Grimgrin
First Post
Harbingers
Harbingers are children born of an unknown genesis to fulfill an alien design. Barren women go to extremes to produce a child. In some societies, if the wife can not produce a male heir for her husband she may find herself destitute or murdered. Some women can not bear the thought of more stillborn infants and flirt abomination to gain an viable pregnancy. Harbingers are not born to live ordinary lives but to allow Powers beyond the understanding of men direct access to our world. Harbingers are generally great leaders and can be either benevolent or cruel, and always have a massive impact on the course of history. The most infamous of all harbingers was Prince James the false heir of Henry IIV. To please her king, Anne Bolin gave birth to an harbinger prince. At the discovery of this crime, she and the infant prince were burned at the stake as adulterers. It goes without saying that harbingers are universally reviled by Puritans and the Inquisition, and can only expect persecution if their true nature is discovered. The universal mark of an harbinger in GOTHICANA is a prehensile tail extending from the base of the spine that can easily be hid beneath their clothing. If the harbinger gains the favor of his or her divine sire, the harbinger may acquire a small facial spikes, crystal feathers, odd colored skin, or additional unearthly features.
PLAYING A HARBINGER
Harbingers are the pawns of the Powers in a great game beyond human understanding. When you reach adulthood, you will be periodically confronted by individuals that claim to represent your unearthly sire. These envoys will present you with advice or information at the cost of a favor in return. The request may seem innocent or innocuous, but it always furthers the nefarious goal of the Harbinger Powers. Though emissaries an harbinger power seeks to manipulate world events. The actions you take when presented with temptation will determine whether you are a minion or adversary of the harbinger powers.
Play an harbinger if you want…
To pursue or reject an unknown destiny you were born to fulfill
To possess a heritage you must keep secret to function in lawful society
To be agile, hardy, and opportunistic
To be a member of a race that favors the bard, rogue, and warlock classes
HARBINGER RACIAL TRAITS
Average Male Height: 5‘ 6“+2d6”
Average Weight: 140 + 1d4 lbs. per inch over 5’ 6”
Average Female Height: 5´ +2d6”
Average Female Weight: 130 +1d4 lbs. per inch over 5’.
Normal Lifespan: 50 + 1d20 years
=========================================
Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence and +2 Charisma or Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Astral Origin: Your sire is native to the Astral Realm, so you are considered an astral creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Languages: Choose two regional languages
Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy
Scrapper: You gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when bloodied.
Prehensile Tail: You can use your tail to grab or make a one-handed basic attack.
Astral Avatar: You can use astral avataras an encounter power.
Astral Avatar
Harbinger Racial Power
You manifest a psychokinetic clone to assist your endeavors.
Daily ✦ Psychic, Summoning
Minor Action – Ranged Close Burst 5
Effect: You manifest your astral avatar in an unoccupied square within range. Your astral avatar will immediately perform one of the following special actions. The astral avatar disappears at the end of your turn.
Flank Foe: Your astral avatar will manifest in flanking position for you on one targeted creature.
Personal Aid: Your astral avatar will perform “aid another” to assist you on one attack or attribute/skill check.
Bulwark: Your astral avatar will act as a barrier and provide “cover”.
PHYSICAL QUALITIES
Harbingers have no trouble passing for humans except for the tail. They are vibrant and healthy, and have an easy time making friends and fitting into society. As they age, harbingers that pursue a divine or psychic class often acquire additional conspicuous inhuman features such as crystalline growths, bony spikes, sparkling skin, glowing organs, vibrantly colored hair or skin, and so forth.
Harbingers are children born of an unknown genesis to fulfill an alien design. Barren women go to extremes to produce a child. In some societies, if the wife can not produce a male heir for her husband she may find herself destitute or murdered. Some women can not bear the thought of more stillborn infants and flirt abomination to gain an viable pregnancy. Harbingers are not born to live ordinary lives but to allow Powers beyond the understanding of men direct access to our world. Harbingers are generally great leaders and can be either benevolent or cruel, and always have a massive impact on the course of history. The most infamous of all harbingers was Prince James the false heir of Henry IIV. To please her king, Anne Bolin gave birth to an harbinger prince. At the discovery of this crime, she and the infant prince were burned at the stake as adulterers. It goes without saying that harbingers are universally reviled by Puritans and the Inquisition, and can only expect persecution if their true nature is discovered. The universal mark of an harbinger in GOTHICANA is a prehensile tail extending from the base of the spine that can easily be hid beneath their clothing. If the harbinger gains the favor of his or her divine sire, the harbinger may acquire a small facial spikes, crystal feathers, odd colored skin, or additional unearthly features.
PLAYING A HARBINGER
Harbingers are the pawns of the Powers in a great game beyond human understanding. When you reach adulthood, you will be periodically confronted by individuals that claim to represent your unearthly sire. These envoys will present you with advice or information at the cost of a favor in return. The request may seem innocent or innocuous, but it always furthers the nefarious goal of the Harbinger Powers. Though emissaries an harbinger power seeks to manipulate world events. The actions you take when presented with temptation will determine whether you are a minion or adversary of the harbinger powers.
Play an harbinger if you want…
To pursue or reject an unknown destiny you were born to fulfill
To possess a heritage you must keep secret to function in lawful society
To be agile, hardy, and opportunistic
To be a member of a race that favors the bard, rogue, and warlock classes
HARBINGER RACIAL TRAITS
Average Male Height: 5‘ 6“+2d6”
Average Weight: 140 + 1d4 lbs. per inch over 5’ 6”
Average Female Height: 5´ +2d6”
Average Female Weight: 130 +1d4 lbs. per inch over 5’.
Normal Lifespan: 50 + 1d20 years
=========================================
Ability Scores: +2 Intelligence and +2 Charisma or Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Astral Origin: Your sire is native to the Astral Realm, so you are considered an astral creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Languages: Choose two regional languages
Skill Bonuses: +2 Bluff, +2 Diplomacy
Scrapper: You gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls when bloodied.
Prehensile Tail: You can use your tail to grab or make a one-handed basic attack.
Astral Avatar: You can use astral avataras an encounter power.
Astral Avatar
Harbinger Racial Power
You manifest a psychokinetic clone to assist your endeavors.
Daily ✦ Psychic, Summoning
Minor Action – Ranged Close Burst 5
Effect: You manifest your astral avatar in an unoccupied square within range. Your astral avatar will immediately perform one of the following special actions. The astral avatar disappears at the end of your turn.
Flank Foe: Your astral avatar will manifest in flanking position for you on one targeted creature.
Personal Aid: Your astral avatar will perform “aid another” to assist you on one attack or attribute/skill check.
Bulwark: Your astral avatar will act as a barrier and provide “cover”.
PHYSICAL QUALITIES
Harbingers have no trouble passing for humans except for the tail. They are vibrant and healthy, and have an easy time making friends and fitting into society. As they age, harbingers that pursue a divine or psychic class often acquire additional conspicuous inhuman features such as crystalline growths, bony spikes, sparkling skin, glowing organs, vibrantly colored hair or skin, and so forth.
