Adapting To Circumstance (Classes: Shroud and Shepherd)

 For QAL ASHEN. 

A mesopotamian-esque setting, where the world is consumed by a curse that infuses all living things with Too Much Life, turning them into immortal monsters. The only safe place, where uncursed people remain, is a bleak, theocratic city where the God of Death is worshipped: Qal Ashen. 

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The Shroud and the Shepherd, both adapted from Goblin Guts’ Assassin and Tactician. 

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No defence is impenetrable. No wall can’t be climbed. No gate has an infallible guard. No lock cannot be broken. No veil cannot be drawn aside. No shield cannot be sundered. No distance can keep you safe. 

There’s a reason warriors speak derisively of those who stab in the back. 

Fear. 

THE SHROUD

+1 to Hit and +1 Hidden Dagger per Template. 

A - Communion, Assassinate 

B - Lair, Poison Eater, Immune to Sleeping Poorly 

C - Dramatic Infiltration

D - Black Pall

Hidden Dagger

Hidden Daggers are light weapons you store in your shadow. If you lose them, they return to your shadow after a day. They are matte black and razor sharp. 

Communion

You can speak with any animal that has eaten the meat of a human corpse. 

Assassinate

When you know a target’s chosen name, you deal +1 Damage on attacks against them.

When you know who the target serves, you deal +1 Damage on attacks against them. 

When you know something the target fears, you deal +2 Damage on attacks against them. 

When you know a deep secret about the target, you deal +2 Damage on attacks against them. 

When you strike from a position of advantage (darkness, higher ground, from behind, from below), you deal +1d6 Damage. 

Lair

You have a secret hideout that none can find, unless you lead them to it. 

It has five rooms.

Describe three traps which defend the lair. 

Poison Eater

Any time you imbibe a poison and it doesn’t kill you, you become immune to all further negative effects of that poison. 

Dramatic Infiltration

At any time when not in combat, you can “step behind a corner”, vanishing. 

At any time later, you may declare you were disguised as a minor NPC all along - so long as it’s not utterly implausible. 

Black Pall

When completely in darkness, you are invisible. 

When both you and the target of an attack you make are in darkness, you deal +1d6 Damage on top of the +1d6 from Assassinate. 

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The City was once famed for her armies. From now-ruined Tekir to the black coasts of Beranoth in the west, the skull-helmed legions were dreaded and worshipped as war-demigods. Now, there are no more foes to fight. The old general-dynasties languish.

There are tricks of the voice, ways of standing, that make free-willed-folk stampede like cattle, flee like rats. Shepherd, of people, you make animals. 

THE SHEPHERD

+1 to Hit and +1 Competent Underling per Template. 

A - Respect, Rouse, See HD. 

B - Banner, Spot Opportunity 

C - On Watch 

D - Mentor, Command

Competent Underlings

A Competent Underling has 2HD.

They serve you loyally, and, while they don’t have class levels, share your to Hit bonus and have their own Ken. They don't take XP shares and therefore don't advance, unless you choose for them to. A slain Competent Underling is replaced after a season's delay by a new one.

Respect

Horses, sheep, goats and ordinary soldiers respect you highly and will never willingly attack you. If you are attacked by an enemy army, they will always capture you and bring you to their leader for parley, instead of killing you. 

Any horse you ride will be braver than normal and will never dismount you. 

Rouse

You unleash a rousing command, restoring 1d10+[Templates] HP to all allies that can hear you. 

You can’t do this again until you’ve done one of the following: sleep, land a critical hit or slay the leader of an opposing force. 

Banner

You can raise your banner to inspire awe or fear in unarmed onlookers, your choice. 

This has no effect on rulers and generals. 

Spot Opportunity

When someone rolls a 1 on any dice in combat (including damage dice), you or an ally of your choice can attack them immediately. This can happen [templates] times per round. 

On Watch

Choose up to [templates] allies after an hour spent strategizing. When you roll initiative, you and the chosen allies use the best roll made by a member of the group. This lasts until you lose a member of the group or part ways. 

Mentor

You can spend a Season tutoring someone, causing them to gain 200XP. 

Command

When you bellow an order of four words or less at the top of your lungs, ordinary soldiers and ordinary folk are compelled to obey you. You can’t do this again until you’ve done one of the following: sleep, land a critical hit or slay the leader of an opposing force. 

Mindless Undead will disobey orders from anyone but a Sacred One in favour of yours.