Backstory for Trenton
The group was founded by a group of concerned scholars that were irked at the fact that everything they knew was wrong, at the apperance of magic to the world that occured during Pax. The monsters and destruction that occured shocked many simple minded people to revert to baser emotions such as fear. These scholars decided to try and do away with all these things that couldn’t be explained by forming a mob and destorying it. They appealed to these frightened people and had numbers in the thousands. However, their initial anger was misguided, and once initial fear and doubt was quelled the group took on a passion of its own. They began to form an actual organization they eventually named The Peoples Hope. Their initial projects being to stop renegade magic users or magical creatures that caused problems for normal people. They would do projects for the community to bring in new numbers, and they enjoyed an even larger number of participants. However as the years dragged on, and magic became a part of society, their views on magic being dangerous and aborant became viewed as archaic. Their numbers dwindled further until the remaining hardcore members gathered to discuss their views.
They updated their views to be thus, magic was at one time prevelant in the world, but was sealed by humans long ago. Nobody knows why it was sealed, but there was a reason behind it. Otherwise why would so many mages as would be necesary do that? Magic needs to be resealed, because of the chaos it has brought back to the world. With that they redubbed the group, Pandora’s Box, and essentially became a secret society devoted to the study of the negative effects of magic, and what little information there was on the obolisk that once sealed away all the magic of the planet. (I don’t know if that is public knowledge or not) The group stabalized at around a hundred members, and began to wait and learn so as to better fight this enemy. When the moon was infused with magic, the group decided action had to be taken. They began to outline a plan, to reseal magic, by establishing a generation of the order to go about the sealing of magic before more planets could be contaminated by magic. Noone knew what concequences introducing other planets to this force, Earth itself went thru a period of upheaval. They ceased their pouring thru old tomes gathered from the gnomes(they are trying to learn all they can, and gnomes, being a race that survived without magic, arn’t viewed as part of the problem, though the fact that they use it a lot does get them some animosity) and began to take a more active aproach. The members of the order spread thruout the world, researching magical creatures, and studying mage powers. The few of the order who were gifted with magic researched their own powers and learned from other mages so as to better know how to fight it. Because of the apparent link to being a magic user being hereditary, they started a ‘breeding program’. Those few members who were mages married magic users or potentials. ANd taught their children of the plan. They outlined the possibility of developing a warrior who would use his eyes to see the enemy, and later outlined the ability to create hallucinations in a person. Genetic engineering being still not quite readily available, they outlined what they thought would work and left it to future generations of the order. As time went on, several plans to create warriors with special abilities to fight magic were instigated in their children at great cost. This continued for many years.
However time again took its toll. As humans expanded into space so did the members of the order disperse. Either their children were resistant to being ‘tools’, or they didn’t like the idea of something as useful as magic being evil or bad, but the order began breathing its last. Much information gained was never pooled, and all the research done before the plan was lost eventually. Only the spirit of the order survived. Eventually the only members who remained were the children decended from the mage ‘breeding’ program. A man and a woman, they both deeply respected what their ancestors and the order were trying to do. Using the last of the funds from the orders coffers, they concieved a child using genetic engineering to produce a super human. Forgotten was the genetic manipulation that would concievably give the father the ability to induce illusions in other men, or his mothers line of those would could be able to slow time down and see the flow of magic. However when suddenly both abilities manifested in their child, they had no idea it was the last luck of the order finishing their work. However this boy, Trenton they named him, was all they could hope for. He whole heartedly believed in the cause. However the order’s teachings had warped over time, he was taught that magic at one time brought great crisis to humankind. Magic was brought back to the world to help humans grow, but now they relied on it too much, and it will strike back if they are not careful. So Trenton must find a way to seal magic and somehow accomplish this task before more people die. When the new colony seemingly disappears, Trenton and his parents decide its time, and he sets out to try to accomplish this mission and perhaps learn more about the world then what his parents tell him.
Trenton himself is a strong-willed person. He deeply respects his parents and the order of Pandora’s Box. He grew up to stories of wild adventures of scientists braving beholder and werewolf alike. And he understands the mission he is to finally fufill, although he wonders if magic is really the terrible danger his parents believe it to be. He does think that people need to take a step back and examine magic a little more closely however. Their ‘seeding’ of magic, seems overly reckless. First thing he wants to do now that he’s on his own is to try and find some of that information that was lost from the older members of the order.
Advanced class: Pandora’s Champion
Hit Die: 1d8 Class Skills: Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Drive (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcane lore, current events, history, popular culture, tactics) (Int), Mysticraft (Int), Navigate (Int), Profession (Wis), Senses (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str). Skill Points: 5 + Int modifier.
Table: Pandora’s Champion |Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Defense Bonus|Reputation Bonus| |1st|+0|+1|+1|+0|Weak Illusions|+1|+0| |2nd|+1|+2|+2|+0|Slow Perception|+1|+0| |3rd|+2|+2|+2|+1|Illusion Perception|+2|+1| |4th|+3|+2|+2|+1|Multiple Illusions|+2|+1| |5th|+3|+3|+3|+1|Aura Perception|+3|+1| |6th|+4|+3|+3|+2|Powerful Illusions|+3|+2| |7th|+5|+4|+4|+2|Mystic Perception|+4|+2| |8th|+6|+4|+4|+2|Permanent Illusions|+4|+2| |9th|+6|+4|+4|+3|Precognitive Perception|+5|+3| |10th|+7|+5|+5|+3|Eyes of Discord|+5|+3|
Weak Illusions: As an active gaze attack, the Champion can force a visual illusion on a biological creature with eyes. This illusion can be anything occupying a space of up to 15 feet in size (width + height + depth). It lasts for 1d6 rounds, and must remain within 50 feet of the target at all times. Each round the Champion is within 100 feet of the target, he may concentrate (a move-equivalent action) to manipulate the illusion – otherwise it remains static (motionless). The intended target receives a Will save (DC 10 + Champion’s Wisdom modifier) to avoid being affected. Only one creature may be affected at a time. Lastly, maintaining an illusion is taxing for the Champion, costing 2 vitality points per round. The Champion’s eyes glow green whenever he attempts to use this power, and while it is active.
Slow Perception: As a free action, the Champion can enter a state of improved consciousness, improving his perceptions. His metabolism quickens, with time seeming to slow around him. While in this state, the Champion receives a +4 bonus to his Wisdom score, as well as an insight bonus to attacks and Defense equal to his improved Wisdom modifier. However, entering this state costs the Champion 5 vitality points, plus 3 vitality points per round beyond the first. The Champion’s eyes glow blue while this ability is active.
Illusion Perception: While in his state of improved consciousness, the Champion is now entitled to a Mysticraft check (DC 15 + spell level) for each aura to determine its sphere or school. In addition, if he recognizes an Illusion aura, he is automatically sees through that illusion and is immune to its effects. These checks happen automatically as soon as the Champion can see each aura, and are not actions.
Multiple Illusions: The Champion’s illusions are more potent. As a single active gaze attack, he may now affect a number of creatures equal to his Champion level simultaneously, and he may create a number of illusions (size 15 each) equal to his Champion level. Each creature is entitled to a Will save (DC 15 + Champion’s Wisdom modifier), and all creatures affected see the same illusions (they cannot be individually tailored). The duration of the illusions increases to 2d4 rounds. Maintaining multiple illusions or affecting multiple targets is difficult – it costs the Champion a number of vitality per round equal to the number of illusions created or the number of targets affected, whichever is higher. The Champion’s eyes still glow green but also have flecks of white laced across them as well.
Aura Perception: While in his state of improved consciousness, the Champion now perceives magical auras as though affected by the arcane sight ability, except that he cannot discern the school of an aura (only power and location).
Powerful Illusions: The Champion has learned to affect nonliving creatures (such as androids and golems) that can perceive his eyes in some manner. However, only one such creature may be affected at a time, as doing so is more difficult. Also, his illusions now persist for 3d4 rounds.
Mystic Perception: While in his state of improved consciousness, the Champion can now recognize not just the sphere or school of an ongoing effect, but also its exact function. The DC to identify function is 5 higher than it is for sphere/school (i.e., DC 20 + spell level instead of DC 15 + spell level).
Permanent Illusions: The Champion has developed the ability to permanently inflict his illusions upon a single target. After affecting a target with a group of illusions, he may choose to ingrain them into the creature’s psyche. The target receives a second Will save (DC 15) to resist. The Champion must specify the general rules of behavior for the ingrained illusions and cannot change them once set. Ingraining an illusion reduces the Champion’s current and maximum vitality by two points per illusion ingrained. As a free action, the Champion may choose to end an ingrained illusion (regardless of his position relative to the original target) to recover his maximum (but not current) vitality.
Precognitive Perception: While in his state of improved consciousness, the Champion can sense possible future paths of objects and creatures, which appear as faint outlines traced through the air indicating predicted movement up to one round (six seconds) into the future. His Wisdom bonus increases from +4 to +8, and he now receives an insight bonus to his Reflex saving throw equal to his improved Wisdom modifier.
Eyes of Discord: The Champion’s eyes are fully developed and his illusion mastery is complete. As an active gaze attack, the Champion may attempt to inflict a discordant vision on a single target, who is entitled to Will save (DC 20 + Champion’s Wisdom modifier) to resist. If successful, the target becomes unaware of his true surroundings and instead experiences everything as the Champion wishes. The Champion must pay 15 vitality points to invoke a discordant vision, and must concentrate each round (a move-equivalent action) to maintain the vision. Discordant visions are too powerful to be ingrained permanently. While using this power, the Champion’s eyes appear disturbing and completely alien.
Mark’s notes on Trenton’s eye powers
The way I wanted it to work, was that at the begining, his eyepower is less effective. Sort of unevolved. So when he uses it, his eyes don’t change that much at first. My vision of how the eyes would look would be like in Evangelion, in the second episode, he see’s unit 1’s eye regenerate. I want the eyes to look like that in their completed form. But for the first stage I want the eyes to just turn unnaturally green, when he’s using then to slow his perception of time and invoke the illusions. I will list the powers in order of what I think should become available first, second, and so on.
1st stage: Weak Illusions (He can force a visual illusion on a biological creature with eyes that is making at least minor eye contact, he can only do this to one being at a time. These illusions can not be too extravagent, maybe 2-3 seperate illusions; such as several humans, or making someone percieve a situation differently but not greatly so. The illusions can persist for 1d4 rounds)
1st stage: Slow Perception (I don’t know how to do the rules for this, but he has more time to analyze the situation basicly, before making his attack or defend. His eyes also can see magic in use, which allows him to see if an item is magical in origin, or a spell has been cast in the area recently, by seeing an object glowing with magical energy, or an area being illuminated by ‘light’. He can also slightly figure out what kind of magic was performed)
2nd stage: Slower Perception (Like the first, but better with the slowed perception. He now can see magical illusions for what they are as well. If an illusion is very high level, he can just percieve the illusion as though it was a magical item or as though a spell is in effect in the area.)
2nd stage: Multiple Illusions (Mostly the same, only now he can use the illusions on whoever is maintaining minor eye contact at the time of the invoking of the power. And the illusions in question are more convincing, and can be more extravagent. Now the illusions can last for 2d4 rounds)
3rd stage: Powerful Illusions (Now illusions can be used on a non living creatures that can percieve the eyes (golems or robots) but can only affect one creature of this type at a time, as opposed to multiple, and now illusions can be whatever the creator thinks up. Now illusions can persist for 3d4 rounds)
3rd stage: Advanced Perception (In addition to a bit more slowed perceptions, the eyes allow for a close perception of an objects movments, which his brain ‘translates’ into a faint outline of the objects predicted location at the begining of the next round, and sometimes the round after that if the object is predictable enough.) So say someone shoots a gun at him, he can see the predicted path, and concievably avoid it. Since its all done in his head he can do it for energy projectiles, but not anything that can move after firing. Say a missle or some wacky kind of magic energy ball that follows its target or anything.
4th stage: The Eyes of Discord (The final stage, his eyes are fully developed and his illusion mastery finishes. Now illusions can be maintained for much longer periods of time, depending on their extravegence. A simple illusion like, not seeing a door that is there, or misreading orders on a piece of paper, can persist for days, but an illusion like ‘you are trapped in hell and are being tortured’ would not go beyond the 3d4 rounds. His perception remains the same, being a secondary ability of the eyes.)
I don’t know how broken the eyes are, if they are, but give me your thoughts please. The way I wanted it to work was upon gaining a 2nd stage ability, his eyes would change how they look. Its a minor ingame thing, but I think its cool. Oh and by the way, sorry for staying so late last Thursday, I have a bad habit of missing body language when I’m having a fun conversation. I hate when I do that, so I’ll be better next time.
Notes from Mark
What I wanted, was that the eyes are tied into his undeveloped magical abilities. You made a mention of how noone had figured out how to mess with magic in genetics. And I wanted a certain degree of mystery around his eyes. In that its very unlikely for someone else to have gotten a treatment and now has the same abilities. So I figured if his ancestors from the order had been tinkering with better ways to fight magic, by experimenting on themselves with what limited genetic engineering there was, and enchantments and such. He has become the legacy of the order, as oposed to being the legacy of his crazy parants. I think it would make the character more tied to his goal. As for why the power finally manifested, I again wanted it to be mysterious. His parents could have finished the last piece of the ‘puzzle’ perhaps when genetically modifying him.
This makes sense. Sounds good!
Questionnaire
Would your character (1=Never, 5=Always):
- Lie to a friend to protect his feelings? He would avoid it, unless it would crush a friend.
- Help a frail old woman cross the street? Yes, if he was not in a hurry.
- Tell anyone if he saw something widely believed to be impossible? If it was a correct time and place. He wouldn’t go screaming thru the streets.
- Give money to a beggar on the street? Yes, but not a lot.
- Seek vengeance if wronged? He wouldn’t seek it, but he would take an oppurtunity to give back as good as he got.
- Steal if he thought he could get away with it? Only if the stealing was related to the Order, or if helping a good friend.
Does your character believe in (1=Not at all, 5=Strongly):
- Aliens? He’s open to the idea.
- Karma? I would say a 2.
- Free will (i.e., many possible futures)? Yes, he thinks people choose their destinys. Stuff doesn’t just happen to people.
- Time travel? He thinks its possible but not a great idea. Time Paradox’s hurt his head.
- Equality for all sentient beings? No, he thinks some sentient beings are not the same, and as such do need to be treated differently.
- God or other supreme force? Yes, but doesn’t ascribe to any specific religion, though he does have faith, and its roots stem from catholisim. But he doesn’t believe that god hates anyone not catholic. But more he(god) wants people to be good to each other.
What does your character think about the following statements (1=Strongly disagree, 3=Neutral, 5=Strongly agree):
- Now that machines are smarter than humans, biological life is obsolete. He doesn’t believe that. Machines can do different things from humans, but they aren’t that superior.
- The Caretaker has no business meddling in our affairs. He thinks that he will help humans return magic into being sealed.
- Those who can wield magic are obligated to use their power for the good of all Terrans. Yes, but until it is sealed.
- No matter how realistic the programming, machine intelligence is an illusion; thus, machines should not be afforded the same rights as true sentient life. No, they are as sentient as any geneticly created human. They’ve both been created. So its not that odd to see them as sentient.
- Humanity has been rash in seeding other worlds with mystic energy before fully grasping the ramifications. YES!!!!!111one.
- Technology is more dangerous than mystic energy, and is more likely to destroy us some day. No, technology is the future. Magic is being relyed on too heavily, and is not nearly as controlable as technology is. If anything it is magic that will bring ruin.
Feats
Counter Magic: Ready an action to counter a spell. On a successful Mysticraft roll, the Champion may choose to spend an amount of vitality equal to the sphere total to counter the effect.
Inflict Backlash: As an active gaze attack, the next mystic effect created by the target (within 1 round per Champion level) suffers from magical backlash (GM’s discretion for the exact nature of the backlash). The Champion is drained an amount of Reserve equal to the sphere total of the effect. (If the Champion possesses insufficient Reserve, the severity of the backlash is affected accordingly.)
Backlash Counter: ‘‘Prerequisite: Counter Magic, Inflict Backlash.’’ As Counter Magic, except he may also inflict backlash as described in Inflict Backlash, but without needing to make a gaze attack.
Persistent Backlash: (2 mp) ‘‘Prerequisite: Inflict Backlash.’’ As Inflict Backlash, but all mystic effects created by the target within 1 round per Champion level suffer from magical backlash. The Champion must pay Reserve for each effect as normal.
Counter Surge: (2 mp) ‘‘Prerequisite: Heroic Surge, Counter Magic.’’ By using a Heroic Surge, the Champion can interrupt a target’s mystic effect, making an active gaze attack. If successful, the target is affected as though by Counter Magic for that effect.
Backlash Surge: (1 mp) ‘‘Prerequisite: Counter Surge, Backlash Counter.’’ As Counter Surge, but if the counter is successful, backlash is also inflicted as Inflict Backlash (an active gaze attack is still necessary, however).