The Demented One
2008-07-06, 07:25 PM
Alric, the Burning Mind
Alric is a man of science whose experiments led him to study aspects of reality that man was not meant to know. His mind shattered by his scientific revelations, he conducted one final experiment that led to him leaving the world of mankind, metamorphosing into a vestige.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moe_gallery/91453.jpg
A Binder bound to Alric confronts a horrific being from beyond the world of man.
Vestige Level: 6th
Binding DC: 30
Legend
Alric was once a man of science, a student of alchemy, artifice, and the natural world. While his true talents lay in imbuing magical items, he had a passion to study everything: the subtle chemistries of metals and acids reacting in a beaker; the worlds of teeming microscopic life hidden within a droplet of water; the set of formulae that could tell the mass and orbit of planets the eye could barely see unaided. Eventually, however, Alric made a scientific discovery that no mortal was not meant to make. Exactly what he discovered remains unknown, but it is known that Alric lost his mind as a result of this, becoming a raving madman who spoke of hearing the voices of the world itself speaking formulae to him and saw the shadows of beings from beyond the world lurking in corners. Alric’s madness did not hinder his scientific crusade–instead, it only drove him on, performing experiments and creating inventions both inspired and insane.
Eventually, Alric’s madness reached its climax. He had assembled an army of golems and constructs, and sent them out to conquer the surrounding kingdoms. By this time, logic and meaning no longer directed him–he was motivated solely by his madness and blind ambition. Eventually, his army was turned aside by a band of heroes, and Alric’s laboratory-turned-fortress breached. The heroes reached Alric’s central chamber, ready to slay the mad scientist, but before they could, he completed one final experiment.
Alric had built a device referred to in his notebooks as a transcendental planar manifold, though the designs for it or any record of its purpose have been lost. According to those who saw him, Alric pulled a lever, and a huge ball of light formed in the center of the room, so bright it blinded those who looked at it. Alric, his eyes shielded by goggles, donned his labcoat, gave one last maniacal laugh, and leaped into the manifold. The ball of light collapsed in an explosion that destroyed the lab, nearly killing the heroes. Though none knew what had happened to Alric, a few years later, scholars of pact magic discovered the presence of a new vestige, a mad but inspired remnant of a man who called itself Alric.
Special Requirement
Alric requires his seal be filled with gears, cogs, and various other pieces of machinery. The machinery need not be of any certain value or even functional, but Alric will not manifest unless there is at least a small pile.
Manifestation
The skies momentarily darken, and a bolt of lightning arcs out of nowhere. A maniacal laugh can be heard, and then the pile of cogs and gears in Alric’s seal takes on a coherent form as a homunculus. Alric speaks through the homunculus, negotiating with the binder. Once the pact has been made, the homunculus steps outside of the seal to serve the binder.
Sign
A white labcoat manifests on the binder. This labcoat will instantly repair any damage it suffers, and return to its binder if it is lost. In addition, the binder’s hair turns pure white.
Influence
Those bound to Alric develop a tendency to laugh maniacally in moments of triumph. They are also inclined to use the powers granted to them by Alric as a first recourse to any problem, even if they have abilities that may be more useful, though this is not strictly enforced.
Granted Abilities
Alric grants you a homunculus servant, the ability to create magical items, and the power to control lightning.
Homunculus (Ex)
The homunculus that appears in Alric’s seal serves you as a loyal companion for as long as you remain bound to Alric. You choose the form the homunculus takes–it may be either a standard homunculus, or it can be an arbalester, a dedicated wright, an expeditious messenger, a furtive filcher, a packmate, a persistent harrier, or a steel defender. For the stats of these other forms of homunculus, see the Eberron Campaign Setting and Magic of Eberron. The homunculus has one extra HD for every 2 binder levels you have. Once your pact with Alric ends, the homunculus collapses back into the pile of spare parts it was formed of.
Inspired Artifice (Su)
You can use the artificer infusions armor enhancement, spell storing item, and weapon augmentation at will as supernatural abilities. You need not provide any material components of the infusions, but must pay all XP costs, and must pay an XP cost of 1 XP per 25 gp of an infusion’s material components. Your caster level for these infusions is equal to your binder level. Once you have used one of these infusions, you cannot use any for 5 rounds.
Mad Scientist (Ex)
While bound to Alric, you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, and a +10 enhancement bonus on all Craft and Use Magic Device checks.
Maniacal Laughter (Su)
As a standard action, you can laugh maniacally. Doing so causes a bolt of lightning to descend from the sky and strike the earth. This is treated as a 5-ft. wide, 30-ft. tall vertical line in a single square within 60 ft. of you. The bolt of lightning deals 5d8 electricity damage to all creatures caught in it, with a Reflex save for half. A Reflex save halves the damage. Once you have used this ability, you must wait 5 rounds before you can use it again.
Alric is a man of science whose experiments led him to study aspects of reality that man was not meant to know. His mind shattered by his scientific revelations, he conducted one final experiment that led to him leaving the world of mankind, metamorphosing into a vestige.
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/moe_gallery/91453.jpg
A Binder bound to Alric confronts a horrific being from beyond the world of man.
Vestige Level: 6th
Binding DC: 30
Legend
Alric was once a man of science, a student of alchemy, artifice, and the natural world. While his true talents lay in imbuing magical items, he had a passion to study everything: the subtle chemistries of metals and acids reacting in a beaker; the worlds of teeming microscopic life hidden within a droplet of water; the set of formulae that could tell the mass and orbit of planets the eye could barely see unaided. Eventually, however, Alric made a scientific discovery that no mortal was not meant to make. Exactly what he discovered remains unknown, but it is known that Alric lost his mind as a result of this, becoming a raving madman who spoke of hearing the voices of the world itself speaking formulae to him and saw the shadows of beings from beyond the world lurking in corners. Alric’s madness did not hinder his scientific crusade–instead, it only drove him on, performing experiments and creating inventions both inspired and insane.
Eventually, Alric’s madness reached its climax. He had assembled an army of golems and constructs, and sent them out to conquer the surrounding kingdoms. By this time, logic and meaning no longer directed him–he was motivated solely by his madness and blind ambition. Eventually, his army was turned aside by a band of heroes, and Alric’s laboratory-turned-fortress breached. The heroes reached Alric’s central chamber, ready to slay the mad scientist, but before they could, he completed one final experiment.
Alric had built a device referred to in his notebooks as a transcendental planar manifold, though the designs for it or any record of its purpose have been lost. According to those who saw him, Alric pulled a lever, and a huge ball of light formed in the center of the room, so bright it blinded those who looked at it. Alric, his eyes shielded by goggles, donned his labcoat, gave one last maniacal laugh, and leaped into the manifold. The ball of light collapsed in an explosion that destroyed the lab, nearly killing the heroes. Though none knew what had happened to Alric, a few years later, scholars of pact magic discovered the presence of a new vestige, a mad but inspired remnant of a man who called itself Alric.
Special Requirement
Alric requires his seal be filled with gears, cogs, and various other pieces of machinery. The machinery need not be of any certain value or even functional, but Alric will not manifest unless there is at least a small pile.
Manifestation
The skies momentarily darken, and a bolt of lightning arcs out of nowhere. A maniacal laugh can be heard, and then the pile of cogs and gears in Alric’s seal takes on a coherent form as a homunculus. Alric speaks through the homunculus, negotiating with the binder. Once the pact has been made, the homunculus steps outside of the seal to serve the binder.
Sign
A white labcoat manifests on the binder. This labcoat will instantly repair any damage it suffers, and return to its binder if it is lost. In addition, the binder’s hair turns pure white.
Influence
Those bound to Alric develop a tendency to laugh maniacally in moments of triumph. They are also inclined to use the powers granted to them by Alric as a first recourse to any problem, even if they have abilities that may be more useful, though this is not strictly enforced.
Granted Abilities
Alric grants you a homunculus servant, the ability to create magical items, and the power to control lightning.
Homunculus (Ex)
The homunculus that appears in Alric’s seal serves you as a loyal companion for as long as you remain bound to Alric. You choose the form the homunculus takes–it may be either a standard homunculus, or it can be an arbalester, a dedicated wright, an expeditious messenger, a furtive filcher, a packmate, a persistent harrier, or a steel defender. For the stats of these other forms of homunculus, see the Eberron Campaign Setting and Magic of Eberron. The homunculus has one extra HD for every 2 binder levels you have. Once your pact with Alric ends, the homunculus collapses back into the pile of spare parts it was formed of.
Inspired Artifice (Su)
You can use the artificer infusions armor enhancement, spell storing item, and weapon augmentation at will as supernatural abilities. You need not provide any material components of the infusions, but must pay all XP costs, and must pay an XP cost of 1 XP per 25 gp of an infusion’s material components. Your caster level for these infusions is equal to your binder level. Once you have used one of these infusions, you cannot use any for 5 rounds.
Mad Scientist (Ex)
While bound to Alric, you gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Intelligence, and a +10 enhancement bonus on all Craft and Use Magic Device checks.
Maniacal Laughter (Su)
As a standard action, you can laugh maniacally. Doing so causes a bolt of lightning to descend from the sky and strike the earth. This is treated as a 5-ft. wide, 30-ft. tall vertical line in a single square within 60 ft. of you. The bolt of lightning deals 5d8 electricity damage to all creatures caught in it, with a Reflex save for half. A Reflex save halves the damage. Once you have used this ability, you must wait 5 rounds before you can use it again.