Toluk the Disskald

Paths

I War

II Darkness

III Deceit

Skills: Blend, Bluff, Crafting, Disguise, Sneak

Ritual Weapon: Any with the bleed quality

Avatar: Advisor V (pg. 120)

Alignments: Darkness, Deceit

Opposed Alignments: Light, Knowledge

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Toluk was once among the greatest of the Guardians of Anapsis, and was friend to both Gondlir the Wayfarer, Artios and the Elves of Ki.

Serving as the keeper of records and the singer of songs, he traveled throughout the world spreading stories and legends while picking up new ones on the way. Along his journeys he happen to spy the elvish maiden Nuthiel while she was at her bath; instantly falling in love, he began a secret courtship with her that culminated in him asking her father's hand in marriage.

But her father flatly refused this offer, not wanting to bind his daughter forever to a dissolute wanderer, no matter how well he might be esteemed. Toluk was furious and aggrieved by this response, and putting aside all propriety he stole Nuthiel away from her fathers home and took her on the road with him to find a safe haven.

Outraged, the elves called upon their ally and kin Gondlir the Grave to seek out Toluk for punishment and bring their daughter home. Although reluctant to get involved, the bounds of duty required his cooperation and so Gondlir and his son Beoldor chased Toluk through the worlds; never quite catching the tricky bard, but ever nipping at his heels.

With Lord Qinghis now dead, Toluk took refuge with the one last Lord that he could trust in all the worlds: Mott, Lord of Irkalla. Mott sympathized with Toluk's plight, and offered him not only safe haven but lordship of the land of Dis, the realm of fire and darkness.

Although hardly the place where he had hoped to spend his happy life with his bride Toluk was in no position to refuse the offer, and reasoning 'better a king in hell than a slave in heaven', he took up his throne in Dis. There she bore him a son Orcades (father of the Orcs), and a daughter named Urasiel, mother of the Urasi.

Inspired by Toluk's daring, Mott stole a bride of his own in the form of Diove, plunging the entirety of Aea into war; a war which Mott and his allies eventually lost.

Sensing defeat and wanting to evade capture and justice, Toluk moved his household back to Ki. There he commissioned the creation of a series of magic talismans that would bind him to the world (making him invincible while they existed), and using his new-found might to raise the land of Moiragoth from the sea.

From his fortress in Mount Atropos, Toluk pondered how events had brought him to this place. He concluded that it was because he no longer lived in an age of heroes; now all that was respected were laws and customs that maintained the status quo, whereas under Qinghis daring- like the daring she showed when he stole away with his lady love- was given the highest esteem. To that end he concluded that he would use his powers to forge a new age of heroes, testing the soft generations that had sprung up since the draconic age through fire - like a blacksmith strengthens a blade through hammering.

To this end he largely succeeded; what became known as the Talisman Cycle did in fact forge a new age of heroes, and a new cycle of songs and legends to inspire generations to come.

But Toluk himself paid a terrible price for his generous 'gift'; first the Talisman that bound the world to his command was lost, and through the machinations of Gondlir and his companions it was finally destroyed. Toluk's power was broken, and he was banished forever from Ki, and the land that he raised sank back mostly into the sea. His aggrieved wife was at last returned to her people, but she faded away from grief, regret and shame after a few short years.

Although gone from the world, most of the Orcs and many of the Urasi still worship and receive power from the memory and lingering spirit of their ancestor.

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• PATH OF WAR

War I: You inflict additional damage with your ritual weapon equal to your War Step.

War II: You may cast Mage Armor and True Strike I once per combat.

War III: You gain the Contempt feat.

War IV: You gain a trick:

War God’s Blessing (Ritual Weapon or Unarmed Attack Trick): If your target is a standard NPC with DR 4 or less, he automatically fails a Damage save (no damage roll required). You may use this trick once per round.

War V: Your Strength score rises by 2 and you may cast War Cry once per scene.

• PATH OF DARKNESS

Darkness I: You gain darkvision I (see page 233) and a +5 bonus with Sneak checks as long as you’re not in direct sunlight.

Darkness II: You may cast Blur and Darkness I once per scene.

Darkness III: You may cast Darkness II and Phantasmal Killer once per scene.

Darkness IV: You may cast Mass Cause Wounds III and Shadow Walk once per scene.

Darkness V: Once per scene, you may become incorporeal for a number of rounds equal to your starting action dice.

• PATH OF DECEIT

Deceit I: You gain the Repartee Basics feat.

Deceit II: You may cast Disguise Self and Mirror Images once per scene.

Deceit III: You may cast Flawless Fib and Invisibility once per scene.

Deceit IV: Your Charisma score rises by 1 and you may cast Project Presence once per scene.

Deceit V: You gain the bald-faced lie class ability (see page 31).