Think I’m just too Silverstari
Think I’m just too Silverstari
Can’t you see I’m Silverstari?
Look at me, I’m Silverstari!
They watch me layin’
The smackdown
Cause as you know
I’m a Yu Silverstari
Yes, I’m a Yu Silverstari
Yes, I’m a Yu Silverstari
I’m just a Yu Silverstari
An awesome Yu Silverstari.

Know fifty ways to carve up oni
With my ancestral wakizashi
Married to a hot guy, name of Kaji
Havin’ his baby
It’s a long long story
Think it’s barbaric if you like coffee
Only drink worth havin’ is good green tea
I can serve it with ceremony
While we be honourin’ the various kami

I follow courage and the way of bushido
My warrior talents are all epic and pro
Watch me cleavin’ with my magical guan dao
Hail to da Queen, baby, kneel, bow or kow tow.
Carry Lord Yu’s very own sashimono
On my head an angry crab kabuto
Never see me nowhere without my sharp daisho
When not under arms then I wear a kimono.

Wear my colours with pride, they are purple and white
Grew up on the Wall where I learned how to fight
Opposed the Shadowlands, held back the blight
Will never give up doin’ what’s just and is right.
Tougher than Maiko, I can take the pain,
Smarter than Typhenon, but that’s nothing,
Kukulkan’s shorter ‘cept when his shifting,
If I weren’t queen, it’d make me the king.

They see me charge with
A Bullrush!
I know in my heart they see I'm
Silverstari!
Yeah, I’m a Yu Silverstari
Yeah, I’m a Yu Silverstari
Can’t you see I’m Silverstari?
Look at me I'm Yu Silverstari.
I like to do my
Iaijutsu
High damage range cause I’m
A Yu Silverstari!
Yeah, I’m a Yu Silverstari
A muscular Silverstari
Short irritable Silverstari.

;)

So in a general pique of 'hey guys here's something fun to do' and 'this surely means less work for me!', you guys get to help me create the world setting!

If anyone's interested in playing, you get to make a few gods and nations. That, and general game information, can be found at acorai.wikidot.com for general observance.

So who's up for it? Roll call!

The not-bad news: While the dragon's pretty banged up, it's still working okay… *Decides to not mention the falling out of the sky twice… or the -9 and unstable… or the insanity… or the jury-rigging required to get it started again…*

The Bad news: THAT @#$&*#@#$!!! DEMON HAD TWO HITPOINTS LEFT! TWO!!! AND HE GOT TO BINK OUT!!!!

The Spiteful and Amusing news: The 'little' demon that Venn summoned in to help him out got slam-dunked into the ground by a frenzied dragon. It left a stain.

The REALLY BAD news (For Sally Venn): He's got to go back and report to his bosses while on 2 HP, 4 dex, another two saves to make and the news is that he didn't succeed against an opponent who deliberately provoked him into a homocidal rage…

—-

Grew up in the city of Dimrost to noble parents (she has some Silverstari blood in her ancestry, I can't recall if either of her parents were fully Silverstari though). Has at least one brother she is close with, who works with the guard patrolling the surrounding countryside (possibly a captain). She was being raised as a 'proper daughter' but found ways to slip away from her family's estates to explore the city. She found herself drawn to places where she heard music, and started to frequent particular taverns whenever she caught the sound of real minstrels playing or singing for the entertainment of patrons. She learned to sing in places like this, and as time passed she even managed to get paid to 'take the stage' herself.

Eventually her parents informed her of an arranged marriage, and Isadora, not wanting her future decided for her, escaped the city. She managed to get a fair way east (and quite lost) before being captured by orcs, who brought her before Drog, Garreth and Typhenon.

The first and foremost is Shayu was in the room when Maiko mentioned she was being corrupted by a similar evil to the mother. That in and of itself is enough reason for him to be watching her as hard as Maiko and Kukulkan are.

Secondly, we're in what we're treating as hostile territory, and he knows it. It's highly unprofessional for him to be messing around with this sort of thing when we're on alert and such behaviour is beneath him.

So, basically my main reasons for pointing this out are as follows:

Sang really seemed to shrug off this revelation as if it was unimportant. She might not have in actuality, I don't know, there's no journal entry yet, but I'm worried this is going to be swept under the rug as unimportant.

And of course, there's always the chance the GM just didn't consider the reasons Shayu would really not be interested in Isadora, but here's hoping that wasn't the case.

I just felt a need to poke at this. I'm protective of my minions darnit.

All domains are in the Core book or Spell Compendium except the following.
Alteration: Dragonlance Campaign setting p103
Bestial: Book of Vile Darkness p80
City Domain: Races of Destiny p162
Corruption: Book of Vile Darkness p80
Death Domain: IK Character Guide p286
Destruction: IK Character Guide p287
Mechanika: IK Character Guide p289

In addition, all elemental Domains use the granted powers from the IK Character Guide. The lsit of granted spells is unchanged.

MONTH 1
1 Epiach saved from T'char's invasion. Temujin killed. Chi reinforcements sent by Elemental Masters seek control over tainted area in city. Sang informed by Hida Ka that she has a wedding arranged for her back in Yu lands to youngest son of Yu Daimyo. Piro ordered by Chugi to watch Sang and kill her if what she does is not in the best interests of the Empire.
2 Sang, Piro, Jin, Isadora and Ka arrive at Tosa via magic. Crypt of Kuni Daimyo (Samariku) invaded by undead. Body stolen.
3 Sang, Piro, Jin, Isadora and Ka ride to Tokai. Ka revealed as Hida Kaji, the one Sang is to marry.
4 Marriage of Kaji and Sang. Typhenon attends. Blood mage agent of Thyrul infiltrates ceremony. Cooks murdered and human flesh added to wedding feast. Yu Daimyo Hida Kuroda murdered by agent. Agent wounded and imprisoned. Kaji personally severs prisoner's right hand.
5 Shadowlands move in force against the wall. Other information suggests Taint manifesting within the walls of Tokai. Kaji's older brothers are slain in battle. Typhenon, Sang, Piro, Jin and Isadora locate source of Taint below an inn and destroy the liche and its acolytes below. Piro and Jin slain in combat. Thyrul and servants get into Tokai and attack remnants of party when they emerge. Passing samurai Kakita Bei aids the fight, but he, Typhenon and Sang are overcome and Isadora flees to find help. Thyrul spirits Typhenon away. An enemy of Thyrul seeks Sang out and provides direction to Thyrul's citadel, on the priviso they use this knowledge to destroy him. Kaji becomes Yu Daimyo as the last surviving son of Hida Kuroda. Typhenon tortured by Thyrul.
6 Sang, Isadora, Bei and two Yu scouts fly into Shadowlands territory and infiltrate Thyrul's citadel. Thyrul's and unknown phylactery destroyed. Harlequin kills scouts. Thyrul kills Bei. Typhenon destroys Thyrul. Typhenon takes some soul crystals (including Piro's and Jin's) and the party flees. Typhenon drop's Jin's crystal, and Chuda Shinobu coalesces. Party teleports to Epiach where Epiach army and undead army face off. Undead beaten (info?)
7 Garreth crowned Caesar and married to Euryganeia.
8 Usami Maiko agrees to carry transport Sang, Isadora and Shinobu to Yu lands on The Silver Serpent.
?? Travel.
18 The Silver Serpent docks at the Numaja. Sang received by Jin King & Queen.
19 The Silver Serpent departs the Numaja.
?? Travel.
21 The Silver Serpent forced to beach itself off the coast of the island of Wuhai following an attack that damaged the ship. Sang, Maiko and Isadora row to the island for supplies and aid. Lord of the island offers shelter. During the night he is assassinated.
22 Maiko and Sang go to the monastery in the middle of the island forest in search of the son of the island's lord. They are attacked by servants of the Mother en route, and discover Jin's Temple. Maiko infected by shark-daemon. Maiko is chosen by Jin. Son is found severely malnourished beneath the desecrated temple and returned to his home. Silver Serpent remains where it is for repairs. Sang, Maiko, Isadora and Shinobu take passage on another ship to proceed to Yu lands, meeting up with a Yu juggernaut captained by ?? on the way.
?? Travel.
26 Dock on east coast of Yu kingdom. Party heads inland towards Tokai. Maiko overcome by hunger of shark-daemon. Jin intervenes and Maiko devours a wayward oni instead of party members.
27 Maiko discovered naked by rest of party near half-eaten oni. Maiko does not explain.
28 Arrival at Tokai. Isadora and Shinobu remain in city, Isadora as a diplomat from Epiach. Shinobu begins to regain memories of Kuni Jin.
29 Sang and Maiko teleported back to Epiach. Jin leads Maiko to join Typhenon. Theosteris joins party. Typhenon summons Hedoramod. Party heads south to deal with Herald of the Fimblewinter.
30 Typhenon becomes Avatar of the Three.

MONTH 2
1 Maiko overcome by shark-daemon when wounded in battle. She takes on its form temporarily in view of companions, but Typhenon's presence allows her to remain in control of herself.
2 Party encounters Yu in the wilderness. After convincing them she is their queen, Sang directs them to the city of Myronment.
3 Herald of the Fimblewinter defeated. Its sword is left behind. Some of the party fly into the Sunken Tower to free Tawny, Surd and ??. Kukulkan flies these to Myronment then returns. Typhenon and Theosteris perform ritual to sanctify area while the others hold off monsters that emerge from the pit. Hedoramod slain. R (Adneil) defeats final monster as he appears within a pavillion. Speaks with party members and gives gifts. Typhenon gets a broken mirror that can be used to communicate with R. Kukulkan gets information about his connection to Fu Leng. Maiko gets information about Kanaye. Theosteris gets tome of elven language. Sang gets a small bracelet. Return to Epiach.
4 Typhenon gets more information from R concerning Kanaye via the mirror. He and Theos divine where Kanaye is using Euryganeia's mirror (breaking it). Kolskegg informs Sang she is one month pregnant. Maiko, Theos and Typhenon rescue Kanaye from Chi prison. Chi guards pursue back into Temple, but depart at the command of the Elemental Masters.
5 Epiach council meeting. Typhenon informs Sang of his intentions to destroy the Shadowlands. Party teleports to Tokai.
6 Day in Tokai.
7 Party (sans Sang) teleports to Numaja to visit Masaru. Sang discovers Celestial insciption on Lord Yu's statue.
8 Party decides to return to Wuhai and Jin's Temple. Sang informed and transported to Numaja. After meal with Masaru, all teleport to Wuhai temple. Party deceived by Mao, who uses Typhenon's magic to generate a link between Three and Mother. Party teleports out, sans Kukulkan. Angels take Typhenon to Heaven. Maiko remains in Epiach. Sang and Theosteris teleport to Tokai and prepare to enter the Shadowlands for Lord Yu's Blade.
9 Sang, Theos, Shanro, Yosuke, Kaji etc. enter Shadowlands. Maiko summoned to Numaja, pronounced Admiral of the Fleet of Glorious Recovery and charged with liberating Wuhai from monster infestation. Kukulkan escapes Wuhai temple.
?? After seven days and nights in the Shadowlands, R transports Sang&Theos party to the Temple of the Sword. Sang is chosen by Yu and claims Blade. R transports all to Wuhai.
13 Everyone on Wuhai. Maiko captured by agents of the Seven. Kukulkan reunites with Sang&Theos group. They run into agents of the Seven, who flee when Kukulkan launches an attack. Maiko freed. Theos driven partially insane by cursed scroll. Maiko leads all to fortifications in northeast Wuhai and orders evacuation. Everyone relocated to southern encampments. Spirit-monster attack during the night. Kuni Senji rendered primitive. Shanro trapped in spiritual form, but Kukulkan able to make him visible and audible.
14 Shanro restored by Maiko. Blood hail at noon. Camp evacuated to ships. Deep Ones and Krakan attack, but defeated. Heavy casualties. Maiko proposes strike on Wuhai Temple. Shayu captured at cave entrance. Spider nest destroyed. Kukulkan kills queen. Hedoramod fulfils task that allows party entrance to Mother's prison. Allies taken by Mother or driven insane. Kukulkan kills Mao. Theosteris walks into the energy beam. Sang seals Mother's prison. Jin's Amulet found. Survivors leave Temple and return to camp.
15 Recovery. Shayu joins Maiko.
16 Recovery
17 Recovery
19 Recovery
20 Cleansing sweep of Wuhai Temple. Typhenon rejoins party. Fallen angel killed.
21 Sang and Kaji depart Wuhai on the 'Dreadnaught'. Typhenon cures Maiko and Shayu of the Mother's infection.
22 Typhenon returns Theos to his father.
23 Sang and Kaji reach coast of Yu Kingdom, head inland. Typhenon learns of Emperor's advanced arrival, aids Sang and Kaji to reach Tokai in time. Emperor arrives in Tokai. Rain summoning ceremony - Garreth collapses after detecting great evil. Emperor secretly requests Sang's aid against an unknown threat.
24 R escapes the Shadowlands, seeks Typhenon's aid in Tokai. Sang allows them to leave unmolested.
25
26
27
28
29
30

MONTH 3
1
2
3 Emperor's entourage departs Tokai after a week.
4 Sang rides to Tosa. Typhenon arrives and secures Sang's aid to rescue R's wife.
5 Typhenon and Sang fly to Numaja.
6 Typhenon, Sang and Masaru sail to Wuhai.
7 Typhenon secures Maiko's aid to rescue R's wife. He, she and Sang teleport to Epiach's Temple. Typhenon leaves alone to see Theosteris.
8 Typhenon and Theos return to Epiach. Sang told by Kolskegg she is now carrying twins. Typhenon organises clerics to populate Wuhai's temple. Typhenon, Theosteris, Maiko, Kukulkan, Sang + R departs Epiach. They repel pirates attacking Myronment and then continue southwest. Jin is transferred into R's soul crystal.
9 Travel.
10 Party successfully negotiates passage with a dragon.
11 Travel.
12 Travel.
13 Travel intercepted by a manticore, who takes party to the fort near ruins of Ibnsaidora. Supplies obtained. Rest.
14 Arrival at Ibnsaidora. Party separated from R when Rastarael (the Defiler) attacks, transported to pocket reflection of the past.
15 Party reawakens in Ibnsaidora's present, found by Reconcilers. After aiding them, Reconcilers transport them further into the city. Theosteris teleports to avoid a rockfall and is temporarily captured by the Mother. Pit opens in ground during a battle-subterrainnean complex uncovered. Theos relocated. Vault located. Anti-faith plague unleashed—Theos, Maiko and Typhenon infected. The Seven are awoken. The Seven and the Three quarantine the party until the plague contractions die out (length of time unknown).
?? Quarantine.
19 Maiko uses Jin's Amulet to draw the party to where Jin is. R found chained to an altar in Rastarael's temple by her sycophant orcs. Battle. Rastarael appears and is slain by Theosteris sacrificing himself. R blinded by unleashed energies. Party found by Shae'el. All return to vault to collect items left behind. Shae'el teleports party to his sanctum, an illusion within the palace. Shae'el unmasked as a dark-elf 'Deceiver'. Party escapes illusion. Shae'el reveals to Sang what plans R has for her unborn children. Party flees Ibnsaidora. Manticores escort them to safety.
20 Party teleports to Temple in Epiach. Discover it was attacked by Joseph the day before, who has stolen the Crown from the dungeons. Maiko organises Temple defences. Typhenon deals with vampires for info about Joseph. Kukulkan visits the Scaled Empire and finds his adopted children murdered and his wife missing, then returns to Epiach.
21 Kukulkan learns the identity of his family's attacker from R: Smoking Mirror. Sang, Maiko, Typhenon and R agree to try and rescue Kukulkan's wife from the Pyramid of Blood. Kukulkan receives Arms of ?? from enchanted chest in the Temple. Ephiates comes to Epiach and presents Typhenon with new raiment. City Council Meeting. Jade acquired from Euryganeia. Chugi inform Sang they are 'still watching'.
22 Party get equipment from vault and go to Scaled Empire. They meet Sotek, collect one of Kukulkan's remaining nezumi children, then head into Shadowlands. R transports them all to the Pyramid of Blood.
?? Shadowlands.
?? Statue possessed by Fu Leng destroyed. Manaseru no oni destroyed. Unnamed elf applauds them. Legions of daemons appear and attack. Hundreds of angels appear and defend party. Party descends into Pyramid, locate a sarcophagus containing Kukulkan's wife and R creates a Gate for party to escape. They arrive in Heaven.
?? Recuperation. Discussions with the Three. Attack launched by Mastemoth and repelled. Meeting of the Temple Heads.
24 Historian takes party to his abode. Met by Mya, Soulske and others. Kukulkan departs mountain.
25 Study.
26 Study. Sang speaks Belshezzar's name. One of the Historian's books destroyed. Q&A session with Gregorian angel.
27 Belshezzar nightmare for Sang. Kukulkan returns to the mountain. Historian bestows gifts to party. Party teleports to Epiach. Kukulkan departs for Scaled Empire. Rest of day spent flying to Tokai. Kukulkan returns to Epiach and flies to Wuhai.
28 Maiko and Typhenon fly to Wuhai.
29 Maiko, Typhenon, Kukulkan and Shayu fly to Tokai. Travel to Nakashibetsu organised via dragon. Isadora to come along.
30 Kaji organises deal with Zhengdang Kingdom. Edict put in force decalring Yu eta property of the king.

To keep in line with the new IC calendar, actual dates used henceforth! Chronology has not changed, so the first entry below should be considered to follow on the next day after the one listed above (30).
MONTH of ?
10 Kaji departs Tokai for Zhengdang Kingdom. Sang's father operated on successfully to remove 'black spot' infection on lung. Party (with Shayu and Isadora) flies to Nakashibetsu on Moonlit Brilliance. Party received by Empress Dowager (who shows as a daemon) and Champion. Party attends feast (Emperor in attendance, non-responsive) - Chugi delegation commit seppuku during proceedings and Dowager orders them removed from hall, dismembered and thrown into the river. Six of the eight hearts are sent to party, which Kukulkan deals with. Isadora feeds from Sang. Attempt made on Maiko's life during the night, foiled by a Chugi she is acquainted with. Security heightened in Palace of Eternal Sunset.
11 Lockdown on PoES for 'security' purposes. Maiko, Typhenon and Shayu are permitted to visit pagoda and meet Three contact for info. Lunch with the Dowager, Champion, Imperial Dragon and Moonlit Brilliance. Lord Yu (with aid from Maiko/Typhenon/Jin) leaves Blade to converse with ID. Sang defeats Champion in a friendly duel. Divine-inhibiting rain begins. Maiko overcome by daemonic influence in a failed attempt to use a bit of magic and kills herself. Jin saves her soul from being enslaved, rendering Maiko a bodiless spirit for now. Moonlight Brilliance departs for Epiach with Kukulkan and Maiko's body - they are attacked en route by Venn, but fight him off. Unknown party poisons tea of Dowager, Sang, Typhenon, Isadora and Shayu, but danger revealed before any drink. Sang defies Dowager and blocks Champions auto-execute of tea-servants. Isadora sneaks out, makes a distraction, frees imprisoned servants and returns safely. Maiko explores palace as a spirit - meets the Dowager's father (a colossal dragon) and discusses situation, discovers area where many ancestral spirits discuss tactics and philosophy. Maiko foils a spirit barrier by jumping into a guard's body and entering with him.

In Nomine is a game about the epic cold war between the hosts of heaven and the forces of darkness, set in the omdern day world, with players (typically) taking the role of angels or demons who've been sent to earth to do their boss' work.

I'm looking at running a demon game, and this is an open invitation for all to attend a gathering next Monday, the 7th of September, to eat and discuss the possibility of the game. If you are considering but aren't sure if you want to play, turn up, socialise and discuss the game to help you decide. In the end, I'm looking for 4-6 players, but I've invited far too many people who've said "maybe" and want to get things rolling asap. So I decided an open invitation here was the best way of doing things.

If you would like to download a PDF copy of In Nomine, one can be found here. Otherwise, I look forward to seeing you on monday.

Pironious,
Servant of Asmodeus, Demon Prince of the Game.

Is this evil a unique daemon? - Yes
Is it capable of possessing? - No
Is it trapped? - Yes
Is it limited to the island? - No
Is it trying to kill the emperor? - Yes
Is it trying to destroy the empire? - Yes
Is anyone within Nakashibetsu willingly serving it? - Yes
Is it the same evil that's been keeping worshippers out of the city for the last 50 years? - Yes
Does this evil have direct power over the emperor himself? - No
Can we count upon his bodyguard to aid us in vanquishing this evil? - No
Can we count upon his mother to aid us in vanquishing this evil? - No
Do either of them willingly serve it? - Yes
Can we count upon the imperial dragon to aid us in vanquishing this evil? - Yes

Nobutada - Is there a reason he's under Myroment?

There are a number of PCs listed under Supporting Characters instead of the inactive/deceased PC list, including Kakita Bei, Piro, Robert MacDougall, Blister and Faraday (And Lethe?). Or if Supporting means GM controlled, Theos and Mya are on the wrong list.

Supporting characters difficult to navigate - no longer in alphabetical order.

Not that bewildered was a bad thing. But after a month or so in a tiny prison cell, things were moving incredibly fast. The Primarch himself had come to her rescue. She'd flown out of the pit with her very own pair of wings. An angel of Elona congratulated her. And now she was on the back of a gigantic bird - who had been one of the Primarch's friends not a moment ago, a lizard with wounds he hadn't wanted healed - and was heading towards Myronment. The Tree was about to become a god and it was in danger of becoming a god of evil unless something was done.

It was a bit much to think about all at once.

Tawny glanced sideways, to where the hawk-like form of a transformed Surd was silently struggling to keeping pace with the massive sweeping wingbeats of the bird Tawny was riding. Too proud to accept help, the orc had decided to fly himself to Myronment. Surd's scowl was evident even on the hawk's face. Tawny stifled a small laugh, and then marvelled at the fact she still remembered how to.

She threw her head back, focusing on the wind in her hair, distracting herself from the darker thoughts that threatened to wash over her. She was free, and the wind was cold and invigorating, and the height provided more adrenaline than vertigo. The nightmare of the Tower was behind her.

Ahead, though, there was that small problem of her banishment.

She shouted over the roar of the wind, trying to remember the name of the shapeshifter friend of the Primarch's. "Kukulkan! Can you drop me off outside the city walls?" She gave a small shrug, an old habit. "I don't want to cause trouble."

The shapeshifter craned back to look at her for a moment, then turned its gaze back to the sky. "There may be no time for that, and I would not leave any." Its voice was strangely soft for such a large animal, with a faint hiss echoing the words that no beak could form. "Hold on."

A low, mournful cry pierced the air, and Tawny clung as tight as she could, her stomach leaping into her mouth at the unexpected drop. She nearly laughed again.

Nearly.

The landing just as graceful as the flight had been: precise and with no movement wasted, despite the fact Tawny was certain her stomach was left about three feet behind her. She ducked her head, aware that every wall guard had their bows trained on the landed shapeshifter, and even more guards were forming a circle of swords and bows around them. Warily, true enough, but they were still brandishing weapons.

"I need to sspeak to Lord Jaakkima! Now, if at all posssible!" Even while larger than the guards, the shapeshifter was still very polite.

Tawny glanced sidelong and watched as Surd touched down. She could only hope that when the Orc emerged from Wildshape, he would not be brandishing Angus' sword in a threatening manner. The last thing either of them needed now was incarceration. Not after all they time they'd been prisoners in the Tower.

Of course, on the heel of that thought, Tawny looked across the distance, and remembered the nooses that had hung from the Tree's branches the last time she was here, and a hand went to her throat, almost unconciously.

"So, Liz'ard," Surd offered, now that he was back to his orcky self (bar the fact his colouring was closer to brown after all that time out of the sun), "Do you 'ave 'ny smart words? Dey ain't lookin' partic-ularly 'appy." He looked around at the guars, and added with a mutter, "Damn 'umie politics."

Tawny slid off of Kukulkan's back as his form rippled and shrank. The now-lizardlike creature - tiny compared to the form he'd taken not long ago! - hissed impatiently at the guards, ignoring Surd completely. "Good, you heard me. I have neither the time nor the patience for delayss. Tell him that Kukulkan needss to sspeak him now." The strange creature's eyes narrowed slightly, almost daring the guards to do something stupid. As one of the guards ran to fetch someone, Kukulkan glanced around to glare at the Orc, and he said something in Orcish that made Surd's brow burrow further.

"Surd, please…" Tawny sighed. "Don't antagonise these people. They're just trying to protect their homes."

"Hrmph." Surd folded his arms. "I ain't got no problem wi' dem… unless dey has one with me."

Tawny sighed, but it was better than nothing.

A Silverstari man, garbed simply and with unkempt hair, walked into the circle formed by the guards. He smiled broadly at Kukulkan, and bowed with his palms pressed. "It's been awhile, Master." He said in heavily-accented Dimrosian.

Tawny blinked. Master? She looked at Kukulkan, curious. Just who, exactly, are you? Who were any of those people who were friends with the Primarch? I wasn't really paying attention… She wondered if she would be needed to speak, but the words of Elona spoken a month ago still rang in her ears: Be like the mountain, not the tree. So the healer decided to wait, watching the conversation between the shapeshifter and the Silverstari.

"Yosshi. Good to ssee you alive." He made a bow that was little more than a dip of the head, but seemed less agitated than before. "Unfortunately, I have little time to wasste… again. I need to get back to the Wound ssoon. I take it you are prepared for war?"

"We are, but if you must leave, you had best go. There will be time later for reunions."

Leaving? If he leaves and there's no explanation as to why I'm here… Tawny stepped forward. "Pardon me… I don't mean to interrupt, but… we need to see Lord Jaakkima." She made a small bow to the Silverstari man. "I am Thais Akakios, cleric of Elona. This," she gestured, "Is Surd, a druid… and my friend." Surd acknowledged this introduction with a grunt and a curt nod.

"I greet you, Surd and Tawny. May the Tree shade you in it's branches." the man said, with a deep bow. Tawny bowed again.

Kukulkan nodded. "Ah yesss. Young Thaisss…" He switched into Silverstari as though it were the most natural thing in the world to change languages mid-sentence. "… hasss apparently been exiled. I sshould make ssure thiss will not be an isssue before I leave." He switched back to Dimrosian, and Tawny wondered whether Kukulkan meant for her to hear those words about her. She knew Silverstari, after all, but it wasn't exactly common knowledge to know what other people spoke… "After all, under the circumsstancess, Myronment will need all the help it can get."

The man bowed again. "My standing here is tenuous - the previous druids resent my sudden rise. Still, I have enough influence with Jaakkima to have her banishment revoked. Is that enough? Or do you still want to speak with him?"

"Politicss." The word was spat with no attempt to disguse the vehemence behind it. Even in Silverstari, Tawny noticed the word sounded like a cuss. "I had besst sstill speak to Jakkima in persson. Thaiss was not given much choice in coming here." Again, he switched from Silverstari to Dimrosian. "Bessidess, there iss some newss he should hear from the ssource." Kukulkan shook himself once. "I can ssprint back."

Yoshi bowed respectfully. "If you insist, Master." He turned, making a waving gesture with one hand. "This way."

Tawny glanced to Surd, then followed the Silverstari man across the green.

We have all come here in the living hope of a turn in our fortunes. I have come here in the same hope. I do not come before you as Lord or a Saviour, I come before you as a man without fear. I am without fear not because of the power I wield or the trust I bare, but because I look back and see the endless years of our resistance and know that we have endured, and will endure still. The gods we love and who love us have seen fit to fill me with their power, and more importantly, their trust. All I can ask of you is the same thing.

As I am just a mortal, so to are we all mortal. The rumours you have heard, the whisperings in the dark, they are true. The Seven are abroad in the world again, and as our enemies have shown themselves, so to must we make ourselves known, to them and to each other. The power of these dark gods lie not in their arms or their magics, but in the many that cower at their feet and offer their service on pain of their lives. But we too are many. By the many can the few be overcome. Even now, these hours past, the sacrifice of many brave mortals and angels has turned back the ravages of the Beast, and by the combined effort of our gods was he cast out! Him and all those who scrape in his shadow.

The teaching the Three give us is this: A single arrow is easily sundered, but a bushel together cannot be broken. It is long past time that we stopped being single arrows and became that bushel. Too long have we laid scattered like wheat upon the ground, now it is time to sprout and reap our harvest. But, as a pile of bricks is not a house, a multitude of cells, working in secret even from others of their like, is not the army of righteousness that we must become if we are to wrest this world and all the precious peoples within it out from the yoke of suffering it toils under. The very earth beneath our feet is stained red with the blood shed in injustice. The very world bleeds and weeps at the things done. It is our charge to heal this bleeding world. To do that we must become one, so that our multitudes may be used for a greater purpose. As a great river wares down mountains, so to is it formed of numberless streams.

To that end, let this mingling be the first step toward the forging of that army. Let bonds of fellowship be formed today, so that we march toward the great battle whole and hale.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huolongjing#Fire_arrows_and_rockets

However, it doesn't speak of range; whereas this does, as well as appearing to be basically what we seem to be after:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singijeon

Using the "large" variety, they seem to have range (up to around 6000ft), accuracy (being able to be used against naval targets at that range effectively).

How this would translate into D&D stats would be, without a doubt, an area of effect attack, using the indirect fire rules.

PHB's indirect fire rules; involve BAB + Int - Range Increment & misc factors such as not having line of sight and previous shots. Target AC for a square is 15, and if target is missed a scatter dice is rolled, followed by moving the shot 3 five foot squares per range increment of the attack.

Range increments, we're looking at roughly 600ft per increment; this makes the 2 kilometers just outside its maximum range but at a nasty penalty.

Damage… its rather hard to say. They don't give examples at what the large rockets can do; only that the almost quarter in size medium can blast a 30cm deep crater into a patch of sand. All things considered however, it's likely to be a small amount of piercing damage to represent some shrapnel and primarily fire damage. 1d6 piercing and 4d6 fire doesn't seem too unreasonable. Radius of say 10ft?

Thoughts?

The long and short of it, on this part of the continent, the dominant Empire is fighting a long and bloody war into the frozen north against 'barbarians' who make their living up there. The well trained and disciplined soldiers of the Crisonan Empire are not well suited to such harsh weather and the natives up there have a tendency to hide from the Crisonan forces, and hit their supply lines. The end result is not much progress has been made in the 50 or so years of war, except a manpower shortage.

With such a manpower shortage, and the steady growth of the mercenary industry, it became remarkably clear to the Crisonan Empire that a system needed to be put into place in order to ensure the mercenaries who were getting hired were trustworthy and dependable. And so the Crisonan Magic Society came up with the groundwork for a system to keep track of all this, and the groundwork was laid for the Department of Mercenaries and Guilds (DMG). Over a period of years, the system was gradually put into place where all jobs had to be run through the Department, at a small administrative fee to the empire of course, and in turn they would ensure only skilled mercenaries were used.

Soon, each “guild” was to carry a set of brooches that identify them. These simple items also hold a magical record of their track history. Of course, groups seeking to hire these mercenaries had the final say on whether or not to hire them, the DMG remained a thoroughly neutral party whose only job was to administer the system.

Through diplomatic pressure, the DMG spread to the other kingdoms; for the sake of completion they even installed a branch in the Merunos swamplands. If you want to work as a mercenary, it’s all but impossible to find legal work without holding a license from DMG and thus bear the brooch.

The system is not perfect though. Organisations are petty, and many may end up marked negatively by a certain group simply for working for its rivals. In addition to this, members of the DMG are not always above corruption, and a large sum of gold in the right place at the right time may see the reputation of a guild increase dramatically.

The DMG even have a privatised security force whose entire purpose is to hunt down mercenaries and organisations that don’t do business through the DMG, as clearly such organisations are doing unlawful things and must be eliminated. This force is composed of the best of the best, and there isn’t a soul who isn’t at least wary of the Enforcers.

Through time, realising the great success of this system, Crisonan took it one step further. After all, why limit such useful records to simply mercenaries. Soon, all Crisonan citizens were required to carry the brooches and once more, diplomatic pressure lead to a spread over the whole continent. Now, the entire population of Ekkido owns one of the detection brooches, a collection of histories and reputations contained within each of them. And due to this, in Ekkido, reputation is everything.

So basically, what I need from the players is a character who is likely to be attracted to the mercenary way of life, for whatever reason.

Character creation is easier to do in person, but it'll also require some thinking about prior to that; Who is your character? What can they do? What are their strengths and weaknesses? The system I'm using is very versatile, but it's important to work out in great detail what your character can and can't do. (Although I will be lenient if something gets overlooked only for it to come up a few session in with a "Oh crap, I really should have given them blah").

Magic in this setting/system is VERY difficult to D&D magic. It is a powerful tool but it is also very draining; most journeyman spellcasters can only cast maybe 2-3 spells a day. There are also a wide variety of styles of magical training, which I'll be adding gradually.

“It’s open,” Sang pointed out, rubbing carefully at a stain on her curaiss.

“I noticed,” Typhenon’s voice said. “Can I come in?” At Sang’s nod he stepped inside and knelt on the floor opposite her. At least he didn’t ask why she didn’t use the bed or a chair.

“So, when are we leaving?” Sang asked, glancing up from her work.

“I don’t know.”

“Did you settle the jade?”

“It’s getting settled.”

Meaning they couldn’t go anywhere until it was in hand, but Sang supposed they also had to wait on Kukulkan’s nezumi friend. She wasn’t necessarily eager to plunge back into the Shadowlands, but time was important. They had to move swiftly.

“What do you need?” she asked, setting her dô aside.

“Well, I have to go to an Epiach council tonight. I need a bodyguard of some description.”

Sang raised both brows. “Typhenon, you’ve already introduced me there as a queen. It would be a bit odd if I turned up as a bodyguard.”

“Just thought I’d ask. You know… offer.”

“Offer?”

“Offer. If nothing else it doesn’t look like I’ve ignored you completely or didn’t even think of considering you.”

She gave him a long look. She had to give him points for trying, even if he was inviting her to stand at attention and look dangerous for the duration of a tedious city meeting. “The offer is appreciated,” she said dryly, picking up the cuirass again.

Typhenon nodded, but didn’t get up. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sang?”

The bushi repressed a sigh and met the cleric’s gaze steadily. “Yes?”

“What’s wrong?” Typhenon asked, his voice more firm.

“I just said.”

“I don’t believe you.”

A slight narrowing of her eyes and hardening of her jaw were the only physical indications that Sang did not appreciate being called a liar, even if she’d been lying… which she hadn’t. She’d been perfectly fine until Typhenon had started pestering her.

“You are not required to believe me,” she said stiffly.

“Sang, what’s wrong? Please?”

“Why is it so important to you?” she demanded.

“Because I’m your friend!”

She stared at him, the cleric’s sudden assumption that she considered him her friend catching her off-guard. But, she reasoned quickly, southerners often used that word ‘friend’ to refer to just about any kind of associate or companion.

Or bodyguard.

“Fine,” she said, and didn’t even have time to draw breath before Typhenon offered to close the door. “There’s no one out there,” Sang shrugged, “and I don’t intend to talk about it anyway. I’ll concede that yes, there are things on my mind, and no, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Sure?” he asked, disappointed.

“Yes.”

Typhenon sighed.

“What about you?” Sang asked, seizing the opportunity to shift the topic of conversation away from herself.

“Me?” Typhenon smiled briefly. “I feel like I’m beating my head against a wall.”

“Any reason why?”

Besides trying to talk to me, I mean?

“Everything seems to be spiralling happily out of control.”

“Doesn’t seem that bad.”

“You’re not the one in the middle of it.”

“Could be worse.”

“Oh?”

“You could be in Kukulkan’s shoes.”

He sighed again. “I know.” He glanced at the cuirass. “I’ll let you get back to cleaning your armour.”

“Look,” Sang said as he started to stand up, “if you really think your life is going to be threatened at this meeting then I can turn up if you want. Just let me know if I’ll need my armour ready by then.”

“I doubt anything like that will happen.”

“Just remember that if there is a meeting, Joseph might know about it.”

“I know.” He didn’t seem bothered.

“Well, let me know before you leave if you change your mind.”

He nodded. “And you let me know if you change your mind on that talky thing, too. Although I’m probably not going to hold my breath.”

“It’s not the right time,” Sang said as he left. “Give it a few more months,” she added under her breath as his footsteps receded down the corridor.

By then, either the threat would have passed or she wouldn’t be in a position to worry about it anymore.

**

The bulk of the day went by without anything significant happening. Cleaning her armour took longer than she’d anticipated. The accumulated dirt wasn’t so much of an issue as her wandering attention. Every couple of minutes she’d realise she was staring into the middle distance with her mind far from the task literally at hand. It was the eating dilemma all over again, only in armour form, and this time revolving around Typhenon.

When would he get the hint that she didn’t talk? What was the point of it? Spilling one’s verbal guts merely highlighted how weak one was. What kind of samurai would humiliate herself like that? None. They were supposed to endure, not snivel about how pathetic they were and how unfair life was. It was shameful enough that he and Maiko and Kukulkan had seen how badly Shae’el’s interlude had shaken her.

At least only Typhenon knew about the concubine, and that should not even be bothering her, she reminded herself savagely. Kaji had asked for one, Sang had agreed. That was the end of it.

Do I consider him a friend?

The thought troubled her. Sure, they had been travelling together for a few months now, on and off. They’d saved each other’s lives a few times. He’d come to her wedding. They’d developed, she thought, some kind of understanding of each other betwixt their disagreements. Even if he was impossible to deal with at times, he had always managed to pull through when she asked for his help. But he was harbouring R, and it was hard to consider him a friend when he was protecting that treacherous murderer. She couldn’t comprehend it.

Sang closed her eyes tight and pinched the bridge of her nose, growling softly. So he was her friend. What did it matter? It didn’t mean she’d talk.

“You’re so stubborn you don’t know what’s best for you!”

“I have done everything you’ve asked of me!”

“Everything except talk,” Sang mused softly to herself.

**

When her armour was cleaned to her satisfaction, she spent the rest of her time in the training room working out some kinks. It was dinner time before she knew it, and after leaving the Blade in her cell she made her way to the mess hall then sat down with some food with every intention of cleaning the plate no matter how long it took her. She’d only just started to eat when there was some sort of commotion from a nearby room. Sang was halfway to her feet before she realised that, despite a general rush of footsteps, there were no cries of alarm. When no sounds of fighting or shouts were forthcoming, she lowered herself to the bench and resumed the task of making herself eat, idly watching as the mess hall emptied of people curious to see what was going on. Pretty soon she was the only one in the room, which suited her perfectly. Her present mood preferred solitude. If she was fast enough she might be finished before anyone came back, and she wouldn’t have to endure any ‘eating for three’ remarks or other such nonsense.

She was making some headway when Maiko entered the room, accompanied by a robed, elderly man. The two of them crossed to a distant table, sat, and began talking intently in quiet voices. Sang kept her eyes on her plate. She couldn’t hear what was being discussed, but Maiko seemed to be doing most of the talking. After about five minutes they got up and left the same way they’d come in. The next time Sang lifted her eyes the man was back again, and approaching her table. She realised now that he bore a distinct resemblance to Theosteris, and knew there was only one person he could be. It also meant she could hazard a guess as to what he and Maiko had been speaking of.

He sat opposite her without invitation.

“My condolences on your loss,” Sang said. “He was a good man.”

“And he died protecting people,” Ephiates said.

“He did.”

“I can think of no better death.” He paused. “Except of contented old age. Though that is not a fate any of us will share, I think.”

Sang said nothing. She wasn’t sure how many Yu would prefer dying in bed to dying in battle. It was a debatable point, but not one she felt necessary to argue here and now.

“I have heard that you are a great lady of the Yu Kingdom.”

Bloody Maiko.

“I am,” Sang confirmed, but couldn’t help tacking on: “Recently. Is there something you need?”

“Simply to know why it is that you tarry here.”

Sang made a vague gesture with her fork. “I’m eating.”

“Do you come here often?”

“I am frequently in Typhenon’s company.”

“So it is not Kolskegg’s cuisine but Typhenon’s company that you keep here?”

Sang forbade her eyebrows to lift at that. “Possibly not the kind of company you are thinking of,” she said. “I travel with him.”

“I make no judgement of your relationship with Typhenon,” Ephiates assured her.

“Well, you mentioned him and Kolskegg in the same sentence,” Sang pointed out without even a shadow of a smile.

“He is an easy man to know well,” Ephiates conceded, then amended: “I should say he is an easy man to know, but a difficult man to know well. It is not Kolskegg I am curious about, though.” He regarded her thoughtfully. “So you would rank yourself one of Typhenon’s… companions?”

She was unable to decide if the slight pause in that question was incidental or implying something. “What do you mean by that?”

“You are unfamiliar with the word ‘companion’?”

“No, just the way you phrased that statement,” Sang said frankly.

“I’m not aware if the same is true in your kingdoms, but in Dimrost there is the notion of a band of warriors, a group of stalwart heroes working together. It is a theme that recurs numerous times through history and mythology in my lands, and the term used is a ‘companion’.”

“Then,” Sang said, “in that sense, ‘yes’.”

“Is Kolskegg’s cooking so heavenly, then, that you tarry here instead of accompanying him?” Ephiates asked.

“It’s his Temple,” Sang replied, hiding her confusion. “He goes many places where I don’t follow.”

Was she supposed to accompany him to the bathroom next?

“This is merely a time of rest before we proceed to our next destination,” she added.

“My arrival caused a fair bit of stir,” Ephiates pointed out.

“There was no battle,” Sang replied indifferently.

“You are pre-cognisant to that degree?”

“I could tell by the sound of the commotion,” Sang said, wondering when he’d get to the point—and if there even was one. “There was no conflict.”

“Did you not find it necessary to educate yourself?” the caster tried.

Sang shrugged. “I gathered I would learn what transpired sooner or later.”

“So your energies are precious to you.”

“I’m eating for three,” she almost drawled, figuring it’d be nice to say it to someone else for a change. “Kolskegg keeps telling me I should eat more. So does Typhenon, actually. And just about everyone else.”

Ephiates studied her for a moment longer, then finally seemed to give up. “Perhaps you should accompany me to the main hall. I have bestowed great gifts upon the Primarch. It would be fitting for you to be part of this moment.”

“Very well,” Sang said calmly, glancing briefly at her plate. There was still a great deal of food left on it.

“You do not sound enthusiastic,” he observed.

“Like I said, I’m sure I would learn what transpired sooner or later. But if this is some ceremony then I shall come.”

“I thought your people had a passion for tradition,” Ephiates said. “It is not some dusty ritual that you completed for posterity’s sake.”

“I am not among my people.”

“So it is your people’s rituals you are more passionate about.”

Ah… I understand now. It is Theos’ father after all. He’s trying to figure me out, that’s why he’s taking so long.

“My people’s traditions require that I attend,” Sang said.

“That sounds like a lack of passion. Are there any rituals you are passionate about?”

These days? Just one.

“Certainly.”

“I am a collector of ritual. Perhaps you could educate me some day.”

“Perhaps,” Sang said. “Some day.”

“Sooner rather than later, I hope. Come.”

They stood and he presumed to put an arm around her shoulder. Not a companionable arm, but more of a guide perhaps. Sang tried not to look discomfited, and they walked from the mess hall at a pace she considered more suited to a stroll through gardens.

“If I know Kolskegg well, he will take any opportunity for a ‘booze-up,” Ephiates remarked.

“Yes,” Sang agreed politely. “I am sure I will get my customary cup of juice.”

“If there is one thing Elonans do well, and there are many things Elonans do well, it is throw a party.”

Sang kept her eyes rather carefully focussed on the passage ahead. “They enjoy themselves, I’ve been told.”

“It’s what they do, what they encourage in others. I’ve always found the Elonan way to be laudable, but lacking focus. The idea of promoting enjoyment and a love of life is certainly a necessity, but one can find that in scholarly repose as easily as they can find it in wild revelry. In fact there are some sorts of people who would find more enjoyment in quiet pursuits.”

Sang made a non-committal sound. Kaji was not the scholarly type. A good part of her wanted to steer the conversation to safer grounds, but the rest was almost morbidly interested to see what kind of additional damage could be inflicted, how much more blood could well.

“Shared experience and ritual is what binds people together,” Ephiates went on.

She made another mumble which may or may not have been assent, mentally calculating how many more steps would carry them into the hall and deliberately avoiding all thought of what experiences her husband was ‘sharing’ right now.

“To an extent, people must wish to be bound.”

He did not want to be bound. He never did. He said so himself, after I learned who he really was, that his intentions for seeking me out in disguise ‘were not pure’.

I never asked him what he meant by that.

Sang folded her arms within her kimono sleeves and kept stern control over her features as they approached the threshold of the hall. A far part of her mind wondered if a word existed for a heart that had not only been broken, but for the pieces of it that were slowly and systematically being reduced to shattered splinters.

So ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Three and the Seven, polarities inverted.

Nations and major characters still to come. Feel free to correct or suggest as you will.

The Three

Feloqui – Patron of monsters, both in form and spirit, Feloqui is a deity of terror and destruction. Feloqui encourages his followers to spread fear, paranoia and death in otherwise peaceful places. Approving of everything from simple muggings to outright revolution and war, Feloqui does not truly care about the spoils garnered from the works he promotes – only that they occur.
Caalix – Patron of death and corruption, Caalix’s wife was slain in an assault long ago, and this has left its mark permanently upon the deity. Caalix seeks to resurrect his wife, but to do so will require power beyond mortal comprehension – and that is exactly what Caalix seeks. A god of necromancy, corruption and vengeance, Caalix encourages his followers to bring taint, death and undeath to the world, for he draws power from every unnatural death – especially those wrought by magic.
Elona – Patron of traitors and spies, Elona is a deity of lies, secrets and seduction to evil. Where Feloqui favours monstrous destruction and Caalix vile corruption, Elona sows subtle seeds of evil, teaching the joys of self-serving acts and twisting souls with suggestions and temptations. Elona is particularly known for planting her agents in other religions and ruling political factions, and twisting them from within into vile mockeries.

The Three Great Evils have one foul advantage which has held them firm against devastating odds – the ability to work together. Although they often turn against each other or compete with deadly results, they compliment each others’ specialities with amazing synergy, and it is not at all unusual to find Elona’s agents infiltrating and weakening a target, only for Feloqui’s monsters to strike and Caalix’s to mop up and desecrate the area.

The Seven

Ashkalon – Patron of journeys, knowledge and death, Ashkalon is known as the Great Seeker and the Veiled Questor. Ashkalon was scarred horribly when Caalix attempted to conquer her realm and take her power in his quest, and her clerics are especially charged to destroy the works of the corruptor wherever they are found.
Belshazzar – Patron of law, battle and flame, Belshazzar is known as the Guiding Light and the Shielding Flame, who lights the night so evil cannot hide. Ever vigilant against any threat, Belshazzar is most often worshipped by rulers and warriors.
Darcheiemet – Patron of construction, progress, and crafting, Darcheiemet always takes great interest in inventors and craftsmen, always encouraging the people of the world to always strive further and never become complacent and lazy.
Esarhaddon – Patron of healers, self-improvement and alchemy, Esarhaddon forever pushes his worshippers to become the best they can be, forever training and learning more, and ensuring all around them are healthy, breathing life into all around them both physically and emotionally.
Mastemoth – Patron of wild things and strength, Mastemoth encourages strength through pushing away from comfort and weakness, following the examples of animals – not necessarily predators, but tribes who follow his example often model themselves and their traditions on a totem animals.
Nephtali – Patron of patterns and oracles, Nephtali is a relatively obscure sect who dedicates herself and her followers to study of prophecy and signs. Requiring extreme patience and open minds of her followers, many disregard her as having no more influence in the world than many lesser gods – not realising that her subtle touch on the threads of fate has guided the world far without its knowledge.
Zaddikim – Patron of transfiguration and art, Zaddikim is known as the Muse, forever encouraging new things. Unlike Darcheiemet, however, who encourages eternally building on existing work, Zaddikim encourages flourishing but beautiful chaos, teaching his followers that nothing need be set in stone, and that beauty can be drawn out of anything with effort.

The Seven, while they all work for the betterment of all people, have very different ideas on how this progress should be made. Though some of them get along, many of their philosophies actively oppose each other, and thus they rarely provide a united front.

While they are a strong force, they are usually content to take the background and let more local religions hold stronger sway over the world – merely guiding the general sweep of civilisations, with a bit of strong support from specific individuals.

First off, some ground rules.
1. No existing, established fluff. I don't need much help with stuff I've already mentioned. Do feel free to reference existing stuff however, i.e. "My nation are bitter foes of Dimrost."
2. I retain the right to reject or change what I see fit. Don't let that get in the way of some interesting stuff, but bare it in mind.

With those in place, go nuts.

Creating A Shadow

"Shadow" is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or more. (referred to hereafter as the base creature)

A shadow uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type

The creature’s type changes to outsider (native). They also gain gestalt levels equal to their current number of class levels and hitdice in the Outsider hitdice to represent the Shadow's perfection caused by the massive influx of power.

Special Attacks

A half-fiend retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains the following special attack.

Spell-Like Abilities

A shadow with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has spell-like abilities depending on its Hit Dice, as indicated on the table. The abilities are cumulative. Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based. Spell-like abilities are chosen to improve upon the Shadow's natural abilities based on the following guidelines.

HD Abilities
1-2 2nd level Arcane 3/day
3-4 2nd level Divine Spell
5-6 4th level Domain Spell chosen from appropriate Domain
7-8 3rd level Arcane Spell 3/day
9-10 3rd level Divine Spell
11-12 7th level Domain Spell from appropriate Domain
13-14 8th level Divine Spell 3/day, unhallow
15-16 8th level Arcane Spell
17-18 9th level Arcane Spell
19-20 9th level Divine Spell

Special Qualities

A Shadow has all the special qualities of the base creature, plus the following special qualities.

* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Immunity to mind affecting effects; A shadow is but a fragment of a real mind, made manifest and empowered by the void.
* Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, and fire 10.
* Damage reduction: 5/magic (if HD 11 or less) or 10/magic (if HD 12 or more).
* Spell resistance equal to creature’s HD + 10 (maximum 35).
* Deceptive Alignment: The creature is treated as the alignment of the base creature for all spells and effects based on alignment, regardless of its true alignment.
* Mental Link: The shadow has a mental link with its original; it can read the original's mind as long as they are within 60ft, and possesses all the original's memories.
* Invulnerability to Original: As long as the original refuses to accept the Shadow as a part of them, the Shadow remains completely invulnerable to any effects or attacks from the original. Furthermore, every point of damage dealt to the Shadow deals 1 point of non-lethal damage to the original, although the original can only be brought to one point away from being knocked unconscious by this at most.

Abilities

Increase from the base creature as follows:

+4 bonus to the base creature's 3 highest stats
+2 bonus to the creature's 4th and 5th highest stats

Alignment:
Always Chaotic Evil (Void).

Tactics:

A shadow will not fight at first, as they prefer to reveal the dark truth made manifest that they are of the original. They will attack the original psychologically, revealing to all present how a part of them really feels about things. Only once enraged or if attacked will they fight. Shadows are enraged by being denied by the original, the more the original refuses to acknowledge the truth, the more enraged they become.

In combat, they will never strike at their original, preferring to kill those who stand in its way. Once alone with its original, it will slowly consume their mind.

A building to hold the horses, bought with coin by Lucky and another; the beginning of a business. A home for the horses. Horses. Creatures of the earth, they have the wind in their hooves, unafraid of fire or flood, and they walk unhindered with iron on their feet. The perfect creature.

See? Horses are poetry. Sure, they stink. Most things do. But as creatures… poetry.

Aventaris stared sightlessly out the window. He was under house arrest, while Carew, Lorrelyn and Figaro were in cells, not to mention magic-inhibiting chains. The recollection that he had told them all to flee the square, that they wouldn’t be in this mess had they listened, did little to soothe his mind. At least Ivatis, Keaira and Kyler had been gone by the time the guards had come, though he had prayed the square would be empty. That Ivatis and Keaira had escaped this mess was the most important thing in his mind, and he had no intention of describing them or otherwise aiding their capture. He had told the lawmen only that there had been three or four others, which anyone who’d been there could have verified easily enough.

They should have fled. He’d told them to run. He’d been sure he could have talked himself out of the situation if he’d been careful and clever, for he had neither provoked the assault nor caused anyone harm. At worst he had sought to weaken their opponents by Peacebonding their weapons (which hadn’t taken hold) and dispelling a field they’d raised to protect themselves (which had). He might have been able to gloss over that by saying it was initially self-defense, for the Caementi leader had vocally assumed Aventaris was in league with Figaro when the latter had begun his ambush. He might have been able to turn things even more in his favor considering he’d prevented additional loss of life by healing the peasants who’d been trampled near to death in the general rush to flee.

Damn Figaro. The man was too confident that he could wave his papers and get out of situations. Evidently Lorrelyn was as certain in her own credentials. Illegal mages both of them… had she not been, he might have been able to get her out on a claim she’d only sought to defend herself after the unexpected ambush. But her papers were bound to be examined.

As for Figaro, he had flat out claimed credit for the Caementi leader's death when confronted by the guards, not knowing she'd been an ambassador. That man he could do nothing for. He’d acted alone, violently, foolishly, and even if the goal had been to save some people being burned at the stake, two bystanders had been killed during the course of the ensuing fight and many more injured as the crowds had stampeded in panic. The man was a loose cannon and a danger to the party. Aventaris was starting to wish he’d listened to Figaro instead of his own conscience, and left the man in the square to meet his fate.

Then there was Carew. Carew would stick by Figaro. Aventaris knew she would, and knew this would make trying to get her out useless, for if she claimed association with Figaro and they found out he was an illegal spellcaster, that was it for both of them.

He rubbed at his temples, bowing his head. His mind throbbed painfully with the thoughts of the city, dark plots, spiteful plans, intentions to hurt and harm and break. Through it he had felt Ivatis' suicidal impulses after he'd come down from his berserking rage and realised he'd just ripped someone's heart out with his bare hands. Through it, he also knew that Lorrelyn believed he’d betrayed the others by numbering those who had fled the square. She thought him an enemy and planned to move against him if they got out of this. Regrettable, but understandable. He didn’t hold it against her. He just wished she’d run with the others.

It was hard to think clearly.

How will I get out of this? I don’t think I can. Alone I could have, or at the least taken the fall so the others could continue. But the presence of ‘accomplices’, two of which will have to lie to protect their identities, will make it impossible.

I didn’t know what Figaro had been planning. I don’t think he’d even had a plan. How can my head hurt so much with the plans of an entire city, yet fail to find the one that got us into this? This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I was meant to able to anticipate things like this so they could be avoided.

If he was not released, he would not be able to rejoin Keaira and Ivatis. Now here, he could not break out. It would only put them in greater danger to add an escaped criminal to their party.

They’re out. That’s what matters. He told me to help them. If I can’t rejoin them then they will leave tomorrow as planned, and be safe.

And if I can escape?

He stared out the window again.

Is it more important to save the world or submit to the law?

If our idea of saving the world is causing riots and panic, tearing out hearts…

His head pounded.

Perhaps the world is not even worth saving.

God help me…I can’t start thinking like that. You wanted me to help save it. How do I help them and keep to the law? Should I get out if I get the chance? Should I get the others out? What do I do?!

Creepy.

Superchic(k) "Stand In The Rain"

She never slows down.
She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's
All alone,
Feels like its all
Coming down.

She won't turn around.
The shadows are long and she fears if she cries
That first tear,
The tears will not stop
Raining down.

[CHORUS]
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain.

She won't make a sound.
Alone in this fight with herself and the fears
Whispering,
If she stands
She'll fall down.

She wants to be found.
The only way out is through everything she's
Running from,
Wants to give up
And lie down.

[CHORUS]
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day, what's lost can be found
You stand in the rain…

I trust this letter made it to you okay. If it has not, whoever reads this now is reading a letter not meant for them, and should desist before I find out. For I will find out.

I hope things are going well in Epiach and that you are enjoying your duties there as best you can. I can appreciate that at times it's not always a pleasant job, especially with my newfound work in the area. The aftermath of the recent battle on Wuhai was particularly unpleasant.

I am not certain if you're aware, but I have been appointed the Bureaucratic Lord of the island of Wuhai. It is a great honour to be recognised for my merits and given such a prestigious responsibility. Regardless, in a few weeks there will be a great festival on the island celebrating its rebirth from the taint of darkness, the celebrations will include many contests and games judged by the great kami of the island, as well as announcing some land appointments and such.

I would be honoured if you and your guest would be able to attend this joyous day, if your duties should permit. Naturally you are welcome to bring any who could use some time out in the world away from the worries of duties.

I earnestly await your reply and hope you will be able to attend.

Usami Maiko

She couldn’t very well say that R had transported them there.

So it was that she and Kaji, Admiral Kiau and Nobutada, General Yosuke, Kuni Senji and Shanro acquired horses and travelled west along the highway. They would reach Tokai in two or three days, leaving plenty of time to prepare for the Emperor’s arrival unless something happened.

And, of course, something did happen.

Part way through their first day on the road, Kaji suddenly reined in, stared at nothing and swore heatedly.

“Typhenon just spoke to me,” he said. “The Emperor is arriving this evening. He’s early!”

He kicked his horse into a gallop and everyone followed suit, striving for the greatest speed they could. Sang did some quick thinking of the distance they had to travel and the geography and bit down on a curse of her own. She could be late as she was theoretically still on her quest for Lord Yu’s Blade, but Kaji was meant to be in Tokai. If he wasn’t there to greet the Emperor it would be disastrous.

“We’ll never make it!” Sang shouted. “Even if we stop at every village along the way and swap horses—if they have horses worth riding—it’ll be too late!” Realising Kaji’s horse was slowing, Sang pulled back on the reins to keep level with him.

“Typhenon again,” he said after a short pause. “He says he’s going to meet us on the road to hasten our arrival.”

It was mid-afternoon and they were riding hard when someone first noticed the green dragon flying from the west and angling in their direction. They slowed and stopped their tired horses and Sang gave instructions to be ready for trouble but not to attack unless attacked. She had only known one green dragon, and if this was him then they were in for a fight.

But it was too small to be the same one, and as it descended in wide spirals Kaji pointed out a smaller flying beast, white and gold with a man on its back.

“That will be Typhenon,” Sang said, relieved. “But when did he pick up a dragon?”

Kaji squinted. “Looks like… Glint of Rising Sun.”

“Who?”

“The house dragon.”

“We have one of those? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“He can’t really show himself around the palace, you know. The peasants would get scared.”

The green dragon landed a short distance off the road, folded his wings and stalked forwards with head raised to sniff the air. Shrewd, shining eyes flickered from face to face, then he drew one foreclaw back and bowed to Kaji and Sang. “Majesties.”

Sang repressed a grimace at being recognised and untied her menpo before nodding in return. “Glint of Rising Sun.”

“This foreigner—“ with a twitch of his tail Glint indicated Typhenon, who had just touched down in a rush of hippogriff feathers, “—claims to be on a mission from Lord Kaji.”

Sang glanced to her husband, expecting him to answer before she remembered he’d put her in charge of this expedition. She looked back at Glint. “He is. I believe he has come to hasten our return to Tokai.”

“Ah?” The dragon raised both scaled brows. “Then I will offer my assistance there also.”

Sang considered. “How successful do you think you’d be in carrying my Lord husband to Lord Yu’s Temple unseen?”

Glint’s chuckled in amusement for a moment, then said, “If he lies close to my back, I’m sure people will be far more interested in me then whoever I am bearing.”

A couple of minutes later Kaji and Glint were gone, a shining streak of green speeding westwards.

“Thank you for this,” Sang said to Typhenon. “I don’t like to think about what might happen if we were late.”

“Happy to help,” he said. “How do you want to do this? I won’t be able to get you in unseen.”

“Kaji was the important one to get back,” Sang mused aloud, “but I would prefer to be there with him when the Emperor arrives.” She glanced down at her disguise. “We had a plan, but I suppose it doesn’t matter now.” She explained what they’d been going to do.

“So you need an excuse for being on Wuhai,” Typhenon said. “The Shadowlands can turn you around a bit, can’t they?”

“Usually not over the Wall—no, wait… there is precedent! Remember the Yu patrol we ran into in the south? They’d been scouting north of the Wall near Tokai and somehow been transported south of Epiac!”

Typhenon nodded. “The land down there was Tainted. It was acting as separate Shadowlands pocket, like the patch in the city.”

Admiral Kiau spoke up. “King Yoritomo of the Jin thought the monster infestation on Wuhai had been a result of Taint. That’s why he sent word to the Yu accusing us of not doing our job.”

“So the Shadowlands brought my people and I to Wuhai,” Sang said. “Which is true.”

It is just misdirection. Wuhai was not actually Tainted, but after what happened there people will think that it was. I’d rather they believe that than hear about R.

“We assisted in liberating the island,” she continued, “then Admiral Kiau sailed us back to Yu lands and accompanied us to Tokai.”

“Perfect.” Typhenon turned, murmured something, and enough hippogriffs to transport the entire group appeared before him. “So you don’t need that disguise anymore?”

They flew fast and close to the ground. Sang had most of her usual armour on, enough that she’d be recognised, and carried Lord Yu’s Blade openly in one hand out to the side of her steed. The landscape swept past them and Typhenon said it would only take them three hours to reach the gates of Tokai.

“I spoke to Isadora, by the way,” he called to her as they travelled.

“How is she?” Sang asked cautiously.

“Concerning. I’m worried about her.”

“You’re not the only one. When we last spoke—“ Sang shook her head. “Typhenon, at first I worried she’d need protection.” Aware that they were not alone, and that the Kuni with them might hear her words, she said only, “If she’s doing anyone harm, I will have to ask Garreth to recall her.”

“I understand.”

I have to try and talk to her again. I have to find the time. I don’t want to just send her packing, I want to help her. I just don’t know how. Especially if she doesn’t think she needs help.

When they arrived at Tokai a detachment of guards came out on horseback. The leader bowed to her from his saddle, said that the King had sent them to meet her (Sang supposed Glint could have ‘advised Kaji of Sang’s imminent arrival’ when he’d flown to Lord Yu’s Temple) and proceeded to escort the party into the city and towards the castle. As they progressed, Sang became aware of cheering and a growing throng of people following them through the streets.

“Lord Yu’s Blade! It’s been found!”

Sang rode on, observed the celebrations in passing and felt very odd. This was no formal gathering of lesser subjects to welcome home a superior, but impromptu. Spontaneous. She didn’t know if they cheered her, her party, or simply the presence of Lord Yu’s Blade, but beneath the shouts of triumph there was something genuine and rare. Maybe joy. Maybe hope. Maybe both.

She thought of all those who had died before they’d reached their goal in the Shadowlands, the others who had survived only to fall on Wuhai, and hoped they could hear the thoughts she now cast to the heavens:

Listen to the cheers of your kin. No matter where you are now, you were a part of this. You helped bring this to them. Hear them and be proud. Be happy and be at peace. You succeeded.

The crowd followed them all the way to the steps leading up to the castle. Sang, Typhenon and the others dismounted (Typhenon dismissed the hippogriffs after thanking them), then ascended to meet Kaji who waited for them at the top. The King looked appropriately scruffy for having spent the last several days in the Temple, pleased to see his Queen returned safe and successful, and greeted them with the formality required for so public a place.

As they all went inside and divided to seek their separate rooms, Sang paused to thank Typhenon again.

“I take it you will be at the welcoming ceremony?” she asked him.

“It’s a bit late to avoid now,” he said. “Your security probably won’t let me leave a second time.”

“Do you need anything to wear?”

“No thanks. I’ve already organised something.”

Sang raised a brow but didn’t ask when he’d had the time to go shopping. Perhaps his embassy had gotten him something appropriate for the occasion. She certainly hoped so. She had no idea what she would be wearing, but was sure it would be uncomfortable and wouldn’t have a place for her to wear her daisho. She was pulled from this depressing turn of mind by the sight of Kaji being accosted by at least a dozen courtiers clutching and waving papers and parchments, each man or woman clamouring that his business was the more important. Sang pressed closer to hear they were basically all panicking about the Emperor’s imminent arrival and wanted Kaji to solve every last problem… right down to supplying the appropriate sort of candles. She shook her head in irritation, barely able to believe they came to their king with matters like this instead of the ministers or even quartermasters. Kaji was already looking harried; Sang stepped in and delegated the problems to the appropriate areas just as servants dragged them both off in different directions to be properly bathed and attired.

Dreading what she’d have to wear, Sang was reluctant almost to the point of being uncooperative as maids attempted to remove her armour and hustle her to a bath. But as soon as the first drop of heated water washed over her skin everything else drifted pleasantly away. As she lazed blissfully in the hot bath the servants got to work washing her hair, and when she emerged she was dried and massaged with scented oils. Sang didn’t even notice the oils—the massage was much needed. A pity it, and the bath, couldn’t have gone for longer. First her hair was styled. When the head hairdresser realised that not even his best scissors could cut even a single strand of Sang’s hair, he went to the verge of panic before asking Sang if she’d prefer a single long braid or lots of thin ones. Sang opted for the easiest and fastest choice, deciding that one braid would be easier to brush out at the end of the day. But if she thought she’d gotten away with simplicity, she was mistaken. Into each link of the braid was inserted a decorative silver bell, so that whenever she turned her head she sounded like a walking wind-chime. At least the braid kept her hair a few inches above the floor though.

Then came the clothes. It was inappropriate for the Queen of the Yu, a defender of the Wall and now Champion of Lord Yu to meet the Emperor in the impressive array of her armour with a blue-burning guan dao in hand. Sang grumbled about this to herself, suffering the maids to start wrapping her in the layers of a full formal kimono. Shift, blue velvet under-shirt, the kimono itself (a deep purple creation with sleeves so deep they touched the ground, and accented with thin white trees and leaves rising above the hem and birds winging across the breast), a broad white obi wrapped twice around her midsection to display the mon at the centre front and tie at her back, purple slippers with winking silver embroidery. And lastly a jade circlet crafted to resemble the Wall complete with warriors patrolling the top. From it was suspended a thin chain bearing a single amethyst that rested on her brow.

Sang tried not to scowl at her reflection in the mirror. Even though everything fit perfectly, even though it might look all right, it was unfamiliar and uncomfortable and she longed for simpler clothes or, better yet, steel instead of silk. The Yu were well-known for not bothering overmuch with ceremony, but the Emperor was the Emperor—they had to make the effort for him.

Oh Fortunes… the Emperor…

Clothes were forgotten. Sang made her way outside her rooms, unable to walk very fast due to the design of the kimono but too distracted to even be irritated by it. She had worried for days about this moment, about whether it was right to uphold the deception of the Emperor’s divinity. She didn’t think it was, but didn’t see that she had much choice. All the truth would do at this point in time is get a lot of people angry, confused, and possibly killed. A public uproar had to be avoided. That meant maintaining the lie.

Requirements:
Skills: Knowledge Nature 12 ranks, Survival 10 ranks, Disguise 2 ranks
Feats: Alertness, Endurance
Special: Wild shape class feature

Class Skills: (4+int mod per level): Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Nature), Listen, Spot, Swim, Survival

Push and Pull: The Importance of Language in Iaido
Proper forms and terms for drawing/sheathing a blade.

"Swordsmanship is also like this. Facing your opponent, you forget about life, forget about death, forget about your opponent, and forget about yourself. Your thoughts do not move and you create no intentions. When you are in a state of No-Mind and leave everything to your natural perceptions, metamorphosis and change will be conducted with absolute freedom, and practical application will have no obstacles."

You get a reasonable amount of Karma from being active on forums, editing pages and the like. To get more, you must go forth and help newbies in the open areas of wikidot and junk.

So basically yeah, I can't get any higher unless I go all Lawful-Good and start helping strangers and crap. And as I don't give a stuff about that, I can't see my karma increasing.

But yeah, bottom line is, don't freak out, panic, or think people have been going around reporting you or something. (My first thought was it was a warnings bar). Having a full bar makes you cool, and 1337, and such. Having an empty bar makes you scum. Go and post some ****ing cats or something.

Piro and Kukulkan, please fill in the blanks. I know I missed a lot of things Piro did, and you'll probably recall a lot more than I do about the details. I remember the chief advisor in phoenix lands talking to Piro at some point, for instance. And Typhenon's vision and what happened to him in the Shadowlands?

Kukulkan (disguised as a horse), Kuni Sang, Kuni Jin and Keichi ride east from Epiach to ask for help from the Phoenix in dealing with the Shadowlands pocket that's popped up in the city.

They cut across Unicorn lands, evade orc patrols (there is one encounter while they're sleeping for the night? I think Keichi and Kukulkan managed to trick the orcs away. KKK may remember more).

They run into a battle between orcs and Unicorns. Party helps the Unicorn and win. (I think some of the orcs surrender? or were taken prisoner, at least. S J and K stop the Unicorn from murdering the orcs that survived once they've been bound).

Kukulkan escorts the Unicorn and captured orcs to Epiach??

S J and K continue east and hit the river bordering Uni and Scorp lands. While looking for a safe place to ford, a scorp patrol on the other side catches sight of them. The party crosses with scorp permission and explain their business, but have to accept the scorp as escorts to the next city.

At the scorp city, party pays for passage on a sampan heading down the river that will head to Phoenix lands. Piro has also paid for passage for reasons of his own.

The sampans travel downriver and during the night come across a barge that's been hijacked, apparently by Fallen Crab.

Keichi searches the barge for survivors and locates a young girl, who he takes to safety on the sampans.

A group of undead Crab appear on the shore and the leader challenges Sang to a duel to the death, claiming he wants the girl they just rescued. Sang agrees with the permission of her daimyo and kills the leader. The rest of the undead fall on their own swords. The corpses are burned.

The girl claims to be the daughter of the ruler of a Phoenix city, and when the party arrives there they are welcomed and thanked for rescuing the girl, as well as given rooms.

The party is summoned the next day to the castle's garden courtyard. They arrive and find the lord under a tree, stabbed dead with Sang's own wakizashi. On a branch of the tree is a scrap torn from her kimono. Sang realises the wakizashi at her side is not her own (scorpion blade?)

Guards turn up with the daughter, who accuses Sang of murder. The party is arrested. They go quietly.

While in the cells, Keichi sneaks out in fox form and snoops around. He sees the girl speaking to the dead lord's chief advisor. She turns into a green dragon and kills him.

A man from a cell of the Temple of the Three visits the prisons and offers to spring the group. They decline, but ask for his help at the hearing to unmask the dragon.

In the court the dragon is unmasked (forget how. I think Jin managed to pull of a Dispel?). It breathes on the gathering, killing many (including the Temple representative). The party attacks the dragon (Sang and Piro take weapons from guards) and wound it badly, but it escapes.

In apology for the wrong done to the party, they are admitted to the Elemental Masters. The party speaks of the Shadowlands pocket in Epiach and ask for Phoenix aid in containing it. The EMs say that Epiach is currently under more immediate threats and conjure an image of Epiach under siege from a vast and strange army.

Again the party asks for help. The EMs consult and agree to send reinforcements to Epiach with the party. They are teleported to Epiach outside an undefended wall and the Phoenix reinforcements crush the enemy in their path.

After the enemy are defeated, the party head to the Shadowlands pocket and the Phoenix leader states his intention to take control of Epiach.

Sang is approached by Hida Ka, who delivers a missive from her daimyo requesting her return to Crab lands for marriage to Hida Kaji. Her daimyo (Kuni Samariku) is reportly near death.

Piro has a run-in with a Scorpion (info needed!).

Sang, Piro, Jin, Isadora and Ka teleport to Crab lands and travel to Tosa. Sang's daimyo has died before they arrive. While the group are paying their respects in the tempe they are attacked by undead. The foes are destroyed, but Samariku's body vanishes during the battle.

After a day or two in Tosa, the group continues to the capital of Tokai for Sang to present herself to her betrothed. Once there, Hida Ka identifies himself as Hida Kaji.

Typhenon and Kolskegg turn up for the wedding.

At the reception a Blood Mage assassin in the service of Thyrul kills the Crab daimyo (Hida Kuroda) and attacks Typhenon. The assassin is overcome and put in jail for questioning. In the kitchens, the party discover that the wedding feast had contained human flesh.

The assassin reveals little, but it's thought a new Shadowlands tower (similar to what happened in Epiach) is going to be raised in Tokai.

The next day the Shadowlands attack the Wall in force. While Kaji and Kuroda's other sons lead the bushi at the Wall, the party goes to deal with the tower before it can be raised.

Typhenon gets a vision that leads the group to an inn, below which a dark rite is taking place headed by a liche.

The liche kills Piro and Jin, but the rite is stopped.

The party (Sang, Isadora and Jin) get back outside. Thyrul and two of his servants appear in the sky above Tokai and attack. A Crane bushi (Kakita Bei) stops to assist the party. Thyrul incapacitates Typhenon, Sang and Bei. Isadora summons a steed and flees to get help. Thyrul spirits Typhenon away.

A mysterious informant provides the party information on where to find Thyrul and his phylactery, on the promise that they will use the information to kill Thyrul for good. He also mentions the spirits of Jin and Piro will be held in soul prisms in Thyrul's citadel.

Kaji's brothers reported dead on the Wall. Kaji becomes daimyo.

The next day, Sang, Isadora, Bei and a Hida scout fly into the Shadowlands and find Thyrul's citadel. They locate and shatter Thyrul's phylactery. Bei destroys a second unknown phylactery.

The group goes downstairs and finds the room in which Thyrul holds Typhenon.

The Harlequin makes his first appearance and kills the Hida scout, but then keeps out of sight and just sings in Elvish.

Bei breaks down the door to Thyrul's room. Thyrul immediately casts a spell that kills him.

Sang attacks Thyrul. Isadora frees the chained Typhenon. The Harlequin enters and also attacks Thyrul.

Typhenon kills Thyrul.

The Harlequin allows Typhenon to take the soul prisms and the group to leave the room. As they flee, Typhenon drops Jin's prism and Shinobu appears, unconscious.

The group gets outside and Typhenon Plane Shifts them all to Epiach and yet another battle.

Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Where's Kolskegg when you need him?
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: *puts on a giant fake beard and wig*
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: I think I could cosplay him in a pinch
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: My scottish accent is TRULY awful, though, ach.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: well, you're cosplaying him, not making a motion picture.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: … aaaand now I'm imagining the Bleeding World as a movie series.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: O.o
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: ^_^
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: Start choosing actors?
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: this is too much awesome for my brain.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: hrm.
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: …….Alan Rickman = Thyral.
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: XDDDDDDDDDD
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: OoO
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: NO
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: BAD DAMOS
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: =D
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Alan Rickman will be Lord Jaakkima
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: O___O
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: ……But then Argyranthe would have no choice but to agree!
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Which will make her cry when Tawny and Jaakkima get married
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: (Plus Jaakk-)
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: which is totally gonna happen now lol
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: *twitch*
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: *twitchtwitch*
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: *writes the fiction*
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: *wail*
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Also, Tawny's eyes have changed colour and she multiclasses as a wizard/warrior/rogue/bard and she sneezes sparkles and all the boys are in love with her…
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: >DXD
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: Unfortunately Rickman is a bit old for Jaakkima.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: :(
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Hugh Jackman?
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: So who do you think should play Garreth?
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Well, given I've been Garreth bashing for a while… Johnny Depp?
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: :F
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: …………
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: :F:F:F:F:F
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: Part of me says that's horribly egotistical of me
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: No way Tawny could say no now
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: Part of me says… yeah… if anyone could play him…
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: Unless he decided it would be cooler to play a bad guy. Which he could so totally pull off.
moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad#moc.liamtoh|htnaratsomad says: I'm putting up a thread for this on the wiki.
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: whee!
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: WAIT NO!
Amy Tawny will curse the day she did not do "All that your Caesar asked of you!" says: THIS WAS MY IDEA!

Okay, so, inspired by the madness… If Bleeding World was made into a movie series (spinoffs included), who would play whom? It doesn't matter how random the actors/actresses are… let's hear your thoughts! :D

Hugh Jackman as Jaakkima is win.
Johnny Depp as Thyral or Garreth is also win.
Takeshi Kanashiro as Yoshi or any other suitably attractive Silver Stari is MUCH WIN.

Requirements:
Alignment: Any Exalted Good
Skills: Knowledge Religeon 8 ranks
Special: Eldritch Blast +3d6

Class Skills: (2+int mod per level): Bluff, Concerntration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Religeon), Knowledge (The Planes), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device

Class Features:

Aura of Courage(Su)
Lol, Paladin

Aura of Menace(Su)
Lol, Archon

Eldritch Blast(Sp)
Lol, Warlock

Spirit Armour(Su)
Lol, no more DR progression

Tongues(Su)
Lol, languages

Energy Resistance(Su)
Lol, fireball

Imbue Item(Su)
Lol, making magic items

Death Ward(Su)
Lol, immune to death effects

Magic Circle Against Evil(Su)
Lol, constant magic circle

Multi-class Restriction

An Enlightened Spirit who commits an cannot evil act continue taking levels in Enlightened Spirit and lose access to all their enlightened spirit class features and invocations until they have properly atoned. Furthermore, an Enlightened Spirit can never take another level of Warlock again without falling from their good alignment.

Enlightened Invocations
Enlightened Invocations are special invocations only available to an Enlightened Spirit. They are often powerful invocations suited to hunting down evil, but Enlightened Spirits lose access to some normal invocations. If an Enlightened Spirit has a prohibited invocation upon joining this class, they may immediately replace it with an invocation of equal or lower level.

Least

Lose: Baleful Utterance, Soulreaving Aura.

Gain: Lifesaving Aura (Dying creatures with 10ft of you automatically stabilise and heal at a rate of 1hp per round as long as they remain within negative hitpoints)

Lesser

Lose: Dread Seizure, Fell Flight, Hungry Darkness, The Dead Walk, Weighty Utterance

Gain: Celestial Flight, Spirit Blast[Essence], Golden Cloud (Create a 20ft radius of golden fog. Non-evil creatures within it gain 20% miss chance, evil creatures are ravaged by Golden Ice)

Greater

Lose: Hellspawned Grace, Devour Magic

Gain: Holy Blast[Essense], Transform magic

Pure

Lose: All Dark Invocations

Gain:
Heavenly Blast [Essence](As Binding Blast, but only against evil creatures)
Caster's Lament
Sacred Bond (As Dark Foresight)
Wall of Light (As Impenetrable Barrier, except wall is made of pure light)
Spirit Walk (As Path of Shadow)
Of Shadow and Light (Greater Invisibility (self only), if dispelled evil creatures within 20ft make fort saves or be blinded)
Perfect Summoning (As the spell Perfect Summons)
Pure Blast [Essence] (Eldritch Blast deals half damage to neutral creatures, no damage to good creatures, and d8s against evil outsiders)

Time to be frank. Ursula will not allow people to kill unless absolutely necessary, nor will she be able to leave others in suffering if there is a chance she can do something.

Even if she can be convinced to stay, it would still only be temporary unless people are willing to do this.

Hawke needs more info! All I've got to go on is male and hawk-like eyes ;) Skin colour? Facial hair?

Ivantis… I need eye colour. I'm guessing no facial hair. Or is there stubble?

Ursula… needs facial description.

I'm only doing faces for now, so don't worry about armour/height/weapons if you don't want to. Include any headgear you might want shown, though… hair thingies or earrings or necklaces etc.

edit. Actually, include what you're wearing on your torso. Especially colour.

I kinda like Garreth's 'sleeeeeeze' expression here. I don't know why.

This is as close to cannon as it's ever going to get. ((Also, yay for the Spell Checker crab!))

A man's face, framed by the evening sky and rolling sea. His hair, black and tied back, once again blowing ever so slightly in the breeze in time with the crashing waves. His eyes, a deep brown, but with a definite tinge of green shining through, his face warm and gentle, smiling openly in such a way that one would think he hadn't a care in the world.

As the scarf hits the ground, there is a sound of bodies shifting and with speed barely one can barely comprehend, there is a clash of steel on steel. The pair stand now facing each other, Maiko, dual sai drawn barely holding a long thin blade, recognisable as the one she wields now away from her. Her eyes are wide, she is clearly taken by surprise and the crowd goes dead silent. She looks into the man's eyes, brown with specks of green within, and he smirks slightly; turning her look of surprise into a familiar glare.

Maiko's face, still a younger Maiko, smiling slightly, but her eyes red and sore, her face tense, the evening sky behind her and a great empty beach. The sound of crashing waves still present, but nothing else as her smile gradually deepened.

A furious exchange of blows, steel ringing against steel as the pair clash, Maiko's twin sai moving at remarkable speed but unable to find an advantage over the man's single long blade. Every strike either make is dodged, deflected or blocked by bracers as the pair dance around the area with remarkable speed and unison.

A ship, not the Silver Serpent but a fine one regardless, sailing from port towards the horizon where a great fleet of masts can be seen. From the back of the ship, waving with a grin, the man with the hazel eyes.

The blows continue, as neither of the pair are able to find and maintain an advantage over the other. The man begins a series of offensive strikes, each barely deflected in time by Maiko until one that almost catches her off-balance meets a hastily prepared sai block. For a moment, the pair stare at one another, and he smirks again, not a smirk of contempt but one of someone having more fun than he should be. Throwing her weight into the sai to push the sword away, Maiko dives forth, rolling swifty through his legs and spins to strike him only to have her sai meet his blade once more.

A man, clearly a samurai but otherwise unfamiliar to all, standing before Maiko, holding out a sword. His face is sad and his eyes apologetic.

Maiko leaps back some way and takes up a stance, as the man likewise flicks his blade and begins slowly prowling, circling Maiko, now grinning openly, his eyes shining with almost boyish delight.

Maiko, now wielding her usual sword and sai combo, fighting against a man recognisable by some as Moshi Tarou. His dual kama swing through the air, exchanging blows with Maiko inside a dojo, the pair fighting upon an unusual device clearly made to look like the deck of a ship. A series of strong peasants work on ropes on the ground, moving the deck to mimic the movement of the waves.

Maiko charges forth, low to the ground, Sai held back. The first blow, low and to the right, catches his blade and she changes her grip to hold the blade there. The second, aimed high at his face, narrowly misses him as he both steps back and leans back, the round base of the sai so narrowly missing him. The final strike beings to swing at the off-balance man when everything stops. Inches from her throat, the tip of the man's sword. Maiko's eyes go wide, her face slightly pale as her hands fall to her sides, her weapons slipping from her fingers. She takes a step back, then another, and then turns and flees. The crowd remains silent.

Maiko, standing before a monument, sword in hand, a great list of names before her carved into the stone. But all but one are gibberish, unimportant, unremembered. There is but one name that stands out, clear as everything, as if nothing else mattered or even existed.

Tsuruchi Kanaye. Lost at sea.

Neutral Good Human Ranger/Sorcerer (2nd/2nd Level)

Ability Scores:
Strength- 17
Dexterity- 19
Constitution- 17
Intelligence- 17
Wisdom- 16
Charisma- 17

Alignment:
Neutral Good- A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. Neutral good is the best alignment you can be because it means doing what is good without bias for or against order. However, neutral good can be a dangerous alignment because it advances mediocrity by limiting the actions of the truly capable.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Primary Class:
Rangers- Rangers are skilled stalkers and hunters who make their home in the woods. Their martial skill is nearly the equal of the fighter, but they lack the latter's dedication to the craft of fighting. Instead, the ranger focuses his skills and training on a specific enemy a type of creature he bears a vengeful grudge against and hunts above all others. Rangers often accept the role of protector, aiding those who live in or travel through the woods. His skills allow him to move quietly and stick to the shadows, especially in natural settings, and he also has special knowledge of certain types of creatures. Finally, an experienced ranger has such a tie to nature that he can actually draw on natural power to cast divine spells, much as a druid does, and like a druid he is often accompanied by animal companions. A ranger's Wisdom score should be high, as this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.

Secondary Class:
Sorcerers- Sorcerers are arcane spellcasters who manipulate magic energy with imagination and talent rather than studious discipline. They have no books, no mentors, no theories just raw power that they direct at will. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do and acquire them more slowly, but they can cast individual spells more often and have no need to prepare their incantations ahead of time. Also unlike wizards, sorcerers cannot specialize in a school of magic. Since sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of rigorous study that wizards go through, they have more time to learn fighting skills and are proficient with simple weapons. Charisma is very important for sorcerers; the higher their value in this ability, the higher the spell level they can cast.

Detailed Results:

Law & Chaos:
Law - XXXXXXXX (8)
Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (15)
Chaos —- XXXX (4)

Good & Evil:
Good — XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX (18)
Neutral - XXXXXXXXXXXXX (13)
Evil -- (0)

Okay, the Ranger I can understand, lots of time out at Sea, hunting a specific enemy, but Sorcerer? Where did that come from? And the next most likely class was apparently cleric.

Still, check it out for yourself at: http://www.easydamus.com/character.html

"And if you've got spare reading time and know anything about the Eberron campaign setting for D&D, try reading this. Just make sure you're not drinking anything while you do, because it's annoying to have to replace keyboards and monitors after the drink gets all over them."

http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=507223

You guys will probably 'get it' more than I do. :)

Also started a page for Aventaris.

And the alignment restriction was full of stupid. "Assassins are evil because they get paid to kill stuff". How is this much different from your typical adventurer? The very idea of being able to have a Chaotic Evil assassin, but not a Lawful Neutral one, seemed fundamentally wrong on so many levels…

Hit Dice: d6

Requirements:
Alignment: Any Non-Chaotic
Skills: Disguise 4 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks.
Special: The character must kill someone for no other reason than to join the assassins.

Class Skills:The assassin’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4+int mod

Class Features:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Assassins are proficient with the crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, rapier, sap, shortbow (normal and composite), and short sword. Assassins are proficient with light armor but not with shields.

Sneak Attack

This is exactly like the rogue ability of the same name. The extra damage dealt increases by +1d6 every other level (1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th). If an assassin gets a sneak attack bonus from another source the bonuses on damage stack.

Death Attack

If an assassin studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin’s choice). While studying the victim, the assassin can undertake other actions so long as his attention stays focused on the target and the target does not detect the assassin or recognize the assassin as an enemy. If the victim of such an attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the assassin’s class level + the assassin’s Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d3 hours plus 1 per level two of the assassin. If the victim’s saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the assassin has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds. The usual range restrictions apply for making a death attack with a ranged weapon.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the assassin does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.

Poison Use

Assassins are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a blade.

Spells

Beginning at 1st level, an assassin gains the ability to cast a number of arcane spells. To cast a spell, an assassin must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so an assassin with an Intelligence of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Assassin bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the assassin’s Intelligence bonus. When the assassin gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Intelligence score for that spell level.

The assassin’s spell list appears elsewhere, as does the spells known table. An assassin casts spells just as a bard does.

Upon reaching 6th level, at every even-numbered level after that (8th and 10th), an assassin can choose to learn a new spell in place of one he already knows. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged, and it must be at least two levels lower than the highest-level assassin spell the assassin can cast. An assassin may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that he gains new spells known for that level.

Save Bonus against Poison

The assassin gains a natural saving throw bonus to all poisons gained at 2nd level that increases by +1 for every two additional levels the assassin gains.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 2nd level, an assassin retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (He still loses any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)

If a character gains uncanny dodge from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below).

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 5th level, an assassin can no longer be flanked, since he can react to opponents on opposite sides of him as easily as he can react to a single attacker. This defense denies rogues the ability to use flank attacks to sneak attack the assassin. The exception to this defense is that a rogue at least four levels higher than the assassin can flank him (and thus sneak attack him).

If a character gains uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge, and the levels from those classes stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su)

At 8th level, an assassin can use the Hide skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

First, the Unholy Mother of all storms, the rushing about, the trying to save people.

Second, the motley crew of half-damned I’ve gotten attached to.

Thirdly, and by no means lastly, the Unholy Mother of all Monstrous Aspects of Destruction! Damn the Hold and its beast-fucking master.

My companions are savages and idiots. The Dragon-kin is stuck so far into its scaly arse; I doubt it can see daylight. I have to explain things three times to get him/her/it to understand, and even then I think it agrees just to shut me up.

The Ghost Warrior hasn’t even given me a name, nor has he spoken more than a handful of words to me! Silent and brooding, and that’s not good for anyone.

Sir Broden of the Shiny-Pants must have taken unsubtlety lessens in whatever temple trained him. I sware I’ll end up gagging him before long. He can throw his own life away all he wants, but I have the secrets of dozens to protect. Silence can protect better than steel sometimes.

The Winged Girl I can’t even begin figure out. She seems normal, except for the enormous set of wings sprouting out of her back. Oh, and the inability to speak above a whisper. She has faith, is a priest like me, but is too virtuous for Aeternan gods AND doesn’t worship any of the Three.

The Ranger, Hawk, is the sanest of the bunch, despite being thick as a board. At least he’s fighting a good fight. Perhaps he can be persuaded to fight THE good fight? And he’s cute.

Worst of all was our little trip, through the wilderness and pouring rain to the Enormous Haunted Mountain. Near froze to death. That was before I had to reveal true power to stop half the idiots dropping dead. Flaming lighting things! At least we saved someone, and the Aeternan scary either didn’t realize or didn’t care enough to carve me up as a ‘hideous blasphemer.’ Might have had something to do with Channelling the Holy Power of Elona to keep his sorry arse alive!

Then we climb The Haunted Mountain. What do we find? A pile of monster bones and the creepiest feeling I’ve ever had. Feathers reckons that someone stole the magical thing that keeps the piles of bones from waking up. More work.

Almost as bad is getting back and finding out a few days later Aemilianus, most hated foe of my faith, crushes and hunts my people like vermin, well damned worshiper of a diseased whore, wants to talk to us. I think I’d rather face the smushed together dragon monster. Oh wait, I get to do that too. Joy.

Requirements:
Alignment: Lawful Good
Skills: 8 ranks hide, 8 ranks move silently
Feats: Sanctify Martial Strike, Servant of the Heavens
Special: Sneak Attack +3d6, Evasion class feature

Class Skills:The Slayer of Domiel’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6+int mod

Class Features:

Detect Evil

I c u

Sacred Blade

Precision damage vs undead

Sneak Attack

Stackity stack stack

Uncanny Dodge

I c u behind me. Improved Uncanny Dodge if Uncanny Dodge.

Fiend Strike

I'm so charming it hurts. Especially if you're an evil outsider. Cha bonus to each SA dice.

Improved Evasion

Missed me

Hide in Plain Sight

Now you see me…

Blade of the Light

If you're evil, I can crit/SA/precision damage you. No exceptions.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements
Skills: Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 8 ranks
Feats: Alertness, Favoured of the Companions, Track

Class Skills
The Stalker of Kharash’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 6+int mod

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Stalker of Kharash.

Scent of Evil (Su)

A stalker of Kharash has an unusual ability that combines the scent special quality with the detect evil spell. The stalker can detect evil opponents within 30 feet by their scent of evil. If an opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet, if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. A strong aura of evil (see the detect evil spell) can be detected at twice these ranges. An overwhelming aura of evil can be detected at triple normal range.

When the stalker detects a scent, the exact location is not revealed - only its presence somewhere within range. The stalker can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. Whenever the creature comes within 5 feet of the source, the stalker knows the source's location.

Favoured Enemy - Evil

A stalker of Kharash gains evil creatures of all kinds as a favoured enemies. He gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks when using these skills against evil creatures. He also gains a +1 bonus to damage rolls against evil creatures. This bonus stacks with any other favoured enemy bonus the stalker might have, such as from the ranger class.

At 5th level, the bonus granted by favoured enemy increases to +2. At 10th level, this bonus increases to +4

Track Evil

A 2nd level Stalker of Kharash can use the track feat to track an evil creature by its lingering evil aura, making a survival (or wisdom) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (regardless of surface). The DC for tracking a normal aura increases by 2 every 10 minutes, for tracking a strong hour by 2 ever hour, for tracking an overwhelming aura by 2 every day. This ability otherwise follows the rules for the track feat. The stalker can ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Hide in Plain Sight

When a Stalker of Kharash reaches 3rd level, he can use the hide skill even while being observed. With at least one quarter cover or concealment, the stalker can hide from view.

Sudden Strike

If a Stalker of Kharash can catch an opponent when he is unable to defend himself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. Whenever a target is denied their dexterity bonus to armour class, the stalker deals an additional 1d6 points of damage with his attack.

This damage also applies to ranged attacks against targets up to 30 feet away. Creatures immune to critical hits are immune to sudden strike.

At 9th level, the bonus damage granted by sudden strike increases to 2d6.

Smite Evil

Once per day, a Stalker of Kharash may attempt to smite evil with one normal melee attack. He adds a +4 bonus to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per class level. This damage stacks with favoured enemy bonuses. If he accidentally smites a creature that is not evil, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.

At 8th level, a Stalker of Kharash can use this ability twice per day, and at 10th level he can use it three times per day.

Holy Combat Style

At 7th level, a Stalker of Kharash must select (if he hasn't already) one of two combat styles to pursue: archery or two weapon fighting.

A Stalker of Kharash who selects archery style gains the ability to make smite attacks with a ranged weapon, as long as the target is within 30 feet.

A Stalker of Harash who selects two weapon fighting style gains the ability to, as a standard action, expend a daily smite attempt to make a smite attack with each hand at normal two weapon fighting penalties. The Stalker gains full smite damage with each attack but only expends a single smite attempt to do so.

Requirements
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Feats: Power Attack, Improved Bullrush, Great Cleave
Clan: Crab
Special: The character must successfully overrun or bull rush an opponent at least one size category larger than himself.

Class Skills
The juggernaut's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Ride (Cha), and Swim (Str).
Skill points at each level: 2 + Int modifier

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the juggernaut prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Juggernauts gain no weapon or armour proficiency.

Unstoppable Charge (Ex)

When a Crab Juggernaut charges, he does so with unstoppable force. While charging, a Crab Juggernaught may make a full attack as long he moves at least 5ft between each attack. If the target you were charing is dropped and you still have available movement left, you may continue the charge in the direction you were charging. Conditions that would make a charge impossible still apply and the crab juggernaut is subject to attacks of opportunity as normal while moving.

Sworn Enemy of the Shadow (Su)

All Crab Juggernauts are highly dedicated enemies of the Shadowlands. As a sign of their unending crusade, they mark themselves (insert method as discussed with GM). The Crab Juggernaut gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures with the Shadowlands subtype. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against them.

Feet of Stone (Ex)

At second level, a juggernaut gains a +4 circumstance bonus to resist being tripped, overrun, and bull rushed.

Surefooted Charge (Ex)

At third level, a crab juggernaut gains the ability to charge in situations where others cannot. He may charge over difficult terrain that normally slows movement at no penalty.

Damage Reduction (Ex)

At 4th level, a crab juggernaut gains Damage Reduction. Subtract 1 from the damage the crab juggernaut takes each time he is dealt damage from a weapon or a natural attack. At 7th level, this Damage Reduction increases to 2, and at 10th level, it increases to 3. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0.

Fearsome Charge (Ex)

Whenever a crab juggernaut charges, enemies within 30ft who witness it may become shaken for ten rounds by the sheer power of the charge. An affected opponent can resist the effects with a successful Will save (DC 10 + Str Modifier + Crab Juggernaut level) and an opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the effects of Fearsome Charge for 24 hours. Opponents with more hit dice or levels than the Crab Juggernaut are unaffected by this ability. This is a mind affecting fear effect.

Absorb Blow (Ex)

The crab juggernaut can absorb a potentially lethal blow shrugging off damage from it that he otherwise would take at sixth level. Once per day, when he would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or special ability), the crab juggernaut can attempt to absorb the blow and shrug off the damage. To use this ability, the crab juggernaut must attempt a Fortitude saving throw (DC = damage dealt). If the save succeeds, he takes only half damage from the blow; if it fails, he takes full damage. He must be aware of the attack and able to react to it in order to execute his absorb blow—if he is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC, he can’t use this ability.

Adaptive Charge

At eight level, when a crab juggernaut charges, for each square forward he charges, he may also move one square to the left or right providing he has enough movement left to do so.

Heedless Charge (Ex)

This feature can only be used when a Crab Juggernaut makes a charge and uses the Power Attack feat and takes a penalty of -5 or more on his attack roll. In additional to normal charge modifiers (-2 penalty to AC, +2 bonus on the attack roll), you can assign any portion of the attack roll penalty from Power Attack to your Armour Class instead, up to a maximum of your base attack bonus.

Strength of Stone (Ex)

At tenth level, a crab juggernaut gains the ability to pull strength directly from the earth. Whenever a crab juggernaut is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the crab juggernaut is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A crab juggernaut is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A crab juggernaut can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject’s size category.

Epic.