CRB is a repository of all the creative things that float through my mind about the RPG Pathfinder. Two major features are random character generation and building characters based on the god they worship. Anything that seems like it adds to the creative aspects of the game will pop up from time to time, including location descriptions, adventure ideas and even short stories. CRB won't just be my own creativity, it will open the floor to anyone who has an idea sparked by what I present to you.

Friday, January 15, 2016

Character 20 - Froark Deathtouch, Grippli Monk

A grippli whose entire life has been linked to death; the background for this Monday’s random rolls sees a deathless frogman take shape. The stats were pretty clear to me. The incredibly high Dex and good Wis meant one thing to me: monk. And the thing is, as I noted I chose monk and added to the auto generator on archives of nethys so it pumped out the roll on that monk table for me. And I’ll be damned if it didn’t fit with the rest of the theme of death. So check out the rolls from Monday here  and check out the addition of the monk chart roll.

Monk Training: [Spirit Teacher] Your martial training is both physical and metaphysical in nature, allowing you to unlock a higher state of consciousness that allows you to draw on the wisdom and power of long-dead masters.

Which added this as a possible trait choice:

(Trait) Spirit Sense

Froark Deathtouched

Death has followed Froark since before he was born. Before the young gripli could be birthed his mother died of a wasting disease that had been plaguing the tribe. She was laid to rest with the other disease victims and because he had not yet made it into the world Froark was left for dead. A few days later when one of the other tribesmen fell to the sickness the corpse carriers found the newborn Froark crying among the bodies of the dead in the plague pit.

His traumatic entry into the world was not the only time death would be nearly visited upon Froark. While still a young tad the tribe came into conflict with a tribe of boggards looking to expand their territory. Froark’s people were for the most part non-violent and the initial attacks on the tribe caught them unaware. In one of the early assaults Froark was struck down by a mighty blow from one of the Boggards’ mace.  For a moment he was dead, even remembering passing into the boneyard of Pharasma, but the lady of graves whispered “not yet” and sent him back.

His own death was not the only link to Pharasma’s realm. After his near-death the world seemed very different to the blossoming Grippli. When he had questions his people would sometimes see him talk to himself. What the others were unaware of was that Froark’s mother had been allowed to return as a ghost. She would only manifest for her son but she helped guide him into manhood. Upon his 16th birthday though, she passed from this world, the time granted her by the Lady of Graves over, but her influence would always be felt by Froark.

The death-touched youth found it hard to make friends, but he did have one other young boy he considered as such. Friendly spirits were not the only beings that Froark had contact with; many things not of this plane sought to work through the boy and one such spirit was filled with anger and rage. The malevolent being pushed Froark into taunting his friend into combat and then—possessed by the entity—beating him soundly, embarrassing him in front of the tribe. Ashamed Froark fled into the swamp to escape his own shame.

Try as he might, he couldn’t flee his fate—which may very well be what saved him. In the swamp Froark met another Grippli, or what he thought was a Grippli. The hermit found him pushing back against the world and offered to teach him a way to center his mind and body. Over the course of a few years, just Froark and the hermit, the young Grippli was taught the ways of unarmed combat. He learned to make his mind and body one and gained the ability to force out the voices he didn’t want.

But eventually their time together was over and the hermit said he taught Froark all he could, but he had one wish of him. He explained that he was not truly a Grippli, at least not anymore. He was a monk in the service of Iomedea and fought in the crusades against the worldwound. He had fallen in battle but for some unknown reason he was not allowed to pass into the realm of his Patron. When he made his way back to Golarion he was trapped in this form, incorporeal and unable to affect the world. He was also no longer near the Worldwound, but nearby his home village where his granddaughter still lived.

With promises to his master that he would travel to the Worldwound and find the reason he was not allowed to rest Froark left the swamp. Instead of going home he headed to the village of the fallen crusader’s granddaughter. When he met the young woman the two fell in love, and for once fate dealt him a fair hand. The two were wed in a short amount of time, and Froark told his new wife of his training and of her grandfather. He told her that although their marriage was fresh he must still fulfil his promise and travel to the Worldwound to attempt to set her ancestor to rest.


So there you have it, a tragic figure with a relatively happy ending. He still has his mission but he gets the girl and has learned to focus his power. If you enjoyed the growth for Froark from random roles to full on character then consider becoming a patron of the CRB here. Also remember to follow us on twitter @SimonSezCRB, this weekend I will be tweeting from a fan con in Boston, Arisia. And don’t miss a beat, head to the side bar and sign up for email notification, be one of the first to know when a new posting hits the CRB. This is especially good if you’re finding the CRB on reddit as I can only post to a given reddit once a week.

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