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pizzafishandchips · 3 months ago

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12. "Did you hear that?"

Fandom - Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Content warnings - depictions of blood, injuries Pairing - Woljif x knight commander

The little abandoned house creaks and wheezes with age as the party carefully steps through it. Its surrounding structure is so weak that even the slightest puff of dust is enough to make everyone freeze and wince as they wait with bated breath for impending disaster.

“Come on, why are we all here? Just send me in to take a peek and swipe anything that needs to be swiped and we wouldn’t have to go through this!” Woljif protests in a hushed voice, afraid that even a raised voice will shake the frail cottage’s walls.

“This isn’t reconnaissance, Woljif. We have reports that there’s something dangerous here. We’d all need to come in at one point or another,” Seelah explains.

He huffs. “Well, can I at least go on further ahead to give you guys a heads up on what’s coming up? It still can’t be good that we’re all grouped together like this—”

He’s cut off when their commander hushes them all. Her eyes narrow as she concentrates.

“Did you hear that?” she asks, glancing at Lann. His face twists.

“Yeah, it’s not just you. I think—”

He doesn’t get to finish before a bloodcurdling cry rings out, and everyone instinctively moves into battle positions. Just in time, as some kind of monstrosity crashes through a nearby wall. Almost everyone turns to face the immediate threat, but at the last moment, Ollerus notices something amiss and glances in the direction of Woljif and Daeran with a look of horror.

“Look out!”

She dashes to their side, but she’s not fast enough to protect them from something that smashes through the ceiling above, crushing the three of them under its weight. Something wheezes and snaps, and Woljif feels something break underneath them before everything goes dark.

When he comes to, he isn’t sure he’s even awake for a moment as he sees nothing but darkness. But as his vision slowly adjusts, combined with a thin sliver of light coming from above, Woljif is able to get his bearings. With a groan, he rises from the craggy ground beneath him to peer into the shadows.

He’s landed in some small cave, surrounded by the rotting wreckage of whatever came from the cottage above. He listens for the sound of fighting, but senses little beyond the faint dripping of water. His tail raised in alert, he gingerly steps forward, searching for anything familiar in the darkness.

And he finds it, glowing faintly off to the side. He’s never been more grateful for the faint glow that aasimar give off as Woljif spots Daeran’s golden locks, but he stops short, along with his breath, when he beholds the crumpled form in his arms.

Daeran cradles their commander’s head in one hand, her long rosy locks splayed messily beneath, eerily resembling a pool of blood. He regards the tiefling’s approach with thinly veiled worry, and Woljif’s heart nearly stops when he sees the actual red that stains Ollerus’s clothes.

“Well, at least I don’t need to worry about you,” Daeran greets tersely. The tiefling falls to his knees next to them as he desperately assesses her.

“How bad?”

“She’s breathing,” he replies, an exact, brief description that makes Woljif’s heart tremble with unease. A small rivulet of blood drips from her hand onto the ground, and Daeran’s hand glows as it hovers over a wound on her torso. There’s dried blood in her hair, yet he doesn’t spot any obvious injuries there.

Daeran sighs, releasing the tiniest bit of tension in his shoulders. “Her head is fine. I’m just patching her up at this point.” Looking up towards the distant surface, he continues, “But I’m not comfortable moving her right now. We might just have to wait for the others to find us first.”

“What happened?”

“Well obviously someone wasn’t happy with the tacky floorboard designs and chose to redecorate in the least delicate manner possible.” He gestures to something off to the side. “And our lovely commander had some disagreements with the local demolitionist.”

Woljif peers into the darkness and jumps when he makes out the slumped body of a large demon. The signature reek of ozone and singed flesh is unmistakable, painting enough of a picture for him to piece together how it met its end.

“By the time I came to, she was already finishing it off,” Daeran relays. “When I could get to her, she just… collapsed. There wasn’t anything else I could…”

His voice trails off, but Woljif doesn’t need him to elaborate further. The snobbish, highbrow air is gone, replaced by an uncharacteristic frustration and worry. He understands, perhaps too well. He doesn’t like thinking about it, the visceral terror he feels when Ollerus is in any sort of danger, when she’s out of his sight on the battlefield for too long. He knows she can take care of herself, he knows he should be worrying more about himself like he has for so long, but he can’t explain it, this encompassing urge to keep her safe and away from danger, this roiling nausea and discomfort he feels when he sees her get hurt.

Woljif has spent a majority of his life looking out for no one but himself; he knows he’s perfectly capable of that. But watching someone else’s back? There are times he’s never felt more helpless.

He wishes he could do more.

They sit in silence for a while, hyperfocused on the tempo of their unconscious companion’s breathing. Sitting still doesn’t feel right to Woljif; his fingers twitch as he fights the urge to fidget. He tries to focus on what Daeran is doing: the commander is no longer actively bleeding, and the color is coming back to her cheeks. He looks down at his hands; he can pick locks, he knows spells. He’s on his way to save the world and having his name known across the lands.

All that, so why does he still feel like he’s nothing? That he’s barely changed from the lowly urchin he’s been since childhood, that he deserves nothing more than to remain with the rest of the trash of the world?

He doesn’t want to believe that, if only because she doesn’t believe that. For some reason, she’s kept him around. And he has to make it worth it for her, doesn’t he?

Woljif sets his jaw, clenching his fists as he swallows his pride. “Hey Daeran, I got a favor to ask. Could you… teach me that spell?”

“...I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”

After some cajoling, as well as enduring some lighthearted needling at his expense, Daeran humors him. It’s enough to get started at least, in spite of the less than ideal circumstances, and Woljif welcomes any reprieve as they continue to await rescue.

The noble, wanting to stretch his legs, entrusts their commander to him. By now, her most grievous wounds have been addressed, yet Woljif still holds her tightly, as if he can’t bear the slightest chance at letting her go. He’s left with her minor injuries to address, and even though they’re small, he can’t help but sigh in relief as he sees the various cuts and bruises disappear.

“You’ll be okay, Chief,” he whispers, more to himself than anyone else.

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“Ow,” Ollerus quietly yelps.

A small drop of blood oozes from the paper cut. She sticks the tip of her finger into her mouth to stymie the flow, tossing the offending piece of parchment away in annoyance.

Woljif, loitering nearby, sticks his head into the room at the sound of her voice. “You alright, Chief?”

She waves. “Pay-puh cuh,” she drawls around her finger. The tiefling snorts as he approaches, holding a hand out.

“Let me see that.”

Confused, Ollerus offers her hand. Woljif’s grip is soft as a warm glow envelopes their joined hands, and the small cut quickly disappears.

“You’re getting really good at that,” she says, impressed.

His chest warms. “Ha, well, you know me, Chief. I’m full of great surprises.” He pauses, before continuing, softly, “I’m not as good as you at the whole magic thing, but I try.”

“Why do you say that?” Ollerus cocks her head to the side, genuine confusion reflected in her eyes. “Don’t sell yourself so short, Woljif. I’ve never been able to get the hang of healing spells; I’m downright dreadful at them. You’re able to do something I can’t, and I think that’s really impressive.”

He has to struggle to hide the blush creeping up his neck. There she goes again, looking at him like that and saying things that make him feel things he’s never felt around anyone else. Even when the cut has healed, he still instinctively wraps his fingers around her hand, simply enjoying the feel of holding it.

“Thanks, Ollie.”

#fictober24 #pathfinder wrath of the righteous #woljif x commander #woljif jefto #wotr commander #oc: ollerus

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adraveins · 3 years ago

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Knight Commander as Companion

(x)

Name: Asahi Lê Tuyen

Race: Aasimar (Angelkin; Human—Gokan, Tian-Dan/Tian-Min)

Class: Shaman (Possessed, with a grumpy zuishin kami named Teki as her spirit) / Bloodrager (Spelleater)

Appearance: Tuyen is an aasimar woman with mixed Tian features, slightly taller than average. Her skin has a bronze metallic sheen to it, and her eyes are a glowing silver. Her black hair is long and usually kept in a loose ponytail. Her halo, when present, resembles a spinning sunburst of ruby and gold and sapphire. Though not immediately apparent when looking directly at her, light behaves oddly around her. Sometimes she appears to have a mirage-like prismatic glow, visible when she moves and best seen out of the corner of one’s eye or when one blinks. Her shadow, similarly, will sometimes shift and change, appearing to have wings or licking flames or not appearing where it should be.

Favored Weapon / Equipment: Bastard sword or heavy mace for melee fighting, longbow for ranged fighting, leather armor

Top Skills: Knowledge (Nature), Persuasion, Trickery

Alignment: Neutral Good

General Personality: Tuyen appears as a very calm and collected person, reserved and dryly humorous. She is compassionate and kind and can usually be found wherever need is greatest. She projects a self-assured and put-together image, but in reality, she is a deeply cynical person full of doubt, anger, and occasional vindictiveness. She keeps herself aloof and does her best to hide her cynicism, rarely opening up and sharing her true feelings, but the effort of maintaining an outwardly calm appearance puts a strain on her. She has low expectations of others and of the world in general, though she rarely acts in an outwardly judgmental manner, and she can often be prideful and sometimes arrogant as a result. She is also more competitive than she lets on and responds well to challenge, and she enjoys the feeling of winning. However, she is strongly motivated by a keen sense of injustice and a desire to combat it wherever she can, and she puts the well-being of others over her own, often to her detriment.

What traits/values do they admire? Compassion, dutifulness, humor, optimism

What traits/values do they disapprove of? Greed, cruelty, blind faith, apathy

What do they think of their role in the Crusades, and of sharing the Commander’s mythic powers? What are their reasons for joining the commander’s party?

Tuyen has journeyed to Avistan to learn about the fight against the Worldwound and to help wherever possible. It is for this reason that she will tolerate a Commander on an evil mythic path as long as the goal is to end the threat of the Worldwound. She is simultaneously wary of and glad for her mythic powers, drawn to the agency they give her but concerned about her own growing anger and taste for power.

Who are their friends among the other party members? What about rivals?

Tuyen, being diplomatic, charismatic, and even-keeled, is generally able to get along with most people well. She will be particularly close with Arueshalae, Ember, and – surprisingly – Regill.

Tuyen and Arueshalae will become very close, with Tuyen understanding Arueshalae’s struggles against her demonic nature and admiring her optimistic way of viewing the mortal world. Tuyen will be very protective of Ember and drawn to her unique way of seeing things, sharing atheism and a similar resentment towards the Upper Planes. There will be some initial friction between Tuyen and Regill, but they will share an odd understanding of each other and a respect for each other’s commitment to duty, and though they will disagree often, it will always be amicable.

Tuyen will also be fond of Seelah, Sosiel, Lann, Nenio, and Woljif, showing a desire to take them under her wing and sometimes acting in a mentorly fashion towards them that can verge towards overbearing, particularly with Woljif and Sosiel. Tuyen will try to bond with Nenio over being from Tian Xia and will grow upset over Nenio's lack of interest in her own origins, though she will come to accept Nenio the way she is and try her best to follow along with Nenio's ideas and ramblings. Tuyen will often spend time with Seelah, as Seelah successfully encourages her to relax, and she will find common ground with Lann over being relatively far from home and feeling like an outsider.

Tuyen will have some friction with Daeran, but it will be clear that they mostly enjoy being sarcastic towards one another, and Tuyen will be adept at handling his more capricious moods. She will respect Greybor while taking a dim view of his profession, though she won’t remark on it often.

Tuyen will highly dislike Camellia and staunchly avoid any of Camellia’s attempts to be friendly and interact with her. Her spirit, Teki, will even comment a few times, sharing the same dislike as his shaman.

Tuyen will have an odd and subtle sort of pity for Wenduag, and Wenduag will dislike her as a result, especially when Tuyen rebuffs her attraction and advances, though Tuyen will otherwise consistently attempt to be friendly with her, much to Wenduag's annoyance.

Are they on any councils? If so, what sort of advice do they give?

Tuyen will initially appear on the Logistics council, but depending on her quest progression, she can switch to the Military council, if pushed towards her Vengeance ending. On the logistics council, she will offer advice that tries to maximize the well-being of as many people as possible and will react negatively to anything that she perceives as furthering greed or harm. On the military council, she will advocate for swift, decisive action that provides the best chance for thoroughly eradicating all forms of evil, though she will not lose her desire to protect others.

Where do they hang out in Drezen? In the Abyss?

In Drezen, on any mythic path except Angel, Tuyen can be found among a group of healers near the temple. In the Abyss, she will be standing next to the Hand of the Inheritor.

On Angel path, Tuyen will be found near the Hand of the Inheritor in Act 3. In Act 5, if she favors her Balanced or Vengeance endings, she will be found near Targona.

What are their idle animations?

Tuyen will fold her arms, rub her head as if she is thinking or something has given her a headache, adjust her ponytail, or bend down to pet her dog familiar.

If they’re taken to Areelu’s lab, what is their dream?

Tuyen will see herself with a blazing halo and five fiery wings, killing a progression of demons, cultists, and mortals that the Commander doesn’t recognize. Tuyen will be unnerved by this and will admit that it’s something she finds herself drawn to, against her better judgment. She will briefly explain that the unknown individuals are people from her past against whom she wants revenge, debtors who took advantage of her family and cultists and rich individuals who preyed on people she knew. She has always felt powerless, but now, with the emergence of her bloodrage and the sharing of the Commander’s mythic power and authority, she has tasted real power and liked it more than she wants to.

Do they advise the Commander to abandon or keep their mythic powers?

Tuyen will approve of the Angel and Azata paths and later Gold Dragon. She will express reservations about Aeon and Trickster, but will encourage the Commander to not listen to higher powers and to instead do what they feel is best. She will disapprove of Demon, Lich, and Devil. Healer Tuyen will approve of Legend, while Vengeance Tuyen will remark that it’s a waste of opportunity. Balanced Tuyen will say that it’s up to the Commander to do what they feel is best.

Tuyen will have a Disapproval counter that will gain points based on certain evil choices the Commander makes. Like all companions, she will leave if the Commander chooses the Swarm mythic path. If her Disapproval counter is maxed out, she will leave if the Commander chooses the Demon, Lich, or Devil mythic path; if the counter is not maxed out, she will remain, but she will automatically be locked out of her Healer ending.

Describe their companion quest:

PROLOGUE

Tuyen will be seen during the prologue's festival, offering to keep an eye on the Commander's wounds until Terendelev arrives. Later, she will be found near the dragon, exchanging dialogue with Terendelev about the dragon rule in her father's native land of Xa Hoi.

ACT 1

Tuyen will be found immediately upon entering the Kenabres Market Square, tending to a group of wounded citizens and defending them from a pack of demons. After the battle, Tuyen will ask the Commander to help the refugees find shelter. This can be accomplished with dialogue telling them to go to the Defender's Heart. Afterward, Tuyen will relay that one of the citizens mentioned another group of refugees trapped in another part of Kenabres and will ask the Commander to help her rescue them. If the Commander agrees, Tuyen will join the party, introducing herself only as a healer and shaman from Tian Xia who came to help in the fight against the Worldwound, and her first quest will begin. If the Commander refuses to help, Tuyen will leave to go and find the refugees herself.

A new location will open up in Kenabres, which the Commander can visit at any time before the closing of Act 1. There, the Commander and Tuyen will find the group of refugees being slaughtered by demons and attempting to fight back. Combat will not ensue; instead, Tuyen will go into a bloodrage and kill the remaining demons herself, quickly and violently. The Commander will need to pass a Mobility check to avoid taking friendly fire and will take substantial damage if failed and minimal damage if successful. Tuyen's dog familiar will suddenly speak, calming Tuyen and the rescued citizens and introducing himself as Teki. The refugees will be grateful but wary of Tuyen and can be sent to Defender's Heart afterwards.

Tuyen will be perturbed by her actions and apologize for accidentally harming the Commander, healing any damage she caused. She will ask to speak to them privately in the tavern. There, she will confess that she discovered her celestial bloodrager abilities some time ago, but that they leave her feeling dangerously out of control. She has always been a pacifist and a healer, and she doesn't know what to think about this sudden taste for violence, though it drove her to make the long journey to Mendev to confront the Abyss. She will share more of her backstory then, relaying that she is supposedly descended on her mother's side from celestials who came to the nation of Tianjing to fight qlippoth from the Abyss. However, when she made a pilgrimage to Tianjiang to see it for herself and possibly discover who her celestial ancestor was, she found the nation woefully unprepared to handle any Abyssal incursions from the rift guarded there. In Tianjing, she also became a possessed shaman after rescuing a kami spirit from the madness of losing its shrine to a qlippoth attack -- her dog familiar is its physical representation. With a successful Lore (Religion) check, the Commander can point out that a dog is not the typical form for a kami like Teki, and Tuyen will explain that Teki assumed that form after bonding with her.

Tuyen's secondary goal is to study the Worldwound and the tactics used against it, to learn what to do -- or what not to do -- and take that information back to Tianjing. The Commander will be able to share their opinion, pushing her towards her Healer ending (the bloodrage is too out of control and dangerous), her Vengeance ending (the bloodrage is a useful tool in the fight against evil, no matter what it takes), or her Balanced ending (the bloodrage can be useful, but she has to find a way to control it). Regardless, Tuyen will want to seek out ways to control it, but will let the matter rest for now. Additionally, the Commander can choose to express surprise that Tuyen does not have a lifetime of combat experience under her belt; Tuyen will confess that she's felt drawn to her bastard sword and been preternaturally gifted at learning combat, which she supposes is from her celestial heritage.

If the Commander initially refuses to help, the same events will play out as a random encounter, and Tuyen will later be found in the tavern. She will be willing to overlook the earlier refusal if it means helping to liberate Kenabres, and she will be recruitable then. If she is not recruited before the second Gray Garrison assault, she will become unavailable.

Tuyen will have special reactions if brought to the Tower of Estrod, fascinated by the living memories of the angels. She will be able to speak to Targona, and the memory of the Hand of the Inheritor will briefly awaken at the sight of her, showing vague recognition before losing awareness once more. A Commander who passes a Perception check will make note of this recognition and point it out to Tuyen. Tuyen will notice the same thing and be troubled by this, but will say little.

ACT 2

Tuyen will not have a personal quest in Act 2. However, she will have two events in the camp, triggered upon resting there. Early in Act 2, she will be found near the healers' tent, helping with the wounded. A soldier infected with strange and twisted Worldwound magic will die in her care, causing her to become upset. The Commander will have options to console her or tell her to pull herself together. Either way, Tuyen will become angry and storm off.

Later, during the second event, Tuyen will be found sparring with members of the Eagle Watch, besting them while seeming to be in a bloodrage-induced trance. With a successful Perception check, the Commander will be able to notice a brief, ghostly afterimage of wings behind her, appearing to be made of fire. Tuyen will leave some soldiers heavily and unnecessarily bruised, but her rage will not appear as destructive. Afterward, she will apologize to the Commander for her earlier behavior and her short temper lately. She will explain that she has learned to call on the bloodrage voluntarily and that it isn't so bad when sparring, but that she still gets overwhelmingly angry when fighting demons. The Commander can suggest that either Tuyen continue to spar and practice calling on the bloodrage (Vengeance ending) or help the clerics at the healers' tent (Healer ending). Alternately, with another successful Perception check, the Commander can point out that Tuyen is using sparring and the bloodrage to hide from the grief of lost patients and the fear of failing them, which Tuyen will acknowledge as true. She will resolve to return to the clerics while using sparring to blow off steam and practice managing her rage (Balanced ending).

Additionally, the Commander will be able to tell her about the wings if the Perception check is passed. A successful Lore (Religion) check will allow the pieces to be put together, if clues have been gathered: the fiery wings, Teki's dog form, the inexplicable skill with the bastard sword, the Hand of the Inheritor's recognition in the Tower of Estrod, and even the vengeful rage towards the Abyss. All of it is reminiscent of the empyreal lord Ragathiel, the General of Vengeance. Tuyen will be surprised and further troubled by this and will appear not to believe it, saying that there is no way to prove it true or false.

During the gargoyle attack on the camp, Tuyen will be found defending the healers' tent from gargoyles. Unlike her first quest, she will appear overwhelmed and in need of help, and the Commander will need to intervene. Tuyen will briefly explain that she was trying not to rely on the bloodrage for strength, feeling herself slipping out of control when confronted with the enemy and being worried about causing harm she didn't intend, but the results were not what she wanted. She will berate herself for the stupid idea and resolve to use whatever rage necessary to rescue the kidnapped soldiers. If the Commander encourages this (Vengeance ending), Tuyen will eliminate a few extra enemies at the Lost Chapel outside of combat, at the cost of demons swiftly killing a few hostages. If the Commander encourages caution (Balanced and Healer endings), the Lost Chapel will proceed like normal.

After the Lost Chapel, the Commander will be able to talk to Tuyen about the event in the camp: commending her caution (Healer ending), agreeing that it was a foolish thing to do in the middle of a fight (Vengeance ending), or pointing out the help she provided in the Lost Chapel, both cutting down the enemy and healing the wounded (Balanced ending).

ACT 3

Tuyen's Act 3 quest will start after the Hand of the Inheritor arrives, either early on Angel path or after the Ivory Sanctum on all other paths. Tuyen will wish to speak with the Hand, but will be uncharacteristically unsure of herself, asking the Commander to come along and formally introduce them. If the Commander has previously deduced that Tuyen may be a descendant of Ragathiel, the Hand will confirm it; otherwise, he will reveal that he has suspected the nature of her lineage since he first saw her.

Tuyen hopes that the Hand will have advice on how to manage her bloodrage. The Hand will reveal that Ragathiel also struggles with wrathful impulses and suggests that Tuyen follow in her ancestor’s footsteps, explaining that Ragathiel underwent many trials to earn Heaven’s trust and thus sharpened his resolve and commitment to the light on the whetstone of conflict.

Later, if Tuyen has any points towards her Balanced or Healer endings, she will express doubts about this to the Commander and ask their opinion. The Commander’s answers will be able to reinforce her Balanced, Healer, or Vengeance endings. Tuyen will say that she will think about it, and the quest will end.

If Tuyen only has Vengeance points, she will not have doubts. Instead, she will invite the Commander to raid a demonic nest that one of her patients told her about, where the patient’s father was killed. The patient had been injured while trying to reach it and had not achieved vengeance for his father’s death, and Tuyen wishes to secure revenge on her patient’s behalf. A new location will become available, and killing the demons and cultists within will finish the quest. This will lock Tuyen out of her Healer ending, though her Balanced ending will still be available. Alternately, the Commander can decline to allow the raid, and the quest will still be completed, while all three endings will remain available.

ACT 4

Tuyen’s Act 4 quest will trigger after the Commander visits the Fleshmarkets for the first time. The Hand of the Inheritor will inform the Commander that Tuyen has been sneaking off into Alushinyrra alone. He is unwilling to leave the Commander’s side, but worries for Tuyen and asks the Commander to figure out where Tuyen is going.

Her destination depends on which ending counter has the most points, and the Commander will be able to follow Tuyen secretly or else confront her openly. A Tuyen who favors Healer will sneak off into the streets of Alushinyrra in an attempt to help any trapped mortals that she can find in the city, bringing them stolen food and tending to their wounds while plotting to help them escape the Abyss, contracting with the airship pilot Mielarah. A Tuyen who favors Vengeance will sneak off to the Battlebliss arena to fight and kill demons. A Tuyen who favors Balance will sneak off to the Fleshmarkets to help plan escapes for slaves before they are sold and plot the killing of the slave masters, contracting with the Pathfinder Society.

If followed, the Commander will track Tuyen to her destination. If confronted, Tuyen will relent and show the Commander what she has been up to. Whether followed or confronted, the Commander will have the option to participate, either negotiating with Mielarah/the Pathfinder Society and ferrying a few mortals into their care or engaging in a Battlebliss fight.

Afterwards, Tuyen will confess that she kept it a secret because she was determined to follow her impulses but didn’t want to jeopardize the mission by involving the Commander more than necessary. The Commander will be able to point out that it seems more like Tuyen simply didn’t trust them enough to share any information. Tuyen will admit that this is true and say that she didn’t want to share the dark thoughts and helpless anger that being in the Abyss has exacerbated within her, that none of the Commander’s, the party’s, or the Hand’s support has actually helped her to tame the rage or any of the pessimistic thoughts she secretly harbors about the world. She will admit that she feels as if evil is an insurmountable force and that if she doesn’t do something to combat it, she will slip into despair. It even took her a long time to believe that the Commander’s crusade had a chance of being successful, though she will say that the Commander has helped her to feel genuine optimism for the first time in a long time.

The Commander’s reaction to this can add points towards Tuyen’s Healer, Vengeance, or Balanced endings. The Commander can ultimately suggest that perhaps Tuyen needs to acknowledge why she is so angry and pessimistic before she can learn to control it, that perhaps the bloodrage itself isn’t actually the problem, and no one’s solutions or opinions will help as much as she wants. The Commander can also assure her that her fears and dark thoughts don't make her any less capable or valued by the party.

At this point, the party will be ambushed. On Healer path and Vengeance path, this will be because someone recognized Tuyen as a descendant of Ragathiel and seeks revenge against the spawn of a hated angelic foe, despite Tuyen taking pains to conceal her identity. On Balanced path, this will be because a few slaves have already been helped to safety, but another slave ratted Tuyen out.

After the battle, a Healer Tuyen will worry that her lineage and actions have made the Commander and the party a bigger target. A Vengeance Tuyen will be incensed about the attack. A Balanced Tuyen will be perturbed and say that she thinks she knows who betrayed her, but she will not share the information and decides not to pursue the issue. She will say that she thinks she knows how to get a handle on her anger too, but she will need time to think about it. If the Commander has not already done so, Tuyen will ask them to free the rest of the slaves and kill everyone else in the Fleshmarkets. Whether or not the Commander chooses to do so, the quest will end.

On Angel path, Tuyen will intercede on the Commander’s behalf when the Hand expresses his doubts after the visit to Nocticula’s palace, chiding him for turning to despair so quickly and saying that she understands, but he must not give up on their mission.

ACT 5

Tuyen’s Act 5 quest will incorporate the quest to rescue the Hand of the Inheritor. It will begin with Tuyen begging the Commander to do whatever it takes to save him. Teki, as a zuishin kami, will be able to unlock the front doors of the Ineluctable Prison, and Tuyen will have special reactions and interactions there. As long as Tuyen is not Healer-leaning, she will demonstrate a fearsome rage that is nonetheless under her control. As part of her quest, and if Tuyen does not favor her Healer ending, the Commander will have the option to destroy certain sections of the Prison with the blessing and favor of Ragathiel.

If the Hand is not saved, Tuyen will be locked out of her Healer ending entirely and locked into her Vengeance ending, unless her Balanced counter has been maxed out. If the Hand is saved, Tuyen's ending will depend on which counter has the most points.

If she favors Healer, she will ask to talk to the Commander after the Prison and explain that the rage and all it entails is not something she wishes to embrace. She is determined to suppress it and deny her wish for power, and she is committed to healing first. She has felt the bloodrage powers ebbing since they returned from the Abyss. She will not be able to take any more levels in any class except shaman, but will acquire extra spell slots, abilities, and channels of energy.

If she favors Vengeance, she will tell the Commander that she has decided to embrace her lineage and bloodrage, that she has felt the call to fight against fiends and evil for a long time and is tired of resisting it and resenting it. She will gain extra bloodrager abilities and chances to rage per rest, but her heal spells will be affected by penalties.

If she favors Balanced, she will explain to the Commander that her anger stems from her childhood and her heritage. Her father was an indentured servant chained by debt, no better than a slave, while her mother’s family had fled the fall of their country and been denied a home no matter where they went, until they reached the other side of the continent and were relegated to the slums of Goka. Tuyen’s birth as an aasimar should have been auspicious, but it never lifted her family out of poverty and never freed her father from indentured servitude. She has resented her heritage for a long time as a result, but mostly what she resented was being powerless. Between the bloodrage and the mythic powers, however, she isn’t powerless anymore. She’s come to understand that the resentment drives her and reminds her of her duty to help other mortals, but she has to move forward and use the power her heritage gives her for good, whether that means killing a foe or healing a friend. She can stay angry and want power, but it has to be productive anger on behalf of those who need it. She will gain a special ability to summon her aasimar wings twice per rest, which will increase her movement speed, add fire damage to her attacks and a +4 dodge bonus to AC, and make her immune to fire, the staggered condition, and difficult terrain.

Ultimately, she will thank the Commander for helping her to believe that it is possible to make a difference against the evils of the world (if the Commander is on an evil path themselves, Tuyen will wryly remark that sometimes it takes another evil that will then need to be stopped), and the quest will end.

Are they romanceable? Describe their romance quest/scenes if you want!

Tuyen is romanceable by a female Commander on Angel or Azata Path only. This will not change if the Commander switches to Gold Dragon or Legend. However, if an Azata Commander switches to Devil, Tuyen will break up with them.

If neither Tuyen nor Arueshalae are romanced by the Commander, they can enter into a relationship in Act 5 with some encouragement from the Commander, provided that Arueshalae remains uncorrupted and both of them remain in the party.

Tuyen’s romance will unlock in Act 2, if the Commander has previously chosen flirtatious dialogue options and expressed interest. Teki's dog form will approach the Commander independently and ask a series of mysterious questions somewhere between riddles and interrogation. With a successful Perception check, the Commander can suspect that Teki's intentions are due to their romantic interest in Tuyen, but Teki will refuse to explain himself and leave.

Later in Act 2, Tuyen will approach the Commander and apologize for Teki's behavior, assuring them that Teki likes them very much and is just ornery. She will ask if the Commander is really interested in spending more time together. If the answer is yes, she will grow thoughtful, then invite the Commander to join her outside the camp when they have time, so that she can show them something.

When the Commander initiates this, Tuyen will lead them some distance outside the camp and introduce them to some of the local spirits. She will explain that, here in the Worldwound, it is more difficult to find spirits willing to communicate like so, because their home has been corrupted by the Abyssal incursion, and she will explain a little more about how she bonded with Teki after he similarly lost his previous ward to the Abyss. However, the spirits that she introduces to the Commander are hardy and enduring, and Tuyen will offer to teach the Commander how to call on them for help. After this scene, the Commander will have access to the Wandering Spirit ability. The scene will conclude with Tuyen agreeing to give a relationship a try, though she will tease that anything more than simple dates will have to wait until the Commander suitably impresses her.

Tuyen will become noticeably warmer and more open in her interactions with the Commander after her romance has been initiated, though she will lose interest if the Commander chooses a mythic path that is not Angel or Azata. If Angel or Azata is chosen, Tuyen will later declare that she has been suitably impressed and initiate a kiss, securing the romance. Afterward, many quests, including Tuyen’s personal quests, will have special romantic interactions.

In Act 3, Tuyen will come to the Commander with a request: she often spends time among the healers and in Drezen’s infirmaries, and she thinks the sick and wounded will benefit from a visit from the Commander. If the Commander agrees to go, the crusade will receive a permanent +5 bonus to morale, and a scene will play out in which the Commander can interact with wounded crusaders and with Tuyen and Teki. After, Tuyen will thank the Commander for going, but she will seem strangely troubled, though she will brush it off if asked.

Later in Act 3, Tuyen will approach the Commander again. She will ask them to go for a walk with her, and on the walk, she will ask about the Commander’s interests and have class-specific questions for the Commander to answer. Teki will be particularly active during this scene as well. It will be a pleasant date, but Tuyen will again seem slightly troubled, though she will agree to sex if the Commander asks and will have a humorous scene where she instructs Teki to inhabit a doorway some distance away from the Commander’s room, in order to give them some privacy. After the fade to black, the Commander will be able to ask if anything is bothering Tuyen, but she will be evasive.

Later, Teki will once again approach the Commander independently with more cryptic questions. This time, the Commander will be able to push for a clearer answer, and Teki will admit that Tuyen is worrying him. He will not explain much, but he will say that Tuyen struggles with trust and intimacy, and Teki worries that it’s because of him. He will ask the Commander to be patient with her.

The Commander will have the option to bring this up to Tuyen. If so, Tuyen will grow angry, and she and Teki will have a brief argument, but Tuyen will calm down and apologize. She will admit that she’s never had many friends, let alone lovers, and she doesn’t know how to open up, let alone share all the truly pessimistic thoughts in her head. She won’t say much about that, but she will admit that she worries about balancing her bond with Teki and her romantic relationship. She will ask if the Commander feels left out by not being able to experience the same intimacy that a shaman and their spirit does, and the Commander can answer as they see fit. Regardless, Tuyen will reaffirm that she really does care for the Commander and has enjoyed the time they’ve spent together, and that she would like to grow closer. She will ask the Commander for time before she’s ready to talk about everything else bothering her, but she will say that having this talk has made her feel better.

In Act 4, her quest will be altered by the romance and will feature a chance for the Commander to experience Teki's direct support, as the ambush will target the Commander in particular, and Tuyen will send Teki to protect them. The ambush will play out as a scripted interaction instead, and the Commander will be able to call on Teki and the other spirits that followed them from the Material Plane, interacting with them and directing the course of the battle like a particularly mythic shaman would. After this, the Commander's Wandering Spirit ability will gain a permanent bonus, and Tuyen will later ask how the Commander liked the experience. She will say that it felt strange to be separated from Teki, even for a few minutes, but she wanted to make sure the Commander was safe.

Another romance scene will trigger after Tuyen's quest has been completed. She will apologize to the Commander for going behind their back and will promise that it won’t happen again, then ask if they can do something fun together, as the Abyss is getting to her and she wants to make sure that the Commander is taking breaks. A Vengeance-leaning Tuyen will initiate a sparring match, and afterwards, she will be pleased that she didn’t accidentally hurt the Commander this time. A Healer-leaning Tuyen will initiate a “spa day” for the Commander, or demonstrating non-magical healing practices learned from her family from Chu Ye -- a special restorative meal and massage techniques, with a little bonus from the spirits. A Balanced-leaning Tuyen will initiate a game of chance popular in her hometown of Goka, refereed by Teki and the Hand of the Inheritor if he is still present, and she will show her competitive and mischievous side. Either way, Tuyen will use the opportunity to once again thank the Commander for helping to instill a sense of optimism within her. She will be much more honest about her fears and struggles, but she will say that they don’t weigh so heavily on her anymore.

When the Commander is kidnapped in the Battlebliss arena, Tuyen will express her worry and a fair amount of anger afterwards, which the Commander will be able to calm.

In Act 5, a brief romance scene will play out after the return from the Abyss and the meeting with Iomedae, Nocticula, and Areelu. Tuyen will react to the Commander’s mythic choices and will then express her distress and sorrow about the Hand of the Inheritor’s capture, admitting that she is feeling dangerously close to spiraling into a rage. The Commander will be able to reassure her/help her in a variety of ways, which will segue into opening Tuyen’s Act 5 quest.

After the Ineluctable Prison, Tuyen will have one more romance scene. Depending on whether the Hand has been saved or not, Tuyen will either playfully or pensively approach the Commander for sex. She will be honest and upfront about what she is feeling, based on her ending counter and the outcome of the Prison, but as long as the Hand has been saved, Tuyen will come across as much more secure and forward, and she will indulge freely in her humorous side, to Teki’s delight, before she once again banishes him to a distant doorway for the night.

At Threshold, Tuyen will reaffirm her feelings once more and express her gratitude towards and love for the Commander, remarking that for the first time, she has no doubts that they will win and things will work out for both of them.

What would their ending slides be like?

Tuyen will have three possible endings with variations: Healer, Vengeance, and Balanced.

Healer: Tuyen will recommit to her pacifist ideals and return to Tian Xia. However, she will find herself too restless to remain, either in her hometown of Goka or her ancestral homeland of Tianjing. She will go on to establish a traveling order of healers dedicated to assisting at disaster sites, helping the displaced, and tending to spirits in need, and she will gain renown for her spiritual prowess, her compassion, and her incredible acts of healing. If Tuyen did not leave the Commander due to mythic path choice, and if the Commander is still alive/not ascended, she will return often to visit the Commander and other companions or join them on their travels, though she will forever shy away from violence unless absolutely necessary, and she will never stay in one place for too long. If her questline is not completed, while the Hand of the Inheritor is saved and the Commander chooses a good/neutral mythic path, this will be Tuyen's default ending, with an addendum that she eventually fades into obscurity while her organization lives on.

Vengeance: Tuyen will return to Tianjing and help to muster the populace against the qlippoth rift. She will gain enough popularity and support there to eventually join Tianjing's advisory council, and she will push Tianjing in a more warlike direction, turning the eyes of its warriors on other Tian nations beset and enslaved by evil forces and oppression, which will lock parts of Tian Xia into conflict for many years. If she did not leave the Commander due to mythic path choice, and if the Commander is still alive/not ascended, Tuyen’s meetings with the Commander and other companions will be rare, though she will remain on good terms with them. After her death, Tuyen will ascend into Ragathiel’s court and become one of his most fearsome angelic warriors. If her questline is not completed, while the Hand of the Inheritor is not saved and/or the Commander chooses an evil mythic path, this will be her default ending, with an addendum that she dies an earlier death in battle against fiends.

Balanced: Tuyen will return to Tianjing and help to muster the populace against the qlippoth rift. Despite her popularity there, she will not stay afterwards, choosing to return to Goka in order to root out several cults and corrupt debtors. Afterward, the romantic interest of Goka's current Empress in Tuyen will enter into stories and legend, but Tuyen will decline her advances. She will use her various alliances and achievements to establish several hospitals across Tian Xia dedicated especially to refugees, then do the same in Avistan, strengthening ties between the two continents. She will run this hospital network for a time, then retire to spend time with friends made along the way and hunt down fiendish and mortal threats across Golarion.

If the Hand of the Inheritor is saved and chooses exile, there will be rumors that Tuyen and a disguised Hand are sometimes seen in each other’s company. If the Hand of the Inheritor is not saved, Tuyen’s Vengeance or Balanced ending slides will have an addendum that she often comes into conflict with and hunts down Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth, killing many of them and earning Baphomet’s particular ire.

If Tuyen and Arueshalae enter into a romantic relationship, their slides will reflect this. In Tuyen's Vengeance or Balanced endings, Arueshalae will settle down where Tuyen does. In Tuyen's Healer ending, Tuyen will visit Arueshalae often, and Arueshalae will assist in her order's efforts.

If Tuyen is romanced by the Commander, her Healer ending will change, and she will eventually settle in her wanderings, choosing instead to follow where the Commander goes. In her Vengeance ending, she will grow distant from a Commander who chooses to travel, and will have Tianjing form a strong alliance with a Commander who chooses to rule Drezen, but the relationship will eventually cool there too. In her Balanced ending, her relationship with the Commander will remain strong and enduring, even when they are apart.

If Tuyen ascends with the Commander, Healer Tuyen will be unsure of her new divine role and will often spend time with Qi Zhong and Irori, while avoiding Heaven as much as possible. She will always tend to Golarion and form a powerful portfolio of community, healing, and good. Eventually she will become the god of kami as well, easing the rigid rules that govern their existence, spreading their influence across Golarion, and coming into conflict with the oni. She will be revered by healers and those mortals who worship and commune with spirits.

Vengeance and ascended Tuyen will often spend time in Heaven among Ragathiel's court and, over time, will lose much interest in Golarion in favor of combating the Lower Planes. She will develop a portfolio of righteous wrath, war, destruction, and liberation, becoming a favorite of the oppressed and disenfranchised.

Balanced and ascended Tuyen will be restless in her new divine role, and never quite at home, but she will throw herself into figuring it out. She will often be found in the company of Iomedae, Sarenrae, Milani, and Shizuru, will spend time learning from Ragathiel, and will develop a portfolio of protection, liberation, healing, destruction, sun, and good. She will be much favored by shamans, clerics, healers, refugees, leaders striving to do good, and those who wish to protect the weak.

An ascended Tuyen who is romanced by the Commander or enters a romance with Arueshalae will have an addendum that immortality doesn't lessen her devotion to either, and even Vengeance Tuyen will remain a staunch companion of the Commander.

Any other fun facts?

Tuyen will have special interactions with the Hand of the Inheritor, since she is descended from his former master, Ragathiel, and is seeking information about her heritage. After her first conversation with him, she will always be found standing near him when he is present. The Commander will be able to eavesdrop on and participate in their conversations about legacy, the past, duty, and the mortal world. The Commander will automatically gain/lose five points of the Hand’s trust based on the absence/presence of Tuyen’s disapproval.

Teki will have a few interactions with the Hand as well, in which he will be humorously rude and dismissive. However, if asked, he will admit that it is because he is old and grouchy and still angry that his former shrine fell to the qlippoth. He will also admit that kami are notoriously jealous, but he will say that he is glad that Tuyen is making so many friends, even if they include overbearingly righteous angels.

Teki will also have some notable interactions with Ember and Soot, acting oddly respectful towards Soot and begrudgingly tolerating the fact that Ember frequently wants to pet him.

On Angel path, if the Commander chooses the option that earns the crusade the favor of Ragathiel, Ragathiel’s messenger will briefly interact with Tuyen and express the empyreal lord’s approval of her regardless of ending counter, which will leave her flustered.

If present in the party, Tuyen and Teki will react strongly and negatively to the shaman in Wintersun and will kill the woman themselves if the Commander does not intervene, and they will have special interactions with the bear, in which Tuyen will be deeply distressed and compassionate and lack her usual anger towards fiendish creatures.

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And I didn’t do the barks and examples of dialogue because this is already monstrously long as it is!

#pathfinder wrath of the righteous #this is over 7k words. good lord #if you read all of this i'm blowing you a big kiss #pathfinder #oc: tuyen #mine: pathfinder

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