BATTLE SERVANT (PC)/ COURTLY SERVANT (NPC)
Battle
Servant TABLE
Experience
Points
|
Experience
Level
|
8-sided Dice for Accum.Hit Points
|
LEVEL
TITLE
Battle/ Courtly (NPC)
|
0-3000
|
1
|
1
|
Roamer/Clerk
|
3001-6,000
|
2
|
2
|
Wanderer/Investigator
|
6,001-9,000
|
3
|
3
|
Drifter/Agent
|
9001-15,000
|
4
|
4
|
Outsider/Officer
|
15,001-40,000
|
5
|
5
|
Sell-sword/Administrator
|
40,001-80,000
|
6
|
6
|
Mercenary/Bureaucrat
|
80,001-140,000
|
7
|
7
|
Guard /Minister
|
140,001-250,000
|
8
|
8
|
Houseman/Magistrate
|
250,001-450,000
|
9
|
9
|
Bodyguard/Judge
|
450,001-700,000
|
10
|
10
|
Battle Servant/Courtly Servant
|
700,001-1,250,000
|
11
|
10+1
|
Battle Servant/Courtly Servant (11th
Level)
|
1,250,001-1,500,000
|
12
|
10+2
|
Battle Servant/Courtly Servant (11th
Level)
|
325,000 experience
points are required for each level beyond 12th.
Battle Servants gain
1 hp per level beyond 12th.
BATTLE SERVANT ABILITIES:
They have the
following primary abilities:
1) Cause Uncertainty
- The battle servant can cause a feeling of overwhelming uncertainty
in a number of opponents as they have levels. +10% per level of
battle servant with opponents countering -10% per level/HD (so an 8th
level battle servant versus a 2 hit dice monster would have a 60%
chance). The uncertainty takes the form of losing initiative for the
individuals regardless of advantage.
2) Evade Missiles –
At 3rd level, in the first encounter with a group of
opponents the battle servant can evade the first round of missiles
entirely. So they can never be surprised with a missile attack.
3) Feign Alliance –
At 5th level, battle servants can pretend to be on the
side of anything that speaks and has more than 20 human-like
servants. This ability lasts for as long as the battle servant is
disarmed and makes no questionable moves.
4) Secret Parry –
At 7th level, once per day, the battle servant gains the
ability to remove damage from a single attack on themselves after 4
rounds of continuous fighting with the same opponent as if it was
parried effectively. The opponent will continue to believe the battle
servant is more injured or even dead.
5) Energy Melee –
At 9th level, the battle servant can imbue their melee
attacks with the energy of their CON HP adjustment for fighters as a
bonus attack/damage score (example: CON 17 is +3 so +3 to attack and
damage). This can only be done once every other round foregoing a
second attack. During the round its being performed the battle
servant temporarily loses their entire CON HP adjustment. If wounded
at this round they risk being knocked unconscious or slain if their
damaged HP goes below zero. (example a 10th level battle
servant with a 16 CON and 60 hit points would have -20 on their hp
during that round. If remaining HP is 21 then any minimum damage
attack would make them go unconscious and begin to die. If remaining
HP were 11 then any minimum damage attack would be instant death.)
Secondary function
include: 1) Hiding in Plain Sight, 2) Front Stabbing
1) Hiding in Plain
Sight – Similar to their more powerful feign alliance ability, the
battle servant prides itself on being low key and not raising
suspicions. As long as he never speaks, he can move around in any
settlement with a population of 100 or more (hamlet sized or larger)
and be completely ignored.
2) Front Stabbing –
The battle servant must always deliver an honest blow so they cannot
ambush any opponent (surprise). Due to this, they receive more damage
(x2 against man-like opponents) However all the doubled extra damage
is only in the form of a temporary damage. This temporary damage
lasts only per single opponent. Any opponents who assist the engaged
opponent of the battle servant will not do X2 damage until the first
opponent is disengaged or inactive. Any damage/temporary damage the
battle servant receives can be added to their damage bonus on the
engaged opponent.
Battle servants have
these innate magical functions but those who refrain from adventuring
do not receive these abilities. These “courtly servants” (NPC
restricted) instead, they have the following greater powers.
COURTLY SERVANT ABILITIES:
1)
(NPC ONLY) Perfect Example – When a courtly servant kills anyone in their
society in a just way this raises loyalty +50% in all allies.
2)
(NPC ONLY) Battle Emulation – If troops under the direct command of the
courtly servant have over 100% loyalty they can resist death once
during a battle.
3)
(NPC ONLY) Labyrinthine Bureaucracy – At 8th level, the courtly
servant is able to generate:
A) Once a day, a
treasure map to a monetary treasure.
B) Once every
fortnight, an indebted expert hireling to work off debt for a month
C) Once per
month, a treasure map to a magical treasure
D) Once per 3
months, an indebted moderate level (4th-7th) character type for a
mission or service
E) Once per 6
months, a treasure map to a magical and monetary treasure
F) Once per year,
as many levy quality troops, in units of a thousand, as he has levels
just before a battle is about to commence.
G) Once per
decade, a treasure map leading to an artifact
Note: all
locations that the treasure maps lead to are well guarded.
4)
(NPC ONLY) Inspire Loyalty Creatively:
At 2nd
level once every six months, there is a 25% chance that a courtly
servant can generate a work of poetry that inspires all
the literate serving under their lord’s demesne to a +10 morale
At 4th
level once per year, there is a 25% chance that a courtly servant can
generate a work of art that inspires all under their lord’s demesne
to a +20 morale.
At 6th
level once every 18 months, there is a 25% chance that a courtly
servant can generate a work of philosophy that inspires that inspires
all the literate serving under their lord’s demesne to a +25 morale
At 8th
level once every 2 years, there is a 25% chance that the courtly
servant can generate a creative masterpiece that inspires all under
their lord’s demesne to +50 morale (if a written thing then the
illiterate will hear it read) and other lords will favor their lord (unless countered).
5) (NPC ONLY)
Bureaucracy of the Heavens and the Hells:
Starting at
9th level, a least servitor of the lawful Outer Planes can
be called to assist for 3 hours every 3 months. This ability is
cumulative in that it all adds up (number/time/frequency) if saved.
(See Monster
Level VII*)
At 10th
level a minor servitor of the lawful Outer Planes can be called to
assist for 2 hours every 6 months.(See Monster Level VIII or IX*)
At 11th
level a major servitor of the lawful Outer Planes can be called to
assist for 1 hour every year.
(Usually
categorized as the subservient under Monster Level X*)
At 12th
level a godling of the lawful Outer Planes can be called to assist
for a half hour every 2 years.(Usually categorized as the rulers
under Monster Level X*)
*References to
Monster Levels are taken from MMII (1983) firstly then MM (1977)
secondly.
In addition, the
courtly servants must always be lawful otherwise have the same requirements of the battle servant.
NAME LEVEL AND
RETIREMENT:
FOLLOWERS:
When a battle servant reaches name level (10th)
they attract a body of followers who will literally follow them
around in their chaotic roaming. These followers will usually be 0
level men-at-arms but with higher than average loyalty (see also additional Battle Servant Folllowers below)
For
followers, the courtly servant acquires their own bureau which will
have many low level courtly servants with mid-level higher ups (see
also additional Courtly Servant followers below)
ADDITIONAL BATTLE SERVANT FOLLOWERS:
Battle Servant
Followers (3rd-8th level) (roll three times):
01-20) 2-4 Thieves
21-60) 4-8 Fighters
61-80) 1 Lesser
Battle Servant
81-90) 1 Magic-User
91-99) 1 Monk
00) 1-4 0 level
sedentary types*
*All battle servant
followers are intensely loyal (+25 morale) but the 0 level followers
will never retreat and will disobey orders to be left behind even at
their own peril.
ADDITIONAL COURTLY SERVANT FOLLOWERS:
Roll once for leader
type, once for followers (all are 0 level courtly servants).
Leader
01 -40 3rd
level Courtly Servant+1 knife-sword
41-75 5th level CS,
composite mail (treat as splint) & +1 shield; +1 magic spear and
+l dagger
76-95 6th level CS,
+ 1 composite mail (treat as splint) & shield; arms as above:
lieutenant 3rd
level, composite
mail (treat as splint) & shield; crossbow of distance
96-00 7th level CS,
+1 composite mail (treat as splint) 8, +1 shield; +2 magic
knife-sword (no
special abilities);
rides a heavy warhorse with horseshoes of speed
Troops/Followers
01-50 company of 20
light cavalry, composite mail (treat as splint) & shield; 3
javelins, broad sword, throwing knife; and company of 100 heavy
infantry, composite mail (treat as splint) & shield; pole arm*
and club
51-75 company of 80
heavy infantry - 80 with composite mail (treat as splint) &
shield; 20 with morning star and hand axe, 60 with pike and short
sword,
76-90 company of 60
crossbowmen, composite mail (treat as splint); 40 with long bow and
short sword, 20 with short bow and partisan
91 -00 company of 60
cavalry- composite mail (treat as splint) & shield; 10 with
lance, broad sword, and mace, 20 with lance, broad sword and mace, 30
with lance and flail
* Select type or
types randomly or assign whichever you desire.
If a battle servant decides to retire to become a full time member of their lord’s court they will lose all battle servant abilities for one year at that time they will gain courtly servant abilities as if they were starting anew progressively (Example: 8th level BC retires and gains CS ability Inspire Loyalty Creatively at 10th level).
(For courtly servant retirement see loss of lord below)
LOSS OF THEIR LORD:
When these characters lose their lord either by death or abandoning
their duty and they are not of name level yet they can no longer
advance in this character class.
A) Battle Servant
Loss of Lord:
If name level, has a 50% chance to continue and that is
only if guided by the spirit of their lord from beyond the grave .
Once per day, in combat the battle servant can commune with this
spirit. To advance without the spirit they now must have TWICE as
much experience.
B) Courtly Servant
Loss of Lord:
If name level, can continue to advance only if they
continue to serve as part of the bureaucracy if loss of lord was due
to neglect in their duty they must become a eunuch (hysterectomy if
female). If not they can opt to become a battle servant (as above). In one
year’s time. The courtly servant will lose all their courtly
abilities for one year and gain those of the battle servant as if they were
starting anew progressively (Example something that a Battle Servant
has at a certain level the Courtly turned Battle Servant receives at
+ that number: a 12th level Courtly Servant’s lord dies
so after training to the path of the battle servant they immediately
gain Cause Uncertainty, Hide in Plain Sight, & Front Stabbing
then gain Evade Missiles at 15th, Feign Alliance at 17th
level etc..) They then must continue as lordless battle servants
guided by their dead lord’s spirit (see Battle Servant Loss of Lord above) all battle servant rules apply to former courtly servants in
this instance.
NOTE: Unfortunately the courtly servant's abilities may no longer function without access to any "court" as well.
NOTE: In all cases,
the undead lord’s spirit has moved on to its final reward. This
“spirit” is a lingering remnant of that person’s aura which is
empowered by the battle servant’s sense of loyalty so if the lord
was a little corrupt then this thing is really evil seeming (Treat as
ghost SEE BELOW). If the battle servant dies this thing does as well.
If multiple battle servants followed the same lord it creates an
amalgamated being (treat as ghost +/-1 HD per battle servant over one
in number). If the truth is somehow divined, revealing this truth to the battle servant compels them
to despair and they lose all abilities.This is hard to do as the battle servant must be completely convinced.
NOTE: Many of this
class will resort to ritual suicide if class advancement is lost in
some sectors it is even required. Ultimately a battle servant without a
lord must fade from the Earth either in battle or otherwise within
one day of loss.
SERVANT OF HELL:
When a battle servant chooses to serve their lord upon his death they
can call upon the warped memory of their former master in combat
giving them these powers:
1) Energy Melee
becomes “Negative Energy Melee” where each successful hit using
energy melee adds to the battle servant’s hit points and drains the
opponent’s level
2) Front Stabbing
ability is lost.
3) Turn less than
5HD worth of undead to their side (example: one wraith; a wight and a
skeleton; 5 skeletons; 2 ghouls; etc.) but not directly under their
control.
5) Once per week,
they can call forth their dead lord as a ghost (see above) during
combat for 3 rounds.
In addition:
Any followers gained
after this point will be evil aligned.
COPYRIGHT GENE WEIGEL 2017
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