Fighting Men of Weirth
The Fighting Men of Weirth are divided into four sub-classes. In other campaigns these might be thought of as templates or backgrounds.
Each has a particular role and part to play in the culture of Weirth.
Fighting Man Classes
You are a warrior, trained in battle and in the use of armor and weapons. You are going to serve as the party’s sword and shield, protecting the weaker party members and taking down the enemies before you. Perhaps one day they will tell legends of your battle prowess, and followers will flock to your castle stronghold where you revel in your fame, riches, and newly earned nobility. Fail, of course, and you will die, just another forgotten warrior in a dangerous world. Soldiers and Knights wear colored ribbons on their Left shoulder/epaulet to indicate their rank.
SOLDIER Level Titles
Soldier Black Ribbon
Warrior Black & Yellow
Swordsman Yellow & Red
Veteran Red & Brown
Captain Red & Purple
Hero Orange & Blue
Myrmidon Orange & Yellow
Champion Orange & Red
Lord Purple
VEPITOR Level Titles
Scout
Tracker
Pathfinder
Trailblazer
Vepitor-Captain
Protector of the Land
Defender of the Realm
Shield of the Light
Vepitor-Knight
Vepitor-Lord
Fighting men are not legally allowed to carry swords in public (except in uniform) until they have reached the third level of experience, Swordsman (Knight, Pathfinder. etc). A Fighting man who has reached the fifth level of experience, Captain, may petition his or her local lord or lady to muster and form an armed Company in service of the Realm.
Knight
Knights in the World of WeirthTM are warriors dedicated to the preservation of civilization. The World of Weirth is slowly dying. Memories are difficult to maintain. People are afraid of forgetting things, as magic is already being forgotten. It is one of the deepest taboos to harm a Craftsman, such as a Loremaster, Blacksmith, Woodworker or Stonemason. These crafts are essential to civilization and have been held sacred since time immemorial. Some of the best and brightest gravitate to these fields, creating poetry and song, as well as crafts of metal, wood and stone. The various orders of Knights are sworn to protect these craftsmen and the settlements they serve.
Knights begin training at an early age, practicing their craft and learning about the importance of the skills of the Craftsmen to the continuation of the human race.
A Knight follows a different regimen of training from the typical soldier. Different weapons, tactics and mounted combat are included in this program of proficiency.
The Knight depends on both Strength and Dexterity for effectiveness, and thus must have a minimum score of 12 in each Ability. If STR or DEX are greater than 15, the character adds 10% to experience awarded.
The Knight utilizes a d10 for determining HP.
Knights may use any of the magical items available to Fighting Men. They use the Fighting Man Melee and Saving Throw tables.
Knights are trained in Mounted Combat and do not suffer the standard -2 to hit penalty. Knights are trained in the following weapons during their Apprenticeship:
Lance
Longsword*, Sabre or Battle Axe
Mace or Flail
Dagger
*Longsword is a weapon typically reserved for nobility.
(Knight Apprentices also have “level titles” - Page, Shield-bearer, Sword-carrier, Armiger, Scutifer)
Class Abilities
Mentor: A knight is expected to take on a Squire at L1, see Apprenticeship rules.
Multiple Attacks: In melee, mounted or on foot, against creatures with 1HD or less, a Knight makes one attack per level each round.
Parry: Knights with a Dexterity score of 14 or better can fight on the defensive, parrying enemy blows and dodging attacks.
Strength Bonuses: Unlike most other character classes, Fighting-Men with a high Strength can have bonuses to hit and on damage.
Establish Stronghold (9th): At ninth level, a Knight-Lord may establish a stronghold and attract a body of men-at-arms who will swear their loyalty to the character as their liege Lord (or Lady). Most likely, the castle will attract peasants seeking safe places to establish homes, and the Knight-Lord will become more powerful and influential as the number of such followers increases. The stronghold will likely be a small territory carved from the wilderness, held as a freehold by the self-ennobled character.
Soldier
The Soldier relies on the Strength of their arm for effectiveness, and thus must have a minimum score of 12 in STR. If the score is greater than 15, the character adds 10% to experience awarded.
The Soldier utilizes a d10 for determining HP. A Soldier may use any of the magical items available to Fighting Men. They use the Fighting Man Melee and Saving Throw tables.
Soldiers are trained in the following weapons during their tour of duty:
Spear, Pike or Halberd
Mace or Battle Axe
Longbow or Crossbow
Dagger
Class Abilities
Strength Bonuses: Unlike most other character classes, Soldiers with a high Strength can have bonuses to hit and on damage.
Multiple Attacks: In melee, on foot, against creatures with 1HD or less, a Soldier makes one attack per level each round.
Shield Wall: Soldiers are taught to fight in formation, using their shields to protect those on either side of them. If two Fighting men are next to each other in combat, the Soldier can use this ability to confer a +2 AC bonus for both shields, rather than the standard +1.
Bivouac and Field Fortifications: Soldiers are well-practiced at setting up camps and temporary fortifications. They are able to quickly determine the best place for a camp, its attendant facilities, and relatively quickly (with assistance) create a barrier to entry with materials at hand (if any). Soldiers are also proficient in setting up totems and phylacteries of protection (“hex magic”).
Resource Management: Soldiers are often adept at supplementing their own stock of supplies, rations, weapons, and ammunition (as well as other highly portable trade goods When a Soldier PC is in a settlement or military encampment/fortress they are able to “liberate” or “acquire” certain supplies, equipment, food and/or weapons. Up to 2d4x10 GP worth of food/supplies/equipment may be liberated in this way, once per day.
Establish Stronghold (9th): At ninth level, a Soldier may establish a stronghold and attract a body of men-at-arms who will swear their loyalty to the character as their liege Lord (or Lady). Most likely, the castle will attract peasants seeking safe places to establish homes, and the Soldier will become more powerful and influential as the number of such followers increases. The stronghold will likely be a small territory carved from the wilderness, held as a freehold by the self-ennobled character.
Shepherd
The Shepherd is a Fighting Man that has been trained in the arts and techniques of protecting the crops and livestock of a community. These brave warriors learn to fight on foot as well as mounted, using weapons that allow for speed of movement and offer protection against the many creatures and raiders that would prey on such targets.
The Shepherd relies on the Strength of their arm for effectiveness, as well as knowing when to fight and when to flee. A Shepherd must have a minimum score of 12 in STR and WIS. If the score in either STR or WIS is greater than 15, the character adds 10% to experience awarded.
Strength Bonuses: Unlike most other character classes, Shepherds with a high Strength can have bonuses to hit and on damage.
Shepherds are trained in Mounted Combat and do not suffer the standard -2 to hit penalty. They wear Light to Medium armor and do not carry shields. Shepherds are trained in the following weapons during their tour of duty:
Spear
Lariat
Shortbow or Crossbow
Dagger
The Shepherd utilizes a d8 for determining HP. Shepherds may use any of the magical items available to Fighting Men. They use the Fighting Man Melee and Saving Throw tables.
Class Abilities
Multiple Attacks: In melee, on foot, against creatures with 1HD or less, a Shepherd makes one attack per level each round.
Alertness: A party containing a Shepherd is unlikely to be surprised, with only a 1 in 6 chance.
Tracking: Shepherds are able to track down other creatures in the wild, particularly those creatures in their charge.
• Outdoor Tracking: Outdoors, the basic chance for successful tracking (on a day-to-day basis) is 6-in-8 (3+), modified by a -1 for each day old the tracks are, and modified by -1 (for the entire effort thereafter) for each day of rain (or snow) that has fallen on the trail. (So, if it’s been two days and it rained last night, you’re looking at -3 to your roll)
Fending: A Shepherd with a weapon more than five feet long may make a Fending attack to keep an opponent at bay. If this attack has a successful ‘Hit’, their opponent takes 2 HP damage and must roll a Save vs Sudden Violence to be able to attack this round. The PC making the Fend attack may fend off one opponent per two HD, rounding up (Ex.: a L3 Shepherd may use an eight foot long spear to fend off two attackers, rolling to hit against each of them).
Animal Training: During their tour of duty, Shepherds become familiar with methods of training guard- and herd-dogs, plus falconry and breaking horses and other mounts.
Orienteering: Shepherds are skilled at reading maps and applying this knowledge to the terrain. A party with a Shepherd is less likely to become lost when traversing the Wilderness.
Establish Stronghold (9th): At ninth level, a Shepherd may establish a stronghold and attract a body of men-at-arms who will swear their loyalty to the character as their liege Lord (or Lady). Most likely, the castle will attract peasants seeking safe places to establish homes, and the Shepherd will become more powerful and influential as the number of such followers increases. In addition to the peasants, the Shepherd’s freehold will attract a Nurdiyan (L 3-6) and two Priests (L 1-4) to establish a Holy Grove. The stronghold will likely be a small territory carved from the wilderness, held as a freehold by the self-ennobled character.
Vepitor (Monster Hunter)
Vepitors are the inheritors of ancient scholarship, students of forgotten skills and lore passed on from teacher to student over the generations, preserving the legacy through times when the light of civilization wavered and dimmed. The Nurdiyan, precursors to the Vepitors retreated to the wilderness and the outlands long ago; they seldom visit the decadent, glittering cities, for these are places that have turned aside from much of the lore the Vepitor protect. As a Vepitor, you are well-versed in the subtle skills of the wilderness, and you are a dangerous opponent in battle. Moreover, when you reach higher level, your studies and understanding of ancient lore will have developed to the point where you can actually wield magics. You are a guardian of civilization and a protector of the weak, normally hunting the creatures of chaos in the wild places where they lurk. You take the battle directly to the enemy, in its very lair.
The Vepitor depends on both Perception and Strength for effectiveness, and thus if PER or STR are greater than 15, the character adds 10% to experience awarded.
The Vepitor utilizes a d8 for determining HP.
Vepitor may use any of the magical items available to Fighting Men, plus Liturgical and Protection scrolls. They use the Fighting Man Melee table.
A Vepitor will only wear Light to Medium armor and may carry shields. They may often have unusual (non-equine) mounts, and as such, must teach themselves and their mount to work together in Mounted Combat This is treated as a standard Task. Vepitor are trained in the following weapons during their tour of duty:
Spear or Halberd
Longsword*, Mace or Battle Axe
Longbow, Shortbow or Crossbow
Dagger
*Longsword is a weapon typically reserved for nobility.
Alignment: Vepitor must be, and remain, Lawful in alignment, or they will lose all Vepitor abilities and be treated as ordinary Soldiers.
Class Abilities
Title: When a Vepitor attains 8th level, other Vepitor will refer to the character by the title of “Vepitor-Knight.” At this point, certain class restrictions no longer apply.
Charity: Other than whatever is needed for food, shelter, and level training, a Vepitor must donate all treasure to charities or temples associated with the Lawful alignment. This restriction is lifted when the character becomes a Vepitor-Knight.
Followers: Until reaching the status of a Pathfinder, the character may not hire or accept more than one follower of any kind, this is usually an Apprentice. The Vepitor is able to assemble a group of adventurers to assist her in her ongoing mission, recognizing the value of support in numbers.
Tracking: Vepitor are able to track down other creatures in the wild, in cities, and even vepitorthrough underground passages.
• Outdoor Tracking. Outdoors, the basic chance for successful tracking (on a day-to-day basis) is 90%, modified by a -10% for each day old the tracks are, and modified by -10% (for the entire effort thereafter) for each day of rain (or snow) that has fallen on the trail.
• Underground and City Tracking. Tracking in the city (any urban or populated area), or underground, makes it considerably harder to find and follow a trail. First, the beginning of the trail must be no more than an hour old. The base chance to track is still 90%, but each time the trail changes (as described below), there is a chance for the Vepitor to lose the trail and be unable to track it further; that is, the Vepitor cannot pick up the trail even by circling the area where the trail was lost. The circumstances under which the prey can “lose” the Vepitor are as follows:
• Turns down a side passage: 25% chance to lose trail
• Goes through a door: 35% chance to lose trail
• Goes up or down through a trap door or ladder: 40% chance to lose trail
• Climbs a wall up or down (including pits and shafts): 50% chance to lose trail
Monster Hunter: In melee, mounted or on foot, against Large-sized creatures with 3HD or more, a Vepitor attacks do +1 damage per level, for each attack.
Alertness: A party containing a Vepitor is unlikely to be surprised, with only a 1 in 6 chance.
Fortitude: The Vepitor does not suffer Fortitude loss when alone, when a companion is wounded or killed, or when facing a Large creature of more than 3 HD.
Secret Weirth Lore - Upon completion of the 3rd level training a Vepitor is initiated into secrets of the history of Weirth. This includes knowledge of the alien creatures from beyond the Veil that plague this land. These creatures are Aboleth, Centaurs, Crab-men, Mi-Go, Night Gaunts, Elder Things, the Great Race and the Fish Men. These creatures are included in the Monster Hunter class ability. Your Game Master will supply more information.
Secret of the Skarn - upon completion of the 5th Level training a Vepitor will be introduced to the knowledge of the Skarn people, and be trained to speak their language.
*Magical Ability: The Following three Tasks are available to a Vepitor after they reach 5th level (Provided they have a Gift or Talent for magical ability):
Scholar of Healing Magic: scholarship allows the character to use certain magic items not normally usable by fighter-types. Vepitor of this level can employ Liturgical spell scrolls and any other magic items which heal damage or disease. Note that if the item has other abilities in addition to healing, the Vepitor cannot employ these other powers unless the item is normally usable by Fighters.
Scholar of Divination Magic (9th): A Vepitor can use any and all magic items, including spells from scrolls, that involve scrying magic. Examples would be the clairvoyance spell, or crystal balls.
Scholar of Translation Magic: A Vepitor may employ any and all magic items, including spells from scrolls, that use magic involving teleportation, dimensional travel, or passing through objects. Examples would be a Passwall or a Passplant scroll.
A Vepitor of fifth level of experience casts spells as a Magic-user of the first level. At sixth level they can use the abilities of a second level Magic-User, and so on.
Fortress: At ninth level, the Vepitor may build a fortress in the wilderness in order to house the character’s growing number of loyal retainers. When the fortress (which may be small or quite large, depending on the Vepitor’s purposes) is completed, the Vepitor’s reputation will draw a number of new followers, as well as peasants seeking a safe place to settle.
Roll 2d12 to determine the number of followers. Determine the class of each in this order: 50% of the total will be Soldiers, 25% Shepherds, and 25% of them will be Magic-Users. If there are over 20 followers, one of them will be a Neutral-aligned Rogue. The followers will be at least second level; for each there is a 25% chance to add 1d4 to the base second level.
Also, for each of these followers, there is a 2% chance that the follower is actually a highly unusual type instead of whatever the dice originally indicated. Roll 1d6 as follows:
• 1 or 2 – another Vepitor (level 1d6+1);
• 3 or 4 – a lycanthrope (werebear or werefox);
• 5 – a mated pair of unicorns;
• 6 – a pegasus.
The peasants that come to a Vepitor’s stronghold will be accompanied by a L3 Priest and 2d6 0-level students of the same Deity and alignment as the Vepitor.