Barbarian
Life is hard upon most of the face of Hearth, and it's the tough that survive. The Barbarian way is that of strength, and the rage and brutal training it provides makes it the most common path to take.
Shifters, orcs and humans often resort to barbarity, especially in the Frostfell. Half-orcs are commonly barbarians as well, but they are less led by fury and more that of passion.
Shifter and orc barbarians have recently joined under the banner of Warlord Teh, and it is feared he will someday have the strength to overturn the Empire.
Totem barbarians are frequent amongst shifters, revering the spirit of the creature that fills them.
There are no ape, dragon, or serpent totems.
Story and song connect all living creatures. It inspires, it teaches, it comforts, and it influences. Those who yield this power builds bridges between others and close distances once thought beyond reach.
In a place as large as Hearth and with towns few and far between, the bard's task of bringing news and battling stagnation of thought and culture is an important one. Only the rangers come close to the distances they travel, and no journey is without peril.
Bards are most common amongst humans, who are the greatest story tellers of the lands and those with the strongest will to bond and build. Half-orcs are also noted musicians, particularly of percussion. The greatest of singers however belong to the Darfellan, though rarely are their melodies appreciated by those earthbound.
Cleric
In a land so cold and life so difficult upon Hearth, faith helps one through the hardships. To know they are being watched and guided and matter aids the burden.
Clerics are those who have given themselves wholly to a spiritual power and through them gain strength and power to forward the plans of their deity. Be they of evil intent or unimaginable love, there are those who will worship.
Nearly all of the races have a large population of those that revere a higher authority. Humans are most commonly drawn to those of goodness and comfort, while orcs and shifters prefer those of strength and ferocity. Dwarves are the exception, being almost without fail rigid agnostics. They know that gods exist and there are great powers beyond, but they feel no urge to give them their hearts and souls. The midgards were cast down for their refusal to pledge allegiance, and so it continues with their descendants. Dwarves become spirits of the earth, and many elementals, fey and undead creatures of stone and ice were once dwarves. Only once the Mountain That Walks comes over them will they be brought to their eternal home, becoming a Midgard themselves.
Druid
Druids are the stewards of Hearth. They above all seek to maintain the natural balance of life, though the ways in which each druid see to this task varies considerably. Because of this druids are rarely trusted until they have proven themselves. Some see only the balance as a whole, the parts matter little, so that the destruction of a town for the good of the area may be an appropriate response. Others revere all life as sacred and worthy of protection, and those of intelligence worthy of the most respect and dignity.
Druids are the most widely spread divine class upon Hearth, from the impossibly cold poles to the great Ochine ocean they are to be found. They are the guardians of many secrets, and through their powers much of the past has been preserved until the equilibrium of the world can be restored and warmth be balanced with chill.
It was they who performed much of the magic required to bring the heat from below to warm the surface and as such they are hated by some and held in awe by others.
Fighter
Fighters are masters of the extended claw and tooth. They may guard against the hungry beasts and protect the families or be ruthless mercenaries, fighting for whoever has the gold. Regardless of their reasons, they are the weapon wielders, and with the care it takes to maintain them in the conditions of Hearth they almost seem to become one with them.
This bond and the epic nature of Hearth combines to make any fighter a warrior of great renown.
In A Dying Ember, to keep Fighters up with such classes as those from Tome of Battle, their weapons are all considered potential Legacy weapons. The exact nature of the legacy depends on the use the fighter has had for the weapon, with DM approval.
They automatically gain the Least Legacy feat at 5th level, Lesser Legacy at 11th level, and Greater Legacy at 17th level.
Monk
Monks are almost exclusively found within the Tomonyok mountain range where Licc and its surrounding settlements are found. Disdaining material wants and attempting to focus on humility and discipline, the ancient ways of the religious sects developed a strengthening of the mind and body. The basics are taught to all of the peoples, that they may achieve strength and control of themselves in day to day life.
They believe that drugs may not be required to achieve the state of mind necessary to tap their limitless potential.
Through this discipline their bodies were also honed. As a side effect of this, a fighting style and channeling of ki was subsequently developed, and thus the way of the empty fist was taught it to any who had the discipline. Those who follow the path to this discipline became known as monks.
Psionicists
Since the beginning of the years of frost human psionicists seemed to spring up overnight upon Hearth. The foremost conclusion is that it was man's way of adapting to the suddenly inhospitable world. Through this control bodies could be adapted to the chill, and even to thrive in the new conditions. Minds could be connected and draw peoples together.
Psionicists in fact are almost exclusively human, the pinnacle of the adaptability that defines the race. Dream dwarves are also well known for their mental prowess, first developing them through extended living amongst deep crystal.
* Society Minds: These psionicists are connected through links in Introvertia, and as such are literally dream-bound together. Those in their link often combined dreamscapes as they sleep.
Ranger
Rangers are much respected upon Hearth, with the ability to live off the land and pass through snowfields with no trace. They, like bards, travel too and fro, though are more likely to take up residence in an area than pass frivolously from place to place. They are often the first to give warning of danger and their ability with the bow despite the dark and rain is legendary.
Frostfell Ranger Variant
Rogue
With the constant slippery dampness, the all-telling snow and the finger-stiffening cold, it's difficult to be a rogue on Hearth. Actual burglary and house-breaking is rare. Instead, thievery tends towards more refined methods. Instead of lock picking, sneaking and hiding, the Hearth rogue prefers counterfeiting, bluffing and diplomacy. The manipulation of the person and the laws are the standard.
With few large cities, only a few choice places can hide the acts of a rogue. Gelid Falls hosts quite a number, though in Licc it has risen to an art form. Oddly enough it is the dwarves whom are the most common rogues, at least underground. Their stability grants them balance and their prowess with mechanisms and traps is legendary. As such it is they who are often the most sure fingered and stealthy.
Sorcerer
Sorcerers are the most common of the arcane magic users. They have surfaced all the more often since the fall of the comet amongst human. It is speculated this may be because of the great surge of magic that brought the comet, as well as that which saturated the world to bring up the heat from below. Others feel it is a way of adaption.
Sorcerers tend to be at least as respected at wizards, the latter somewhat less so due to their bookish ways. However, all arcane magic is held with some suspicion for their odd requirements and the strange rituals behind them.
Wizard
Wizards are a rarity upon Hearth, where most abilities spring from instinct or as a result of a higher power. Few indeed have both the intelligence and the idle time to learn and pursue the knowledge to become a true wizard when most merely attempt to survive.
As such, wizards are born almost exclusively amongst the nobles and rich amongst humans. Dwarves are the most common wizards, and it is said there is a great hall of mages below that will occasionally take in a human prodigy, provided they are willing to withhold from seeing the sun for many years. In fact, it is the dwarves who developed the runes allowing spells to be written down. Some even say the rule over arcane magic was discovered by the midgard before the world even formed, while they still remained in the upper planes.[/center]
Archivist
Much of the knowledge the world once possessed is now lost to time. Rare remnants remain preserved beneath snow and ice, or are hidden away miles underfoot, abominable passages written by cultists and the children of the elder evils. It is such knowledge that archivists wish to uncover and bring out into the light. Common are archivists amongst the kenku, who seem to have little fear of how the knowledge they discover will impact the world, selling their secrets and findings to any who will pay. Dwarves are the next most common, with access to above and below, as well as an environment more kind to writing materials and the ability to read even in the darkest pitch.
Artificer
With the drive to just survive for so many centuries, and much knowledge lost during the comet's fall, few are the skilled artificer's in the world above ground. Dwarves however are exceptionally skilled artificers, at times surpassing even the midgard. It is a racial affinity for the creation of items both beautiful and magical that continues on in their mortal brethren.
Licc however is plentiful in psionic artificers, creations run by emotion and thought. Despite this little is made in the way of automatons, their heritage of rigid pride, sense of honor and independence keeping them from taking the easy path of having machinery doing their thinking for them. Instead the items are built to focus and channel their people's natural potential.
Binder
The multiverse is not as most think it, every area more or less coming to a boundary line, or fading into infinity or another realm of existence. There are cracks in existence, bubbles of reality that even the gods can do little with except put an eye to the keyhole and try to peer in. Vestiges are creatures pushed beyond reality, or were never meant to be a part of it to begin with, such as the Gurgling God and other children of the elder evils.
Those that seek these hidden or banished beings are those who will do anything to gain power or learn of things hidden, remote and locked away. Such secrets are most commonly sought by the ever-curious kenku, and are the most common binders. Wild children sometimes seek an alternative path, bonding with creatures of faerie locked away as only the lords and ladies of the court know how.
Dread Necromancer
There is death in your soul. While sorcerers possess innate arcane powers, dread necromancers are cursed with the antithesis of life and joy. Where this link comes from is unknown, being anything from a fiendish ancestor to an affiliation with death due to generations of your ancestors all residing in hell. Sometimes its simply a random, yet hellish fluke. Even the best of people may find themselves with this power, but resist it and fight it, the outcome usually amounting to death by the pent up energies. More neutrals however use the soul scarring energies as a matter of survival and necessity, for otherwise lays the path of sure death. Evil necromancers however are the most common, good or neutral originally in most cases, but the powers they wield eventually perverting their souls.
The ways of the Dread Necromancer are uncommon amongst all peoples, though humans are most known to be possessed by this power. This is often thought to be caused by the uncountable amount of deaths in their ancestry during the beginning years of frost.
Evil gloi are also known to take interest in this path.
Factotum
On Hearth the most adaptable of individuals do well. Thus the jack of all trades Factotum, the dabbler in all things, strives in this trying world. He might one day be healing broken bones from avalanche victims to commanding a team of sled dogs to investigating strange disappearances within the glens. He thrives on diverse challenges and new vistas. Wherever a factotum travels, and on Hearth there is a great deal for them to travel to, the factotum is welcome and admired.
Humans and mongrelfolk are the most common factotums. The human ability to catch on to new tasks and the mongrelfolk racial knacks aiding them greatly in whatever broad range of tasks they find themselves committed to.
Harrowed [/url]
Though there have always been the rare Harrowed, maybe once a generation a creature from the depths or beyond reality such as a survivor of Orsa, would force themselves upon an unfortunate mortal. However, since the the Desire of the Edge drug was first administered there has been a great uprising of Harrowed. Still uncommon, but a veritable swarm compared to years before.
Through the link with the damned mind of these Edgers, unspeakable influences have leaked up from the Far Realm to poison dream and the minds that connect there. The Harrowed are one of many such results. They are found particularly within the boundaries of Licc and are subsequently banished. They now wander without home or identity, a stranger to all, even themselves.
Harrowed Class
“Trapping the beast within you does not make you a monster, child. Knowing when to unleash it – that is what makes you human.”Jozan, to Aryllia, a Harrowed.
Sorcerers are born with raw magic flooding their veins. Bards tap into the strange and whimsical powers in music, where clerics draw powers down from gods and druids up from the earth itself. For these individuals, power is a blessing.
For the Harrowed, it is a curse.
The Harrowed are unfortunates that, for whatever reason, have found themselves trapped in an unending battle for their souls. Hurled back into the realms of the living from beyond reality, each Harrowed struggles with a being trapped within them, fighting for control of their bodies, their souls, and their sanity. The fact that they can steal a measure of this monster’s power is bitter comfort to most Harrowed, who know that their control over their abilities is fickle at best.
Abilities: Wisdom is the most important ability to a Harrowed, as it increases their Will save and therefore their control over themselves and their abilities. Charisma increases the save DCs of their powers, and Dexterity is essential for accurate use of their Tenebrous Touch. Many Harrowed find Intelligence to be a useful ability, especially those of a more careful, investigative bent.
Role: A Harrowed serves as a ranged damager and supernatural investigator for her party. Where some spells fail – or simply have yet to be invented – a Harrowed can hound clues to the ground using supernatural senses, the echoes of the deceased, and even by tracking the mental resonances left behind by her quarry. Depending on her selection of feats, a Harrowed may serve in myriad other ways to an adventuring party, limited only by their tolerance and her inventiveness.
Background: Most Harrowed wake up some place in the wilderness or on the outskirts of civilization with no memory of who they are or how they came to be there. Many of these Harrowed will take the names of objects, equipment, kindly strangers, or even concepts as their own. It is worth noting that these Harrowed almost instinctually realize what they are and take steps to master themselves almost immediately. A few Harrowed are instead born like normal members of their race and raised from childhood. Those that aren’t promptly slain for being “eldritch witch children” typically manifest their powers around the ages of three to five, struggling early and often with the monster within. They typically leave their homes early in order to protect those around them – or are forced out when the community either exiles them or lays in ashes at their feet.
Harrowed enjoy a peculiar kind of immortality – whenever they would be permanently slain, they reincarnate once again, going through the same cycle of struggle and destruction over and over again. So far, no one has caught on to this pattern, though some extremely old Harrowed are beginning to catch snatches of memories that they have never lived – and investigating thoroughly.
Organization: None. Each Harrowed is a wholly unique case, and they are typically so rare as to be nearly unheard of. One Harrowed encountering another may be surprised, angry, pleased, or just about any conceivable reaction, really. It’s worth noting that the name “Harrowed” is typically applied to them only by beings who truly understand their predicament – ancient celestials, the eldest of fiends, and over-deities. Others may call the Harrowed witches, fiends, or even sorcerers; no universally accepted name for them exists.
Alignment: Any. Many Harrowed tend towards good, and/or lawful alignments due to the instinctive “fight” reaction associated with their monster, but quite a few turn to evil, either having become corrupted from within or hoping that their base debaucheries will appease the dark force within them.
Races: Harrowed hail from almost any race, though each race only possesses a meager handful at most. Curiously enough, non-mortal races – that is, those incapable of dying of old age, such as planetouched, most outsiders, or sentient constructs – never produce Harrowed, and members of these races cannot gain levels in the Harrowed class. Many Harrowed are humans or mongrelfolk from around Licc, where those that tumble over the Edge are to be found. Resulting from their unprohibited searchings and proddings, Kenku are the next most common peoples to produce the Harrowed.
Religion: Harrowed tend to reject religion out of spite; to them, the gods are weaklings at best and sadistic tormentors at worst, unworthy of worship or even consideration. Some Harrowed even blame the gods for their condition; of these, a few turn to religion in the vain hope that their patron deity will lift their curse.
Other Classes: Harrowed often possess a deep-seated resentment for classes that either possess innate magical power (such as sorcerers) or who gain it from a higher force (such as clerics or druids). Harrowed tend to express this by being snappy and short-tempered around these individuals, and biting, sarcastic remarks (“Why don’t you just snap your fingers and magic it away, then?”) are very common. Harrowed tend to be more tolerant of those who earned their power through sacrifice or study (such as wizards or paladins), but they only truly feel at ease around non-magical classes such as barbarians, rogues, fighters, and monks. This isn’t to say that the Harrowed is completely open to these individuals – how can they really understand the Harrowed, after all? – but they do find forming relationships with them to be much easier and far less tense.
Adaptation: Many details of the Harrowed condition have been left intentionally vague so that the Dungeon Master may more easily work them into their world (but see one possible example below). Mechanically speaking, the Harrowed can be adapted quite easily, usually by altering their Tenebrous Touch class feature, or by removing or introducing feat lines or additional Harrowings.
Hit Die: D8.
Starting Gold: 3d4 x 10 gold.
Class Features
Class Skills: The Harrowed’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are as follows: Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (All skills, chosen individually) (Int), Lucid Dreaming (Cha), Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Speak Language (N/A), Spellcraft (Int), Survival (Wis), Use Magic Device (Cha)
Skill Points at First Level: (4 + Intelligence Modifier) x 4 Skill Points Per Level After First: 4 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Harrowed are proficient with all simple weapons, one martial weapon of their choice, and light armor.
The Monster Within (Su): The Harrowed shares her body and soul with a being of elemental power, dark purpose, and terrible will, constantly fighting it for control of her body and mind. Though the Harrowed can draw upon some of the beast’s power, in doing so she risks losing control; whenever the Harrowed uses one of her activated supernatural abilities from this class (as well as certain Harrowed feats – see feat descriptions for details), she must make a Will save (see the ability descriptions for save DCs) or lose control of her body to the monster for one round per character level (the ability is still activated as intended; that is, Tenebrous Touch still attacks its target, Tenebrous Mantles still activate, et cetera). The Harrowed may not choose to fail this save. If they succeed at the saving throw, they do not need to save again for that particular ability (or feat) for a number of rounds equal to their Charisma modifier.
The monster within the Harrowed is highly intelligent, but it knows it only has a limited amount of time in which to enjoy its freedom. While acts of murder, rape, destruction and betrayal are not out of line with the monster’s behavior, it is equally likely to party hard, kiss a random barmaid, gorge itself on fine food, and other indulgent behaviors. Strange or perverted acts are also quite common, such as scratching strange rhymes on a stone, burning anything with the color blue, or attacking and castrating any man who whistles in a particular pitch.
Generally speaking, the monster does not form long-term plans, unable to think past the next point of escape and freedom. The Harrowed's abilities and feats do not provoke Will saves against the Monster Within while the Harrowed is under its control.
It is worth noting that the monster prefers its body to be free and unencumbered, the better to cater to its whimsical nature. The Harrowed may wear light armor without penalty, but medium armor imposes a -4 penalty to Will saves against the monster, while heavy armor imposes a -8 penalty. The Harrowed suffers no such penalties for being encumbered, but it is highly likely that the monster will shed any offending items – such as backpacks – when it takes control.
Attempts to remove the monster from the Harrowed inevitably fail – spells fizzle out, powerful artifacts come to naught, and even greater deities strive in vain as their powers fail again and again. This trait is universal amongst Harrowed, and is a source of extreme speculation among those sages familiar with the Harrowed’s condition.
There is, however, a minor benefit to the monster’s presence in the Harrowed’s mind and body, beyond the power that the Harrowed can steal from it – the beast’s foul will bolsters the Harrowed’s own, providing them with a +4 bonus to will saves vs. mind-affecting abilities, as well as soul-displacement effects such as Trap the Soul and Magic Jar.
Tenebrous Touch (Su): The simplest expression of her power, the Harrowed can tap into the monster within, siphoning off a measure of its madness, its hatred, and its essence, unleashing it as a ranged touch attack (max range 60 feet). At first level, the Harrowed’s player chooses one of the following energies. This choice, once made, cannot be changed.
Wyldfire: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with a strange, chaotic flame. Her beast is likely to be destructive, violent, and impatient, like a malevolent inferno. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is fire and half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to any kind of resistance. Wyldfire can ignite objects and beings on fire as though it were alchemist’s fire; a being who fails a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) ignites in eldritch flame, lasting for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level or until they douse themselves in water or succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) to put it out.
Frigid Hate: The Harrowed’s beast is suffused with creeping, slithering cold, unfeeling and unforgiving. It is likely to be methodical, sadistic, and cunning. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is cold and half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Creatures struck by Frigid Hate must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls, reflex saves, and dexterity-based skill checks for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s class level. Frigid Hate may freeze five cubic feet of liquid per d6 of damage it deals, provided that said liquid is not a living being (thus, a Harrowed could freeze a pond, but not a water elemental).
Caustic Fury: The Harrowed’s beast is a spiteful thing of bile and suffused with the urge to disolve away existence. It is likely to be patient, unforgiving, and implacable. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is acid and half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Caustic fury clings to its victims, forcing them succeed at a reflex save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer half of the damage dealt (rounded down) the following round at the beginning of the Harrowed’s turn.
Sky's Rage: The Harrowed’s beast is infused with rotting wind and sickly lightning. It is likely to be devious, fickle, and tempestuous. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is electricity and half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The Tenebrous Touch is accompanied by an incredible flash of lightning, forcing all those within five feet of the victim to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be partially blinded; all of their attacks suffer a 20% miss chance for one round per class level.
Sun's Wrath: The Harrowed's beast is infused with the pure destructive power of positive energy, turning the fundamental building block of life into a weapon of utter devastation. It is likely to be persistent, spontaneous, and obsessed with creation. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter (upgraded to 1d8 against beings normally damaged by positive energy, such as the undead), half of which is positive energy and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind (note that this is positive energy damage, and thus does not heal beings normally healed by positive energy). This Tenebrous Touch may strike incorporeal creatures without penalty.
Death's Grasp: The Harrowed's beast is infused with the raw essence of the void, destroying all that it touches. It is likely to be cold, persistent, methodical and deadly. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d6 points of damage, plus an additional 1d6 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is negative energy and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind (undead and other beings normally healed by negative energy are still harmed by this ability; its violence simply overwhelms their natural ability to absorb the energy). Undead beings overload from being struck by this Tenebrous Touch; they must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be slowed for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed's class levels.
Indomitable Will: The Harrowed's beast is a being of pure, malevolent will, forcing itself on the world around it. It is likely to be charismatic, driven, and determined. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is force damage and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Beings struck by the Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be pushed five feet per class level in any straight line of the Harrowed's choosing (Selecting this Tenebrous Touch inflicts a persistent -2 penalty on the Harrowed's Will saves).
Screaming Hatred: The Harrowed's beast howls its fury at its own imprisonment, sending its shrieks forth to destroy all it can touch. It is likely to be thoroughly insane, enraged, and spiteful. Starting at level one, the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage, plus an additional 1d4 per two class levels thereafter, half of which is sonic damage and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. Beings struck by the Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be deafened for 1d2+1 rounds.
Flesh Kindle: The Harrowed's beast acts with a disquieting inevitability, wishing with a quiet glee for all things to weaken and die. It is likely to be silent, gloating, and lascivious. The Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage per two class levels, half of which is fire energy and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. This energy weakens them, forcing the target to succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or become sickened until the damage dealt is healed.
Once a day, for a number of days equal to your class level, this damage attempts to repeat itself. They must succeed on a fortitude save (see above) or retake the original damage even if it's been healed. This is considered a disease for the purpose of healing spells, though an opposed check must be made (CL equal to harrowed's level).
Psychotic Break: The Harrowed's beast is infused with a presence of desire and intrusive curiosity. It is likely to be dominating, rapacious and intimidating. The Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage per two class levels, half of which is mental energy such as from Mindthrust, and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The mental energy is considered a mind-effecting effect. Those that take damage are forced to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be confused for 1 round/4 levels. Even if they make their save the Harrowed still knows their surface thoughts at the moment of the touch.
Terror's Edge: The Harrowed'd beast whispers always of things that cannot and should not be. It is likely to be disquieting, enigmatic and disturbing. The Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage per two class levels, half of which is mental energy such as from Mindthrust, and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The mental energy is considered a mind-effecting effect. Those that take damage are forced to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be Frightened per 1 round/2 levels. (Selecting this Tenebrous Touch inflicts a persistent -4 penalty on the Harrowed's saves against insanity and confusion, though they also gain a +1 bonus to Knowledge and Lore checks).
Wretched Wound: The Harrowed's beast is infused with an infinite despair that saps the will out of all creatures. It is likely to be mantic, pithy and depressing. The Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage per two class levels, half of which is mental energy such as from Mindthrust, and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The mental energy is considered a mind-effecting effect. Those that take damage are forced to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be affected as by Crushing Despair. They may make a new save each round. Those that make their save are not affected by the despair effects for 24 hours. (Selecting this Tenebrous Touch causes the Harrowed to only take half the bonuses from morale effects, minimum 0).
Ego Whip: The Harrowed's beast is overflowing with euphoria and high spirits, painting a pretty picture over and making elaborate excuses for the most horrible atrocities. It is likely to be insincere, flattering and glib. The Harrowed's Tenebrous Touch deals 1d4 points of damage per two class levels, half of which is mental energy such as from Mindthrust, and the other half of which stems directly from eldritch power and is not subject to resistance of any kind. The mental energy is considered a mind-effecting effect. Those that take damage are forced to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or be Charmed by you for 1 round/2 levels. As each tenebrous touch fills them with a feeling of well being you may use it upon them without them knowing they are being attacked and remain charmed. Each round you attack with this tenebrous touch however they may attempt a new save to notice the damage. Once they realize you have harmed them in any fashion the charmed effect ends and they cannot be effected again for 24 hours. (Selecting this Tenebrous Touch causes the Harrowed to develop an unwarranted boost to their self confidence. They gain a +1 bonus to will saves, but take a -2 penalty to Charisma-based skill checks due to their egotistical demeanor).
Activating Tenebrous Touch is a standard action. Regardless of the element chosen, a Harrowed is immune to the damage and effects of her own Tenebrous Touch, though not those of other Harrowed, even those who have chosen the same element. Activating Tenebrous Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 11.
At sixth level, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may infuse her melee weapon with her Tenebrous Touch, dealing Tenebrous Touch damage in addition to weapon damage for a single attack, as well as triggering the secondary effects of her Tenebrous Touch. This extra damage is not multiplied in the event of a critical hit. If the Harrowed misses, the attack is not wasted, and remains imbued in her weapon until she strikes a being or object, dismisses the effect as a free action, or fails to use it within a number of rounds equal to her charisma modifier. Infusing her weapon provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 16, though striking with her weapon thereafter does not.
At fourteenth level, once per day as a standard action, the Harrowed may forgo making a normal Tenebrous Touch attack and instead lash out with a ray of pure eldritch energy. This attack deals the same damage as her Tenebrous Touch, though the source is pure eldritch energy, not subject to any form of resistance. A being struck by this attack must succeed at a fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or die, overwhelmed by demented power. Law-aligned beings suffer a -2 penalty to this save. Using this ability in place of a normal Tenebrous Touch does not trigger the Tenebrous Touch’s normal secondary effects. Using this ability in place of her Tenebrous Touch provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 24.
Harrowings: At first level, and again every two levels thereafter, the Harrowed chooses a Harrowing from the list presented below; once made, this choice cannot be altered - any given Harrowed's Harrowings are theirs for life.
Two-World Eyes (Su): The energies of the beast within infuse the Harrowed, seeping into her senses and allowing her to sense those energies that are similar to it. Starting at second level, the Harrowed’s senses sharpen in a mostly mundane way; she gains darkvision out to a range of sixty feet (or her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet). Darkvision is exactly like normal vision, except that it is in black-and-white only, and the Harrowed can function just fine with no light at all.
Starting at tenth level, the Harrowed can see mental auras and manifestations; she benefits from a constant detect psionics effect. Additionally, the Harrowed can sense those beings whose nature, like her beast’s, is formed of mind and whimsy; she automatically detects any creatures with an intelligence score as the Mindsight feat out to sixty feet.
Starting at sixteenth level, the Harrowed’s darkvision functions even in magical darkness, and her supernatural perception sharpens to incredible acuity; the Harrowed detects all beings with the aberration type, the outsider type, the fey type, or the far and psionic subtypes as though she possesses blindsight out to sixty feet, but only with regard to those beings (when those beings are within that range, she may also perceive her surroundings in this manner, but not beings without the aforementioned types or subtypes). Nothing short of a null psionics field (or similar effects) may foil this perception.
A blind or otherwise visually-impaired Harrowed still benefits from these abilities, but her sense of sight is limited only to the supernatural sense granted by this ability; that is, at second level, a blind Harrowed may still “see” mental auras, at tenth level the Harrowed may still “see” beings with the proper types and subtypes, and at tenth level the Harrowed benefits from blindsight with regards to those beings with the proper types and subtypes, but she is still blind with regard to those beings and effects that do not fit those criteria.
Upon acquiring this ability, the Harrowed’s eyes change to a deep, clearly inhuman color, such as blood red, dark violet, or even a kaleidoscopic rainbow of colors. Many Harrowed seem to lose their eyes, being replaced with a void of great depth within which sparks of light dance and spin. Other's orbs film over and twist and quiver in an unnerving fashion, amongst many other varieties. The Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch often changes color to match that of her eyes.
Empathic Sight (Su): As a Harrowed’s power grows, she becomes more sensitive to resonances from the minds around her. Starting at 4th level she gains Empathy and Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions as psi-like abilities, manifester level equal to their harrowing levels.
Additionally she may detect if they are currently under a mind-affecting effect and what type it is; charm, compulsion, confusion, fear, etc. Possession by a creature such as a ghost, fiend or another harrowed is also detected. A Harrowed may only use this latter ability once per day upon any given individual.
Using Empathic Sight to detect compulsions and possessions provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) at DC 12.
Tenebrous Mantle (Su): As the Harrowed’s stolen power grows, her body becomes more and more suffused with the unnatural energies of the monster within her. With an act of will, she may force these energies from her skin, becoming wreathed in a protective layer of Tenebrous energy. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does no provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may activate this ability. While this ability is active, she becomes shrouded in a raging manifestation of her Tenebrous energy. Any being striking her in melee with a natural or non-reach manufactured weapon takes Tenebrous Touch damage on their first successful attack, as well as suffering the secondary effect of the Harrowed’s Tenebrous Touch. Additionally, while her Tenebrous Mantle is active, the Harrowed has DR X/- against projectile attacks, where X is equal to her class level. This damage reduction counts against conjured projectiles (such as acid arrows), but not against rays or force effects (such as magic missiles).
Using Tenebrous Mantle provokes a will save (see The Monster Within), and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.
After gaining this ability, the Harrowed leaves mental remnants that echo with weak Tenebrous energy, adding a +5 circumstance bonus to those attempting to track her even when the ability is not active.
Glimpse the Soul (Su): The Harrowed’s senses continue to expand past the mundane, giving her glimpses of the auras that all beings with souls possess. Starting at level seven, she may concentrate and scrutinize these auras in order to gain information about their bearers. As a full-round action, the Harrowed may observe any being with a soul (including elementals, outsiders, and intelligent constructs) and make a sense motive check (DC = the creatures hit dice + its wisdom modifier). If she succeeds, the Harrowed may learn one of the following: one component of the creature’s alignment (good-evil, law-chaos), its current mood, its relative charisma score (in general terms "animalistic", "insecure", "average", "self-assured", "iron confidence", "egotistical" would all be appropriate readings) or if it is currently bearing any objects containing trapped souls. The Harrowed may attempt this check more than once on any given creature in a day, but each time she does, the DC increases by five.
Using Glimpse the Soul provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 15.
Evil Eye (Su): Temporarily shifting her soul from behind her eyes, a Harrowed of level eight or higher can allow her beast to glare out into the world, inflicting its horrible attentions upon unfortunate victims. Once per encounter, as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, the Harrowed may glare at her foe as a gaze attack. Her victim must succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or suffer a -4 penalty to all ability scores, skill checks, saving throws, and attack rolls for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier.
Activating the Evil Eye provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 20.
Bestial Resilience (Su): As her Tenebrous energy continues to infuse her body, the Harrowed begins to develop a tolerance for it. At level nine, the Harrowed gains resistance 10 to whatever form of damage her Tenebrous Touch deals (acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, negative energy, positive energy, sonic or mental). At level 18, this improves to resistance 20.
Read the Soul (Su): Starting at level twelve, as a full-round action, the Harrowed can lock onto the aura of any intelligent being within her view. Activating this ability is a standard action, and while she concentrates on that being, the Harrowed may tell any of the following: if that being lies, if it activates a supernatural or psi/spell-like ability, if it changes alignment (but not what alignment it changes to), or if it becomes possessed. A Harrowed may only read one aura at a time this way, and concentrating on the task takes a standard action each round to maintain.
Activating Read the Soul provokes a Will save (see The Monster Within), and maintaining it provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) every other round; both of these saves are against DC 20.
Scent the Occult (Su): As the Harrowed infuses more of herself with the stolen power of her beast, its senses continue to bleed through into her own. At level twelve, her sense of smell sharpens and takes on a supernatural edge, allowing her to hound down the supernatural by scent. This functions almost identically to the scent special quality, with the exception that she may only detect psionic and magical beings (that is, beings with supernatural or psi/spell-like abilities, or those beings capable of casting spells, manifesting powers, or beings created by psionics/magic, such as certain undead and constructs) and effects this way. A Harrowed may track the movement of these beings and effects by scent, as well as being able to distinguish the type of power she is dealing with (arcane, divine, psionic, meldshaping, etc.) and its source (inherent, learned, or granted).
Note that a Harrowed can only track where a spell, power or effect has been; she could, for example, follow the path of a programmed image, but she could not trace it back to its caster unless the image happened to pass near there.
A Harrowed can identify power/spells or psionic/magical items by scent, but doing so imposes a -8 penalty on the appropriate Knowledge (Arcana/Psionics) or Spell/Psicraft roll.
Dark Whispers (Ex): A Harrowed can, in a limited fashion, project their mind and afflict others with the dark whispers and desires of the monster within. Starting at level fifteen, twice per encounter, the Harrowed may activate this ability as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The Harrowed designates a victim, who immediately begins hearing insidious, whispering, demanding voices in his head, forcing him to succeed at a will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or go insane for a number of rounds equal to the Harrowed’s charisma modifier. While insane, the victim suffers a -6 penalty to wisdom and is unable to tell friend from foe, lashing out violently against the nearest available victims. Victims who succeed at the will save are immune to further uses of this ability – by any Harrowed – for 24 hours. This is a mind-affecting ability.
Dark Whispers has an alternate effect on beings with intelligence scores that are normally immune to mind-affecting abilities; they must succeed at a Will save or the psychic shock of their intimate contact with the Harrowed's beast instead deals them 6d6 points of damage.
Harrowed are immune to the effects of Dark Whispers.
Activating this ability provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 25.
Sense the Unseen (Su): The most profound sharpening of her senses, a Harrowed of level sixteen or higher gains the ability to see even invisible or ethereal creatures. The Harrowed sees these creatures as though they were not invisible, though ethereal creatures appear somewhat transparent and hazy. A Harrowed may also sense the presence of nearby creatures on the Plane of Shadow, though she may only detect whether any such creatures are present within a forty foot radius of her, and not their exact type or location. Likewise, the Harrowed may sense the presence of incorporeal creatures within forty feet of her, but not their exact type or location.
Tenebrous Fury (Su): At level twenty, the Harrowed has mastered the most destructive and potent of her powers. Once per encounter, by tapping into her own rage and fury and magnifying it with that of her beast, she becomes a beacon of unnerving energies, creating and releasing it at a prodigious rate. When she activates her Tenebrous Fury, the Harrowed can make her Tenebrous Touch attacks as attack actions; that is, she may make as many Tenebrous Touch attacks as her base attack bonus allows. Additionally, all of the Harrowed's melee attacks are imbued with her Tenebrous Touch. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier.
Activating Tenebrous Fury provokes a will save (see The Monster Within) against DC 34. Activating Tenebrous Fury is a free action.
Harrowings
"I woke up this morning in a strange place, covered in blood, with half-foot claws that I didn't have yesterday. How do you think I feel?" - Aryllia, a Harrowed, responds to a friendly 'How are you?'
As a Harrowed's existence progresses, the monster within them begins to warp its prison, body and soul, either out of spite or in a futile attempt to free itself. These changes are almost never voluntary on the Harrowed's part (with the exception of the most twisted or subservient of Harrowed) and often happen seemingly overnight. While these Harrowings can benefit the Harrowed, sometimes greatly, most of them are decidedly uncomfortable with their lack of control over their own bodies, and are understandably conflicted about the benefits they gain thereby. It does not help that many of these changes make the Harrowed more bestial and more savage, furthering the distance the Harrowed maintain from everyday beings.
Some Harrowings have prerequisites; the Harrowed must meet all of these requirements before he can select that particular Harrowing. Any given Harrowing may only be selected once, unless its description says otherwise.
Several Harrowings give the Harrowed access to natural attacks; a Harrowed may only have up to three total natural attacks gained through this class, plus an additional one for every five class levels. Damage values listed for natural attacks are for medium Harrowed.
Harrowings by Lord Gareth
(Adjusted to fit Setting)
Alien Reach (Ex) Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, Base Attack Bonus +6
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains two tentacles as secondary natural attacks; these tentacles deal 1d6 + strength modifier damage and have an additional five feet of reach beyond the Harrowed's normal reach (though the Harrowed still threatens beings adjacent to them with the tentacles).
Bestial Armor (Ex) Prerequisites: Constitution 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains toughened hide, scales, chitin, or some other form of natural armor, gaining a natural armor bonus equal to her constitution modifier.
Bestial Lunge (Ex) Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, one other Harrowing
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains an additional ten feet added to his base land speed, as well as an extra five feet of reach. Unlike normal reach, the Harrowed's reach is not immediately apparent until she uses it; she lunges and snaps so quickly as to catch her opponents off guard.
Creeping Horror (Ex) Prerequisites: Id Senses, Hide 2 ranks, Move Silently 2 ranks, Wisdom 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a +2 racial bonus to Hide, Move Silently, and Survival. Hide, Move Silently, and Survival become class skills for the Harrowed. Finally, the Harrowed may use Hide, Move Silently, and the tracking application of the Survival skill at her full movement speed without penalty.
Dreams of Flight (Su) Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing finds himself lifting impossibly into the air. He gains a sixty foot fly speed at Good maneuverability as if had acquired a pair of wings.
Dreamself Bond (Su) Prerequisites: Charisma 13+, One other Harrowing
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can fade partially from reality and bond with their dreamself; a number of times per day equal to her charisma modifier, attacks directed at the Harrowed suffer a 20% miss chance for a number of rounds equal to her class level. Activating Dreamself Bond is a swift action.
Hidden Soul (Ex) Prerequisites: Iron Will, Wisdom 15+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing is immune to negative levels and energy drain, as well as effects that would damage or alter her soul (with the exception of resurrection effects).
Id Agility (Ex) Prerequisites: One other Harrowing, Climb 2 ranks
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes extraordinarily agile, gaining a climb speed equal to half of their base land speed, as well as a +2 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks. Jump and Swim become class skills for the Harrowed.
Id Savagery (Ex) Prerequisites: Strength 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing develops two primary claw attacks that deal 1d6 + strength modifier slashing damage. Whenever the Harrowed chooses to channel their Tenebrous Touch through melee attacks, she may choose to channel it through two separate claw attacks instead of a manufactured weapon (essentially allowing her to make two melee Tenebrous Touch attacks).
Id Senses (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains keen senses; they gain a +2 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks, as well as the Scent special quality. Listen and Spot become class skills for the Harrowed.
The range of the Harrowed's Scent the Occult ability doubles when she develops this Harrowing. The Harrowed can automatically differentiate between "mundane" scents and scents picked up by her Scent the Occult ability.
Links of Will (Su) Prerequisites: Iron Will, two other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can manifest psychic chains of Tenebrous energy with which she restrains her beast; as a move action, she may manifest chains of Tenebrous energy that wrap around her body, providing her with a +6 armor bonus to armor class, as well as a -2 armor check penalty and 15% arcane spell failure. These chains are treated as light armor, and have a +1 enhancement bonus for every four class levels; the Harrowed may enchant her chains (or have them enchanted, if she is incapable of enchanting them herself) just like any other kind of armor. While these chains are manifested, the Harrowed enjoys a +1 insight bonus on Will saves against The Monster Within for every five class levels. Dismissing these chains is a swift action.
Nightmare Mind (Ex) Prerequisites: Iron Will
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing enjoys a +2 profane bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells or abilities. Additionally, if she is targeted by an unwanted telepathic intrusion or assault, such as a dominate person spell or the ego whip power, the intrusion's originator must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + ½ Harrowed’s class level + the Harrowed’s charisma modifier) or take 2d6 + the Harrowed's class level points of damage from the psychic shock.
Otherworldly Senses (Ex) Prerequisites: Id Senses, Wisdom 15+, at least five other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains blindsight out to thirty feet. This blindsight ceases to function if all five of the Harrowed's senses are somehow invalidated; it resumes functioning once the Harrowed has at least one functioning sense (taste, touch, sight, smell, or hearing).
The Harrowed can automatically differentiate between the perceptions she gains from this ability and the perceptions she gains from her Two-World Eyes class feature.
Phantom Flay (Su) Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can strike like a vengeful ghost; as a standard action, the Harrowed can enter a state where all of her melee attacks become touch attacks, regardless of what weapon she is using (this state lasts for a number of rounds equal to one-fourth her class level). Additionally, the Harrowed's natural attacks, as well as any weapons she wields, gain the ghost touch special property for as long as she is using them, regardless of whether or not the Harrowed has activated Phantom Flay.
Phantom Flay can be used a number of times per day equal to the Harrowed's charisma modifier.
Predatory Obfuscation (Ex) Prerequisites: Creeping Horror, one other Harrowing
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can use the Hide skill even while being observed, so long as she has cover or concealment.
Profane Transcendence (Ex) Prerequisites: Constitution 13+, Six other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing changes her type to either aberration or outsider (native) (player's choice). Additionally, she gains damage reduction X/lawful or good, where X is equal to her class level.
Psychotic Hunger (Ex) Prerequisites: Strength 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a bite as a secondary natural attack, dealing 1d8 + 1/2 strength modifier damage. Her bites also deal an additional 2d6 points of damage of the same type chosen for her Tenebrous Touch class feature, though it does not trigger the secondary effects.
Queer Communion (Su) Prerequisites: Nightmare Mind, five other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can tap into the transcendent nature of her beast to communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.
Sanity's Shield (Su) Prerequisites: Wisdom 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains a deflection bonus to their armor class equal to their Wisdom modifier (rounded up). Furthermore, the effects of their Bestial Resilience extend to any object and/or structure they touch.
Slaughter's Gift (Ex) Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike or Improved Natural Attack, three other Harrowings
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing has especially deadly natural attacks; the damage of all of her natural attacks increases by one die step. Additionally, if the Harrowed strikes an enemy with three or more natural attacks in a single round, they deal an additional amount of damage to that enemy equal to their class level (this extra damage is applied only up to once each round).
Slit Throat (Ex) Prerequisites: Constitution 15+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains gills that allow her to breathe water, and ominously enough, blood, just as easily as she breathes air. Additionally, the Harrowed does not suffer damage or ill effects from water pressure, though she is still subject to damage and/or penalties that may result from all other kinds of pressure, and the Harrowed gains a swim speed equal to her base land speed. Finally, the Harrowed may move and attack normally underwater, including the use of slashing and bludgeoning weapons, as well as thrown weapons and projectiles.
Transcendent Stride (Ex) Prerequisites: Two other Harrowings, Balance or Tumble 2 ranks
A Harrowing that develops this Harrowing moves with otherworldly grace, gaining a +2 racial bonus to Balance and Tumble checks. Balance and Tumble become class skills for the Harrowed. Furthermore, the Harrowed ignores the penalties to Balance and Tumble inflicted by difficult or dangerous terrain. The Harrowed may move across water and other liquids without sinking in (though she is still subject to the effects of making contact to said liquids; acid and lava still deal her damage when she walks across them, for example).
Twilight Soul (Ex) Prerequisites: Intelligence 13+, Tenebrous Mantle
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing becomes swathed in shade and starlight. Her existing darkvision improves by sixty feet, and she gains the ability to see through even magical darkness without penalty. Furthermore, she gains a +2 profane bonus to attack rolls made against foes in shadowy or darker illumination. The Harrowed gains the ability to use darkness at will as a spell-like ability, cast as a sorcerer of her class level.
Unnatural Resistance (Ex) Prerequisites: Constitution 13+
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing gains energy resistance equal to her class level plus her constitution modifier against any one energy type of her choice (if the Harrowed chooses an energy type that she has resistance to through Bestial Resistance, her resistance instead improves by an amount equal to her class level). Harrowed may select this Harrowing more than once.
Verminous Slither (Ex) Prerequisites: Dexterity 15+, four other Harrowings
A Harrowed who develops this Harrowing gains a ten foot burrow speed. Additionally, the Harrowed gains tremorsense to a range of ten feet. The Harrowed's tunnels are self-sealing.
Weirding Limb (Ex)
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing grows an extra appendage as a secondary natural attack, the exact appearance and location differing from harrowed to harrowed; this appendage deals 2d6 + 1/2 strength modifier bludgeoning damage. This extra limb is not prehensile and cannot be used to grip or handle.
Harrowings By Me
Rend Reality Prerequisites: Id Savagery, Tenebrous Mantle, two other harrowings.
A Harrowed that develops this Harrowing can tear reality into shreds. She may cut into reality as an attack, ripping 1 foot deep for each die of eldritch damage she can deal with her Tenebrous Touch. She may then step through into the region of dream, and transverse that distance through any obstacle to the other side. Even force effects are avoided. Anyone may pass through this cut as well. This tear heals itself 1d4 feet each round, starting with the farthest cut. If you are caught within when it begins to heal you are pushed back each round until you are deposited back in the original square you cut into.
Martial Adepts
The ways of the Martial Adepts on Hearth have a long and varied history. The eight original disciplines (there being no Desert Wind) were once known to all of mankind, while others were a secret by others not of man that they kept hidden. Then came the Fall. The sublime way was one of the many knowledges lost to the world as a whole. Only within a single monestary of Saga are its practices and ways retained. The building itself was destroyed in the great quakes, and those that had occupied it were killed or narrowly escaped. One survived. A dwarven scholar on the ways of war, he was exploring the catacombs below devoted to the bodies of their greatest warriors when the quakes hit. He salvaged what he could from the wreckage and returned to his own people. There, from his vast memory and remnants he reconstructed the original ways. A glacier dwarf warrior, escorting a shipment of blue ice, was fascinated by the rebuilt temple and the instructions he read within. Returning frequently, he gained great prowess and developed a new discipline himself, that of the Bitter Edge, battle upon the ice.
When human refuges began to flood the dwarven darks the Sublime Way was rekindled full force, and since many have made the pilgrimage into the Caverns of the Way.
Amongst other peoples other disciplines have long been known. The Courts of Faerie have jealously kept the secret of the Dancing Leaf, though amongst the Wild Children the discipline has leaked out.
Amongst the naturally psionic somnambuls there have also developed the Sleeping Goddess.
The ever curious Kenku even learned to turn their knowledge towards offensive use in the way of the Open Tome.
There are even whispered tales amongst the rare Harrowed that several have tamed their beast, forcing the mutations they wish and listened to its gibberings to develop maneuvers of madness.
Meldshapers
The Spirit World is a place of great wonders, where all souls pass into when they die before determining where they shall go from there. The plane resonates with this spirit, and even after they move on the echo remains, like the vibration of a string after the hand of the musician has left it. However, there nothing fades away. The echo remains, its energy more commonly known as incarnum. Still others never leave, spirit beasts, lost souls, fey creatures and gods of ancestry. Depending on whether the souls were sinking or rising, some echoes resonate with the Good or Evil leanings within the veil, while others are untouched by moral. All that lives, or those possessed of a will so strong that they form their own souls, are connected through this realm as well at a spiritual level. Those that learn the way of this natural connection can gain great power, and become known as meldshapers.
Incarnate: Incarnates are generally human or dwarves, who most often are found with extremes of alignments. Dwarves more towards law, while humans roam the entire spectrum. Wild Children are also quite common amongst chaotic incarnates.
Soulborn: Free People (half-orcs) are the most common soulborn, the majority of chaotic good alignment, while their much more violent ancestors, true orcs, are very common chaotic evil soulborns. Both however are very dedicated to ancestry and lineage, one of their few common traits. The free people god, Harkotottom was an epic-leveled soulborn in life, and encourages this path even more than that of the cleric or spirit shaman.
Totemist: Shifters are very common totemists, their hunt and rituals of slaying showing reverence to the magical beasts they follow, often believing they take in a bit of their force as they eat upon their remains. Goliaths are known to follow mountain dwelling creatures, and darfellan the beasts of the deeps, almost always whale-like creatures.
Ninja
Within Licc there are few crimes. Even death is allowed if the powers that be are notified. Ninjas are the assassins and spies of the iron city, originally trained as monks, but finding themselves too eager to kill or draw blood. They are trained to battle the Paladins of Tyranny that guard those they would seek to assassinate. They are a gray area amongst the warriors of Licc, and the head Ninja is the Emperor or Empress themselves. They will not take a contract that the Head does not approve. And then, she only approves if the death would not impact the smooth working of the city. There are rogue ninjas that answer to no one, but they must always be on the lookout of all the warriors and parts of the body.
As such, ninjas are limited almost solely to the humans of Licc, those outside it being the rare self-trained individual.
Samurai
Samurai are both physical and mental warriors, trained in the ways of psychological warfare. They will attempt above all to cow their enemy and force him to surrender or throw down his weapon. Coupled with the focusing of ki and psionic meditations, they are, like the ninja, almost solely a discipline of Licc. Unlike ninjas and paladins of tyranny, they rarely carry firearms, their main purpose to be shock troops that frighten away their enemy through sheer force of their intimidating personalities. If this is not sufficient, a samurai is quite willing to give his life to defeating his foe, throwing themselves with fearless abandon against their foes.
Shadowcaster
On a world with a dying sun, clouds providing unending dusk, and caverns below near unending in their dimensions, Hearth is a place with strong connections to shade and Noc, the plane of shadow. Through this link shadowcasters gain their power. Kenku are the masters of shade, born and raised within the deepest of shaded wood and possessing the proper mindset and fearlessness to delve into the dark.
A cult of dwarves are also potent shadowcasters, though instead of making use of them, they command shadow, driving off that which lurks within it and combating them with their own weapons.
Spirit Shaman
Hearth is rife with beings that are part of nature, yet unseen and unknown by most. Guardians of ash and oak, household gods, and wandering souls. Creatures of neither here nor there. Enter the Spirit Shaman, both master and servant to those that hide under hedge and dwell behind the veil.
Half-orcs and shifters are very commonly spirit shamans, with their racial tie to their ancestors, while wild children speak more to fey and element. Humans tend more towards the spirits of home and hearth, while those of Licc are more concerned with driving out the influence of the possessed.
Common Races: 86% glacier dwarf, 10% common dwarf, 3% human (imperical) 1% human (longhouse)/wild children (cold fey-descended)
Chief Location: Azure Floe - The Biting Winds of Hearth are limited almost exclusively to the great sea of blue ice within the northern Everdusk Region. Occasionally the discipline is seen amongst the frozen regions of the Ochine.
Common Races: 75% human (imperial), 12% wild child, 10% glacier dwarf, 1% common dwarf, 1% okilei/cheval, 1% human (poqtian)
Chief Location:The Forgotten South is the most common location to find the discipline of Cold Ken, where ice and snow are eternal and they have privacy for their unique meditations. A number also are found with the Everdusk regions, though are extremely rare. Only while traveling do they pass through the Ring, where their powers are severely weakened.
Common Races: Wild Children 60%, Human 35%, Shifters 3%, Free People 2%
Chief Location: Dark Waltzings are not common anywhere, but are predominantly found within the Red Dew/Longhouse regions where fey are commonly interacted with.
Common Races: 80% Human (imperial), 10% common dwarf, 5% Wild Children (underground fey-descended), 3% Duergar, 1% Goliath, 1% Human (liccan)
Chief Location: This is a widely spread vocation as much of the land is underground or mountainous. There are always a number roaming the Highway, clearing roadblocks and avalanches that have blocked the road. Dwarves look down on their fellows who make use of this discipline, feeling that they should show more respect to their surroundings.
Chief Location: Mongrelfolk are found literally everywhere, from ocean to cave to tree and town. A large number are to be found within the lower badlands nearby Licc and large congregations are known in areas of the Red Dew forest with a hundred generations having bred with a dozen different types of fey and human kind.
Common Races: Human (imperial) 68%, Human (longhouse) 25%, Wild Children 5%, 2% Human (Liccan)
Chief Location: Goodwives are rarely found in any one location, but instead travel extensively through all places. They are to be found in every human city settlement, and many other race's. Thus, most commonly they are upon the Emporer's Highway, between stops.
Common Races: Wild Children 60%, Human (longhouse) 40%
Chief Location: The Red Dew forest is where the Golden Orchard was established and remains there. On very rare occasions a small party will be called away to a distance dispute, but it often requires a true threat.
Common Races: Wild Child 45%, Human (imperial) 30%, Trleetrlaa 20%, Shifter 4%, Free People 1%
Chief Location: Lichenfriends are found in the harshest locales of Hearth, often far from any habitable land. The cold of the frostfell, the barren mountaintops, and the blasted, volcanic landscapes from the Great Opening are all their homes.
Common Races: Kenku 60%, Human (longhouse) 20%, Human (imperial) 10%, Human (licc) 5%, Dwarf (duergar) 3%, Dwarf (common) 2%
Chief Location: Monstrumologists tend to be concentrated in areas of particular dangerous location, or those with many strange rumors. The Red Dew Forest attracts an inordinate amount of monstrumologists due to the magical nature of the vast tracts of unexplored forests and the frequent oddities that occur. Within the Empire it is about the Lurkstock Moors that monstrumologists find much to discover. As well as the few settlements that lie near the Tangle. Liccan monstrumologists specialize mainly in possessions, as their long history of spiritual visitations requires.
Common Races: Wild Chilren 40%, Okelei 30%, Human (longhouse) 10%, Human (imperial) 10%, Trleetrlaa 10%
Chief Location: Ohrwurms only concentrate in one location, the Vale of Harmony. Otherwise individuals or the rare small group are driven away or forced into the wilderness.
Common Races: 80% human (imperial), 15% human (longhouse), 2% cheval, 2% wild-children, 1% free people
Chief Location: Storyhosts seem predominantly limited to Gelid Falls, where life is the easiest and boredom is possible. There adventure that awaits them beyond the protecting mountains calls to a fair number who have spent their life reading tales of heroes and villains.
Common Races: Darfellan 30%, Dwarf (dream) 30%, Wild Children 20%, Human (longhouse) 15%, Okilei 5%
Chief Location: These great dreamers are known especially within the great Caverns of Mi far below in the case of the dream dwarves, or the Spired Lagoons of the Idling Isles off the coast of Red Dew.
Common Races: 40% Trleetrlaa, 30% Human (imperial/longhouse), 15% Wild Children, 10% Kenku, 4% Duergar, 1% Darfellan
Chief Location: The Xenoxera are particularly common within the Tangle, where they seek to understand beginnings by the intrusion of the Queen of a Thousand Roots. Others delve deep into the Red Dew forest where the oldest of Hearth's inhabitants, the fey, are to be found. Just as many seek the bottom of the ocean for hints of Hearth's beginnings, which is but the start of their search.