Eclipse d20 – Yolande of the Sternwaters

Well, it’s a classic route… Marry into the nobility!

The memories were sharp… Her wings straining to ride the wild winds on the fringes of the Realm of Storms, Yolande had fled, her few possessions that could not be transformed – mostly her steed, Egelbert, in mouse-form – stashed in a Hidden Pocket on a band secured above her clenched talons. Behind her, on the Isles of the Moon, her clan was being enslaved, bound into whatever forms would please their new masters. Her own escape had been little more than luck – and if she could not loose the inevitable pursuit in the Realm of Storms and swiftly confuse the links that her possessions would provide to her in the Dimensional Realm… she would soon be drawn back to face the same fate.

There was little time, and a long way to travel. She had gambled, seeking out the high winds and the great storms to ride their power to either freedom or death.

Her gamble had succeeded.

Slipping into the society of the Alarian Imperium disguised as a young noblewoman sent down from one of the (countless) minor noble families of Dernmarik required little more than taking the necessary props away from some foolish bandits and picking up a few slave-servants at the first market after entering the Imperium. Surely, among the mind-blind, it would not be difficult to find a place…

It was not long before she encountered Darius – and soon came to trust him enough to reveal her true nature. Now that a chance to found new domains has opened to the north, she is a partner in his attempt to move out of the role’ of a younger son and into a position as a ruler in his own right – even if of a minor, and newly-founded realm. Such a place can be nurtured and built upon.

At the moment Yolande is a witch and shaman – subtle and flexible powers that lack the raw power to blast enemies, but which can be of tremendous help in many other situations. While she has little skill in managing or promoting a domain as of yet, she will probably be developing such talents quite rapidly indeed…

Yolande of the Sternwaters

Atherian Lunar Birthright Witch

Available Character Points: 120 (L4 Base) + 18 (L1, L2, L4 Bonus Feats) +8 (Duties/Tending to the Outpost) +10 (Disadvantages: Compulsive Prankster, History, Hunted) = 156 CP.

Atherian Lunar Birthright Human (+0 ECL):

• Basic Witchcraft I (6 CP).
• Fast Learner, Specialized in Witchcraft for +2 CP/Level (6 CP). (Currently +14 CP).
• +1 Bonus Feat (6 CP): Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills for +2 SP/Level (Currently +14 SP).
• +3d6 (11) Power (as Mana) with Unskilled Magic (Psychic) Effects (6 CP)
• Shapeshift (6 CP).

Her bonus points from Fast Learner have been spent on: Witchcraft II and III (12 CP), and Wrath of the Sea (Corrupted/costs 2 Power to per ten minutes, 4 CP).

Attributes: Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 12 (+1), Intelligence 14 (+2), Wisdom 13 (+1), Charisma 17 (21) (+5). Self-Development: +1 Dexterity L2, +1 Charisma L4.

Basic Abilities (66 CP):

• Hit Dice: 15 (4d6, 8 CP) +12 (Magic) +6 (Con Mod x 6) = 33
• Skill Points: 16 (Purchased, 16 CP) + 14 (Int Mod x 7) + 14 (Fast Learner) = 48 SP.
• BAB: +3 (18 CP).
• Saves:
  • Fortitude: +1 (3 CP) +1 (Con) +1 (Res) +1 (Mor) = +4
  • Reflex: +2 (6 CP) +3 (Dex) +1 (Res) +1 (Mor) = +7
  • Will: +2 (6 CP) +1 (Wis) +1 (Res) +1 (Mor) = +5
• Proficiencies: All Simple Weapons & Light Armor (6 CP)
• Initiative: +3 (Dex)
• Move: 30′
• Armor Class: 10 +3 (Dex) +4 (Armor) +4 (Shield) = 21.

Usual Attacks:

• Quarterstave: +8 (+3 BAB +1 Mor, +3 Str +1 Enh), 2d6 +1 (Enh) +3 (Str) +1 (Mor), Crit 20/x2.

Wealth Level: Well-Off (3 CP).

• Armor, Shields, and Weapons: You can afford full plate armor, exotic weapons, longbows and specialized equipment. Still, at least for the time, masterwork equipment remains out of reach.
• Magical Items: Three charms and one talisman.
• Mounts, Pets, and Familiars: You can afford high quality common animals, trained warhorses, and so on. Exotic imports are still simply too expensive.
• Retainers: You may have a couple of competent and loyal guards and assistants, possibly connections with an eccentric hedge wizard or minor priest (these are often related to you, and prone to sending you on odd missions or having weird visions), and quite a few employees and general gofers. (As if Affluent due to Spirit Binding powers).
• Skill Bonuses: Yolande actually started at this wealth level, since her family was prosperous for the Ourathan Isles. She gains a +2 Wealth bonus to Diplomacy and Perform/Flute.

Other Abilities (90 CP)

• Adept/Ourathan Scout (Hide, Move Silently, Survival, and Swim) (6 CP)
• Basic Witchcraft III (6 CP): Base Power 13. Save DC Will 18, Pacts of Missions, Spirit, and Susceptibility/Iron stops spellcasting. These pay for the advanced Witchcraft Abilities: Spirit Binding, Advanced Spirit Binding, and The Secret Order (+4 Power, 28 total base, has all basic witchcraft abilities). Direct purchase of Darksense (6 CP).
• +6 levels of the Wilder Power Progression, with no caster levels, Corrupted/gets no psionic abilities, only Power (12 CP). (+35 Power, 63 Total).
• Block/Melee (6 CP)
• Fortune/Evasion (6 CP)
• Growth and Shrinking for Shapeshifting (6 CP)
• Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Saving Throws (6 CP).
• Innate Enchantment/Sternwater Bloodline (8 CP/7000 GP): All 1st level, Personal Only.
  • Immortal vigor I (1400 GP): +12 + (Con Mod x 2) HP.
  • Resist elements (1400 GP)
  • Shillelagh (1400 GP): Any quarterstaff or club wielded by this character counts as a Large +1 magic weapon.
  • Sustenance (1400 GP): Doubles breathing time and halves food and sleep needs.
  • Void sheath (700 GP)
  • Resistance (700 GP).
• Reflex Training/Combat Reflexes Variant (6 CP)

Shamanic Magic: Path of the Dragon/Shaping, Pulse, and Heart of the Dragon II (gather one spell level per round, may shape effects of up to L1), Specialized and Corrupted 1/3 Cost, User must call on spirits for magic other than Spirit Sight and Spirit Contact effects (10 CP). Yoland may designate up to (Cha Mod + ECL/2 rounded up, 12 maximum) specific entities or general types of spirits to call on for appropriate types of magic, but each type may only be called on for a total of [(Cha Mod + ECL)/2 rounded up)] spell levels’ worth of magic before the user must rebuild her “pool” of “favors.” Worse, the user may only renew such “pools” slowly. The user regains [(Cha Mod + ECL)/2 rounded up)] points per day through minor rituals and respect for her spiritual patrons. She may also regain (Cha Mod) points by:

• Fulfilling a special request from the Spirits. For example, fire spirits might want the user to arrange a fireworks display, while water spirits might want a spring cleaned out and purified. The user may simply ask the GM each day about possible tasks; there will usually be two or three available, but there’s no guarantee that any of them will be even remotely practical.
• Enacting a ritual in honor of some type of spirits. You might sit out in a storm meditating on its power for a night in honor of the air spirits, burn rare woods, incense, and oils in honor of the fire spirits, or conduct a religious ceremony in honor of outer-planar spirits.
• Promising to undertake a later mission for the appropriate group of spirits. It’s wise to take a few rounds to find out what they’re going to want you to do, but sometimes people are just desperate.
• Simply talking the spirits into it. This requires 1d4 hours of quiet meditation and a DC 18 Diplomacy or Knowledge/Religion check and can only be done once per day – although you can try until you do succeed. .
• Expending a Major Spirit Favor, up to once per day per spirit type.

Yolande’s available entities include Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Darkness, and Nature spirits and the King of Stern Waters, who is also her patron for Witchcraft.

Acquired due to her marriage to Darius:

• Order Birthright Package Deal (Innate Enchantment. Specialized: only works with a high-ranking in-empire patron to channel the magic of Order to the user, double effect (6 CP/10,000 GP). Enhance Charms and Talismans (L2 spell effect, increasing the effects of Charms to L1 and those of Talismans to L2. Personal charms only, 8400 GP) and Inspiring Word (personal only, +1 Morale bonus to Saves, Attacks, Checks, and Weapon Damage).
  • Charms (3): Mage Armor, +3 to Wisdom-Based Skills, and Shield.
  • Talismans (1 ): +4 Charisma.

Retainers: Yolande has Drusila (Order Birthright), her loyal handmaiden, and Edelbert a kid/familiar from the Isles (restricted to Mouse and Horse forms), and a dozen house staffers – a mix of employees and slaves given as wedding presents.

Skills (All +1 Morale, +2 for Tier 2 skills, +3 Competence on Wisdom-based skills)

• Tier I (1 SP/Level)
  • Diplomacy (Cha+Wealth) +15 (7 SP)
  • Hide (Dex) +11 (3.5 SP)
  • Knowledge/Arcana (Int) +10 (7 SP)
  • Knowledge/Geography (Int) +10 (7 SP)
  • Move Silently (Dex) +11 (3.5 SP)
  • Sense/Spot (Wis) +12 (7 SP)
  • Spellcraft (Int) +10 (4 SP)
  • Survival (Wis) +12 (3.5 SP)
  • Swim (Str) +4 (1.5 SP)
• Tier II (1 SP/2 Levels)
  • Perform/Flute (Cha+Wealth) +11 (1 SP)
  • Sense/Listen (Wis) +13 (3.5 SP)

Yes, Yolande – like the game she’s in – is using the Skill Tier System from the d20 Practical Skill Redesign segment.

Eclipse: The Codex Persona is available in a Freeware PDF Version, in Print, and in a Paid PDF Version that includes Eclipse II (245 pages of Eclipse races, character and power builds, items, relics, martial arts, and other material) and the web expansion. Here’s a Featured Review of it and another Independent Review.

The Practical Enchanter can be found in a Print Edition (Lulu), an Electronic Edition(RPGNow), and a Shareware Edition (RPGNow).  There’s an RPGNow Staff Review too.

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