 |
 |
|
|
|
|
The work contained on this page has been provided by Ed Bonny, one of the authors of the Lost Empires of Faerûn sourcebook. Candlekeep claims no rights to ownership of this material and it is provided here with permission from the author.
Monastic Servant of Auppenser
By Ed Bonny
MONASTIC SERVANT OF AUPPENSER
Before the coup that destroyed Jhaamdath's psiocracy, monastic servants were the priestly wayfarers of the empire, wanderers who went beyond their empire's borders to spread the message of their deity, Auppenser. Skilled in both mind and body, monastic servants set the example of how devotion to Auppenser was empowering and ennobling. Their actions promoted psionics and the worship of Auppenser – and their chosen profession was seen as but one of many possible way of merging these two areas.
Monastic servants were expected to be of sound mind and body. Personal discipline was seen as the utmost sign of respect to Auppenser. Nothing was ever done to excess be it drinking, eating, or sleeping. Self-restraint, meditation and moderation were the means to true enlightenment and perfection of self – honorable goals embraced by the god of psionics.
Tireless enemies of slavery, monastic servants worked openly and unflinchingly against those nations who traded in enslaved beings. Their actions brought the peaceable but ever expanding psiocratic empire of Jhaamdath into frequent skirmishes with the slaving nation of Calimshan.
After the coup, the new regime mercilessly persecuted those monastic servants who vocalized loudly their disapproval of the empire's new and unbalanced direction. Monastic servants were frequently imprisoned, tortured and publicly executed as traitors for speaking their mind.
The monastic servants rightly feared that the radical changes in the Jhaamdathan Empire would ultimately be its undoing. While the form of the empire's doom was unforeseen, the followers of Auppenser believed that only an equally terrible act would restore the balance to the region. Unfortunately for all past and future practitioners of the Invisible Art, that terrible act would nearly wipe out all knowledge of psionics and do dire harm to the god of psionics
The elven magic that destroyed Jhaamdath also killed most of Auppenser's monastic servants. The impact on Auppenser was just as devastating. Greatly diminished in power, the god of psionics was sent into a deep slumber by the goddess of magic. The few monastic servants who survived had neither home nor the guidance of their deity. They spent their days in isolation around the shores where Jhaamdath once stood. The servants were also watchful for retribution from Jhaamdath's enemies who took great delight in tormenting Jhaamdathan survivors.
Auppenser has only recently shown signs of stirring from his sleep. The cause of his slow awakening is unknown but it may be tied to a greater awareness of psionics in areas near to the ancient lands of Jhaamdath, particularly Hlondeth and other yuan-ti populated areas.
No monastic servant of Auppenser has existed for centuries. Detailed knowledge of the class exists in a few places most likely beneath the waves recorded in some permanent form such as a psionic stone or buried by a surviving monastic servant who sought to leave a reminder of who he was for a future generation.
A new church of Auppenser would have many obstacles to face – the most important being how to awaken their deity. It is very likely that an awakened Auppenser would reward such worshippers with an Initiate of Auppenser feat to replace the Servant of the Fallen feat.
Hit Die: d8
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a Monastic Servant of Auppenser , a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
Alignment: Any neutral
Skills: Concentration 8 ranks
Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd level divine spells
Feats: Wild Talent (or substitute the Psionics domain if using the domain from the beginning of this thread); Servant of the Fallen; Psionic Meditation
Domain: Balance (or Psionics if using the domain from the beginning of this thread)
Patron Deity: Auppenser
Special: Can never have cast a spell or used a magic or psionic item to dominate or control the mind of another being.
CLASS SKILLS
The Monastic Servant's class skills are:
Concentration (Con)
Balance (Dex)
Climb (Str)
Craft (Int)
Heal (Wis)
Jump (Str)
Listen (Wis)
Knowledge (psionics)
Knowledge (religion)
Psicraft (Int)
Spot (Wis)
Swim (Str)
Tumble (Dex)
Use Psionic Device (Int)
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifer
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: Monastic Servants gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Spells per Day: When a new monastic servant level is attained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also attained a level in one of her divine spellcasting classes. She does not gain any other benefit from a character from that class would have gained (bonus feats, etc).
If a character has more than one divine spellcasting class, she must decide to which class she adds each level of monastic servant for purposes of determining spells per day and caster level.
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special Spells per Day Psionic Discipline; Sublime Transference +1 level divine Path of the Servant +1 level divine Strength of Will +1 level divine Greater Path of the Servant +1 level divine Sudden Intuition +1 level divine Final Path of the Servant +1 level divine Quicken Focus +1 level divine Psionic Discipline (Sp): The monastic servant chooses one of the six disciplines available to the psion class. The powers from that discipline are now on the monastic servant's cleric spell list meaning that the monastic servant can prepare and cast powers from that discipline as if they were divine spells of the same level. These powers detect as both divine and psionics although they are divinely powered. A monastic servant does not expend power points when casting these spells and cannot augment them by expending power points. If a monastic servant is or becomes a psion, she must choose the same discipline.
Sublime Transference (Ex): At 1st level, a monastic servant's class levels stack with any of her psionic class levels for purposes of determining caster level dependent variables of a manifested power (such as range, duration, etc.) and for purposes of meeting feat requirements. Additionally, a monastic servant with a psionic item creation feat can make psionic items using any psionic powers she knows (either from a psionic class or from psionic powers that she can prepare as divine spells). A monastic servant without any psionic class levels uses her monastic servant class level as her manifestor level when crafting psionic items.
Path of the Servant (Ex): At 2nd level, a monastic servant must choose one of 4 paths to follow. Each path grants a bonus feat to the monastic servant even if she does not meet the prerequisites. If the character already has the feat, she gains no benefit.
Path - Bonus Feat
Path of the Walker - Mental Leap
Path of the Warrior - Psionic Weapon
Path of the Unarmed - Psionic Fist
Path of the Certain - Ghost AttackStrength of Will (Ex): A monastic servant applies her Wisdom bonus to Fortitude saves and to her Jump, Swim, and Climb checks.
Greater Path of the Servant (Ex): At 4th level, a monastic servant continues on her chosen path gaining an additional bonus feat.
Path - Bonus Feat
Path of the Walker - Speed of Thought
Path of the Warrior - Greater Psionic Weapon
Path of the Unarmed - Greater Psionic Fist
Path of the Certain - Aligned AttackSudden Intuition (Ex): A monastic servant applies her Wisdom bonus to Reflex saves and her Balance and Tumble checks.
Final Path of the Servant (Ex): At 6th level, a monastic servant gain the final bonus feat completing her path.Path - Bonus Feat
Path of the Walker - Up the Walls
Path of the Warrior - Deep Impact
Path of the Unarmed - Unavoidable Strike
Path of the Certain - Wounding AttackQuicken Focus (Ex): A monastic servant can attempt to become psionically focused as an immediate action. The DC to become psionically focused as a free action increases by +5. This counts towards the limit of one immediate action per round allowed to a character.
Return to 'Lost Empires of Faerûn Enhancements' Page