Difference between revisions of "Cradled"

Revision as of 19:17, 28 October 2011

Background

After the Fae King was reborn, he awoke his people and the land he created for them, the Cradle of the Wold. This fey kingdom had slept with the King for ages of the Wold. Eberyon and his people returned with enthusiasm not seen since the earliest dawn of the Wold. The King rose in anger at his long sleep, and attempted to use Nature herself as a weapon to conquer the Wold. The combined might of the Wold's heroes, aided by Queen Maab, the King's wife (who had been the one to put him to sleep in ages past), rose to defeat the Fae King. In defeat, the King vowed to reform and atone. Although some mortals fear and shun the fey folk, others are drawn to the fey. As part of his atonement, King Eberyon now offers mortals a deep connection to the magic and power of the fey. Those who accept the power that the Fae King offers are the Cradled.

The King wants many people to accept his hand in friendship, so he has made it easy to be Cradled, and any mortal of any class can join the fey with a modicum of study. Those who seek out fey lore and who learn the fey tongue, Sylvan, can learn to cast spells, call on fey folk for favors and friendship, and gain wonderful gifts tailored to their particular interests. Those who seek martial prowess, especially learning the combat tricks and archery of the fey, become Cradled Armigers. Those who admire Eberyon's role as the creator of worlds become Cradled Makers. Seers and sages become Cradled Lorists. Those who summon fey creatures for service become Cradled Callers. Those who delight in pranks and cleverness become Cradled Tricksters. And those who share a devotion to the musical arts become Cradled Musicians.

As NPCs, many fey friends avoid cities, living in natural places, especially those where fey folk gather. Others wander, not only through the Wold, but into the realm of the fey where time plays tricks. And of course, many NPCs accept the King's gifts and then go on with their lives. Some Cradled are noble, and others are corrupt, but all have a deep fascination with all fey creatures.

Hit Die: d6

Requirements

To qualify to become Cradled, a character must fulfill the following criteria.

• Skills: Knowledge (Nature) 3 ranks, Knowledge (Planes) 3 ranks
• Language: Must be able to speak Sylvan
• Special: The aspiring Cradled must stand in a fairy ring on the Day of the Nymph in the Month of the Lady and call out five times the names of the Fae King and his Queen Maab.

Class Features

Class Skills: The fey friend's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Fly (Dex), Knowledge (Geography, Local, Nature, Planes) (Int), Perception (Wis),Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points per level: 6 + Int modifier

Ethos: The Cradled think of themselves as emissaries, that is, as people who link the Wold to the Wold's Cradle, offering the friendship of mortals to the fey. Some fey greet the Cradled as long lost cousins, and other fey treat them with amusement or contempt. But Cradled and fey alike recognize that they are all favored of King Eberyon, so they hesitate to attack each other with fatal damage. All Cradled treat all Fey creatures with respect, even those they are forced to oppose or even fight. No emissary will ever attack a member of Maab's or Eberyon's royal courts except in self defense.

Some Cradled see it as their mission to spread the word of Eberyon's atonement, and his desire to aid the mortals of the Wold. They teach Sylvan to others, and even recruit others to join as new Cradled. But the Fae King himself places no burden of proselytization on his Cradled at all. Spreading the word is optional, although rewarding (see below).

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: The Cradled are proficient in all simple weapons, as well as with all long and short bows (including composite). They are proficient in light armor and all shields (except Tower Shields).

Spells and Spellcasting

Spells: A Cradled has the ability to cast a number of divine spells prepared from the Cradled Spell List (see below). To cast a Cradled spell, a Cradled must have a Charisma score of at least 10 + the spell’s level, so a Cradled with a Charisma of 10 or lower cannot cast these spells. Cradled bonus spells are based on Charisma, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + the Cradled's Charisma modifier. When the Cradled gets 0 spells per day of a given spell level he gains only the bonus spells he would be entitled to based on his Charisma score for that spell level. The Cradled's spell list appears below. A Cradled has access to any spell on the list and can freely choose which to prepare, just as a cleric. A Cradled prepares and casts spells just as a cleric does (though a Cradled cannot spontaneously cast cure or inflict spells).

Although the Cradled is a prestige class with a 10-level progression, it is possible to extend Cradled casting through a prestige class that advances spellcasting ability. Casting progression to level 17 is therefore possible through a 20-level career.

Orisons: A Cradled can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on the table above. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

Domain Spells: A Cradled gets a domain spell for each spell level, starting at 1st. The "+1" in the entries on the table above represents that spell. Domain spells are in addition to any bonus spells the Cradled may receive for having a high Charisma score.

Universal Special Abilities

Some special class abilities are common to all Cradled, regardless of their nature. These are detailed below.

Fey Friendship: You gain an insight bonus whenever you interact with fey creatures, and a smaller bonus with magical beasts and creatures native to the Elemental Planes. This bonus applies to all Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge, Linguistics, Perception, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks. Interacting with creatures in these categories who have Int scores of 1 or 2, it also applies to Handle Animal, Ride, and Wild Empathy checks. The bonus also applies to all saving throws made to resist the spell-like and supernatural abilities of creatures in these categories. At level 2, the bonus is +2 (for fey) or +1 (for elementals and magical beasts); at level 5, +4 or +2; and at level 8, +6 or +3.

Spread the Word: Whenever you spend a friendly evening (at least three hours) talking to two or more characters about the fey in general and about the Fae King and his desire to help others, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Cradled level. These last until they are used up. Temporary hit points gained by using this ability on multiple occasions do not stack with themselves (although they do stack with temporary hit points gained from other sources). However, if you have used up some or all of your current temporary hit points, you can "top off" your total to its maximum level by using this ability. Characters who join your conversation willingly gain 1 temporary hit point as well. You can engage the same characters in conversation no more than once per month, or if it is more convenient for the DM, once per module.

Cradled Travel: When you travel to the Wold's Cradle (as with the Plane Shift spell or other method), you are protected from the greatest dangers of the plane. No member of Maab's or Eberyon's royal courts will attack you, and such creatures will save you if you are in danger of dying. Against all other fey you are warded as by a Sanctuary spell cast by yourself, but even if an enemy fey saves against the Sanctuary, you gain a +4 sacred bonus to AC and saves against attacks by fey creatures. You lose this protection for the rest of the day if you attack a fey creature. Moreover, when you leave the Wold's Cradle, you can modify the d100 roll for time and space mishap by an amount in your favor equal to your Cradled level; this modifier does apply to your entire group if you are traveling together.

King's Crest: You have earned the honor of wearing the Fae King's token, usually an acorn marked with the "A" glyph for atonement, or "R" for reform. If you wear this token, displaying it proudly, you gain your choice of a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, or a +1 luck bonus to your Cradled caster level. Most Cradled so honored wear the token on a shield or tunic, but other options are possible.

Cradled Natures

A Cradled chooses a Nature at first level, which reflects the Cradled's personal theme and interest. At first level, the Cradled may choose one domain, using Charisma instead of Wisdom for Domain Granted Powers. The choice of domain, however, depends on your Nature. A Cradled gains Fey Gifts at levels 1, 4, and 7; these too vary with Nature. And at level 10, the Cradled's Favored Child ability also depends on choice of Nature. These are detailed below.

Cradled Armiger

Your Nature is focused on combat and warfare, especially in the fey specialties of archery and trick fighting.

Domain: You may choose one domain from these: Fey, War, or Weather.

Fey Gifts:

• Damage Resistance: You gain damage resistance 2/cold iron. You may select this gift more than once; each time the DR rises by 2.
• Elemental Mastery: You gain +1 to hit and damage when fighting creatures with a burrow speed, a fly speed, or a swim speed, as well as against creatures with the Fire, Water, Air, and Earth subtypes. This bonus rises to +2 when fighting creatures native to the elemental planes, and it rises to +3 when fighting true elementals.
• Graceful Attack: You may use your Charisma instead of your Dexterity when making ranged attack rolls. You may also use Chr instead of Dex with melee weapons if you also have the Weapon Finesse feat and with combat maneuvers if you also have the Agile Maneuvers feat.
• Pixie Dust: You can decide to change an arrow's properties by sprinkling it with magical pixie dust. Doing so is a free action as long as you are the one who fires the arrow. You can generate a number of uses of dust equal to 3 plus your Charisma modifier each day. Once you apply pixie dust to an arrow, you must fire the arrow in the same round. As long as an arrow is altered in this way, it does not inflict damage when it hits — it only causes its new effect. You must choose just one one of the following three effects you gain this Gift. The Will save DCs for arrow effects are 12 + Chr modifier. (1) Charm: The target must save or be affected as though by a charm monster spell for two minutes per Cradled caster level. (2) Memory Loss: The target must save or be affected by a modify memory spell, using your Cradled caster level. (3) Sleep: The target must save or fall asleep for 1 minute per Cradled caster level. You may choose this gift up to three times, once for each effect. The number of uses per day does not change.
• Quickling Speed: You move as fast as a Quickling when you move if you are in light or no armor and unencumbered. You gain a +10 bonus on your movement rate. You have a 20 percent miss chance against attacks of opportunity you provoke by moving, as well as by readied attacks triggered by your movement. You also gain the Uncanny Dodge ability.

Quicktrick: You may make a Dirty Trick combat maneuver as a move action.

Favored Child: You gain a magic Redcap, which takes up the hat slot. When wearing your Redcap, you receive a +4 bonus on damage rolls and fast healing 3. These benefits are lost if the cap is removed or destroyed. Caps are not transferable. You can create a new cap to replace a lost cap with 10 minutes of work, although until you take a standard action to dip the cap in the blood of a foe that you helped to kill, the cap does not grant its bonuses. All Redcap fey you meet treat you as Friendly.

• NOTE: It can be dangerous to call on the fey for favors. Although only non hostile fey will answer a call from an emissary, even a "friendly" fey may play tricks or behave in ways that seem odd to a mortal.

Lesser Fey Travel: The cradled can cast Plane Shift as a spell-like ability once per day, but only to travel to the Wold's Cradle and to return. No material component is needed. Note that travel to the fey realm is fraught with dangers, not least being that time moves oddly there.

Augment Summoning: At 4th level, a cradled emissary gains the Augment Summoning feat.

Extended Summoning: At 6th level and higher, all spells from the summoning subschool that the cradled casts have their durations doubled, as if the Extend Spell feat had been applied to them. The levels of the summoning spells don't change, however. This ability stacks with the effect of the Extend Spell feat, which does change the spell's level.

Greater Fey Travel: The emissary can use the fey travel ability twice per day. Also, the ability now returns the friend to the Wold at about the place (within a mile) and moment (within an hour) from which the emissary left. This minimizes the danger of getting very lost in time or place upon one's return.

Contingent Conjuration: An 8th-level emissary can prepare a summoning or calling spell ahead of time to be triggered by some other event. This functions as described for the contingency spell, including having the cradled cast the summoning or calling spell beforehand. The spell is cast instantly when the trigger event occurs. The conditions needed to bring the spell into effect must be clear, although they can be general. If complicated or convoluted condition as are prescribed, the contingent conjuration may fail when triggered. The conjuration spell occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether the emissary wants it to, although most conjurations can be dismissed normally. An emissary can have only one contingent conjuration active at a time.

Fey Cohort: A 10th-level cradled emissary can use any of the planar ally spells to call a fey to act as his cohort. The called fey serves loyally and well for a period of time from a month to a year, as long as the fey friend continues to advance a cause important to the creature. To call a fey cohort, the cradled must cast the relevant spell, but no expenditure of experience or gold is needed to convince it to serve as a fey cohort. The fey cohort can't have more Hit Dice than the cradled has, and must have an ECL no higher than the emissary's character level -3. An emissary can have only one fey cohort at a time, but he can continue to make agreements with other called creatures normally. A fey cohort replaces a cradled's existing cohort, if he has one by virtue of the Leadership feat, but in this case the cohort's ECL can equal the cradled's level. After the cohort leaves the emissary's service, the emissary must wait a week before calling another.

Notes on Fey Travel

Note that the DM makes all decisions physical and temporal displacement, as well as other dangers.

Some ground rules:

• the PC (and party) never returns to the Wold at an earlier time than they left. The exception being when the module depends on this and the PC's seek out a reverse time stream.
• the solo PC never arrives so distant in time or place that they are effectively written out of the module. The exception being a PC whose player wishes to go on walkabout for a fixed or indefinite period.
• the PC (and party) never returns to a time and/or place where survival is impossible
• For Lesser Fey Travel using teleport spell's d100 roll):
  • On Target = within 1d12 hours in time & 1d10 miles in distance
  • Off Target = within 3d8 hours in time & 3d10 miles
  • Similar Target - DM fiat but merely inconvenient or embarrassing
  • Mishap - DM fiat but hazardous

A Cradled character with the Cradled Travel class special ability can subtract his Cradled level from the d100 roll mentioned above.

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