Tobias Taviston
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Contents
Background
Taviston's Tales: Alchemy Revisited, Magic from the Mundane.
Gregori's magnus opus (Taviston's Tales: Alchemy, the Noblest Science) inspired a new age of potion makers and free thinkers, unfortunately for Tobias the only people he'll be influencing is a few upstart bombardiers.
The book reads as a bizarre library of parlour tricks and manual of war. The information provided is as exhausting and accurate as could be expected of a Taviston. But somewhere along the way Tobias filters out the wonder from his subject.
I think too often this is the overlooked factor of what sets aside a strong informative read, from the likes of that of a Taviston. It's the odd little bit of humor here and there, the anecdotes, the personality, their almost magical ability to take any subject and make it fill you with awe. Tobias' first foot into the literary world seems almost wholly devoid of emotion.
Tobias' understanding of the noblest science might even rival that of his great grandfather. But while the latter had an innate ability to turn even the complex world of Alchemy into something even simple farm hands could get a solid grasp on, the former seems to struggle to define anything outside the constraints of the subject.
Don't misunderstand me, Tobias' publishing is sure to find its way onto the bookshelves of avid alchemists and weekend potion dabblers. But for those of us a little less inclined and simply looking for a fascinating read, one should look elsewhere, which is a bittersweet moment really. On one hand, ive finally seen the day where a Taviston isn't my most recommended published work for the year. But on the other, my editor Samara once bet me 10 gold that I'd never put down a Taviston in a review no matter the subject. So at least I'm a few gold richer.''
Review by Atomer Neir
Tobias sighed heavily and tossed the paper into the fireplace. This earned him a dirty look from Chielda, the kobold innkeeper.
Tobias just didn't understand, he must have read that review a hundred times now.
No, that was a lie. He had only read it 88 times (he had been counting), it wasn't good to get in the habit of using hyperbole.
How was it fair to compare his book to that of his great grandfather? Gregori's work took Alchemy out of the Topaz Rifts and brought it to the world. No book following it could have that kind of influence.
And then to insult his passions on the subject? Tobias adored Alchemy, but the world has changed. Creations existed now that Gregori could have scarcely imagined 90 years ago.
Try to write jovially about explosive reactions that can rend a man limb from limb.
If anything his grandfather was a prime example of how not to view Alchemy. The man died in a fire of his own creation in his lab. His book wasn't even completed at the time, it fell to Samsud, his son to salvage what notes escaped the flame and compile the work.
Tobias felt guilty of thinking poorly of his great grandfather immediately. That wasn't fair to Gregori, the man was a genius and was working on advancing Alchemy with tools far more antiquated than his own and with no one's prior mistakes to learn from.
Gregori's fate was really the only way it could have ended if he wished to continue his pursuit of knowledge.
This line of thinking wasn't helping, and it certain didn't ease Tobias' frustrations.
They only love it so much because it was first. Because it could be so new and awe inspiring. He thought.
If he was going to ever live up to his name as a Taviston, he'd have to do something all his own.
Staring out the window of the comfortable inn he could see the tips of buildings jutting up from behind the wall separating new Shibatti from that of the old ruins.
He looked down at the remaining papers scattered around his cozy nook in the inn.
"Lottery drawing for the honor of exploring the ancient ruins of Shibatti."
He knew what he had to do, he didn't like it, he had been trying to convince himself otherwise, but it was no use.
He reached down unto his pack and pulled out a quill and ink and jotted down a quick note before underlining it three times, stuffing it into his backpack and heading for the door.
"Taviston's Tales: Relics and Ruins."
Character Sheet
Attributes
STR 14 (+2) • DEX 16 (+3) • CON 12 (+1) • INT 20 (+5) • WIS 12 (+1) • CHA 8 (-1)
Hit Points 10 • Initiative +3 • Speed 30 ft (land) • Inspiration Points: 6
Defenses & Attacks
Armor Class 17 • Touch 14 • Flat-Footed 13 • CMD 15 • Flat-Footed CMD 12
- Armor: Masterwork Chain Shirt • AC Bonus +4 • Max DEX +4 • Armor Check Penalty -1 • Spell Failure 20%
Fortitude Save +1 • Reflex Save +5 • Will Save +3
Base Attack Bonus +0 • Melee Attack +2 • Ranged Attack +3 • CMB +2
- Longspear • Attack Bonus +2 • Damage 1d8+STR • Crit 20/x3 • Type Piercing
- Cestus • Attack Bonus +2 • Damage 1d4+STR • Crit 19-20/x2 • Type Blunt or Piercing
- Dagger • Attack Bonus +2 • Damage 1d4+STR • Crit 19-20/x2 • Type Piercing
- Cold Iron Short Sword • Attack Bonus +2 • Damage 1d6+STR • Crit 19-20/x2 • Type Piercing
- Alchemical Silver Short Sword • Attack Bonus +2 • Damage 1d6+STR-1 • Crit 19-20/x2 • Type Piercing
- Light Crossbow • Attack Bonus +3 • Damage 1d8 • Crit 19-20/x2 • Range 80 ft • Type Piercing
Skills
- Craft (Alchemy) +9 (+10 when making alchemical items)
- Disable Device +8 (+7 w/ Armor Check Penalty)
- Knowledge (arcana) +9
- Knowledge (engineering) +9
- Knowledge (geography) +9
- Knowledge (history) +9
- Knowledge (local) +9
- Knowledge (nature) +9
- Knowledge (nobility)+9
- Knowledge (religion) +9
- Perception +5 (+6 vs traps)
- Profession (Herbalist) +3
Languages: Amethystish, Citrinic, Topazian, Sapphirish, Rubish, Scapolite, Ancient Citrinic
Proficiencies
- Weapons: Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbow, Rapier, Sap, Shortbow, Short Sword, and Sword Cane
- Armor/Shields: Light Armor
Traits, Drawbacks and Feats
- Bruising Intellect (Trait): Your sharp intellect and rapier-like wit bruise egos. Intimidate is always a class skill for you, and you may use your Intelligence modifier when making Intimidate checks instead of your Charisma modifier.
- Rich Parents (Trait): You were born into a rich family, perhaps even the nobility, and even though you turned to a life of adventure, you enjoy a one-time benefit to your initial finances. Your starting wealth increases to 900 gp.
- Two-Weapon Fighting (Feat): Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6.
Racial Abilities
- Dual Talent: Some humans are uniquely skilled at maximizing their natural gifts. These humans pick two ability scores and gain a +2 racial bonus in each of those scores. This racial trait replaces the +2 bonus to any one ability score, the bonus feat, and the skilled traits.
Class Abilities
- Alchemy (Su): Investigators are highly trained in the creation of mundane alchemical substances and magical potion-like extracts.
When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, an investigator gains a competence bonus equal to his class level on the skill check. In addition, an investigator can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. He must hold the potion for 1 round to attempt such a check.
Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract. These extracts have powerful effects, but they are also bound to their creator. Extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by dispel magic and similar effects, using the investigator's level as the caster level.
An investigator can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day. His base daily allotment of extracts per day is given on Table: Investigator. In addition, he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day.
When an investigator mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator's possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping—an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an investigator must reprepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work.
Creating extracts consumes raw material, but the cost of those materials is insignificant—comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements; extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement.
An investigator uses the alchemist formula list to determine the extracts he can know. An investigator can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, an investigator must have at least an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the extract's level. The saving throw DC for an investigator's extract is equal to 10 + the extract's level + the investigator's Intelligence modifier.
An investigator may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract. At 1st level, an investigator starts with two 1st-level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new investigator level, he gains one new formula for any level that he can create. An investigator can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. A formula book costs as much as a spellbook. An investigator can study a wizard's spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An investigator can also learn formulae from another investigator's or an alchemist's formula book (and vice versa). An investigator does not need to decipher arcane writing before copying that formulae.
- Inspiration (Ex): An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.
An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator's inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night's sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he's trained in the skill.
Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator's pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
- Trapfinding: An investigator adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks (minimum 1). An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
Formulae
1st Level
- Ant Haul
- Cure Lights Wounds
- Expeditious Retreat
- Monkey Fish
- Polypurpose Panacea
- Shield
- True Strike
Gear
- Masterwork Chain Shirt
- Dagger x2
- Cestus x2
- Longspear
- Light Crossbow
- Bolts (Cold Iron) x20
- Bolts (Alchemical Silver) x10
- Short Sword (Cold Iron) x2
- Short Sword (Alchemical Silver) x2
- Alchemist's Fire x3
- Acid Flask x3
- Antiplague
- Antitoxin
- Troll Styptic
- Potion of Cure Light Wounds x2
- Oil of Magic Weapon
- Flask of Shard Gel
- Flash Powder x2
- Tanglefoot Bag
- Iron Pellet Grenade x4
- Fuse Grenade
- Backpack
- Impact Foam
- Liquid Ice
- Potion of Jump
- Potion of Endure Elements
- Bedroll
- Rations x5
- Waterskin (filled)
- Inkwell x3
- Quill
- Journal
| Pathfinder: Krystallos | ||
| Setting • People • Locations • Monsters • Journal • House Rules • Noteboard |
