Preservers - A prestige class dedicated to Boccob |
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| Posted on Tue, December 17, 2002 by Trickster |
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Creighton writes "The Preservers are solitary individuals dedicated to husbanding the magic of Oerth before it fades from the land forever. They believe that the fading of magic from Oerth would be disasterous for its inhabitants and could perhaps spell the destrucion of the planet itself.
Author: Creighton
The Preserver Prestige Class
By Creighton Broadhurst (Click here to send the author a private message)
(Used with permission. Reposting or Redistributing without the prior consent of the author is strictly prohibited.)
The Oerth is a wondrous world full of items and beings of great power; the list of powerful spellcasters that have dwelt in the Flanaess is a long one. Mordenkainen, Bigby, Tenser, Rary and Reydrich are perhaps some of the best known of these but others such as Tobin Potriades, Xaene, Vayne, Kermin Mind-Bender and Ghiselinn all wield potent magics. Oerth has also been called home by beings of almost unimaginable power: Acererak, Vecna, Zagig, Slerotin and Igwwilv have all stalked the Flanaess in ages past. Indeed of these mighty personages two have achieved divine status and a third has returned to wreak revenge upon the Flanaess. The fate of the last remains a much-debated mystery.
Great works of magic such as the disappearance of the Isles of Woe, the Invoked Devastation that shattered the Bakluni Empire and the Rain of Colourless Fire that obliterated the Suel Imperium all transpired in ages past. Learned sages also point to the formation of the Rift Canyon, the Land of Black Ice and the Bright Desert as possibly being wrought by the manipulation of terrible magics.
The skilled artificers of the Flanaess have created a plethora of artefacts and relics such as the stone rings of Tovag Baragu, the eight Orbs of Dragonkind, the Rod of Seven Parts, the sentient Soul Gem and the dread sword Hunger but all of these were fashioned millenia ago.
It seems clear, at least to Preservers, that magic is slowly leaching from the Oerth. What beings of truly awesome power now exist in the Flanaess? Certainly Mordenkainen and his cohorts are mighty wizards but could together they accomplish what Slerotin fashioned on his own? Could they open a tunnel through the Crystalmists thirty feet high, three hundred feet wide and fully two hundred miles long? Surely not.
What works of magic recently undertaken can even come close to rivalling those fashioned in the past? True, the Flight of the Fiends was a mighty abjuration but the cornerstone of the banishment was the Crook of Rao, itself thought to be of truly ancient artifice. A few fiends even resisted the powers of the crook and yet lurk in the dark, forgotten places of the Flanaess, perhaps testimony to the fading power of magic.
If the Isles of Woe were removed from the Flanaess (surely by magical means) why have they now returned? Has their reappearance some sinister purpose or have the wards set in place around those fabled lands finally begun to fade? Either way surely their return does bodes ill.
New Prestige Class
Preservers
Espousers of true neutrality, Preservers act to preserve the remaining potent magics of the Flanaess without consideration for the “good” or “evil” of such an act. They travel the Flanaess in search of works and items of power preaching their controversial message to any who would listen. Preservers especially target puissant spellcasters including high priests and archmagi as this handful of individuals could perhaps hold the key to the very survival of the Oerth itself. Almost alone in all the Flanaess the Preservers truly know what terrible dangers beset the Oerth and its inhabitants.
It has long been accepted by scholars that the Oerth’s magic is generated, or at least controlled in part by magic. The Preservers do not know what would happen if this stabilising force were removed or weakened but fear that the consequences of this would be devastation on a scale previously undreamt of. Oceans could rise, weather patterns change, temperature rise or fall and hundreds of thousands could certainly perish. Preserver’s point to the storms that periodically lash many of the oceans of Oerth as proof of their theories and warn that such forces could be unleashed over widespread areas if care is not taken to preserve what magic yet remains. The breakdown of the magical wards that manipulate Oerth’s climate could also have subsidiary effects on other planes - particularly the elemental planes, which could be irrevocably disrupted. Beyond the threat of catastrophic weather changes another even greater doom lurks, but of this they will not speak save to say that the utter ruination of all the nations of the Flanaess would be at hand if the Slumbering One were to awaken. Why this could happen and who the Slumber One is are matters of some (heated) debates amongst observers.
In the main, Preservers travel for years at a time searching for magic to return to the secret temples of Boccob hidden deep in remote parts of the Flanaess. Spellbooks and other items containing knowledge of powerful spells are prized above all. Preservers are often found questing for some legendary artefact thought lost to the ages. Very few ever realise their dream of find such an item and surely those that have been found are guarded extremely closely.
Wealthy or particularly skilled Preservers have sponsored, or indeed led, expeditions to recover the lost knowledge of the Bakluni and Suel empires. Others have plunged into the steaming jungles of the south hunting the forgotten lore of the ancient pre-human civilisations said once to have thrived there.
Preservers are often seen as uncaring and aloof from ordinary people and many are loners, bereft of the comfort that lasting relationships can bring. They often dress in robes of purple and gold and all carry a stout staff, often carved with all manner of arcane symbols and sigils. They are amongst the most fanatical of all Boccob’s worshippers, even alienating some moderates amongst the clergy with their doctrine.
Followers of Boccob all, they live their lives by the following principles: The acquisition of powerful items of magic is paramount and could hold the key to the very survival of the Oerth. Knowledge of magic, and how to use it, should be prized above all else. Good and Evil are irrelevant concepts when set against the destruction of all. Let those predisposed to talk worry about the morality of your actions, Preservers work to a higher purpose. Those who take extreme philosophical positions are blinkered and short sighted. Trust fully only fellow Preservers as those not of the purple and gold cannot fully comprehend what is arrayed against them. Understand the glories of the past, as only then can these be uncovered and preserved.
Hit Dice: d4
Requirements
To qualify to become an Preserver, a character must fulfil all the following criteria:
Alignment: Neutral
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Spellcraft: 8 ranks
Knowledge (Arcana): 8 ranks
History (Ancient): 5 ranks
Special: The character must be a devoted follower of Boccob, who has neither cast from memory or device any spell of 5th level or higher. In addition he must have at least one level of cleric (Boccob).
Class Skills
The Preservers class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Knowledge (Int, all skills taken individually), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill) and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Preserver.
Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 0 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st +0 +2 +0 +2 5 3 - - - -
2nd +1 +3 0 +3 6 4 - - - -
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Bonus Feat 6 5 - - - -
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 6 6 3 - -
5th +2 +4 +1 +4 6 6 4 - -
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 Bonus Feat 6 6 5 3 - -
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 6 6 6 4 - -
8th +4 +6 +2 +6 6 6 6 5 3 -
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 Bonus Feat 6 6 6 6 4 -
10th +5 +7 +3 +7 6 6 6 6 5 3
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A Preserver is proficient in the use of all simple weapons, but favours the quarterstaff as weapon of choice.
Restricted Spell Use: Preservers believe that the casting of any spell above 4th level irrevocably drains raw magic from Oerth; therefore they only cast such spells in times of great need. They also believe that the expenditure of magic when casting spells of levels 0 to 4th is negligible and that given time Oerth could regain any magic lost in such a fashion. The only exception to this belief is the spell permanency, which they believe binds magic to Oerth and is therefore acceptable. Powerful Preservers fill their high-level spell slots with lower level spells enhanced with metamagic feats.
Bonus Feat: Every three levels a Preserver gains a bonus metamagic or item creation feat.
Spells: A Preserver casts arcane spells from the Preserver spell list. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a Preserver’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the Preserver’s Intelligence modifier. Preserver’s do not acquire their spells from books or scrolls, nor do they have to prepare them through study. Preserver’s pray for their spells receiving them directly from Boccob, or from one of his servants. As a cleric must, Preservers are obligated to allot a time of day at which he will pray for these spells. Time spent resting has no effect on whether a Preserver can prepare spells.
0-Level Preserver Spells (Cantrips): cure minor wounds, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, light, mage hand, read magic, resistance, virtue.
1st-Level Preserver Spells: alarm, comprehend languages, cure light wounds, detect chaos/evil/good/law, detect secret doors, detect undead, endure elements, hold portal, identify, mage armour, magic stone, magic weapon, nystul’s undetectable aura, nystul’s magic aura, protection from chaos/evil/good/law, sanctuary, shield, unseen servant.
2nd-Level Preserver Spells: arcane lock, augury, consecrate, continual flame, cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts, find traps, invisibility, knock, locate object, make whole, misdirection, protection from arrows, resist elements, see invisibility, silence, speak with animals, undetectable alignment.
3rd-Level Preserver Spells: clairaudience/clairvoyance, cure serious wounds, dispel magic, explosive runes, glyph of warding, greater magic weapon, invisibility purge, magic circle against chaos/evil/good/law, magic vestment, nondetection, obscure object, protection from elements, remove curse, secret page, sepia snake sigil, speak with dead, tongues.
4th-Level Preserver Spells: arcane eye, cure critical wounds, detect Scrying, dimensional anchor, divination, fire trap, imbue with spell ability, improved invisibility, locate creature, minor globe of invulnerability, rary’s mnemonic enhancer, Scrying, sending, spell immunity, stoneskin.
5th-Level Preserver Spells: permanency.
Notable Preservers
Raesene Keravel (Wiz8/Sor1/Clr2/Preserver3)
AL N; Str 9, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 16, Cha 14
Hailing from the northern Sheldomar Valley and obviously of Suel descent, Raesene is almost albino in appearance. Nearing middle age he has followed the Lord of Magic for over two decades travelling through much of the western Flanaess.
Perhaps one of the best known of the Preservers active in the Flanaess today, Raesene, together with his companions Lenn, Radnor, Hanks, Berjona and Xoad is thought to have been one of the individuals who sacked the resurgent Temple of Elemental Evil in 591 CY, carrying off several artefacts of ill aspect. A cautious man, some would say pusillanimous in nature; it is not known where these items current reside. It is understood however that certain prodigious paladins and good-aligned clerics are currently strenuously searching for his whereabouts.
Farland Raderal
(Rog3/Sor6/Clr1/Preserver2)
AL N; Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 15
Hailing from the Wild Coast, this half-elf’s early years were spent eking out a living as a petty thief in the alleys and backways of Elredd. Falling in with a mercenary sorcerer he eventually converted to the worship of The Uncaring. In return for the enhancement of his latent sorcererous talent he used his licentious abilities to gain items that his master coveted. Growing disenchanted with these practises he travelled the Flanaess, falling in with other Preservers. Now he uses his skills to retrieve items that should reside with the Lord of All Magic’s faithful. An atypical Preserver, Farland is actually quite outgoing, being pleasant to talk too and doesn’t mind working with other Preservers. He is supremely confident in his own abilities using his sorcererous abilities to augment his own larcenous skills and like other converts is particularly fanatical in his beliefs.
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Average Score: 3.88
Votes: 9
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