Class Chronicles

Subject: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:39 am

Though this would be useful topic.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Warlocks, Part 1 by Eytan Bernstein Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:40 am

Warlocks, Part 1 by Eytan Bernstein In the Realms, there are a number of possible supernatural origins for warlocks. The most common is an infernal source such as the fallen archdevil demigod Gargauth or the archdevils Asmodeus and Mephistopheles. These individuals represent the majority of warlocks and are, with rare exceptions, almost universally evil.

A small number of warlocks derive their powers from fey pacts and bloodlines. These most commonly arise from pacts with the unseelie courtiers of the Queen of Air and Darkness, but other sources exist as well. A small band of shadar-kai warlocks has been spotted along the Golden Way near Telflamm.

Elven powers native to Faerûn also have spawned warlocks. The chaotic energies of the deteriorating Sildëyuir have affected the births of a small number of Star Elves, creating powerful magical defenders. Led by their indomitable leader, Pherix Traeleth, they act as a defensive bridge between the Yuirwood and the Sildëyuir plane, fending off incursions on both ends.

A coven of fey'ri warlocks derive their power from an ancient pact with the fallen solar Malkizid. Despite the near decimation of the daemonfey army, most of these warlocks survived. They fled after being defeated by the armies of Lord Seiveril Miritar, then attempted to pick up lives halted by thousands of years of imprisonment.

Warlocks are present among a number of the planetouched races of Faerûn. Many tieflings who descended from infernal powers pursue dark invocations, though abyssal tiefling warlocks exist as well. A small coven of worghest warlocks is known to exist in the Mines of Tethyamar. Scholars believe that they derive their powers from a pact with the mammoth greater barghest known as Tarkomang. There are even rumors of warlock bloodlines among the celadrin in Cormanthor.

For those who wish to incorporate this lore into their games without introducing the warlock class, here is an alternative. With small changes, many of these individuals and groups could be sorcerous bloodlines. The rules for heritor/heritage feats allow these sorcerers to exhibit powers and qualities characteristic of their otherworldly origins but without the need to take levels in the warlock class.

Infernal Origins
Infernal Affinity
Your infernal abilities are more potent against good opponents.
Prerequisite: Evil outsider or Fiendish Heritage, Ability to use lesser invocations
Benefits: Good aligned creatures suffer a -1 penalty on saving throws against your eldritch blasts and invocations. Good aligned outsiders and those with an aura of good suffer a -3 penalty on saving throws against your eldritch blasts and invocations.

Among all those likely to foster warlock bloodlines, none are more enthusiastic than archdevils (for more information archdevils, consult Fiendish Codex II They enjoy sowing corruption and extending tendrils of control by spreading their bloodline and making pacts with Faerûnian mortals. While the most frequent archdevils trying their hands in these ventures are Mephistopheles and Asmodeus, pacts and bloodlines are fostered by most of the other archdevils.

The Black Star

Glasya, daughter of Asmodeus and slayer of the Hag Countess, is one of the most frequent employers of warlock pacts after Asmodeus and Mephistopheles. Through her agent, a Paeliryon known as Oagnuxthiode, she has cultivated a small coven of warlocks know as the Black Star in Zhentil Keep. The coven secretly lairs within the sewers and basements of Zhentil Keep, plotting for control of the city and the Black Network. An erinyes known as Eshaeris leads them in their manipulations and dark deeds, both as a game to pass her time and as a set of cards to play against her rivals, Fzoul Chembryl and Scyllua Darkhope. Eshaeris is a patient creature, and the Black Star shares this quality, using the insidious talents of its members to conquer one merchant or lordling at a time. Thus it slowly builds its power base in the city. In particular, the coven seeks to supplant members of the Zhentarim in order that they might control the organization and spread its aims toward the ultimate goal: political and economic conquest of Faerûn.

History: The Black Star is a young pact assembled of diabolist warlocks united by Eshaeris (Mysteries of the Moonsea) in her guise as Lady Desmonda. Along with Yanser Vorath, she brought together influential and wealthy worshippers of Cyric and other deities cast aside by Bane's return, and trained them in the darkest of powers, focusing upon guile and persuasion, breeding a band of assassins and cultists. Only Vorath knows her true nature. Others in the cult know her only as Lady Desmonda, Vorath's mistress (just as she is mistress to many in the city).

After her role in the overthrow of Lord Orgauth and her subsequent "fall from grace," Eshaeris worked to frustrate the schemes of Fzoul Chembryl whenever possible. With Scyllua Darkhope unavailable (because of engagements elsewhere in Faerun), Eshaeris turned her attention toward corrupting Rassendyl, ruler of Mulmaster, in the hope of furthering her effort against Fzoul. Members of the pact and Eshaeris herself make clandestine visits to Mulmaster, securing the ruler's favor with bribes and will-enslaving powers. Vorath, however, dares even more -- not only does he plan to betray Eshaeris to her enemies but also to ascend beyond the bounds of humanity and attain a sliver of godhood, becoming the baneson reborn. With Eshaeris and the rest of the coven occupied in Mulmaster, there is no limit to Vorath's betrayal.

Current Activities: Vorath manages the day-to-day leadership of the pact and decides which merchants to intimidate, which noble families to manipulate, and the like. He has an excellent head for intrigue, but as his powers mature and grow -- thanks to pacts made with infernal powers beyond Eshaeris's knowledge -- he has put more and more responsibility on the shoulders of Reoul Sathis, a devout Cyricist and jealous rival for Vorath's affections. She uses both the powers he taught her and her divine arts to create a wide variety of useful potions and poisons for the pact. The pact prides itself on secrecy, and most warlocks focus on powers of stealth and darkness.

The Black Star (Minor Arcane) AL LE; 12,000 gp resource limit; Membership 12; Mixed (6 humans, 2 half-elves, 1 tiefling, 1 erinyes); Dues 10% tithe
Authority Figures: Lady Desmonda [Eshaeris] (LE female erinyes), Yanser Vorath (LE male Illuskan warlock 16)
Important Characters: (Reoul Sathis, LE female Tethyrian cleric 3 /warlock 3/eldritch theurge 5 [Cyric])
Associated Classes: Warlock
Associated Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive
Requirements: At least 5 or more ranks in 2 of the following skills -- Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Sense Motive
Favored in Guild Benefits: None
Special: Lady Desmonda and Yanser Vorath only recruit the wealthy, influential, or well connected. Potential members must show ambition and ingenuity. Alternatively, they must possess resources, contacts, or power desirable to the organization.

Disciples of Asmodeus

As the most powerful archdevil in hell, Asmodeus makes a great effort to maintain bloodlines and pacts among mortals. This allows him to maintain spheres of influence in different planes, cementing his position as most powerful lord. He is the most frequent patron of tiefling and half-fiend warlocks in the Realms. He jockeys for influence over these infernal servants, battling Mephistopheles for control.

In addition to tiefling and human pacts and bloodlines, Asmodeus also courts influence among organized lawful evil humanoids such as hobgoblins. One of his most despicable servants is detailed below.

Davoren Hellsheart
Davoren Hellsheart is a vile, treacherous scoundrel who seeks nothing less than absolute domination over those around him for his own evil gain. He made his first appearance in the novel Depths of Madness by Erik Scott de Bie, in which by turns he aided, betrayed, saved, and attempted to murder the heroine, Fox-at-Twilight. In a world where little is as it seems, Davoren, though he never betrays his intentions, is honest in what he is -- a dark-hearted monster.

Davoren Hellsheart
Human warlock 10/hellfire warlock 3[FCII]/disciple of Asmodeus 2[BVD]
LE Medium humanoid
Init +3; Senses Listen +2 Spot +2
Languages Common, Ignan, Infernal
AC 26, touch 18, flat-footed 21
(+3 Dex, +7 armor, +3 natural armor, +3 deflection)
hp 106 (15 HD); fiendish resilience (1/day fast healing 1 for 2 minutes); DR 2/cold iron
Resist fire 15, cold 5
SR 20
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +17

Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +12/+7 +2 stiletto (dagger) (1d4+2/19-20 x2)
Base Atk +10; Grp +10
Atk Optionsbrimstone blast, eldritch chain, eldritch spear, frightful blast, hellfire blast, repelling blast
Special Actions deceive item, hellfire infusion
Combat Gear 3 scrolls of cure serious wounds, scroll of dimension door, scroll of dimensional anchor, scroll of divine favor, scroll of modify memory, wand of eagle's splendor (27 charges), wand of false life (37 charges), wand of lesser restoration (22 charges), wand of lightning bolt (caster level 10, 28 charges)
Invocations (CL 14th):
Greater -- chilling tentacles, wall of perilous flame
Lesser -- brimstone blast, eldritch chain, voracious dispelling
Least -- beguiling influence, eldritch spear, frightful blast (DC 16)
Spell-like abilities (CL 14th): At will -- detect magic, eldritch blast 7d6 (CL 14, +14 ranged touch), hellfire blast 13d6 (CL 14, +14 ranged touch), hellfire shield (DC 21); 1/day -- charm (DC 15), command (DC 15)
Abilities Str 11, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 18
SQ Learn Secret (Gather Information 1/week with +10 bonus)
Feats Devil's Favor (3/day +2 bonus on attack, save, or check), Devil's Flesh (+3 natural armor, +3 Intimidate), Devil's Stamina (+6 hit points; fast healing 3 1/day for 5 rounds), Disciple of Darkness (Gain a +1 luck bonus on single roll 1/day when performing evil act), Evil Brand (+2 bonus on Diplomacy and Intimidate checks made against evil creatures), Leadership, Weapon Focus (eldritch blast)
Skills Bluff +9, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Knowledge (the planes) +16, Sense Motive +9, Spellcraft +16, Use Magic Device +20 (+22 when using scrolls)
Possessions combat gear plus bracers of the Lord Warlock* (+7 AC, +2 resistance bonus to saving throws, spell resistance 20, allow wearer to use the invocation repelling blast (DC 20) at will, summon imp 3/day for 14 rounds [equivalent to summon monster III cast by a 14th level sorcerer]), darkring (+3 deflection bonus to AC; 2/day infernal boost: +10 enhancement bonus to Strength & Con for 2d6 rounds, followed by one hour of fatigue), +2 stiletto (dagger)

* Bonus included in the statistics above.

Born of demons and worshiping the king of devils, Davoren Hellsheart is a cruel and -- despite his name -- heartless creature, prone to manipulating others toward his own benefit. His powers manifest in ruby fire, the better to reflect the power of his infernal patron, Asmodeus, Lord of the Hells. Driven by his obsessive need to dominate others and wrench their obedience and worship, even at the point of a fiery blade, Davoren seeks to control and further the aims of his master.

Paired with his overwhelming thirst for power, he suffers from a fundamental lack of self-esteem and confidence. Like all bullies, he can punish but cannot endure. This comes from a childhood spent as the smallest and weakest child, abused and neglected by his parents in his Daggerdale home. When he reached adolescence, however, he experienced dark, bloody dreams sent to him by demons, it seemed. Dark, sorcerous powers accompanied these visions, but the demons warned Davoren to keep them hidden. Unable to conceal his new, uncontrolled strengths, Davoren found himself the laughing stock of his village once more. In bitter vengeance, he planned and carried out the heinous murders of his fellows and his family, then fled the reprisals of an angry liege lord. Davoren found the path of Asmodeus to control his dark rages with icy discipline.

Davoren has gray skin that seems to be made of something other than flesh, eyes that gleam red, and limp, dead hair worn in a disheveled, unkempt fashion. As a youth, he kept careful composure, but now he cannot keep the wildness from his visage. He favors black and red leather garments and is rarely seen without his elbow-length black gauntlets. Beneath his mottled, much-stitched clothing, hideous scars cover most of his body. He has a soft, haggard voice that betrays more than a hint of madness. He limps and coughs frequently and shakes uncontrollably at times. He is wary of being touched. His health is not as broken as it seems, and he is capable of hideous displays of strength and endurance at need.

The Hellsheart is particularly hesitant to speak of his doings in and around Uktar and Nightal of 1374, and he grows angry and fearful when the time is so much as mentioned. No one knows what happened to him, but by the hideous scars visible even on the flesh not covered by his clothing, it was something foul. Those foolish enough to inquire and lucky enough to survive his wrath speak of a word he utters under his breath: 'Twilight."

What he means by this, no one can say.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:43 am

Warlocks, Part 2 Eytan Bernstein, Erik Scott de Brie
This is the second article dealing with the extremely popular warlock class. The first installment explored ways to include warlocks in your games and detailed Davoren Hellsheart, a warlock devoted to Asmodeus (the character was featured in the novel Depths of Madness by Erik Scott de Bie.

In the Realms, there are a number of possible supernatural origins for warlocks. The most common is an infernal source such as the fallen archdevil demigod Gargauth or the archdevils Asmodeus and Mephistopheles.

A small number of warlocks, however, derive their powers from fey pacts and bloodlines. These most commonly arise from pacts with the unseelie courtiers of the Queen of Air and Darkness, but other sources exist as well. We examine those warlocks this week.

Fey Origins
Fey Affinity

Your fey ancestry has enhanced your warlock abilities.

Prerequisite -- Chr 13, Fey or must possess the Fey Heritage feat, warlock level 2

Benefits -- You can cast detect animals or plants a number of times per day equal to your Charisma modifier. Your caster level for this ability is the same as your warlock caster level.

The fey of Faerûn are reclusive and mysterious. Even those druids and rangers who are friendly with the sylvan races can't claim to truly know them, much less their deepest secrets. While most fey are neutrally aligned, content to live their lives in harmony with nature, some have allied themselves with strange, dark powers. A malevolent entity with increasing influence in Faerûn, the Queen of Air and Darkness is the most common originator of warlock pacts among the fey. While small numbers of fey warlocks derive their powers from a connection to the Seelie Court, the majority are associated with the Queen and her Unseelie minions.

There were two powerful and a number of lesser Unseelie warlock covens in Faerûn. The first, a group of plane-hopping shadar-kai known as the Lakh-Myr Thorns is based on the Golden Way near Telflamm. Allied with the shadowlords, the shadow fey have carved a niche in the cutthroat world of smuggling and acquisition. Their leader, a warlock known as Gaen Ral (NE male shadar-kai rogue 1/warlock 6/Telflammar shadowlord 6), has allies with the Shadowmasters and is a friend of Grand Master of Shadows Keshna Finlothleer.

The other coven is a great mystery to sylvan scholars of Faerûn. Up until the Year of Lightning Storms (1374), this coven, known as the Tairemgira, was the most powerful fey warlock group in the Realms. Based in the Kryptgarden Forest, its members -- along with other wild, Unseelie courtiers -- would dance on the night of the full moon, hunting prey with their eldritch blasts and invocations until dawn. They had no fixed base, appearing from hidden portals with no warning and disappearing just as quickly. Then, without the slightest reason, the court vanished completely. Even those Unseelie fey interrogated can't (or are too afraid to) comment on the disappearance of the coven. Rumors float on the wind of the horrific machinations of King Witchthorn, the Verdant Prince (MMIV) of Kryptgarden. They claim that the fey lord (NE male verdant druid 1 Cool

has punished the Tairemgira for a broken oath-bond. After an anonymous tip, Unseelie emissaries have been dispatched to Waterdeep to interrogate members of the Adarbrent family, a noble house reportedly allied with Witchthorn. Even more frightening is the rumor that Witchthorn is allied with Claugliyimatar, the ancient Green Dragon that lairs in Kryptgarden Forest.

While the majority of fey warlocks are associated with the Unseelie Court, rumors abound that the Seelie forces have begun to experiment with pacts as well. At least a few warlocks travel Faerûn in service to Titania, combating the malevolent efforts of the Queen of Air and Darkness. Neither court is particularly influential in the Realms, but their respective presences are growing.

Elven Origins
The elves of Faerûn are at one with the land and magic, favoring more traditional sorcerous pursuits such as nature magic, wizardry, and bladesinging. Warlock heritage and pacts are almost unknown outside of two elven subgroups -- the star elves and the fey'ri. The former derive their heritage from the unstable energies of their magically created home plane. The latter hold pacts with dark forces such as the fallen Solar Malkizid.

The Star Elves

Over 2,000 years ago, the star elves of the Yuirwood, faced with increasingly aggressive human expansion, cast a mighty spell on a series of menhir stones, creating a realm coterminous with the forest known as the Sildëyuir. Since then, the star elves have inhabited their realm of perpetual twilight, living out their lives in peaceful seclusion. The only contact they had with Faerûn was through the Masters of the Yuirwood, a small number of rangers and druids who protect the forest from outside interference.

Life changed for the star elves in the last few centuries. Alien sorcerers known as nilshai invaded their realm. The invaders laid siege to sections of the realm, eroding the boundaries and thus the stability of the plane. A small number of star elves born during this period exhibited strange abilities and physical qualities. Unlike their brethren, these residents are native to the Sildëyuir and are bound even tighter to its mysteries.

This group of native star elves took up different pursuits, but at least ten have become warlocks. They are led by Pherix Traeleth (CG male otherworldly star elf warlock 8/mindbender 1/hellfire warlock 3/master of the Yuirwood 10/enlightened spirit 6). Pherix was the first star elf born with these strange qualities and, as such, was an outcast from his people. He was expelled from the plane at a young age, forced to wander the Realms. As a young elf bereft of any guidance but displaying incredible magical potential, Pherix came under the influence of dark powers. He unknowingly made a dark pact with Seryntalia, a sorceress in service to Mephistopheles.

Twilight Affinity

Your eldritch blast is effective against incorporeal undead.

Prerequisite: Star elf, Ability to use least invocations

Benefits: Between sunset and sunrise, your eldritch blasts and invocations affect incorporeal undead normally. If you use the hideous blow invocation as part of a melee attack, that attack also benefits from this feat.

Normal: Eldritch blasts and invocations suffer a 50% miss chance against incorporeal undead.

It was only through the intervention of a band of adventurers who shared Pherix's travels that he escaped his servitude. With the support of his old comrades, Pherix redeemed himself, turning away from temptation. Soon after, he heard word that the Sildëyuir was under attack from a large band of Nilshai, and he joined a group of rangers in the Yuirwood who had heeded a call for help. Unaware of his past, the rangers accepted Pherix's help, coming to the aid of the star elves. It was only after Pherix helped them win a decisive victory against the Nilshai that the elves realized who he was. Grudgingly, they accepted Pherix back into their ranks, recognizing his loyalty and dedication.

Since his acceptance, Pherix has gathered other warlocks who had hidden their powers from the star elves. He splits his time between leading this band and his duties with the Masters of the Yuirwood. As a former outcast and native of the Sildëyuir, he has the experience and ability to bridge the gap between the two realms. For now, he doesn't take sides, but soon the elves must make a decision. Pherix and his coven are likely to be highly influential when the time comes, and he has a strong following among the youth of the land. As one of the most powerful warlocks in Faerun and beyond, he has the knowledge and experience to connect the star elves with the outside world.

The Fey'ri

While the star elves have derived their powers from the eroding energies of their home, the fey'ri have achieved power through pacts with dark forces. When Malkizid corrupted the sun elf house of Dlardrageth and others, he also made a number of warlock pacts. The power from these pacts remains and has been passed down several times to younger fey'ri. Despite the defeat of the fey'ri legions, the majority of warlocks survived. They now work as mercenaries, leasing their services to the highest bidders. The warlocks were directionless until their leader, a noblewoman known as Szepther Aelrothi, was contacted by a being of incredible power -- an ancient servitor of the Spider Queen.

The elven cultures that survived the fey'ri invasion are experiencing a renaissance in Cormanthor, The High Moor, and other areas, but a dark cloud hangs above them. Unbeknownst to the settlers, a power has reemerged from deep in their pasts and it has little love for the fair folk. Wendonai the Seducer (LE), the balor who corrupted the dark elves into worshipping the Spider Queen, has begun to slip the bonds of his 2,000 year imprisonment at the hands of the servants of Horus Re. Two years yet remain of Wendonai's exile, but he has begun to cultivate relationships with denizens of Faerûn. In the ears of the surviving fey'ri warlocks he has whispered dreams of power, glory, domination, and revenge beyond their wildest imaginations.

Wendonai has previously granted dark pacts with the Ilythiiri House Sethomiir and its coronal, Geirildin. When his spies reported the sundering of the fey'ri army, he knew he had found a perfect opportunity. During his 2,000 years of exile, the balor experimented, learning special techniques to expand his repertoire of corruption. He can now use his fiend of corruption (FF) abilities on native outsiders such as fey'ri and tieflings. As he breaks the bonds of his banishment, he plans to subvert Szepther and her band and hopes to use them to decimate the armies of the God-Kings of Mulhorand. In return, he promises to help them exact revenge against the elves, though he has no intention of carrying out his side of the bargain.

Planetouched Origins
The planetouched populations of Faerûn tend to have more warlocks among them than the rest of the populace. These warlocks often develop their powers in concentrations of supernatural energy. All planetouched regions in the Player's Guide to Faerun are affected, but the ones with the greatest number of warlocks are tieflings (Thay and Unther), genasi (Calimshan and Thay [fire]), celadrin (Cormanthor), and worghests (the Mines of Tethyamar). While warlocks with heritage-based powers can be found anywhere in Faerun, these are the most common sources among the planetouched races. Azerbloods, celadrin, d'hin, and worghests are described in greater detail in Eric Boyd's article "Legacies of Ancient Empires: Planetouched of Faerun" in Dragon Magazine #350. Other planetouched races such as tannaruks, d'hin, and azerbloods may have a few warlocks in their midst, but they are not particularly common.

Tiefling warlocks are even more likely than others of their kind to exhibit obviously inhuman traits such as cloven hooves, a sulfurous reek, horns, a tail, or glowing red eyes. They tend to develop their powers at a young age, often encouraged by their ancestors to cultivate their horrible gifts. Other tieflings make pacts with evil outsiders to activate what they feel is dormant power within their souls. Twin tiefling warlocks work covertly for Samas Kul (UnA), Master of the Guild of Foreign Trade in Bezantur. The corpulent red wizard uses the warlocks known as Tolyst and Finora to spy on and intimidate his trade rivals. Tolyst is easily recognized by his large fangs, wolfish grin, and orange eyes. Finora can be identified by her catlike tail and yellow cat's eyes.

Thay also has at least a few genasi warlocks in the service of the Firelord. High Flamelord Iphegor Nath (UnA) employs several fire genasi warlocks to defend his temple and, on occasion, perform special missions in the name of Kossuth. It is believed that Nath brokered a deal between the genasi and the primal fire elemental known as Sthes'kthes. In return for serving the primal and his master Kossuth, the genasi were granted warlock powers. The four warlocks -- Arthek, Duron, Canthel, and Dzivir -- are known for their fire-related invocations and equally fiery tempers.

Among the good races of Faerun, celadrin are one of the few that produces warlocks with inherited power. Somehow, the combination of elven blood with that of eladrins has a tendency to produce offspring with the potential to become warlocks. These children grow to become terribly beautiful defenders of the Church of the Winsome Rose. It is known that at least three of these warlocks have become eldritch theurges (CM), warlock/clerics devoted to the worship of Hanali Celanil. Whispers abound that these mysterious servants walk the forests of Cormanthor, rekindling love among the elven settlers. Some settlers believe that they do this to ensure the survival and propagation of the elves in the forest, but others suggest that they simply enjoy seeing elves in love in Cormanthor again.

Planar Affinity

Your planar heritage makes you a more flexible warlock.

Prerequisite: Native outsider, Ability to use lesser invocations

Benefits: Each time you become eligible to replace an existing invocation with another invocation, you can instead replace two invocations. Thus a warlock who reaches 6th level could replace two least invocations. When the same warlock reaches 11th level, he can replace two least or lesser invocations.

In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based checks when dealing with outsiders within one step of your alignment on each of the alignment axes.

Normal: A warlock can replace only one invocation at 6th, 11th, and 16th level.

A truly frightening thing occurred among the goblin population of the Mines of Tethyamar. While the diminutive, green-skinned humanoids are used to worghests -- goblins who have crossbred with barghests -- in their midst, they are not used to the presence of powerful warlocks. These individuals are rarely the result of natural bloodlines because, generally, barghest blood is not potent enough to propagate warlocks. This all changed when the immense greater barghest known as Tarkomang moved into the area. Tarkomang is one of the largest barghests ever to live in Faerun, a monstrosity of such immense size that his goblin and worghest servants had to hollow out the inside of a small mountain to house him. In the few decades since Tarkomang entered the Mines, he has spawned a number of worghest warlocks and created pacts with residents. While generally preferring worghests for his pacts, he has granted powers to a small number of the more martial goblins. It is unknown if Tarkomang has any plans for greater domination, but his great size, mammoth appetite, and large following could become a serious problem for the nomadic populations of the Desertmouth Mountain region.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:44 am

Beguilers and Dragon Shamans by Eytan Bernstein

The classes found in Player's Handbook II, as well in the Complete Books, Miniatures Handbook, and other sources, can add depth, variety, and freshness to a game. Many people already use these classes in their Forgotten Realms games but wish more information was available about how the classes fit into the world.

This article is the first in a series that will provide information on how the PHB II classes can be incorporated into the Realms. All of this information is optional. At the end of each entry, alternative ideas are listed for how to include the history and lore written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Beguilers
Beguilers first appeared among churches dedicated to the preservation and guarding of secrets. They were sorcerers trained to focus on illusion and enchantment. Young children with sorcerous potential were chosen to be raised in the church and taught its deepest secrets. High priests relied on beguilers to weave webs of deceit that concealed and preserved the knowledge of their faith.

The faiths that most frequently used beguilers included Gargauth, Mask, Leira, Sehanine Moonbow, Shar, and Baravar Cloakshadow. In recent years, these faiths have experienced a variety of changes and conflicts that drove away or expelled their beguilers. With the exception of the church of Baravar, no more beguilers are linked to churches in Faerun.

Among Gargauthans, beguilers served an incredibly important role. Using their magical abilities, they wove webs to conceal the vast conspiracies and corruptions set in motion by "the Tenth Lord of Nine." When secrets began leaking out and spoiling many of the church's plans, the beguilers suffered horrible punishments. During the Time of Troubles, they were blamed for the unraveling of many of the church's schemes. With increasing punishments -- maiming, horrible scarification, and other tortures -- the beguilers abandoned "the Hidden Lord's faith." They are now hunted by the Gargauthans to destroy the secrets they possess.

The beguilers of Mask and Leira formed a single organization known as Demarch's Alliance, which served both churches. It is unknown who or what Demarch was, and the remaining former members won't provide any details. When Mask betrayed Leira, an irreconcilable rift opened in the alliance. In the Halls of Demarch -- a secret guildhall hidden beneath Tantras -- a massive battle known as Demarch's Fall was fought between the two factions. In bloody, mist-shrouded skirmishes, the beguilers of Mask and Leira tore each other to pieces, leaving behind an undead-infested network of tunnels obscured in fog. Surviving members fled to all corners of Faerun, fearing retribution and the "reacquisition" of the secrets they possessed.

Of all the churches formerly employing beguilers, the situation in the faith of Sehanine Moonbow is most surprising. It is unknown precisely what occurred to anger "the Luminous Cloud," but rumors abound. According to the most oft repeated, in the Year of Lightning Storms, "the Lady of Dreams" became furious with the beguilers of her faith. They fled from her temples, using their superior powers of illusion to conceal themselves from the elven deity's clergy. Whatever crime they committed must have been dire, for followers of Sehanine are tasked with bringing back the rogue mages dead or alive.

The Church of Shar expelled its beguilers, no longer finding any use for their abilities. The primary task of the beguilers of Shar was to conceal the existence of the Shadow Weave. When the "Lady of Loss" revealed its existence, openly flaunting her masterful creation, their usefulness waned. The beguilers were forced out of the church, sometimes violently.

The church made little effort to hunt them down at that time. It is now beginning to regret letting them go because of their knowledge of secrets that could be compromising to the faith.

When rogue beguilers ran from their churches, they used their abilities to conceal their whereabouts. They taught their abilities to young people with sorcerous potential, hoping to foster apprentices for protection and to carry on their legacies. Most of the runaways remained independent from any groups, but a few joined organizations or became operatives for governments -- a job their training and experience left them well prepared for. Benevolent beguilers have been found among the Harpers, Guardians of the Weave, Lords' Alliance, Moonstars, and Soft Claws. Malevolent beguilers have joined the ranks of the Cult of the Dragon, the Shadow Thieves, the Twisted Rune, and the Zhentarim.

The only church that hasn't lost its beguilers is that of Baravar Cloakshadow. Gnomes who worship other deities claim that The Sly One's faith is becoming increasingly twisted and insular. While no formal organization exists among the clergy, the change seems universal, as if the god himself is infecting his followers with increasing paranoia. The chosen of that faith, Embrel Berrodwyn (NG Male Gnome Beguiler 4/Favored Soul 4/Mystic Theurge 10) is rumored to be close to Baravar's goal of concealing all gnomes from detection. Even the Knights of the Shadowy Cloak are affected, becoming more aggressive in their fight against the gnomes' eternal enemies.

For those wishing to use the history of the beguilers without incorporating the class into their games, here is an alternative. A beguiler can be replaced by a sorcerer with a large number of enchantment and illusion spells. The arcane trickster class allows a sorcerer/rogue to have both powerful spells and rogue abilities, much in the same way as a beguiler. Embrel's levels in beguiler and favored soul can be replaced by levels in sorcerer and cleric, still allowing him to qualify as a mystic theurge.

Dragon Shamans
While not particularly common, dragon shamans are found among barbarian tribes that worship or live in close vicinity to dragons. Scholars postulate that these shamans learn their powers from a dragon that lairs near their territory. Some dragon shamans can be found in more civilized lands, but the insular tribes are more likely to develop dragon cults.

Several dragon shamans live among the barbarians of the Far Hills. These barbarians form small, tight-knit cults of dragon worship led by their dragon shamans. The barbarian tribe of the Earthrust Mountains known as "the Lost" has worshipped dragons for over 100 years. Their first dragon god was red, but they have also worshipped a brass dragon. There have been cases of dragon worship among the Uthgardt barbarians of the Great Worm Tribe. These are relatively rare -- evil dragons usually don't have the patience and restraint necessary for this, and most good dragons find it distasteful. Other cults exist among the tribes of the North and the island barbarians in the Sea of Swords.

The Cult of the Dragon does worship dragons in its own way, but only a handful of dragon shamans have been recorded among its ranks. It is more common for "civilized" dragon cults to pop up when charismatic leaders ally themselves with dragons for power. As with most cults, the leader attracts the downtrodden -- orphans, victims of abuse, widows, and the homeless -- by promising them a better life in return for their worship of a dragon (or dragons). The most well known instance of this was in the Year of the Tusk. A cult formed near Myth Drannor that worshipped a small group of green dragons. The cult kidnapped locals, offering grisly sacrifices to the greens. It was eventually discovered and destroyed, but it did significant damage to the area before its demise.

The worship of dragons is more common among humanoid tribes than it is among humans. At least three orcish cults in the High Moor worship red and blue dragons. These are quite entrenched in the region, having been there for several hundred years. These tribes tend to include some of the most fanatic worshippers, instilling unshakeable loyalty in their dragon gods. Dragon shamans are found most frequently among orcs, but they also exist among kobolds and lizardfolk.

For those wishing to use the history of the dragon shamans without incorporating the class into their games, here is an alternative. A dragon cult can be led by an adept or a cleric of a dragon god (especially if that cleric has the dragon domain).
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:45 am

Duskblades and Knights by Eytan Bernstein

The classes found in Player's Handbook II, as well in the Complete Books, Miniatures Handbook, and other sources, can add depth, variety, and freshness to a game. Many people already use these classes in their Forgotten Realms games but wish more information was available about how the classes fit into the world.

This article is the second in a series that explores how the PHB II classes can be incorporated into the Realms. All of this information is optional. At the end of each entry, alternative ideas are listed for how to include the history and lore written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Duskblades
In the ancient Vyshaanti fighting academies, a martial style developed among young elves who were gifted in fighting and magic. This was a divergent path of bladesinging -- a more brutal style that incorporated heavier armor and more deadly spells. Originally known as Nael'kerym, these warriors greatly complemented bladesingers. They were meant to be heavy combat spellblades, while the bladesingers acted as precision skirmishers.

When the army of Aryvandaar invaded Shantel Othreier in -10,900, the heavily armored spellblade contingent was faced with a terrible decision. Witnessing their nation invading an allied land, trafficking with infernal powers, and showing a complete disregard for the lives of their kin, these warriors were torn between abandoning their nation or slaughtering their brethren. Heated discussion occurred at the war council. One side was firmly in support of the Vyshaanti, citing a variety of reasons why the attack was just. To the other side, these explanations and excuses rang hollow.

Before the war council could resolve this thorny question, a fast-moving orc horde fell upon both armies. The loyalists stayed with the Aryvandaaran forces, slaughtering elf and orc alike. The dissenters fought orcs only, attempting to stay away from both other contingents and meeting mostly with success.

Afterward, the warriors who slew indiscriminately became known as duskblades. They received this name because their contingent broke through the Shantel Othreier line at dusk, cresting a hill toward victory. Survivors of the enemy forces described these warriors as frightening blurs of magic and metal, shining in the fading orange sun like vengeful, fallen angels.

Following the massacre, the duskblades came to be thought of as "steel dancers," or H'ei'Yal Drathinmaleé. Those that cleaved through their brethren with sword and spell became ignominious symbols of Aryvandaaran treachery. The dissenters were forgotten, a footnote in most elven lore tomes. When the Vyshaanti, and later the Dlardrageth, descended into the evil of infernal lore, the duskblades became symbols for the corruption of the ancient bladesinging tradition.

The dissenters at the battle for Northern Shantel Othreier may have been forgotten, but the tradition did not end there. Valorous duskblades remained, helping Shantel Othreier until the end, as well as other invaded kingdoms. They constantly proved their valor in these battles, but eventually, their tradition all but died out when the Vyshaanti succeeded in conquering the rest of the elven realms. When the Vyshaan reign came to an end, many of the duskblades died with it. Later, some were sealed in Nar Kerymhoarth with the rest of the Fey'ri legion. They were recently seen among the Fey'ri army led by Sarya Dlardrageth.

A few of the duskblade dissenters remained after the Crown Wars, passing down the tradition through the generations. Eventually, this art became mostly lost, something that was practiced only secretly for fear of association with the Vyshaanti. Future duskblades hid their abilities, mimicking the more fluid styles of the bladesingers by wearing mithral armor and studying music and dance. They knew that if their true abilities were revealed, they would be associated with the treachery of the crown wars.

Thousands of years have passed, and the duskblade tradition is all but forgotten. Here and there, an elven warrior learns this tradition from a mentor, usually unaware of its dark origin. Most current duskblades are sun elves, but there are members from other subraces.

There are no formal groups of duskblades in Faerun. The study of this art is always passed down by an experienced mentor to a promising young elven warrior. Many young duskblades do not learn anything about their history until centuries into their studies. The secrets are jealously guarded by justifiably cautious mentors.

The greatest concentration of duskblades seems to be in Silverymoon, but there are a number in Evereska and the new settlements in Cormanthor. For the most part, these are valorous elven warriors. Small numbers of duskblades closer to the Vyshaanti ideal are hidden among members of the Eldreth Veluuthra and in some of the sun elf noble houses of Evermeet. Duskblades serving the Eldreth Veluuthra are often called "cleansing blades" (Uluuth Phlarenn), a name sometimes used as an alternative for the entire organization.

For those wishing to utilize the history of the duskblades in Faerun but without incorporating the class into their games, there is an alternative. It is easy enough to use the bladesinger prestige class from Races of Faerun. Use the Battle Caster feat from Complete Arcana to allow bladesingers to wear mithral full plate. The rest is just character choices and style.

Knights
Wherever valiant soldiers and honor-bound despots fight, there are knights. A knight fits easily into any organization of lawful clerics, fightes, and paladins. They are found leading armies, boosting the morale of their soldiers and directing the attacks of key enemies away from allied spellcasters and archers.

A number of valorous organizations count knights among their membership. The Knights of the Flying Hunt defend Nimbral from the threats of Calishite slavers. Knights make up much of the bulk of this organization, because the Nimbrese do not tolerate organized faith in their realms.

The Knights of Imphras II in Impiltur are dedicated to expunging pockets of the abyss buried underground. They fight against the fiends that remain from ancient Narfell. They also oppose the goblinoids, bandits, worshippers of the Gods of Fury, and Eltab.

A less glamorous but no less courageous order is the Knights of the North. Dedicated to the destruction of the Zhentarim, these knights are ever vigilant. They brave harsh conditions with little comfort to curb Zhent activities in the Moonsea region. Their job is often a thankless one, but their passion to end the tyranny of Zhentil Keep is boundless.

Valorous Knights are also found among a number of other organizations. The Knights of the Eternal Order battle undead perversion in the name of Kelemvor. The Knights of Holy Judgment, Knights of the Merciful Sword, and Knights of Samular carry out Tyr's vision of a world free of chaos, crime, and depravity.

Not all knights are members of good organizations. Evil Knights can be found among the Zhentarim, upholding order with a might-makes-right attitude. The Vengeance Knights, under the tutelage of the corrupt Knights of the Shield, use intimidation, violence, and bullying to uphold the law as laid forth by their masters, especially in Tethyr and the Western Heartlands. The Church of Bane counts many knights among its ranks, many of which are also Zhentarim. Their god's passion for tyranny and fear molds these warriors into fearsome black knights.

For those wishing to utilize the history of the knights in Faerun but without incorporating the class into their games, there is an alternative. Paladins, blackguards, and fighters can make suitable knights, qualifying for most knightly prestige classes from Complete Warrior, Champions of Valor, Champions of Ruin, and a variety of other sources.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:50 am

Scouts and Healers by Eytan Bernstein

The 20-level classes presented in books other than the Player's Handbook have become popular choices for players and DMs. The first two articles in this series discussed how to import classes from Player's Handbook 2 and the warlock class into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. This installment focuses on two classes from Player's Handbook 2-- the scout -- and the Miniatures Handbook -- the healer. At the end of each entry are alternatives for how to include the ideas written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Scouts
Scouts are the first line of defense in any standing army. With their ability to move quickly, superlative stealth and survival skills, and their pension for sniping at enemies while staying out of harm's way, scouts are the best defense against getting surprised, surrounded, and outnumbered. While rogues and rangers can be effective in these endeavors, rogues lack the wilderness abilities and toughness of the scout, and rangers lack the skill and speed. These abilities, along with the scouts' ability to find traps, make scouts a great asset to most parties.

Among the elves of Faerûn, the largest contingents of scouts resides on Evermeet and in newly resettled Cormanthor. The elite group of scouts on Evermeet, known as Kel'min'hara (fleet defenders of the blessed), are based in Sumbrar, the island military stronghold 50 miles to the east of Evermeet. This contingent of 100 elite lookouts and snipers utilizes portals between the two islands to be ready for threats both on land and from the sea. The numbers of the Kel'min'hara were greater prior to the resettlement of Cormanthor, but when Seiveril Miritar put out his call for volunteers, a significant portion of the elite squad heeded his request. Now, 35 scouts of the original group patrol the forests of Cormanthor, stomping out baatezu, drow, and other threats. Having lost 15 of their members in the war, the Kel'min'hara of Cormanthor have a renewed dedication to protecting these lands from evil. They sing campfire songs about the legendary deeds of Otaerhyn Hawksong, the wood elf commander of the scout contingent of Cormanthyr's armor.

The scouting tradition is strong among other races as well. Seven halfling scouts of the akh'velahr (the standing army of Cormanthyr) destroyed a large encampment of worshippers of Moander in the Year of the Galloping Gorgon (503 DR). The septet became known as the Heroes of Myth Drannor and was celebrated for years. Two of their members were given prominent positions as armathors of Myth Drannor. After the fall of Myth Drannor, a contingent of halfling scouts returned to their ancestral land and established a strong scouting tradition that continues today.

Throughout Faerûn, scouts serve in armies, act as bounty hunters, work as guides, and travel with adventuring parties. From the wilderness guides of Rashemen to the elite lookouts of Silverymoon, scouts play an important role. DMs who do not wish to introduce this class, however, have little extra work to do. Almost any PC or NPC scout could just as easily be a rogue or ranger (or a multiclass combination of the two). While scouts have a more focused hybrid of stealth and wilderness abilities, those classes can almost as easily function in the same roles.

Healers
Healers are divine spellcasters devoted entirely to tending to the sick and injured. Healers only belong to good faiths and cannot refuse to help good-aligned wounded creatures. While the Miniatures Handbook allows healers to derive their powers from ideals or causes, in Faerûn, healers must choose a patron deity. It is possible for healers to belong to any good or neutral-aligned religions, but they never associate with gods granting the death, destruction, hatred, metal, retribution, suffering (with the exception of Ilmater), tyranny, undead, or war domains. Healers are most commonly found in churches with the healing domain -- Berronar Truesilver, Ilmater, Lurue, Sharindlar, and Torm.

Healers are unique among the members of their churches in that they typically remain entirely apolitical. It is rare for a healer to be involved in religious intrigue or to be denied spells from her deity. If she fulfills her oath to heal the sick and injured at all times, her deity has no reason to punish or refuse her. Some might find this life boring, but to a healer, anonymity and neutrality are liberating. They also make her an excellent and trustworthy midwife, physician, combat medic, and adventuring companion.

The Churches of Berronar Truesilver and Sharindlar share collective responsibility for the health and well being of the dwarven people of Faerûn. Sharindlar's clergy typically oversee the more "fun" aspects of health, such as sex, courtship, and romance. Sharindlar's faithful, known as thalornor (those who are merciful) are easygoing -- like sisters or confidants with whom dwarves can share problems and secrets. Berronar's clergy, known as faenor (those of the home) take on the role of stern but caring matriarch, helping people with problems in a more formal role. Healers from both religions care for the sick and injured, working both on the battlefield and in medical wards. Sharindlar's healers are more likely to work on a micro-level, getting their hands dirty with local problems. Berronar's healers are more likely to work in a directorial or educational capacity, teaching and organizing healing and familial activities. It is not uncommon for healers of both religions to adventure, though the more chaotic nature of Sharindlaran healers makes them more likely to travel. The churches of both faiths run a healer's college together in Earthheart -- the religious capital of The Great Rift (homeland of the gold dwarves). Graduates tend to the sick and injured in the Rift, acting as physicians, midwives, and combat medics to the multitude of dwarves living in the region.

Healers of Ilmater are often even more dedicated and ascetic than the paladins and clerics of the Broken God. Unlike some healers, those dedicated to Ilmater rarely refuse to help the injured of even evil and tyrannical races and groups. They never endorse or support such causes, but when an individual is in need, these healers seldom deny aid. In Heliogabalus, a group of Ilmatari worshippers runs a healer's college known as the End's Rest. This small college tends to the paladins and young recruits who defend the city as well as the local sick, pregnant, and injured.

For those wishing to employ healing colleges but without using the healer class, there is a simple alternative. Clerics and druids can perform much the same roles as healers, though their focus is wider and their politics are often more complicated.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:51 am

Warmages and Favored Souls by Eytan Bernstein

The 20-level classes presented in books other than the Player's Handbook have become popular choices for players and DMs. Earlier articles in this series discussed how to import the classes from Player's Handbook 2 and the warlock class into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. This installment focuses on two classes from the Miniatures Handbook -- the Warmage and the Favored Soul. At the end of each entry are alternatives for how to include the ideas written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Warmages
Warmages are the undisputed magical lords of the battlefield, equipped with a greater array of destructive evocation and conjuration spells than any other class. Despite their great power, warmages suffer from a fundamental lack of versatility. They are unable to cast the breadth of utility spells -- protection, concealing, information gathering, transportation, and other magics -- that make wizards powerful. To some of the cultures of Faerûn, the ability to destroy in a variety of ways is (or was) too much to ignore. To other cultures, warmages serve as elite battlefield generals, espousing the old adage that the best defense is overwhelming offense.

The ancient Raumathari battlemages were some of the most fearsome examples of warmages in Faerûnian history. While many of the battlemages were wizards and sorcerers, a significant portion of was made up of warmages. The art of this forlorn empire may be mostly lost, but those few who still practice it are extremely dangerous. Raumathari battlemagic involves a mixture of both destructive arcane magic with swordplay, blending the two in terrifying destructive synergy. When the Bronze Battletower (UnE -- the home of the powerful Raumathari battlemage Vostas) was under siege, her lover, a warmage by the name of Welbohn Khuul, defended it to his last breath. It is believed that Welbohn's spirit was absorbed into the tower after his death, leaving the warmage to haunt the tower forever. Locals whisper that the current resident, a renegade Wychlaran by the name of Iaokhna Nuchlev (NE female Rashemi sorcerer 3/druid 3/durthan[UnE] 3), is being driven mad by Welbohn Khuul's spirit (CN Raumathari male human ghost swashbuckler 3/warmage 6/Raumathari battlemage 10). Khuul is trying to drive out the durthan in the hopes of bringing students back to the Bronze Battletower to study battlemagic. He can't drive her out himself, because she hides in a room that is shielded from him in his undead state.

While many Thayans look down on warmages as narrow-minded louts, they can't deny the usefulness of having a contingent of these casters in their armies. From the perspective of the Red Wizards, warmages make excellent subjects because they are powerful weapons but lack the magical protections to defend themselves against mental control. A band of politically neutral warmages has arisen in Thay in recent years under the leadership of Norano Reked (N Mulan male warmage 14). Calling itself Daarthos Koruna after a strange magical artifact the members discovered in the Sunrise Mountains, the band serves Thay as mercenaries for hire. The Daarthos Koruna are seven circlets that render their wearers undetectable by magical and psionic means. For the most part, the band clears out the ruins of the Sunrise Mountains and Delhumide, but they have been known to perform special missions for a number of zulkirs.

Warmagic traditions have developed among a number of other races and lands. A small number of warmages are found among the War Wizards of Cormyr, though the order generally looks askance at the narrow focus of these members. The Shoon Imperium kept an elite cadre of warmages known as the sihirbalak. Many members fled to the Heartlands and Inner Sea lands after the fall of the Shoon Empire in 450 DR. Among the sun, moon, star, and wild elves, warmages are uncommon but do exist. They were instrumental in a number of battles against demonic hoards before the fall of Myth Drannor.

Currently, several warmagic are academies scattered across Faerûn. A small academy, appropriately known as the School of Warmagic, has been open for the last three years in Halarahh, the capital city of Halruaa. Though boasting only 50 students, this academy doesn't have the negative reputation that warmage schools have in other parts of Faerûn. A small department at the Wizard College of Gheldaneth in Mulhorand teaches warmages, though only 75 are enrolled. Some of the other students in the college look down on the warmagic students, but the nation sees them as an important line of defense in its continued existence. Small private academies also exist in Waterdeep, Silverymoon, and Suzail.

For those wishing to use the ideas presented above but without adding the warmage class into their games, here is an alternative. It's quite possible for sorcerers focused on offensive magic to duplicate much of what warmages do. They might not be as versatile in their breadth of damaging spells, but they make up for that by being able to supplement their destructive spells with defensive and utilitarian magic.

Favored Souls
Mortals who perform great services to deities, devoting their lives and work to the cause of their god or goddess, sometimes become the Chosen of that deity. Mystra's Chosen -- the seven sisters, Elminster, and others in the past -- are the most well known, but many other deities have Chosen worshipers. The Rotting Man, the hideous blightlord who corrupts and rots the Rawlinswood, is the Chosen of Talona. While some Chosen come into their status because of deeds and service, others come into the world with their deity's favor. These Chosen are known as favored souls, infants born as physical manifestations of a deity's power on Faerûn.

Being born a favored soul has both advantages and disadvantages. Like a cleric, a favored soul has access to her god's divine magic. Unlike a cleric, however, the magic of a favored soul is natural. As such, it is unlikely to be denied by her god. Because favored souls do not need to pray for their spells, deities don't need to approve or disapprove each and every incantation. This and the many divine powers of a favored soul make members of the class quite powerful. Despite these powers, favored souls are often hindered by a sense of inescapable destiny that surrounds their births. They didn't choose their paths and may not want anything to do with their religion. In this way, the powers of a favored soul can be a burden rather than a blessing.

Most Faerûnian deities have at least a few favored souls in their service. Some choose to have only one at any given time, but others spread out their favored souls among the lands in their worship. Rarely is there more than one favored soul in a given region, unless it's highly populated. Because they are often seen as direct signs from their god, favored souls rarely lead normal lives. The reason there are so few is because they create ripples in their travels, affecting everything they touch with their god's divine power.

A number of favored souls are known to exist among the many faiths of Faerûn. Braeden (DoF, LE female half-brown dragon half-human favored soul 10 [Tiamat]) is Tiamat's favored soul in Unther and the daughter of the brown dragon Slavin'Krath'Magaal (DoF, NE female fiendish juvenile brown dragon blackguard 4). She has received visions from her god showing something monstrous emerging from the Pit of Many Colors. She believes that this creature will play a crucial role in the upcoming battles faced by the Church of Tiamat. When she revealed this information to her father Malise(DoF), the high priest of the Altar of Scales (DoF, a hidden underground temple in Unthalass dedicated to draconic experimentation), he laughed at her, suggesting that she could never receive visions from the goddess. Now she plots with her mother to overthrow him, feeling that he has lost touch with the will of the Dark Lady.

The favored soul of Urdlen is a terrifying creature known as Curdle (CE male half-fiend spriggan favored soul 11). Curdle vaguely resembles a gnome in stature but is massively built for a creature of its small size and reeking of rancid flesh and blood. It has gleaming red eyes, long, bestial talons, and in its large form, batlike wings. Curdle stalks the fields near the town of Asbravn in the Western Heartlands, looking for things of beauty and innocence to destroy. The Riders in Red Cloaks have reported seeing the creature's handiwork on a number of occasions -- destroyed works of art and gems, eviscerated livestock, maimed and murdered pets, the occasional elderly couple frightened to death, and much worse. Recently, Curdle has gone on a dark rampage, stalking the edges of Asbravn at night, murdering gnomes and other townsfolk coming home from evenings of drink and song. Rumors abound that the creature has been sent on a destructive spree by its dark god for some hideous purpose. The events have become so dire that they have attracted the attention of Embrel Berrodwyn (NG Male Gnome Beguiler 4/Favored Soul 4 [Baravar Cloakshadow]/Mystic Theurge 10), the favored of the Sly One. Embrel has been busy at work crafting a grand gnomish illusion, but the murders have enraged him so much that he's put his great spell on hold. Townsfolk whisper of an approaching epic conflict between the two gnomish scions. All are certain that Asbravn will never be the same again.

For those wishing to employ the concept of favored births but without adding the favored soul class to their games, here is an alternative. Favored status need not have a mechanical representation. Prophecies, signs, and portents could indicate the favored status of an infant's birth without requiring a special class. Feat and prestige class choices, as well as spell selection, can create a theme for a cleric that separates her from her colleagues.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 11:58 am

Archivists and Dread Necromancers by Eytan Bernstein

The 20-level classes presented in books other than the Player's Handbook have become popular choices for players and DMs. Earlier articles in this series discussed how to import the classes from Player's Handbook 2 and the warlock class into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. This installment focuses on two classes from the Miniatures Handbook -- the Warmage and the Favored Soul. At the end of each entry are alternatives for how to include the ideas written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Archivists
The origin of archivists in Faerûn is shrouded in mystery. This is for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that these enigmatic spellcasters don't like to share their knowledge. Each group, order, and individual member of this class has a different origin or explanation for how they came into existence. Most are specialized members of religious orders in a manner similar to members of the healer class. They occupy a small niche in certain faiths that focuses entirely on the accumulation of divine knowledge from as many sources as possible. In many cases, clerics become archivists when their minds are awakened by a special vision from their god.

The most expansive group of archivists in the world is a group known as the Benign Order of the Third Eye. This group of divine practitioners in service to Savras is uncommonly secretive for a faith typically associated with honesty and truth. It is quite new, having been founded in 1371 during the Feast of the Moon. On that day, a handful of worshippers in a substantial number of major churches experienced uncharacteristically candid visions. The vision took the form of a calm, breezy vineyard before violent purple lightning became visible in the distance. In place of grapes, the vines were weighed down by millions of tiny, white or purple crystal balls. Savras spoke almost candidly, expressing the need to accumulate knowledge and magic for an upcoming battle with Cyric, the Prince of Lies. Since that vision, the members of the order have traveled around Faerun, accumulating divine knowledge from as many sources as possible. Officially, they are supposed to be respectful of the sacred places, tombs, and sanctified grounds of other religions, but in their religious zeal, they often overstep these boundaries.

The Brotherhood of the Secret Quill is an order of Oghman archivists with members in many temples of significant size in Faerûn. Most members work by day as record keepers, managing bureaucratic affairs such as temple finances, library loans, and similar jobs. While performing these duties, the brothers make extra copies of texts and secrets away the most important lore of the Binder in a hidden safehold. This mammoth, extradimensional library is known as "the Vault of the Bound." It can be opened only by members who have memorized key passages from sacred texts in a certain order. To gain entrance, one must have a keyed item -- usually a quill or token -- and recite the text properly in a specified location in each temple. Members are usually invited after demonstrating proper devotion and respect for knowledge (minimum of 5th level). They are inducted inside the Vault of the Bound, in a ceremony that involves the sharing and receiving of previously unknown knowledge. Inductees must present a thesis on a unique subject, impressing the order with their thoroughness and creativity. Accepted recruits become members. Rejected recruits have their memories altered to erase all knowledge of the order, the vault, and the rest of their ordeal. It is common for members of the Brotherhood to take levels in the loremaster prestige class.

The Order of Ibis is probably the most mysterious archivist order in Faerûn. It is a secret order of Thoth operating out of the University in Gheldaneth in Mulhorand. Thus far, the order has remained completely hidden from the rest of the church and Mulhorand. It was founded when a group of cleric/wizards of the Lord of Magic excavated a forgotten complex buried beneath the university. During the excavation, they accidentally activated an ancient magic rune which transported them to another place. They found themselves in desert oasis dominated by an immense pyramid. The structure was topped with a large, golden ankh. Ibises and baboons were abundant -- sunning themselves, lounging in the trees, and drinking from the cool pool. Despite the beauty of the scene, the oasis seemed neither idyllic nor peaceful. A herd of rushing ibexes came bounding down the steps of the pyramid, nearly trampling them. When they reclaimed their footing, they saw a mammoth humanoid avatar of their deity slowly walking down toward them on the air. The avatar stopped halfway, whereupon it opened its mouth to let out a sound that mortals clearly were not meant to hear. All of the worshippers were knocked unconscious, later awakening on the floor of the excavation bleeding from the eyes, ears, and noses. All had become archivists, merging their wizardly and priestly powers together into a single, more flexible form of spellcasting. None had heard the deity speak but all understood is meaning. They were to ruthlessly monitor and control the import, export, and transmission of knowledge throughout Mulhorand and its trading partners, making sure that Mulhorand's best interests were always kept foremost.

Other groups of archivists exist among most of the knowledge-oriented churches, including those of Mystra, Azuth, and others with the Knowledge, Magic, Rune, and Spell domains. For those wishing to use the ideas presented above but without adding the archivist class into their games, here is an alternative. Characters with levels in wizard and cleric, or in the mystic theurge prestige class, can achieve spellcasting versatility similar to archivists. The visions received by the practitioners can change their outlooks without changing their classes.

Dread Necromancers
Dread necromancy is not a field of magic that is normally possible for a Faerûnian mortal to learn. In order to take up this dark art, a mortal must be exposed to a dark ritual or aura of death powerful enough to corrupt her soul. In the Year of the Coven (595), a group of four mages specializing in necromancy performed just such a ritual. These wizards were a macabre human aristocrat from Alaghôn in Turmish known as Levanst Karlbach, a beautifully wicked half-elven sorceress called Shedylain Leifenair from the Chondalwood, a renegade drow wizard-assassin known as Prin'Thal Flith'Krysthin from Undraeth, and a mysterious half-orc tribal shaman known as Yubaaren Whitehands from the Orsraun Mountains. Beseeching their dark patrons -- Bhaal, Talona, Kiaransalee, and Yurtrus respectively -- they performed a ritual known as "the deadening." This took place in a network of magically hidden underdark tunnels somewhere between present-day Westgate and Teziir. It is unknown if the deities had to cooperate to make the ritual successful, but after it was completed, the four mages became dread necromancers.

After completing the ritual, the four necromancers began to escape the mortal bonds that had restricted them in life. They opened a small academy known as Darkbrantch in the tunnels, where they passed on the secret of their magic to brilliant young spellcasters. They discovered that subsequent generations did not need to undergo the ritual. As long as they were taught by one who had undergone the ritual or one who had achieved lichdom by reaching the pinnacle of the class, they could study dread necromancy. After some time, all four of the founders reached the pinnacle of their abilities, soon to undergo the transformation to become liches.

The Deadening is a ritual that requires the sacrifice of three virgins who have dedicated their lives to a god of good such as Lathander, Mielikki, or Lurue. The virgins are killed in an elaborate ceremony involving numerous ritual implements and highly complex incantations. In the end, the bodies of the virgins are sprinkled with the blood of a freshly slain unicorn. They are taken to a cemetery dedicated to a god of light and interred, desecrating the burial grounds. Each participant must expend 1,000 XP and loses one hit point permanently.

In the Year of the Kindly Lich (606), Levanst Karlbach had second thoughts about his transformation. During his time teaching at the school, he became disillusioned with the faith of Bhaal and the notion of eternal undeath. He found the religions of the other founders equally loathsome and began to distance himself from the affairs of the school. In Myrtul of 606, he attempted to leave the school, bringing with him the brightest students who were of like mind. Having sensed his doubts, Levanst's colleagues were prepared for what they considered his betrayal. Fearing that he would expose their school or disseminate their secrets, they attempted to destroy him and his followers. In a devastating battle that shook the earth above, the four necromancers threw every spell they knew at each other, inflicting plague, summoning undead, releasing catastrophic necromantic energies, and worse. Realizing that this was a battle that could not be won, Levanst ordered his undead giant centipedes to bring down the tunnels, killing all who remained. Before the school was destroyed, however, a number of supporters from each of the four factions escaped into the world above.

In the centuries that have passed since the destruction of Darkbrantch, the survivors of the school have spread across Faerûn. They have selected pupils to learn the secrets of dread necromancy, happy to retreat into their crypts, graveyards, and mausoleums, contemplating death and lichdom. One recent student, however, has not been content to contemplate and retreat. Ahrdaun Vensestra is obsessed with the legacies of the four founders. He sought out their magical heirlooms and even searched for lost Darkbrantch. Eventually, he found the school and uncovered the secrets within. It is unclear what he plans to do with the knowledge and power accumulated in the long-abandoned tunnels in the Dragon Coast, but it is unlikely to please the Draeven (folk of the Dragon Coast).

Other, similar rituals have been performed, allowing their practitioners to become dread necromancers. It's likely that other methods exist. Worshippers of the gods of death and decay continually work to expand their macabre powers. For those wishing to use the lore without importing the class into their game, here is a simple alternative. Necromancy specialists and sorcerers with a penchant for death magic can easily replace dread necromancers in Darkbrantch or any similar order. The ritual they perform could give them the knowledge necessary to become liches or vampires or to achieve some other dark magic.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:05 pm

Hexblades and Ninjas by Eytan Bernstein

The 20-level classes presented in books other than the Player's Handbook have become popular choices for players and DMs. Earlier articles in this series have discussed how to import numerous classes from Player's Handbook 2 and other sources into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. This installment focuses on the Hexblade (from PHB2) and the Ninja (from Complete Adventurer). At the end of each entry are alternatives for how to include the ideas written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Hexblades
Hex magic is a form of sorcery that manifests at a young age. It tends to occur in poorer areas where magical training and education are unavailable, though this is not always the case. Some embrace this ability, becoming evil or neutral hexblades bent on vengeance and retribution. Others fight it, seeking to transform their innate powers into something more positive. These youths tend to study sorcery in depth, becoming sorcerers and forsaking the dark blight of hex magic entirely. The former are more common -- the allure of hex magic is especially strong. They embrace a "might makes right" attitude, viewing academia as pointless, asceticism as foolish, do-gooders as deluded, and book-learners as weak.

Many hexblades are self-taught, though it is not uncommon for a young hexblade to learn his craft from a mentor. There is only one hexblade college on Faerûn, Hexcidon, and it is housed in Bezantur. At this school, generations of hexblades study to become elite bodyguards and generals for Thay.

Most hexblades, however, are loners who travel to gain power, riches, and pleasure. They seek vengeance against any who get in their way and brook no fools or the faint of heart in their travels. This makes them perfect agents for neutral and evil deities of vengeance and retribution. These hexblades most commonly follow the divine guidance of Hoar, Kiaransalee, Loviatar, Shevarash, or Uthgar. The first two of those are discussed here.

Hoar has guided the footsteps of a number of hexblades in their search for vengeance. These warriors typically enter the ghostwalker prestige class, traveling around Faerun in search of wrongs to right. These hexblades are almost entirely neutral -- not merciful but also not cruel. They treat all offenders the same, meting out punishments that fit the committed injustice.

Most drow hexblades are loners and assassins. A small but sizable minority, however, serves the whims of the Revenancer. Each of these agents, known as "revenant blades," serves a single cell of priests devoted to Kiaransalee. They are frequently accompanied by undead minions supplied by their priestly masters or through their own feats and abilities. They take revenge on the foes of the Vengeful Banshee, especially worshippers of Eilistraee, Dumathoin, and Kelemvor.

A small presence of hexblades exists among the Imaskari. These members serve the Lodge of Retributive Masters by taking revenge against those who have sinned against the society. They almost always take levels in the Imaskari vengeance taker prestige class, though they must be able to cast 3rd-level hexblade spells in order to qualify. These hexblades study in a manner similar to other Imaskari arcanists, but they are more focused on a practical mix of vengeance magic and martial prowess than on magical esotericism.

While most hexblades wear only light armor, that is not a rule, especially among those belonging to the Vengeance Knights, an order of tyrannical warriors that serves the Knights of the Shield, a loose network of greedy and paranoid Southern merchants. These warriors favor the heaviest armor they can find. They typically take the Battlecaster feat, wearing mithril armor and using mithril shields. This allows them to avoid suffering arcane spell failure with their hexblade spells. They serve the malevolent Knights of the Shield as bullies and enforcers much of the time, but when called to duty, they can be agents of brutal vengeance.

For those wishing to use the concepts presented above but without using the hexblade class, here is a simple solution. Hexblades could be replaced with macabre fighter/sorcerers (perhaps eldritch knights) with a penchant for curse magic.

Ninjas
The origin of ninjas can be traced back to Kara-Tur many hundreds of years ago, but since the Shou and other peoples of that distant land have settled in Faerûn, their martial arts and other secrets have spread via cultural diffusion. While the greatest concentration is among the Shou clans in Thesk, the art has traveled to a number of other regions.

There are more ninjas in Telflamm than any other city in Faerun. With the illicit activities and the cutthroat mercantile economy, Telflamm is the ideal place for ninjas to flourish. It is a city of intrigue covered in webs of deceit and replete with elaborate mind games. The Nine Golden Swords includes numerous ninjas among its members, sending them off to spy, assassinate, and collect. They are divided into rival clans that operate in a variety of different, secret hideouts. They are in direct opposition to the Shadowmasters, having clashed with that guild on a number of occasions. Whispers abound of an upcoming street war the likes of which has rarely been seen in Telflamm.

The leader of the ninja clans in Telflamm is Master Kinju Kal-Okyama (NE Male Tuigan-Shou Ninja 14), a ninja lord of mixed Tuigan and Shou heritage. Kinju is second in command among the Nine Golden Swords, answering only to the Golden Master in Phsant. His life did not begin auspiciously, however. Kinju's mother was raped by a Tuigan general and then left to die on the trade route. Before she died of her injuries, she left the infant Kinju hidden in a merchant caravan to be discovered when the caravan reached the city. He was 'raised' by the merchant, though he was, in essence, little more than a slave. As soon as Kinju was strong enough, he ran away from the merchant's house. Life on the streets was hard, but Kinju soon learned the ways of the city. He rose among the guilds, studying the art of ninjitsu with the wily Master Orayma -- who was later killed by Kinju. Orayma felt that Kinju was too ambitious, and he was correct. Kinju murdered his superiors, rising in the ranks because of the fear he inspired. Now he rules the ninja clans with an iron fist, justifiably paranoid about the numerous ninjas who would depose him.

The art of ninjitsu has spread to other parts of Faerun. Small numbers of ninjas can be found among the Night Masks in Westgate, the Fire Knives, the guilds of Calimport, and the Shadow Thieves. Most of these members are of Shou heritage, but some were taught by the Shou or blackmailed the mysterious denizens of Kara Tur into teaching them the ninja arts. There are undoubtedly mercenary and rogue ninjas that have escaped their clans or murdered their masters. Most are evil, but not all. Some have given up the life of assassination and spying, preferring to use their talents for more positive pursuits. These ninjas often meet with opposition (and death) from their brethren, but this hasn't stopped a small number from defecting.

For those wishing to use the concept of ninja clans and the lore presented above but without using the ninja class, here is an alternative. Ninjas could be rogues, monks, or a multiclass mix of the two focused on stealth, assassination, poison, and spying. While it is somewhat difficult for either of those classes to emulate the supernatural powers of a ninja, it is certainly not impossible given the right feats, prestige classes, and magic items.
_________________
Hey Guest, you have been a member here since and have 0 total posts, why not take advantage of Good Posts Award System.

Subject: Re: Class Chronicles Sat Aug 09, 2008 12:07 pm

Factotums and Spellthieves by Eytan Bernstein

The 20-level classes presented in books other than the Player's Handbook have become popular choices for players and DMs. Earlier articles in this series have discussed how to import numerous classes from Player's Handbook 2 and other sources into the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting. This installment focuses on the Factotum (from Dungeonscape) and the Spellthief (from Complete Adventurer). At the end of each entry are alternatives for how to include the ideas written here but without requiring the introduction of these classes into your game.

Factotums
Numerous explorer companies exist in the civilized lands. Some of these are clubs for noblemen of low rank, places where disgruntled third sons can feel important and be among likeminded individuals. One such group is the Lodge of the Sphinx, an exploration company based out of Urmlaspyr in Sembia. While some of the members are talentless spoiled nobles, soaking in the cigar-smoke-filled 'good old boy' environment, many others are skilled travelers with incredible breadth of knowledge and ability. Members of any class can join, but some of the best are factotums, true jacks of all trades.

The Lodge was founded in 1342 by Bertin Clanin, an ambitious son of a Sembian noble house, as a club for his raffish and disaffected dandy friends. To the surprise