lot of trial and error, but he probably had some plans with him). It's just as likely that he became a pirate as it is that he found a woman, then settled on an island that no one's ever seen before, braving the wilds like a conquistador.
• Name -

Allies

• Ma - The dire bear that found Arosonn in the wilderness. She taught him how to be a defender, gave him his name, and instilled within him a heroic spirit.
• Name -
• Name -

Enemies

• Koremdek - The tribe of hill giants that had enslaved his people in the past. They are still around, and are sworn enemies of Arosonn's clan.
• Dekkur - Arosonn's brother. Arosonn doesn't know that Dekkur hates him so much, but their relationship is strained somewhat. Dekkur's prestige has suffered greatly due to being the brother of him who carries the curse. Dekkur intends to one day kill Arosonn, hoping that this will assuage his family's shame.
• Name -

Covenant Items

Celestial Strap

Celestial Strap

History

This is a beautifully-decorated woven leather strap. Supple and thin, it can be worn as either a decorative strap (sash, belt, etc) or wrapped tightly around a person's fist or foot, granting the wearer special abilities when fighting unarmed. The strap has the spirit of a celestial being bound to it. This being is powerful, but non-intelligent.

Powers

• Cure spells cast on the wearer affect the strap as well, healing it of damage as though it were a living creature.
• A certain number of times per day (once per 4 levels of the wearer) the strap can grant the Celestial Blessing effect, activated with a command word as a free action. For 10 rounds this grants +2 Dodge bonus to AC, +2 to all saving throws, and an extra standard action per round. For defenders with the Speed Training Defender Ability this stacks, making it possible for the character to engage in two full-attack actions in one round.
• Changing the strap's location (from sash to handwrap, from handwrap to footwrap, etc) takes a full minute. In order to tie it properly in place, a Concentration check may need to be made in stressful situations.
• If the strap is used as a handwrap:
  • In order to use it as a handwrap, the wearer must have the Improved Unarmed Combat feat, and have 15+ Strength.
  • As a handwrap it causes the wearer's fist to be considered a magic weapon with a +(1 + 1 per 4 levels of wearer, max 5) bonus to attack rolls and damage. It also grants a bonus of +2 Strength, and +2 vs. Grapple, Trip, Overrun, and Bullrush.
  • It functions in this manner like a spiked gauntlet of the appropriate size for the wearer (though it deals bludgeoning damage). It has the bane (evil outsiders), and bludgeoning (like keen for blunt weapons) abilities. Attacks made with this item are considered unarmed attacks, and any character who wears the item may deal his usual unarmed damage instead of its 1d4. This weapon penetrates Damage Reduction as though it were Good-aligned.
  • As a handwrap, the wielder can choose to fight with the wrapped fist alone, adding Str bonus x 1.5 to damage rolls. The offhand must be free for this ability to function. Two-weapon fighting, holding an item in the offhand, or grappling cause the wielder's wrapped fist to again behave as though it were a light weapon, as normal.
• If the strap is used as a footwrap:
  • In order to use it as a footwrap, the wearer must have the Improved Unarmed Combat feat, and have 15+ Dexterity.
  • As a footwrap it causes the wearer's foot to be considered a magic weapon with a +(1 + 1 per 4 levels of wearer, max 5) bonus to attack rolls and damage. It also grants +2 Dex, +2 Initiative, +2 Balance Jump and Tumble, a +2 circumstance bonus to AC versus attacks of opportunity, and +5 base land speed.
  • It functions in this manner like a spiked boot of the appropriate size for the wearer (though it deals bludgeoning damage). It has the bane (evil outsiders), and bludgeoning (like keen for blunt weapons) abilities. Attacks made with this item are considered unarmed attacks, and any character who wears the item may deal his usual unarmed damage instead of its 1d4. This weapon penetrates Damage Reduction as though it were Good-aligned.
  • As a footwrap, it gives the wearer the benefits of Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, and recudes the two-weapon fighting penalty by 1 (minimum -1). In order to gain this benefit, the wrapped foot must be used as the wielder's primary weapon, and another weapon (such as a fist) must make the offhand attacks.
• For characters with more levels in Defender than other classes:
  • The strap grants an additional Stunning Fist use.
  • Celestial Resiliance - Once per day per wearer's character level, the strap can grant the wearer +3 temporary hit points. Activating this ability is a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity as though it were a spell being cast.
  • The strap's celestial spirit gives a subtle glammer to its wearer, granting a +3 divine bonus to Charisma.

Mithril Cub

Mithril Cub

Description

The Mithril Cub is a very small mechanical, metallic bear with limited intelligence and personality. It can perform simple tasks at the command of its master. It can run and fetch things, open unstuck doors, relay simple messages, clean and mend, among other things. Because it has a Strength of 2, it can lift only 20 pounds or drag 100 pounds, and it weighs only 20 pounds. The mithril cub cannot attack in any way; it is never allowed an attack roll. The mithril cub also has many abilities that mimic spells.

The mithril cub is under its own control, and is never compelled to follow an order given to it by its master, except those given through its control box. It generally avoids actions which would put it into direct harm, such as swimming through lava or jumping onto the back of an orc, and avoids combat situations by disguising itself or hiding. It has a peculiar personality and sometimes attempts to tell stories of its life to those nearby, for no discernable reason, even if they were a part of the story themselves. It eats metal scraps and gets hungry for metal, but obediantly waits to be fed by its master without eating just any source of metal it can find. It understands little about the ways of humanoids, and often asks questions about why things are done, or makes strange suggestions.

Powers

• Minor Image - At will, the mithril cub produces the effects of the spell minor image, though it usually uses this ability only at personal range. It uses this ability at its own discretion. This is the only means by which the cub can communicate with others, by creating images above its head that describe what message it tries to convey. Sometimes it uses this ability to disguise itself as something non-metallic, or to confuse those who attack it.
• Repair - At will, the mithril cub can produce the effects of the mend spell, though it requires the cub to actually work at repairing the item (with no skill roll needed), which takes a full minute.
• Tinkering - The mithril cub can swallow bits of metals to use as raw materials, and using its internal mechanisms, craft small mundane metal items weighing no more than 5 lbs (such as arrowheads, nails, sling bullets, a sword pommel, etc). It uses its Craft (tinkering) skill for this ability. Once the item has been created, the mithril cub mysteriously produces the finished item to its master without revealing how it was acquired. Generally, the cub determines what to make by observing the needs of those around it, but sometimes makes small items that it just thinks look pretty. The mithril cub is in a continual state of tinkering away, creating new items without needing to concentrate on the activity, and without any of its other actions interfering with the process.
• Spark - The mithril cub can produce a small flame at will by creating a spark next to a self-generating flammable gas source (just like a lighter). This is a free action, and is usually done only when the need for a source of flame is observed.
• Communication - The mithril cub understands everything said by its master, in any language its master uses. However, the mithril cub cannot speak at all, and only understands one language (limited to languages which the cub hears its master commonly speak), which can be changed by using the cub's control box.
• Lamp - At will, the mithril cub can generate a half-circle or a focused 5' beam of light, just like a hooded lantern.
• Control Box - The cub has a control box, held by its owner. This has the ability to turn the cub on and off, as well as the following abilities:
  • Status - The cub's control box monitors the condition of the cub, and the distance and direction to the cub, as the spell status with a continual duration.
  • Smoke Cloud - #/day the mithril cub can duplicate the effects of obscuring mist by belching black smoke out of its vents.
  • Hide the Way - #/day the mithril cub can follow its master, swiftly clearing away any visual evidence of the group (and the cub) passing that way, as the spell pass without trace, though the scent of those who passed is not masked in any way. This ability lasts 100 minutes.
  • Slick Spot - #/day the mithril cub can create a slick area in any 5 ft. square immediately adjacent to the cub, with effects otherwise identical to the grease spell.
  • Cub Burrow - At will, the mithril cub can burrow into the ground, creating in 30 minutes' time, the effects of the spell halfling burrow. If the cub stays within the burrow, it scoops out a pocket in a wall, allowing it to not be counted toward the total space used by creatures inside.

All abilities controlled by the mithril cub's control box are activated by its master as a move action, assuming that the control box is available (not packed away). These abilities are used at Caster Level 10, and require a standard action by the mithril cub.

Stats

Mithril Cub

Tiny Construct
Hit Dice: 8d10 (51 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft., burrow 5 ft., climb 10 ft.
AC: 21 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-4
Attack: -
Space/Reach: 2.5 ft. / 0 ft.
Special Qualities: Self repair, hardness 15, construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 2, Dex 19, Con -, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 2
Skills Climb +12, Craft (tinkering) +15, Disguise +16, Hide +16, Move Silently +8, Search +1/+7
Feats: Run

Self Repair (Ex): The mithril cub is able to create body parts out of scrap metals. Generally, it can repair 1d6 hp/hour. If it has mithril or lots of other metals it can repair 2d6 hp/hour.
Skills: The mithril cub has a +8 bonus on Climb checks, and can always take 10 on any Climb check, even in stressful situations. It has a +8 bonus on Craft (tinkering) checks, which is uses to make small mundane items out of metal. The mithril cub uses its Dexterity bonus for Disguise checks, and can use this skill to form itself into any Tiny inanimate metallic object, for which it gains a +12 bonus. It gains a +4 bonus to Hide and Move Silently. When searching for pits and snares it gains a +6 bonus.

• Item -

Equipment

Carried wealth

30 vp worth of hides, tools, crude art, and food (6 days).

Arms

• farmer's ropes
• a large bone club (1d8, range 10 ft., 6 lbs.)
• 2 light hammers (used mainly for throwing)
• a sling and 20 bullets
• mostly dressed in crude leathers - he is used to living in the wilderness

---

Midnight:_the_SHADOW_KILLERS
Midnight: the Shadow Killers player Bill