Time Waits For No Man

Devotees of Yhidothrus

Today we fall much lower than the Empyreal Lords. We’ve seen as deities for the last few weeks, and brought you one of the lords of chaos, the Demon Lord Yhidothrus. This week’s randomly rolled character the gnome, Jertzal is a follower of the lord of age, time, and worms. We know that many of his follower flock to him out of fear of growing old and dying, many even becoming undead. But who truly are his devotees?

As always, let us imagine we are sitting at our theoretical gaming table. Our imaginary GM sets out the rules for the game we will play. In this game, we are to make a follower Yhidothrus. The character does not need to be a divine caster, just a devotee of the Demon Lord. What character do you make?

For more information on Yhidothrus

Yhidothrus’ Pathfinder Wiki Page 

Yhidothrus’ Archives of Nethys Page 

The Weathered Skull

Although many think of sects as those who work together for a common goal, groups of demon worshipers are rarely that cohesive. The search for lichdom especially tends to see many lone casters in their ranks. The Weathered Skull is more a group of organized competitors who happen to be like-minded thinkers rather than an order of colleagues. The Weathered Skulls will often steal ideas from other members or even outright sabotage their endeavors.

The group always has exactly seven members. The only way a new member can become a skull is by removing an older member and taking his place, or having an older member actually become a lich. Only two members of the Weathered Skulls have actually become liches and one of those has since been killed by undead hunters of Pharasma.

The Spiral Path

Even the circling spiral path for which this sect is named has a beginning and an end. Members of the organization The Spiral Path are nihilists that seek to bring about the end of everything. They take on Yhidothrus’ aspects of murder and entropy—seeking to end not just the lives of people, but of civilizations, objects, and existence itself. Many members of this sect are outright insane.

It is said the Spiral Path is led by a particularly twisted worm that walks. The soul of the spellcaster it devoured was already dedicated to the Demon Lord and the newly formed creature continues to work toward its master’s goals. The other members of the sect are all spiteful folks, bent on the destruction of everything around them. The group’s base is rumored to be in an old insane asylum.

Time Scryers

With his mastery over time and its flow, many of Yhidothrus’ followers have a propensity toward seeing the future. Some from practices and some just because the demon lord has the whim of bestowing upon them this power. Although they worship a vile being like Yhidothrus, these seers, diviners, and oracles have a penchant for accuracy that makes them much sought after. The Time Scryers are particularly adept at their craft and have banded together to further their own goals.

The goal of these oracles is no different than the goal of many followers of Yhidorthrus, to cheat death. The Scryers, however, don’t wish to turn into undead liches like some do. They have mastered a form of magic which allows them to take years off of another person’s life and grant it to themselves. When a petitioner comes to see their future they actually lose some of their time on Golarion in the process. The thing about this magic is that the participant must be willing, so each person who seeks their future willing gives up this time.

Those who fear the turning of the hourglass, the followers of the Demon Lord of age, time, and worms. Who is your follower of Yhidothrus? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to the Ravager Worm? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

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Character 48 - Jertzal Halsipatheu

This week’s randomly rolled character is our gnome out of time. Being from either the past or the present and then worshipping the Demon Lord left a lot of really interesting options open. Dying in his youth added quite another layer to the evil little bugger as well. But as always the question is what class to choose?

Average strength and low dexterity ruled out most martial classes. A good intelligence means he could excel as an arcane caster and an amazing charisma left a lot of the spontaneous caster options open. Eventually I went with what was probably the most obvious choice, the Oracle of Time. It just fit the bill in so many ways as did a 3PP curse I found called aged. At level the character is venerable and gets all the requisite bonuses (+1 to all mental stats for each of the three age groups middle aged, old and venerable), but only takes negatives as if he were old aged (-1 to physicals stats for middle aged, -2 for old aged). In total his stats will change -3 to strength, dexterity, and constitution, as well as +3 to intelligence, wisdom and charisma.

New Stat Block

Str: 7

Dex: 6

Con:  13

Int: 18

Wis: 15

Cha: 20

Jertzal Halsipatheu

Time waits for no gnome, or so the saying goes. Jertzal Halsipatheu was a gnome with nothing but time. Born in the Mivon in the River Kingdoms he had all the freedom he could want and would live for years past the age of any of the humans in the town. The Age of Enthronement was in full swing and it would be only a little over three-hundred years until the Age of Glory, and event he would be alive to see. And then he died.

In 4316 at the young age of forty-two, still yet to be considered an adult by gnomish standards, terror befell Mivon. Records of the event would go on to say that the inhabitants claimed they were attacked by the trees and plants themselves. Rumors swirled of the dead rising from the Sellen River and wizards who could call the moon from the sky. And in all of this chaos and destruction, Jertzal died.

It wasn’t a true death however, and Jertzal awoke in the familiar surroundings of the forest near Mivon. Mostly familiar that is, because the trees were older and taller. The old oak where Jertzal would play as a child was felled and naught but a stump. When he looked down at his own hands he saw that they too were old and withered.

Jertzal returned home to Minvon and there it stood as it always had, but it had also grown. None of the people seemed familiar. None of the children playing in the streets could he remember laughing with. The town had changed from a mix of races including gnome, elf, and halfling to being mostly human, of a stock he did not recognize. This was definitely his home, but it also wasn’t.

Holding out hope Jertzal went to find his parents, their old cottage still stood, although it was now nestled among other small dwellings. No one was home so he went to the shop where his father repaired shoes. Still there, but hunched much more, his father sat working on a pair of fine leather boots. His mother in her rocking chair in the corner watching her husband work. Both of them ancient even for gnomes, and their formerly bright colored hair bleached to a bone white.

His parents aged, the forest aged, Minvon aged, and he aged. The weight of time came crashing down around Jertzal and it crushed him with despair. When the well-dressed man, obviously a noble of some sort, entered the shop and raged at his father over some imagined problem with his shoes--that was the final straw. Jertzal burst in and almost threw himself at the noblemen but the human was faster and drew steel. Jertzal reached out touched the blade and upon it rust began to form. Just as everything else in his life had, the blade aged and crumbled. Terrified the now venerable gnome fled into the streets.

The world was one that Jertzal didn’t know. He felt ill at ease except around other gnomes. His initial interaction with the new human residents of Mivon left a bad taste in his mouth, for human especially. Although gnome enclaves were few and far between, Jertzal managed to attach himself to a mercenary group. From the leader of this group he learned much about Golarion in its current age.

Jertzal’s visions of the time stream began to become more frequent, punctuated with images of worms and decay. Even though Jertzal had an aged body, he still had the mind of a gnome just entering adulthood. His fear that he would die before his time, combine with research of the worm and decay imagery led the not so young gnome to believe that some hoe the Demon Lord Yhidothrus was involved. Oddly he wasn’t angered, but threw himself into the Ravager Worm’s worship. If the Demon Lord had a plan for him, he would see it through.

And there you have it: My version of our timeless, or out of time, gnome. What would you have done with these stats? What class would you have picked? Would he have been from the past or present? Why does he only feel comfortable around gnomes?

Time waits for no gnome and no man, so too does time move on here. If the CRB has made your time among its pages a value to your gaming experience please consider becoming a contributor to my Patreon. If you’d like to see what else the CRB is up to join me on Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, and Twitter. My inbox is open on all venues.

Random Roll 48 - The Randomness

A Gnome out of time. From the past or future this character will be from some when else. Smart, charismatic, hardy he has survived death at least once. Only truly comfortable around other gnomes will his penchant for destroying things make him welcome in the here and now?

Gender: Male

Race: Gnome
Nationality: The River Kingdoms

Age: 58
Height: 3’ 6”
Weight: 41lbs

Alignment: Neutral Evil

Str: 10

Dex: 9

Con:  16

Int: 15

Wis: 12

Cha: 17

Homeland: Non-Gnome Town or Village
Parents: Both your parents are alive
Siblings: You have no sibling.
Circumstance of Birth: [Born out of Time] You were born in a different era, either the distant past or the far future. Some event has displaced you from your time, and the ways and customs of the present seem strange and alien to you.
Parent's Profession: Serfs/Peasants
Major Childhood Event: [Died] You died, or came so close to death that you walked the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead. Having passed from life's domain once, you have a unique perspective on life, perhaps even a greater appreciation for it—or maybe your experience caused you to reject all trivial things, focusing only on matters of true import.

Influential Associate: [The Mercenary] With this person, there was always a cost. No deed was done making a trade for something of equal or greater value. Whether this individual's actions tended toward good, evil, or pure balance, he was always fair in his dealings. You respected this trait and it influenced your own philosophy.

Conflict: [Destruction] You destroyed someone else’s property.

Conflict Subject: Nobel

Conflict Motivation: Family

Conflict Resolution: [You Enjoyed It] Those who cling to petty morals have no understanding of what true freedom and power is. The fact is, you enjoyed your part in the conflict and would do it all over again if the opportunity presented itself. Many people know of your misdeed, and they also realize your complete lack of remorse.

Deity/Religious Philosophy: Yhidothrus

            

Romantic Relationship(s): [Experience but No Substantial Relationships] You’ve had a fling or two, but have so far shied away from any ties or commitments.

Drawback: [Race] You are truly comfortable only around others of your race, and you have a hard time putting faith or trust in those of races different from your own.

(Trait) Animal Friend

(Trait) Fearless Defiance

(Trait) Mercenary

(Trait) Poverty-Stricken

(Trait) Scholar of the Great Beyond

(Story Feat) Arisen

(Drawback) Xenophobic

In the comments please tell us what character you would make with these disparate pieces information? What class would this Gnome out of time naturally gravitate towards? Who is this worshiper Yhidothrus, The Ravager Worm? And don’t forget to stay tuned Friday when my background hits the CRB.

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