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Tales of Achar: Caretakers

Acharis

Acharis means "without grace" in Greek.

Statistics based in part on St. Cuthbert and Heironeous from Deities & Demigods

The Stern Judge

Intermediate Power

Symbol: Scales balanced on mace head

Alignment: Lawful neutral (good)

Portfolio: Justice, law, protection, cities, civilization

Worshipers: Fighters, monks, judges, constables, rulers.

Worshippers Align: LN, LG, LE, NG, N

Cleric Align: LG, LN

Domains: Law, Nobility, Protection, Strength

Favoured Weapon: Mace

Superior: Charis

Allies: Esse Mater

Foes: Sheol, Ugra, Casus

Acharis often takes the form of a stern-faced middle-aged man in judicial robes or of an angry young man in full plate armour. He carries his sceptre (mace) of authority.

Charis and Acharis are sibling deities, and their churches have strong ties. Both have a strong affinity for the law, although Charis is concerned with the spirit of the law, while Acharis is concerned with the letter of the law. Acharis is upholds the law as the foundation of society. Lawbreakers are to be judged and punished.

Acharians tend to be like the Mounties: they always get their man. Disagreements between the churches often occur over how wrongdoers are to be treated.

Dogma

Acharis is the upholder of the One God's law, focussing on preventing sin, and punishing those who transgress. He is patron of cities, for cities grow best where the rule of law holds sway. He exhorts rulers to be just and fair, dispensing justice evenly to all without giving in to sentimentality. He teaches that the law is in place for the good of all, but the law itself must judge the intents and actions of all wrongdoers, whether they are good or evil.

Clergy & Temples

Clerics of the Stern Judge are often judges (or lawyers) themselves. They also serve as constables, detectives, and bounty hunters. All are stern, rigid people, not given to the pleasantries of life; they focus on identifying problems and resolving them quickly. They train in all techniques (both magical and martial) required to apprehend and punish lawbreakers.

Temples of Acharis are always sturdy and imposing, doubling as defensible keeps in times of attack. They are often built on high ground with solid rock foundations. Despite their utilitarian natures, they are always built with the finest materials available, and radiate a simple majesty. The main sanctuary often doubles as a court of law.

Acharis

Paladin 20 / Monk 20

Medium-Size Outsider

Divine Rank: 15

Hit Dice: 20d8+160 (outsider) plus 20d10+160 (Pal) plus 20d8+160 (Mnk) (1000 hp)

Initiative: +11 (+7 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)

Speed: 60 ft.

AC: 86 (+7 Dex, +15 divine, +28 natural, +9 deflection, +17 Wis)

Attacks: +5 disruption holy lawful heavy mace +79/+74/+69/+64 melee; or spell +69 melee touch or +62 ranged touch

Damage: +5 disruption holy lawful heavy mace 1d8+43/19-20; or by spell

Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Special Attacks: Smite evil (+9 on attack and +60 on damage), turn undead 12/day (effective cleric level 18th), unarmed strike, flurry of blows, stunning attack (20/day, DC 37), ki strike +3, quivering palm, domain powers, salient divine abilities, spell-like abilities.

Special Qualities: Divine immunities; DR 50/+4; fire resistance 35; fast healing 32; spontaneous casting of divine spells; understand, speak, and read all languages, and speak directly to all beings within 15 miles; remote communication; godly realm; teleport without error at will; plane shift at will; aura of courage; celestial heavy warhorse mount; detect evil; divine grace; divine health; empathic link with mount; lay on hands; remove disease 6/week; share spells with mount; evasion; still mind (+2 vs. enchantment); slow fall (any distance); purity of body; wholeness of body (40 hp); leap of the clouds; improved evasion; diamond body; abundant step; timeless body; tongue of the sun and the moon; empty body; perfect self; SR 67; divine aura (1,500 ft., DC 34).

Saves: Fort +37, Ref +34, Will +44.

Abilities: Str 38, Dex 24, Con 27, Int 24, Wis 45, Cha 29.

Skills*: Concentration +43, Craft (armour smithing) +83, Craft (metalworking) +83, Craft (weapon smithing) +83, Diplomacy +48, Knowledge (arcana) +63, Knowledge (history) +32, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +43, Knowledge (religion) +43, Listen +60, Profession (lawyer) +85, Ride (horse) +45, Scry +63, Search +49, Sense Motive +100, Spellcraft +63, Spot +60, Wilderness Lore +58. *Always receives a 20 on checks.

Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Divine Might, Dodge, Expertise, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (heavy mace), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Spell Penetration, Spirited Charge, Spring Attack, Superior Expertise, Trample, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Whirlwind Attack.

Divine Immunities: Ability damage, ability drain, acid, cold, death effects, disease, disintegration, electricity, energy drain, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, transmutation, imprisonment, banishment.

Salient Divine Abilities: Alter Form, Alter Reality, Alter Size, Area Divine Shield, Avatar, Divine Blast, Divine Blessing (Wisdom), Divine Fast Healing, Divine Inspiration, Divine Shield, Divine Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Divine Storm, Divine Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Extra Domain (Nobility), Increased Spell Resistance, Power of Truth.

Domain Powers: Cast law spells at +1 caster level; 15/day protective ward (touched subject gains +20 resistance bonus on next saving throw, maximum duration 1 hour); 15/day feat of strength (+20 enhancement bonus to Str for 1 round), 15/day inspire allies (+2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 9 rounds).

Spell-like Abilities: Acharis uses these abilities as a 25th-level caster, except for law spells, which he uses as a 26th-level caster. The save DCs are 34 + spell level. Antimagic field, Bigby's clenched fist, Bigby's crushing hand, Bigby's grasping hand, bull's strength, calm emotions, demand, dictum, discern lies, dispel chaos, divine favour, endure elements, enthrall, geas/quest, greater command, hold monster, magic circle against chaos, magic vestment, mind blank, order's wrath, prismatic sphere, protection from chaos, protection from elements, repulsion, righteous might, sanctuary, shield of law, shield other, spell immunity, spell resistance, stoneskin, storm of vengeance, summon monster IX (law).

Paladin Spells/Day: 7/7/7/7; base DC = 27 + spell level.

Possessions: Acharis carries the Justice Bringer, a +5 disruption holy lawful heavy mace.
Caster Level: 20th; Weight: 5 lb.

Other Divine Powers

As a intermediate power, Acharis automatically receives a die result of 20 on any check. He treats a 1 on a saving throw or attack roll normally and not as an automatic failure. He is immortal.

Senses: Acharis can see, hear, touch, and smell at a distance of 15 miles. As a standard action, he can perceive anything within 15 miles of his worshippers, holy sites, objects, or any location where one of his names or titles was spoken in the last hour. He can extend his senses to ten locations at once. He can block the sensing power of deities of his rank or lower at up to two remote locations at once for 15 hours.

Portfolio Sense: Acharis senses any trial and any act of punishment the instant it happens and retains the sensation for 15 weeks after the event occurs. He also knows when someone willingly tells the truth in spite of great personal risk or embarrassment.

Automatic Actions: Acharis can use Craft (armour smithing), Craft (metalworking), Craft (weapon smithing), Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (history), Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), or Profession (lawyer) as a free action if the DC is 25 or lower. He can perform up to ten such free actions each round.

Create Magic Items: Charis can create magic weapons, magic armour, and magic items that produce divination effects or reveal the truth, such as a medallion of thought, lenses of revealing, or a potion of truth, as long as the item's market price does not exceed 200,000 gp.

Avatars

Acharis's avatars usually look just like he does, but they can appear in any male humanoid form he chooses. Acharis dispatches them to monitor the unfaithful, reveal untruths, or to protect major cities.

Avatar of Acharis: As Acharis except divine rank 7; AC 53 (touch 33, flat-footed 46); Atk +71/+66/+61/+56 melee or spell +61 melee touch or +54 ranged touch; SQ DR 42/+4, fire resistance 27, SR 59, divine aura (700 ft., DC 26); SV Fort +29, Ref +26, Will +36; Sense Motive +84; all other skill modifiers reduced by 8.

Salient Divine Abilities: Alter Size, Divine Blast, Divine Fast Healing, Divine Shield, Divine Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Divine Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Extra Domain (Nobility), Increase Spell Resistance, Power of Truth.

Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 17th; saving throw DC 26 + spell level.