Prestige Classes
Note: these classes do NOT work with E6 or 5e. At this time Prestige classes are only tentatively available in my campaign. I have left them up because NPCs may be based on ideas they provide.
In my next campaign (Freeport), Paladins will once again NOT be a permitted class, and anyone who wishes to play a paladinlike character will need to take the appropriate Knight Templar Prestige class.
These classes come from various locations and sources, including the DMG, Dungeon Magazine, and various internet sources. Any Prestige Class listed here is accepted into my campaign. If it is not listed, then they do not exist at this time. If you want to play a prestige class that is not listed here, discuss it with me at some future time, and we will see if it fits the campaign world. Actual rules-based class descriptions can be found by consulting me, if the source is not listed here.
Acrobat:
Acrobats are entertainers and athletes found in many cultures. In addition, more than one thieves guild has been known to count a few amongst its members, where they serve as specialized cat burglars. In Greenvale the only place to receive the skilled training required to become an acrobat is at a school in Marig. The Shalani prize acrobatics as part of their theatrical bent, and may have acrobats who will train students in their larger troupes. In Freeport or the Pirate Isles, an Acrobat would have to receive such training specifically from another Acrobat.
While they resemble monks in many ways, their training is less structured and is focused on the results instead of a particular philosophy or religion. Acrobats do what they do out of a desire to improve their craft, to entertain or to enrich themselves in one manner or another.
Although any race can become an acrobat, in practice, most dwarves find the idea to be undignified and a waste of time, many elves find the craft to be somewhat childish, and half-orcs tend to look down on acrobats as weaklings and fools.
Most acrobats were initially rogues, bards or monks.
Arcane Archers:
the arcane archer class is found only in fully elven nations, such as Avenvole or the Grey Kingdom in Mistland. Generally they are found as military units. Only very rarely will an arcane archer be found alone, usually on a specific mission for his king and country. As adventurers they almost never happen. {DMG}
Assassin:
Only NPCs may be assassins. {DMG}
Blackguard:
see knight of St Vargarus, below.{DMG}
Blood Witch:
The blood witch is found most often in barbaric tribes of the far north and in the great mountains of the west. These people were driven out of the empire before or during the fall, and many were cut off from “legitimate” priestly magic. Some were taught the arts of blood magic by wicked or corrupt mages in attempts to create sacrificial pools of power. Adventuring blood witches are almost unknown. {Relics and Rituals}
Crypt Lord:
The crypt lord is a mage or priest who has turned to the darkest and most unnatural sources of power. He or she has sworn oaths binding himself to the cause of evil. In general this means that he serves Aragh, although this is not always true. Crypt Lords frequently go on to become Liches. Only NPCs may be Crypt Lords. {Relics and Rituals}
Devoted Defender:
Each devoted defender is trained by his order to defend the person whom he will be sworn to protect. The one to be defended comes to the order, and if they find the person or the cause just, the order selects one of its own as a defender. In return for devoting his or her life to protecting that charge, the charge must support the devoted defender in a fit style. Room, board, coin, clothing, and certain other resources, are all to be made available as needed. Oftentimes royalty will ‘hire’ a defender for the heir(s) to the throne, even when they are infants. Devoted Defenders are most often found in Miran; the few slaves who are ever allowed weapons are frequently Devoted Defenders. {Sword and Fist}
Drabardi:
The Shalani are a nomadic people of Miraboria and Mistland. They are a magical and hardy people in the grand tradition of gypsy culture. They are distrustful of anyone who is not of the People, but fiercely loyal to any other Shalani. The Shalani are vagabonds, quick with song and dance, and equally quick with their hands. They are thieves and con people, but only unto those who are not of the People. They live on the high roads and in caravans that move relentlessly. They are tolerated because they are the only group that knows how to move with reliable safety from Greenvale to Harothar, to Lathamsfind and Laigladen, and even to Miran. Some Shalani have taken up the seafaring life, and can be found crewing their own ships on the seas between Miraboria and Mistland (See Shalani in my notes for more information).
The Drabardi are what little Shalani children want to be when they grow up. They know the secrets of divination and curses that are passed down from one generation of Shalani to the next. They are the Adepts of the Shalani. They walk the dark paths and protect the People from the other creatures along that path. Undead and demons become the chosen enemy of the Drabardi, while they in turn embrace other ancient mystics like Dragon-kind and the werefolk.
If a character is not of the Shalani, they must undergo a ritual known as the Chase of the Stag. The participant is ritually bathed the morning before the run and given a feast during the day. Just before dusk, the participant is dressed in specially made boots, a cloak, and a helm bedecked with antlers. At dusk, the participant runs into the forest, running through a certain area. After 5 minutes, chase is given. If the "Stag" is not caught before making it to the safe grove, they are given the seat of honor at the evening’s feast, and have their choice of lovers for the evening. If the "Stag" is caught after reaching the halfway point, they are tied-up and symbolically served during the evening’s feast. They are then the willing slave of the person who caught them, until dawn. In either case, the individual can now become a Drabardi, and is one of the People. If the "Stag" fails to make it to the halfway point before getting caught, they fail, and may try again in a moon phase. {Found Online from a now forgotten source} {see me}
Dwarven Defender:
Rarely found outside of the great dwarven cities of Koruzd and the Rift, a lone dwarven defender might be found escorting an important dwarven person on a dangerous journey. As adventurers, they almost don’t happen. {DMG}
Eldritch Master:
These strange and isolated spellcasters prefer to remain mysterious figures of speculation and awe, sometimes even fear. Each eldritch master pursues his own road to power, depending on what outsider he contacts, and how that being trains him. {Dragon 280}
Greenwardens:
Greenvale’s least known protective force is a group of men and women trained to protect the boundaries of the kingdom. They patrol outside the borders and guard against the dangers that lurk within the Anhieldfast Forest and the Hikar Hills. They are rangers, druids, rogues and warriors now bound into a loose military order. There are several Vigils into which the Wardens (sometimes called vigilants) may be sworn. Each vigil has a specific geographic range which they patrol. Vigils are not large, and may only have 10-30 members. Training to join the Wardens is difficult, and many fail who try. {Vigilant; Relics and Rituals}
Knights Templar:
Knights Templar are characters, usually fighters, with deep religious beliefs who for some reason did not enter the church. (note: in my world they replace paladins). All knights templar are assumed to be honorable and good people (unless they are of an evil order!). All knights have the right to administer Low Justice. In the absence of proper authority and on the field of combat, they are authorized to administer High Justice. Note however that this assumes that prisoners cannot be returned to proper authority for trial. These abilities are political, and may not be upheld outside Greenvale and its immediate neighbors.
There are many orders of knights in this land. They are highly lawful organizations. Each order remains closely associated with an order of clerics. The knights worship the saint of their affiliated order just as the clerics do.
Some orders of knights are - and their homelands
The order of Ste Iylyria the Lady of Elanora - Miraboria only
The order of St Justin of Dragon's Isle of Elanora - Mistland and Miraboria
The order of St Gwydion the Savior of Kehret - Mistland only
The Order of St Edelmar Childsaver of Kehret - Miraboria only
The order of St Richard of the Wold of Safreth - all
The order of St Romanus Theifslayer of Centarius -Miraboria only
The Order of St. Tulic the Fair of Kol - Miraboria and Mistland
The Eternal Order of St. Leofric of Ta Lila - all
The order of St Stephen the Destroyer of Kehret - Mistland and Miraboria only
The order of St Vargarus Sunstealer of Aragh - all
The order of St Xavier the Protector of Kehret - Narbada only
The order of St. Sebastian of the Silver Blade of Elanora - Narbada only
There are many orders not listed here following these and other gods.
The following restrictions apply to all knights:
1. Knights will not travel with other knights of opposing orders at all, or for more than one 'adventure' with knights of differing orders.
2. Knights will not travel for long with those who do not agree with or at least accept the tenets of their order.
3. Knights of St Iylyria, St Romanus, St Gwydion, St Xavier and St Justin must be lawful good. Knights of St Richard, St Sebastian and St Stephen must be lawful neutral, and Knights of St Vargarus must be lawful evil (not an order available to PCs).
4. Knights never become henchmen except to other knights or clerics of their order (not just their deity).
5. Knights Templar will never carry magic items (or other items) whose use or powers oppose or conflict with those of his deity and saintly order. For example, a knight templar of Safreth would never carry a weapon whose purpose was to kill treants.
6. Knights never carry more wealth than they need to live on in modest style, pay henchmen and hirelings, and pay for training if they are not within reach of their order. All other money and magic they collect will be donated to their order or to a worthy cause. A knight may live free of charge at his home temple, or any temple specifically devoted to his order, for up to 3 months at a time. Typically this means a Knight keeps only from 3-500 sp+ money for his henchmen and hirelings.
Knights may begin at 7th character level to save money, up to 3,000 gc per level towards building a fortress/temple for themselves and their order. Note that a knight's holding will be devoted to his order, not merely used as a seat of feudal rulership.
Prestige Classes of Knights Templar:
Their beliefs, standards and some local information
Order of St Edelmar the Childsaver
In Miraboria during the age of the second Miraborian Empire slavery was not uncommon. Before the Empire became settled into it’s final evil period, however, slavery was in general reserved for criminals, strangers, and debtors (indenture). Children were rarely made into slaves except under extreme circumstances. However, the temple of Aragh even then needed slaves and sacrificial victims. St. Edelmar was a knight in a now-forgotten order of Kehret. He learned that a group of more than 100 children and youths had been gathered from the slave markets and were being taken to the High Temple of Aragh in Kahakor. Edelmar determined to save them. At the cost of his life, he did so, slaying a number of priests and killing four Knights of St. Vargarus single-handedly. There are about 400 knights of St. Edelmar in Miraboria today. Their order is particularly popular in Lathamsfind, where Kehret is the most commonly worshipped deity. A small group of 20 or 30 knights has settled in Greenvale in the past 30 years. They have a training facility in Castleton, and another in Newtower. They are unknown in Mistland or the Serpent's Isles.
Tenets of the Order:
1. Knights of St. Edelmar believe that the protection of the innocent is the first and most important duty of an honorable warrior.
2. Secondly, they believe that freedom is every person’s most inalienable right. No person should be forced to stay in a situation that makes them unhappy.
3. Law is intended to support and protect a person’s freedom. When law is enforced in such a way as to unfairly restrict a person, that law is bad and should be altered (legally!).
4. Obedience to the order’s behavioural code - honesty, bravery, truthfulness, self-control, and humility - is enforced only to a certain point. It is better to be healthy, free, and able to protect those in need, than to be perfect.
5. While mild dishonesty or avoidance of danger can sometimes be accepted in a knight in the course of a mission, true deception, use of poison, treachery, torture or other forms of unfair advantage in combat are strictly forbidden.
6. Knights of St. Edelmar may drink and be merry, but are generally celibate, as they may not marry nor have children.
Knights of St. Edelmar serve in a protective capacity, ensuring the physical well being of their deity’s followers and seeking to aid them whenever possible. They are granted powers with which to heal, protect their deity’s worshippers, and ward against as well as repel all types of evil creatures.
Requirements and Benefits: Knights of St. Edelmar must be lawful good and have a fairly good fighting skill (BAB +5), among other skills. They will be able to lay on hands, cast clerical spells, repel evil, and resist certain types of spells or other effects. {see me}
The Order of St. Gwydion the Savior
The main keep of this order is located in the Grey Kingdom, on Hiar plain. Legend says this is where the temple was at which Gwydion gathered his army. Here he is buried and his tomb is a place of veneration. There are about 700 knights of the order. They do not travel much outside of Mistland. Because they are part of the Grey Kingdom, where elves and humans live in relative friendship and peace, knights of this order must all be of either human, elven or half-elven blood.
Tenets of the order
1. Knights of St.Gwydion oppose Aragh everywhere. They believe that he and his servants are thoroughly foul and should be destroyed.
2. Knights of St. Gwydion believe in law, upholding rightful authority, and that honour must be upheld. (They would support the sherrif only until he broke the law of the land or broke his own sworn vow).
3. They firmly disbelieve in the use of poison, torture,assassination or backstabbing, treachery, dishonesty, and untruthfulness in all situations, even to the point of preferring death to dishonor.
4. Chivalry and courage in battle are supreme. To show cowardice is to be cast out of the Order. Death in battle defending one's home, country and companions is the most honorable death possible.
5. These knights preach celibacy and abstinance as methods of purification and as methods of preventing excess. However, they are NOT absolute requirements of the order.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful or Neutral Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be excellent riders. Their skills focus around mounted combat, healing and purity of heart as well as spell casting. {see me}
The Order of St. Iylyria the Lady
This small but growing order make their homes in Greenvale within the Temples that supports the Clerical order of St. Iylyria. Many of these knights are women, and they are typically orphans raised by the clerics. They are the only human-only order of knights. Knights of St. Iylyria travel about the countryside of Greenvale, seeking out those who are in need of champions, defending them from evil, and protecting the laws of the kingdom on behalf of (human) innocents.
Tenets of the Order of St. Iylyria
1. They are humanists. They support the good of the human race above all others, and believe that it is their duty to protect it in any way necessary.
2. No knight of the order will condone the use of methods unchivalrous (poison, torture etc...) upon a human at all or upon any other demi-human, unless human lives are at stake.
3. Slavery is seen as the greatest evil before death that can be inflicted upon a being, and it is their goal to defeat those who practice slavery everywhere.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be excellent riders. They gain riding and mounted combat skills, spell casting, detection of evil and protection from damage abilities. {see me}
The Order of St. Justin of Dragon's Isle
Knights of St. Justin are valiant, good, courageous fighters. They do good deeds, aid the distressed and act as supporters of law, justice and truth wherever they are.
There are about 900 knights in the order, whose main keep is located on the Havenplain. It is the Great Keep of the High Order of St. Justin of Dragons Isle, also known as Great Stoney. A Second Keep is located on Southern Isle, and so are others elsewhere. In the past thirty years, a Keep has been located in Greenvale.
Tenets of the Order
1. No knight of St Justin will ever attack, endanger or threaten a good dragon. Neutral dragons he will avoid without a reason to seek them out, and evil ones he will seek out to destroy.
2. These knights believe that, for the most part, order is better than chaos, but more firmly support justice and fair play (i.e. Robin Hood over the Sherrif).
3. Adventuring knights are common. They will usually adventure with anyone but a priest of Aragh or a knight of one of his orders.
4. These knights do not condone torture, use of assassination or blatantly unfair treatment of innocents or bystanders except to prevent greater evil from occuring. They do not personally condone use of poison.
5. Knights of Justin do not feel that there is anything wrong with drink, sex, or good fun (except in wild excess). However, a knight who accidently begins a family had better be prepared to leave the order to care for his or her new family.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be excellent riders. They must also have had a life experience with a good or evil dragon. Detecting Evil, laying on of hands, courage, spellcasting and knowledge of dragons as well as eventually gaining a draconic mount are within their purview. {see me}
Order of St. Orin of Haldar
The Order of St. Orin is commonly found around Koruzd south of Greenvale. Dwarven knights of this order rarely adventure alone, but when they do it is because they are on a quest for something which they believe will benefit their people. Knights of St. Orin are keepers of dwarvish lore and history, and they will often know of things relating to the dwarvish clans that non-dwarf scholars are ignorant of. There are about 300 knights of St. Orin scattered across Greenvale, Tallowsland, Irgirth, and even as far south as Miran; a few even travel north to Harothar and Lathamsfind. Their only headquarters is in Koruzd, and they never mention their homeland to anyone who is not a fellow dwarf. They will simply refer to "my temple".
Tenets of the Order:
1. Knights of St. Orin are always protective of the other dwarves in their neighborhood. Any dwarf who approaches them will be given ample opportunity to ask for aid and it will almost always be given.
2. Knights of St. Orin believe in fairness, honesty, and truthfulness, but are also aware that they are keepers of great secrets of dwarvish history; they will not reveal this except to another dwarf unless the clan's safety depends on it.
3. Knights of St. Orin are champions of the dwarvish clans. They fight for the honor of the dwarves, and will do their best never to tarnish this honor.
4. Because of their deep knowledge of dwarvish history, Knights of St. Orin are often great storytellers, and (without revealing any secrets) can often tell common historic events from a unique dwarvish perspective.
Order of St. Richard of the Wold
In Mistland, the order of St Richard is located in the Black Forest to the east of Haven. There are about 600 knights in the order, who can be found most anywhere. They follow the forest god, Safreth, called Sashelas by the elves.
In Miraboria their main center, with about 200 knights, is northeast of Avenvole, in the Emerald forest. They can also be found near Laigladen and Irgirth. They number as many as 1,000 across Boria, but are quite reclusive. They are essentially indifferent to humankind, caring most for the lands they tend.
Tenets of the Order:
1. Knights of St Richard believe that the forests and other areas of wilderness deserve to be protected from those who would disturb the natural order. This includes do-gooding fools and malicious evil-doers.
2. Knights of the order feel very neutral toward human civilization. It always is a potential threat. But money is always welcome, to spend repairing or preventing damage.
3. No knight of St. Richard supports deliberate cruelty, but the use of threats or abuse in situations where there is no other reasonable choice does not bother them.
4. They will avoid killing animals who are only acting on their normal instincts. This does not include any intelligent, humanoid or magically created creatures (except faery folk). This does not of course hold true when the knight has been selected for dinner and there is no clear method of escape.
The symbol of the knights of St. Richard is an oak tree in full leaf, with either a bow or an arrow carved into the trunk of the tree. Colors are green, brown and gold.
Knights of St. Richard of the Wold are a strange group - they believe that the needs of the natural world are more important than those of people, whether human or demihuman. They are protectors of the forests, and all that dwells within it. At the same time, they recognize that the demihuman and human folk are a part of the natural world, and do have a place in it. They simply feel on the whole that demihumans are much more invasive than is healthy for the ecosystem and must be kept in check.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Neutral alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be familiar with survival techniques They will gain such benefits as Nature Sense, Animal Friendship, Woodland Stride and spellcasting ability. {see me}
The Order of St. Romanus, the Thiefslayer
This order exists in Boria mostly and is little known outsidethose lands. However, they are slowly spreading to Mistland as contact between the continents grows. The knights of the order are commonly called Romani. The main purpose of the Romani is the protection of people's rights, against thievery, banditry, kidnapping, and murder. They are self-appointed protectors of travellers and smaller communities. Rarely interfering with anything except their duty, Romani are respected and liked by all except the predatory. There are two major temple/schools for Romani, but the knights are found on all roads and communities except Koruzd.
Tenets of the order
1. Knights of St. Romanus never interfere where they are not invited. This is a major part of their way of life.
2. Knights of St. Romanus hold their given word above all else.
3. The codes of St. Romanus permit knights of the order to marry, have families and otherwise behave as normal people do.
4. A knight of St. Romanus will always try to help someone who has been the victim of theft or of the work of thieves.
5. Knights of St. Romanus do not use torture, poison, assassination, etc to further their goals. These are not protective or defensive methods.
The knight of St. Romanus is the traveling defender of the Highroads inside and outside Greenvale, indeed the length of Miraboria.
Fighters and rangers are ideal for Knight of St. Romanus. Those trained in honor and proficient on horseback can most easily fulfill the responsibilities of the class. Rangers make prime candidates serving out on the borderlands as defenders among the wilds. Under some conditions, a cleric or monk may accept this role, although they would approach it differently.
Most Knights of St. Romanus are human or half-elven. Many are members of the traveling Shalani. However, elven Knight of St. Romanus are also quite common. Dwarves do not pursue such a class due to their dislike of horses, and hobytlan are too small to properly utilize the mounts and weapons required. Half-orcs Knights of St. Romanus are extremely rare, as few travelers are likely to trust a being whom they expect to be evil. Neither Szathair nor Marchat find the restrictions of the class appealing to their nature, for various reasons.
colors - black and white
device - Scales balanced on a sword point
symbol - a sword about 4" long, cast of silver or potmetal and worn on a chain about the neck. One side of the blade is painted white, the other black
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be excellent riders. They will gain in combat riding ability and collect followers as well as learn spell casting, among other benefits. {see me}
The order of St. Stephen the Destroyer (incomplete)
The order of St. Stephen is a very unusual one. Knights of St. Stephen are the true 'battle knights'. They are known as some of the finest combat troops in all Vishteer. Once given, their loyalty is unswervable. Troops of these knights have even been known to battle each other when they are on opposite sides in a war. All who know them respect them for their skills. But Knights of St. Stephen are also one of the most despised groups on Vishteer. They are mercenaries. They follow the one who will pay them the most. Once given, their loyalty is unswerving, but it is given for payment. Knights of St. Stephen exist in all known lands but are most often found in large kingdoms or cities when unemployed, or on the field of battle. It is unclear how many knights there are, but they probably number close to 1,000 on Miraboria alone.
Tenets of the order
1. The contract a knight of St. Stephen signs is his sworn word. He will not break it.
2. Honour on the battlefield is paramount. They have been known to turn away from those who show great courage in the face of defeat.
3. They hold that those who lose in honorable combat are their equals and deserve properly honorable treatment- those who submit to defeat without resistance are without honor and deserve no mercy and are no better than slaves to the victors. This makes many fear and hate their order.
4. No knight of St. Stephen will allow himself to be taken in combat as a prisoner unless it is demanded of him by his given word. To be taken prisoner is the greatest humiliation a knight can undergo.
5. Knights of St. Stephen do not marry nor have families. Many swear vows of abstinence.
Requirements and Benefits: Knights of St. Stephen must be Lawful Neutral and have good fighting skill.
Order of the Knights of St. Tulic the Fair
The order of St. Tulic is an old one in Greenvale. It follows Mikol, the Father of Heavens, Light of the Sky and Consort of Elanora, Queen of the Earth. The headquarters of the Knights of St. Tulic are located in Fordton. Knights of St. Tulic are also found in Comaria, Haven, Daintalia and Hadraith, but not in the Southern Isles, Vanhark or other kingdoms except on a direct mission.
Knights of St. Tulic are sworn to fight evil wherever they find it, but most particularly they fight the evils that affect society. Their mission is to feed the poor, to clothe and shelter the homeless, to see that corruption is cut out of the courts and temples of the land.
Knights of St. Tulic are most often found doing work among the poorest inhabitants of the city, or in the courts of the highest nobles, listening and waiting to uncover the evils of treachery, dishonesty, graft and betrayal.
While a knight of St. Tulic would never break the law, he does not disapprove of such subterfuges as eavesdropping, lip-reading or even spying on those who are known to be evil.
Adventuring Knights of St. Tulic are rare, but might be found on a particular mission or with a specific goal. Heroic quests to destroy evil artifacts epitomize such goals. A young Knight might also find himself sent by his order to live and work in a particular region where his order senses evil lurks, but which they have not been able to unearth.
Requirements and Benefits: must be lawful good, and must be a fairly good fighter. They can detect evil, become fearless, can choose their own sworn foe, and more, as well as cast spells.{see me}
Knights of the Eternal Order of St. Leofric of Ta-lila
Knights of the Eternal order of St Leofric of Ta-lila are not numerous, but are found in all known parts of the world. They have small chapter houses in many major cities, especially places famed for their knowledge and rich history. The order has existed for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. St. Leofric was known to have been a 1st Empire scholar, but his deeds are forgotten by most, except those followers of the Goddess of Knowledge. There is a significant presence of these knights at the temple of Ta-lila in Freeport.
Part warrior, part scholar, each Knight of the Eternal Order is a unique individual. Having been sought out by the fabled Eternal Order, these men and women passed the rigorous training and strict requirements to become initiates in one of the world’s most elite organizations.
A Knight’s life is taken up by the quest for knowledge. They are expected by their Order to journey the world seeking information on both the mundane and the fantastic. Most often, their area of research is assigned to them by their superiors, but sometimes a Knight will be allowed to choose their subject, or sometimes just be instructed to find out as much information about anything as humanly possible.
Knights seek out knowledge from all over the world and can sometimes be away from home for years at a time. During these periods the will often link up with adventuring groups. This serves two purposes. Firstly, it offers them extra protection against the hazards of the world, and the knowledge of a Knight can prove valuable to adventurers. The second purpose in joining up with adventurers is that these people often visit exotic locations, thus building upon the ability of the Knight to gather unique knowledge. Most Knights are human, half-elf or elf. Few other races have the love of knowledge, the tenacity, and the focus to devote themselves to such pursuits.
Tenets of the Order:
1. Knights of the Eternal Order seek knowledge above all, for it leads to spiritual understanding.
2. The root of evil is the failure of knowledge to bring enlightenment - to spread knowledge is always beneficial, and it must never be hoarded or kept hidden
3. Secrets are abhorrent, and will never be kept unless an oath demands it; such oaths are given only when the greatest good of the greatest number is at stake.
4. Knights of the Eternal Order may marry, have families, and even pursue careers outside the order, but must never give up the quest for knowledge.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be knowledgeable on a wide array of subjects, and have the ability to detect evil. They gain bardic knowledge, language skills, smiting, legend lore, and eventually true seeing. They also cast spells better than any other knight. {see me}
The Order of St. Vargarus the Sunstealer
This order of knights of Aragh is one of his most feared arms. Found most commonly as guards to the hidden temples of Aragh and as elite troops raised to his name, these knights are superb fighters. They are great rivals of both the Knights of St. Romanus and St. Iylyria. They are famed for their cruelty in battle and their lack of honor both off and on the field. There are about 500 of these knights across Miraboria and Mistland, with perhaps another 600 in Narbada.
Tenets of the order.
1. Those who do not serve Aragh are without honor, without the right to exist freely and are in opposition to all that is right. Therefore any action taken against them is honorable.
2. Those who serve in the name of Aragh are serving the true God. They deserve honor and fair treatment. However nonhumans are lesser creatures and do not understand honor. Therefore they do not deserve honorable treatment in return.
3. Those who bear Aragh’s sign (his clerics and knights) deserve all of a knight's honorable treatment. Those who follow Aragh as their god deserve to be treated in an honorable fashion unless it interferes with the will of the God.
Use the prestige class “Blackguard” from the DMG
color - black
device - nine-stranded whip and battle-axe in black on a silver field
symbol - nine barbed whip lashes mounted on a staff bound in black iron
Requirements and Benefits: must be lawful evil (NPC only)
The Order of St Xavier the Savior of Mikol
The Knight of St. Xavier is a holy knight that serves the military need of the Temple of Mikol in Narbada. Knights of St. Xavier are often found guarding temples, escorting the faithful on religious pilgrimages, and leading armies of their deity in holy wars. Above all, they are defenders and crusaders for their religion. They will undertake any task, no matter how dangerous, if it furthers their religion’s cause. St Xavier was a heroic priest who defended his lands from invading outsiders during the time of separation after the fall of the First Empire.
Requirements and Benefits: Those entering this order must be of Lawful Good alignment and fairly good fighting ability. They must be diplomatic and strong-hearted. They become strong against their chosen enemy and can drive it away. They can cast spells and gain special immunities. {see me}
Loremaster:
Loremasters of Auldfort are very specific and limited prestige class members. They rarely leave their isolated and sheltered home for any purpose. However, sometimes an adventurer wizard or bard or cleric or perhaps even druid will win such favor with them as to be trained in their specialized knowledge. Non-spellcasters will find the class of little use to them. Loremasters specialize in Divinations and arecane knowledge.
There are a few Loremasters attached to the wizard’s school in Harothar, and in several cities in Mistland. Of course, in Miran they are outlawed. As adventurers, they are unlikely but not impossible. {DMG}
Mage of the House of Ivorr (incomplete)
The House of Ivorr is Greenvale’s largest and most prestigious house of wizards. It trains perhaps fifty percent of the wizards in Greenvale. Most wizards who leave the House upon completing their initial training simply go on to become normal wizards. But some return to the House in later years to seek more advanced training in the specialties of the house: Alchemy, Transmutation, and Divination.
Almost all Mages of the House of Ivorr are wizards, but a few sorcerers have sought out the training and have made good use of it.
Mages of the House of Ivorr are sworn to a few principles: aid to each other, protection and preservation of knowledge of things and beings magical, and recovery of lost magical knowledge. Mostly they are a teaching order, and will be found establishing small “magic shops” in towns across Greenvale where they sell alchemical supplies, spell components, the occasional potion, and act as a meeting place for mages of all types. Few are real adventuring types.
Mystic:
the mystic is a loner who rarely takes apprentices and seeks to perfect his knowledge of powerful magic in isolation. Lone mages are sometimes mystics. There are only 2 or 3 mystics in Greenvale, and a few more scattered across Miraboria’s kingdoms. They are slightly more common in Narbada, but for whatever reason are very rare in Mistland. Finding a mystic willing to take on a trainee is not an easy task. However, a mystic who employs an adventuring group for a long period might eventually be persuaded to do so. {Dragon 274}
Mystic Navigator
Mystic Navigators have the talents, expertise and knowledge to chart a course through even the strangest seas. Vishteer is a world of many parts, and many realms. While it is easy to sail from mundane port to port, leaving known waters can be highly dangerous, and many ships are lost. Most Mystic Navigators are wizards, often diviners, who relish travel and exploration of new places beyond the bounds of normal reach.
A mystic Navigator must be able to cast arcane spells and have extensive and varied knowledge skills. Finally, they must already have the Profession: Sailor skill. By giving up some spellcasting power, the Mystic Navigator will be able to chart courses through dangerous shoals, alter reality in minor ways to perceive threats and control their ship. Eventually they will be able to converse with deep-sea dwellers, alter the ocean floor, and even pierce the walls of reality. This is a full 10 level prestige class. {Freeport Companion}
Orcslayer:
A grim, fatal figure, the dwarven Orcslayer is filled with unspeakable rage against orcs and other goblinoids, having suffered great personal tragedy due to their depredations, such as finding his family brutally butchered, losing cherished friends, or suffering disfigurement, defilement, or other great shame. Maddened with grief and rage, the Orcslayer devotes himself to Mikol or perhaps Ontokoth, and vows to give his life to the destruction of the goblinoids, letting his hate and thirst for vengeance consume him. Violent, impulsive, and prone to alcoholism and fits of deep depression, Orcslayers are pitied by their kinfolk, and find themselves even more isolated. Death for them, some believe, is only a kindness, and the typical Orcslayer's attitude is one of almost suicidal recklessness.
An orcslayer usually wears only handmade leather armor and ragged clothing, leaves his beard unbraided and uncombed, and allows personal hygiene to fall by the wayside. The Orcslayer may have the symbol of his deity painted on his forehead in ashes and blood before battle.
Orcslayers disdain any non-thrown missile weapons as cowardly, and refuse to wear heavier armors for the same reason. Those with the greatest suicidal tendencies even refuse to wear magical versions of the lighter armors. {see me}
Penumbral Lord:
These mages are powerful, secretive, manipulative men and women who bind shadow magics to their command. Neither good nor evil on the whole, they are secretive, reserved and isolated even from each other. {Relics and Rituals}
Relic Hunter:
The Relic Hunters are an odd group. They are a small order, with no home base or central training facility. There are perhaps thirty of them in Greenvale or the surrounding lands at this time. Each Relic Hunter is capable of training another hunter, and most have at least one student with them at any given time. Study to become a relic hunter can take years if the person starts out with few skills, but if they come into the process with all previous requirements filled, it takes about six months of active training or about two years of less concentrated study. Most Relic Hunters of Greenvale can be found at one time or another at their headquarters: Auldfort.
Relic Hunters are usually employed by wizards, priests or rulers to seek out and discover specific artifacts, relics and histories. They are usually loners who prefer to work with a small group of trusted comrades. When two relic-hunters meet, it is an occasion of great pleasure for both, but soon they will part again, knowing that their skills are needed in widely separate tasks. {see me}
Sea Dog:
The Sea Dog is that sailor who is always alert to danger, knows how to perform every task on the ship, and is capable of dealing with most any threat that endangers his ship and crew. Corsairs, fighters and Rangers will find this class easy to enter, but barbarians will also easily meet the entry requirements. Other non-warrior classes will have to wait to meet some of the requirements. They need a fellow Sea-dog to initiate their training, which can be completed in six weeks of travel together. They will learn how to use their insight, become intimately familiar with their ship to gain skill bonuses, resist poisons and strange diseases, and gain extra attacks of opportunity or AC bonus. This is a 10 level prestige class. {Freeport Companion}
Sea Witch:
Most ships leaving Mistlander harbors carry Seawitches on board. They are less common on ships that sail out of Greenvale and Harothar, and of course no Mirani ship will house a sea-witch. These powerful but narrowly focused spellcasters find their lives bound close to their ships, and are rarely found ashore, and almost never inland. {Relics and Rituals}
Shadowdancer:
Shadowdancers are only rarely found in Greenvale. There are two or three small bands of 4-10 members who travel with the Shalani on occasion, but frequently vanish for long periods of time. They seem to have a friendly relationship with the Theives Guild of Marig, but are not part of it. A few shadowdancers travel alone, and these are the most likely to take an apprentice. Catmen favor the Shadowdancer Prestige class. As adventurers they are possibly the most common prestige class after Knights Templar. {DMG}
Stonelord:
these dwarves are very powerful, and rarely leave the corridors of their homes, certainly only on missions that they believe are of utmost importance to the survival of the dwarven people. Training an outsider or adventurer dwarf would only be done as a reward for an epic deed. Stonelords can be found in Koruzd, Harothar and the Rift. {Dragon 278}
Summoner:
these spellcasters have a unique bond with some powerful outsider (frequently a creature or person bound or called to this plane long ago in the mage wars). While they are not always or even mostly evil, they are often viewed with suspicion by those who fear their odd abilities and natures. {Relics and Rituals}
Trickster:
this class is accessible to the hobyt race only. Typically Hairfeet hobytlan take this class when they discover the benefits of being hard to catch and hard to keep. Tricksters are independent sorts and can be found most anywhere, but they are few in number and tend to be hard to pin down, rarely admitting what they are. A trickster is likely to appear seemingly at a whim, pull a potential hobyt aside and offer to teach him a few tricks, rather than have the student seek for him. {Gnome Trickster; Dragon Annual 2000}
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