Algar the Gifting Minstrel

VID DAVIDSON DA

Algar spent his human childhood in a small tribe on the jungle coast ofNaveradel,living in near squalor.His mother,a deeply unhappy woman who simply tried to make the best ofher life, offered little in the form ofparenting.His father,Koman, was a rugged,tough-love type ofman who let nothing slide.

Koman provided for his family as a middleman,trading between local terrig hunters and verrik coastal ships.He put Algar to work at a young age.It was not an easy life—exotic forest beasts could turn you to stone with but a glance,the back-breaking lifting and loading never seemed to end,and the condescending stares ofthe verrik bored through your very soul. Poverty,fear,and hard work filled his days,but Koman gave no ground with his son:Algar was going to be what he wanted him to be.The man’s words stung worse than a physical blow.Algar hated his life,and he hated his father for forcing it upon him.

One particularly bad summer,a relentless monsoon thrashed what few possessions they had,including Algar’s cherished secret savings.With a hatred that churned his insides,Algar confronted his father at the docks.Angry words led him to grab Koman by the throat,intent on squeezing the life out ofthe man.In the same moment,the monsoon swelled,causing the docks to crumble beneath their feet.Algar and his father suddenly found themselves scrambling underwater to reach the surface amid the flotsam ofthe smashed dock.In a desperate moment ofselfpreservation,Algar placed his foot on Koman’s face and kicked,propelling himselfup to the surface.The kick caused Koman to swallow water and he vanished from sight.

As Algar dragged himselfto shore,he knew his father was dead—he’d seen Koman’s lifeless body sucked west into the tumultuous GulfofFiresight.Plagued with anger and selfloathing,Algar set out west along the gulfonce the weather had calmed,following the path his father’s body had taken. He hoped that finding the body would put his mind at ease. But by the time he reached the eastern shores ofthe Wildlands ofKish,he had found no body.A parched mouth, empty gullet,and weakened spirit were his only rewards.

A reptilelike humanoid named Vinathar took him in;later Algar learned it was a mojh.For weeks,the determined Vinathar worked on Algar.His well-chosen words wove through Algar’s mind like a poison through the veins,stroking the boy’s pain:

“Shed your nonmojh skin and humanity’s mundane destiny with it.How can you enjoy all oflife’s fruits with only one century? Learn the secrets ofmagic that only a mojh lifetime can show you.Replace mediocrity with power.”

Vinathar’s promise ofa better life consumed his thoughts. Algar decided to forsake his humanity and underwent the transformation to mojh.The ceremony was held at a large crater lake known as the Rune Sea in the western Wildlands. The swirling runes ofthe black lake turned almost blue as they danced and sang ever louder,as ifcheering the event. The music wrought a terrible chord in Algar’s mind,however, at the exact moment ofhis metamorphosis.He knew down to the very core ofhis being that he had made a terrible mistake.

The transformation had not washed his sin clean.It revealed no answers.His life was no more meaningful now than before.Under the scrutiny ofAlgar’s new mojh intellect, Vinathar’s promises were empty.The new mojh—no longer male,nor any gender at all—fled the Wildlands,wandering aimlessly northeast for weeks,disgusted with itself.

Nightmares plagued Algar’s sleep.In one recurring dream, its mind gently touched the collective memory ofall living beings.The dream-touch had an almost tangible sensation, like that ofmelting ice on the back ofthe neck.Wisdom of the past dripped into the corners ofAlgar’s mind.For the first time,Algar understood that one cannot escape one’s self by donning scale in place ofskin.Salvation lies within.

From that day forward,Algar decided to live in contrast to its tortured soul,to be the unexpected.Not hide behind cloaks like other mojh,but display itselfin full view.Not dwell in isolation,but become heavily involved in communities.Not follow the path ofmagic and the intellectual,but that ofskill and artistic pursuits.

Today,Algar moves from town to town,bringing joy as a performer to those in despair.The mojh hopes to prevent its past from becoming another child’s future.To that end,Algar swore an oath to fulfill this ongoing task till the end ofits days—no small thing for one with a life span ofcenturies.

Whatever money Algar earns is immediately reinvested locally to buy goods.These Algar gives out during performances in the next town,spreading one community’s delicacies to another.Not only does this promote trade,but it has earned the mojh the title ofthe “Gifting Minstrel.” Children can hardly contain themselves when Algar arrives,wondering what trinkets the visitor has for them.The mojh’s engrossing stories have children gasping and rugged men crying.(In one ofAlgar’s favorite stage acts,a dramatic tale ofa blinded hero who must make his way over an acid pit on a decrepit bridge, the mojh illustrates the words by walking a narrow pole over a vat ofhot oil while blindfolded.) So well known are Algar’s performances that the mojh has been invited to Sormere to entertain at Lord Uthelor Katanis’ annual gala.Even Neverin, mojh leader ofthe capital’s akashic guild,has recently invited Algar to De-Shamod for some hidden purpose.

Combat

Algar tries to use its amazing diplomatic skill to get out of any situation that could result in violence.When pressed, Algar tries to flee—unless the combat directly involves its oath,in which case the mojh uses unarmed attacks.

Using Algar

Some things have not changed for Algar.Rare is the night it does not awake caked in sweat.It has been thus since the transformation,for the dark deed ofthe past is not easily undone.

The minstrel introduces itselfas Algar,never mentioning its mojh name (Avuderan).When asked about it,the mojh skillfully negotiates the conversation elsewhere.Algar fears that ifit says too much,someone might uncover its past— and dreads the effect this might have upon itself.For the dark waters ofthe Rune Sea still dance and sing in the recesses ofits mind,mingling with the terrible monsoon that carried its father’s lifeless body out to sea.

Despite its akashic abilities,Algar remains ignorant of those who mean him harm.Vinathar,outcast from its group in the Wildlands for the fiasco surrounding Algar’s transformation,hires adventurers to uncover Algar’s dark past and publicly discredit the minstrel.Other mojh,hearing that Algar has talked many out ofundergoing the metamorphosis,plot its demise.One spellcaster ofgreat power has located and raised Algar’s father from the dead,with designs to use the angry spirit for some dark purpose.Beyond this, Algar’s fame has drawn the attention ofseveral racist,mojhhunting humans.

Algar,mojh Aks10/Osn2: CR 12;Medium humanoid;HD 10d6+2d10;43 hp;Dying/Dead –1/–10;Init +0;Speed 30 feet;AC 12 (+1 oathsworn,+1 natural,touch 11,flat-footed 12);BAB +8/+3;Grapple +8;Attack +8 melee (1d6,critical 20/×2, unarmed attack);Full Attack +8/+3 melee (1d6,critical 20/×2, unarmed attack);SA Flurry ofblows,shattering blow;SQ Darkvision 60 feet,delve into collective memory, perfect recall,skill memory,spell-like abilities,eschew food, unarmed strike;Hero Points 2;SV Fort +6,Ref+6,Will +12;

Str 10,Dex 10,Con 10,Int 16,Wis 14,Cha 16 Languages: Common,Draconic,Faen,Giant,Goblin Litorian,Terran,Verrik Skills and Feats: Balance +14,Bluff+11, Climb +5,Craft (performance props) +7, Diplomacy +28 (+32 Born Leader),Disguise +8, Escape Artist +5, Gather Information +20,Innuendo +14,Jump +7,

Knowledge (merchant trading) +10,Knowledge (sailing and navigation) +10,Perform (dancing) +8,Perform (drama) +20,Perform (singing) +8,Perform (storytelling) +23,Sense

Motive +17,Sleight ofHand +7,Speak Language (3),Tumble +7;Born Leader,Skill Application (+2 Diplomacy and +2

Gather Information),Skill Focus (Diplomacy),Skill Focus (Bluff),Skill Focus (Perform [storytelling]),Slippery

Mind,Title (“The Gifting Minstrel”). Skill Memory (Su): Five times per day,Algar gains a +4 bonus to a single skill check attempt made the next round. Perfect Recall (Ex): Algar enjoys a +3 bonus to Knowledge skill checks when not using skill memory. Delve Into Collective Memory (Su): Algar can,10 times per day,make an ability check with a bonus of+13 to remember some relevant information about notable people,legendary items,or noteworthy places. Akashic Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): 3/day—creature loresight, location loresight, object loresight Kinesthetic Memory (Su): Algar can easily get around in familiar surroundings with no penalty,even with a single damaged or deprived sense . Lesser Delve Into Personal Memory (Su): Once per day as a standard action,Algar can mentally probe the memory of one creature within 25 feet to find a truthful one-word answer to a question.A Will save (DC 18) negates the attempt;succeed or fail,the subject remains unaware. Eschew Food (Ex): Algar does not need to eat. Shattering Blow (Ex): Algar can take a full-round action to make a powerful strike with the full force ofits oath behind it.The unarmed strike ignores 2 points ofa creature’s damage reduction or object hardness. Unarmed Strike: When fighting unarmed,Algar does not provoke attacks ofopportunity from armed opponents it attacks.It doesn’t have the option ofmaking an off-hand attack,as it uses its whole body in every attack (see “flurry ofblows,” below).Iffighting with a one-handed weapon,

Algar can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack but suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting.

Usually,its unarmed strike deals normal damage rather than subdual damage.However,Algar can choose to deal subdual damage without penalty.

Flurry ofBlows: Algar may make one extra attack in a round at its highest base attack,but this attack and each other attack made that round suffer a –2 penalty apiece.This penalty applies for 1 round,so it affects attacks ofopportunity it might make before its next action.It must use the full attack action to strike with a flurry ofblows.Do not reduce its damage bonus on the additional attack. Possessions:Performer’s garb,several self-crafted performing props (Algar gifts all other possessions to others).