Valar Morghulis (Valleren Tempest)  

Details
Class: Race: Alignment: Deity:
Fighter 2, Shadowcaster 1 Elf Chaotic Neutral Shandakul
Level: Size: Age: Gender:
3 (ECL 7) Medium 13 Male
Height: Weight: Eyes: Hair:
5'2" 120 Gold White

Abilities
STR 18 +4
DEX 20 +5
CON 15 +2
INT 15 +2
WSD 12 +1
CHA 14 +2
 
Hit Points
TOTAL wounds subdual
23 0 0
Initiative
TOTAL dex other SPEED
5 5 0 50
Armor Class
FINAL = base + armor + shield + dex + magic + other spell failure armor check penalty
22 10 3 0 5 4 0 0 0

Battle Scores
MELEE = base + str + magic + other
9 2 4 2 1
RANGED = base + dex + magic + other
6 2 5 2 -1
Saving Throws
TOTAL = base + stat + magic + other
FORT 4 3 1 0 0
REFL 6 1 5 0 0
WILL 2 1 1 0 0

Weapons
Weapon Bonus Damage Critical Range Weight Size Type Special
Soul Breaker (greatsword) 10 2d6+9 19-20/x2 melee Medium Slashing Black rune-encrusted sword, +1 Adaman. BloodDrinking, empathy
Heavy Crossbow 7 1d10 19-20/x2 120 ft 8 lb Medium Piercing

Armor
Armor Type Bonus Penalty Max Dex % Failure Speed Weight Special
Master Crafted Studded Leather Light +3 0 +5 15% 30 20

Feats & Special Abilities
Feat / Ability Description/Notes
Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Power Attack
Cleave
Shade when in shade: Con +2, Cha +2 Shadesight (darkvision 60', see through magic darkness) speed increases by 20' invisibility 1/round control light: can low light withing 100' radius by 10% per HD +4 on saves, AC, Listen, Spot +8 Hide, Move Silent no skill check penalties due to darkness native outsider +2 attack and damage 3/day: mirror image at character level (HD) creating 1d4 +1/level figments Once you reach 8HD you can vanish from current location and reappear in shadowy area within 300' once per 2 rounds (as a move action) at 12 HD: 1/day greater teleport to shadowy local or plane shift to Plane of Shadows at HD level SR 11+HD None of these apply for anything equal to or greater than a well lit room (at worst thing bright tavern) as soon as these activate you take on a shadowy appearence that get more like the picture as it gets darker
Luck 15 => (+2)

Skills
Skill Name Ability Skill Mod = Ability Mod + Ranks + Other
Climb STR 9 4 5
Jump STR 9 4 5
Knowledge (Planes) INT 4 2 2
Listen WIS 7 1 6
Search INT 4 2 2
Spot WIS 7 1 6
Swim STR 9 4 5
Tumble* DEX 12 5 5 2
Hide DEX 13 5 8
Move Silently DEX 13 5 8
Languages: Elven, Common, Orc
Languages: Infernal

Spell List
No Spells Assigned.

Gear
Gear Location Weight Description/Special
Signet Ring Chain around neck Clan Tempest, polished steel
Bob's Backpack
Finely made black cloak
100 ft rope
Grappling hook
Spellbook
2 pounds soap
1 Tent
Small steel mirror
1 vial ink
Fishing net
2 days food
Survival Pouch Magic item of great usefulness. Described in one of the druid sourcebooks. Can pull a day worth of rations, water skin, a mule, a lit campfire, etc.
Crystal Keys (6 keys) To open the Weapon Museum in the swamps of Xendrik
Dagger From the Plane of Shadow
Short Sword From the Plane of Shadow
Book of Fiendish Artifacts Gives +2 knowledge checks related to fiendish items. After 36 hours study this bonus is permanent, though additional 10 minutes study grants another +1.
Book of Eberron History
Book in Draconic Cobalt blue metal cover, unknown subject and contents.
Strange Dagger From artifact room in Xendrik
Bracelet 7 settings, 2 filled with gems. Also from artifact room of Xendrik.
Adamantium Ring Simulates Graft Weapon for up to 10 minutes, grants +1 attack/damage
4 scrolls Taken from petrified elven eldritch knight in the basilisk room next to the shadowplane portal

Treasure/Money
Item Location Value Weight Description/Special
200 gp Pack 200 gp
3 x Jade Fingers pack 300 gp Can be expended to protect from evil. Consult Wolven for details.

Experience
Current Next Level
22,730 21,000

Description
An elf of thirteen years with white skin, silvery white hair, and golden eyes. Despite his youthful appearance, he has the look of a cold and hardened warrior. The finely made clothing contrasts starkly with his fierceness in battle.

Valar has recently become a Shade through an extremely complex ritual.

His Knowledge: Planes is something he started with due to lifelong exposure to dark energies and strange magic in his bloodline.

Personality
Sullen and grim, Valar comes from a long line of nobles who are obsessed with becoming the best warriors in Faerun. Some see him as cold, but his actions are driven by a mixture of lust for battle, and a curiously logical code of honor. Consumed with thoughts of vengeance, he seeks his missing family with no room for compromise or weakness. Strangeness seems to follow him wherever he goes, and he fosters a deep fascination with dark magic and the origins of the mysterious blade.

Background
A warrior named Nazrul Kakoru founded the Tempest Clan several hundred years ago. His exact origins are unknown, but his skill as a warrior was surpassed by very few. It was rumored that he had set out in a small ship to seek treasure and glory in unknown lands. Several months later, he sailed into a quiet cove hundreds of miles from the town he left from. His comrades were nowhere to be found, yet he arrived with a strange elven sorceress. Later, rumors circulated that he had found her on his journeys, and that she spoke a form of elven unlike any encountered in Faerun. He happened to land in a cove in the land of Unther. There was a small mining town less than a mile inland. Though they produced much iron, Nazrul recognized the primitive nature of their techniques. Their operation was unrefined, and the town was not being paid nearly enough for the quality of the iron found in these mountains. Nazrul sought refuge among the simple people of the town, and in return sought to teach them the true value of their work. Though he was a fierce warrior, he soon came to be recognized as ruler by the inhabitants of their own free will. His knowledge of weapons allowed them to turn their fine iron ore into weapons of the highest quality. This tiny mining town that had no name quickly grew into a formidable source for steel weapons, and was dubbed Dracarys (meaning “dragon-fire” in the old tongue). As a tribute to the storm that brought him here by accident or divine will, Nazrul founded House Tempest and took his Elvin companion as his bride. Nazrul used the treasure gathered from his adventures to fortify the settlement and increase ore production. But true to his word, he spent large sums of gold on magic and expertise to clean up the practices. Soon the river ran clean, and the bay regained much of its lost beauty. Relations between Nazrul and the miners only improved. Of particular interest to the folk was his wife, who called herself Najita. Like her husband, she was a fierce warrior, though she tended to use magic rather than steel. Rumor had it that at night she practiced terrible sorcery in the high tower of their keep, using blood and shadow to delve into secrets long forgotten to the world. Though they had several children, their blood never seemed to mix. Only one child bore the elven blood of its mother, though it carried it with full potency. Najita was always guarded about her past, though she told stories to their children of a daring magical escape from a terrible world of darkness ruled by living mists.

Though loved and raised in a house of wealth, the children of clan Tempest were not coddled. The members of clan Tempest were not hateful, but simply fierce in a way that made it seem perfectly natural. From the moment they could walk, their family sought some form of combative art for them to master. A child of clan tempest would most likely hold a dozen weapons in their hand before they could even learn to speak their names. Once a specific discipline was found that suited their natural talents, training was made part of their daily lives. They learned basic combat techniques from their family, then practiced them countless times in solitude. From a young age they were taught to be fierce and proud warriors, whether it be with dagger, sword, or spell.

A number of years later, Dracarys was threatened by a sudden invasion. An army of
Orcs poured into the surrounding countryside, bringing death and destruction to everything in their path. Rumors reached Nazrul that they approached Dracarys, most likely to try to arm themselves with its superior weapons. For several long nights, clan Tempest tried to form some strategy to fight such overwhelming numbers. Finally, Nazrul realized that although they would cause significant losses among the Orcs, they could not hope to defend their land. After adventuring for so long, he had finally found a home. Now all he had would be lost to the monstrous horde that approached. With grim determination, Nazrul went to the small room where he kept his most valuable treasures. In one corner was a chest that he had brought back from his last adventure. For all these years it had remained closed and locked. Opening it carefully, he pulled out a very old and worn spellbook. Carrying nothing but his sword and this strange book, he and Najita locked themselves in the highest room of their home. Nearly a full day and night passed before he emerged again. When he did, he seemed to have aged years in the single night, and his once bright steel sword was now obsidian black and bore strange engravings, its shape oddly warped as if re-forged. The most dominant image was that of a skeletal dragon spreading its wings just above the hilt on both sides. Sword in hand, he walked out to meet the orcs. As he stepped out into the night, a reddish fog rolled into the bay, obscuring sight and shortening breath.

At this point, the accounts become very sketchy. It is said that an army appeared out of the fog and followed Nazrul into battle. Some accounts describe his forces as an endless sea of knights in black armor wielding strange weapons. Others claim they were terrible creatures with metallic skins that left smoking paw-prints in their wake. One account from a house guard claims that Nazrul recited incantations in a language that scorched the ears and stunned the mind, and with each incantation, his sword changed shape slightly becoming less like a metal craft and more like a terrible creature that merely molded its own flesh into a sword-like shape. A farmer who had taken up arms to defend Dracarys insisted after the battle that Nazrul plunged the sword into the ground, after which all their crops withered to black ash and the very ground roiled and spilled forth magma at the Orcish forces. Whatever happened that night, what is known is the Orcish ranks suffered terrible losses and were forced to retreat. Nazrul's supporting army seemed to vanish just as suddenly as it appeared, leaving no bodies or equipment behind. Soon after the settlement recovered from the battle, it grew even larger and more prosperous. Nazrul was granted a lordship for his services to the land. In the coming years, House Tempest became known far beyond their territory and grew into a powerful noble family. Though their coffers were overfilled by the great iron deposits in the nearby mountains and the fame brought by their superb fighting abilities, they did not seem satisfied with wealth and status. They became even more elitist and warrior-like as the years went on. Male and female children alike were raised to be fierce combatants, though the natural talent was taken into account. Those born with little physical prowess were pressured to study magic and become war wizards. Others were taught to use weapons - the more deadly, the better.

For a time, the clan maintained the superstition that these children were reincarnations of Nazrul's bride, but that soon died out. They inherited the warrior nature of their founder, as well as the natural magical talent of his wife. Those with the elven blood were predisposed towards dark magic, and seemed to attract the attention of infernal creatures whether such attention was desired or not. Whatever magic his sword was imbued with went to sleep at his command. The blade lost none of its sinister beauty to scratches or nicks, and bore intricate runes that none could translate. Most simply called it “Kaim-mahai”, or “The Sleeping Sword” in elven. The sword was passed down to each patriarch of the clan, and soon the story behind it became a mere legend. As for the mysterious book, after the great battle it was sealed in one of the lower chambers and covered with stone so that the doorway appeared to be an ordinary wall. That too passed into family legend, and the exact location was forgotten.

Time passed, and the Tempest clan prospered. Yet for all their money and power, they always seemed to meet with a certain degree of misfortune. Strange mishaps would occur: people would go missing or be found torn apart without explanation, strange glyphs appeared on walls, etc. Some whispered that the family line was cursed to pay the debt incurred by demonic favors granted to their founder, but none dared to speak these in the presence of a Tempest. They would most likely smile and shrug at such a sleight to their family line while casually disemboweling the offender.

Thirteen years ago, a boy was born with the pure elven blood. He was named Vallaren, and seemed to possess a natural talent for speed and sword work. Like his ancestor Nazrul, he favored the greatsword. His natural talent for magic was all but ignored as he quickly became a skilled sword fighter. His entire life, Vallaren was treated different from his siblings. For his unusual features, he was placed apart from everyone he knew. Some family members treated him with respect that bordered on reverence, while others viewed him as some sort of abomination. Elves in general viewed him with fear, as his features were so very different from their own.


One day, Vallaren returned from sword practice to find the family keep abandoned. He could find none of the servants who normally maintained the estate, nor could he find a single member of his family. There was no sign of someone forcing their way in, but in the main hall there was a good deal of blood spattered. On one of the walls was scrawled a message in some sort of writing he could not read, the characters drawn with almost inhuman precision. Aside from this, everything seemed untouched.

For an insane moment, Vallaren considered waiting for his family. But somehow he knew they were not coming back, at least not of their own accord. There was little sign of struggle, but he knew something horrible had happened here. He did not know whether his family was dead or simply taken captive, or even who might do this. Even his little sister was a fierce enough warrior to kill most grown men, but his instincts told him that their enemies had been far superior. It would be his first real test to find out one way or another, and take revenge as needed. Now was the time for calm, logical action. As his mother (a great assassin herself) had always taught him, “The skilled warrior maintains three things: stillness of the heart, sharpness of the mind, and motion of the body”.

The entire keep lay open to him, even the catacombs that had been forbidden to him his entire life. He knew that within lay many artifacts from the days when clan Tempest was founded, and secrets that had been forgotten for many generations. The temptation to explore was great, but he felt that this might be just as dangerous as it was informative. Strange things had been known to happen in this place, and many a child had gone missing. When he had help, he would break down the warded doors and uncover the secrets of his family's origin. Until then, he had to take responsibility as perhaps the last member of the clan. If his family was dead, then this keep and all of their lands and wealth was now his. But Valleren felt that he must earn such an honor, and prove that the Tempest blood ran through him. He would claim nothing until he had discovered his family's whereabouts.

Quickly, he raided his father's room for supplies. He took a small amount of gold, only enough to sustain him through his journey. Casting aside the worn practice blade he had been using, he replaced it on his back with the family sword that had been passed down through the generations. It was the first time he ever had the chance to touch his father's sword. The black blade had supposedly belonged to Nazrul himself, and was forged using foreign magic that none could identify. Upon the long blade were crimson runes, but his father had never bothered to translate them. As Valleren stared at them, he realized that they were in a language that he knew as well as his own face, though no one had taught him. The translation came without effort and echoed through his frantic thoughts: "Soul Breaker".

He strapped the sword to his back and put his father's signet ring on a chain around his neck. If someone wanted his family dead, he would have to travel under a different name. Thinking quickly, he chose an ancient motto of his clan, one that was forgotten by almost all. “Valar Morghulis”. In the old tongue of his ancestors, it meant “All men must die”. It was frustrating that he could not carry the noble Tempest name. Still, he would bear the crest of his clan with pride and uphold the strength and honor that came along with it. Casting a last glance around the grounds of his clan's great home, he decided to seal the keep until he returned. He knew no magic himself, but the door had been enchanted long ago to respond to the command of the ring. Lifting the signet ring to the main door, old runes flared to life with a venomous green color. The crack between the two stone slabs filled in, joining stone and luminous runes as if a solid wall had always stood there.

With the doors sealed shut behind him, Valar Morghulis stepped out into the world with vengeance in his heart.

"Every king thinks their rule is forever, that the sun will always shine, that the crops will always grow. But war can crush any empire, burn any book, reduce any enlightenment to animal instinct. The great storm of time may abate, but it never truly stops. In shadow and flame the world began, and into those things it shall always return. We are the wolf pack that stands before the coming storm. We are the swords wreathed in shadow to break the weak and deceiving light. We are Clan Tempest."

Sword Information:
Soulbreaker - Artifact of Legacy

Shade or shadow based template ECLs count toward level for Soulbreaker

Nonlegacy Game Statistics:
Medium +1 adamantium greatsword
Omen: Whenever blood is on the blade it is absorbed into it.

Legacy Rituals
Awakening Shadow:
You must visit the Plane of Shadows and kill any native from that plane and survive. As soon as shadow blood is spilt character must make Will vs. Weapons starting Ego or transform as Shadow Form. Then attack until all enemies are dead then attack nearest creature within reach for 1d6 rounds then fall unconscious.
Cost: 3200 gp
Feat Granted: Least Legacy (Soulbreaker)

Wielder Requirements
Base attack Bonus: +3 OR shade or shadow based template
Speak Infernal or Abyssal
No fiendish blood

Cost:
Level 5: -
Level 6: Attack Penalty (-1)
Level 7: HP Loss (-2)
Level 8: Save Penalty (-1)
Level 9: HP Loss (-2, -4 total)
Level 10: HP Loss (-2, -6 total)

Abilities:
Level 5: +1 Blooddrinking Adamantium Greatsword, Intelligent Weapon (Ego 17), Evil (overwhelming)
Level 6: Scourge of Fiends (acts as cold iron and silver)
Level 7: Shadow Form 1/week (turn into shadow beast Black Tentacles as the spell but only 2 tentacles, using the character Str +4, character level as caster level, reach of 10' + 5'/5 levels, and grapple damage as sword with accumulated special abilities) Fatigued afterward for 10 min, make Fort DC 15 or unconscious.
Level 8: -
Level 9: +2 Blooddrinking Adamantium Greatsword
Level 10: Fiendvision (darkvision 60', can see through magical darkness)

Intelligent Weapon I:
Int 15, Wis 13, Cha 14, Empathy,
Read Common, Infernal, Abyssal
Special Purpose - destroy Evil Outsiders