[size=+2]Merion "Greystreak" Sinfad[/size]
Male human necromancer10
AL: LN
Age: 26
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 168 lbs
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown-blonde
Deity: None (respects Wee Jas for what she represents, but doesn’t worship her)
Speed: 30 ft.
XP: 45000
Next Level: 55000
STR: 09 (-1)
DEX: 10 (+0)
CON: 14 (+2)
INT: 24 (+7)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 13 (+1)
HP: 48 (10d4 + 20Con)
AC: 15 (10 + 5defense) / 15 / 15
AC penalty: 0
Init: +0
Base attack bonus: +5
Saves:
Fortitude: +8 (3base + 2con + 3resistance)
Reflex: +6 (3base + 3resistance)
Will: +11 (7base + 1wis + 3resistance)
+2 against necromantic effects
Attacks:
Light Crossbow: +5 (+5base), 1d8 damag, Threat 19-20/x2, Range 80 ft.
Skills:
Skill points: 94
Max Rank: 13
Concentration: 15 (13ranks + 2con)
Knowledge (Arcana): 18 (11ranks + 7int)
Knowledge (Necromancy): 18 (11ranks + 7int)
Knowledge (The Planes): 10 (3ranks +7int)
Spellcraft: 22 (13ranks + 7int + 2synergy)
Decipher Script: 12 (5ranks + 7int)
Heal: 9 (8ranks + 1wis)
Bluff: 6 (5ranks + 1cha)
Diplomacy: 10 (5ranks + 1cha + 4synergy)
Sense Motive: 6 (5ranks + 1wis)
Feats:
When Ticho is within 5 ft. - Alertness
Bonus Human - Empower Spell
Wizard lvl 1 - Scribe Scroll
Lvl 1 - Spell Penetration
Lvl 3 - Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Wizard lvl 5 - Craft Wonderous Item
Lvl 6 - Greater Spell Focus (Necromancy)
Lvl 9 - Improved Counterspell
Wizard lvl 10 - Greater Spell Penetration
Special Ability - Spirit sight: Since his unpleasant encounter with a greater shadow (see below) Merion is blind on his left eye. Through some strange twist of fate he has gotten a different kind of sight, though: If Merion closes his right eye, he can see the auras of creatures living or undead and can avoid running into walls even in total darkness. Details of his surroundings are very fuzzy or not visible at all, but to a necromancer the knowledge of another beings aura is something quite useful indeed ...
(This works very much like the third round of detect living/undead with the same limitations.) Can be used a number of times equal to Merions Intelligence modifier.
Spells:
Spells per day: 5/7/7/6/5/4
DC: 10 + spell level + 7int
To overcome SR: 10 + 4 + 1d20
Barred schools: Enchantment & Illusion
Spellbook:
0: all except enchantment & illusion
1: Alarm, mage armor, identify, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, enlarge person, protection from evil/good/law/chaos, spirit worm*, summon undead I*, dead man’s eyes**
2: Darkvision, protection from arrows, resist energy, see invisibility, locate object, scorching ray, shatter, false life, command undead, rope trick, shroud of undeath*, Merion’s negative disruption**, Merion’s undead sight**
3: Dispel Magic, explosive runes, protection from energy, arcane sight, fireball, daylight, fly, halt undead, vampiric touch, undead torch*, summon undead III*
4: Stoneskin, Evard’s black tentacles, fire shield, globe of invulnerability, animate dead, enervation, fear, summon undead IV*, Merion’s deathless inquiry**, Merion’s possess undead**, Merion’s spirit spike**
5: Break enchantment, dismissal, teleport, contact other plane, prying eyes, cone of cold, sending, magic jar, kiss of the vampire*, summon undead V*
Spells Prepared
0 (DC 17) - read magic, detect magic(2), disrupt undead, prestidigitation
1 (DC 18) - mage armor, magic missile (x2), ray of enfeeblement, protection from evil, spirit worm, silent message
2 (DC 19) - protection from arrows, see invisibility, scorching ray (x2), command undead, false life, Merion’s negative disruption
3 (DC 20) - dispel magic, fireball(x2), fly, halt undead summon undead III
4 (DC 21) - stoneskin, globe of invulnerability, Evard’s black tentacles, enervation, animate dead
5 (DC 22) - cone of cold, empowered fireball, magic jar, kiss of the vampire
Languages:
Common
Undercommon
Draconic
Infernal
Celestial
Equipment:
Blackfire Cloak (7charges) [5,900gp]
Ring of Counterspells (fireball) [4,000gp]
Wand of Cure Light Wounds [750gp]
Stola of Resistance +3 (360XP) [4,500gp]
Headband of Intellect +4 (640XP) [8,000gp]
Heward’s Handy Haversack (80XP) [1000]
4x Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds [300gp]
1x Miscellaneous equipment (bedroll, blanket, torches, parchment, candle, chalk, rope, etc)
2x comfortable travel clothes
3x Elven Ice Spirit (alcohol)
2x Healer’s Kit
Dagger
Quarterstaff
Light Crossbow
Folded letter in draconic.
1x Protection from Evil: 12,5 & 1XP
1x Protection from Chaos: 12,5 & 1XP
1x Dead Man’s Eyes: 12,5 & 1XP
1x Shatter: 75 & 6XP
3x False Life: 225 & 18XP
2x Rope Trick: 150 & 12XP
1x Shroud of Undeath: 75 & 6XP
1x Merion’s Undead Sight: 75 & 6XP
1x Merion’s Negative Disruption(10): 500 & 20XP
1x Dispel Magic(10): 375 & 30XP
1x Dispel Magic(5): 185 & 15XP
2x Protection from Energy: 375 & 30XP
1x Arcane Sight: 185 & 15XP
1x Gaseous Form: 185 & 15XP
1x Undead Torch: 185 & 15XP
1x Fear: 350 & 28XP
1x Globe of Invulnerability: 350 & 28XP
1x Summon Undead IV: 350 & 28XP
1x Merion’s Deathless Inquiry: 350 & 28XP
1x Merion’s Undead Possession: 350 & 28XP
1x Merion’s Spirit Spike(10): 625 & 50XP
1x Break Enchantment(10): 625 & 50XP
1x Teleport: 560 & 45XP
1x Dismissal(10): 625 & 50XP
1x Summon Undead V: 560 & 45XP
Components for scroll scribing [1000gp]
3500gp worth of spell components (including at least 6 doses of diamond dust for stoneskin, an assortment of onyx gems for animate dead and two nails for spirit spike)
Money: 10pp 80gp
Race:
Bonus feat at 1st level
4 bonus skill points at 1st level
1 bonus skill point each level
Class:
Familiar
Bonus Feats
Proficiencies:
Club
Dagger
Heavy Crossbow
Light Crossbow
Quarterstaff
Familiar:
Ticho (bat, magical beast)
Hit Dice: 10HD (24 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 5 ft (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 21 (+4 size, +2 Dex, +5 familiar), touch 21, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/–10
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 ft., low-light vision, share spells, empathic link, deliver touch spells, speak with master, speak with animals of its kind
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +9
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 4
Skills: Hide +14, Listen +8*, Move Silently +6, Spot +8*
Feats: Alertness, Improved Evasion
Looks, Background and Personality:
Broad shouldered and healthy looking as he is, few consider Merion a wizard at first sight, much less one dealing with the arts of necromancy – those are supposed to be pale, gaunt and reek of death, right? Well, Merion cheerily proves these tales to be the stereotypes they are. Wearing his long brown hair in a warrior’s braid and wearing comfortable cloth-and-leather clothes instead of the usual robe he’s been mistaken for a swordsman more than once. He might even be called handsome, the red-golden circlet in his hair complimenting his green eyes and his finely trimmed beard (here Merion conforms with the common image of a wizard). The only outward indicator of his less than renowned trade is the tattered black cloak he wears, which under scrutiny seems to play with the onlookers eye, once dissolving into ragged strips of black flowing in a non-existant breeze, once being just a plain old cloak.
The most striking aspect of his appearance are his scars however. Three long, grey scars as if from a clawed hand mar the left side of Merion’s face running from the forehead past his left eye down to the chin. On a closer look, on scar runs right through the eye, leaving in it the same strange, grey traces as on skin. The blinded eye doesn’t seem to inconvenience Merion, though. Another interesting point are the three grey streaks in his red-brown beard, seemingly continuing the course of the scars. Friends may call Merion “Greystreak” because of this.
Merion showed his aptitude for the magical arts early in life and due to the sponsoring of a rich uncle was allowed to attend the famous University of Free Sciences and Thaumaturgy in Thure. After his basic studium of the Art, his abilities earned him a stipend allowing him to attend the less known Grey Academy, a place, where mages of all convictions pursued the study of life and death. Though a harsh place for the lazy, it was as sheltered as a school of necromancy can be with an archmage holding the less stable and blatant sociapaths in line. Finally after another 7 years of study Merion took the final test and was declared a full-grown adept of the grey arts, though not without losing an eye to the greater shadow he had to contain during the test.
In the two years to follow Merion travelled with a variety of adventuring groups, putting his skills to practise, making valuable experiences and discoveries and even defeating a mad ‘brother in the art’, trying to take over a valley with a pyramid scheme of spawning undead. Luckily Merion recognized the full danger behind this plan together with his companions of the Red Blade proceeded to remove the head behind the scheme, turning the organized squads of wights into an in-fighting horde easily scattered and defeated. It was there, that he recovered his second greatest prize beside the headband of intellect he’d spent four years of spare time as the Academy creating: The Blackfire Cloak, that protects the wearers life-force from all kinds of dangers – priceless to a necromancer.
Among those he has no reason to distrust Merion is easy-going and cheerful, if sometimes a little rude in his jokes. Most people he meets have never reason for suspicions about his. On the other hand Merion is very aware of the (often not unfounded) sentiments against his trade and the strange behaviours governing the interactions between wizards. Among necromancers for example attempted murder (and if successful few leave it at that) is considered almost as normal as wrestling among swordsmen. Conjurers often send their message by way of creatures well suited to violence ‘just in case’ and illusionist or even enchanters can’t be trusted at all. Maybe he’s just met the wrong kind of people so far, but among practitioners of the Arts Merion is wary by default. Travelling with groups of adventurers is the probably the best compromise there is – hardened folks like them take less offense at his methods and usually are more trustworthy than the average sorcerer or hedge wizard.
As for his moral inclinations Merion is bored by most debates of conventional ethics. It is the nature of all sentient life to live in the grey between the absurd ideals of pure good or pure evil. He tries to avoid harming other people, where possible and would rather be on good terms with them, but he can be quit ruthless, when threatened. In his eyes there’s nothing wrong with using a person’s body to further his own understanding, once the soul is departed – what better use could there be for an empty husk like that? Even in his enthusiastic pursuit of knowledge Merion has set himself rules he keeps to – too vivid the visions of madness he glimpsed at the Academy, when the archmage was away for a time.
Custom Spells
Merion’s Negative Disruption
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will for half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, disrupts all structures of negative energy within its area of effect. Undead creatures must make a will save or suffer 3d6+ 1 point/level of damage (magical) to a maximum of 3d6+10.
Merion’s Undead Sight
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Target: One undead creature under the caster’s control
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Yes (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, allows the caster to see through one of his servants eyes and hear through its ears at will for its duration. The spell provides no means to give orders at a distance or improve on mindless undeads’ mental capabilities; the caster is not subject to gaze attacks affecting the undead. If the servant leaves the range of the spell, it ends. Intelligent creatures can detect the presence of the watcher as they would a scrying spell.
Arcane Focus: A piece of a gravestone carved into the likeness of an eye
Merion’s Spirit Spike
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One living creature
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: Fortitude for half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, is not one he likes to employs, but sometimes there’s simply no choice. When cast it sends a spike of magical energy right into a living target’s soul, brutally tearing through the subtle fabric of life. Even if the unfortunate person survives the onslaught, she’d have to be of remarkable resilience or be possessed of an inhuman capability for concentration to be able to act despite the agony left by the gaping hole in her spiritual body leaking life into the void. Whoever seeks to make use of such magics, had better be firm in his beliefs and ready to deal with the consequences, for not only does the power over life and death corrupt the strongest of characters, but she will have made a mortal enemy of any survivors of this sorcery.
Merion’s Spirit Spike causes 1d6 points/level of magical damage (max. 15d6) and leaves the target in terrible pain for one round/two levels, enforcing concentration checks vs. the DC to cast spells and making the target sickened (as per the rules).
Material Component: A nail, that has been used to crucify a sentient being.
Merion’s Possess Undead
Necromancy
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Special
Target: One undead creature under the caster’s control
Duration: 10 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Yes (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell, one of Merion’s own designs, switches the caster´s mind with that of an undead under his control. He can act freely employing all natural and extraordinary abilities of the creature as well as his own (limited by the creature’s stats and the availability of spell components, etc). The mind of the undead (usually a skeleton or zombie) resides within the casters body for the duration of the spell and continues to be under his control, following the caster’s orders. In the case of the undead vessel’s destruction the spell ends and the caster’s mind is instantly transferred back to his body unless other forces intercede. If the caster isn’t within one mile of his true body, when the spell ends, his mind is unable to retake possession of his body and dissipates. The caster is aware of his being within the one mile range or not. Intelligent creatures can detect the presence of the possessor as they would a scrying spell.
Material Component: An onyx gem worth 25gp placed on the forehead of the target.
Merion’s Deathless Inquiry
Necromancy [Language-Dependent]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 10 ft.
Target: One dead creature
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: No
As per the speak with dead spell.