Alternative (Warforged Rogue)
[sblock=Background]
The great city of Autonomus was, it was popularly held, the greatest city ever known. It was certainly the most orderly and, since the teaching of the Forge Lords held that order was the most important thing, that was isomorphic to perfection. Or near perfection anyway.
The city could not do without "fleshed ones". Not completely. There were traders of course, though the forged had few requirements they did have some. The Great Forges needed certain rare fuels to power them.
But even aside from the traders there would be fleshies; for the fleshies, for all that they were vile little creatures made up mostly of waste products, were not entirely stupid. That would be impossible, since the first of the fleshies had, through divine inspiration, made the Great Forges, and thus the Forge Lords and indirectly all the forged that followed.
And the fleshies, or at least the intelligent ones, craved the perfection denied them and thus wanted to dwell in Autonomus.
So fleshies dwelled within Autonomus; in the lower sections. But they were naturally weak creatures, filled with unpredictable, barely controlled desires and so there grew a need for a certain type of forged. Someone who could watch the fleshies carefully, and ensure that the worst excesses were kept in line.
The forged named Watcher 37 (who now calls himself Alternative) performed this activity for 88 years. Built to watch unseen he lurked in the shadows, on the rooftops and made his presence known only when he was making an arrest, or, occasionally, shaking down an informant.
Rogue forged were a known problem of course. Exposure to the fleshies had a
destabilizing effect. Especially their strange gods, which was why clerics were outlawed. But sometimes one would slip in; and one day Watcher 37 was assigned to follow a suspected priest about.
The day became a week. The week a month. A month a year. Watcher 37 was sure she was a priest, but it could not find proof (for proof was all in Autonomus' legal system). She acted oddly, genuflecting before doorways, betting strange things in games of chance, and otherwise acting inexplicably.
After a year he went to her, he hated himself for doing so, but he hated his job, and wished her to leave. "Why should you care, oh mighty forged?" she replied.
And 37 wondered why he did care and went away, for he was a forged and surely he didn't care.
But he did care and the woman's words were like a madness. He was mad he was sure, that he cared. But if he was mad... then what was he to do?
Soon he was going to the woman daily. He knew his way around, how to avoid the other forged who patrolled his section of Fleshtown (as the Fleshies called their district, the proper name was Secondary Lower Ward) and it was easy to see the woman.
And in time, he came to understand, to see that she was right there was... an alternative.
Alternative stowed away on a boat last year. Concerned he might be followed; for the Forged Lords frowned on Rogue Watchers; he booked passage on another ship, the
Silver Swan.[/sblock]
[sblock=Stat Block]Alternative Level 1 Warforged Rogue
Initiative +1; Senses Perception +5
HP 24; Bloodied 12; Healing Surge 6; Surges Per Day 7
AC 16; Fort 14, Ref 17, Will 12
Speed 6
Action Points 1
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Embedded Shortsword(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+7 vs AC; 1d8+5 damage see also
Sneak Attack
Dagger(standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+8 vs AC (5/10); 1d4+5 damage see also
Sneak Attack
shuriken (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+7 vs AC (6/12); 1d6+5 damage see also
Sneak Attack
Piercing Strike(standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon
+7 vs
Ref; 1d6+4 damage. see also
Sneak Attack
Riposte Strike(standard; at-will) ✦ Martial, Weapon +7 vs AC; 1d6+4 damage. see also
Sneak Attack. If the target attacks Alternative before the start of its next turn, the forged makes a riposte against the target as an immediate interrupt: a +6 vs. AC attack that deals 1d6 + 3 (Sneak Attack?).
Torturous Strike(standard; encounter) ✦ Martial, Weapon
+7 vs AC; 2d6+7 damage see also
Sneak Attack
Blinding Barrage(standard; daily) ✦ Martial, Weapon
Close blast 3, each visible target
Hit
/b] +7 2d6 +4 damage & the target is blinded until the end of your next turn. (sneak attack?)
Miss: Half damage
✦Sneak Attack(free action; part of an attack action) ✦Martial
Against foes you have combat advantage against Alternative deals and additional 2d6+3 points of damage
✦Warforged Resolve(minor; Encounter) ✦ Magic Item ✦ Healing.
Effect:You gain a number of temporary hit points equal to 3. You may make an immediate saving throw against one effect that inflicts ongoing damage and can be ended with a save. In addition, if you are bloodied you regain hit points equal to 3.
✦Component of Resistance (minor; Daily)
Effect:Gain resist 5 to all damage until the start of your next turn.
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Alignment Unaligned; Languages Common
Str 16 (+3) Dex 18 (+4) Con 12 (+1)
Int 8 (-1) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 11 (+0)
Acrobatics +9, Athletics +8 Endurance +3*u, Intimidate +7*, Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +9, Thievery +9
u = Untrained Skill | no adjustment necessary for leather armor
*=+2 racial bonus
Feat: Skill Training: Insight
Gear: Component of Resistance (see magic item below), Leather armor [AC +2][Attached Component](25gp), Shortsword [Embedded in Right Arm] (10gp), Daggerx3 (3gp), shurikenx50 [hidden in storage compartments](10gp), adventurer's kit (15gp), two embedded storage components legs and torso (10gp) and "the Package" (also hidden in storage compartment)
Adventurer's Kit: Backpack[Attached Component], Bedroll, Flint and Steel, Belt pouch, 2 sunrods [Attached Component in left arm], 10 days of trail rations, 50' of hemp rope, and a Waterskin.
37gp
[sblock=Attached Component Dragon 364 pg 32]Attached components are fastened to your body in such a way that, as long as you’re conscious, they can only be removed if you want them to be. Such an item cannot be taken from you, and you can’t accidentally drop it. You sense if such an item is damaged. Unless otherwise specified, affixing an attached component to you takes the same amount of time as it would for another character to draw and/or ready such an object.
Light Source: You can have a slot in your body capable of holding a torch, sunrod, lantern, or other lighting device. Such an attached component provides light while leaving your hands free.
Storage: Your backpack and other storage devices—such as pouches, weapons sheaths, or a quiver—can be attached, making them easier to hang on to and harder to steal.[/sblock]
[sblock=Embedded Components Dragon 364 pg. 33]The major advantage of some embedded components is that they can be hard to distinguish from your body. Those embedded components that don’t need to remain visible can be hidden within your body. Perception checks to locate such items on you take a –5 penalty. Affixing or removing an embedded component requires a standard action that provokes an opportunity attack.
[sblock=Embedded weapon]
Weapon: A dagger, shortsword, katar, or hand crossbow can be embedded. Up to five shurikens can be embedded in place of one of these items.
A retractable weapon can be embedded to take up space in one arm and hand. Such a weapon springs forth and locks into place as a minor action, and it can be retracted as a minor action. It functions
normally with the Quick Draw feat.[/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Magic Item: Neck Component of Resistance]
The equivalent a Cloak of resistance +1 this component item appears to be a simple black ring.Item Slot: Neck
Enhancement: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will
Power (Daily): Minor Action. Gain resist 5 to all damage
until the start of your next turn.
[sblock=Perception DC 15]It much more scuffed than the rest of the warforged's otherwise well maintained equipment.
[sblock=Perception DC 20]Your keen eyes can make out faint carvings along the component, obviously they couldn't have been completely removed without damaging the item. They are suggestive of a title of some sort.[sblock=and History 20 after Perception 20]The marks are those of a security officer of the city of Autonomus. An internal security officer. Even if this forged was legally sent abroad, he would have perceived a new component indicating his rank correctly.
This so called Alternate is obviously a rogue. The city of Autonomus pays handsomely for information about rogues.... no questions asked.[/sblock] [/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Class features memo]Tactic: Brutal Scoundrel: You gain a bonus to Sneak Attack damage equal to your Strength modifier. (i.e. Sneak Attack +2d6 + Str)
Weapon Training: Dagger is +1 to hit (+4 with prof bonus); shuriken damage is one size class larger (1d4 -> 1d6)
[/sblock]
[sblock="The Package"]Alternative has a small box made of a dark cherry colored wood. The box is sealed with magical runes. He insisted that he be shown what was inside, and was showed a large teardrop-shaped astral diamond with a single red dot (rather like blood) suspended inside. The box was sealed in front of him.
The malignant feeling he got when he saw the object has stayed with him, growing slowly day by day. He longs to be rid of the thing.[/sblock]
[sblock=Warforged features memo]Speed 6
Languages: Common
Skill Bonus: +2 Endurance, +2 Intimidate
Construct: You have the construct keyword, so you are considered to be a construct for effects that relate to that keyword.
Living Construct: As a living construct, you have the following traits.
✦ You gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against ongoing damage.
You can us attached components and embedded components made for warforged (see Equipment, page 32).
✦ You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe, but this doesn’t render you immune to any effect.
✦ Rather than sleep, warforged spend 4 hours refraining from any strenuous activity. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While resting in this low-exertion state, you are fully aware of your surroundings
and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.
✦ When reduced to 0 hit points, you are less likely to die. When you make a death saving throw, you can take the better of your die roll or 10. You still die at the normal negative hit point total.
Warforged Mind: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Will defense.
Warforged Resolve: You can use warforged resolve as an encounter power.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
[sblock=Appearance]A lean forged in light component armor and wearing a simple black cloak. It's armor is a burnished back, with a few dings in it from travel. Save for a small dagger at his belt he appears unarmed.
[sblock=Perception DC xx and see also magic item]
Not sure what the DC should be for this...
The forged's right arm seems to be slightly bulkier than it's left. Since it seems to favor that arm that would be a natural place to conceal a weapon.
Several other bulges on it's body are slightly asymmetrical and suspect.[/sblock]
For all that he is a construct the creature seems to display some measure of life, he shifts, and sometimes when it's staring out at the sea it's eyes glow an intense, throbbing green.[/sblock]