Time and Time Again

Followers of Shyka

The fey Eldest, incredibly powerful fairie beings from the first world that can grant divine power. This week we’re going to take a look at another one of their number Shyka. It – as Shyka can actually be considered a title or a role held by many entities – is the Eldest of entropy, reincarnation, and time. We’ll take a look at three possible sects of this divine being that you can add to your game.

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

For more information on Shyka

Shyka’s Pathfinder Wiki Page (http://www.pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Shyka)

Shyka’s Archives of Nethys Page (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/DeityDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Shyka)

The Infinite Hourglass

This small group of time obsessed men and women actually worship two deities; Brigh and Shyka. The group guards a sacred hour glass that seems to have an infinite amount of sand. It is said that Brigh herself crafted the hourglass and that the sand was provided by Shyka from the first world. The legend of the hourglass says that when the sand actually starts to run out the end of the world is near.

Members of this sect are almost all divine spellcasters. Oracles and clerics are the majority of the group but there are a handful of sorcerers. The few non-spellcasters are mathematicians and astrologers who enjoy tracking the flow of time. Joining the sect is a calling and anyone who is drawn to them and find them are accepted.

The Continuation

Among Shyka’s followers those who can make claim to having past lives are some of the most well respected. The leaders of The Continuation all claim to have served more than one lifetime on Golarion and have the ability to reach back into their past. Only a few of the members are reincarnated souls – less than a dozen – the rest are supplicants looking to earn a place on the wheel of reincarnation.

The general membership of the sect comes from all walks of life. From the best trained fighters and wizards, to the lowly farmer. The reincarnated souls almost all have some kind of extraordinary power attached to them. Psychic ability is actually the most common with mediums, psychics, and spiritualists dominating those who are living a second or even third life.

The Turning Wheel

Everything that begins must end, or so is the philosophy of The Turning Wheel. For some destruction is seen as a force of evil, for those who understand that death does not have a morality it is less so. The Turning Wheel makes sure things that are supposed to cease to be do so in a timely manner. They are especially fervent about undead and often work with followers of Pharasma to return these abominations to the cycle of life.

The leader of the sect is an oracle by the name of JerusHibblespot. This aging and blind gnome has a connection directly to the fey lord. Shyka informs him of things that must be removed from the timeline to keep the flow of the world moving. The rest of the members are basically assassins, although they can come from any profession. Wizards, clerics and other casters can be used to deal with magical problems. While more literal assassins are occasionally used to remove a mundane person or thing from existence.

Like this member of The Eldest, its followers live die and are reborn again. Who is your disciple of Shyka? Why have they chosen to dedicate themselves to The Many? Where does their devotion come from? Let me know in the comments.

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Character 65 - Kyroo Atswata

So this week’s random rolls saw a uber smart and very attentive half-elf. A killer and a follower of the Fey Eldest of reincarnation. The question as always is how to tie all of this together. Picking a class is always the hardest but this time I went with the Arcanist, particularly the Elemental Master Archetype. So take a look and see if this is close to what you came up with.

Kyroo Atswata

Kyroo was born on a boat, literally he was born aboard a ship at sea. His mother is a half-elf of Ekujae stock taken by Apsis Consortium slavers and his father was a sailor from Bloodcove from Bonuwat ethnicity of the Mwangi people. Kyroo was born on the ship on which is father was a crewmen although he couldn’t admit the boy was his.

To the Apsis his mother was useless after she gave birth and so they sold her to slavers to take to the market in Okeno. When his wife and son were about to be sent off his father stood up and demanded they not be sold. But standing up to the Apsis Consortium is never a wise move and Kyroo’s father was struck down. Weeping his mother carried the now fatherless child aboard the yellow sailed slave galley and set off to be sold.

On the way west the ship stopped in Absalom to see if it could unload some cargo before reaching its final destination. Although frowned upon slavery is not illegal in the City at the Center of the World. A few of the less desirable stock including the mother and her infant son were taken to the slave pits on Misery Row. There they were bought by a wealthy trader whose own son needed a wet nurse.

Kyroo grew up in the house of the merchant, alongside his master’s son. When the boy no longer needed a wet nurse Kyroo’s mother was kept on as a maid. They weren’t treated poorly – although they were still slaves – and the merchant allowed the young half-elf to tag along when he took his own son on business around the city. Kyroo’s favorite stop was when his master would go to the docks to check on ships and goods. Somewhere in his heart he always longed for the sea.

As he grew older the merchant noticed that Kyroo had an affinity for water. One day he watch the boy make small droplets of rain appear over his own head. With little else for the boy to do around the house his master arranged for him to take the annual open exams at the Arcanamirium. With Kyroo’s astute mind and incredible intuition he ranked himself as a high level apprentice, with little to no actual magical training. Kyroo was even chosen to be sponsored by one of the faculty members.

Kyroo studied for years, combining his talent for water spells with his natural aptitude for ships and sailing. The Arcanamirium was well known for teaching how to combine spellcraft with everyday mundane activities. During his time there he befriended a young bard who couldn’t take anything seriously. The duo were in stark contrast with the bards light hearted and whimsical personality and Kyroo’s subdued and practical approach to everything.

While learning magic from the Arcanamirium Kyroo also sought out a metaphysical place in the world. Since the school brought in many different magical philosophies – including clerical – kyroo had a chance to meet people of many different faiths. The one that stuck with him most was an elvish druid who followed the teachings of the Fey Eldest known as Shyka. Belief in the malleability of time and the reincarnation of ones soul were core to the teachings. Kyroo latched on to the belief that one day his father would be reincarnated and the two could meet again at last.

After graduating the merchant sought to use Kyroo as a force on his ships. After all the man was still technically he and his mother’s master. Although the half-elf felt at home with the idea of being on a ship he didn’t enjoy being forced to be there. He fought against the posting but he would soon have no choice but to set sail.

The elder cleric felt it was his time to be placed back into the great cycle of reincarnation. But the elf was fearful of death none-the-less. He very carefully talked Kyroo into helping him ease himself into his next life. However, not everyone could see the beauty in moving on and Kyroo was now wanted for murder. He had only one place to turn, his bardic friend.

Although the bard came off as a fool he was actually just one who understood that custom and propriety weren’t always right. He felt his friend hadn’t done anything wrong and helped plan his escape. Although he couldn’t set out with him, he helped get Kyroo onto a ship setting forth to many ports of Garund. Leaving his mother and the life he knew behind, set on his own eventual entropic course to the end. He would seek out the world until it too was his turn to rejoin the cycle of reincarnation.

Bringing these character to life is a second full time job. Contributions to my Patreon or Paypal help me invest more of that time into creation instead of worrying about keeping the lights on. If you’d like to support your favorite content provider – come on, that’s me, admit it – please consider contributing. 

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