Balaam

Balaam

Player Name	Geoffrey
Relatives	Jermaine (adoptive father, deceased) Maralise (adoptive mother, deceased) Edward (adoptive brother, deceased)
Languages	Common, Draconic, Orc, Primordial
Aliases	The Scapegoat The Bearer of Sins The Burdened One
Marital Status	Single
Place of Birth	Unknown
Place of Death	Dis
Species	Cursed Goatman (mechanically Half-Orc)
Height	7'
Weight	160 lbs
Eye Color	Bleak Black

Balaam is a Cursed Goatman (mechanically Half-Orc) Ancestral Guardian Barbarian in the Paragon Protocol D&D 5e campaign.

Physical Appearance

Balaam is a hulking humanoid standing at 7 feet tall. Their entire body is covered in ashen grey fur and they generally wear simple, tattered brown robes. They have large, backward-sweeping and forward-curving goat horns and two dark grey hooves for feet as a result of the Curse of Sin. Their limbs are long and lanky, which conceals their true immense strength.

Personality

Despite Balaam's large and intimidating size, they are generally quiet and keep to themselves. The Curse of Sin has tormented them so much that they prefer isolating themselves to avoid being overwhelmed by the sight of sinners.

As he took on more infernal aspects while in the Hells, Balaam became more and more reckless and willing to throw himself in the way of danger to make sure his friends safe.

History

The Scapegoat is a wandering tormented spirit who is cursed to bear the sins and burdens of those they encounter. As a newborn, they were left on the doorstep of a shepherd's family in the village of Wispwater. The family, consisting of Jermaine, Maralise, and Edward, took the child in and raised them as their own, giving them the name Joss. Joss lived a fairly normal childhood, learning how to tend the goats in Jermaine's flock and became friends with a wisp spirit named Lucia.

On the eve of Joss' 25th birthday, a group called the Cult of Sin arrived in Wispwater, taking over the village and claiming that everyone was marked as a sinner. However, they could all be freed of their sins if they partook in a strange ritual. The cult leader singled out Joss and their adoptive family, claiming that Joss' ancestors angered the gods by committing the first sins, and that they would become scapegoats to free the village. Edward was sacrificed upon an altar as one of the scapegoats, while the Cult slew the villagers and forced their souls into Joss' body to turn them into the other scapegoat. There appears to be some truth to the story told by the Cult of Sin, as Joss underwent a horrific change that turned them into a goat-like beastman, before being thrown off of a cliff and left for dead.

As they lay dying on the ground, Joss was quickly tormented by the spirits that were bound to them. While some of the souls were innocent, there were truly sinful spirits that were greatly empowered by the ritual, who took the opportunity to manipulate Joss into doing their own bidding. Slowly, Joss lost their sense of identity as they began to truly believe that they were cursed to be a scapegoat. The only thing Joss saw wherever they looked at anyone was the mark of a sinner. In an effort to prevent anyone from being hurt, Joss retreated into isolation, eventually forgetting their own name as the spirits began to whisper another name: Balaam.

One day, Balaam fell deathly ill and assumed that their end was coming. However, they woke up instead in an small hut, having been found by a blind elderly lady who stumbled upon them while picking herbs. Balaam's first instinct was to run, but there was something different about this lady. She did not seem to be marked, nor was Balaam compelled to carry any sort of burden from her. Over several days, Balaam begin to trust and help Theresa, the Blind Lady, with her everyday tasks, yet always kept what they became a secret from her.

Despite Balaam's best efforts, they were still discovered by people when they were caught in a hunter's net while foraging. However, they were set free by a wandering priest took pity, telling them about how there were strange events recently and a certain archangel named Gabriel was seeking people to help investigate something...

Read The Story of the Paragon Protocol to follow Balaam's story.

Tragically, Balaam's tale would not have a happy ending. After he and the Hellraisers successfully defeated the archduke of Dis, Dispater using the Blister Hulks, large infernal war machines, provided by the engineering devil Belphegor, they were suddenly beset by angelic warriors from Mt. Celestia. Balaam, knowing that his allies were weak from the battle, and understanding the unsurmountable force below them, knew there was only one way his friends would survive.

While his friends retreated, Balaam confronted the archangel Gabriel directly in a climactic battle, infernal iron clashing against celestial steel. But Balaam knew it wouldn't be enough as his Blister Hulk was torn apart piece by piece, leaving Balaam exposed as Gabriel impaled Balaam on his celestial blade. Balaam called upon the last of his strength, giving into the fiendish magics of the Hells to strike at Gabriel one last time, catching Gabriel across the side of the head with his scythe and scarring the beautiful face of the archangel. With his last sign of defiance marked upon the flesh of the angel, Balaam was content as Gabriel beheaded Balaam.

Relationships

The Hellraisers

Sent by Gabriel, Balaam traveled with the Hellraisers across the planes searching for the truth of what happened to the River Styx.

• Aivan Factorovich
• Aliria Servine
• Nyrgoth
• Endine di Valpadana
• Sylphine Nightfall

Grandmother Theresa

After falling ill, Balaam was taken in by the kind of woman Grandmother Theresa. Balaam would return the favor by assisting the blind old woman with chores around her quant cottage. Balaam would become protective of the old woman and even form a strange bond with her pet, a small black goat named Billy.

But while traveling through the Hells, Balaam would learn the surprising truth that Grandmother Theresa was a powerful witch! Indeed grandmother Theresa wasn't as helpless as she appeared, being part of an ancient witch coven called the Cloven Coven, and operating a magical portal in the Iron City of Dis that led to her cottage, with the entrance disguised as a small teashop.

From Grandmother Theresa Balaam would learn the truth about the Curse of Sin and its origins relating to the lost giant goddess Othea. Through this curse Balaam was connected to the goddess and served as a bridge for spirits from the Ethereal Plane.

Gabriel

Balaam first met Gabriel when the archangel summoned Balaam and the rest of the heroes that would eventually join together as the Hellraisers to Mt. Celestia. Gabriel promised Balaam a miracle that would free him of the curse of sin and once again make him a normal human. While Balaam accepted Gabriel's offer and joined on the mission to the Hells, he remained skeptical about the angels motives.

In his last moments, he made sure to disrespect the archangel and show that he would rather be damned to the Hells then submit to Gabriel.

Languages

Balaam can speak four languages: Common, Draconic, Orc, and Primordial. The latter three languages are a result of the Curse of Sin.

Powers and Abilities

The Curse of Sin manifests in the form of sinner spirits that surround Balaam. This also provides them with abilities that make them incredibly resilient.

Being a Cursed Goatman has given Balaam Darkvision and a Menacing aura that makes them extremely intimidating. They are also granted Relentless Endurance that lets them survive normally fatal wounds in combat. Additionally, the Curse causes Balaam to have Savage Attacks that can critically wound.

Balaam can channel the Curse of Sin in the form of Rage. This empowers their Strength, makes them more resilient to physical damage, and deal more damage with melee attacks, but prevents them from casting any spells as it muddles their mind. They can shrug off attacks with Unarmored Defense, and have heightened reflexes that provide them with a Danger Sense when avoiding dexterity-related effects. Balaam can also perform Reckless Attacks to increase the chances of hitting an enemy at the expense of opening up their own defenses. They are also surprisingly nimble, having Fast Movement, a Feral Instinct that lets them act faster and avoid being surprised if they immediately Rage, and being able to Instinctively Pounce on an enemy upon Raging. The Curse also amplifies their attacks to inflict Brutal Critical wounds and resist fatal wounds through Relentless Rage as the spirits keep Balaam alive.

Despite being a constant torment, Balaam can use the spirits from the Curse of Sin as Ancestral Protectors who can torment an enemy, making it harder to hit and damage anyone else other than Balaam when they are Raging. They can also form a Spirit Shield that reduces the damage taken by someone. In times of peace, the spirits can also provide an Augury or Clairvoyance into the future.

The Curse of Sin influences Balaam to be a Sentinel, locking down enemies who attempt to leave their range or perform a retaliatory blow if they attack an ally. Additionally, they are a Great Weapon Master that can attempt to sacrifice accuracy for damage when attacking an enemy.

Infernal Corruption

Through their ordeals in the Hells, Balaam has been exposed to Infernal Corruption that amplifies their abilities at the cost of turning them more devil-like. Additionally, Balaam can act as a Scapegoat and take on Infernal Corruption in place of others. As he continued his journeys through the Hells, Balaam would slowly let more and more of this corruption into hos body. While he gained new and fantastical abilities, Balaam also began to lose more of himself, having to carefully balance the power granted to him by the infernal corruption while maintain his own mortality. At one point after Balaam was felled in battle, his infernal corruption almost took over completely and turn him into a fiend. But thankfully Balaam was saved and managed to resist giving in. But when he was about to meet his demise at the end of Gabriel's blade, Balaam threw all caution out of the window and gave in completely to fight the archangel by transforming into a fiend.

Infernal Fortitude:

Whenever Balaam kills a creature, they are able to absorb some of the life force to bolster themselves.

Poison Breath (Maelephant):

Balaam absorbed the Essence of a Maelephant after killing one in Ironfell Prison. Puffs of poisonous gas emerge from Balaam's nose whenever they exhale, which they can use offensively at enemies once a day.

Infernal Chains (Zuul):

Balaam absorbed the Essence of Zuul after slaying the Chain Devil Warden of Ironfell Prison. Zuul's Essence manifests as flesh-chains that form from Balaam's arms, which can be used to attack or restrain a creature at range.

Reach:

After nearly being killed during Elytria's execution, Balaam decided to willingly Corrupt themselves in order to better protect the party. Their arms are more elongated, which increases their melee reach and makes grappling a creature easier.

Devilish Charm:

Balaam took on this level of Corruption unconsciously when Aliria was attempting the read through the Book of the Dead. This Corruption has given Balaam more devilish features, but has also gifted them with a devil's Expertise in Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion while also being able to Charm a Monster once per day.

Equipment

Greataxe (+1):

Balaam carries around a large scythe (mechanically a greataxe) as their weapon.

Belt of (Hill) Giant Strength:

This Belt manifested from the Ritual of Sin, which greatly empowers Balaam's strength.

Ring of Protection:

Balaam acquired a Ring of Protection from Ramses of the Sinner's League when the party was making preparations on Dumaal.

Golden Emblem of the Dragon Queen (Evolving Item):

After Onath of the Venomseer Twins was slain, Balaam claimed their gauntlets as their own. The Emblem allows Balaam to Absorb Elements and empower one of their attacks with elemental damage.

The Emblem evolved to Stage 2 after they were used more often. It now instills Draconic Fear when Balaam attempts Intimidation and deals more damage when empowering an attack.

Javelin of Lightning:

The Javelin of Lightning was purchased from the Mammart aboard Mammon's Golden Galleon.

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