Jeff Crunch: Aletheian Scholar

A note from the author,                                                                                                                                           

This archetype is delving into untested ground, as it modifies an NPC class, the expert.  I personally believe the expert to be a viable player character, though it can be difficult and trying as I also personally believe that even with an enhanced expert they are still bellow the bar of many PC classes.  Also because of the nature of this class, I strongly suggest allowing the use of the tomes presented by Frank Gori earlier in our week of H.P. Lovecraft madness.  But without further ado the Flying Pincushion presents to you the aletheian scholar.

                                                                                                                                                           Sincerely,                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                           Jeff Harris      

Aletheian Scholar (Expert)

What thing is all at once the most powerful weapon, most deadly poison, most useful tool, and most seductive drug known to all men?  There are many answers to give, but to some there is but one true answer, knowledge.  As a weapon against it there is little defense, it easily poisons even the truest of hearts,  as a tool there is nothing in this world that knowledge did not create, and as a drug, none is more addictive, as the hunger for it can never be truly sated. For those who feel this in their very being there is a name, the aletheian scholar.  They are willing to risk death and madness to relearn what we have forgotten, and discover that which we are afraid to. To them there is no greater calling then truth, no knowledge too dangerous or taboo, for knowledge is neither good nor evil. If knowledge is the sword and men the hand, should it not be the hand that terrifies us then, for like the sword, without the hand knowledge has no will, and can do no harm of its own.  It would stand to reason then that exposing the worlds many secrets to the harsh light of truth is worth any cost. For truth should be unbound by the shackles of morality.  No matter their ethical standings however, all aletheian scholars share the belief that truth and knowledge are mans keys to unlocking reality, and our place in it.   

Weapon and Armor Proficiency Same as a standard expert plus the following; fire arms (both one and two handed) and one martial or exotic weapon of your choice.  Aletheian scholars are also proficient with bucklers and small shields as well as light armor.

Skills In addition to picking 10 class skills, Linguistics, Perception, and Knowledge (history) are always class skills for the aletheian scholar.

A Use for All Things: Sometimes the search for knowledge leads to dangerous places, and sometimes you have to adapt to the situation at hand.  Because of this at 1^st level the aletheian scholar receives Equipment Trick as a bonus feat and may pick one item and use its associated tricks, you must still meet the requirements for using the specific tricks in each item category.  Every six levels attained (7^th, 13^th, and 19^th) after 1^st you gain this feat again as a bonus feat and may choose an additional item from the list.  Also this ability reduces the penalty to hit when using improvised weapons from -4 to -2 for an aletheian scholar.  This reduction also applies to using a fire arm as a melee weapon, such as pistol whipping or stock bashing, as these attacks are being considered improvised weapon attacks.

Candle of Truth: Because of the boundless curiosity and unending appetite for knowledge aletheian scholars often know at least something about many subjects, they simply need to recall that knowledge from the library of their mind.  As a result beginning at 3^rd level you may add a bonus of ½ your class level in this class (minimum 1) to any knowledge skill check you wish.  You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your intelligence modifier. 

Harbor No Secrets:  Because bringing to light all the knowledge of the world is an intrinsic part of the aletheian scholar’s philosophy, finding that which is hidden in words comes as second nature.  As a result at 3^rd level whenever the aletheian scholar attempts to use the Linguistics skill to decipher a code or unfamiliar language or the Perception skill to investigate books and documents in any way they add a bonus to the die roll equal to 1/2 of their class level (minimum 1) in this class.

Right Tool for the Job: Long hours spent in seedy taverns waiting for contacts and battling strange horrors have honed the everyday tools and items aletheian scholars carry into an effective means of self defense.  At 6^th level the aletheian scholar gains Improvised Weapon Mastery as a bonus feat.  For the purposes of applying this feat melee attacks with a fire arm, such as pistol whipping or stock bashing, are also considered to be improvised weapon attacks, and are subject to this feat.

Rune Foil (Su):  Because runes are simply an attempt to hide knowledge behind archaic mystic symbols aletheian scholars delight in deciphering and unraveling them.  At 8^th level the scholar gains a +5 insight bonus on all Perception checks to find magical glyphs and spell runes.  Additionally an aletheian scholar can attempt to dispel such runes (symbol spells, sepia snake sigils, glyph or warding, etc).  For the purpose of dispelling a rune the scholar’s class levels count as his caster level, if this meets or exceeds the rune creator’s caster level, then the rune is dispelled.  Using this ability is a full round action.

Unravel Scroll (Su):  While aletheian scholars do not gains spells or spell-like abilities, they do have an amazing knack for deciphering writing.  Because of this at 10^th level the aletheian scholar may attempt to use spell scrolls even if they have not invested skill ranks into the Use Magic Device skill.  In this case the scholar’s class level is considered their total modifier for the skill check.  However if the aletheian scholar has ranks in Use Magic Devise then they may roll their skill check twice and take the better of the two results when attempting to use a spell scroll. Using a scroll remains a standard action, and all scrolls are covered by this ability regardless of if arcane or divine.

Read Weakness (Ex):  An aletheian scholar may not seem to be a dangerous opponent, as spectacles and ink wells are rather no threatening.  However many that have tried to stop an aletheian scholar’s pursuit of knowledge has found otherwise.  At 12^th level the scholar has gained an almost supernatural ability to spot the weaknesses of their foes.  As a standard action a scholar may attempt a Perception check against an opponent.  If this skill check result meets or exceeds the targets Armor Class, the aletheian scholar has found a weakness.  As a result for 1d4 rounds the target of this ability losses the benefit of their armor and or shield to their Armor Class.  Magic pluses and enhancements are not lost, only the armor’s base defense value.  You may only affect a given target once with this ability in a 24 hour period, and those not wearing armor or carrying a shield cannot be affect by this ability.

Dangerous Knowledge (Su):  The greatest strength of the aletheian scholar is their mind, and the stores of lost or taboo knowledge contained therein.  As a result a 15^th level the aletheian scholar may choose a special class feature of another class and use that ability for a short time.  The class feature may not be spell casting.  A short list of choices includes; evasion, wild shape, channel energy, weapon training, armor training, monks unarmed strike, and uncanny dodge.  When using this ability you gain access to the chosen class feature for a number of rounds equal to your intelligence modifier.  Also for any class feature that scales by level, your level in the “class” is considered to be 3/4^th of your aletheian scholar level.  Also if you happen to have the class feature already from levels in another class, when using this ability you gain the improved version of the class ability (such as improved evasion or improved uncanny dodge) if one exists.  Class features that do not have an improved version are not affected in this way and are used normally if selected.  You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your intelligence modifier.  Using this ability is a full round action.  Feats cannot be taken and used by this ability.

Master of the Mind (Ex):  An aletheian scholar’s mind has become so strengthened by knowledge, and so strong in will, that few can sway them from their goals.  As a result at 18^th level the aletheian scholar becomes immune to all charm or mental domination affects.

Ascended Scholar (Su):  At the pinnacle of their studies, the aletheian scholar has gained so much knowledge and delved so many secrets that they are often compelled by posterity to record for all time the truths they have learned.  This takes the form of a special book, which can be a standard magical tome, grimori, or manual. Also any one of the Lovecraft themed books presented in “mishelved; H.P. Lovecraft” by Frank Gori would be appropriate.  Additionally an aletheian scholar may roll twice and take the better of the two results whenever they are forced to make a save or percentile role regarding a negative effect of a tome or book.  It should be noted that books that only function once still disappear after use, so chose carefully.

Mishelved: H.P. Lovecraft

By Frank Gori

“Something about the scene reminded me of the strange and disturbing Asian paintings of Nicholas Roerich, and of the still stranger and more disturbing descriptions of the evilly fabled plateau of Leng which occur in the dreaded Necronomicon of the mad Arab Abdul Alhazred. I was rather sorry, later on, that I had ever looked into that monstrous book at the college library.” –At the Mountains of Madness

There’s something about the forbidden that calls to human nature. If anything of the Judeo-Christian mythos strikes true it’s that we are undone by our own curiosity. Tell us we can have eternal paradise and all we have to do is not eat a certain fruit the only thing we’ll think about is what that fruit might taste like. For gamers it’s the door not taken.

H.P. Lovecraft tapped into this truth in human nature. We know that looking into the darkness is stupid, that what we learn will not be good for us, and yet we look… we have to look. The Necronomicon is perhaps an overused trope, but what other tomes might have secrets? Keep reading for more.

Xezbeth’s Anatomy- Reading this tome grants the demonologist feat and explains the concepts of demon grafting to the uninitiated. It also describes a variety of drugs and types of items that can be retrieved from a demon corpse.

Nichen’s Divinations- This book is always found in perfect condition. Reading it is surprisingly easy as it translates itself into the native language of the speaker. Once having read this tome the reader benefits by becoming more lingual. In fact the reader gains a +3 bonus to linguistics and they also learn a secret ritual that allows them to Contact Other Plane for 1 hours prep and 100 gold or 1 con worth of blood. Every time this ritual is used there is a 1% cumulative chance that the owner will require a DC 35 Will save or go mad (effects may vary by DM I’d recommend they go CN and have to try and murder a friend.)

The Book of Lost things- This book writes maps to things that are lost within 100 miles of the book's owner. Some of those things are amazing others are rather trivial. After the book has been used 99 times, the items it locates tend to be evil artifacts or cursed items (50% chance) or teleportational items (50% chance.) If the owner of the book encounters a teleportational item capable of transporting themselves to the Dark Tapestry they will have the urge to do so and need to succeed in a daily DC 18 will save. Discarding either the book or the item in question ends the daily save.

Light in the Darkness- This book always has the same effect, it grants the Tapestry Enlightened template you can find here.

Crafter’s Delight- This book changes to suit anyone holding it with a craft skill. No matter their skill this book offers new secrets and mastery and will act as the Crafter’s fortune spell if followed. More intriguingly it offers ways to create magic items without needing the proper spells. The items created function as any magic item of the appropriate type desired but when the crafter crafts it they feel a compulsion to sacrifice a person to make the item. It isn’t expressly in the book but only by sacrificing a thinking being to the powers of the dark tapestry will any of the items function.

Hypocrate's Adhesive- This book is a healer’s godsend! Within its pages is a formula that makes a unique glue that will bind wounds like a light healing spell. The more the glue is experimented with the more remarkable it becomes. It can be used to force the body to accept a limb replacement. It can be used on constructs and undead beings to add evolutions per the summoner eidolon section. It can do that for people as well though for every evolution point gained you take a step closer to chaotic evil.

Going Gonzo with John: Love for Lovecraft

By John Belliston

We all love Lovecraft. It doesn’t matter if you hate him, hate his writing and ideas, and raise your fist to uncaring universe cursing his name, in reality you love Lovecraft. That is the twisted power of his art. But what is it that we think of first when the man’s name is conjured?

We think of tentacles. We think of Cthullu. We think of the 1930s. If we’re really deep in the know we think of the Elder Sign or the King in Yellow. We imagine the trappings of his fiction. The aesthetic he created.

But that’s not the point of Lovecraft.

It never was.

Putting tentacles on an alien isn’t Lovecraftian in the same way that filling a pillow with feathers doesn’t make it a bird. Cosmic horror of the kind that HP so beautifully crafted is about tapping into things beyond comprehension, forces so vast and alien that the mind refuses to even try and understand. It’s about unstoppable forces. It’s about looking into the eye of the hurricane and knowing that deep down there is no hope. You can only cower or try and postpone it for a little while longer.

That is the truest essence of his work.  And the one that needs to be explored far more than 1930s tentacles.

So how does one do that? How do you tap into the Cosmic part of the cosmic horror? Well the first step is to look at the scope of the forces you’re dealing with. Because despite what you may think, Lovecraft didn’t write about Good Vs Evil. He wrote about the stalling tactics that both good and evil would use against things that neither side could defeat. A Lovecraftian horror is something that even the “Forces of Evil” will rise to fight against. Despite the fact that they will fail.

Because failure is guaranteed. At least ultimately. These are forces which create realities to lock them away, beasts from before there were names chained within the hearts of stars. When whole worlds are used to bind these creatures what exactly do you do? And the part about Lovecraft’s work that so thrills and captivates me personally is that there is no answer to that question. His heroes shrug their shoulders in confused despair.

So in the hope of justifying my title, I’m going to take something and look at it through a Lovecraftian lens. Let’s take something good and make it terrifying.

Of course I’m talking about love.

We have our protagonists, our Player Characters. As time goes on they have good luck. Strange good luck. The kind of luck that does seem possible. Twisted coincidences that always seem to fall in their favor. Bizarre gifts thrusts into their hands by glassy eyed strangers. Small things you could spread over a session or an entire campaign. Let them know that they are loved but something beyond them.

Your paladins and clerics may even view it as a mark of favor from their god. And at that point is where you start to take it to the next level. If their god is good have undead refuse to attack them, or bow low and whisper declarations of love and devotion. If they worship an evil god have that love bubble up in other places that seem wrong.

That is the trick with this, to show in little ways that it’s wrong. That something strange is brewing and that they are the focal point. The players are loved by something beyond them, something that hungers for them, something that can shape reality. And let them slowly taste of this thing, and when they confront it make sure they understand that this thing will change reality, that it has powers far beyond any they handle.

And it wants its feelings returned.

 

Now that’s the bulk of my message, but I offer this little trifle for those that seek crunch here. A drawback.

 

Unearthly Prize

Somehow you have attracted the attention of something horrible from a distant plane. They seek to please you in strange and terrible ways.

Effect: Your aura is tainted by strange forces. For the purposes of detection spells you count as a Chaotic Evil outsider.

Monster Mondays: Ghastly Puppeteer

by Jeff Harris
intro by Frank Gori

This week we are taking on H.P. Lovecraft. While science fiction writers looked to the future, H.P. Lovecraft liked to look at the past and his imagination gave us a horrific lens with which to view it. Was there some horrific beings forgotten by modern sensibilities lurking out there in the dark, waiting to be awakened?

 

This week's monster monday by Jeff Harris creates a new horror for your deeps. It's not an elder god but perhaps the forerunners of something more terrible in your campaign..

Ghastly Puppeteer

     This massive and repulsive creature slides towards you with disturbingly little noise, leaving a trail of glistening slime in its wake.  First glance reveals what appears to be an oddly shaped giant slug.  However even the barest of investigation shows this to be only a passing resemblance.  Four 15 foot long tentacles grow from behind what passes for the things head.  All four are nearly a foot thick and rubbery ending in a pore-like orifice ringed by four hooked claws.  Most of the creatures great bulk is comprised of its flexible boneless body, but unlike the mindless giant slug, the ghastly puppeteer as some call it, has a discernable head.  Jagged mandibles flank a small circular mouth, which in turn conceals a large snail like radula.  Also unlike any giant slug, the horror sports a set of three yellow aboleth-like eyes.  Once close to prey its tentacles wave faster as if excited, reflexively extending their single long and needle sharp spine.  Normally hidden from view within those same tentacles, these are what give it the title of ghastly.  Once you see those, they say you should hope it tears you apart in its jaws, because what the spines do is so much worse.    

 Ghastly Puppeteer   CR 10

XP 9,600
CE Huge aberration (aquatic)
Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +23
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 6, flat-footed 23; (–2 Dex, +17 natural, –2 size)
hp 168 (16d8+96)
Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +11
DR 5/slashing or piercing Resists acid resistance 15
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.; climb 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee mandibles +17 (3d6+10), 4 tentacles +15 (2d6+3 plus grab and dominate)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 6, Con 20, Int 14 , Wis 12, Cha 4
Base Atk +12; CMB +22; CMD 28 (can't be tripped) 
Feats Improved Natural Armor, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Natural Attack (tentacles), Multiattack, Ability Focus (dominate), Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, Skill Focus (stealth). 
Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +23, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (arcane) +18, Perception +23, Spellcraft +18, Stealth +15, Survival +10, and Swim +23.
SQ amphibious, dominate, grab, malleable, slime trail

SPECIAL ABILITIES 

Malleable (Ex):  A ghastly puppeteer’s body is very malleable, allowing it to fit into narrow areas with ease. A ghastly puppeteer takes no penalty to its speed or checks when squeezing in an area that is one size category smaller than its actual size (10 feet wide for most ghastly puppeteers). A ghastly puppeteer can squeeze normally through an area two size categories smaller than its actual size (5 feet wide for most ghastly puppeteers). 

Dominate (Su):  When a ghastly puppeteer successfully grabs an opponent with a clawed tentacle, the concealed spine impales the target.  Once inside tiny fibers are injected and seek to link with the targets central nervous system.   If the target creature has an intelligence of 1 or greater, the ghastly puppeteer attempts to dominate it.  This affect works as the spell dominate person save the following.  The target is allowed only one will save when first successfully grabbed, no action the puppeteer forces the target to take allows for a new save.  Once dominated a puppeteer has access to all of a targets abilities as if they were the creature.  However those who save successfully cannot be dominated by that puppeteer for the rest of the combat.  The duration of the dominate effect is unlimited; however severing the tentacle immediately ends the effect.  A tentacle has the same Armor Class as the puppeteer and 1/8 its hit points, totaling 21, damage to tentacles do not count against the puppeteers hit points.  Any target who is dominated and then has their tentacle severed is stunned for 1d4 rounds after being freed due to the mental trauma of the experience.  To resist the dominate effect require a DC 22 will save; this save is constitution based and includes +2 from ability focus. 

Slime Trail (Ex):  The passage of a ghastly puppeteer leaves a greasy mucus trail in its wake.  This slime lasts for an hour after the creature has passed.  The terrain the creature has passed over is affected as if grease spell had been cast in those squares.  A DC 16 reflex save is needed to avoid falling, the save DC is constitution based.