Changes:
1)Fixed spelling of 'Discreet' (hangs head in shame)
2)Added a bit more background on the Order, and some plot possibilities
3)Slightly modified the mechanics for Magekiss.
4)Changed the DC modifiers for Truthtouch slightly.
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Discreet Companions (Prestige Class)
The Order Of Discreet Companions exists, in an informal and wholly unspoken
way, throughout the four Living Worlds, though it is strongest in places
such as the Dwindling Empire, the wealthier of the City-States of New
Retalia, and the sprawling trading centers of the Red Dust Expanses. It
exists, as its name implies, Discreetly, with few who are not in the Order
even being aware that it is there at all.
The Companions are bargainers in information and intrigue, and they aquire
this via the oldest of means. Of all genders and races, members of the
Order can be found in the courts of kings, the temples of high priests, and
the back alleys of the seediest cities. They ply their trade with apparent
disregard for the nature of their putative employer, though, in their own
way, they are amazingly discriminating. Only those with knowledge to gain
will find one of the Order entering their life, though, of course, the true
nature of the relationship remains well-hidden from the individual in
question.
There is no way to seek out the Order. Those of intelligence, cunning, and
charisma who are already engaging in the Orders primary apparent occupation
will find themselves contacted. If it becomes evident that the contact was
unwise, the prospective member will find their memory wiped and will return
to their life unharmed and unaware anything unusual had occured.
The Order funds itself by selling the information it gains to the highest
bidder, with the bidder usually unaware he is dealing with an organization
and not just an individual. The money itself is funneled deep into the
Order, to serve unknown purposes. (In other words, DMs should come up with
a suitably complex and intricate long-term purpose that fuels the Order.)
As a general rule, this class is best suited for NPCs. A campaign where a
member of this class would have an opportunity to exercise his/her skills
and genuinely gain experience in the class' speciality would be a bit, uhm,
non-standard, though not totally off-the-wall.
Special note on XP:Killing orcs and looting dungeons is all well and good,
but the skills of a Companion tend to be honed in different circumstances.
Allow a companion to gain XP by succesfully being 'employed' by powerful or
rich individuals, with the level of such an individual being considered as
the CR to be overcome.
For example, Alayne is a 6th level Rogue/1st level Companion. He has made
his way to a dance hosted by one of the leading noble families of Delorais.
During the dance, he dazzles and charms the daughter of an important Iron
Baron, and manages to become her favored concubine. As she was a 5th level
Aristocrat, she is considered to be CR 5, and Alayne (A seventh level
character) gains 1,050 XP for this encounter.
The requirements for joining are:
a)A non-lawful alignment. The work of the Order goes against the rulesand
mores of most societies, and to be a member of the Order is to live a
deception, to pretend to be one thing while being another.
b)At least 25 total skill ranks in Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive,
Disguise, Innuendo, and/or Gather Information.
c)Feats:Alertness
d)An established career, or at least a sideline, in some form of
'companionship for pay' trade/profession, with the associated Profession
skill. How sexual this profession is depends upon the culture of the
character, but the nature of the Order is such that anyone over-nice about
such things is unlikely to be invited to join.
e)Mentioning that the Order exists is absolutely forbidden, as is allowing
any genuine emotion to influence your relationship with your current
'partner'. Any member of the Order who breaks these rules will be quickly
and, ahem, discretely eliminated.
While Charisma per se is not a requirement, it is unlikely that anyone of
low or average Charisma will enter the Companions, nor will they benefit
much from such membership, as many of the class powers and feats of the
Order rely on the Charisma bonus.
Discreet Companion
Hit dice:d4
Class Skills:Bluff, Listen, Disguise,Diplomacy,Intimidate,Sense Motive,
Innuendo, Gather Information,Spot Hidden,Forgery, Perform
Skill Points:6+Int Bonus
Level Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref. Save Will Save Special
1 0 0 +1 +2 Secret
2 0 0 +1 +3 Resist Charm
3 +1 +1 +2 +3
4 +1 +1 +2 +4 Secret
5 +1 +1 +3 +4 Bonus Class
Feat
6 +2 +2 +3 +5
7 +2 +2 +4 +5 Secret
8 +2 +2 +4 +6
9 +3 +3 +5 +6
10 +3 +3 +5 +7 Charmtouch,
Secret, Bonus Class Feat
Special abilities descriptions:
Secret:The character learns one very important Secret. The exact
information gained depends on the DM and on the situation, but it should be
something known only to an elite few -- one of whom, obviously, must be a
'client' of the Companion.
Resist Charm:The character receives a bonus to their Will save equal to
their Charisma bonus, versus any Enchantment or Charm effects.
Charmtouch:This ability grants the Extraordinary Ability to Charm someone
by touch alone. This ability may be used a number of times per day equal to
the Charisma bonus of the character. It takes a full turn of reasonably
close physical contact, usually accompanied by enthralling conversation.
The DC of resisting the Charm is 10+the Companion's Charisma bonus.
Bonus Class Feat:The character may select from one of the following Feats.
While anyone can, in theory, learn these Feats, they are given 'free' to
members of this class, much as the 'Tracking' Feat is given to
Rangers.
Talkingtouch:Preqrequisite Innuendo +4
Talkingtouch is a special form of Innuendo. It allows two people with the
skill to 'talk' simply by physical contact. This is not telepathy or
psionics;it is the art of carefully orchestrated muscle motions, too subtle
to be noticed by outsiders. (DC 27 Spot roll to notice;someone who knows
Talkingtouch may add a +2 synergy bonus)
Truthtouch:Prerequiste Sense Motive +4
Truthtouch is distantly related to Talkingtouch, in that it involves an
intimate knowledge of small muscle movements. However, Truthtouch is a
means of gathering information, not communicating. Someone using Truthtouch
can tell if the person they are touching is lying. Flesh-to-flesh contact
is required. Using this ability on beings of races the character is
unfamiliar with is difficult. The base DC for a 'familiar' race (defined
here as the standard PC races) is 10+the targets Wisdom bonus, and the
following modifiers to the DC:
Light or casual contact (holding hands):+0
Close contact (dancing):+2 to 4, depending on the intimacy of the contact.
'Intimate' or prolonged contact:-2 to -4
Unfamiliar Humanoid (Ogre, kobold):-2
Non-humanoid (Dragon) -4
Undead -4
Outsider -6
These stack, so trying to 'read' a non-humanoid, undead, outsider would be
-14. I don't want to know why you're even touching it.
Paintouch (Prereq Dex 15+)
The characters knowledge of muscles and nerves enables them to do an extra
1d6 subdual damage with a succesful unarmed strike. This ability only works
against humanoids.
Magekiss (Metamagic Feat)
This Feat makes any spell with a Will save significantly harder to resist,
at a cost in casting time and combat utility. To succesfully cast a spell
prepared with Magekiss, the caster must maintain flesh-to-flesh physical
contact with an unresisting (willing or helpless) target for at least 5
combat rounds (30 seconds). The spell is cast without any additional verbal
or somatic components required once this contact is completed, and any Will
save required by the spell is at DC+the casters Charisma bonus, with an
additional +2 if the target is being touched willingly (which does not mean
the target is willing to be the subject of a spell, or even aware one is
being cast!). Only spells with a Will save can be prepared with Magekiss.
It is the use of this Feat that has given rise to the legends of those "who
can enslave a man with but a single kiss".
Some plot ideas for the Order:
a)The obvious -- a seemingly minor NPC ("I see if there's any chicks in the
bar!") who falls in with the party is a member of the Order, and is handily
learning all their secrets, secrets which might end up in the hands of the
parties enemies if it seems beneficial to the Order.
b)A former member of the Order has committed the ultimate crime -- he fell
in love. Now he and his lover are fleeing an organization which no one
believes exists, and they turn to the party for help.
c)The party needs information about a major power figure. They are
contacted by one of his most favored "Associates", who offers to sell them
the information for a very high price. During the course of the adventure,
she is forced to use some of the abilities she has learned as a member of
the Order, tipping the party off that she is more than she seems, and
putting them on the trail of the existence of the Order itself.
As a final note, the Order, and many of their abilities, imply issues of
sexuality and its applications in a manner which might not be appropriate
for many campaigns. Played properly and maturely, members of the Order can
make interesting allies, devious foes, or in certain roleplay-heavy,
combat-light campaigns, complex PCs. The Order is not suitable for all
campaigns or all players, and should not be introduced where it will not fit.
