Comments on backstory [Archive] - Wizards Community

Comments on backstory [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aninimax
03-28-06, 11:12 PM Just wanted some comments on this background (for a gold elf wizard)- had to make a background that had to explain why our characters were working for an unscrupulous merchant. (Hopefully) Enjoy :D

Da'Akari of Calimshan
Born and raised in Calismshan, Da’Akari was the son of two powerful elven sorcerers who resided in the House of the Constellation of Stars, the elven embassy in Calimport. The eldest of three siblings, for his parents, who were blessed with bountiful fertility, had also born twins – one half-dragon and the other half-celestial ...

But despite their powers and great magicks – when the then Calishite pasha declared that the elven embassy was there simply to spy on the works of the humans and to sabotage their work – the House of the Constellations of Stars was burned to the ground and his parents killed in a spectacular mage-fight that burned down half the ambassidorial district.

Fearful of the wrath of the great elven sorcerers, even from beyond the grave, their children were sold to slavers instead of being executed and there, truly, begins our sad tale.

For Da’Akari was sold to a petty and cruel man. But even worse than petty and cruel men, are those men who have the vision and power to put their spite to work. And Da-Akari’s master was the cruellest by far.

Arex of the Third Serpent.

Arex was a wizard. Not so powerful as to bring fear into the hearts of men because of his might – but he brought fear nonetheless by his malice. And his madness.

For long terrible years (even for elves, whose time seems to pass as the rapids in a river) Arex worked his evil on his terrified charge. Dark magicks he wrought on Da’Akari. Ripped the names of his family from his mind so that he would not remember, stole his ability to dream and sold to the dark naga Ezshke and cursed him so that tears burned his flesh as acid.

But Arex’s crowning achievement was also his most terrible. And most profitable.
Arex fragmented Da’Akari’s soul.

From these fragments Arex created three items of power. From his memories he fashioned the roguestone heart, from his creativity he wrote the runes of summer and from his sorcerous potential he forged the incandescent rod.

Even after having supplied these base powers to Arex, having become a hollow shell in the process, Arex still worked his might. Waste not, want not.
From his hollow shell – Arex created a proxy – a living shell that would suffer the ravages of consorting with fiends and powers from the great beyond.
And on one such jorney Da’Akari’s mind was broken beyond repair.

And true to his nature – Arex sold his charge again in the slave markets of Calimport. Waste not, want not.

For two years Da’Akari laboured in the docks district – too physically weak to be a useful slave but so obedient and mindless that he was not tossed away immediately. And suddenly, there came dreams.

Like a riverbed flooded by a burst dam. Da’Akari had not dreamed since his dreams were stolen by Arex – and dream he did.
And in his dreams, Da’Akari learned wizardry.

Although dreams are difficult to decypher and even more difficult to understand. This is though what happened.

Da’Akari was taken into a place called the Colleage of Dreams. A place between places. In there, while his waking mind was still shattered, his dreaming mind learned things unknown to him. His mentors, cowled in hoods and hidden in shadows, never revealed their identities.
But they revealed other things.
Great and terrible things.

In the College he learned how to read the arcane runes that make up the magical spells, how to stitch and sew the Weave and how to move the world with a word or gesture. He learned other things, things thought lost, how to craft object of power from his own soul. There he learned to forsake his natural heritage, now lost to him, and to embrace magic.

Thirteen years after the dreams started something extrordinary occurred. The mute, broken and scarred elven child – who had remained silent and dumb for fifteen years – spoke.

At another time and place what he said would have mattered naught. Had he muttered his words in the dead of night or in the din of the overworked docks they would not have had any impact.
But the timing was impeccable.

Da’Akari was delivering a parcel to the captain of the Sea Witch. Aboard the Seawitch was the Sentinels of the Light, a group of religious adventurers on a quest by the church of Ilmater to slay an evil necromancer and when Da’Akari entered their presence something profound happened.

“THE ONE YOU SEEK IS NAMED AREX OF THE THIRD SERPENT. HE LAIRS DEEP IN THE GROUND, FAR FROM THE LIGHT OF DAY. FOR HE FEARS THE LIGHT AS IT BURNS HIS SKIN AS FIRE.”

Swathed in light and lifted off the ground by whatever power possessed him. His voice, deep and booming, sounded as though it came from far away.

“AREX HAS HIDDEN THE THING YOU SEEK – THE STAFF OF ST. ADJHAHN OF ILMATER – BEHIND LIES AND WHISPERS OF LIES. STRIKE TRUE MY CHILDREN AND YOU WILL PREVAIL“

With those words Da’Akari fell to his knees, unconscious.

When he awoke – eight days later – in a small temple of Ilmater he was whole again. But not all was well.

Da’Akari dreamed no more of the College of Dreams – something occurred in those eight days that despite his newly regained profound intelligence, Da’Akari cannot remember. But the doors are now barred and locked and no force in his dreams is enough to open them. But he still has the power to transport himself there in his dreams – but has yet managed to gain entry.

In those eight days the Sentinels of the Light had stormed the Citadel Obscuris, Arex’s place of power, but even though they had vanquished him their quest was not entirely successful. Only two of the adventurers returned from the Citadel and neither unscathed. Sjadraan Dominion, an arcane templar, returned sightless and cursed so that healing would bring him harm, and Seram Arrack of Tantras, paladin of Ilmater, had contracted a darkness of the soul. They had plundered the Citadel and much of Arex’s artifacts were scattered throughout Calimshan. And therein lies the problem.

For the fragments of Da’Akari’s soul had also been sold and bartered. And an unscrupulous merchant had gained the roguestone heart and with it coerced Da’Akari to service. In exchange for his services Da’Akari would one day gain the roguestone heart as payment. Or so was promised …

New Magic Items

Roguestone heart
A gold-trimmed roguestone brooch shaped like an inverted teardrop, 3 inches at it’s widest and 5 inches at it’s longest. The roguestone brooch is warm to the touch seems to smell vaguely of lavender and sandalwood.
The wearer of the roguestone brooch can expend a prepared spell (not an unfilled spell slot) as an immediate action to gain a resistance bonus equal to half the spell’s level on his next saving throw (rounded up). For example, Sjadraan Dominion is the target of a drow sorcerer’s claws of darkness and must make a Fortitude saving throw. Shadraan sacrifices a 4th level spell just before rolling the saving throw and gains a +2 bonus on the save. As a resistance bonus it does not stack with a cloak of resistane or a superior resistance spell.
Because the roguestone heart is fashioned from Da’Akari’s memories of his past – it confers greater powers when used by him. Da’Akari gains a resistance bonus equal to the spell’s level. However, the heart can also be used against him to devastating effect. Anyone touching the heart can deliver a touch spell at him simply by touching the heart, regardless of the actual distance. Save and roll for effects as normal.
Cost: 12.500 gp

Incandescent rod
A smooth rod tapering at the base seemingly crafted from a single piece of crystal. The crystal is multicolored and subtly shifts color in the incandescent spectrum. A wizard who touches the staff immediately gains the benefit of the Signature Spell feat. He chooses one spell and can thereafter cast it spontaneously like a good cleric can cast healing spells. The user can change his Signature spell by expending 100 xp points per the new spell’s level and 8 hours of uninterrupted meditation. For example, Arex of the Third Serpent creates the staff and chooses enervation as his Signature Spell. Later when Arex foresees a large battle against the air genasi monks of the Eternal Noon he changes his signature spell to slow and pays 300 xp points and must meditate for 8 hours.
Like the roguestone heart and runes of summer, the rod is crafted from Da’Akari’s sorcerous potential it has greater powers in his hands. Da’Akari can choose two spells as his Signature Spell instead of the one. He must pay the normal xp cost for changing his spell selection though. If Da’Akari is affecetd by a spell cast by the holder of the incandescent rod, then the spell is treated as if it’s caster were 4 levels higher. If Da’Akari is affected by the holder’s Signature Spell, then the spell is treated as if it were Empowered.
Cost: 20,000 gp

Runes of summer
The runes of summer have in fact no physical form. The runes take the shape of glowing lines of arcane script circling the wearer’s head, similar to an ioun stone or illuman power sigils. The script is angular and neat and they look as if they were written with fire. They shed light like a torch. Although they vary in content from moment to moment, a character studying the runes for one round can make a Spellcraft check DC15 to learn that they contain incantations for greater mental acuity. Beating a DC of 25 identifies their magical powers. The runes float serenely around the wearer’s head, the lines crossing at irregular intervals and slowly shifting their writings. The runes continue to float around the head, even if the character is asleep or dead. To take possession fo the runes it is enough to touch the head of the wearer and concentrate on the runes for a full round.
Because of their glowing nature, the wearer suffers a –5 penalty on Hide checks.
The runes allow the wearer to treat his Intelligence score as 2 points higher for determining bonus spells. Because they are crafted from Da’Akari’s creativity they endow him with greater power than the others. Da’Akari treats his Intelligence as being 4 points higher than it is. Such a power comes at a price though. When a character wearing the runes of summer casts a spell at Da’Akari it has it’s DC increased by 2.
Cost: 15.000 gp
JulesCARV
04-02-06, 01:49 AM Wow! Very neat! Is there a specific campaign setting you're using here?

So, he started as a sorceror, but when Arex stole his powers, the College of Dreams taught him to be a wizard: is that right?

I like the background story. Definitely has a sense of dark whimsy and wonder that can be lost all too often in D&D, which, in spite of its fantastic nature, can be all too prone to being rules-bound.
Aninimax
04-02-06, 04:34 PM Thanks :D

We're playing in Calimshan - and the character starts out as a wizard but was gonna give him some non-standard feats - Ancestral Relic for the soulcrafting thing and a Signature Spell later to sort of highlight his sorcerous heritage.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aninimax 03-28-06, 11:12 PM	Just wanted some comments on this background (for a gold elf wizard)- had to make a background that had to explain why our characters were working for an unscrupulous merchant. (Hopefully) Enjoy :D Da'Akari of Calimshan Born and raised in Calismshan, Da’Akari was the son of two powerful elven sorcerers who resided in the House of the Constellation of Stars, the elven embassy in Calimport. The eldest of three siblings, for his parents, who were blessed with bountiful fertility, had also born twins – one half-dragon and the other half-celestial ... But despite their powers and great magicks – when the then Calishite pasha declared that the elven embassy was there simply to spy on the works of the humans and to sabotage their work – the House of the Constellations of Stars was burned to the ground and his parents killed in a spectacular mage-fight that burned down half the ambassidorial district. Fearful of the wrath of the great elven sorcerers, even from beyond the grave, their children were sold to slavers instead of being executed and there, truly, begins our sad tale. For Da’Akari was sold to a petty and cruel man. But even worse than petty and cruel men, are those men who have the vision and power to put their spite to work. And Da-Akari’s master was the cruellest by far. Arex of the Third Serpent. Arex was a wizard. Not so powerful as to bring fear into the hearts of men because of his might – but he brought fear nonetheless by his malice. And his madness. For long terrible years (even for elves, whose time seems to pass as the rapids in a river) Arex worked his evil on his terrified charge. Dark magicks he wrought on Da’Akari. Ripped the names of his family from his mind so that he would not remember, stole his ability to dream and sold to the dark naga Ezshke and cursed him so that tears burned his flesh as acid. But Arex’s crowning achievement was also his most terrible. And most profitable. Arex fragmented Da’Akari’s soul. From these fragments Arex created three items of power. From his memories he fashioned the roguestone heart, from his creativity he wrote the runes of summer and from his sorcerous potential he forged the incandescent rod. Even after having supplied these base powers to Arex, having become a hollow shell in the process, Arex still worked his might. Waste not, want not. From his hollow shell – Arex created a proxy – a living shell that would suffer the ravages of consorting with fiends and powers from the great beyond. And on one such jorney Da’Akari’s mind was broken beyond repair. And true to his nature – Arex sold his charge again in the slave markets of Calimport. Waste not, want not. For two years Da’Akari laboured in the docks district – too physically weak to be a useful slave but so obedient and mindless that he was not tossed away immediately. And suddenly, there came dreams. Like a riverbed flooded by a burst dam. Da’Akari had not dreamed since his dreams were stolen by Arex – and dream he did. And in his dreams, Da’Akari learned wizardry. Although dreams are difficult to decypher and even more difficult to understand. This is though what happened. Da’Akari was taken into a place called the Colleage of Dreams. A place between places. In there, while his waking mind was still shattered, his dreaming mind learned things unknown to him. His mentors, cowled in hoods and hidden in shadows, never revealed their identities. But they revealed other things. Great and terrible things. In the College he learned how to read the arcane runes that make up the magical spells, how to stitch and sew the Weave and how to move the world with a word or gesture. He learned other things, things thought lost, how to craft object of power from his own soul. There he learned to forsake his natural heritage, now lost to him, and to embrace magic. Thirteen years after the dreams started something extrordinary occurred. The mute, broken and scarred elven child – who had remained silent and dumb for fifteen years – spoke. At another time and place what he said would have mattered naught. Had he muttered his words in the dead of night or in the din of the overworked docks they would not have had any impact. But the timing was impeccable. Da’Akari was delivering a parcel to the captain of the Sea Witch. Aboard the Seawitch was the Sentinels of the Light, a group of religious adventurers on a quest by the church of Ilmater to slay an evil necromancer and when Da’Akari entered their presence something profound happened. “THE ONE YOU SEEK IS NAMED AREX OF THE THIRD SERPENT. HE LAIRS DEEP IN THE GROUND, FAR FROM THE LIGHT OF DAY. FOR HE FEARS THE LIGHT AS IT BURNS HIS SKIN AS FIRE.” Swathed in light and lifted off the ground by whatever power possessed him. His voice, deep and booming, sounded as though it came from far away. “AREX HAS HIDDEN THE THING YOU SEEK – THE STAFF OF ST. ADJHAHN OF ILMATER – BEHIND LIES AND WHISPERS OF LIES. STRIKE TRUE MY CHILDREN AND YOU WILL PREVAIL“ With those words Da’Akari fell to his knees, unconscious. When he awoke – eight days later – in a small temple of Ilmater he was whole again. But not all was well. Da’Akari dreamed no more of the College of Dreams – something occurred in those eight days that despite his newly regained profound intelligence, Da’Akari cannot remember. But the doors are now barred and locked and no force in his dreams is enough to open them. But he still has the power to transport himself there in his dreams – but has yet managed to gain entry. In those eight days the Sentinels of the Light had stormed the Citadel Obscuris, Arex’s place of power, but even though they had vanquished him their quest was not entirely successful. Only two of the adventurers returned from the Citadel and neither unscathed. Sjadraan Dominion, an arcane templar, returned sightless and cursed so that healing would bring him harm, and Seram Arrack of Tantras, paladin of Ilmater, had contracted a darkness of the soul. They had plundered the Citadel and much of Arex’s artifacts were scattered throughout Calimshan. And therein lies the problem. For the fragments of Da’Akari’s soul had also been sold and bartered. And an unscrupulous merchant had gained the roguestone heart and with it coerced Da’Akari to service. In exchange for his services Da’Akari would one day gain the roguestone heart as payment. Or so was promised … New Magic Items Roguestone heart A gold-trimmed roguestone brooch shaped like an inverted teardrop, 3 inches at it’s widest and 5 inches at it’s longest. The roguestone brooch is warm to the touch seems to smell vaguely of lavender and sandalwood. The wearer of the roguestone brooch can expend a prepared spell (not an unfilled spell slot) as an immediate action to gain a resistance bonus equal to half the spell’s level on his next saving throw (rounded up). For example, Sjadraan Dominion is the target of a drow sorcerer’s claws of darkness and must make a Fortitude saving throw. Shadraan sacrifices a 4th level spell just before rolling the saving throw and gains a +2 bonus on the save. As a resistance bonus it does not stack with a cloak of resistane or a superior resistance spell. Because the roguestone heart is fashioned from Da’Akari’s memories of his past – it confers greater powers when used by him. Da’Akari gains a resistance bonus equal to the spell’s level. However, the heart can also be used against him to devastating effect. Anyone touching the heart can deliver a touch spell at him simply by touching the heart, regardless of the actual distance. Save and roll for effects as normal. Cost: 12.500 gp Incandescent rod A smooth rod tapering at the base seemingly crafted from a single piece of crystal. The crystal is multicolored and subtly shifts color in the incandescent spectrum. A wizard who touches the staff immediately gains the benefit of the Signature Spell feat. He chooses one spell and can thereafter cast it spontaneously like a good cleric can cast healing spells. The user can change his Signature spell by expending 100 xp points per the new spell’s level and 8 hours of uninterrupted meditation. For example, Arex of the Third Serpent creates the staff and chooses enervation as his Signature Spell. Later when Arex foresees a large battle against the air genasi monks of the Eternal Noon he changes his signature spell to slow and pays 300 xp points and must meditate for 8 hours. Like the roguestone heart and runes of summer, the rod is crafted from Da’Akari’s sorcerous potential it has greater powers in his hands. Da’Akari can choose two spells as his Signature Spell instead of the one. He must pay the normal xp cost for changing his spell selection though. If Da’Akari is affecetd by a spell cast by the holder of the incandescent rod, then the spell is treated as if it’s caster were 4 levels higher. If Da’Akari is affected by the holder’s Signature Spell, then the spell is treated as if it were Empowered. Cost: 20,000 gp Runes of summer The runes of summer have in fact no physical form. The runes take the shape of glowing lines of arcane script circling the wearer’s head, similar to an ioun stone or illuman power sigils. The script is angular and neat and they look as if they were written with fire. They shed light like a torch. Although they vary in content from moment to moment, a character studying the runes for one round can make a Spellcraft check DC15 to learn that they contain incantations for greater mental acuity. Beating a DC of 25 identifies their magical powers. The runes float serenely around the wearer’s head, the lines crossing at irregular intervals and slowly shifting their writings. The runes continue to float around the head, even if the character is asleep or dead. To take possession fo the runes it is enough to touch the head of the wearer and concentrate on the runes for a full round. Because of their glowing nature, the wearer suffers a –5 penalty on Hide checks. The runes allow the wearer to treat his Intelligence score as 2 points higher for determining bonus spells. Because they are crafted from Da’Akari’s creativity they endow him with greater power than the others. Da’Akari treats his Intelligence as being 4 points higher than it is. Such a power comes at a price though. When a character wearing the runes of summer casts a spell at Da’Akari it has it’s DC increased by 2. Cost: 15.000 gp
JulesCARV 04-02-06, 01:49 AM	Wow! Very neat! Is there a specific campaign setting you're using here? So, he started as a sorceror, but when Arex stole his powers, the College of Dreams taught him to be a wizard: is that right? I like the background story. Definitely has a sense of dark whimsy and wonder that can be lost all too often in D&D, which, in spite of its fantastic nature, can be all too prone to being rules-bound.
Aninimax 04-02-06, 04:34 PM	Thanks :D We're playing in Calimshan - and the character starts out as a wizard but was gonna give him some non-standard feats - Ancestral Relic for the soulcrafting thing and a Signature Spell later to sort of highlight his sorcerous heritage.