Terin Aderath, the Nighthunter

   Terin is a possible character for the Federation Apocolypse setting – and his personal capsule history includes several important factors for that setting: He’s about thirty now (roughly equivalent to 20 for a pre-genetic engineering human), and thus was old enough to be growing up during the tail end of the Great Opening, when the dimensional gates into the Quantum Manifold were being established. He had enough talent for dimensional manipulation to get into trouble during that period, but not enough to become a major figure: by the time he was old enough to tap into them, the energies of the Opening were already fading. Still, he had a number of adventures as a youngster, and picked up more magical training than most. Unlike many youngsters, however, he encountered some of the grimmer aspects of the Manifold, and has emerged from adolescence a good deal more ruthless, cynical, and arcanely powerful than most.

   Additional information on the Federation: Apocolypse Setting can be found here.  The Point-Buy rules – Eclipse: The Codex Persona are available in print Here and in a shareware edition Here.

.

Capsule History

   Like many other youngsters during the Opening, Terin went wandering. Sadly, while he had enough power to trigger open existing gates, he never tapped into enough to generate his own or to navigate the dimensions well – and wound up stranded in a more-realistic-than-most (if you ignored the animalistic human subtypes and mystical Egyptian assassin-monks) version of the Robin Hood tales. He learned a little woodcraft, and hung out a bit with the “merry men”, but he didn’t react well when the Sheriff of Nottingham hung fourteen of his young friends from the local villages. Thanks to his genetic augmentations and other technological advantages he took out the sheriff and several of his men before the survivors caught him.

   They were busy trying to hang him (a difficult task thanks to his smartclothes and genetically-augmented toughness) when they were distracted by a bear attack. While they were busy with that, he was rescued by Kenrath – a wandering priest-monk, who passed through the local villages every little bit. Kenrath was secretly a low-ranking member of the Nightwraith Order – both a secretive order of martial-artist assassins and the settings local “mysterious occult menace”. Kenrath had made time for the boy earlier, having noticed his special resources, innate potentials, ambitions, and secretive tendencies. Now that his spirit had fired with rage and vengeance, that his local village attachments had been thinned, and that he’d quenched a portion of his rage in ruthless murder, he was a virtually ideal candidate for the order.

   After being rescued, Terin willingly took Kenrath up on his offer to take him along as an aide on a circuit or two of his route. He needed an excuse to travel a bit and anyone could see that the man was a bit exhausted and could use some help – and there were no surviving witnesses to his little murder-spree at the moment, so it should be safe enough.

   Kenrath was tired. Projecting, shape-shifting, and manifesting your astral body as a bear is pretty tiring for a witch.

   Terin was an apt student. By the time they’d completed the circuit – and had dealt with a few bandits and wild animals – he throughly respected Kenrath’s abilities, had learned the basics of being a priest of the sheltering darkness – and had learned to tap into the powers of the primal darkness to power minor rituals.

   Kenrath was rather surprised at that – it was a good deal more power than he’d expected his young student to show so early – but it made it obvious that he was well worth recruiting.

   Kenrath took him to the Isvarell Monastery to make the offer. Terin accepted – and, over the next few months, was gradually introduced to the deeper secrets of the Nightwraith Order. He proved an apt student – and was realistic enough to recognize that if he served the purposes of the order, it would serve his purposes as well. He spent the next several years studying, practicing, going out on circuit – looking for potential recruits, just as he had been recruited – and having some minor adventures. During those, he was fortunate enough to find a reliable route home, and started commuting between the Core and his medieval England. He has a Norman Conquest to overthrow.

   Currently he’s started mixing his own goals with recruitment for the order in the city of Nottingham and working for the House of Roses in England on Core Earth. The Nightwraith Order need a group in Nottingham, and he could use some extra resources on Core Earth. He’s going to need allies if he’s going to overthrow the Normans.

   Personally, Terin sees a good reputation and people who trust you as useful tools, well worth the trouble of maintaining them. He’s ambitious, ruthless, and greedy, but he’s not unkind and is determined NOT to act like the Normans. While he sees Set as his personal patron, he is a philosophical priest of secrets and of the concealing power of darkness, not a priest of Set.

   Terin doesn’t know it, but the leaders of the Nightwraith Order would be rather nervous if they knew his full power – or how rapidly it’s been increasing. Perhaps fortunately, he regards it as only wise to keep the real extent of his abilities to himself.

 

Terin Aderath, the Nighthunter

   L2 Genetically Augmented (cheetah genegrafts) Human, Federation Apocalypse Campaign.

.

Genetically Enhanced Human Racial Bonuses:

• Fast Learner (Specialized in Skills, +1 SP/Level, 3 CP).
• Enhanced Health: +2 Bonus d0 Hit Dice (Essentially + [2 x Con Mod] HP, 8 CP, required to qualify for the Cheetah Genegrafts).
• Enhanced Intelligence: +4 Int (12 CP, thanks to half-price attribute modifiers)
• Longevity: Immunity/Aging (uncommon/minor/minor, 2 CP. Can expect to live for several centuries without much of any signs of aging)
• Cheetah Genegrafts: Shapeshift, Attribute Modifiers, Hybrid Form, Clear Speech, Variants (Human Appearance). Specialized: Cheetah Form Only, Corrupted: Cannot actually Change Forms (27 CP base, net cost 9 CP). Design Note: This is a cheap way to get a bunch of physical enhancements. Of course, in a setting where you can turn your car into fusion-powered, reconfigurable-force-field, powered battle armor, are enhanced physical attributes really all that important?
• Disadvantage: Enough “big-cat” instincts leak through to leave him Inept with Social Relationships (-2 on charisma based skill checks, -3 CP). This comes to a net cost of 31 CP.

Available Character Points:

   Disadvantages: History, Recorder, and Hunted (+10 CP), Duties (regular offerings, +2 CP/Level), and +6 CP for his L1 Feat. Total 72 CP Base + 20 = 92.

.

Basics:

• Attributes: Strength 22/+6, Dexterity 25/+7, Constitution 21/+5, Intelligence 22/+6, Wisdom 12/+1, and Charisma 11/+0. (Rolled: Con 17, Dex 15, Str 16, Int 18, Chr 11, Wis 12)
• Saves: Reflex +1/+8 Core/+10 (3 CP), Fortitude +1/+6 Core/+8 (3 CP), and Will +1/+2 Core/+4 (3 CP).
• Hit Dice: L1 d8 (4 CP) +2d0 (racial modifier), L2 d4 (0 CP). HP 8+3+ (4x Con Mod) = 31.
• Languages (7): English, Old English, Infernal, Chinese, Latin, Ancient Egyptian, and French.

Combat Information:

• Proficiencies: All Simple, Martial, and Exotic Weapons (15 CP, -14 from Dex = 1 CP),
• Move 50′
• Initiative +7
• BAB +1 (6 CP), +4 Unarmed (magical boost, only outside of core).
• Armor Class 10 + 7 (Dex) + 4 (Smartclothes) + 4 (Heavy Effector Module) + 1 (Wis) + 1 (Natural) = 27

Purchased Abilities:

• Luck (Specialized in Saves, Corrupted, also costs 1 power whenever used, 2 CP)
• Psionic Power: Wilder Progression, constitution based, with no caster level, Specialized [provides no disciplines, x2 effect, for an effective level of four]. 25 Power, 6 CP,
• Witchcraft: Basics [18 CP] and The Secret Order [6 CP], plus two Pacts [Epic Quest and Rituals] which pay for Ridden by the Loa with Firm Control. Total Power of (Str+Dex+Con)/3 + 25 = 44.
• Ritual Magic: Channeling once per Day (3 CP) plus L5 Spell Conversion (Specialized: requires 5-10 minutes per level of the desired final effect to use and creates a very noticeable magical disturbance. Double Effect: L10 “Anyspell” [produces any desired spell effect of up to L6]. Corrupted: requires drawing a ritual circle, assorted minor ingredients, and may cause strange side effects when he attempts effects of above level (his level + 1)/2 – unless he’s memorized an appropriate ritual. 6 CP).
• Cleric Package (10 CP: includes Clerical Spells I [Spells: L0: 3, L1: 2+1 (convert to Harming)], Undeath and Magic Domains.
• Innate Enchantment (Corrupted: detects as dark magic, 4 CP/5000 GP value: Ranged Strike [gives melee attacks a 100′ range increment with otherwise unchanged statistics for 3 rounds, 1400 GP], +3 BAB in Unarmed Combat [700 GP], a +2 Luck bonus on Skill and Attribute checks [1400] GP, +2 Resistance Bonus on all Saves [1400 GP], leaves 100 GP value not yet expended).
• Martial Arts (1d4 unarmed damage, counts as armed, 3 CP)
• Fortune/Evasion (corrupted, costs 1 power whenever used, 4 CP)
• Mana: 1d6 (6) with Reality Editing Option (Specialized, only for operating dimensional gates, Corrupted, also costs 1 power per point of Mana expended, 2 CP).
• Skills: 8 SP (8 CP). Total of 8 SP (CP) + 5 SP (Human) + 30 SP (Int) = 43 SP. Obviously, Terin has been coasting on his high intelligence, rather than applying himself properly.

.

Personal Data:

   Sex: Male, Height; 5’8″. Weight; 183 Lbs. Hair; Brown. Eyes; Brown. Age; 31 (318). Occupation; Agent, Revolutionary, would-be Overlord. Birthplace; England. Marital Status; Single. Religion; Egyptian Pantheon. Patron Deity: Set, Lord of Deserts, The Night Sky, and Ambition. Allegiance; The Nightwraith Order and the House of Roses, Education; Core Educational Programs, Apprentice Merry Man, the Monks of the Nightwraith Order. Base of Operations: the City of Nottingham (he usually buys or rents a useless plot of land or old ruin and uses a ritual or two to make it a comfortable and reasonably secure base), Source of Income: Sale of Magical Services, Adventuring.

Domain Effects:

   Magic Domain: May use spell completion and spell trigger items as a wizard of equal level. L1) Nystul’s Magic Aura, L2) Identify, L3) Dispel Magic, L4) Imbue with Spell Ability, L5) Spell Resistance, L6) Antiagic Field, L7) Spell Turning, L8) Protection from Spells, and L9) Mordenkainen’s Disjunction.

   Undeath Domain: Grants Extra Turning. L1) Detect Undead, L2) Desecrate, L3) Animate Dead, L4) Death Ward, L5) Circle of Death, L6) Create Undead, L7) Control Undead, L8) Create Greater Undead, and L9) Energy Drain.

.

The Nightwraith Order:

   This martial order of darkness-priests trains in witchcraft, the use of poisons, and assassination techniques as well as in the use of C’hi and the martial arts, usually specializing in Witchcraft/ The Secret Order, Poison Use, Witchcraft/Venomed Touch, and Sneak Attack. The Nightwraith Order actively recruits possible candidates, expects its alumni to give proper respect to its elder members, and expects them to undertake occasional special jobs for the order. While they do pay for such services, refusing too many such missions may lead to unpleasant consequences.

 

Witchcraft Basic Notes:

   Total Power: 44

   Save DC: Will 13

   Base Range 20 Feet + 20 more per extra power spent.

Witchcraft Abilities:

• Adamant Will: 2 Power to resist mental effects or make an extra save versus mindreading and truth effects, 3 to present a false aura.
• Dreamfaring: detect and communicate with spirits, trance-based spirit projection at 3 Power +1/Hour.
• Elfshot: Lay minor curses for 1-3 power.
• Glamour: Projective Telepathy. +6 skill bonus for 1 power/10 minutes, L0-1 spell effects for 1-2 power,
• Hand of Shadows: Basic TK. Free tricks, 1 power/minute to exert your strength, 1 power per hour worth of work done, L1 animation effects for 2 power.
• Healing: 1 power and 1 hour for a days worth with a +5 bonus or to resist drugs, up to 3d4 healing/round for 1 power/d4.
• Hyloka: Metabolic manipulation, delay poison or shift 6 attribute points around for 1 point per hour.
• Infliction: 3d4 for 1 power, 4 power for a 5-foot radius,
• The Inner Eye: Thought-sensing and object reading, +6 on relevant rolls for 1 power/10 minutes.
• Shadowweave: 1 power for 10 minutes of minor illusions, can provide +6 on relevant skills.
• Witchfire: Molecular TK. 3d6 damage for 2 power, +1 for small area, -1 for pre-existing flame, 1 power for prestidigitation.
• Witchsight: +6 bonus on sensory checks or special ability for 1 power/hour, triple effect if only for a single round.
• Ridden by the Loa: Calls a spirit into your body. It has a a fair amount of influence over your actions, but also provides an appropriate template worth up to +4 ECL.

.

Martial Arts:

Lunar Orbit Kung Fu: (Str)

• Concentrating on whirling, twisting, and circular techniques, Lunar Orbit Kung Fu attempts to turn strength into crippling leverage against vulnerable spots.
• Requires: Improved Unarmed Strike or equivalent.
• Basic Techniques: Attack 2, Defenses 2, Power 2, Synergy/ Tumble, and Synergy/Escape Artist.
• Advanced/Master Techniques: Breaking, Deflect Arrows, Versatility, and Whirlwind Attack.
• Occult Techniques: Focused Blow, Inner Strength, Ki Block, and Vanishing.

.

Nine Deadly Winds: (Str)

• Flowing with the wind, masters of the Nine Deadly Winds drift as if they were weightless and strike with the terrible force of a tornado tossing wisps of straw through mighty oaks.
• Requires: Improved Unarmed Strike or equivalent.
• Basic Techniques: Attack 3, Power 3, Synergy/Hide and Synergy/Move Silently.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Mind Like Moon, Instant Stand, Rapid Shot, and Weapon Kata/Shuriken,
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength, Ki Focus, Light Foot, and Touch Strike.

 

   It’s worth noting that, under the specific skills rule, what would normally be ample skill points are spread out pretty thin – but that training and a high intelligence really make a difference in them. Where his natural racial talents are relevant he’s pretty expert compared to a baseline human, but no match for a character with similar abilities who’s specialized a bit. Where his natural talents aren’t, he’s fairly competent but – thanks to the higher skill difficulties in the setting – shouldn’t expect to get away with anything fancy.

 

Usual Weapons

• Lunar Orbit Style: +10 (Core) or +13 (+1 BAB, extra +3 BAB outside of Core, +6 Strength, +1 Martial Arts, +2 Karatends), 1d10+8 stunning or lethal (slashing, piercing, or crushing), 100′ Range Increment where L1 magic works. Counts as Adamant while wearing his Karatends.
• Shuriken: +8/+8 (+1 BAB, +7 Dex, +2 Martial Arts, -2 Rapid Shot), 1d4+6 damage, 10′ range increment. Add another 4d6 in a 10′ radius if using exploding shuriken.

.

Broad Skills

All +6 Int, +2 Luck Bonus when in areas where first-level magic operates.

• Physical Skills: Acrobatics +22 (1 SP, +7 Dex, +8 Race), Lunar Orbit Kung Fu +13 (2 SP + 5 Str), Nine Deadly Winds+13 (2 SP + 5 Str), Stealth (1 SP, +7 Dex, +4 Race),
• Knowledge Skills (All +6 Int): Forestry +13 (1 SP), Literature +13, (1 SP), Mythology +13 (1 SP), Quantum Realities +13 (1 SP), Theology +13 (1 SP)
• Perception Skills (all +1 Wis): Spot +10 (1 SP, +2 Race), Listen +10 (1 SP, +2 Race)
• Other Skills: Computer Operations +13 (1 SP, +6 Int), Faith/Darkness +8 (1 SP, +1 Wis), Gadgetry +14, (1 SP, +7 Dex), Ritual Magic +7 (1 SP, Int +6, may memorize one specific ritual per skill level).

.

Narrow Skills

All +6 Int, +5 Training, add +2 Luck Bonus when in areas where first-level magic operates.

• Physical Skills: Balance +27 (1 SP, +7 Dex, +8 Race), Climb+26 (1 SP, +6 Str, +8 Race), Jump +27 (1 SP, +7 Dex, +8 Race), Pilot/ Modern Core Vehicles +19 (1 SP, +7 Dex), Shadowing +19 (1 SP, +7 Dex), Slight of Hand +19 (1 SP, +7 Dex), Swim +18 (1 SP, +6 Str),
• Knowledge Skills (All +6 Int): Core Earth England +18 (1 SP), Crusader +18 (1 SP), Demolitions +18 (1 SP), Demons +18 (1 SP), Egyptian Gods and Magic +18 (1 SP), Poisons and Antidotes +18 (1 SP), Realms of Robin Hood +18 (1 SP), Roman Catholicism +18 (1 SP), Runes and Glyphs +18 (1 SP), Siegecraft +18 (1 SP), Undead +18 (1 SP), and Witchcraft (+18 (1 SP).
• Perception Skills (All +1 Wis): Dimensional Navigation +13 (1 SP),
• Social Skills(All -2 Cha): Acting +9 (1 SP), Etiquette/High Society +9 (1 SP), Oratory +9 (1 SP), Seduction +9 (1 SP).

.

Specific Knowledges:

   The Book of Coming Forth by Day (1 SP, +15), Spirit Pacts (1 SP, +15).

   Memorized Rituals (7): Homesteading (renovates a medium-sized structure), Binding the Loa (extends the duration of Ridden by the Loa to 24 hours), Greater Healing (replicates a Heal spell), Break Enchantment, Analyze Dweomer, Legend Lore, and _______.

   Usual Gadgetry (14): Smartclothes, Heavy Effector Module, Nightsight Contacts, Karatends (unarmed strikes get +2 to hit and damage and count as adamant), Pocket Toolkit (counts as two items), Survival Pack (counts as two items), an Oxygen Mask, Variable Torch, Linespinner, a pouch of witchcraft-keyed Exploding Shuriken, Magician’s Pouch, Wand of Cure Light Wounds (very useful where it works). He occasionally adds a packet of poisons and/or a pistol in place of the survival pack if he’s actually on a mission.

   Lunar Orbit Techniques Known (7): Attack 1, Power 2, Breaking, Deflect Arrows, Versatility, and Vanishing.

   Nine Winds Techniques Known (7): Attack 2, Power 1, Instant Stand, Rapid Shot, Weapon Kata/Shuriken, and Inner Strength.

.

   General Pack: light camp kit, messkit, food and water, rope, and a traveler’s pouch. Terin doesn’t usually carry much in the way of weapons. He’s found that a more subtle approach usually works better. If he actually gets his revolution going, that may change.

   Magician’s Pouch: This modest bag contains various spell and ritual components, including packets of salt, beeswax, assorted colored chalks and small candles, origami paper, incense sticks and various common herbs, string, pen and ink, several pencil-sized “wands” (bone with lead bands, hawthorn, ebony with gold tips, elder, oak, magnetized steel, and mistletoe), a “scribing” tip (for the wands), 2 small knives (meteoric iron with oak handle, silver with rowan handle), silk cloths, 2 small bowls/bells/cups/incense burners/etc (silver and gold), a silver disc/mirror, tongs, wire, matches, a set of rune or “tarot” cards, a small key, some rings (Simple blank bands; 4 copper, 2 silver, 2 gold, and 2 iron), a small flute, embroidery thread, brass chime, holy symbol and Unholy symbols (per user’s beliefs), some crystals, needles and thread, pins, and assorted vials (Holy and unholy water, assorted oils, alcohol, mercury, “fingerpaints”, glue and healing herbs) in a padded roll.

   Traveler’s Pouch: This small, tough, pouch contains a selection of items any traveler should have along – brush, comb, and razor, a little packet of soap, sticking plaster and salve, wax, tacks and thread, needles, buttons, fishhooks and sinkers, string/fishline, a lighter, a small whetstone and file, a couple of small knives, a bit of clue, a vial of insect repellent, bite medication, a thin bag (Suitable for use as a pillow if stuffed with something yielding), and a compass. Usually or his belt. 1 pound or less.

   Contents list and weight from “Woodcraft” by George W. Sears, circa 1880.

.

Usual Clerical Spell Selection:

   L0) Mending, Purify Food and Drink, and Light

   L1) Comprehend Languages, Cure Light Wounds, and Detect Secret Doors.

.

Lunar Orbit Kung Fu: (Str)

   Concentrating on whirling, twisting, and circular techniques, Lunar Orbit Kung Fu attempts to turn strength into crippling leverage against vulnerable spots.

• Requires: Improved Unarmed Strike or equivalent.
• Basic Techniques: Attack 2, Defenses 2, Power 2, Synergy/ Tumble, and Synergy/Escape Artist.
• Advanced/Master Techniques: Breaking, Deflect Arrows, Versatility, and Whirlwind Attack.
• Occult Techniques: Focused Blow, Inner Strength, Ki Block, and Vanishing.

Lunar Orbit Kung Fu, Technique Names:

• Attack: Rage of Night
• Defense: Encircling The Moon
• Power: Within the Seas of the Moon
• Synergy/Tumble: Striding Upon the Moon
• Synergy/Escape Artist: Waning of the Moon
• Breaking: Summoning the Tide
• Deflect Arrows: Lunar Radiance Drives back the Dark
• Versatility: Slashing: Sickle of the Moon, Crushing: First Rays of the Moon, and Piercing: The Withered Moon Heart
• Whirlwind Attack: Thousand Rays of the Moon
• Focused Blow: Comet Strikes the Moon
• Inner Strength: Drink Down the Moon
• Ki Block: Eclipsing the Sun
• Vanishing – Moonlight over Water Technique

.

Nine Deadly Winds: (Str)

   Flowing with the wind, masters of the Nine Deadly Winds drift as if they were weightless and strike with the terrible force of a tornado tossing wisps of straw through mighty oaks.

• Requires: Improved Unarmed Strike or equivalent.
• Basic Techniques: Attack 3, Power 3, Synergy/Hide and Synergy/Move Silently.
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Mind Like Moon, Instant Stand, Rapid Shot, and Weapon Kata/Shuriken,
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength, Ki Focus, Light Foot, and Touch Strike.

Nine Deadly Winds, Technique Names:

• Attack: Four Winds Vortex
• Power: Hurricane Fist
• Synergy/Hide: The Transparency of Wind
• Synergy/Move Silently: Drifting Zephyr Kata
• Mind Like Moon: Moon Shining Through Clouds
• Instant Stand: Within The Storm
• Rapid Shot: The Hailstorm Kata
• Weapon Kata/Shuriken: Drifting Leaf Technique
• Inner Strength: Dance of the Four Winds
• Ki Focus: The Tornado
• Light Foot: Clouds Above the Earth
• Touch Strike: Thunderbolt Touch Technique.

.

Return to the d20 page

Return to the Federation-Apocolypse Page