Dragonstar - Player's Companion

®
Introduction The Open Game License

Fantasy Flight Games is pleased to present the second
Player’s Companion is published under the terms of
the Open Game License and the d20 System Trademark
3
supplement for Dragonstar, the space fantasy cam- License. The OGL allows us to use the d20 System core
3r3
paign setting designed for the d20 System. The Player’s rules and to publish game products derived from and
Companion is a valuable resource for both players and compatible with those rules.
DMs and the perfect complement to the Starfarer’s In fact, all rules-related material is designated as Open
Handbook and Guide to the Galaxy. Game Content. You can use this material in your own
Player’s Companion is a compendium of new classes, works, as long as you follow the conditions of the Open
feats, spells, spellware, psionics rules, and more. Within Game License.
these pages, you’ll find prestige classes like the arcane Not everything in this book is open, however. All
commando and dragon slayer, feats like Expert Gunner game mechanics and rules-related material, and all
and Greater Dragonblood, and spellware enhancements game statistics derived fom the d20 System SRD, are
like golem arms and magic touch. designated as open game content. Background and set-
There are also several legendary ting information are designated as closed content.
classes, such as the machine man The following are designated as Product Identity
and the rebel. pursuant to section 1(e) of the Open Game
License, included in full at the end of this
How To Use This Book book: the Dragonstar name, logo, and
trademark, the graphic design
Player’s Companion is designed and trade dress of this book
for both players and DMs. The and all other products in the
book presents new options for Dragonstar line, all graphics,
both player characters and non- illustrations, and diagrams in
player characters, as well as this book, and the names
new rules a DM can incorpo- Mezzenbone, Khelorn,
rate into his campaign. To use Lazalius, Shul, Asamet, and
the book effectively, you’ll Qesemet.
need the d20 System core
rules and the Starfarer’s
Handbook. The Guide to the
INTRODUCTION
Galaxy will also be helpful for
background information and set-
ting context.
4 CHAPTER ONE
4l4
CLASSES
CLASS SKILLS
Prestige Classes The adamantine infiltrator’s class skills (and the key
ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int),
This section presents a number of new prestige class-
Decipher Script (Int, exclusive skill), Diplomacy (Cha),
es for inclusion in your Dragonstar campaign. The
Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int),
names and game statistics of these classes are designat-
Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis),
ed as Open Game Content. Background information
Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Listen
and descriptive text are designated as closed content.
(Wis), Open Lock (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Perform
(Cha), Profession (Wis), Read Lips (Int, exclusive skill),
Adamantine Infiltrator Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and
Tumble (Dex).
The Adamantine Order’s covert mission requires Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES
accurate and up to date intelligence on the organizations

of the Dragon Empire, both friends and foes alike. To
gather this intelligence, the Order must rely on men and CLASS FEATURES
women on the inside whose role as imperial agents is All of the following are class features of the adaman-
unknown. When the Order can find no one willing to act tine infiltrator.
as its informants, they turn instead to a special breed of Weapons and Armor Proficiency: An infiltrator is
agent—the infiltrator—to fill the void. proficient with all simple weapons and light armor. Note
An infiltrator is the ultimate mimic, focusing his abil- that armor check penalties for armor heavier than
ities toward a single goal: perfectly imitating a small leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist,
number of individuals, whose lives he can assume for Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble.
the Order. Having replaced a target, the infiltrator then Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5
takes on his place in the world, becoming the perfect pounds of armor and equipment carried.
mole and providing the Order with the extensive data it Assumed Identity (Ex): The infiltrator chooses a sin-
needs to continue its mission. gle person whose identity he will assume. Once chosen,
Hit Die: d6. he can only select a new identity upon improving the
assumed identity ability (at 4th, 7th, and 10th levels).
Through his use of disguise, mimicry, theatrics, and sub-
REQUIREMENTS tle misdirection, the infiltrator becomes so adept at con-
To become an adamantine infiltrator, a character must vincing others that he is the person whose identity he
meet all of the following requirements. has assumed that he acquires a +1 competence bonus to
Charisma: 15+. all Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks
Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Disguise 8 ranks, Perform (act- when acting in that identity. This bonus increases by +1
ing) 8 ranks. every third level to a maximum of +4 at 10th level.
Feats: Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perform [acting]). Every time the infiltrator acquires a new level of this
ability, he increases the bonus of any of the identities he
already possesses and adds another identity. For exam-
ple, a 7th-level infiltrator has three assumed identities.
The first, gained with his first infiltrator level, grants a
5
+3 competence bonus to Charisma checks and
5r5
Charisma-based skill checks. The second, gained at 4th
level, grants a +2 bonus. The third, gained at 7th level,
grants a +1 bonus.
Extend Cover (Ex): An infiltrator survives in his
assumed identity by learning the ins and outs of the
organization he has inflitrated, including the names,
positions, and habits of others within that organization.
At 2nd level, his knowledge of these matters is suffi-
ciently complete that he can create a plausible tempo-
rary identity for one other character (who may or may
not be an infiltrator as well), who gains a +1 bonus on
all Charisma checks and Charisma-based skill checks
made while acting under that false identity. At 7th level,
the infiltrator may grant the bonus to a number of other
characters equal to half his class level.
Mimic Class Feature I (Ex): The infiltrator’s mimic-
ry of his assumed identities becomes so great that he
learns to imitate their class features in addition to their
appearance and mannerisms. While assuming the iden-
tity of another person, the infiltrator may use one of the
class features gained by that person’s class at 1st level as
if the infiltrator were also a member of that class. An
infiltrator imitating a fighter, for example, would gain a
bonus feat for as long as he maintained that identity,
while one imitating a monk would gain the Unarmed

Strike ability. Once he reverts to his own identity (or
assumes another), he loses use of these class features.
This ability has two restrictions. First, the infiltrator
can gain no more than one 1st-level class ability at a
time. In the example of the monk above, the infiltrator
must choose between Unarmed Strike, stunning attack,
and evasion, all of which are 1st-level class features of
the monk. If the infiltrator chooses to mimic a multi-
classed character, he may freely pick a 1st-level class
feature from any of his classes. Second, the infiltrator
cannot imitate any supernatural class features or spell-
casting abilities. There are, after all, limits to what even
an adamantine infiltrator can do through mimicry alone.
At 8th level, the infiltrator’s mimicry becomes even
more exceptional, allowing him to use up to two 1st-
level class features while acting under an assumed iden-
tity.
Bald-faced Liar (Ex): One can study a person for
years and still miss out on little details like the names of
childhood friends, beloved pets, and past events of sig-
nificance. Any infiltrator worth his salt soon learns how
to pull plausible (and sometimes correct!) answers to
such queries out of thin air. Beginning at 4th level,
whenever the character is asked a question about his
6 TABLE 1-1: THE ADAMANTINE INFILTRATOR
Base
6l6
Class Attack Fort Ref Will

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +0 +0 +1 +2 Assumed identity +1
2nd +1 +0 +2 +2 Extend cover
3rd +2 +1 +2 +3 Mimic class feature I (one class feature)
4th +3 +1 +2 +3 Assumed identity +2, bald-faced liar
5th +3 +1 +3 +4 Self-deception
6th +4 +2 +3 +4 Uncanny resemblance
7th +5 +2 +4 +5 Assumed identity +3, extend cover
8th +6 +2 +4 +5 Mimic class feature I (two class features), uncanny
resemblance
9th +6 +3 +4 +6 Mimic class feature II, bald-faced liar +2/day
10th +7 +3 +5 +6 Assumed identity +4, uncanny resemblance
assumed identity to which he does not know the answer, level. The infiltrator can imitate the class features of
he may make a check against his class level plus only a single class per adventure, so he could not fully
Intelligence modifier, if positive (DC 15). If successful, mimic the class features of a multiclass character,
the infiltrator makes up a plausible enough answer to although he may select a new class at the beginning of a
fool those who know the person he is impersonating. new adventure. In addition, the infiltrator is limited to
The infiltrator may only use this ability a number of class features available at one-half his class level
times per day equal to 1 + his Wisdom modifier. At 9th (rounded down). Therefore, a 9th-level infiltrator could
level, the number of uses per day increases by 2. imitate class features of 4th level or lower, while a 10th-
Self-Deception (Ex): At 5th level, the infiltrator has level infiltrator could imitate class features of 5th level
learned to compartmentalize his mind so that nothing or lower. Like mimic class features I, mimic class fea-
short of supernatural or magical examination will reveal tures II is usable for as long as the infiltrator maintains
his true identity. This is because the infiltrator has his identity. Once he reverts to his own identity (or
learned a form of self-hypnosis, by which he convinces assumes another), he loses use of the mimicked features.
himself that he is in fact the person he is impersonating.
The infiltrator’s true personality is submerged within his
false persona but is nevertheless in control of his The Adamantine Order
actions. This ability applies to every assumed identity
the character currently possesses. If the infiltrator
acquires additional identities as he gains further levels,
PURPOSE
this ability affects those new identities as well. The Adamantine Order is the primary intelligence
Uncanny Resemblance (Ex): Over time, the infiltra- agency of the Kingdom of Asamet and the Dragon
tor spends more of his life pretending to be someone Empire—in that order.
else than he spends in his own identity. Consequently,
his mimicry continues to increase to unheard of levels. LEADER
At 6th level, the infiltrator gains a +3 bonus to all Lord Shul (NE half-dragon/half-blood yuan-ti male
Disguise and Perform checks made while in an assumed Rog10/Asn10)
identity. At 8th level, this bonus increases to +4. At 10th
level, the bonus increases to +5.
Mimic Class Features II (Ex): The infiltrator’s mim-
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
icry has now become expert enough to include addition- Originally founded as the intelligence arm of House
al class features of his assumed identity. At 9th level, the Noros, the Adamantine Order quickly became associat-
infiltrator gains the ability to acquire the class features
of the person he is currently impersonating beyond 1st
ed with the Kingdom of Asamet as a whole. Chromatic groups of enemies: dissident partisans within the
dragons of every house and their servants worked Kingdom of Asamet, the insurrection, and Outlanders.
together to undermine the rival Kingdom of Qesemet by
any means necessary. This included assassination, sabo-
The order has the most experience dealing with the first
of the three, since it has done so for untold millennia.
7
tage, disinformation campaigns, blackmail, and much The insurrection is frequently aided by Qesemet, which
7r7
more—no activity was too underhanded or dishonorable means that more delicate and deniable approaches to the
in pursuit of ultimate power in the galaxy. Under a suc- order’s objectives are often required. Against
cession of devious leaders, the order achieved many Outlanders, the order is frequently less successful, since
remarkable victories in the war against the Golden it rarely takes these primitive worlds seriously—a
Kingdom, but its operations were still limited in scope potentially fateful mistake, as the drow of the ISPD con-
by the inescapable reality that the emperor was not a stantly explain, much to Lord Shul’s chagrin.
chromatic but a metallic dragon.
That all changed when Mezzenbone ascended the CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
imperial throne and the Red Age began. One of the Red
The Adamantine Order is, in some ways, a difficult
Dragon’s first acts was to universalize the activities of
organization to integrate into a Dragonstar campaign.
the Adamantine Order, making it the primary intelli-
Although it is obviously a potent antagonist, it is also
gence service of the entire empire. The emperor lav-
not as obviously evil as the ISPD, for example. It regu-
ished the order with funds, personnel, and magical and
larly places the interests of the Iron Kingdom ahead of
technological aid of all sorts. He expanded its mandate
those of the empire as a whole, yes, but it does genuine-
beyond the confines of the Kingdom of Asamet so that
ly wish to defend the empire, if only because it is now
it could find—and eliminate—enemies of the Dragon
controlled by the chromatic dragons. Consequently, the
Empire wherever they were found.
order sometimes acts nobly, even idealistically, despite
Needless to say, Mezzenbone’s directives met with
its morally dubious methods. This makes the order a
opposition in many quarters. The grand dukes of the
complex organization of villains. Agents of the
Golden Kingdom understandably questioned the ulti-
Adamantine Order are not traditional “black hats” who
mate loyalties of the Adamantine Order. They doubted
cackle maniacally and undertake mad quests for person-
whether they could truly serve the interests of the entire
al power no matter what the consequences. In some
empire and not just those of Asamet. This is a fair criti-
respects, this makes them perfectly suited to
cism and one that some within the order have attempted
Dragonstar campaigns that take its eschewing of sim-
to correct. Strange though it may seem, the organiza-
ple good versus evil plots to heart.

tion’s current leader, Lord Shul, has attempted to
The Adamantine Order can be used in many different
assuage these fears by bringing Qesemet-aligned agents
circumstances. In some cases, it might indeed be
into the order. He has met with little success, however,
opposed to the actions of the player characters. In oth-
since few individuals who owe their allegiance to the
ers, it might aid them. The order is secretive and even
Golden Kingdom can stomach the duplicity and double-
paranoid, which means that it rarely reveals its true
dealings that are the hallmark of this agency.
plans to outsiders. This makes it a perfect vehicle for
The Imperial Special Police Directorate was once
DMs looking to add mysterious conspiracies to their
more strongly associated with the Adamantine Order,
campaigns. Order agents often go undercover for
which trained its agents. In recent years, a rift has grown
months or years to achieve their goals, and almost any-
between them. This is partly due to the growing self-
one could conceivably be one of them—a great way to
confidence of the ISPD, which is now better able to
sow some of the order’s paranoia more widely.
stand on its own. It is also a reflection of different pri-
If the DM wants to run a morally ambiguous
orities. The Adamantine Order does, in its own way,
Dragonstar campaign in which the characters protect
serve the entire Dragon Empire. Its responsibilities are
the empire by any means necessary, the Adamantine
much wider and more diffuse. The order cannot afford
Order makes a good sponsor. Admittedly, good-aligned
to be as single-minded in pursuit of its goals as the
characters would probably be ill suited to such a game,
ISPD, which has created unresolved tension between the
but neutral and evil characters would work very well. If
two groups—a tension that Mezzenbone subtly encour-
the DM is philosophically inclined, the question of how
ages.
far is too far in defense of something as truly unique as
The Adamantine Order is both an intelligence and
the Dragon Empire could be examined. The Adamantine
counterintelligence agency. Its highest responsibility is
Order certainly does many things that no good person
defending the empire against enemies both foreign and
could condone. Yet, as the galaxy becomes a more dan-
domestic. Since its ascendancy at the beginning of the
gerous and less stable place, it is becoming a valuable
Red Age, it has focused its attention on defeating three
tool in preventing the situation from degenerat-
ing further. Adventures or campaigns based
8 around this premise could be both exciting and
thought-provoking.
8l8
Arcane Commando
The arcane commando is an armored spell-
caster who combines magical abilities with
potent combat training. Arcane commandos are
masters of stealthy combat, moving quickly
and silently into a situation, where they elim-
inate their targets in the most direct—and
often brutal—fashion available. While
arcane commandos rely heavily on their
arcane spells, they are equally dependent
upon striking opponents when they are at a disad-
vantage. They employ sneak attacks and ambushes
to achieve their ends with a proficiency that is sec-
ond only to those solely dedicated to them.
Fortunately, arcane commandos can hold their
own in direct confrontations as well. More fight-
ers than spellcasters, they are among the most
feared combatants in the Dragon Empire and
with good reason.
Hit Die: d6.
REQUIREMENTS
To become an arcane commando, a character
must meet all of the following criteria.
Base Attack Bonus: +5.

Concentration: 4 ranks.
Hide: 3 ranks.
Move Silently: 3 ranks.
Feats: Combat Casting, Point Blank Shot,
Precise Shot, Still Spell.
Spells: Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells.
CLASS SKILLS
The arcane commando’s class skills (and the key
ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration
(Con), Craft (Int), Demolitions (Int), Freefall (Dex)
Jump (Str), Hide (Dex), Listen (Wis), Move Silently
(Dex), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot
(Wis).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
CLASS FEATURES
The following are features of the arcane commando.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: An arcane com-
mando is proficient with all simple weapons and martial
weapons and light, medium, and heavy armor. Note that
TABLE 1-2: THE ARCANE COMMANDO 9
Base
9r9
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells per Day
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Armored caster
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Sneak attack +1d6 +1 level of existing class
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Improved combat casting
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Sneak attack +2d6 +1 level of existing class
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Perfect aim
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Armored caster
8th +6 +6 +6 +2 Perfect aim,
sneak attack +4d6 +1 level of existing class
9th +6 +6 +6 +3 Perfect aim
armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather level, +3d6 at 6th level, and so on). Should the com-
apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, mando score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra
Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble. Also, damage is not multiplied.
Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of It takes precision and penetration to hit a vital spot, so
armor and equipment carried. ranged attacks can only count as sneak attacks if the tar-
Spells per Day: An arcane commando continues his get is within 30 feet.
training in arcane magic. Thus, when an arcane com- With a sap or an unarmed strike, the arcane comman-
mando gains an even-numbered level, the character do can make a sneak attack that deals subdual damage
gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level instead of normal damage. He cannot use a weapon that
in an arcane spellcasting class he belonged to before he deals normal damage to deal subdual damage in a sneak

added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty, because he
other benefit a character of that class would have must make optimal use of his weapon in order to exe-
gained, except for an increased effective level of spell- cute the sneak attack.
casting. This essentially means that he adds the level of An arcane commando can only sneak attack living
arcane commando to the level of some other spellcast- creatures with discernible anatomies—undead, con-
ing class the character has, then determines spells per structs, oozes, plants, and incorporeal creatures lack
day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. vital areas to attack. Additionally, any creature immune
If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting to critical hits is similarly immune to sneak attacks.
class before he became an arcane commando, he must Also, the arcane commando must be able to see the tar-
decide to which class he adds each level of arcane com- get well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able
mando for purposes of determining spells per day when to reach a vital spot. The arcane commando cannot
he adds the new level. sneak attack while striking at a creature with conceal-
Armored Caster (Ex): The arcane commando ment or by striking the limbs of a creature whose vitals
becomes so skilled at casting spells while in armor that are beyond reach.
his arcane spell failure chance decreases by 10% at 1st Improved Combat Casting (Ex): At 2nd level, the
level. It decreases by an additional 10% at 7th level, for arcane commando’s bonus on Concentration checks
a total 20% decrease. from the Combat Casting feat increases to +6.
Sneak Attack (Ex): If an arcane commando catches Perfect Aim (Ex): Arcane commandos excel at elim-
his opponent in a situation in which he would be denied inating targets that have taken cover. At 5th level, when
a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether he actually has a the arcane commando makes a ranged attack, enemies
Dexterity bonus or not), the arcane commando’s attack are treated as having one step less cover than they actu-
deals +1d6 points of damage. This extra damage ally have. Thus, a target that has nine-tenths cover is
increases by +1d6 points every other level (+2d6 at 4th treated as having only three-quarters cover for the com-
mando. At 9th level, cover is treated as being two steps never been confirmed, despite the best attempts of
lower than it actually is. House Deserene to do so.
10 The Shadow Guards’ success in the field hinges on
The Shadow Guards two things. The first is their use of unprepared spells. All
Guards are sorcerers of varying degrees of power. They
10l10
have been taught how to use their spells to augment their

combat abilities, as well as to provide additional defens-
PURPOSE es against mundane, technological, and magical attacks.
The Shadow Guards are the dreaded commandos of The Shadow Guards were not the first to combine magic
House Noros and spread terror among the enemies of and arms, but they perfected it, if the propagandists of
the black dragons. House Noros are to be believed. Even if this is untrue,
there is no question that the Guards mesh magic and
LEADER conventional combat tactics extremely effectively.
Nix Erulis (CE half-dragon male Ftr6/Sor4/ArC10) The Guard’s second notable advantage is their reli-
gious zeal. Although very few are blackguards or cler-
ics, all are devoted to a chaotic evil aspect of the
CURRENT ACTIVITIES Trickster. This gives them remarkable stealth skills, the
Every military organization in the Dragon Empire equal of many rogues. Shadow Guards learn to blend
includes within its numbers elite units that are better into their surroundings. They are masters of ambushes
trained and equipped, as well as more ruthless and deter- and laying traps. They can also undertake sabotage mis-
mined than their counterparts among the rank and file. sions with incredible skill. The Guard claims that their
The Shadow Guards of House Noros are but one partic- devotion to the Trickster is what gives them these abili-
ularly noteworthy example. The Guards are small in ties, a fact that may well be true, given that few other
number for several reasons. First, House Noros has lit- commando units within the Dragon Empire are as
tle need for more than several squads of these comman- skilled in these areas as they.
dos. The black dragons ruthlessly control the worlds of Interestingly, several new commando units on the
their domain, crushing dissent and rebellion with little model of the Shadow Guards have appeared, even with-
regard for the loss of life—that of their own troops or in Qesemet’s territory. Their similarity to the Guards is
those of their enemies. suggestive. Some have gone so far as to claim that they
Even more significantly, the Shadow Guards are were created by renegade members of the Noros unit,
small in number due to the rigors of their training. The
who fled their former patrons and now have taught their
program the Guards follow is brutal and extremely techniques to outsiders. Others claim that it is fear of the
demanding. Only the best are capable of surviving, let Guards’ effectiveness that drives the appearance of these
alone completing it. That is exactly as House Noros new units. With Mezzenbone’s ascendancy, conflict
wishes it. For while many houses employ conventional between Asamet and Qesemet may become more com-
training programs that deviate little from accepted wis- mon. It only makes sense for Qesemet to create its own
dom in these matters, the black dragons, under their commandos to counter the Shadow Guards.
grand duchess Ivaldor, have come to see that magical
ability is as important an attribute as any other. Indeed,
the Black Mother personally asked that her military CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
commanders create a unit of magical soldiers, who com- The Shadow Guards work best as adversaries in most
bine sorcerous talent with superior combat skills. The Dragonstar campaigns. They are the ultimate elite war-
Shadow Guards are the result. riors, examples of arcane commandos that use their
The Guards are employed primarily in the domains of magical abilities to strike fear in the hearts of their ene-
House Noros, although they occasionally operate more mies. In this capacity, the DM can use them whenever
widely within the Iron Kingdom. When they do, they do he wishes to show the player characters that a villain
so at the behest of the grand dukes of Asamet. House means business. Sending a unit of Shadow Guards after
Mazorgrim, for example, has asked to be lent several them is a sure way to make it clear that their opponent
units of Shadow Guards on several occasions, a request will accept nothing less than complete victory at any
that Noros has never refused, owing to their longstand- cost. Shadow Guards also make great villains in their
ing alliance with their red brethren. The Guards never own right. A Guard leader will certainly be an impres-
operate in Qesemet space—at least not officially. There sive individual with many powerful abilities. As the
are reports of their having been involved in various leader of a raiding party in the Outlands, for example, he
activities within the Golden Kingdom, but they have could challenge most player characters.
It is possible that the PCs might be members of the CLASS FEATURES
Shadow Guards. In such a case, the campaign will take
All of the following are class features of the celestial
on the character of a special ops story, with the PCs
being sent on dangerous missions deep into enemy ter-
guardsman. 11
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A celestial
ritory. The odds will be stacked against the characters,
guardsman is proficient with all simple and martial
11r11
but their special training and remarkable abilities should
weapons, light, medium, and heavy armor. Note that
be up to the task. Not all Shadow Guards need be evil,
armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather
although most are. All are utterly ruthless and willing to
apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide,
do whatever it takes to complete their assignment. This
Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble. Also,
means that DMs or players who are uncomfortable with
Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of
such an uncompromising approach should avoid includ-
armor and equipment carried.
ing Shadow Guard characters in their campaigns. If
Spells per Day: A celestial guardsman continues his
nothing else, the group can serve as a model for other
training in divine magic. Thus, when a new guardsman
arcane commandos of a less morally questionable sort.
level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as
if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class
Celestial Guardsman he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He
does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of
Among the greatest defenders of good in the Dragon
that class would have gained. If the character had more
Empire are the members of the Celestial Guard, a broth-
than one divine spellcasting class before becoming a
erhood of clerics and paladins (and the occasional
celestial guardsman, the player must choose one class to
ranger) whose dedication and zeal are second to none.
which to add each celestial guardsman level for deter-
Though the ascension of Mezzenbone to the Golden
mining spells per day and spells known.
Throne has largely shunted these holy warriors to the
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a celestial guardsman
Outlands, celestial guardsmen nevertheless continue to
of 1st level or higher may attempt to smite evil with one
fight boldly against evil. They see protecting the weak
normal melee attack. He adds his Charisma modifier (if
and the innocent as necessary aspects of their vocation
positive) to his attack roll and deals 1 extra point of
as well, which is why the Guard has found ample oppor-
damage per class level. If the guardsman smites a crea-
tunities to do good in the Outlands. Few evildoers dare
ture that is not evil, the smite has no effect but it is still
face a celestial guardsman unprepared, for their right-
used up for that day. At 4th level, the guardsman may
eousness when enraged by injustice is truly terrifying—
smite evil twice per day, and at 7th level he may smite

proof that even in the Red Age the ideals of Qesemet
evil three times per day. This ability is in addition to any
have not been forgotten in the galaxy.
other smite evil attempts the character may have as a
Hit Die: d10.
result of levels in other classes.
Protection from Evil (Sp): A number of times per day
REQUIREMENTS equal to his Charisma bonus, the celestial guardsman
To become a celestial guardsman, a character must may cast the spell protection from evil as a caster of his
meet all of the following requirements. class level.
Alignment: Lawful good. Holy Zeal (Ex): At 3rd level, the celestial guardsman
Base Attack Bonus: +5. can fill himself with zeal for his mission and temporari-
Diplomacy: 5 ranks. ly gains +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, and a +2 morale
Knowledge (religion): 5 ranks. bonus on Will saves, but suffers a –2 penalty to AC.
Feats: Cleave, Combat Casting, Power Attack. The increase in Constitution increases the guards-
Special: Ability to cast 1st-level divine spells. man’s hit points by 2 points per class level, but these hit
points go away when the ability ends and the character’s
CLASS SKILLS Constitution score drops back to normal. In this state, a
guardsman cannot use skills or abilities that require
The celestial guardsman’s class skills (and the key
patience and concentration. He can use any of his feats
ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft
except Expertise, item creation feats, metamagic feats,
(Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Freefall (Dex), Heal (Wis),
and Skill Focus (if it’s tied to a skill that requires
Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the Outlands)
patience or concentration).
(Int), Listen (Wis), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis),
A fit of zeal lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 +
Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis).
the character’s Charisma modifier. The guardsman may
prematurely end the zeal voluntarily. At the end of the
12 TABLE 1-3: THE CELESTIAL GUARDSMAN
Base
12l12

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells
1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Smite evil 1/day +1 level of existing class
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3 Protection from evil +1 level of existing class
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Holy zeal 1/day +1 level of existing class
4th +4 +4 +1 +4 Smite evil 2/day +1 level of existing class
5th +5 +4 +1 +4 Righteous vengeance +1 level of existing class
6th +6 +5 +2 +5 +1 level of existing class
7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Smite evil 3/day +1 level of existing class
8th +8 +6 +2 +6 Massive damage immunity +1 level of existing class
9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Holy zeal 2/day +1 level of existing class
10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Righteous critical +1 level of existing class
zeal, the guardsman is fatigued (–2 to Strength, –2 to

Dexterity, can’t charge or run) for the duration of that The Celestial Guard
encounter. The guardsman can only use this ability once
per encounter and only once per day at 3rd level and
twice per day at 9th level. Using this ability is a free
PURPOSE
action, but the celestial guardsman can only do it on his The Guard exists to fight evil in the Outlands.
turn.
Righteous Vengeance (Ex): At 5th level, the celestial LEADER
guardsman gains the ability to channel his zeal for good Renesis Monds (LG dwarf male Pal8/Cel10)
against those who have harmed his comrades in arms. If
an enemy succeeds in doing damage against an ally of

the guardsman in the round, the guardsman may make
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
an attack of opportunity against that enemy. He may The Celestial Guard began long ago as the bodyguard
take a 5-foot step before making the attack (which does of King Khelorn of Qesemet but quickly evolved into
not itself provoke an attack of opportunity). This ability something far more. There is little doubt as to why this
may be used multiple times in a single round, as long as happened. Khelorn was known as a just and honorable
the celestial guardsman is still able to make attacks of ruler who devoted his time on the throne to the better-
opportunity. ment of the Dragon Empire’s subjects. Despite the pro-
Massive Damage Immunity (Ex): At 8th level, the fessed agnosticism of the empire toward matters of good
celestial guardsman becomes immune to the effects of and evil, Khelorn’s reign was one in which many caus-
massive damage. The character never has to make es and organizations associated with good gained great
Fortitude saves to avoid death from massive damage. influence and power.
Righteous Critical (Ex): At 10th level, whenever the The Celestial Guard was one of them. Its membership
celestial guardsman is eligible to use his righteous had always been heavily weighted toward paladins, who
vengeance ability (see above), he increases his threat were drawn to the service of Khelorn and his family
range by 1. This increase is added after all other increas- because of their obvious devotion to gods and ideals
es due to magic, feats, or other abilities. Righteous crit- they held dear. The original Celestial Guardsmen often
ical is usable as often as the guardsman is able to use battled against the forces of Asamet and their minions
righteous vengeance. across the galaxy. Of course, the founding of the Dragon
Empire limited such battles to covert operations, since
direct attacks were considered illegal and a breach of the
Imperial Charter—a shock to many of the Guard’s most
zealous members. They considered the acceptance of
the Charter to be a sign of moral weakness, a willing-
ness to accommodate evil rather than confront it. CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
Such a position did not garner the Guardsmen any
The Celestial Guard is a wonderful haven for PCs and
accolades in many regions of the empire. Even some
factions within Qesemet considered them dangerous
NPCs that favor a more direct approach in dealing with 13
evil. Rather than play the subtle game of politics and
fanatics and heretics to the principles of the Unification
intrigue that is a hallmark of the Dragon Empire, the
13r13
Church, which preached tolerance as a reflection of the
Guard prefers to operate according to a “simplistic”
totality of existence. The Guardsmen clung to the belief
morality that defines evil as the enemy. There is no com-
that evil was not, as many believed, a fundamental prin-
promise with evil. To do so is to betray good—or so say
ciple but rather a corruption of good. Therefore, it could
many Guardsmen.
be destroyed without diminishing the universe.
Consequently, the DM can portray the Celestial
After a series of imperial condemnations, the
Guard in one of two different ways, depending on his
Celestial Guard was reorganized and given the sole
desires. The first is as a band of white knights who serve
responsibility of protecting the grand dukes and their
and protect the innocent even at the cost of their own
families. This move met with resistance from diehard
lives. They serve the gods without question and do what
supporters of the more strident positions of the past, but
they must to foster righteousness in the galaxy. The sec-
they eventually lost control of the Guard. It attracted
ond is as a group of narrow-minded bigots who would
fewer and fewer paladins and became better known as a
prefer to bring down the empire in their crusade than
sinecure for the scions of noble houses looking to give
take a more pragmatic approach in keeping with the
their sons and daughters a prestigious but undemanding
Imperial Charter.
position within the empire.
Of course, there’s no reason the DM needs to choose.
So it was for many years—until the ascension of
The Celestial Guard includes members of both varieties,
Mezzenbone to the imperial throne. This event shook
as well as those in between. They can be used in a vari-
the Celestial Guard to its foundations. Despite the reor-
ety of different adventures, whether as sympathetic
ganization of the past, there were still a handful of
heroes or misguided antagonists. They can also be
Guardsmen who stayed true to the old ideals. Now that
patrons to characters who travel into the Outlands. In
a red dragon ruled the empire, they saw it as their duty
that region of space, the Guard is stretched very thin and
to oppose the evil that he represented and fostered. They
can use all the help it can get. Even if the DM prefers to
could not do so within the empire’s borders or they
portray the organization in a questionable light, they
would risk censure as they had in the past. Even as a
make excellent patrons in most Dragonstar campaigns.
covert agency, the Guard would be in danger if it dared

to stand against Asamet in violation of the Charter.
The Guard’s current grand master, Renesis Monds,
was an idealistic man with a clever mind. He saw that
Combat Ace
the Outlands remained an open field for the battle The development of powered vehicles, especially
against evil. The Charter did not govern actions on spacecraft, is one of the most important events in the
worlds not ruled directly by the empire. Until these history of the galaxy. The Dragon Empire would be
worlds were incorporated into the empire, the Guard impossible without such vehicles, whose value and util-
could act as it was called without fear of official retri- ity are immeasurable. One of their most common uses
bution. Monds created several cadres of Celestial is, of course, warfare, an art at which the empire has
Guardsmen, whom he sent to the Outlands where they excelled for thousands of years. Its use of vehicles to
could fight evil directly. wage war is second to none, which has given rise to an
This approach has worked well enough over the last entire class of soldier—the combat ace—that excels at
decade—too well, some would say. The imperial court using vehicles to battle against enemies.
has taken notice of the Guard’s activities, especially The fighter jocks of the Imperial Navy and assorted
since they have started to interfere with House mercenary units are the most well known combat aces,
Mazorgrim’s own plans in the Outlands. The emperor but others abound. Aerospace fighter pilots still thrive in
cannot easily suppress the Guard for actions done out- the skies of many worlds, doing battle miles above the
side the empire. Even so, he realizes that the Guard surface. Likewise, both hover and ground vehicles have
could one day pose a threat. He is currently formulating their aces as well. All of these pilots have an almost
plans to deal with these zealous defenders of good once intuitive understanding of how to operate their vehicles
and for all. for maximum effectiveness. Indeed, the relationship
between a combat ace and his vehicle seems almost
spiritual to outsiders, who can but marvel at its close-
ness. Nevertheless, most aces would deny anything
supernatural about their abilities, emphasizing the long
hours they put in to hone their talents, as well as the hard
14 battles they have won to earn their place. Even so, it is
hard not to be impressed by these men and women.
They are modern-day knights whose steeds are made of
14l14
metal and powered by electricity, but who are just as

dedicated to their warcraft as their illustrious predeces-
sors.
Hit Die: d6.
REQUIREMENTS
To become a combat ace, a character must meet all of
the following requirements.
Pilot: 8 ranks.
Use Device: 6 ranks.
Feats: Combat Ace, Gunner’s Eye.
Special: Must have the pilot evasion class feature.
CLASS SKILLS
The combat ace’s class skills (and the key ability for
each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Freefall (Dex),
Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Navigate (Int), Pilot
(Dex), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim
(Str), Use Device (Int), and Use Rope (Dex).
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the combat
ace.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A combat ace is
proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with
light armor. Note that armor check penalties for armor
heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb,
Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket
and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for
every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried.
Combat Maneuvers (Ex): Once per day, beginning
at 1st level (and increasing in frequency every other
level), a combat ace may freely perform two standard
vehicle combat actions (see Starfarer’s Handbook,
pages 158–159) in a single round as if they were only
one standard action. For example, he could attack and
ram as a single standard action or even attack twice.
Improved Speed Demon (Ex): At 2nd level, the
combat ace improves the effectiveness of the pilot’s
speed demon class feature. This improved ability
increases the top speed of any vehicle operated by the
combat ace by 10.
Combat Initiative (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level and
increasing by one every other level thereafter (4th, 6th,
8th, and 10th level), the combat ace gains a +1 bonus to
TABLE 1-4: THE COMBAT ACE 15
Base
15r15
1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Combat maneuvers 1/day
2nd +2 +1 +3 +1 Improved speed demon, combat initiative +1
3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Combat maneuvers 2/day
4th +4 +2 +4 +2 Combat dodge, combat initiative +2
5th +5 +2 +4 +2 Combat maneuvers 3/day
6th +6 +3 +5 +3 Bonus feat, combat initiative +3
8th +8 +3 +6 +3 Bonus feat, combat initiative +4
10th +10 +4 +7 +4 Improved pilot evasion, combat initiative +5
initiative rolls during vehicle combat. This bonus is not LEADER

usable during any other circumstances and the combat
Batulso Serthur (CG human male Pil8/Cmb10)
ace must be the pilot of the vehicle in order to gain the
bonus. This ability stacks with other feats and abilities
that grant a bonus to initiative. CURRENT ACTIVITIES
Combat Dodge (Ex): At 4th level, the combat ace The Dragon Empire rules the stars as well as the plan-
becomes so attuned to his vehicle that he may add his ets of the civilized galaxy. The ability to travel from one
Dexterity bonus (if any) to his vehicle’s Armor Class world to another is the result of the magical artifacts
while he is piloting it. This bonus stacks with other known as starcasters, but these wondrous devices
bonuses from magic or class abilities such as defensive would never have been conceived had there not also
maneuvering. been spacegoing vessels. These vessels have formed the

Bonus Feat: At 6th and 8th levels, the combat ace backbone of imperial might for more than five millennia
may choose a single bonus feat from the pilot’s list of and continue to be the primary means by which the
bonus feats (Starfarer’s Handbook, page 52). To this list empire exerts its unparalleled hegemony.
are added the feats Expert Gunner and Hotshot, By decree, the kingdoms of Asamet and Qesemet no
described on page 60 of this book. longer wage war with one another, not even in space.
Improved Pilot Evasion (Ex): A number of times per They have both agreed to settle their differences within
day allowed by his levels in the pilot class, the combat the context of the imperial system. Consequently, the
ace may further minimize the effects of a successful mighty starships of the empire are always used against
attack against his vehicle. This ability works identically external threats rather than internal ones—at least offi-
to the standard pilot evasion class feature, except that a cially. Unofficially, there is a secret war ongoing
failed save results only in half damage, while a success- between the Iron and Golden Kingdoms, as there has
ful save results in no damage. been since the empire was born. The accession of
Mezzenbone to the imperial throne has accelerated the
Wraith Squadron pace of the war, as the forces of good feel ever-more
threatened and the forces of evil see the Red Age as an
opportunity not to be missed.
PURPOSE There has always been a place in the empire for mer-
cenary pilots and gunners, who use their skill with star-
Wraith Squadron is a band of mercenary combat aces
ships to win them wealth and position in exchange for
nominally affiliated with Qesemet but willing to work
unofficial service to one (or both!) of the factions in the
wherever their services are needed—if the pay is right.
secret war. These men and women are often ex-military
types who have left behind a life of service to the empire
for the lure of a fortune won in illicit warfare. Others are
self-trained and lacking in the discipline needed to sur- If the PCs are in positions of power, they might con-
vive in the Imperial Legions, while possessing talents ceivably hire Wraith Squadron for missions. Of course,
16 equal to the best of its combat aces. Whatever their ori-
gins, these mercenaries content themselves to work in
Batulso Serthur demands fairly high fees for his men,
which does put them out of the range of all but the
the shadows, fighting battles that few will ever know wealthiest employers. Alternately, down-on-their-luck
16l16
and about which no bard will ever compose a song. characters could attempt to sway Serthur with their tales
Wraith Squadron is one of the few reasonably well- of woe and appeal to his ideals. He is, after all, devoted
known groups of mercenary pilots and gunners. Of to the cause of good at least as much as the pursuit of
course, “reasonably well-known” is a relative term. The wealth. If the PCs can be sufficiently persuasive, they
Squadron has garnered some fame within Qesement, might be able to hire Wraith Squadron to aid their wor-
especially within the domain of House Handor. Founded thy cause.
less than a generation ago by an Outlander named If the PCs are of an evil bent, Wraith Squadron could
Batulso Serthur, the Squadron has always been more become an adversary. If they’re mercenary pilots, the
public in its activities than many of its competitors. Its Squadron might be rivals, although not necessarily vio-
name derives from the untraceable nature of Serthur lent ones. After all, the world of combat aces is driven
himself, whose original homeworld is unknown and by one-upmanship and quests for status. Characters liv-
whose ultimate loyalties are mysterious. All that is ing in this world would undoubtedly see besting the
known for certain is that he was born outside the Dragon Squadron as a good way to make a name for themselves
Empire and cares little for his adopted homeland’s polit- and secure their place among the pantheon of galactic
ical structure. He saw clearly that the Red Age would be top guns. This is but one example of how to use this
disastrous for the galaxy—especially the Outlands—and group in ways other than as literal foes.
founded the Squadron to fight against it.
That said, Wraith Squadron is still a mercenary com-
pany. Profit is an important element in its decision to Dark Zone Explorer
accept any job. Serthur rarely turns down genuine char- The Dark Zone is a wild and dangerous place whose
ity cases, but he does not seek them out. He prefers to worlds and inhabitants are largely unknown to the
work for wealthy patrons whose own goals coincide Dragon Empire. The empire has outlawed exploration of
with his anti-imperial politics. That means nobles and the Zone, believing it to be a deadly place from which
merchants are his primary employers, as well as factions no good can come. Of course, this hasn’t stopped many
of the Unification Church that oppose Mezzenbone’s brave and curious individuals from flouting imperial
rule. Any mission that nets the Squadron both riches and sanction and venturing into the Dark Zone. Over the last
a chance to strike against injustice is sure to catch the few decades alone, the number of Dark Zone explorers
eye of its mysterious leader. has increased considerably, providing the galaxy with
Wraith Squadron has grown quite large over the years. much more insight into this bizarre area of space.
Now, it consists of three-dozen pilots, all with their own Dark Zone explorers are both hardy and knowledge-
vessels. The Squadron also maintains a large freighter able. The time they spend within the Zone has given
called the Second Chance, which it uses as a mobile them many insights into its hazards and creatures. The
headquarters. Serthur’s pilots are a ragtag band com- most successful of these have been able to channel those
prised of many races, all united in their desire to fight insights into useful abilities that enable them to survive
the secret war on behalf of good and make money in the within the Zone and to aid others who wish to travel
process. within its black confines. Explorers of this sort have a
reputation for being quirky and unconventional. That
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION they are willing to circumvent or ignore a longstanding
dictate of the empire is proof enough that they transcend
Wraith Squadron can be added to most Dragonstar
ordinary modes of thought. Whether this makes them
campaigns without much difficulty. The merc company
dangerous, foolish, or praiseworthy remains largely a
makes an excellent organization to which good-aligned
matter of perspective.
player characters can belong. Although not members of
Hit Die: d8.
the Insurrection, they do war against evil on behalf of
Qesemet. Comprised primarily of pilots and gunners,
there is room for mechanists and other support person- REQUIREMENTS
nel in the company. With access to so many starships, To become a Dark Zone explorer, a character must
they travel across the galaxy with regularity, which is a meet all of the following requirements.
boon for DMs looking for a wide-ranging campaign. Base Attack Bonus: +5.
Feats: Alertness, Dark Zone Veteran, Skill Focus Intuit Direction and Wilderness Lore checks while trav-
(Knowledge [Dark Zone]). eling within the Zone.
CLASS SKILLS
Dark Zone Combat (Ex): Beginning at 3rd level and
increasing every three levels thereafter (6th and 9th), the
17
explorer gains a +1 bonus to all attack and weapon
The explorer’s class skills (and
17r17
damage rolls against creatures native to the Dark
the key ability for each skill) are
Zone. Creatures originating in other parts of
Craft (Int), Freefall (Dex), Gather
the galaxy but which can be found in the
Information (Int), Heal (Wis), Intuit
Dark Zone do not qualify for this bonus.
Direction (Wis), Knowledge
In a similar vein, creatures native to
(Dark Zone) (Int), Pilot (Dex),
the Dark Zone but found elsewhere
Profession (Wis), Search (Int),
(such as mind flayers) do qualify.
and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
Explorer’s Grace (Ex): At 4th
Skill Points at Each
level, the explorer may add his
Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Wisdom bonus (if any) to all
Fortitude and Reflex saving
CLASS FEATURES throws, to represent the hon-
All of the following are ing of his skills to avoid the
class features of the Dark dangers of the Dark Zone.
Zone explorer. Bonus Feat: At 5th level
Weapons and Armor and again at 8th level, the
Proficiency: An explorer is explorer gains a bonus feat
proficient with all simple from the following list: Great
weapons and light armor. Fortitude, Iron Will,
Note that armor check penal- Lightning Reflexes, Skill
ties for armor heavier than Focus, and Toughness.
leather apply to the skills Resist Radiation (Ex): At
Balance, Climb, Escape 7th level, the explorer gains
Artist, Hide, Jump, Move the benefits of the Resist
Silently, Pick Pocket and Radiation feat.

Tumble. Also, Swim checks Dark Zone Mastery
suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 (Ex): At 10th level, the
pounds of armor and equipment explorer becomes so knowl-
carried. edgeable and experienced in
Dark Zone Knowledge (Ex): In dealing with the Dark Zone
the course of his travels, a Dark Zone that he gains numerous advan-
explorer becomes very familiar with tages. First, he may take 10 on
this mysterious region of space—its all Dark Zone knowledge
planets, inhabitants, and unusual checks, even when he would other-
stellar phenomena. Beginning at wise be unable to due to stress or dis-
1st level, he acquires the ability to tractions. All other restrictions for tak-
draw on his knowledge to answer ing 10 still apply, however. In addi-
questions about the Dark Zone, tion, the explorer becomes immune
just as if he had the bardic to the effects of radiation.
knowledge ability. For the purpos-
es of this ability, the explorer is treated as a bard of his
class level. Any other class levels that he possesses in The Irindul Society
classes that grant a similar ability, such as bard or lore-
master, may be added to determine his effective level for PURPOSE
this ability. The explorer may also add his Intelligence
The Irindul Society sponsors illegal expeditions into
bonus to his Dark Zone knowledge check.
the forbidden depths of the Dark Zone.
Dark Zone Survival (Ex): The explorer becomes so
familiar with the worlds and conditions of the Dark
Zone that he acquires a +4 competence bonus on all
18 TABLE 1-5: THE DARK ZONE EXPLORER
Base
18l18

1st +1 +2 +0 +2 Dark Zone knowledge
2nd +2 +2 +1 +2 Dark Zone survival
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3 Dark Zone combat +1
4th +4 +3 +1 +3 Explorer’s grace
5th +5 +4 +2 +4 Bonus feat
6th +6 +4 +2 +4 Dark Zone combat +2
7th +7 +5 +2 +5 Resist radiation
9th +9 +6 +3 +6 Dark Zone combat +3
10th +10 +7 +3 +7 Dark Zone mastery
LEADER fascinated by the Dark Zone. Indeed, its interdiction

only made it a more attractive destination for their
Leksigo Inis (NG gnome male Rog6/Wiz4/Dze10)
explorers. Furthermore, so little was known about the
nebula and its mysterious inhabitants. That too con-
CURRENT ACTIVITIES tributed to its continued interest among the gnomes,
The gnomes of the Forongorn Confederation were the who wondered about the nature of the mind flayers and
first beings to achieve interstellar spaceflight. Explorers their worlds within the Zone. In fact, they quickly
without peer, they visited other star systems and made became experts on the subject, scouring other worlds of
contact with numerous races, including other gnomes the galaxy for information about the mind flayers that
from the planet Irindul III. During the days of the existed elsewhere, believing they might find clues about
Confederation’s expansion across the galaxy, its explor- the true nature of the mysterious nebula.
ers encountered a vast inky nebula that they dubbed the However, the Irindulans never breached the regula-
Dark Zone. The Confederation found the nebula tions against entering the Dark Zone—at least not in
strangely disconcerting and, despite their yen for adven- large numbers. A handful of daring gnomes and their
ture, steadfastly avoided it. The Dark Zone, however, allies sponsored illicit expeditions into the nebula. As
fascinated the gnomes of Irindul III. For them, it was the ever, few returned. This did not blunt enthusiasm for the
ultimate symbol of the unknown—and had to be con- project, but it did cut down on the number of volunteers
quered. for such missions. Over the millennia, the number of
The Irindulan gnomes sent many exploratory vessels trips into the Dark Zone dwindled, until even rumors of
into the Dark Zone and almost none of them ever such things became almost legendary, even among the
returned. This did not deter the gnomes, who felt it was Irindulans and their allies. They still accumulated infor-
their duty to plumb the depths of the nebula, whatever mation and analyzed data, hoping to overcome the prob-
the cost. Their Forongorn brethren attempted to dis- lems of the past, but that is a far cry from actually vio-
suade them from this path, but to no avail. It was only lating imperial law and braving almost-certain death in
when a starship finally emerged from the Dark Zone that the Dark Zone. From time to time, a starship would skirt
Irindulan attitudes changed toward it. The starship was the edges of the nebula and return, but few expeditions
crewed by mind flayers and it wrought havoc in the were launched into its depths.
Irindul system before it was finally destroyed. The In recent years, an organization calling itself the
Confederation used it as proof that the Dark Zone was Irindul Society has appeared on several important
not safe and it formally forbade any further attempts to worlds throughout the Dragon Empire. The Society pub-
explore it. Every major interstellar government has licly lobbies for the opening of the Dark Zone for explo-
upheld this interdict since then, including the Dragon ration. Its members, including several veterans of the
Empire, which maintains it to this day. Royal Exploratory Service, believe that now is the right
Of course, the gnomes of Irindul III continued to be time to undertake this grand quest. The Dark Zone
remains one of the last frontiers of knowledge. The
Society wishes to honor the memory of the earlier Dragon Slayer
Irindul gnomes, who felt similarly and who risked so
much to acquire what little knowledge there is about the
In the Dragon Empire, slaying a dragon, whether of
Asamet or Qesemet, is the ultimate crime.
19
nebula. Consequently, the art of slaying these mighty creatures
19r19
The Society is generally viewed with suspicion by is both rare and illegal. Over the millennia, though,
most subjects of the Dragon Empire. The Dark Zone is numerous individuals and groups have arisen that have
a galactic bugaboo and all “right-thinking” beings know practiced dragon slaying, some of them quite success-
that it is best left alone, lest its weird inhabitants—the fully. These dragon slayers have learned that nimbleness
mind flayers and worse—are aroused in anger. is as important as strength, since dragons are far more
Nevertheless, the Society has launched several covert powerful than almost any other mortal race. Few stand a
missions into the edges of the nebula. A few of them chance going toe to toe with a dragon in ordinary melee
have returned with tales of barren, desolate worlds and combat.
the mind flayers’ strange biotechnological civilization. The dawn of the Red Age has seen the number of
This has emboldened the Society to push for the lifting dragon slayers rise in the galaxy. Though still rare, they
of the empire’s interdiction, as well as the mounting of can be found among partisans of both draconic king-
new expeditions. The former seems unlikely, but the lat- doms, as well as among anti-imperial groups who view
ter is clearly a possibility. In fact, the Irindul Society’s the slaying of a dragon as the ultimate expression of
membership is growing. Its leaders believe it is only a their political philosophy. Slaying a dragon without
matter of time before it finally pieces together the truth cause is still a capital crime in the empire, but
about this phenomenon that has baffled the galaxy for Mezzenbone has been known to look the other way
thousands of years. when a death serves his agenda, which has only encour-
aged the appearance of more examples of this rare breed
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION of killers.
The Irindul Society can be used in several ways. The Hit Die: d10.
simplest is as a patron for player characters looking to
explore the Dark Zone. In this case, they provide back- REQUIREMENTS
ing and support for adventurers undertaking this most To become a dragon slayer, a character must meet all
dangerous of missions. The DM can use them as mere of the following requirements.
seekers after knowledge, but they might be more than Base Attack Bonus: +8.

that. It is possible that the Society has the tacit support Feats: Dodge, Improved Critical, Lightning Reflexes,
of the empire (or certain factions within the empire), Mobility.
which seeks to explore the Zone but fears the political Knowledge (dragons): 8 ranks.
ramifications of doing so openly. Special: The character must have slain at least one
Alternately, the Society might be a mind flayer–run dragon of any type. He can do this alone or with the
front organization, with the intention of drawing the assistance of others, but he must have actively partici-
empire into conflict with these strange aliens. These lat- pated in the slaying.
ter two options are useful for DMs who like a little bit
of conspiracy in their Dragonstar campaigns. These
options allow the Society to be used either as outright
CLASS SKILLS
villains or as dupes of villains. In either case, the Society The dragon slayer’s class skills (and the key ability
may be the custodian of secret knowledge gleaned from for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex),
their expeditions into the Dark Zone. This in itself might Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex),
make the organization a valuable plot hook, as the play- Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble
er characters attempt to acquire this knowledge for (Dex).
themselves. Yet another possibility is that the Irindul Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Society is dedicated to pure science, and the conse-
quences be damned. They may be well-meaning CLASS FEATURES
researchers whose actions verge on irresponsibility suf- All of the following are class features of the dragon
ficient to cause galactic disaster, such as an invasion by slayer.
the mind flayers or worse. The PCs may have no choice Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A dragon slayer
but to show them the error of their ways before it’s too is proficient with all simple weapons and martial
late for the empire. weapons, and with light and medium armor, but not with
shields. Note that armor check penalties for armor critical hit with a slaying attack, the bonus damage is not
heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, multiplied. A dragon slayer can never deal subdual dam-
20 Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket
age with a slaying attack. A dragon slayer can make a
slaying attack with a ranged weapon but only within a
every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried. range of 30 feet.
20l20
Draconic Lore: The dragon slayer is so familiar with Breath Resistance (Ex): At 10th level, the dragon
the nature and habits of dragons that, beginning at 1st slayer takes no damage from a dragon’s breath weapon
level (and increasing every two levels thereafter), if he makes his saving throw and half
he gains a +1 competence bonus on any damage if he fails his save.
skill checks made during combat encoun-
ters with dragons.
Dragon Courage (Ex): Starting The Zorzi
at 1st level, the dragon slayer
adds his class level to all saving
throws to resist a dragon’s
PURPOSE
frightful presence ability. This The Zorzi is a cult of assassins
ability stacks with other save dedicated to killing the greatest of all
bonuses, such as resistance prey—dragons.
bonuses and luck bonuses.
Damage Reduction (Ex): LEADER
Beginning at 2nd level and Nebla Scourge (NE half-orc female
increasing every two levels Ftr3/Rog5/Asn5/Dsl7)
thereafter, a dragon slayer
gains damage reduction
against a dragon’s physical
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
attacks, but not its For as long as lesser races have
breath weapon existed, they have looked with envy
or spells. The and fear upon dragons. These great
number asso- beasts are terrifying beyond belief.
ciated with Huge, ancient, and impossibly powerful,
their very existence reminds other beings
this ability is
the number that they are but ants compared to
of points of dam- them—or so say many dragons. This
age subtracted arrogance is only amplified in the
from every Dragon Empire, for as its name makes
physical plain, it is dragons that rule the
attack made galaxy. For the last 5,000 years, a
by a dragon succession of draconic emperors
against the has held the reins of ultimate
dragon slayer. power and no one, not even the
Slaying Attack (Ex): most influential member of
The dragon slayer another species, will ever
can deliver achieve the same level of
deadly might, no matter how hard he
strikes to may try. The ascension of
enemy drag- Mezzenbone is thus not all that
ons. Once per round, great a change from the past,
the dragon slayer can however much his political oppo-
designate one of his attacks against a dragon as a slay- nents might protest. The fundamen-
ing attack before the attack roll is made. A successful tal fact remains: Only dragons and their progeny enjoy
slaying attack made by a 2nd-level dragon slayer deals true status and power in the Dragon Empire.
+1d6 points of damage. This bonus damage increase by Over the years, numerous insurrections and reform
+1d6 at every other dragon slayer level thereafter (4th, movements have arisen, each one dedicated to remaking
6th, 8th, and 10th). Should the dragon slayer score a the empire in its own image. Many have attempted to
TABLE 1-6: THE DRAGON SLAYER 21
Base
21r21
1st +1 +0 +2 +0 Draconic lore +1, dragon courage
2nd +2 +0 +3 +0 Damage reduction 2/—, slaying attack +1d6
3rd +3 +1 +3 +1 Draconic lore +2
4th +4 +1 +4 +1 Damage reduction 4/—, slaying attack +2d6
5th +5 +1 +4 +1 Draconic lore +3
10th +10 +3 +7 +3 Damage reduction 10/—, slaying attack +5d6, breath
resistance
oust the dragons from their thrones but none has ever times lords of Asamet or independent dragons in the
succeeded. There are many reasons for these failures, Outlands. These assassins were nothing if not ecumeni-
but one is the obvious fact that dragons are puissant cal in their exploits.
creatures with few equals among mortal beings. To chal- Mezzenbone’s accession has brought the Zorzi out of
lenge a dragon is to court suicide. Consequently, most the shadows for the first time in centuries. While still
rebellions founder on their inability to bring down even illegal, the murder of dragons is now politically accept-
a single dragon, let alone the entirety of the empire’s able within certain factions of both Asamet and
aristocracy. Lacking that ability, there is no hope for an Qesemet. In addition, groups like the Insurrection see
end to the current system of governance. the assassination of dragons as an excellent way to bring
Even so, there are those who seek to overcome this about political change. Consequently, the Zorzi have

handicap. During the Bronze Age, an orc warlord named found themselves busier than ever, accepting contracts
Ugrek arose and dared to challenge the Dragon Empire. from multiple factions, sometimes even working for bit-
Nicknamed Zorzi, an Orc word meaning “slayer,” ter enemies at the same time. Although the cult is com-
Ugrek did what few beings had ever done—slay not one posed mostly of orcs and half-orcs, it is open to anyone
but several dragons in personal combat. Ugrek’s victory who possesses the skills and courage to take on its
was short-lived, as imperial forces converged on his unique vocation.
stronghold in the Outlands and killed him along with all Despite its newfound profile, the Zorzi remain
of his followers. However, the example of Ugrek Zorzi strangely aloof from imperial politics. They appear not
was not forgotten. Over the centuries, numerous indi- to have an agenda of their own. They accept work from
viduals have sought to reclaim the orc chieftain’s man- anyone who can meet their high fees and don’t ask too
tle. For a variety of reasons, the prospect of killing a many questions. Naturally, rumors have sprung up about
dragon holds great appeal. their true intentions, the most common of which is that
The most successful of these is the cult named after they serve evil outsiders seeking to throw the galaxy
Ugrek, the Zorzi. The Zorzi arose late in the Copper Age into chaos as a prelude to invasion. Others claim the cult
among the orcs of the empire. Its earliest leaders had no serves the Adversary and its members are heralds of a
political agenda of their own. Instead, they were simply universal war between good and evil. For their part, the
interested in proving their combat skills by slaying drag- Zorzi speak little of their true intentions, instead con-
ons. Not surprisingly, very few achieved their goal. A centrating on what they do best—slaying dragons.
few did, however, and they passed on their knowledge
to others, who in turn passed it on to their students and CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
followers. By the dawn of the Red Age, the Zorzi had
The Zorzi are easy to use as villains in a Dragonstar
amassed a respectable number of kills against dragons,
campaign. They are stealthy and mysterious and true
usually minor lords of the Golden Kingdom, but some-
mercenaries. They appear to have no ethical principles
of their own. Money is their only master, which means autocrats and bureaucrats, they turn to a life of self-jus-
they could conceivably work for anyone—provided the tified vigilantism to achieve their goals. Soon, they find
22 goal is to kill a dragon. The Zorzi are not generic assas-
sins. Though many of them are quite skilled at murder,
one another, like minds in the struggle; they form cells
and identities. Some continue to work alone, finding
they do so only in pursuit of their ultimate quarry, a that others, while of like mind, take their philosophies
22l22
dragon lord of the empire. Consequently, they should too far.

appear only in adventures that include a Within the empire, there are no “official” organiza-
dragon, half-dragon, or other dracon- tions that a budding ecoterrorist might join. Rumor sug-
ic scion. In most cases, nothing less gests the growing divisions within the Druidic Society
than a full dragon will draw their atten- have given rise to a splinter group known as the
tion, but there may be exceptions from Green Cabal. The Green Cabal is purported to be
time to time. After all, a good DM comprised of Druidic Society traditionalists and
keeps his players guessing. disenchanted progressives who see direct, often
The Zorzi are also a convenient illegal action as the only way to ensure the
blank slate for a DM looking to survival of nature on many worlds within
add a dark conspiracy to his the empire. Rumors further suggest the
campaign. While the Zorzi Green Cabal has members within the
may well be exactly as they Royal Exploratory Service. In this
appear to be—apolitical way, they hope to suppress
killers for hire—they might be knowledge of new discoveries
much more. They are obviously that the Cabal deems would be
a cult in the broad sense, since exploited by the empire.
they use secrecy and initiation
rituals to protect themselves.
Whether they are also a cult
REQUIREMENTS
To become an ecoterrorist, a character
that serves some dark master
must fulfill the following criteria.
or has ulterior motives is up to
Alignment: Chaotic good, neutral good,
the DM. The Zorzi can be as
chaotic neutral.
simple or complex as he wish-
Skills: Animal Empathy 8 ranks,
es, which makes them very
Gather Information or Intimidate 6 ranks,
easy to integrate into an ongo-

Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks,
ing campaign.
Wilderness Lore 6 ranks.
Feats: Skill Focus (Knowledge
Ecoterrorist [nature]) and Skill
(Knowledge [biology]) or Skill
Focus
Destruction of habitat.
Focus (Knowledge [chemistry]).
Poisoning of rivers and
Spellcasting: Must be able to
streams. The use of animals
cast animal friendship and speak
for needless experimentation.
with plants.
Deforestation of entire worlds.
These and other travesties are
what the ecoterrorist fights CLASS SKILLS
against. The struggle against The ecoterrorist’s class skills
the greed and destruction of (and the key ability for each skill)
“the Dragon” gives the ecoter- are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str),
rorist purpose and a sense of Concentration (Con),
moral superiority. They have Demolitions (Int), Diplomacy
risen above the petty needs of (Cha), Gather Information
the masses and follow a higher (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha),
calling—the defense of nature. Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha),
Ecoterrorists usually arise from the ranks of druids and Knowledge (Nature) (Int), Move Silently (Dex) , Open
rangers tired of seeing the continued desolation of the Lock (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis),
natural world. Finding the official channels glutted with Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Wilderness Lore (Wis).
TABLE 1-7: THE ECOTERRORIST 23
Base
23r23
1st +0 +2 +2 +0 Radiation resistance 5
2nd +1 +3 +3 +0 Corrosive touch 1d6 +1 level of existing class
3rd +2 +3 +3 +1 Rallying cry
4th +3 +4 +4 +1 Righteous rage 1/day,
corrosive touch 2d6 +1 level of existing class
5th +3 +4 +4 +1 Radiation resistance 10
6th +4 +5 +5 +2 Corrosive touch 3d6 +1 level of existing class
7th +5 +5 +5 +2 Disrupt circuitry
8th +6 +6 +6 +2 Corrosive touch 4d6 +1 level of existing class
9th +6 +6 +6 +3 Elitism
10th +7 +7 +7 +3 Radiation resistance 15,
righteous rage 2/day +1 level of existing class
CLASS FEATURES as flesh). The character may, as a full attack action that
does not provoke an attack of opportunity, make a melee
All of the following are class features of the ecoter-
touch attack that deals acid damage. The corrosive touch
rorist.
deals 1d6 points of acid damage at 2nd level, and this
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: An ecoterrorist is
damage increases by 1d6 points of damage at 4th, 6th,
proficient with all simple weapons and light armor. Note
and 8th level.
that armor check penalties for armor heavier than
Rallying Cry (Su): The ecoterrorist may give a rous-
leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist,
ing speech (requiring a Diplomacy check DC 15), which
Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble.
takes at least 1 minute, to imbue his allies with a +2
Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5

morale bonus to saving throws against charm and fear
pounds of armor and equipment carried.
effects and a +1 morale bonus to attack and weapon
Spells per Day: An ecoterrorist continues his training
damage rolls. This effect lasts for 5 rounds plus the char-
in divine magic. Thus, when an ecoterrorist level is
acter’s Cha modifier.
gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he
Righteous Rage (Ex): If the ecoterrorist witnesses or
had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class he
has knowledge of a person or persons causing harm or
belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does
exploiting an animal, plant, magical beast, or fey, he
not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that
may whip himself into a frenzy to defend that creature
class would have gained. This essentially means that he
from the offending parties. This rage is identical in all
adds the level of ecoterrorist to the level of some other
respects to the barbarian class ability, except it lasts for
divine spellcasting class the character has, then deter-
1 round per class level of the ecoterrorist. The ecoter-
mines spells per day and caster level accordingly.
rorist may use this ability once per day at 4th level and
If a character had more than one divine spellcasting
twice per day at 10th level.
class before he became an ecoterrorist, he must decide
Disrupt Circuitry (Sp): The ecoterrorist can gener-
to which class he adds each level of ecoterrorist for pur-
ate a disruptive force (provoking an attack of opportuni-
poses of determining spells per day when he adds the
ty, unless a Concentration check, DC 17, is made),
new level.
which disables electronic equipment, robots, and soul-
Radiation Resistance (Ex): The ecoterrorist has
mechs. A piece of equipment may be disrupted for
developed a resistance to the greatest scourge of the nat-
1d6+1 rounds, during which time it will cease to func-
uralist, radiation. The ecoterrorist gains radiation resis-
tion. Disabling a robot or soulmech requires a melee
tance 5 at 1st level, and this increases to 10 at 5th level
touch attack. The robot or soulmech is allowed a
and 15 at 10th level.
Fortitude save, DC 15. Failure means the robot or soul-
Corrosive Touch (Su): The ecoterrorist can generate
mech is stunned for 1d6+1 rounds. The ecoterrorist can
an acidic touch that destroys metal and plastic (as well
use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + Since there can be no accord with those who would
his Wisdom modifier. plunder the worlds of the galaxy for their own greedy
24 Elitism (Su): The ecoterrorist is so firm in his belief
system that he may raise self-doubt and unease in others
ends, something must be done. A small group of tradi-
tionalist druids and their supporters have created a ter-
with a DC 20 Intimidate check. Those intelligent oppo- rorist organization known as the Green Cabal. The
24l24
nents within 30 ft. suffer a –6 morale penalty to Will Cabal exists to protect the natural world at any cost. No
saves and a –4 morale penalty to attack and weapon method of defense is too extreme, especially if it under-
damage rolls as they are forced to question their value mines the cause of the opposition. Unlike the Druidic
system. This effect only works on creatures with Int Society, whose most hard-line members are still largely
scores of 7 and higher. The ecoterrorist can use this abil- nonviolent, the Cabal is not averse to acts of destruction
ity a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Charisma and violence. In addition to sabotage and vandalism, the
modifier. ecoterrorists of this group have few qualms about killing
those that commit “crimes against nature,” as well as
The Green Cabal those who aid and abet them.

Like the Druidic Society itself, the Green Cabal has
only a very loose hierarchy. It certainly has no central
headquarters or base of operations. Instead, its members
PURPOSE travel the galaxy in small cells, constantly moving so as
The Green Cabal is an ecoterrorist group that believes to avoid capture by the ISPD and other imperial law
in defending the ecologies of the galaxy’s worlds by any enforcement agencies, which consider them extremely
means necessary, including violence. dangerous. The Cabal is extraordinarily secretive. Most
of its members know only one or two other members in
LEADER the group so as to minimize the damage should one of
Davinna Lasala (CN half-elf female Drd8/Eco10) them be captured and successfully interrogated. In addi-
tion, each cell has considerable autonomy. It plans its
actions according to its own assessment of the local sit-
CURRENT ACTIVITIES uation, rarely receiving direct orders from the Cabal’s
The ancient Druidic Society is probably older than the nominal head.
Dragon Empire itself. No one knows for sure, but there Because of the autonomy granted to individual cells,
is plenty of evidence to suggest it originated during the there is a wide degree of variance in their activities.
time of the Forongorn Confederation. Consequently, its
Some stay solidly within the bounds of good morality,

members—primarily druids, as its name suggests— avoiding collateral damage that might harm innocent
have always existed, fighting against the depredations of bystanders, for example. Others show little compunc-
government and industry where they interfered with the tion about such things, believing that anything that
course of the natural world. The Druidic Society has had undermines the empire’s techno-magical society serves
its share of successes over the millennia, particularly their cause. Similarly, there is much variance in political
with regard to establishing planetary preserves and lim- matters as well. Some cells have allied themselves to
iting the exploitation of fragile worlds. Despite these houses of Asamet or the Insurrection, while others
successes, the Society has long been split between tradi- eschew all these groups as yet more “traitors” that prop
tionalists, who strongly oppose the development of vir- up a wholly corrupt empire. Consequently, it is difficult
gin worlds, and progressives, who just as strongly for outsiders to know whether certain acts attributed to
believe that a middle path between the extremes is pos- the Green Cabal are indeed their handiwork or just
sible. Since the dawn of the Red Age, the progressives imperial propaganda—a fact that may well undermine
have been in the ascendant. their cause in the end.
Among the traditionalists, there is growing anger and
resentment. These druids and their allies believe that
Mezzenbone is hell-bent on giving free rein to the aris- CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
tocorps and other commercial interests, allowing them The Green Cabal works equally well as a villain or an
to despoil worlds without any concern for the creatures ally. It can be used as a villain in several ways, depend-
that live on them. These traditionalists scoff at their pro- ing on the interests of the player characters and the
gressive rivals, seeing them as little more than tools of nature of the campaign. If the PCs work for the empire
the Dragon Empire. They feel that any attempt at in some fashion, the Cabal could easily prove a threat to
accommodation or compromise is treason to the Mother them. If they work for a corporation, it’s even easier to
and the natural world to which she gave birth. include them. Of course, misguided or deluded mem-
bers of the Cabal might turn up in other situations, mak-
ing an already dangerous place even more deadly. As
allies, the Cabal is, at best, erratic and unpredictable.
Unless the characters are members themselves, they
25
may find it impossible to rely upon the ecoterrorists,
25r25
since they are both disorganized and prone to
whimsy.
The Green Cabal is also very useful in a
Dragonstar campaign where the DM wishes
to play up the lack of a clear-cut morality within
the empire. The Cabal’s goals are in many ways
noble. Many billions of people share them,
including most druids and rangers. However,
the Cabal isn’t willing to convince those who
disagree through debate or discussion. For
them, talk is cheap. They prefer decisive
action—the more destructive to imperial
interests the better. These facts make them
ideal to include in games where the strug-
gle between idealism and pragmatism is a
central theme. How far is too far in
defense of a genuine good? The Green
Cabal provides an interesting touchstone
to answering that question. Whether used
as villains or as allies, no adventure in
which these ecoterrorists appear will lack
for controversy—the stuff of good story-
telling.
Imperial Arcanist

The Imperial Society of Arcane Magic
is an important institution of the Dragon
Empire. It exists not only to advance the
cause of magical research, but also to pro-
mote wizards as the equals of sorcerers,
despite their lack of dragon blood. Imperial
arcanists, as the Society’s members are
known, are scholarly and devoted wizards
(and the occasional bard) who use their
knowledge to improve their spellcasting abili-
ties. Arcanists are also skilled researchers who
seek out the forgotten lore and secrets of arcane
magic. Consequently, arcanists possess a variety
of techniques that no other arcane spellcasters pos-
sess. In addition, the camaraderie of the Society is
great. Its members regularly work together toward
common goals and support one another in times of
need. It is little wonder then that imperial arcanists have
made great strides in recent centuries toward full recog-
nition alongside their sorcerous colleagues.
Hit Die: d4.
26 TABLE 1-8: THE IMPERIAL ARCANIST
Base
26l26

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Spells
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Membership +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 Secret +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Skill adept +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Secret +1 level of existing class
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 School focus +1 level of existing class
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Bonus feat +1 level of existing class
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Skill mastery +1 level of existing class
REQUIREMENTS magic as well as her field of research. Thus, when an

arcanist level is gained, the character gains new spells
To become an imperial arcanist, a character must meet
per day as if she had also gained a level in an arcane
all of the following requirements.
spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the
Alchemy or Scry: 6 ranks.
prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other
Knowledge (arcana): 8 ranks.
benefit a character of that class would have gained. This
Spellcraft: 8 ranks.
essentially means that she adds the level of arcanist to
Feats: Scribe Scroll, any one metamagic feat, Spell
the level of some other spellcasting class the character
Focus (any).
has, then determines spells per day and caster level
Spells: Ability to cast arcane spells of 3rd level or
accordingly.
higher.
If a character had more than one spellcasting class
Special: Character must be a non-sorcerer and pay

before she became an imperial arcanist, she must decide
1,000 cr per spellcasting level in annual membership
to which class she adds each level of arcanist for pur-
dues.
poses of determining spells per day when she adds the
new level.
CLASS SKILLS Membership: Imperial arcanists gain many benefits
The imperial arcanist’s class skills (and the key abili- from their membership in the Imperial Society of
ty for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration Arcane Magic—and some drawbacks as well. In
(Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individ- exchange for their annual membership dues and the
ually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Research (Wis), Scry promise to abide by the regulations and bylaws of the
(Int), and Spellcraft (Int). Society (including the rulings of its leaders), arcanists
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier. gain access to its academies and guild houses through-
out the Dragon Empire. They may take lodging there for
CLASS FEATURES no fee and may purchase spell components and other
arcane materials for half their normal costs. Imperial
All of the following are class features of the imperial
arcanists also gain access to the Society’s spell database.
arcanist.
This grants them two new spells of any level they can
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: An imperial
cast to add to their spellbooks.
arcanist gains no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Secret: Thanks to the Society’s unparalleled libraries,
Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than
imperial arcanists have access to all sorts of magical
lore. At 2nd level and every two levels afterward (4th,
6th, 7th, and 10th), the arcanist chooses one secret from
the following list. She can’t choose the same secret
twice.
Spells per Day: An arcanist continues training in
• The arcanist’s effective caster level for all spells their political and social marginalization throughout the
from a single school of magic is increased by 1. galaxy.
• The arcanist’s save DCs for all spells possessing a
single descriptor (such as “mind-affecting” or
During the Silver Age, a small number of wizards
came together on the world of Aelding in the Casenore
27
“language-dependent”) are increased by 1 system to address this issue. Among them was a half-
27r27
• The DCs of all Spellcraft checks to identify spells dragon of House Sarava named Ahl Verbeelo who,
cast by the arcanist are increased by a number despite his ancestry, had taken up the practice of wiz-
equal to her class level ardry, which he considered both more flexible and noble
• The arcanist gains a competence bonus equal to than the sorcery revered by his kinsmen. Verbeelo pro-
her class level on all Concentration checks posed the foundation of a great academy on Aelding,
• The arcanist gains a +2 bonus to Intelligence but one that would train other wizards and increase their
solely for the purpose of determining bonus spells recognition in the empire. Like most of his compatriots,
per level he believed that ignorance was at the root of imperial
• The arcanist gains a bonus to all Will saves equal prejudice against wizards. If they could only see the
to half her class level against spells cast by sor- strength and power of wizards with their own eyes, they
cerers would change their minds.
To that end, the assembled wizards founded the
Skill Adept (Ex): At 3rd level, the arcanist may Imperial Society of Arcane Magic, which would in turn
choose a number of Intelligence-based skills equal to administer the Vespar Academy of the Art. From the
her Intelligence bonus as her specialties. She gains a first, the majority of its members believed that the best
competence bonus on related skill checks equal to her path to acceptance was to show the empire the benefits
class level. to be gained by accepting wizards as the equal of sor-
School Focus: At 5th level, the arcanist gains the cerers. They believed that loyalty to the empire was
Spell Focus feat for a magical school of her choosing. paramount; no one should suspect wizards of being
Bonus Feat: At 7th level, the arcanist may choose a would-be insurrectionists. A minority, however, dis-
single item creation or metamagic feat as a bonus feat. agreed—sometimes violently. These wizards felt that
Skill Mastery (Ex): At 9th level, the arcanist may the entire edifice of imperial power was built upon
now take 10 on checks using skills she chose as her spe- inequality and should be brought down from within.
cialty with the skill adept ability. The arcanist can take Naturally, some within this minority went so far as to
10 on these chosen skill checks even when stress or dis- argue that the galaxy should be ruled by a wizardly elite

tractions would otherwise prevent her from doing so. made up of the best and brightest of their number.
While the majority opposed such notions, lest the
The Imperial Society of Arcane Magic grand dukes suspect the Society of sedition, they often
found it difficult to do so. The Society has always laid
great stress on the “artistic” nature of wizardly magic. It
PURPOSE is an art that anyone with talent can learn. Unlike sor-
cery, it is not a birthright. One is not born to wizardly
The Society exists to advance the study and accep- ability; it must be earned through years of hard work.
tance of wizards within the Dragon Empire. Consequently, there has always been a strain of egalitar-
ian sentiment within the Society. While not every wiz-
LEADER ard is a secret republican desiring the overthrow of the
Gwilm Halapaa (LN human male Wiz10/Ima10) emperor and his court, most are at least moderately sup-
portive of democratizing the political and social struc-
ture of the Dragon Empire. This has not won the Society
CURRENT ACTIVITIES many friends among the houses.
The close association between the practice of sorcery While Qesemet held the throne, the Society fared well
and dragons has always made it difficult for wizards in enough as a semi-official guild for wizards, but it made
the Dragon Empire. Though their art is in many ways few gains toward full social equality for these arcane
similar to that of sorcerers, the imperial aristocracy spellcasters. House Sarava took some pride in the
looks down upon it. That anyone with sufficient intelli- accomplishments of imperial arcanists, especially in the
gence and effort can learn wizardry has made it a “com- field of spell research. However, even the silver dragons
moner’s art.” A mighty wizard need not be born to his had little interest in breaking the power of the sorcerers,
power; he ascends to it through study and hard work. on whose magical abilities they had depended for mil-
Unsurprisingly, this has stigmatized wizards and led to lennia.
Ironically, it was the dawn of the Red Age that saw the
Imperial Society reach new levels of influence. Infowarrior
28 Mezzenbone, though hardly interested in genuine egali-
tarianism, was nevertheless interested in cultivating a
Many things hold the Dragon Empire together and
one of the most easily forgotten is information, specifi-
power base above and beyond that usually associated cally the electronic data stored and exchanged by com-
28l28
with the Iron Kingdom. The new emperor turned to the puters, robots, and other technological devices. Those
wizards, several of whom he placed into positions of who would control the empire long ago recognized this
authority throughout the empire. While this has gone oft-overlooked fact and worked to exploit it. It was from
some distance toward getting wizards closer to the these individuals that the infowarrior was born: an elec-
nexus of galactic power, it has also tainted them in the tronic fighter who uses his knowledge of computers to
eyes of many, who worry that the Society could become gain control of them and access the secrets
a tool of tyranny. Consequently, the organization’s they hold within.
egalitarian minority has become restive of late and Infowarriors come in many vari-
may well break away in protest against the eties. Some are professionals of
growing rapprochement with the imperial the highest order, having trained
throne. for years to become the ultimate
virtual invader. Others are ama-
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION teurs who use their innate gifts
The Imperial Society of Arcane to hack into computer systems
Magic can serve several purposes in a for entertainment, personal
Dragonstar campaign. First and fore- profit, or merely as an intel-
most, it gives wizards a place to call lectual challenge. Both types
home, which is very important in the are much sought after in the
sorcerer-dominated Dragon Empire. empire. Organizations as
The Society’s vast spell database is a diverse as the military, cor-
draw for almost any wizard who porations, and even the gov-
wishes to keep abreast of the latest ernment have need of
magical formulae. Membership in infowarriors, as do rebel and
the Society gives access to the data- criminal groups. With the
base, which may be reason enough to dawn of the Red Age, the
include it in a campaign with one or secret war between Asamet

more wizard player characters. and Qesemet has intensified.
Of course, the politics of the Its battles are fought in the
Society make a great campaign ele- shadows between hidden
ment as well. Torn between democ- forces whose identities and
rats and elitists, loyalists and rebels, agendas are unknown to most
the Imperial Arcanists are a diverse imperial subjects. At the center
lot. The halls of the Vespar Academy of these shadowy battles are
echo with arguments, as each faction infowarriors, on whose actions
tries to chart the best course of action the very fate of the Dragon
in the galaxy. More than anything, Empire may one day depend.
wizards wish acceptance from the Hit Die: d6.
empire, but how badly do they want
it? Will they risk becoming REQUIREMENTS
Mezzenbone’s collaborators to gain what they seek? To become an Infowarrior, a character
Would they be better off joining the Insurrection and must meet all of the following requirements.
fighting for a new and more just society? All of these Cryptography: 4 ranks.
questions can form the basis for exciting Dragonstar Gather Information: 6 ranks.
adventures or even entire campaigns. DMs looking to Research: 6 ranks.
add an element of magical intrigue to their games Use Device: 8 ranks.
should look no further than the Imperial Society of Feats: Hacker, Remote Operation.
Arcane Magic.
TABLE 1-9: THE INFOWARRIOR 29
Base
29r29
1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Hacking +1, electric scry
2nd +1 +0 +2 +2 Instant reboot/power down
3rd +1 +1 +3 +3 Hacking +2, detect surveillance
4th +2 +1 +3 +3 Greater electric scry
5th +2 +1 +4 +4 Hacking +3
6th +3 +2 +4 +4 Master programmer
7th +3 +2 +5 +5 Hacking +4
9th +4 +3 +6 +6 Hacking +5
10th +4 +3 +6 +6 Ghost in the machine
CLASS SKILLS character must choose to use either instant reboot or

power down as his one use for the day. He cannot use
The infowarrior’s class skills (and the key ability for
both.
each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha),
Detect Surveillance (Sp): At 3rd level, the infowar-
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Cryptography (Int),
rior gains the ability to detect surveillance as the spell.
Disable Device (Int), Gather Information (Cha),
His caster level is equal to his class level. This ability is
Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Open
usable once per day.
Lock (Dex), Repair (Int), Research (Wis), Search (Int),
Greater Electric Scry (Sp): At 4th level, the infowar-
and Use Device (Int).
rior gains an ability identical to the spell greater electric
scry, usable once per day as a sorcerer of his class level.
Master Programmer (Ex): At 6th level, the infowar-

CLASS FEATURES rior becomes so adept at writing custom computer pro-
All of the following are class features of the infowar- grams on the fly that he halves the amount of time it
rior. takes to write a program (round up), to a minimum of
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: An infowarrior five minutes.
gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies. Note Bonus Feat: At 8th level, the infowarrior may choose
that armor check penalties for armor heavier than a single bonus feat from the following list: Alertness,
leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Good Memory, Improved Initiative, and Information
Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble. Junkie.
Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 Ghost in the Machine (Su): At 10th level, the
pounds of armor and equipment carried. infowarrior is so knowledgeable in the ways of comput-
Hacking (Ex): Beginning at 1st level and increasing ers that he can transfer his soul into a machine or net-
every other level thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th), the infor- work once he has gained control of it (through the usual
warrior gains a +1 bonus to all Gather Information, hacking methods). This transfer allows the character to
Research, and Use Device checks made while attempt- double his hacking bonus while his soul resides in the
ing to hack into a computer system or information net- computer to +10. In addition, it allows him total access
work. to all data held within the system, even if it is encrypt-
Electric Scry (Sp): At 1st level, the infowarrior gains ed. The infowarrior also has control over any subsidiary
an ability identical to the spell electric scry, which he computer or electronic devices operated by the comput-
can use once per day as a sorcerer of his class level. er as if he had hacked them himself. While his soul
Instant Reboot/Power Down (Sp): At 2nd level, the resides in the computer, the character is in a state of sus-
infowarrior gains an ability identical to the spells instant pended animation, just as if he were under the effects of
reboot and power down. This ability is usable once per astral projection. If his body is killed while his soul is
day as a sorcerer of the infowarrior’s class level. The in the computer, the infowarrior is killed, although cast-
ing soul bind within a number of rounds equal to the with the InfoNet and other computer networks. She
character’s Intelligence bonus will capture the soul and believed that they offered the Guild the best way to con-
30 preserve it until it can be returned to its original body or
placed within a soulmech.
tinue its work without interference from imperial
authorities. Even the InfoNet is relatively unregulated.
Not even the ISPD or Adamantine Order now possess
30l30
The Guild of Tinkers the capabilities to police its activities effectively. By

adopting these networks as its way of doing business,
Dra argued that the Guild of Tinkers could not only con-
tinue to operate as it always had but could also “evolve”
PURPOSE into something else. Dra’s strategy proved fairly effec-
The Guild is an illegal alliance of infowarriors work- tive. Many tinkers, especially younger members of the
ing to bring down the Dragon Empire from within. Guild, became enthralled with the notion of “improv-
ing” computer systems by hacking into them. Their
LEADER intent was not always malicious, of course. Indeed,
Ditenda Rujit (CN gnome male Mec7/Rog3/Inw10) many tinkers had little interest in anything except
expressing themselves creatively through the medium of
hacking.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES Of course, the purity of Dra’s original vision could not
The Guild of Tinkers began its existence almost a last. Many tinkers saw vast opportunities for making
thousand years ago. As its name suggests, it was origi- money by hacking into the right computer systems.
nally a haven for mechanists who loved nothing more They cultivated contacts with organized crime, includ-
than tinkering with devices of various sorts, especially ing the Black Hole Syndicate, and helped them launder
electronic ones. These mechanists were generally a money and steal valuable data. Before long, the Guild
rough and tumble sort, self-trained men and women was riddled with criminal agents, some of whom had lit-
whose primary interest was in “improving” already tle interest in its illustrious history or founding philoso-
existing devices, but with little regard for the theoretical phy. This helped to bring the Guild to the attention of
underpinnings behind that technology. In a sense, the imperial law enforcement and espionage agencies,
original tinkers were “mechanical artists” rather than which rightly worried that it was a rogue element that
inventors or engineers. They tried their best to bend could harm the stability of the empire. A series of high-
technology to their wills in order to achieve effects they profile crackdowns eventually led to the official dis-
considered desirable. This earned the Guild a reputation
banding of the Guild and the prosecution of its leaders.

as “a haven for madmen,” according to members of the The Guild of Tinkers probably would have faded into
more respectable Imperial Union of Mechanists and history had Mezzenbone not taken the throne. The new
Engineers. emperor was every bit as interested in keeping a lid on
From the first, the Guild showed little regard for the dissent as his predecessors. As might be expected,
law, imperial or local. Members of the organization reg- Mezzenbone took an even dimmer view of groups such
ularly violated rules and regulations in pursuit of their as the tinkers. This encouraged many of the surviving
unusual goals. Indeed, the tinkers held that, since they members of the Guild to band together and fight against
were not actually creating new technology but modify- the empire. Although not technically part of the
ing old technology to work in new ways, any laws relat- Insurrection, they share many goals with the rebels.
ing to the development or dissemination of technology Therefore, the two organizations occasionally work
should not bind them. Such semantics held little weight together in mutually beneficial endeavors. At its base,
in imperial courts of law, where tinkers were frequently though, the Guild of Tinkers is a pretty anarchic group
charged with a wide variety of crimes, chief among whose members have diverse goals. They are united
them being infringement upon the secrets of other only in their desire to see the Dragon Empire suffer at
guilds. Naturally, the tinkers made the claim that trade their hands.
secrets were themselves a violation of the Imperial
Charter and that “information wants to be free.” Again,
this line of reasoning held little weight and many tinkers
found themselves sentenced to long terms on prison
asteroids.
About 150 years ago, the Guild changed its tactics
thanks to an elven mechanist named Vannine Dra, who
became the organization’s new leader. Dra was obsessed
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION are called upon to perform a wide variety of missions
across the galaxy, from police actions on worlds rocked
The Guild of Tinkers can serve many purposes in a
Dragonstar campaign, if only because the organization
by civil war to border protection to the invasion of
Outlands worlds—and everything in between. The one
31
is so diverse. Its members run the gamut from idealistic
constant are the men and women who make up the
rebels to criminal hackers to technological artists—and
31r31
Legions. Trained in a combination of old and new com-
everything in between. The
bat techniques, they are the pinnacle of the warrior caste
Guild does not make a very
and the pride of the empire.
good patron for most player
While the term “legionnaire” technically refers to any
characters. The group rarely
member of the Legions, from lowly conscripts to sea-
hires outsiders to do its dirty
soned veterans, most imperial subjects use the
work, preferring to keep things
term to refer specifically to the Legion’s
strictly “within the family.” Of
elite, professional soldiers. In the popular
course, a PC infowarrior might
imagination, an imperial legionnaire is a
well be asked to work for the
two-fisted soldier without equal.
Guild or its members, but that’s a
Equally skilled with pistol and
very specific use of the group.
sword, legionnaires defend the
More often than not, the charac-
empire from all comers and live
ters will hire a tinker to work for
only to serve their emperor. For
them. Tinkers enjoy taking free-
the most part, such stories have a
lance contracts from outsiders,
basis in fact, but as any objec-
since it gives them variety and
tive observer will tell you, the
cash, two things they crave. The
truly elite troops of the
secret, of course, is finding the right
Legions are rare things in the
tinker for the right job. Some, for example,
galaxy.
have specialties or refuse to become
Hit Die: d10.
involved in particular types of work,
depending on their sensibilities. The DM
can easily play up these differences to REQUIREMENTS
give life to the Guild. To become an imperial legion-
The Guild will rarely appear as an naire, a character must meet all of

antagonist. However, the criminal con- the following requirements.
nections of many tinkers mean that the Base Attack Bonus: +6.
group could easily be on opposite sides Skills: Freefall 4 ranks, Jump 4
of the player characters. Tinkers are not ranks, Pilot 4 ranks.
always picky about their employers. They Feats: Point Blank Shot,
work for some fairly unsavory types if the Precise Shot, Rapid Shot,
money is right and it affords them the chance Technical Proficiency.
to do something unusual on a computer net-
work. The DM should always bear that CLASS SKILLS
in mind: Tinkers live for novelty and
The imperial legionnaire’s
innovation. Though far removed
class skills (and the key ability
from their origins, they retain a love
for each skill) are Balance
of the new and exciting. Few things catch
(Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int),
their attention like the chance to do
Demolitions (Int), Freefall
something no one else has ever done
(Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str),
before.
Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot
(Wis), and Swim.
Imperial Legionnaire Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
The Imperial Legions are the cornerstone of the
Dragon Empire’s military might. The Legions are the CLASS FEATURES
massed armies of all the domains that serve the emper- All of the following are class features of the imperial
or and ultimately answer to his authority. The Legions legionnaire.
32 TABLE 1-10: THE IMPERIAL LEGIONNAIRE
Base
32l32

1st +1 +2 +0 +0 Sword and gun style
2nd +2 +2 +1 +1 Two-Gun Fighting
3rd +3 +3 +1 +1 Deadeye
4th +4 +3 +1 +1 Uncanny dodge
6th +6 +4 +2 +2 Uncanny dodge
8th +8 +5 +3 +3 Defensive roll
10th +10 +7 +3 +3 Legionnaire step
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A legionnaire is Bonus Feat (Ex): Beginning at 5th level and contin-
proficient with all simple and martial weapons and light, uing every two levels thereafter, the legionnaire gains a
medium, and heavy armor. Note that armor check penal- bonus feat from the list of fighter bonus feats.
ties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Defensive Roll (Ex): Once per day, when a legion-
Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move naire would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by damage
Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble. Also, Swim checks in combat (from a weapon or other blow, not a spell or
suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and special ability), he can attempt to roll with the damage.
equipment carried. The character makes a Reflex saving throw (DC = dam-
Sword and Gun Style (Ex): At 1st level, a legion- age dealt) and, if successful, takes only half damage
naire has extensive experience fighting with a blade in from the blow. The legionnaire must be aware of the
one hand and a ranged weapon in the other. When attack and able to react to it in order to execute the
wielding a ranged weapon in one hand, he may wield a defensive roll. If his Dexterity bonus to AC is denied,
light melee weapon in the other. When using this abili- the character cannot use this ability.
ty, the legionnaire may make an extra attack each round Legionnaire Step (Ex): At 10th level, the legionnaire
with his off-hand weapon at his highest attack bonus. learns to make a 5-foot step both before and after his
When fighting in this manner, firing the ranged weapon attacks for the round.
in melee does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The
legionnaire suffers no penalties to either weapon using
this ability. White Legion Expeditionary Force
Two-Gun Fighting (Ex): At 2nd level, the legion-
naire gains the benefit of the Two-Gun Shooting feat. If
he already possesses this feat, he may choose another
PURPOSE
feat from the list of fighter bonus feats, even if he does The Expeditionary Force is the colonial military force
not possess any levels in fighter. of House Altara, dedicated to exploration and exploita-
Deadeye (Ex): At 3rd level, the legionnaire gains the tion of the Outlands.
Deadeye feat for free, even if he does not possess the
prerequisites. If he already possesses the feat, he may LEADER
choose another one from the fighter bonus feat list. Ochorro (CE half-dragon female Ftr9/Leg10)
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 4th level, the legionnaire
retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) if caught flat-
footed or struck by an invisible attacker. At 6th level, the
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
legionnaire can no longer be flanked. Any character at The “Imperial Legions” is the blanket term used to
least four levels higher than the character can still flank describe the military might of the Dragon Empire. The
if he also possesses this uncanny dodge ability. name is very evocative and emphasizes the infantry that
is vital to the empire’s occupation and conquest of Since Mezzenbone came to the throne, the force has
worlds. Unfortunately, the name also gives the impres- been busier than usual. The emperor has shown a great
sion that the Legions consist of nothing beyond such
troops, which is patently untrue. The Legions are, in
deal of favor to House Altara, which has been a loyal
member of Asamet since the beginning. The force is
33
fact, a very diverse group of organizations, united by another reason why. Mezzenbone believes—correctly—
33r33
their allegiance to the Golden Throne and their willing- that House Altara will pacify worlds more quickly and
ness to defend the empire against all threats. Each house efficiently than any other house within the empire.
of the empire maintains its own specialized units and Furthermore, he hopes that the force will be able to
uses them primarily for its own benefit, although, like extract valuable magic or technology from these worlds
all parts of the Legions, they serve the whole empire in before it has the chance to fall into the hands of the
times of trouble. Insurrection or others who oppose his rule.
The White Legion Expeditionary Force is an example So far, this arrangement has worked very well. Yet,
of one such specialized unit. Formed over a half-millen- there is evidence that problems may be arising. The
nium ago by the leaders of House Altara, the force presence of so many from outside House Altara within
serves several purposes. First and foremost, it is a rapid- the Expeditionary Force is beginning to have an effect.
reaction force to defend the holdings of the white drag- Where once the force’s military governors were brutal
ons across the empire. Its legionnaires are well trained and remorseless, some now show a tendency toward
and rival those of other more powerful houses in terms conciliation and diplomacy. Many are more interested in
of their weaponry and equipment. In addition, the force learning from Outlanders than in subjugating them mer-
has access to fast starships that allow its troops to get cilessly. While this has aided the force in its efforts in
from one end of the domain to the other with remarkable some respects, it has also weakened the position of
speed. This is the key to the force’s usefulness to House House Altara in the Outlands. No longer is it as feared
Altara and its reputation throughout the empire. as once it was, which has in turn encouraged rebellion
The force is also a colonial military unit used in those among and sympathy for its enemies.
Outlands territories held or administered by the white
dragons. Indeed, it is in the Outlands that many legion-
naires earned their spurs as warriors. House Altara has
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
The White Legion Expeditionary Force can be used in
conquered comparatively few worlds of its own, but it is
many ways in a Dragonstar campaign. The simplest is
often given governorship of them because of its com-
as an example of a specialized organization within an
paratively weak political position within the empire.
Imperial Legion. Whether as a base for player character

The process of annexing Outlands worlds is often bru-
soldiers or as an antagonist, the force works well in most
tal, but the Expeditionary Force has become quite adept
campaigns. In the latter capacity, it’s especially useful as
at crushing dissent and turning Outlanders into model
an enemy in the Outlands. The force can function as a
imperial subjects—whether they wish to or not.
stereotypical occupying army against which the PCs can
Ironically, the force has also become very familiar
rally a rebellion.
with a wide variety of alien cultures, which has in turn
Of course, the Expeditionary Force can also be used
led to its third purpose: exploration. The Expeditionary
in exploration-based games as well. Some legionnaires
Force is regularly assigned to accompany and protect
in the force have a genuine interest in the quest for
imperial exploratory vessels of all sorts, including those
knowledge, while others do not. In a game where the
of the Royal Exploratory Service. That last fact is a tes-
PCs are all explorers working for the Royal Exploratory
tament to the force’s professionalism and skills in this
Service, the force might be part of a “deal with the
area. It is rare to see such cooperation between
devil” to protect an exploratory mission. The legion-
Qesemet- and Asamet-based organizations, especially
naires and explorers have no love for one another but
one that’s as solidly military in its nature as the
most work together for a time, despite their mutual
Expeditionary Force. Yet, there are few other groups
antipathy. Another variation is a campaign where the
within the Dragon Empire that are as adept at dealing
PCs are all good-aligned exploration-minded soldiers
with the unknown. Perhaps unsurprisingly, a fair num-
who joined the force to see the galaxy and must fight
ber of individuals from outside Altara’s territory enlist
against its darker nature to achieve their dreams. In
in the White Legion in hopes of joining the
either case, the campaign plays off the Expeditionary
Expeditionary Force. Many fail to make the grade, but
Force’s complex nature to create adventures that empha-
enough do that it is a viable route for those hoping to
size interpersonal conflicts as much as combat. While
spend their military service exploring the uncharted
very different from other legionnaire campaigns, this
reaches of the galaxy.
one offers many rich rewards for those willing to try.
Noetic Warrior CLASS SKILLS
34 The noetic warriors represent the pinnacle of the
Noetic Order’s physical and spiritual training regime.
The noetic warrior’s class skills (and the key ability
for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex),
Combining potent psionic abilities with combat skills, Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape
34l34
they are a testament to the power of mind over matter. Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Move Silently
Noetic warriors are skilled in both unarmed and melee (Dex), Profession (Wis), Stabilize Self (Con), Swim
combat. In addition, they (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).
have learned how to use
their psionic abilities in Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int
tandem with their martial modifier.
skills, creating a potent
combination revered (and CLASS FEATURES
feared) throughout the
All of the following are class fea-
galaxy.
tures of the noetic warrior.
Noetic warriors are one of
Weapons and Armor
the most common representatives
Proficiency: A noetic warrior is
of the Noetic Order outside of its
proficient with all simple weapons,
monasteries. That is because these war-
but not with armor. Note that
riors are not always members of the order
armor check penalties for
itself. The monks accept students from all
armor heavier than leather
over the Dragon Empire who show
apply to the skills Balance,
potential. So long as a
Climb, Escape Artist, Hide,
student abides by the
Jump, Move Silently, Pick
order’s rules while study-
Pocket and Tumble. Also,
ing, it has few restrictions
Swim checks suffer a –1
about whom its masters will
penalty for every 5 pounds of
teach. Consequently, noetic warriors
armor and equipment carried.
can be found in a wide variety
Power Points: Noetic warriors
of occupations, not all of them
gain power points per day as shown on

devoted to the spiritual goals of the
Table 1-11: The Noetic Warrior. These
order that gave them birth.
power points are added to the charac-
Hit Die: d10.
ter’s previous total. Noetic warriors
gain bonus power points based on their Wisdom.
REQUIREMENTS Powers Discovered: Noetic warriors
To become a noetic war- discover powers as shown on Table 1-
rior, a character must meet all 11: The Noetic Warrior. The powers
of the following requirements. are added to the character’s previous
Alignment: Any lawful. total powers known. Psionic attack
Base Attack Bonus: and defense modes are discov-
+7. ered as though the character
Skills: Autohypnosis 4 were a psychic warrior of the
ranks, Concentration 4 same level as the prestige class
ranks, Jump 4 ranks, Tumble (characters also retain all previ-
4 ranks. ously discovered attack and
Feats: Alertness, Combat defense modes).
Reflexes, Combat Manifestation, Improved Initiative, Unarmed Strike: A noetic war-
Lightning Reflexes. rior fighting unarmed gains the
Special: Must be able to manifest psionic powers. benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and thus
does not provoke attacks of opportunity from armed
opponents that he attacks. If he has any monk levels, he
uses the unarmed damage that is higher.
Monk Multiclassing and Unarmed Attacks: The
TABLE 1-11: THE NOETIC WARRIOR 35
Base Power Powers
35r35
Class Attack Fort Ref Will Points Discovered
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special per Day 0 1 2 3
1st +0 +2 +2 +2 Unarmed Strike +3 – – – –
2nd +1 +2 +2 +2 Evasion +5 – – – –
3rd +2 +3 +3 +3 Bonus Feat +5 – – – –
4th +3 +3 +3 +3 Uncanny Dodge +5 1 – – –
5th +3 +4 +4 +4 Bonus Feat +7 2 – – –
6th +4 +4 +4 +4 Uncanny Dodge +7 2 1 – –
7th +5 +5 +5 +5 Bonus Feat +7 2 2 – –
8th +6 +5 +5 +5 Improved Evasion +9 2 2 1 –
9th +6 +6 +6 +6 Bonus Feat +9 2 2 2 –
10th +7 +6 +6 +6 Whirlwind Attack +9 2 2 2 1
multiclassing restrictions placed on monks do not apply Whirlwind Attack (Ex): At 10th level, a noetic war-
to the noetic warrior. A monk who gains noetic warrior rior gains the ability to make a Whirlwind Attack a num-
levels may continue to gain monk levels without restric- ber of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier. This
tion. If the noetic warrior has monk levels, his noetic ability functions exactly like the feat of the same name,
warrior base attack bonus stacks with his monk unarmed except that it is limited in the number of times per day it
attack bonus to determine the number of unarmed can be used and the character need not meet all the pre-
attacks he gets when making a full attack. requisites. If the noetic warrior already possesses
Evasion (Ex): If a noetic warrior makes a successful Whirlwind Attack, he may substitute another feat from
Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally the bonus feat list above.
deals half damage on a successful save, the noetic war-
rior instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used
The Noetic Order

if the noetic warrior is wearing light armor or no armor.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th level, a noetic
warrior gains a bonus feat, which must be chosen from
the following list: Blind-Fight, Deflect Arrows, Dodge,
PURPOSE
Cleave, Combat Manifestation, Expertise, Great Cleave, The Noetic Order exists to develop the physical and
Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, spiritual well-being of its members, including the fos-
Improved Unarmed Strike, Inertial Armor, Inner tering of psionic abilities.
Strength, Mental Leap, Mobility, Psionic Dodge, Power
Attack, Quick Draw, Speed of Thought, Spring Attack, LEADER
Stunning Fist, Sunder, Talented, Trigger Power, Two- Kasun Dowalgo (LN human male Psy8/Now10)
Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus, and
Whirlwind Attack.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 4th level and above, the
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
noetic warrior retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) There have always been mystical orders in the galaxy.
if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. At Men and women who have devoted themselves to per-
6th level, he can no longer be flanked. Only a character sonal enlightenment can be found on nearly every
who possess this uncanny dodge ability and is four lev- world, even among the barbarians of the Outlands. Until
els higher than the noetic warrior can flank him. the early Copper Age, however, there was no order with
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 8th level, the noetic war- an empire-wide influence. That all changed when an
rior’s evasion ability improves. This improved ability elven psion named Henivol the Seeker had a remarkable
works just like evasion, except that while the noetic vision. According to his later writings, Henivol’s vision
warrior still takes no damage on a successful Reflex revealed to him that the entire universe—matter and
save, he now takes only half damage on a failed save. energy—is nothing more than the manifestation of the
thoughts of the gods. By following a path of physical
deprivation and discipline, as well as mental rigor, one psionics become more widely known and accepted in
can commune with this Divine Consciousness and imperial society. This in turn has made the Noetic Order
36 become one with it. He further claimed that, through
this communion, mortal beings can take on divine char-
quite wealthy, which has led to a slight decline in its dis-
cipline and its apolitical stance. While still quite
acteristics, manipulating the laws of reality according to removed from the mainstream of imperial society, the
36l36
their own desires. order is slowly acquiescing to its influence.

Henivol set out to put his vision into practice. Using Since the dawn of the Red Age, the Noetic Order has
his own personal wealth (which was considerable, found itself in a difficult position. Its widespread nature
owing to his family’s commercial interests), the elf pur- and wealth has made it the target of pressure from the
chased a rundown orbital station in the Kulas system of emperor and his court. They wish the order to support
House Aranath’s domain. Henivol gathered around him- Mezzenbone’s initiatives more fully, as well as to share
self a small collection of followers who shared his inter- certain psionic techniques with the Adamantine Order
est in personal growth and enlightenment. These disci- and the ISPD. So far, the grand master of the order has
ples helped to establish what eventually became known politely resisted. How long he can hold out is anyone’s
as the Noetic Order. Along with Henivol, they tested and guess. Of course, if he bows to imperial pressure, he
developed new methods of harnessing the mental pow- may face a revolt among the most traditional members
ers of mortal beings, bringing them to new heights in the of the order, which could tear the organization apart. For
process. the time being, the matter remains unresolved.
The Noetic Order slowly grew over the course of cen-
turies. Its members took little interest in imperial poli- CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
tics, preferring to busy themselves with their own spiri-
Because of its relationship to psionics, the Noetic
tual concerns. This served the order well, for it gave
Order isn’t usable in every campaign. Some DMs have
them a degree of objectivity and aloofness that kept
no interest in psionics and that is perfectly fine.
them out of galactic controversies. The order has always
Moreover, psionics don’t play a huge role in
taken in students who share its interest in the Divine
Dragonstar and can be easily ignored. Of course, the
Consciousness. Its own ethical principles are broad
order could just as easily be used as a monk organiza-
enough to allow for many interpretations. Moreover, it
tion, without any reference to psionics. In that case, it
shared the imperial prejudice against delving too deeply
provides a good home for monk player characters, as
into the alignment of those who sought its wisdom.
well as a philosophy in which they can ground them-
Besides, the order taught that good and evil were noth-
selves. Purely as background color, the Noetic Order is
ing more than imperfect reflections of divine thoughts

very useful to a DM.
that were really beyond such concepts. The true reality
The order could also be used either as a villain or an
of existence was far more complicated and transcended
ally—or both. The rift between those who have become
such narrow notions. So long as a student obeyed the
enamored of wealth and those who hold true to
masters of the order and was respectful of its traditions,
Henivol’s ideas is very real and growing. It makes a
there was no problem.
great plot hook for DMs looking to introduce the Noetic
As its name suggests, the Noetic Order is concerned
Order into a campaign. It’s also a great way to show that
primarily with psionic abilities. However, not all of its
not all monks or psions have the same ideals. They are
adherents are psions or psychic warriors. Many are non-
just as prone to corruption as anyone else. Alternately,
psionic monks who have channeled their inner powers
the order could be the repository of secret spiritual wis-
in different—though no less impressive—directions.
dom that the player characters could seek. In this way, it
Over the centuries, it has expanded its original orbital
could be used as a plot hook in its own right, as the char-
base into a far more extensive facility, capable of hous-
acters seek out the guidance of an ancient master on a
ing hundreds of aspirants and students. In addition,
lonely orbital monastery in some distant star system.
daughter stations have sprung up across the Dragon
Empire. There are now branches of the Noetic Order in
every domain, as well as a handful in the Outlands.
The Noetic Order remains firmly apolitical, or at least
Royal Marshal Inspector
tries to be. Over the centuries, it has become more diffi- The Royal Marshal Service is one of the pillars of law
cult, because the order has developed a reputation for and order within the Kingdom of Qesemet. The inspec-
being peerless crafters of dorje, crystal capacitators, and tors are its most important representatives. These men
psionic items. They have no qualms about selling these and women travel the worlds of the domain in pursuit of
items to outsiders. Indeed, they have developed quite a criminals and fugitives, as well as investigating crimes
trade in them, particularly in the last hundred years, as that fall within the service’s mandate. Many of them do
so independently, without much assistance from their Silently, Pick Pocket and Tumble. Also, Swim checks
fellow inspectors or even from the Marshal Service. suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and
Others gather around themselves a band of likeminded
individuals, whose zeal for justice is as strong as theirs.
equipment carried.
Favored Criminal (Ex): Beginning at 1st level and
37
In either case, the inspector has a duty to bring the guilty increasing every other level thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, and
37r37
to account for their crimes, no matter what the cost. 9th) the royal marshal inspector gains a +1 attack bonus
Royal marshal inspectors have jurisdiction only with- against a favored criminal. The inspector receives the
in the borders of Qesemet. This means they same bonus on Listen, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot
cannot legally pursue criminals into Asamet or checks when using these skills against this specific tar-
the Outlands without receiving permission to do get. The bonus normally applies only to a single crimi-
so, which is rarely given. Consequently, inspec- nal, and the inspector must announce the
tors tend to adopt a restrained approach to law target before each adventure.
enforcement, lest the objects of their investiga- Mandate (Ex): A royal mar-
tions flee to safety elsewhere before they can shal inspector is empowered
be captured. This has given inspectors the to act as an agent of the law
reputation of being thoughtful and incor- within the Kingdom of
ruptible agents of the law—a true rarity as Qesemet and its
the shadow of the Red Age grows longer. colonies. This means
Hit Die: d10. that any subjects of
that kingdom, as well
REQUIREMENTS as any government
officials within it,
To become a royal marshal inspector,
are obliged to pro-
a character must meet all the following
vide all reasonable
criteria.
assistance in com-
pleting his current
Alignment: Lawful good or lawful
assignment. Failure
neutral.
to do so is a crime,
Skills: Diplomacy 4 ranks, Gather
as is any attempt to
Information 4 ranks, Knowledge (imper-
hinder the inspec-
ial law) 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks.

tor’s investigation.
Feats: Technical Proficiency
The character may
add his class level as
CLASS SKILLS a bonus to all
The royal marshal inspector’s class skills Charisma checks
(and the key ability for each skill) are Climb and Charisma-
(Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather based skill checks
Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), made when interacting
Knowledge (imperial law) (Int), Listen with others in an official
(Wis), Pilot (Dex), Search (Int), Sense capacity.
Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Wilderness Bonus Feat: At 2nd
Lore (Wis). level, the character may
Skill Points at Each Additional select a single feat from the
Level: 2 + Int modifier. fighter’s list of bonus
feats.
CLASS FEATURES Incorruptible (Su):
At 4th level, the inspector
All of the following are class features of the
becomes immune to the specific effects of any mind-
royal marshal inspector.
affecting spells that would compel him to act contrary to
Weapon Proficiency: The royal marshal inspector is
the laws of Qesemet. This does not make him immune
proficient with all simple and martial weapons as well
to such spells absolutely, only attempts to make him cir-
as light and medium armor. Note that armor check
cumvent his duties under the law. Thus, an inspector
penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the
could be affected by charm person but only so long as
skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move
its caster did not attempt to make the inspector act con-
38 TABLE 1-12: THE ROYAL MARSHAL
Base
38l38

1st +1 +1 +0 +1 Favored criminal +1, mandate
2nd +2 +2 +1 +2 Bonus feat
3rd +3 +2 +1 +2 Favored criminal +2
4th +4 +3 +1 +3 Incorruptible
5th +5 +3 +2 +3 Favored criminal +3
6th +6 +4 +2 +4 Posse
8th +8 +5 +3 +5 Improved posse
10th +10 +6 +3 +6 Chief inspector
trary to the law. The moment the caster makes such a CURRENT ACTIVITIES
demand of the inspector, the spell is immediately bro-
Although the Golden and Iron Kingdoms are both
ken.
integral parts of the Dragon Empire, sharing many insti-
Posse (Ex): At 6th level, the inspector can form a
tutions and laws, they are also governed separately.
posse made up of NPC royal marshals whose total lev-
Indeed, when it comes to many aspects of internal
els do not exceed the character’s class level plus
affairs, Qesemet and Asamet are very different domains.
Charisma bonus (if any). The members of this posse are
One of the most profound differences comes with regard
bound by the same restrictions as any other marshal.
to law enforcement. Qesemet possesses several distinct
Royal marshals are typically paladins, though they may
law enforcement agencies, each with its own mandate
also have rogue or cleric levels.
and jurisdiction. In some cases, there are jurisdictional
Improved Posse (Ex): At 8th level, the inspector’s
gray areas, which complicate the investigation of crimes

posse can be made up of NPC marshals whose total lev-
and their subsequent prosecution. The dragons of
els do not exceed twice the character’s class level plus
Asamet mock their good brethren for this, arguing that
Charisma bonus (if any).
it is both inefficient and costly. If Qesemet wishes to
Chief Inspector (Ex): At 10th level, the chief inspec-
fight crime successfully, they say, it would make more
tor’s authority expands to allow him to cross into
sense to centralize legal authority and empower its
Asamet territory or the Outlands in pursuit of a fugitive
agents more fully, as they have done in their domain.
or when investigating a lead directly related to his cur-
The Golden Kingdom has shown little interest in
rent case. In such cases, he may use any of his other
aping their evil counterparts. Instead, they make the
class abilities in these areas as well, under agreements
case that the interests of their subjects are best served by
made between the two dragon kingdoms. However, he
maintaining several different agencies, lest any one
must not overstep the limitations of this ability or he
become so powerful that it actually becomes an imped-
may face prosecution in the Iron Kingdom.
iment to justice. The Royal Marshal Service is one of
the most important of these agencies. Charged primari-
Royal Marshal Service ly with internal security, organized crime, and coun-
terespionage activities, the marshals are Qesemet’s first
line of defense against the worst threats that arise with-
PURPOSE in its borders. That is, the marshals have jurisdiction
The Royal Marshal Service exists to maintain law and only within the territories of the Golden Kingdom and
order within the Kingdom of Qesemet. not beyond it, at least not without special dispensation
from their superiors. This means that they rarely venture
LEADER into the Outlands or into areas held by Asamet.
The crimes the marshals investigate are typically
Solorik Gija (LG human female Pal10/Roy10)
“high profile” in nature, which is to say domain-wide in
their implications. In principle, the marshals could this in mind, whether marshals appear as PCs or NPCs.
involve themselves in anything that affects the whole of The Royal Marshal Service is an honorable institution
the Golden Kingdom. In fact, however, they rarely get
involved in purely local matters, leaving such investiga-
where loose cannons and other such renegades have no
place.
39
tions to planetary law enforcement agents. As antagonists, marshals are implacable. They do not
39r39
Consequently, the marshals focus on organized crime, give up easily. Most look upon each investigation they
espionage, and terrorism, since these and similar crimes take up as a test of their personal commitment to law
can impact the whole of Qesemet. As one might expect, and order. Thus, they rarely allow a criminal to escape
the Black Hole Syndicate is a great enemy of the mar- unless they are dead or injured beyond their ability to
shals, as are those members of the Insurrection that continue the pursuit. This is an important element of the
make no distinction between good and evil in their acts RMS that DMs should bear in mind. If the PCs run afoul
of rebellion. of a marshal, he will not let up until he has either cap-
The Royal Marshal Service has always been known tured them or is permanently taken out of the picture. It
for its careful and indeed restrained approach to law is little wonder that many criminals flee into the
enforcement. Its agents are not flamboyant or prone to Outlands or even the Dark Zone to escape them.
act rashly. They are, if anything, methodical and slow-
paced, since they understand that the key to success is in
laying a proper foundation for the conclusion of the Unification Missionary
investigation. In addition, marshals recognize the limits The Unification Church is one of the greatest institu-
of their mandate. They do not wish to act until they are tions in the Dragon Empire. Its clerics tend to the spiri-
certain of success. Otherwise, they risk sending their tual needs of billions of imperial subjects, providing
quarry into regions where they have no legal authority sound doctrines that have kept the empire strong and
to act. relatively free of religious strife for millennia.
Since Mezzenbone assumed the throne, the reputation Unfortunately, the worlds of the Outlands are not so
of the Royal Marshal Service has increased consider- blessed. They know nothing of the Church or the
ably. Though Asamet only grudgingly respects the prophet Nasuit’s great religious revolution.
RMS’s abilities, most imperial subjects look upon the Consequently, it falls to missionaries to teach these poor
marshals as wholly incorruptible and beyond reproach. ignorant souls about the Church and its dogmas.
Their fame as fair and impartial lawmen is widely dis- Missionaries are unusual individuals who are willing to
seminated, which has added to their legend across the leave the empire and live among the Outlanders, learn-

galaxy. As a new age dawns on the Dragon Empire, ing their ways so as to lead them to the Church’s own
where naked ambition and the flouting of law for per- truths. Missionaries are selected for their religious
sonal gain is rewarded, the Royal Marshal Service knowledge and preaching ability. By their words alone,
stands out even more as a beacon of hope and justice they are able to fascinate and inspire even the most
under the law. jaded of listeners. Those who have heard their words
often come to accept their wisdom and convert to the
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION Unification Church—the very reason they are sent out
into the wilds of the galaxy.
The Royal Marshal Service is an excellent addition to
Hit Die: d8.
any Dragonstar campaign. Marshals make excellent
patrons, since they often use independent agents to
assist them in their investigations. The RMS is also a REQUIREMENTS
great organization to which a player character can To become a unification missionary, a character must
belong. Marshals usually operate with minimal support meet all of the following requirements.
from their headquarters, roaming Qesemet looking to Diplomacy: 8 ranks.
solve crimes and fight enemies of the kingdom. Of Knowledge (religion): 8 ranks.
course, their methodical nature might be problematic for Perform (oration): 8 ranks
players who enjoy more fast-paced adventures. Spells: Ability to cast 3rd-level divine spells.
This isn’t to say that marshals are boring and lack
moments of action, since that is certainly not true.
However, the fact remains that the marshals acquired
CLASS SKILLS
their sterling reputation by generally undertaking their The Unification Missionary’s class skills (and the key
work “by the book.” They are not vigilantes; they are ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration
agents of the law and they act like it. DMs should bear (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Heal (Wis),
40 TABLE 1-13: THE UNIFICATION MISSIONARY
Base
40l40

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Silver tongue +1 +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +3 +1 +3 Bonus language +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +3 +1 +3 Fascinating preacher,
silver tongue +2 +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +4 +1 +4 Bonus language +1 level of existing class
5th +2 +4 +2 +4 Silver tongue +3 +1 level of existing class
6th +3 +5 +2 +5 Courageous preacher,
bonus language +1 level of existing class
7th +3 +5 +2 +5 Silver tongue +4 +1 level of existing class
9th +4 +6 +3 +6 Great preacher,
silver tongue +5 +1 level of existing class
Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Silver Tongue (Ex): Beginning at 1st level and every
Profession (Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), Sense other level thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th), the mis-
Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). sionary gains a +1 bonus on all Charisma checks and
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier. Charisma-based skill checks used while preaching the
gospel of the Unification Church. The bonus applies to
CLASS FEATURES these skills only when they are used for this purpose.
Bonus Language (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level and
All of the following are class features of the unifica-
every other level thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, 10th), the mis-
tion missionary.
sionary learns a new language for free. This language
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A unification
can be any one to which the character has been exposed,
missionary is proficient with all simple weapons and
although at the DM’s discretion another language can be
light armor. Note that armor check penalties for armor
substituted.
Fascinating Preacher (Ex): At 3rd level, the mis-
Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket
sionary gains the ability to fascinate those who listen to
his preaching about the faith of the Unification Church.
Any creature to be fascinated must be able to see and
Spells per Day: A missionary continues his training
hear the missionary and must be within 90 feet. The
in divine magic. Thus, when a new missionary level is
missionary must also see the creature. The creature must
gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he
be able to pay attention to the missionary. The distrac-
had also gained a level in a spellcasting class he
tion of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the
belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does
ability from working. The missionary makes a
not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that
Diplomacy check, and the target can negate the effect
class would have gained (improved chance of control-
with a Will saving throw equal to or greater than the
ling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation
missionary’s check result. If the saving throw succeeds,
feats, and so on). This essentially means that he adds the
the missionary cannot attempt to fascinate that creature
level of missionary to the level of some other spellcast-
again for 24 hours. If the saving throw fails, the creature
ing class the character has, then determines spells per
sits quietly and listens to the missionary’s sermon for up
day and caster level accordingly.
to 1 round per class level of the missionary. While fas-
If a character had more than one spellcasting class
cinated, the target’s Spot and Listen checks suffer a –4
before he became a unification missionary, he must
penalty. Any potential threat (such as an ally of the mis-
decide to which class he adds each level of missionary
sionary moving behind the fascinated creature) allows
for purposes of determining spells per day.
the fascinated creature a second saving throw against a it fails to take into account the fact that that loose frame-
new Diplomacy check result. Any obvious threat, such work of beliefs has kept the lid on religious strife for
as casting a spell, drawing a sword, or aiming, automat-
ically breaks the effect.
millennia. By creating a structure that could accommo-
date a wide variety of beliefs, the prophet Nasuit laid
41
Courageous Preacher (Su): At 6th level, the mis- one of the cornerstones of imperial rule. Without the
41r41
sionary gains the ability to inspire followers of the Unification Church, there is little doubt that the Dragon
Unification Church to perform acts of zealous devotion. Empire would never have lasted a hundred years, let
To be affected, an ally must hear the missionary preach alone five thousand.
for a full round. The effect lasts as long as the mission- Even more important is the fact that the Church
ary preaches and for 5 rounds after the missionary stops enables Outlanders to place themselves and their beliefs
preaching (or 5 rounds after the ally can no longer hear within this galaxy-spanning structure. The Church is the
the missionary). While preaching, the missionary can great assimilator. When an Outlander first encounters
fight but cannot cast spells, activate magic items by the empire, he may find it hard to imagine a place for
spell completion (such as scrolls), or activate magic himself. While he might take the existence of other
items by magic word (such as wands). Affected allies races like himself as one means of doing so, he might
receive a +2 morale bonus to saving throws against also look on the Church as that means. Knowing that his
charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus to attack own god is actually a reflection of the widely wor-
and weapon damage rolls. shipped Father, for example, is comforting. The
Great Preacher (Su): At 9th level, the missionary Outlander understands that he is not an outcast within
gains the ability to inspire greatness in his followers. the empire—and neither are his beliefs.
This ability can affect only one creature at this level and To facilitate this understanding, the Unification
an additional creature at 10th level. To inspire greatness, Church sponsors dozens of missionary societies to
the missionary must preach and the creature must hear spread the teachings of the faith to the far-flung worlds
the missionary preach for a full round, as with coura- of the galaxy. Foremost among them are the Missionary
geous preacher above. The creature must also be within Evangelists of Nasuit. Led by a half-dragon cleric of
30 feet. A creature inspired with greatness gains tempo- House Deserene, the Evangelists focus on the Outlands,
rary hit points, attack bonuses, and saving throw bonus- which they believe to be most in need of their ministra-
es as long as he or she hears the missionary continue to tions. They do this in two ways. The first—and most
preach and for 5 rounds thereafter. straightforward—is done when a new world is added to
The target gains the following benefits: the empire’s territory. Evangelists visit that world, work

• +2d10 temporary hit points. with the local religious leaders, and instruct them in the
• +2 sacred bonus on attack rolls. Unification Church’s own doctrines so that they can
• +1 sacred bonus on Fortitude saves. make a smooth transition after being annexed. The
Evangelists approach this as a solemn duty and under-
The Missionary Evangelists of Nasuit take it with remarkable zeal, which may explain their
equally remarkable success rate.
The second way in which the Evangelists spread the
PURPOSE teachings of the Church is covertly. Undercover mis-
sionaries visit an Outlands world and work behind the
The Evangelists exist to spread the teachings of the scenes to make the world more pliable and ultimately
Unification Church across the galaxy. accepting of the Church’s theology. This usually takes
the form of public debates or discussions that subtly
LEADER introduce Unification ideas to a world. It never involves
Davilis Gastari (LG half-dragon male Clr10/Unm10) undermining local authorities, however—at least not in
the case of the Missionary Evangelists. While other mis-
sionary societies might do so, they do not. They believe
CURRENT ACTIVITIES that even ignorant Outlanders should be treated with
Along with the office of the emperor, the Unification respect. After all, Nasuit believed that all but the most
Church is one of the single most important institutions misguided of religions contained a shard of the ultimate
in the Dragon Empire. That’s not obvious to many out- truth that the Unification Church teaches. To treat local
siders, who underestimate the Church’s role. To them, it faiths with contempt would be to deny this.
is just a loose framework of beliefs with so much room The Evangelists have recently found their position in
for individual interpretation that it’s barely a coherent the empire weakened. The advent of the Red Age has
entity at all. This observation is true as far as it goes, but thrown them into disfavor. While there is no outright
persecution of them or their open-minded approach to
missionary work, it is not patronized by the imperial RES Trailblazer
42 court as it once was. Instead, more rapacious societies
receive the lion’s share of imperial sanction. This makes
The Royal Exploratory Service is one of the oldest
institutions of galactic exploration in the Dragon
the Evangelists’ work harder, as they must contend with Empire. Its field agents, called trailblazers, travel into
42l42
fewer resources and a dwindling number of new mem- the Outlands and visit its many worlds, bringing back a
bers. Nevertheless, they soldier on in memory of the wealth of cultural and scientific information. These men
Church’s founder, who launched one of the greatest reli- and women are trained to operate far from home and
gious revolutions in galactic without technological support, since many
history. Outlands worlds are not only remote but primi-
tive. Unlike many other imperial exploratory ser-
CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION vices, the RES focuses on
The Missionary Evangelists of Nasuit can personal interaction and
serve two valuable purposes in a Dragonstar cam- diplomacy. Trailblazers
paign. First, in a game where the player characters are trained to pick up
begin as Outlanders, the Evangelists can be languages quickly and to
conduits of knowledge about the galaxy at use social rather than combat
large. They are good-aligned and skills to achieve their goals.
open-minded. This makes them This prestige class repre-
excellent contacts for the PCs, as sents the basic level of
they slowly acclimate themselves to training given to all trail-
the strange galaxy in which they have blazers, regardless of the
suddenly found themselves. team to which they are
In other types of Dragonstar cam- assigned. It is a trailblaz-
paigns, the Evangelists make great er’s other classes that
patrons or contacts for cleric charac- provide him with the
ters. They can sponsor missions to skills and feats that mark
Outlands worlds, whether contacted him as suitable as either a
or still unaware of the empire. In the Science or Contact Team
latter case, this opens up the possibil- member, for example. The
ity of covert operations, with cleric RES actively recruits new

characters engaging in “guerril- trailblazers from among a
la theology.” This is clearly an wide variety of classes and
unusual type of campaign, but races, in order to give it access
it can also be a rewarding one, to many resources. Consequently, nearly
as the characters struggle with con- anyone who shares the
vincing Outlanders of the truth of the Service’s goals and ideals
Unification Church and thereby may become a trailblazer.
paving the way for their integration Hit Die: d8.
into the empire.
The Evangelists also provide a vehi- REQUIREMENTS
cle for DMs looking to send the charac- To become an RES trailblazer, a
ters to more traditional fantasy worlds. character must meet all of the follow-
The Evangelists work on hundreds of ing requirements.
different planets, many of which might Alignment: Any non-evil.
be locales for epic quests and adventures of a Skills: Diplomacy 8
familiar and welcome sort. While such ranks, Gather Information 6
adventures aren’t always suitable as the ranks, Wilderness Lore 8 ranks.
focus of a Dragonstar game, they can make Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Track.
a nice change of pace.
TABLE 1-14: THE RES TRAILBLAZER 43
Base
43r43
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Bonus language, intuit direction
2nd +2 +3 +3 +1 Frontier diplomat +2
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Bonus language, trackless step
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Frontier diplomat +4
5th +5 +4 +4 +2 Bonus language, find the path
6th +6 +5 +5 +2 Frontier diplomat +6, disease immunity
7th +7 +5 +5 +2 Bonus language, outlands weapons
9th +9 +6 +6 +3 Bonus language, outlands weapons
CLASS SKILLS Outlands. This bonus can be used to counter the usual
penalties for dealing with those from a different culture
The trailblazer’s class skills (and the key ability for
than oneself (see Starfarer’s Handbook, page 72).
each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int),
Trackless Step (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, a trailblaz-
Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Hide
er leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be
(Dex), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge
tracked.
(nature) (Int), Listen (Wis), Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex),
Find the Path (Sp): Once per day, the trailblazer may
Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis),
use find the path as a spell-like ability, as a sorcerer of
Search (Int), Swim (Str), and Wilderness lore (Wis).
his class level.
Disease Immunity (Ex): At 6th level, the trailblazer
becomes immune to all diseases, including magical dis-

CLASS FEATURES eases such as mummy rot and lycanthropy, due to his
All of the following are class features of the RES extensive travel throughout the galaxy and exposure to
trailblazer. its many ailments.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A trailblazer is Outlands Weapons: Because of his extensive travel
proficient with all simple and martial weapons and light among the worlds of the Outlands, the trailblazer gains
or medium armor. Note that armor check penalties for the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat in a weapon of his
armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, choice, usually one not commonly found in the Dragon
Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Empire.
Pocket and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1
penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment car-
ried. The Royal Exploratory Service
Bonus Language: At 1st level and every other level
thereafter (3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th), the trailblazer gains a PURPOSE
bonus language, which he may choose from any lan-
The RES pushes back the boundaries of ignorance by
guages available in the Dragonstar setting.
exploring the unknown regions of the galaxy.
Intuit Direction (Ex): Beginning at 1st level, the
trailblazer may take 10 on any Intuit Direction check,
even when stress or distractions would otherwise pre- LEADER
vent him from doing so. Velfana Sarde (CG elf female Drd9/Tra10)
Frontier Diplomat: Beginning at 2nd level and
increasing every second level thereafter (4th, 6th, 8th, CURRENT ACTIVITIES
and 10th), the trailblazer gains a +2 bonus to all
Like so many institutions of the Dragon Empire, the
Diplomacy checks when dealing with inhabitants of the
Royal Exploratory Service began as an organ of the
Kingdom of Qesemet before the foundation of the ing in the Outlands concluded that there was an
empire itself. The Golden Kingdom has always been increased incidence of outsider activity in the region,
44 interested in expanding knowledge for its own sake. The
grand dukes of the kingdom have a long tradition of
almost all of it fiendish in nature. The RES now believes
that the galaxy may be seeing a rise in the number of
funding explorers and missionaries who travel into the evil outsiders for purposes still unknown. Whether this
44l44
Outlands, both to bring those worlds into the kingdom is connected to Mezzenbone’s assumption of imperial
but also to bring back unusual knowledge. rule is yet to be determined.
During the great war between the two kingdoms, the Under Mezzenbone, the pace of exploration and con-
RES served as an intelligence service for Qesemet. Its quest of the Outlands has quickened. Therefore, the RES
trailblazers traveled into enemy-held territory and used is never without work, even if it would prefer to operate
their remarkable covert skills to gather information and under better conditions. The organization’s goals remain
report back to their superiors. The RES proved so effec- the same as ever—acquiring knowledge of the galaxy—
tive that the dragons of Asamet eventually began target- even though Asamet now controls the empire.
ing its agents specifically, which only encouraged the
trailblazers to hone their talents even further. In the CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
process, they also developed a hatred for the Iron
The Royal Exploratory Service is easily added to any
Kingdom and its minions, a hatred that continued well
Dragonstar campaign. On the most basic level, RES
after the signing of the Imperial Charter that ended hos-
trailblazers are heroic explorers who provide a great
tilities between the two realms.
way to introduce the player characters to exploration
Since the foundation of the empire, the RES has
adventures. They make excellent patrons or allies as
remained under the protection of Qesemet, even if its
well. In games where the PCs begin the campaign as
mandate has been expanded somewhat to include
Outlanders, an RES Contact Team might be the first
worlds in or near Asamet space. In general, trailblazers
imperial subjects they meet. Consequently, they could
avoid having anything to do with the Iron Kingdom,
serve as a bridge between an ordinary fantasy world and
since more often than not Asamet wishes to acquire
the wider reality of the Dragon Empire.
knowledge for selfish ends, many of which threaten the
At the same time, the Service is an espionage agency.
safety of the Golden Kingdom. Mostly, though, the RES
DMs looking for ways to add intrigue and suspense to
works in the Outlands, where it can go about its business
their campaigns might find the RES to their liking.
in relative peace, since neither dragon kingdom has a
Unlike more traditional espionage agencies, the Service
sizable presence along the wild fringe of the empire.
has a wider mandate and draws from a somewhat unusu-
The trailblazers that make up the RES are divided into

al pool of agents. In addition, its extensive operations in
several different teams, none of which are immutable.
the Outlands give the DM a great way to employ a wide
That is, members of the RES frequently move from one
variety of exotic locales. Missions against agents of
team to another, depending on their skills, desires, and
Asamet can take place on any number of fantasy worlds,
the needs of the Service. The three most prevalent team
which is an incredible boon for DMs that want to intro-
types are Explorer, Contact, and Science. The first two
duce unusual settings to his Dragonstar campaign.
are by far the most prevalent. They engage in explo-
Finally, the RES is busy investigating the sudden
ration of unknown worlds and first contact with primi-
appearance of evil outsiders in the Outlands. If the DM
tive races respectively. Rounding out the teams are the
wants to include elements of occult horror or supernat-
Science Teams, which investigate unusual phenomena
ural conspiracies in his campaign, the RES is a good
of both a scientific and magical nature.
conduit through which to do so. Even as an aside to a
Over the last few centuries, the RES has engaged in
“normal” campaign, these elements can serve useful
an extensive examination of the Outlands, exploring and
purposes. Because Dragonstar doesn’t deal heavily
cataloging both known and previously unknown planets
with outsiders, their presence can add a sense of mystery
and races. This has led to the creation of an immense
to the setting, which is invaluable. Even in a campaign
database, known as the Survey, which provides basic
setting as epic and civilized as the Dragon Empire,
information on every world in the known galaxy. The
there’s always room for a little mystery.
RES adds to its contents every year and expands and
corrects older entries as new information comes to light.
This alone makes the Service invaluable to the Dragon
Empire, as even Asamet finds much use in the Survey.
Of late, however, the trailblazers of the RES have
been focusing on other matters more intensively. Shortly
before the dawn of the Red Age, Science Teams work-
benefit a character of that class would have gained
Scientific Arcanist (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead,
The Guild of Scientific Spellcraft advocates the use of
scientific methods and techniques in the study and prac-
metamagic or item creation
feats, and so on).
45
tice of arcane magic. Its members seek out the underly-
45r45
ing principles of magic, so that they may better pursue
their own craft. Scientific arcanists are thus very unusu-
al individuals in the Dragon Empire. They have little
interest in combining technology and magic, but they do
see value in adopting the scientific method to improve
their own talents. Consequently, scientific arcanists
excel at metamagic and possess many other abilities that
enable them to work the stuff of raw arcane energy,
shaping it and twisting it into whatever forms they wish.
Though few take up the vocation of scientific spellcraft,
there can be no denying its effectiveness.
Hit Die: d4.
REQUIREMENTS
To become a scientific arcanist, a character must meet
all of the following requirements.
Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 10 ranks, Knowledge
(physics) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks.
Feats: Any three metamagic feats, Skill Focus
(Spellcraft), Technical Proficiency.
Spells: Ability to cast 4th-level arcane spells.
CLASS SKILLS
The scientific arcanist’s class skills (and the key abil-

ity for each skill) are Alchemy (Int), Concentration
(Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individ-
ually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Research
(Wis), Scry (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Use Device (Int), and
Use Magic Device (Cha, exclusive skill).
CLASS FEATURES
All of the following are class features of the scientif-
ic arcanist.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A scientific
arcanist gains no proficiency in any weapon or armor.
Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than
Spells per Day: A scientific arcanist continues train-
ing in magic as well as her field of research. Thus, when
a scientific arcanist level is gained, the character gains
new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in a
spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the
prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other
46 TABLE 1-15: THE SCIENTIFIC ARCANIST
Base
46l46

1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Improved counterspell +1 level of existing class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 +1 level of existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Arcane ray +1 level of existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 Energy conversion +1 level of existing class
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Arcane ray +1 level of existing class
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 Arcane ray +1 level of existing class
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Metamagic mastery +1 level of existing class
This essentially means that she adds the level of scien- points of damage.
tific arcanist to the level of some other spellcasting class At 3rd level, the scientific arcanist can convert only
the character has, then determines spells per day and spells of 5th level or lower. At 6th level, she may con-
caster level accordingly. vert spells of up to 9th level. At 9th level, converted
If a character had more than one spellcasting class spells deal 1d8 points of damage per level of the spell
before she became a scientific arcanist, she must decide converted, to a maximum of 9d8 points of damage.
to which class she adds each level of scientific arcanist Energy Conversion (Ex): At 4th level, the scientific
for purposes of determining spells per day when she arcanist may convert the energy type (acid, cold, fire,
adds the new level. electricity, or sonic) of a spell to another type at the cost
Improved Counterspell (Su): At 1st level, the scien- of an additional spell slot of the same level. Thus, to
tific arcanist gains the ability to counterspell even if she convert a fireball to a sonicball would cost two 3rd-level
does not currently have the same spell memorized as the spell slots. In all other respects, the spell is prepared and
one she wishes to counterspell. Instead, she may counter cast exactly the same as normal.
with a different spell if she expends a prepared spell of Metamagic Mastery (Ex): At 10th level, the scien-
one level higher than the spell to be countered. For tific arcanist may lower the effective level of all spells
example, a sorcerer casts lightning bolt against the sci- affected by metamagic feats by one. Thus, if she wishes
entific arcanist and she wishes to counterspell but does to cast a maximized fireball, its effective level is only 5
not have lightning bolt prepared. With this ability, she rather than 6 as is usual for the Maximize Spell feat.
could counterspell with improved invisibility, since it is This ability is usable on a number of spells per day equal
a 4th-level spell. This ability still requires the scientific to the scientific arcanist’s Intelligence modifier (mini-
arcanist first to make a Spellcraft check to determine her mum 1).
opponent’s spell. The scientific arcanist can only
counter arcane spells with this ability.
Metamagic Feat: At 2nd level and every three levels The Guild of Scientific Spellcraft
thereafter (5th and 8th), the scientific arcanist gains a
bonus metamagic feat.
Arcane Ray (Su): At 3rd level, the scientific arcanist
PURPOSE
can convert one of her prepared spells to pure arcane The Guild promotes cooperation between magic and
energy, which she may then cast as a ray. The character technology, with an emphasis on magic as the highest
must make a ranged touch attack to succeed. The arcane form of mortal endeavor.
ray has close range (25 feet + 5 feet per caster level) and
inflicts 1d6 points of damage per level of the spell con- LEADER
verted. Thus, a 2nd-level spell that is converted deals Teja Rijala (N human female Sor10/Sar10)
2d6 points of damage, while a 5th-level spell deals 5d6
CURRENT ACTIVITIES more impressive—forms of magic.
Unsurprisingly, the Guild is viewed with suspicion by
In the Dragon Empire, magic and technology are the
two pillars upon which galactic governance rests.
mechanists and technomancers, who consider it a snob-
bish clique. Such criticisms are certainly valid in many
47
Neither rules the day, for both have their limits and
respects. In fact, many wizards are dubious of the Guild,
unique fields of expertise. Consequently, there have
47r47
if only because of the preponderance of sorcerers in its
long been those who have believed that the secret to true
ranks. Many of the group’s leaders have pretensions of
power was in the mastery of both. The Guild of
nobility and seek to make alliances with royal houses
Scientific Spellcraft is made up of those who share this
and the grand dukes. Not all Guildsmen follow this pat-
belief. Guildsmen combine the boons of technology
tern, of course, but enough do that it has led to some
with the magical aptitudes to gain greater powers than
resentment among wizards and those with more democ-
would be possible by limiting themselves to only one. In
ratic sensibilities. At the same time, the Guild is home to
this respect, they are much like the technomancers,
many scientific arcanists of remarkable skill. It would
except that the Guild emphasizes magic over technolo-
be an exaggeration to say the Dragon Empire depends
gy, which it considers the highest form of mortal activi-
on them, but it would likewise be an error to discount
ty. This attitude has its origins in the original founders of
the positive influence they have had over the millennia.
the Guild, many of whom were sorcerers and who asso-
Without scientific arcanists, the galaxy would be a far
ciated magic with nobility. To this day, there are a sur-
less pleasant and well-governed place.
prisingly large number of sorcerers among its members,
including the majority of its governing council.
Despite this, the Guild does not disdain technology— CAMPAIGN INTEGRATION
far from it. They recognize it as the key to the control of The Guild of Scientific Spellcraft can serve two pri-
the galaxy. Without many technological wonders, the mary purposes in a Dragonstar game. The first is to
Dragon Empire would be impossible. Consequently, provide an organization devoted to the other side of the
many Guildsmen are as astute in the fields of science magic/technology spectrum, a counterpoint to techno-
and technology as any mechanist. They cultivate under- mancers and others like them. Guildsmen are, as their
standing of their inner workings and governing princi- name suggests, scientific arcanists rather than magical
ples, since they see in them the foundations of the uni- engineers. They see in technology a methodology to
verse itself. Guildsmen likewise respect the skills of emulate in the development of magic but have relative-
mechanists and other workers of technology. They con- ly little interest in augmenting technology through
sider them the finest craftsmen in the galaxy, particular- magic. They prefer to leave such menial work to tech-

ly gnomes and dwarves, who were among the first to nomancers and mechanists, toward whom they show
raise technology to its present levels of sophistication. respect tempered with arrogance. After all, Guildsmen
Yet, technology is a craft, not an art. It is menial and know that theirs is the truly noble calling.
even crude. It is also profoundly limited. Technology The second purpose of the Guild is to provide anoth-
can build starships but it is magic that allows them to er hook for DMs wishing to develop the sorcerer/wizard
live up to their name. Without the starcasters that only divide in their Dragonstar campaigns. While sorcerers
magic can fashion, these mighty vessels could not form and wizards are not blood enemies, there is friction
the basis for a galactic empire. Magic is thus the true between them. Sorcerers see themselves as the rightful
key to the universe. lords of arcane magic, owing to their draconic heritage.
These attitudes reveal the Guild’s primary focus: The Guild shares this prejudice and carries it forward to
using technology to enhance the efficacy of magic. The new heights. Of course, the irony is that wizards are just
Guild was thus an early proponent of such advances as as capable of becoming scientific arcanists as sorcerers,
spellbook software, scrollware, and spellware, among which causes further strife within the organization.
other developments. Indeed, the Guild excels at the cre-
ation of spellware, the sale of which has made the orga-
nization quite wealthy, far more so than almost any
other non-governmental group in the galaxy. Guildsmen
Legendary Classes
are much sought after when a noble or aristcorp wishes Legendary classes present high-level options for char-
to produce certain types of magical technology. Unlike acters on the verge of greatness, whose names will be
the technomancers, scientific spellcasters have little scribed eternally and against whose deeds each man
interest in simply using magic to enhance technology. shall measure his own. Although similar in concept and
They prefer the opposite path, namely using the princi- appearance to prestige classes, they represent far more.
ples of science and technology to create newer—and They describe the pinnacle of a profession or culture,
the kind of opportunity that only appears once in a gen- prerequisites of the class upon announcing his inten-
eration. Someone who decides to walk the path of a leg- tions, but he must meet them before taking the first leg-
48 endary class may be fulfilling his people’s oldest myth
or a society’s greatest fear. It is never an easy path, nor
endary class level. If he does not, the same penalty
described above applies.
one many would choose. Those who do take up the
48l48
mantle award themselves great power as well as great THE POWER

danger, and only the boldest are able to fulfill their des-
Legendary characters have access to powers and abil-
tiny.
ities beyond the reach of those who have chosen ordi-
The names and game statistics of the legendary class-
nary lives and less impressive legacies. They also wield
es and the game rules derived from the d20 System
greater control over the development of their powers
Reference Document are designated as Open Game
than other characters, having choices to make as they
Content.
rise in level and power. Even though two characters
march down the same path, each may end up quite dif-
CLASS MECHANICS ferently depending on these choices.
Legendary classes have all the same progressions as For each legendary class level gained, the character
normal classes: base attack bonus, saving throws, and may choose one special ability from those listed. The
special abilities. They also have unique class skill pack- power and scope of this ability are determined at that
ages and proficiencies. Like a prestige class, there are time and do not increase as the character goes up in lev-
prerequisites that must be fulfilled before the first leg- els. This is known as the ability’s power level. No power
endary class level may be selected. Some of these are may be chosen more than once. This always means a
left open for the DM’s discretion, so that he can cus- sacrifice for the character, but sometimes the rewards of
tomize them to his home campaign. This allows the DM patience are worth the wait.
to include feats from official sources that have not been
released as Open Game Content. EXAMPLE POWERS OF A 5TH-LEVEL REBEL
Hidden Allies I: Once per week, the rebel can gain
THE PREPARATION resources equivalent in value to 5,000 cr from secret
A character must announce his intention to take a leg- allies and supporters.
endary class well in advance of ever taking a level in it. Master of the Covert Arts II: The rebel gains a +10
In game terms, this represents the character trying to legendary bonus on Disguise, Hide, Innuendo, and
catch the attention of a deity or powerful extra-planar Move Silently checks.

being, applying for a position within an organization, or Relentless III: The rebel gains a +3 legendary bonus
channeling the spirits of his ancestors. Two levels before on saving throws to resist the effects of drowning,
the character takes his first legendary class level, he fatigue, exposure, starvation, or thirst. When his hit
must announce his commitment. This means that if points drop below 0, he can continue taking partial
Dorin decides to become a legendary rebel at 13th level, actions until his hit points drop below –3.
he must announce his intention no later than the point at Enhanced Constitution IV: The rebel gains a +4 leg-
which he reaches 11th level. Once the character has endary bonus to Constitution.
announced the level at which he will become a legend, Enhanced Charisma: The rebel gains a +5 legendary
there is no turning back. bonus to Charisma.
Each legendary class has among its prerequisites a list
of quests, each of which must be fulfilled in between the THE PRICE
time of commitment and the acquisition of the first level
Once a character has begun to walk the path of a leg-
of the class. The character may not complete them
end, he may not turn back even if his faith is shattered
before he announces his intentions. Once each quest has
or his kingdom lost. The forces acting upon him are
been fulfilled and all other prerequisites are met, the
great, and he cannot resist the tidal wave of fate he has
character may take a legendary class level.
chosen to ride. Once a character chooses to take a leg-
Legends wait for no man. If some or all of the quests
endary class level, he may not choose any other classes
go unfulfilled, the character may not advance in level
until the legendary class has been completed. Although
until they are. All excess experience gained in the mean-
this may seem restrictive, it is a small price to pay for
time is lost. This means that in the above example, if
the power and prestige afforded a legend.
Dran reached 77,999 experience points without com-
pleting the quests, he would gain no more experience
until he had done so. The character need not meet all the
The Faithful Servant
Although extraordinarily powerful, the emperor is not
the sole source of power in the Dragon Empire. Without
49
the cooperation of the grand dukes, the empire would
49r49
not have lasted for millennia. The leaders of the royal
houses provide much needed stability and act as a
check—albeit a mild one—against imperial malfea-
sance. Even under a tyrant like Mezzenbone, the grand
dukes wield remarkable influence and only a fool would
fail to recognize the central role they play in the galaxy.
To assist them in this role, many grand dukes employ
a favored minion, an individual of draconic ancestry
whom they trust above all others and to whom they turn
when troubles arise. These faithful servants represent
the pinnacle of power among the servitors of the grand
dukes. There is, at most, only one such person serving
each royal house and they enjoy the complete confi-
dence of their draconic masters. Part troubleshooters
and part diplomats, faithful servants act as the grand
dukes’ senses, limbs, and if need be, weapons.
Depending on the nature of their lord, a faithful servant
is either revered or feared within his house’s territory.
Hit Die: d8.
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a faithful servant, a character
must fulfill the following requirements.
Alignment: Same as the grand duke the
character serves.

Charisma: 15+.
Skills: Diplomacy or Intimidate 15 ranks,
Gather Information 12 ranks, Knowledge
(appropriate royal house) 7 ranks.
Feats: Dragonblood, Leadership,
Technical Proficiency, any one feat of the
DM’s choice.
QUESTS
• The character must travel to at least five
different worlds within the territory of the grand duke he
wishes to serve and stay on each world for at least a
week. While there, he must execute a special mission
that serves the interests of the grand duke. Naturally,
what constitutes the “interests” of the grand duke varies
from royal house to royal house.
• The character must win a personal audience with the
grand duke of his intended royal house, during which he
must convince his master to accept him as his faithful
servant. The character has only this one chance and,
should he fail, he can never again seek to serve the same
grand duke.
50 TABLE 1-16: THE FAITHFUL SERVANT
Base
50l50

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Faithful Servant Ability I
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Faithful Servant Ability II
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Faithful Servant Ability III
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Faithful Servant Ability IV
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Faithful Servant Ability V
CLASS SKILLS Enhanced Charisma: The character gains a +1 leg-

endary bonus to his Charisma per power level. This is a
The faithful servant’s class skills (and the key ability
one-time bonus.
for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy
Enhanced Wisdom: The character gains a +1 leg-
(Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Innuendo (Wis),
endary bonus to his Wisdom per power level. This is a
Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills, taken individu-
one-time bonus.
ally) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive
Master Diplomat (Ex): Due to the character’s close
(Wis), Spot (Wis), and Search (Int).
association with his grand duke, he is better able to con-
vince others to act as he—and his master—see fit. He
gains a +5 bonus per power level on Bluff, Diplomacy,
CLASS FEATURES and Intimidate checks.
All the following are class features of the faithful ser- Smite Enemy (Ex): Once per day per power level,
vant legendary class. the faithful servant can smite any being whose align-
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A faithful servant ment is diametrically opposed to that of his grand duke.
is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and This attack gains a +1 bonus to the attack roll and a +2
light and medium armor. Note that armor check penal- bonus to the damage roll per power level.
ties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills
Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move
Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also, Swim checks The Galactic Conqueror
suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and Many factions within the Dragon Empire do not like
equipment carried. to admit it, but the present extent of the empire owes at
least as much to violence as to diplomacy—if not more
FAITHFUL SERVANT ABILITIES so. Both the kingdoms of Asamet and Qesemet incorpo-
rate new worlds into their territories by force of arms.
Ducal Resources (Ex): Being a faithful servant, the
The Imperial Legions exist as much to seize worlds as
character has ready access to funds, equipment, and
to protect the empire from external and internal threats.
other resources from his master. Once per week per
There is no denying that the greatest civilization the
power level, the character may obtain assistance worth
galaxy has known is built on a long history of conquest.
no more than 10,000 cr per power level. Naturally, such
Seizing an entire world in the name of the empire
assistance is available only in civilized regions of the
requires an unusual set of skills. Few individuals pos-
galaxy where the faithful servant’s grand duke has influ-
sess the talents necessary to become a galactic con-
ence. It is largely unusable in the Outlands, Dark Zone,
queror. Those who do are rightly renowned for their mil-
or the territories of other grand dukes, unless the DM
itary prowess and often employed by the Legions, indi-
determines otherwise. Durable goods, equipment, and
vidual royal houses, or other military organizations. A
other resources remain the property of the royal house
galactic conqueror is a general without equal, whose
and must be returned when they are no longer required.
skill and leadership are so great as to force entire worlds
Draw of Power (Ex): The faithful servant gains a +1
to bow down before him.
bonus to his Leadership score per power level but can
Hit Die: d10.
only attract followers dedicated to his grand duke.
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a galactic conqueror, a charac-
ter must fulfill the following requirements. 51
Skills: Intimidate 15 ranks, Profession (soldier) 12
51r51
ranks, Sense Motive 7 ranks.
Feats: Iron Will, Leadership, Martial Weapon
Proficiency, Technical Proficiency, any one feat of the
DM’s choice.
QUESTS
• The character must win no fewer than three sepa-
rate battles against an enemy that either outnumbers
him and his forces or that possesses other advan-
tages, such as better magical or technological
equipment. These victories must be recorded in
such a way that they can be verified by and
known to parties that did not participate in them.
• The character must succeed in conquering
an entire world. He cannot merely direct the
invasion and conquest of the world; he must be
personally involved in the operation. The char-
acter must fight alongside his forces and sur-
vive to boast of his victory to the entire
galaxy.
CLASS SKILLS
The galactic conqueror’s class skills (and
the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha),

Climb (Dex), Craft (Int), Demolitions (Int),
Diplomacy (Cha), Freefall (Dex), Intimidate (Cha),
Jump (Str), Pilot (Dex), and Profession (Wis), and
Sense Motive (Wis).
CLASS FEATURES
All the following are class features of the galactic
conqueror legendary class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A galactic con-
queror is proficient with all simple and martial weapons,
and all armor. Note that armor check penalties for armor
Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket,
GALACTIC CONQUEROR ABILITIES

Armor Optimization (Ex): Thanks to his years of
experience as a soldier, the galactic conqueror acquires
an almost innate understanding of how to use even the
most minimal form of armor to gain greater protection.
52 TABLE 1-17: THE GALACTIC CONQUEROR
Base
52l52

1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Galactic Conqueror Ability I
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Galactic Conqueror Ability II
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Galactic Conqueror Ability III
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Galactic Conqueror Ability IV
5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Galactic Conqueror Ability V
He gains a +1 legendary bonus to AC per power level. this diversity of opinion is encouraging to the vast
This bonus stacks with all other AC bonuses and the majority of soulmechs, there is a handful that does not
galactic conqueror keeps this bonus even if he is caught find it so. To them, it is only another reminder that they
flat-footed or if he would not normally be allowed an are not like other races, however much they try.
AC modifier for any reason. These soulmechs aspire to transcend their program-
Battle Hardened (Ex): The galactic conqueror gains ming and become true hybrid beings that exemplify the
damage reduction 1/— per power level. advantages of both organic and inorganic life. Known as
Enhanced Constitution: The character gains a +1 machine men, these individuals seek nothing less than to
legendary bonus to his Constitution per power level. bridge the gap between ordinary living beings and true
This is a one-time bonus. constructs. Machine men are rare in the extreme and
Enhanced Charisma: The character gains a +1 leg- many within the empire question their existence at all.
endary bonus to his Charisma per power level. This is a Yet all things are possible, and though difficult, the path
one-time bonus. of the machine man is a very real one that some soul-
Galactic Legions: The character gains an additional mechs choose for themselves.
group of followers that do not count against his normal Hit Die: d10.
Leadership limit. For each power level, the character

gains the listed number of followers per level for his
current Leadership score, except these followers must
REQUIREMENTS
To qualify to become a machine man, a character
all be members of the warrior NPC class. It takes a day
per power level to gather these followers, as the charac-
Race: Soulmech.
ter sends out a call to the warriors nearest to his location.
Charisma: 13+.
The character can replace slain warriors at a rate of 10
Skills: Repair 10 ranks, Sense Motive 7 ranks, Use
per day using this method.
Device 15 ranks.
Rally Round the Standard (Ex): The charisma of
Feats: Iron Will, Skill Focus (Use Device), Technical
the galactic conqueror is such that he can inspire those
Proficiency, any one feat of DM’s choice.
fighting by his side to new heights of valor. All allies
within 30 feet of the character gain 1d10 temporary hit
points per power level These hit points last for a number QUESTS
of minutes equal to the character’s power level. • The character must seek out the person who created
him, if his creation was voluntary, and convince him to
The Machine Man journey to a religious or philosophical site where they

will together spend no less than one month discussing
Few things better exemplify the wonders of the the nature of mortal existence with the priests or
Dragon Empire than the existence of soulmechs. The philosophers there. The goal is not necessarily to come
souls of sentient beings hosted within an artificial body, to any conclusions but to grapple with the very issues at
soulmechs find themselves in an unusual position in the the heart of a soulmech’s unusual existence. If the soul-
galaxy. Many races hate and fear them, seeing them as mech’s creation was involuntary, he must seek out his
unholy abominations. Others accept them as evidence of creator and destroy him.
the empire’s magical and technological greatness. While • The character must do something no other soulmech
has ever done before, such as becoming a cleric of a
human-only sect, win an empire-wide love poetry con-
test, or develop a new arcane spell. The character must
show that he has the flexibility to look beyond his limi-
53
tations, both physical and societal, and expand the hori-
53r53
zons available to soulmechs.
CLASS SKILLS
The machine man’s class skills (and the key ability for
each skill) are Craft (Wis), Disable Device (Dex),
Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Pilot
(Dex), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Research (Wis),
Sense Motive (Wis), and Use Device (Int).
CLASS FEATURES
All the following are class features of the machine
man legendary class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A machine man is
proficient with all simple weapons and light armor. Note
that armor check penalties for armor heavier than
Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.
MACHINE MAN ABILITIES

Enhanced Charisma: The character gains a +1 leg-

one-time bonus.
Enhanced Dexterity: The character gains a +1 leg-
endary bonus to his Dexterity per power level. This is a
one-time bonus.
Improved Healing (Su): The character gains the
ability to heal on his own and by divine magic. The
character may heal 2 points of damage per day per
power level naturally and may benefit from one divine
healing spell per day per power level.
Improved Upgrades: Normally, a soulmech pays
one-half the market price for upgrades in XP. This abil-
ity reduces the XP cost of upgrades by 10% per power
level.
Machine Will (Ex): The character gains a +2 leg-
endary bonus on Will saves per power level against all
mind-affecting spells.
Living Body (Su): The character gains the ability to
improve his physical ability scores through magic or as
he advances in level, with a maximum improvement of
+1 per power level.
Transcend Form (Su): For each power level, the
character may choose one of the following abilities: the
senses of taste and smell, the ability to breathe, the abil-
54 TABLE 1-18 THE MACHINE MAN
Base
54l54

1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Machine Man Ability I
2nd +1 +3 +0 +3 Machine Man Ability II
3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Machine Man Ability III
4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Machine Man Ability IV
5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Machine Man Ability V
ity to eat and drink (including ingest potions and drugs), Special: Class ability to perform a major upgrade.
the ability to use spellware, and invulnerability to mind-
affecting spells. QUESTS
• The character must create five different robots, at
The Master Roboticist least one of which must be of Huge size or larger.
Between them, these robots must possess class levels
Robots occupy an important niche within the Dragon
equal to the would-be master roboticist’s own.
Empire. Because they are constructs, robots can be
• The character must create a robot possessing an AI
employed in occupations living beings consider either
module and whose class levels are equal to his own.
too dangerous or too menial—or both. Since its founda-
tion, the empire has allocated immense resources to the
development and production of newer and more sophis- CLASS SKILLS
ticated robots. Those that exist today represent the The master roboticist’s class skills (and the key abili-
height of imperial technology and provide much needed ty for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Craft (Int), Disable
assistance in a wide variety of endeavors. Device (Int), Knowledge (any science or technical
Yet, many mechanists remain dissatisfied. While they knowledge skills, taken individually) (Int), Open Lock
recognize that robotics is indeed a high art within the (Dex), Profession (Wis), Repair (Int), Research (Wis),
empire, they believe it can reach still greater heights. Search (Int), and Use Device (Int).
These individuals throw themselves into research, hop- Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
ing to make breakthroughs that will revolutionize the
science of robotics. Those that succeed are known as CLASS FEATURES
master roboticists. Their insights and abilities far out-
All the following are class features of the master
strip those of their colleagues. They are the envy of
roboticist legendary class.
mechanists everywhere, particularly those that consider
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A master roboti-
the development of robots to be the ultimate calling of
cist is proficient with all simple weapons and light
their profession.
armor. Note that armor check penalties for armor heav-
Hit Die: d8.
ier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb,
Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket,
REQUIREMENTS and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for
To qualify to become a master roboticist, a character every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried.
Skills: Craft (robotics) 15 ranks, Repair 12 ranks, MASTER ROBOTICIST ABILITIES
Research 10 ranks, Use Device 12 ranks.
Superior Efficiency: The master roboticist is so
Feats: Gearhead, Remote Operation, Skill Focus
expert at his craft that he can construct robots more
(Craft [robotics]), Technical Proficiency, any one feat of
quickly and cheaply than lesser members of his voca-
the DM’s choice.
tion. For every power level, the time and credits cost of
building and upgrading robots is reduced by 10%. If the
master roboticist is a soulmech attempting to upgrade
himself, the XP cost of doing so is not
affected by this ability.
Enhanced Dexterity: The character
gains a +1 legendary bonus to his
55
Dexterity per power level. This is a
55r55
one-time bonus.
Enhanced Intelligence: The charac-
ter gains a +1 legendary bonus to his
Intelligence per power level. This is a
one-time bonus.
Find Weakness (Ex): The master
roboticist can instinctively recognize
weaknesses in robots. When attacking
one, the critical multiplier of his
weapon is increased by the power level
of this ability. If the robot is destroyed
by his attack, the character may imme-
diately make another attack at the same
attack bonus as if he possessed the
Cleave feat.
Robotic Control (Su): The charac-
ter’s knowledge of the command sys-
tems of robots is so great that he can
turn, rebuke, or control them just as a
cleric does undead. The master roboti-
cist may choose at the time he selects
this ability whether he wants to be able
to turn or rebuke and once he has made
this choice he can never change it. This
ability is usable once per day per power

level, as a cleric of the character’s level,
using his Intelligence modifier instead
of Charisma when making the check.
Robot Servants: The master roboti-
cist can create a number of robot ser-
vants equal to the power level of this
ability. Each robot can have up to two
Hit Dice per power level, as well as
upgrades worth no more than 500 cr per
power level. The robots require neither
money nor time to create. They can be
destroyed, but the master roboticist can
immediately replace them with new
robots of his design.
Unsurpassed Technician: The mas-
ter roboticist is very proficient in all
matters technical. Consequently, the
character gains a +5 bonus per power
level to all Craft, Disable Device,
Repair, and Use Device checks.
56 TABLE 1-19: THE MASTER ROBOTICIST
Base
56l56

1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Master Roboticist Ability I
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Master Roboticist Ability II
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Master Roboticist Ability III
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Master Roboticist Ability IV
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Master Roboticist Ability V
two domains of the Dragon Empire to accept him as

The Rebel their leader. This can be done through any means the
Few claim that the Dragon Empire is a utopia. Even character wishes, but the insurrectionists must accept
its most ardent defenders admit that there is much work him willingly and cannot be coerced or magically
to be done to make the galaxy a truly fair and peaceful enthralled.
place, where all races can live in harmony and seek their • The character must succeed in striking a major
own destinies without fear of oppression. Even under destructive blow against an imperial facility or institu-
the rule of Qesemet, inequality and injustice were com- tion. He must do this with no more than five other com-
monplace in many regions, leading to rebellions and panions, using only those technological and magical
political unrest against imperial rule. items that they can carry with them. The blow can take
With the arrival of the Red Age, the situation has only many forms depending on the circumstances, but it must
gotten worse. Insurrectionists have arisen in every cor- be permanently destructive, such as sabotaging an ISPD
ner of the galaxy, hoping to cast down the empire and courier ship or blowing up a military installation.
establish a democratic order. The rebel is a paragon Having done this, the character must then publicly
among the insurrectionists, a perfect example of its announce responsibility for the action on the InfoNet or
ideals. Equal parts terrorist and philosopher, the rebel is some other public information system.
either the last hope for peace and justice in the galaxy or
an anarchist without concern for the chaos he wreaks— CLASS SKILLS
or maybe a little of both. The rebel’s class skills (and the key ability for each
Hit Die: d8. skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Demolitions (Int),
Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex),
REQUIREMENTS Gather Information (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Hide
To qualify to become a rebel, a character must fulfill (Dex), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense
the following requirements. Motive (Wis), and Urban Lore (Wis).
Skills: Bluff 15 ranks, Hide 10 ranks, Innuendo 10 Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.
ranks, Move Silently 10 ranks, Sense Motive 7 ranks.
Feats: Alertness, Leadership, any one feat of the CLASS FEATURES
DM’s choice. All the following are class features of the rebel leg-
Special: The character must have suffered at the endary class.
hands of agents of the Dragon Empire. Whether that suf- Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A rebel is profi-
fering is just (in the case of a rightly convicted criminal) cient with all simple weapons and light armor. Note that
or unjust (in the case of political dissident) does not mat- armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather
ter. Rebels are born from a personal hatred of the empire apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide,
and nothing less suffices as a crucible of insurrection. Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble. Also,
Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every 5 pounds of
QUESTS armor and equipment carried.
• The character must convince the members of insur-
rectionist cells on at least five different worlds in at least
57r57
57

58 TABLE 1-20: THE REBEL
Base
58l58

1st +1 +0 +2 +2 Rebel Ability I
2nd +2 +0 +3 +3 Rebel Ability II
3rd +3 +1 +3 +3 Rebel Ability III
4th +4 +1 +4 +4 Rebel Ability IV
5th +5 +1 +4 +4 Rebel Ability V
REBEL ABILITIES Propagandize (Ex): Through the power of his orato-

ry alone, the rebel is able to make other creatures friend-
Enhanced Charisma: The character gains a +1 leg-
lier to his cause. Once per power level per day, the rebel
can designate one creature per point of Charisma and
one-time bonus.
alter their reactions to him, his allies, and anyone else
Enhanced Constitution: The character gains a +1
associated with the Insurrection. This creature reacts as
legendary bonus to his Constitution per power level.
if he were one level friendlier per power level, as
This is a one-time bonus.
detailed in the core rules (see Handling NPCs, NPC
Hidden Allies (Ex): Because of the esteem in which
Attitudes, DMG). There is no save against this ability,
the rebel is held among certain segments of galactic
but a targeted creature must have less HD than the rebel
society, he may draw upon their resources to aid him in
for it to take effect.
his battle against the Dragon Empire. Once per week per
Relentless (Ex): The rebel never tires in pursuit of his
power level, the character may obtain aid worth no more
goal. He gains a +1 legendary bonus per power level on
than 5,000 cr per power level. This aid can take the form
any saving throw made to resist the effects of drowning,
of cash, equipment, magic items, or simple information.
fatigue, exposure, starvation, or thirst. When his hit
The DM is the final arbiter as to both likelihood of such
points drop below 0, the rebel nevertheless remains con-

aid being available in certain locales and the cost of
scious and may perform partial actions. Even so, he con-
intangibles, such as information. Durable resources
tinues to lose one hit point per round. Until he reaches a
remain the property of their original owners and must be
negative hit point total exceeding the power level of this
returned when the rebel no longer needs them to com-
ability, the character remains conscious but disabled.
plete his objective.
Once his negative hit points drop below the power level
Master of the Covert Arts: Because of the necessity
of this ability, the rebel falls unconscious and is dying.
that the ISPD or other imperial authorities never catch
He dies when he reaches –10 hit points just like any
him, the rebel is a master of remaining unseen. He gains
other character.
a +5 legendary bonus per power level on Disguise,
Hide, Innuendo, and Move Silently checks.
CHAPTER TWO
59
59r59
FEATS AND SCHOOLS
Feats Combat Awareness [General]
You have an unnatural ability to predict your oppo-
The following section presents a number of new feats nent’s attacks.
for use in the Dragonstar campaign setting. This sec- Prerequisites: Alertness, Sense Motive skill.
tion is designated as Open Game Content. Benefit: After spending four combat rounds observ-
ing a single opponent as a move-equivalent action, you
Blood Bond [Bloodline] may add your Intelligence modifier to your Armor Class
against this opponent.
You can channel the power that flows through your
veins into a specific weapon, making it more effective in
Dark Zone Veteran [General]
CHAPTER TWO: FEATS AND SCHOOLS

combat.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +9, Cha 15+, Greater You have braved the dangers of the Dark Zone—and
Dragonblood, Improved Critical (weapon), Weapon survived.
Focus (weapon), Weapon Specialization (weapon). Prerequisites: Character level 3+.
Benefit: You must choose a single melee weapon Benefit: Your experiences on the barren worlds of the
with which to form a blood bond. Once you have cho- Dark Zone have toughened you, giving you a +1 bonus
sen it, you must invest it with a portion of your essence to your Fortitude saves. In addition, you gain a +4 bonus
by reducing your total hit points by 5. In exchange, you to your Wilderness Lore checks on any Dark Zone plan-
gain a +2 bonus to all attack rolls and a +4 bonus to all et.
damage rolls while using this particular weapon. These
bonuses are limited to the particular weapon with which
you have chosen to bond and no other, not even another Dead Eye [General]
weapon of the same type. You are exceptionally skilled at dealing damage with
Special: If your bonded weapon is ever destroyed or ranged weapons.
lost for more than a month, you regain your lost hit Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +5, Crack Shot.
points and no longer gain the bonuses associated with a Benefit: Against targets within 30 feet, as a full-round
blood bond. You can gain a new blood bond weapon if action, you may make a single ranged attack and apply
you again invest 5 hit points into a weapon of your your Dexterity modifier to damage as well as to your
choice. This feat cannot be chosen more than once. attack roll. This feat has no effect against creatures that
Therefore, you may never have more than one bonded are not subject to critical hits, such as constructs and
weapon at a time. undead.
Normal: Your Dexterity modifier applies only to your
attack roll.
Good Memory [General]
60 You are better able to retain information you aquire.
Prerequisite: Int 13+.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to any three Knowledge
60l60
skills of your choice.
Greater Dragonblood [Bloodline]

You have learned to draw upon your draconic her-
itage, gaining additional benefits that set you apart from
others with the same heritage.
Prerequisite: Dragonblood.
Benefit: You may choose a single elemental descrip-
tor (acid, cold, fire, electricity, or sonic) appropriate to
the type of dragon to whom you are related. You gain
resistance 5 against that energy type. This effect is per-
manent and does not stack with spells such as resist ele-
ments and protection from elements.
Hotshot [General]
You are a pilot without equal.
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Pilot skill, Technical
Proficiency.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus to all Pilot checks made
while attempting a maneuver (see Vehicle Combat,
Starfarer’s Handbook, pages 153–154).
Destructive Spell [Metamagic]

You can increase the destructiveness of your spells. Imperial Education [General]
Prerequisite: Spellcaster level 5+. You have attended a university or institution of high-
Benefit: You can increase the maximum damage of er learning in the Dragon Empire.
any spell by a number of dice equal to your spellcasting Prerequisite: Int 11+.
ability modifier. Thus, a 10th-level sorcerer with a 15 Benefit: You may choose three Knowledge skills as
Charisma would increase the maximum damage of his your specialties, gaining a +1 bonus on all checks with
fireball to 12d6. Of course, the other rules for determin- them. In addition, these Knowledge skills are now con-
ing spell damage remain the same. In the example, the sidered class skills for you.
sorcerer’s fireball would still only inflict 10d6 points of
damage, since he is of insufficient level to do any more.
A Destructive Spell uses up a spell slot one level higher Instinctual Defense [Bloodline]
than its actual level. Casting defensively is almost instinctual, thanks to
your draconic heritage.
Expert Gunner [General] Prerequisites: Concentration skill, Dragonblood.
Benefit: If you fail your Concentration check while
You are adept firing weapons from a vehicle. casting defensively, you may choose not to lose the spell
Prerequisite: Gunner. but only provoke an attack of opportunity instead.
Benefit: The penalty on ranged attack rolls for your Normal: The character must make a Concentration
vehicle’s speed is quartered. For example, the penalty to check (DC 15 + the level of the spell the character is
a ranged attack from a vehicle moving at speed 20 casting) to avoid provoking an attack of opportunity.
would be –2 instead of –6 (see Vehicle Combat, The character loses the spell if he fails.
Starfarer’s Handbook, page 157). Special: If you are hit by the attack of opportunity
provoked by the failed Concentration check, you must
make yet another Concentration check or lose the spell time giving you an additional spell slot per day but not
as normal. the knowledge of any additional spells. You may never
take this feat more times than your Charisma modifier.
61
Internal Compass [General] Resist Radiation [General]
61r61
You have an unshakeable sense of direction.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Intuit Direction You are highly resistant to the effects of radiation
and Navigate checks. exposure.
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves
Jury Rig [General] against radiation. In addition, your chance of contract-

ing radiation poisoning is reduced to 5% per dose to
You have a knack for finding just the right parts for which you have been exposed.
repairs. Special: You may only take this feat as a 1st-level
Prerequisite: Repair skill. character.
Benefit: Except in the most unusual of circumstances
(DM’s option), you can always find substitute parts for
any repair attempt. You never suffer the “have no parts” Robotic Familiar [General]
penalty to DC for your Repair checks (see Starfarer’s You may replace your normal familiar with a robotic
Handbook, page 82). Likewise, the circumstance penal- one.
ty for using improvised tools is dropped to –1. Prerequisites: Ability to summon a familiar.
Normal: If you’re forced to use improvised tools, you Benefit: You can choose a robot of Small size or less
suffer a –2 circumstance penalty. Only mechanists and to be your familiar. This feat functions exactly like the
characters with at least 5 ranks in a corresponding Craft summon familiar class ability, except that the robot is
skill can attempt a repair job with a DC higher than 20. not actually summoned but constructed specifically for
the purpose. The summoner must pay the cost of con-
Legion Etiquette [General] struction. The robot then gains all the benefits of a nor-
mal familiar, except that it has no special ability. The
You know how to talk to soldiers and gain their trust. robot familiar does not grant you any bonuses beyond
those common to all familiars.

Prerequisites: Legion Training.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to all Charisma checks Special: You may freely upgrade your robotic famil-
and Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive iar as you wish. If, in upgrading, it gains an ability cov-
checks when dealing with members of the Imperial ered by a familiar special ability, such as speech, it does
Legions. not gain any other ability instead.
Legion Training [General] Savant [General]

You have received basic training for service in the You have special insights into narrow topics of inves-
Imperial Legions. tigation.
Benefit: You gain Martial Weapon Proficiency Prerequisites: Int 15+, Knowledge (any) skill.
(assault carbine) and Simple Weapon Proficiency Benefit: You gain a +4 insight bonus on skill checks
(heavy autopistol). in a single Knowledge skill in which you already have
ranks.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, but
Minor Magic [Bloodline] each time it must apply to a different Knowledge skill in
You can cast 0-level arcane spells (cantrips), thanks to which you already have ranks.
your draconic heritage.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) skill, Greater
Dragonblood. Science of Magic [Metamagic]
Benefit: You manifest instinctual knowledge of a You have studied esoteric mathematical models of
number 0-level arcane spells equal to your Charisma magical effects and can manipulate the formulae of
modifier. You may cast one of these spells per day these models to increase the power of your spells.
unprepared, as if a sorcerer of the same character level. Prerequisites: Int 15+, Heighten Spell, Knowledge
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, each (arcana) skill.
62 TABLE 2-1: FORMULAE MODIFIERS
Number of Formulae Caster Spell
62l62
Formulae Modifier Level Bonus Level Bonus

1 +2 +1 +1
2 +4 +2 +1
3 +6 +2 +2
4 +8 +3 +2
5 +10 +3 +3
Benefit: By manipulating magical mathematical for-

mulae during casting, you can increase your effective Sense Enchantment [Bloodline]
caster level and the spell’s effective level when casting Your draconic heritage opens your eyes to the magic
a spell, without having to prepare that spell in a higher that suffuses the universe.
slot or losing a higher slot upon casting. It takes longer Prerequisite: Greater Dragonblood.
than normal to cast a spell with Science of Magic. If its Benefit: You can sense whether an object, place, or
normal casting time is 1 action, casting a metamagic creature is magical or operating under the effects of
spell is a full-round action. For spells with a longer cast- magic, whether it be a spell, an artifact, or some other
ing time, it takes twice as long to cast the spell. form of enchantment. This feat functions much like a
Using Science of Magic requires a Knowledge weakened version of the spell detect magic, except that
(arcana) check. Choose the number of magical formulae it does not function automatically. Instead, you must
you attempt to manipulate. The DC is 10 + spell level + make a Wisdom check against DC 15. If successful, you
formulae modifier (see Table 2-1). If the check is suc- can recognize the presence of any magical auras in the
cessful, you gain the listed increases in caster level and area, as well as their number and relative strength.
spell level for determining the spell’s effects. If your Special: You cannot retry the check or take 10 or 20
Knowledge (arcana) check fails, the spell is not cast, when using this feat.
and you lose the spell or spell slot.
Scion of Asamet [Bloodline] Skill Adept [General]

You are renowned for your aptitude in a single skill.
Within your veins flows the blood of a noteworthy Prerequisite: Skill Focus (any).
dragon of the Iron Kingdom. Benefit: You gain an additional +3 bonus on all
Prerequisites: Dragonblood. checks with that skill.
Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each
Intimidate checks when dealing with inhabitants of time you take this feat, it applies to a new skill.
Asamet worlds. In addition, the DCs of your attempts to
influence the attitudes of NPCs within the Iron
Kingdom are decreased by 5. Spread Control [Metamagic]
You are able to control your spread-based area of
Scion of Qesemet [Bloodline] effect spells.
Benefit: When you cast a spell with a spread-based
Within your veins flows the blood of a noteworthy area of effect (such as fireball), you can reduce its area
dragon of the Golden Kingdom. of effect as you wish. You can control both the spell’s
Prerequisite: Dragonblood. point of origin, as well as how far from that point the
Benefit: You receive a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and effect spreads, up to its full area. A spread controlled
Sense Motive checks when dealing with inhabitants of spell takes up a spell slot one level higher than normal.
Qesemet worlds. In addition, the DCs of your attempts
to influence the attitudes of NPCs within the Golden
Kingdom are decreased by 5.
apply them in his own adventures. Typically, each mas-
Touch to Ray [Metamagic] ter offers a series of 10 lessons, each progressively more
You can cast touch spells as ray spells.
Benefit: Any spell with a range of “touch” can be pre-
difficult to learn. Once a student has learned five or
more lessons from a single master, he may in turn teach
63
pared or cast as a ranged touch attack with a range of others the tricks he knows. Each master’s body of
63r63
close (25 ft. + 5 ft. for every 2 full caster levels). A touch knowledge is known as a school, though his body of
spell prepared or cast with Touch to Ray uses up a spell knowledge is rarely presented in a codified manner.
slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level. Instead, each master draws on his experience and the
bits of knowledge gleaned from older masters to form
the basis of his instructions. Despite this scattershot
Zero-G Casting [General] approach, over the decades and centuries, a few typical
You are adept at casting spells in microgravity or zero schools have emerged that share the same lessons and
gravity. knowledge.
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Concentration skill. Each lesson must be studied in order, from the first to
Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on all Concentration last. A student cannot initially master the third lesson
checks made as a result of casting a spell in micrograv- and then proceed to the fifth or first. Furthermore, it
ity or zero gravity. becomes progressively more difficult for a student to
learn the ways of more than one school. The first school
a student studies with is known as his primary school.
Zero-G Control [General] When training in schools other than his primary one, a
You are adept at maintaining control in microgravity student must pay twice the XP costs as he struggles to
or zero gravity. juggle his original training and his new talents.
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, Freefall skill. The level cap listed on the table reflects the general
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Freefall checks. worldliness and experience a student should have before
In addition, when attempting to right yourself after hav- attempting to master a specific talent. A school’s teach-
ing spun out of control, you do not lose your Dexterity ings draw on both the master’s and the pupil’s experi-
bonus to AC. ences and knowledge. A student may attempt to learn a
Normal: Attempting to right yourself is a move- lesson if he does not meet the level cap but he must pay
an additional 20% XP to complete his training. The stu-

equivalent action that provokes an attack of opportunity.
In addition, you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC and dent struggles to keep up with the master and must
opponents get a +4 circumstance bonus on attack rolls devote additional energy to learning talents that are
against you. beyond his understanding.
COSTS AND TRAINING TIME

Schools Lesson
XP
Cost
Credit
Cost
Time
Cost
Level
Cap
This section lists several specialized schools, paths, 1 100 500 1 week 1
and traditions that characters can take advantage of to 2 300 1,000 1 day 2
develop their skills and abilities in Dragonstar. The 3 600 1,500 2 days 4
game rules and mechanics describing each lesson are 4 1,000 2,000 3 days 6
designated as Open Game Content. Background infor- 5 1,500 2,500 4 days 8
mation and flavor text is designated as closed content. 6 2,100 3,000 1 week 10
There are countless organizations, orders, factions, 7 2,800 4,000 10 days 12
and institutions in the Dragonstar setting, and many of 8 3,600 5,000 2 weeks 15
them offer specialized training to their members, stu- 9 4,500 7,000 3 weeks 18
dents, or employees. This section presents a number of 10 5,500 10,000 1 month 20
such “schools,” along with the organizations that often
offer an opportunity to participate in them. Note that
many of these are formal schools or institutions, but oth-
ers are very informal traditions or loose associations.
Celestial Wind
With the advance of technology, the mortal races have
Anyone who finds and trains under these masters of taken to the stars with a passion born of freedom. The
the ancient arts is called a student. A student may pay freedom to roam and explore as never before has, for
credits and spend XP to learn a master’s secrets and some, become the central focus of life. For those who
dedicate their lives to the stars and open space, or to the of time in their vehicles. It is important that students
open air, to travel is its own calling and its own reason. learn how to maneuver their vehicles under all condi-
64 This was the beginning of the school called the Celestial
Wind—a dedicated handful of pilots determined to
tions. This lesson teaches students how to compensate
for high speed while maneuvering, so as to maintain
make the most of their lives and their technology. The their vehicle’s mobility regardless of speed or condi-
64l64
Celestial Wind began during the rule of House Sarava, tions. This technique reduces the penalty to Pilot checks
but it claims that its philosophical roots date from the due to vehicle speed by 2.
beginning of space exploration with the Forongorn
Confederation. Lesson 3: Awareness
Motto: Follow the Wind
The galaxy is filled with a number of threats, and
ROYAL EXPLORATORY SERVICE explorers who dare to go where others do not naturally
Many of those who feel a calling to the Celestial Wind face an undue number of those threats. The Celestial
also feel naturally drawn to the Royal Exploratory Wind tries to impress on its students the importance of
Service. Both the RES and this school seek to travel detecting and identifying those threats first. Masters of
where others do not and to see what no one else in the the school familiarize their students with various forms
Dragon Empire has seen. The RES is home to many of of electronic sensors and teach them to coax the most
the students of this school who love travel for its own information from the devices. Students must also learn
sake, and the RES benefits from their piloting expertise. to recognize the data patterns that may represent uniden-
The masters of the Celestial Wind in the RES are gener- tified vessels at long range. This technique grants a +2
ally willing to share their knowledge with anyone who bonus on Use Device checks to operate vehicle sensors,
shares their passion and interest. including target acquisition and using guided weapons.
IMPERIAL SPECIAL POLICE DIRECTORATE Lesson 4: Speed

The ISPD has been charged with duties that require
travel, and the drow have never seen any reason to be Patience can be a virtue, but to the Celestial Wind it is
second best at what they do. While most of the masters generally more important to reach a destination as
quickly as possible. Students study applied physics and
of the Celestial Wind in the ISPD do not share the love

of travel of other masters, they do see the skills and learn the maneuvers and tricks that can be used to push
techniques of this school as extremely useful tools. their vehicles beyond normal limits. This technique
Theirs may not be the same benevolent interest, but they allows the student to increase the top speed of any vehi-
are just as accomplished as their associates in the RES. cle he pilots by 2.
Naturally the drow of the ISPD do not as selflessly or
freely share their knowledge, but the techniques of the Lesson 5: Navigation Sense
Celestial Wind can almost always be bought from them.
Being good pilots is of little use if students do not
LESSONS know where they are or where they are going. As the
students’ skills improve, their masters increasingly
stress the importance of navigation. The ability to navi-
Lesson 1: G Adaptation gate is essential to successful space travel and students
are forced to display or develop an affinity with the
One of the first challenges presented to students of the charts and formulae central to navigation. This tech-
Celestial Wind is adapting to the void of outer space. To nique grants a +2 bonus on Navigate checks.
prepare for it, students must train in atmospheric freefall
and in artificial or actual zero-g environments. This
helps students develop the ability to move and act with-
Lesson 6: Evasive Pilot
out unduly affecting their position. This technique
It is not uncommon for advocates of the Celestial
grants a +2 competence bonus on Freefall checks.
Wind to let their wanderlust take them into unwelcome
territory. Their role as scouts, not to mention their sur-
Lesson 2: Maneuverability vival as individuals and as a school, would be sacrificed
if they could not successfully return from their travels.
Masters of the Celestial Wind often spend a great deal Once students have demonstrated the appropriate level
65
65r65
of ability with their vehicles, their masters pass on a Lesson 9: Cautious Maneuvers

variety of small and subtle tactical maneuvers designed
to improve the survivability of a vehicle and its passen- One of the most difficult lessons a pilot can learn is
gers. This technique grants a +1 dodge bonus to AC for how to prevent his vehicle from being detected by
any vehicle piloted by the student. enemy sensors. There are some tricks that can be used to
minimize an opponent’s ability to detect a ship. Students
Lesson 7: Improved Control learning this lesson must train on simulators and in
staged encounters, all with the goal of learning how to
Advanced students of the Celestial Wind learn to coax minimize their vehicles’ effect on the environment.
even more speed from their vehicles. These improved Sometimes this lesson may be the difference between
skills allow students to more rapidly reach top speeds detection and evasion. This technique allows the student
and to more safely bring their vehicles to a stop. This to increase the stealth rating of any vehicle by 2.
technique increases the acceleration and deceleration of
any vehicle piloted by the student by 1. Lesson 10: Mastery
Lesson 8: Improved Speed The difference between a pilot who has learned most
of the lessons the Celestial Wind has to offer and one
Members of the Celestial Wind are often infamous for who has reached the pinnacle of the art is really a small
not being satisfied with a good thing. They insist on one. But the difference is also telling when the two are
having the best and on being the best. As a matter of compared. This final lesson generally encompasses
pride, masters of the Celestial Wind pass on to their stu- everything the master knows about how to get the most
dents all they know about how to coax ever greater out of any vehicle, and once the student has learned this
speed from their vehicles. This technique increases the lesson, the two usually part ways. This technique grants
top speed of any vehicle piloted by the student by an a +4 competence bonus on all Pilot checks.
additional 2.
Children of the Blade Lesson 2: Parry
66 The advance of technology has developed a variety of
powerful ranged weapons. Some, however, remain ded-
Once the Children have imparted improved reflexes
on their students, they teach the ability to use those reac-
icated to the practice of hand-to-hand combat. Whether tions to defend. By watching melee opponents, the
66l66
it is out of devotion to a more “honest” form of fighting, Children learn to see what movements come before an
or merely a passing interest in an obsolete style of com- attack. Such perceptive wisdom when facing a real
bat, the Children of the Blade continue to learn and mas- opponent allows the Children to better prepare them-
ter the art of sword fighting in an age of blasters and selves to fend off an attack. This technique grants a +2
starships. dodge bonus against melee attacks. This technique is
Motto: Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword effective against only a single melee opponent. If the
student is in combat with more than one opponent, she
THE ETERNAL ORDER OF NIGHT must select which opponent to use the technique against
The blackguards of the Eternal Order do not always and this decision lasts until the student’s next turn.
agree on how to serve their dark god. There are some
among their number who favor the use of archaic, prim- Lesson 3: Grace of the Fallen
itive weapons in battle—or modern variants of those
weapons. Some claim it increases the emotional power During a lifetime of battles, the Children of the Blade
and intimidating fear, others that it merely makes the find themselves in disadvantageous positions with regu-
murders and other evil deeds more personal and thus larity. As part of their training in dealing with not only
more evocative. Individual reasons may vary between other melee fighters but also ranged attacks, the
masters, but there can be no doubt that several of the Children study how to use cover and move as fluidly as
powerful blackguards to be found in the Eternal Order possible. This technique allows the student to stand up
are also masters of the Children of the Blade fighting from a prone position as a free action, rather than a
school. move-equivalent action.
ROYAL EXPLORATORY SERVICE Lesson 4: Strike the Craven Blade

The duties of the Royal Exploratory Service bring its

agents into contact with primitive worlds on the edge of Mastery of melee combat requires that the Children
known space on a regular basis. There are a growing not only control their own weapon, but that they learn
number of these agents who favor the use of archaic control of their opponents’ weapons as well. By learning
melee weapons as a solid defense on backwater planets. to anticipate the moves and attacks of their enemies, stu-
Blasters and lasers would call attention to an agent dents learn how to attack their opponents’ weapons
working among primitives who do not know of such effectively. This technique grants a +2 competence
things. Where discretion is important, it is clear that the bonus to disarm attempts and attacks against the oppo-
proponents of this school are most effective on undevel- nent’s weapon.
oped planets.
Lesson 5: Rain of Steel
LESSONS
Though the Children focus on the use of archaic
weapons, they also train to use those weapons at a dis-
Lesson 1: Quick Reflexes tance. At times, there can be no substitute for ranged
attacks and students of this school learn to use their
In any battle, quick thinking and quicker reactions can melee weapons as thrown weapons for those moments
keep a person alive. By placing students in dangerous of desperation. Thrown melee weapons of the student’s
situations and inflicting dosed electric shocks, the size or smaller have a range increment of 10 ft. Thrown
Children teach their students to react quickly and to use melee weapons one size category larger than the wield-
their intuition. In times of battle when fast reflexes and er have a range increment of only 5 ft.
intuitive decision-making are called for, this training
becomes very useful. This technique grants students a
+1 bonus to attack rolls on any attacks of opportunity. Lesson 6: Shielding Blade
The true test of the Children’s philosophy is when
they face an opponent using ranged attacks. The same Lesson 10: The Art of Defense
lessons of observing one’s opponent are of use against
more distant opponents. With careful observation, tim-
ing, and quick reflexes, the Children can often avoid
The final mastery for the Children of the Blade is to
learn the art of defense. Multiple attackers challenge
67
ranged attacks. This technique grants a +2 dodge bonus students so that they might learn how better to defend
67r67
against ranged attacks, as long as the student is not in themselves against several attacks while still maintain-
melee combat with any other opponents. Like parry, this ing the ability to inflict damage themselves. This tech-
technique is only useful against one opponent at a time. nique allows the student to use the total defense option
in combat and still make a single melee attack. The stu-
Lesson 7: Favored Weapon dent gains the normal benefits for fighting with total
defense and may move his normal speed, plus make one
The majority of the training the school focuses on attack at his full base attack bonus.
revolves around movements and tricks that can be
applied to any weapon. This lesson is instead centered
on a specific weapon. The Children who are the accept- Duelists
ed masters of the student’s chosen weapon design a The Duelists are a school of pistoleers who train to
series of exercises and challenges. When the student has make themselves the masters of one-on-one ranged
passed all challenges, he has mastered this technique. combat. Many use these skills to battle in duels of
Favored weapon grants the student a +1 bonus to attack honor, but the drow have been known to master the tech-
rolls with one melee weapon type. niques of the Duelist in order to assassinate or intimi-
Furthermore, the selected weapon type is considered date their enemies.
one size category smaller for the student. Thus, a human Motto: For Honor.
might learn to wield a large weapon in one hand, though
even with this technique he could not wield two such
weapons. A Medium-size student might also learn to
THE CELESTIAL GUARD
wield a Medium-size weapon as if it were light, making The paladins dedicated to the Warrior are devout pro-
it easier to fight with two such weapons. ponents of honor in battle. As elite soldiers in the service
of Qesemet, they pride themselves on their ability to
face any enemy on any field of battle. The drive to be

Lesson 8: Grace of the Cat the best has led many of the Celestial Guard to master
the school of the Duelists. Their mastery renders them
As part of their continuing training, the Children of better able to face their many enemies with honor.
the Blade stress mastery of acrobatic movement.
Masters of the school teach their students by leaving
them unarmed and surrounded by opponents. Students IMPERIAL SPECIAL POLICE DIRECTORATE
must learn to move with fluidity and grace until they can The drow elves have always sought power. Their
escape the mock battle without injury. This technique ascension to the ranks of the ISPD did not change their
grants a +2 competence bonus on all Balance, Escape demeanor. Coupled with their ambition are keen minds
Artist, and Tumble checks. and quick reflexes that make the drow extremely dan-
gerous opponents in battle. Recognizing the advantages
offered by the Duelists’ school, several experienced
Lesson 9: Smite drow operatives adopted the techniques, using torture
and espionage to steal the school’s secrets from other
The Children of the Blade generally view their skills
masters.
as a defensive art. Despite this predisposition, their abil-
What the paladins of the Celestial Guard use for hon-
ities naturally also include more effective attacks with
orable combat, the drow twisted to their own dark ends.
their weapons of choice. By practicing quick strikes at
Drow do not care for honor, but mastery of ranged
vital points and learning how to discern the most vul-
weapons enhances their already formidable talents as
nerable areas of an opponent, the Children learn how
assassins. The skills of the Duelist masters among the
best to strike down their foes. This technique enables the
drow have only added to their already dangerous repu-
student to smite once per day, and the smite must be
tation.
declared before any rolls are made. The smite attack
receives a bonus on the attack roll equal to the student’s
Wisdom modifier (if positive) and a damage bonus
equal to character level.
more experienced Duelists. The first circle grants
Duelists a +1 bonus to attack rolls with a one-handed
68 ranged weapon against targets within one range incre-
ment. Attacks on targets outside that range receive no
bonus.
68l68
Lesson 3: Careful Shot

Once Duelists have mastered the basic accuracy of the
first circle, the school requires that they take care to
master the narrow environment in which they battle.
While they still practice in the limited range of the first
circle, the careful shot technique itself is of benefit at
any range. Students who master this technique may
reduce their target’s cover bonus to AC by 1 and reduce
their miss chance due to concealment by 10%.
Lesson 4: Duelist Demeanor

It has often been said that the real duel is in the eyes.
The last lesson that an aspiring Duelist must learn
before advancing to the second circle is that of
demeanor. They must master what has been referred to
as the death mask. According to masters of the tech-
nique, this is intended to prevent the opponent from
reading one’s intentions during a duel. In practical
terms, this technique is helpful in both frightening and
LESSONS tricking opponents. It also allows the Duelists to more
easily see through the feints and tricks of others, just as

they become practiced in studying themselves. Duelist
Lesson 1: Combat Stance demeanor grants a +4 competence bonus on Intimidate
checks and a +2 bonus on Bluff and Sense Motive
The combat stance technique is the most basic lesson checks used in a combat situation.
of the Duelists. Students learn how to stand and carry
themselves in a firefight. Aside from forming the basis
of the first circle technique and improved accuracy, this Lesson 5: Second Circle
lesson also assists students in ignoring distractions and
reacting to the environment without disrupting their When students of the Duelist school have mastered
aim. Combat stance grants the student a +4 dodge bonus the lessons of the first circle, they move on to the sec-
to AC against attacks of opportunity caused when mak- ond. The second circle requires that the students master
ing a ranged attack within a threatened area. This tech- an increased range and improves their precision at near-
nique works only if the student is using a one-handed er ranges to a deadly degree. The second circle grants a
ranged weapon, such as a blaster pistol or laser pistol. +1 bonus to attack rolls with a one-handed ranged
weapon against targets within two range increments, as
well as a +2 bonus to weapon damage rolls to targets
Lesson 2: First Circle within one range increment.
The circle techniques of the Duelist school teach stu-
dents to deal with their opponents with precision. The Lesson 6: Dead Aim
first circle technique imparts the basis of that precision,
but is somewhat limited in its range. Beginning students Duelists master the techniques of improved precision
work with the narrowest circles where their environ- and range, but there comes a time when striking one’s
ment is more easily understood and mastered. Greater target is no longer enough. The dead aim technique
ranges and more expansive areas are the province of teaches Duelists greater precision and allows them to
more easily hit their targets in vital areas. This doubles Lesson 10: Dragon’s Eye
the threat range of pistols, but the ability is only effec-
tive within one range increment. The last lesson learned by master Duelists is the most
deadly. By combining the techniques of dead aim and
69
Lesson 7: True Aim true aim with their mastery of the third circle, the
69r69
Duelist masters may learn the lesson of the dragon’s
As Duelists approach the third circle and true mastery eye. This technique teaches students to find an enemy’s
of their school, they learn to develop an almost super- weakness and to strike it at any range. Once per day, the
natural aim. Through meditation and practice, they learn Duelist may declare that a single ranged attack with a
to focus their will onto their weapon and target. one-handed weapon automatically hits and threatens a
Experienced Duelists learn that the attacker, the critical. A normal attack roll is still required to confirm
weapon, and the target are all part of a single concerted the critical hit.
act of firing. When they have learned and accepted this,
they have mastered this technique. True aim grants the
student a +20 insight bonus on a single ranged attack Fate Reavers
roll, but the student must first use a move-equivalent In an empire where the worship of the Destroyer and
action to focus and aim properly. True aim is usable only the Reaper is acceptable, there will always be those who
three times per day. revel in the chaos and entropy that greets the end of all
things. Most of those who are aware of the Fate Reavers
Lesson 8: Third Circle believe that this school began with the worship of either
the Destroyer or the Reaper. Some argue that the black-
The third circle is the last of the circle techniques guard orders are to blame. A few claim that the follow-
taught by the Duelists. Once the lessons of the second ers of the Dualist heresy founded the school, but upon
circle have been mastered, the third circle may be examination it is clear that the Fate Reavers existed
learned. It expands on the previous circles and teaches before Dualism.
accuracy at greater ranges. The third circle grants a +1 The Fate Reavers were given the name by detractors
bonus to attack rolls with one-handed ranged weapons who claim the school seeks to channel the forces of
at up to three range increments and a +2 bonus on entropy and chaos and to cheat or destroy fate itself. The

weapon damage rolls to targets within two range incre- few public statements made by masters of this school
ments. make it clear that they do not believe in fate, but the
name has stuck.
Motto: Touch the Darkness
Lesson 9: Deflection
The technique of deflection is simple in principle but THE HELL HOUNDS
extremely difficult to master. Duelists learn to use the These elite blackguards are trained for campaigns of
energy of their own pistols as an active defense against desolation and dedicated to the Destroyer. Some of their
other ranged attacks. With perfect timing and precise number are students of the Fate Reavers, though masters
aim, Duelists can shoot down or deflect an enemy’s of the school are rare even here. They are often eager to
ranged attack. Physical weapons, such as arrows or share their lore with fellow Hell Hounds, though others
rocks, are destroyed while energy weapons such as seeking them out to learn the techniques of the Fate
blasters or lasers are merely diverted. In order to deflect Reavers may simply find themselves victims of them
a ranged attack, the Duelist must have readied an action. instead. Rumors persist, however, that some—if not
When an enemy fires, the Duelist may then choose to all—of the master Fate Reavers in the Hell Hounds are
deflect that attack by making an attack roll of his own. open to bribery to teach all that they know.
He must roll well enough to strike the same AC as the
enemy, though he suffers a –4 penalty in the attempt. THE DESTROYER AND THE REAPER
The Duelist must declare his intention to deflect an
Little can be done to dissuade the clergy of the
enemy’s attack before the attack roll is made. Mastery of
Destroyer and the Reaper from spreading the teachings
this school allows no room for hesitation. This ability
of death and destruction. Such is the school of the Fate
can only be used with an energy weapon, such as a
Reavers, and the faiths of these two gods of the
blaster pistol or laser pistol.
Unification Church are rife with students. To the faith-
ful, sometimes to those who are simply willing to pay
for the privilege, the lessons of the Fate Reavers are fests a minor demonic attribute. These changes might be
gladly given. To the priests of these dark gods, it is clear vestigial horns, demonic eyes, sharpened teeth, a forked
70 that the more who know the art of destruction, the more
readily is the will of their gods carried out.
tongue, or any other minor change the DM considers
appropriate. Only characters of evil alignment may learn
this or subsequent techniques.
70l70
LESSONS
Lesson 5: Smite Good
Lesson 1: The Rush Once the physical change has begun, the student of
the Fate Reavers falls more firmly into the grasp of
The first lesson potential Fate Reavers must master is
darkness. The student develops the ability to smite
to feel the pull of darkness and choose to follow it. For
good. Once per day, the Fate Reaver can make a smite
some this lesson comes quickly, while others must
attack with a bonus to the attack roll equal to his
spend countless hours in meditation, embracing their
Charisma bonus (if positive) and additional damage
inner demons to entice the darkness to come to them.
equal to his character level. If the student attempts to
This technique grants the student a +1 competence
smite an opponent who is not good, the smite attempt
bonus to attack rolls and skill checks for one minute.
fails and he may not attempt it again that day.
When the rush ends, the student suffers a –2 competence
penalty to attack rolls and skill checks for one minute.
Only characters of non-good alignment may learn this Lesson 6: Fury
technique.
The anger of Fate Reavers who have progressed past
the first physical changes develops into a palpable,
Lesson 2: Anger burning rage. This technique allows the student to call
on a fury three times per day as a free action, though he
Having learned to call on the darkness, students of the
can no longer use the anger technique. The fury lasts a
Fate Reavers next learn to channel the darkness into a
number of rounds equal to half the student’s base attack
supernatural rage. The anger lasts a number of rounds
bonus. While in the fury, the student gains a +3 bonus on
equal to half the student’s base attack bonus. During this
attack rolls and damage rolls with melee weapons.
time, the Fate Reaver gains a +2 bonus on attack and

weapon damage rolls with melee weapons. Using anger
is a free action. Only characters of non-good alignment Lesson 7: Touch the Darkness
may learn this technique.
To extend their power, Fate Reavers must reach for
the darkness and actively take it. To accomplish this
Lesson 3: Quickened Step requires significant time and willpower and it brings the
taint of outer planar evil into the Fate Reaver’s body and
While progressing through the lessons of this school,
soul. This technique grants the student immunity to
students feel the exhilaration of connecting with the
energy-draining effects and fear, as well as fire resis-
dark gods. To master this technique, the student must
tance 5. These abilities are accompanied by significant
demonstrate an ability to call on the darkness for energy
physical changes in the student. Such changes might be
and ferocity at will. This increases the student’s speed
bony spikes and protrusions along the spine, a change in
by 10 feet. Only characters of non-good alignment may
skin tone and texture, or the growth of vestigial wings or
learn this technique.
tail.
Lesson 4: Tainted Soul Lesson 8: Hastened Rage

The path of darkness is an easy one to walk, but it
After a Fate Reaver has touched the darkness, a sliver
must be by the choice of the student. This lesson begins
of the power and fury of the lower planes stays forever
to show the real costs of that choice. The dark gods are
with him. This bond constantly pulls at him, anchoring
no longer content with touching the student’s body, but
him to the dark gods, but it can also be used to the stu-
begin to infiltrate his mind. This gifts the student with a
dent’s advantage. When this technique is mastered, the
talent for deceit, but also bestows minor physical
Fate Reaver may act as though hasted for up to one
changes. This technique grants a +4 competence bonus
round per character level each day. The student may use
on Bluff and Innuendo checks. The student also mani-
71
71r71
this ability as often as desired provided the total number
of rounds in one day does not exceed his character level. Guardians of Dorrugan
Early in the history of the Dragon Empire, the worlds
Lesson 9: Blood of Fire ruled by the dragon emperor Khelorn enjoyed a golden
age. When his millenium of rule came to its end, how-
Masters of the Fate Reavers learn to widen the trickle ever, many believed that the empire would not survive
of power from the sliver of the lower planes within the transition to a weaker ruler. A dwarven paladin
them. The process is one of meditation and sensation, named Dorrugan understood the dangers of handing
similar to the most basic lessons. The results are more over control of the empire to another dragon. In order to
powerful because the source of power is within the Fate help his home domain of Golion survive what he
Reaver himself. This technique grants fast healing 1. believed would be renewed warfare, he established an
order of defenders sworn to protect the welfare of the
mortal races of Golion.
Lesson 10: Embrace the Darkness His concern was misplaced, but Dorrugan died
always believing that the end could come at any time.
Having given themselves over completely to the dark-
The order he built was eventually disbanded, though the
ness, students need only to embrace what they have
philosophies they held dear and the lessons they taught
become. This is the most difficult lesson and most Fate
are carried on by the school known as the Guardians of
Reavers never master it. This technique changes the stu-
Dorrugan. Their focus is not on protecting the welfare of
dent’s creature type to outsider (evil) and grants damage
all, but individual students of the school usually attach
reduction of 10/+1. As a result, the Fate Reaver cannot
themselves to someone they believe is worthy of pro-
be affected by magic that only affects humanoids.
tecting—or who buys their services.
Motto: Wide Stands the Shield
TASK FORCE SANCTUARY Lesson 4: Protect Charge II
Some of the paladins of Task Force Sanctuary are pro-
72 ponents of the Guardians of Dorrugan. These paladins As students’ skills and abilities improve, their super-
natural ability to protect a charge is increased as well.
take their role as protectors of the welfare of soldiers
and citizens to a more personal level. They may be This technique is similar to protect charge I but has been
72l72
sworn to the protection of their commanding officer, an developed more thoroughly. As long as the Guardian is
influential civilian, or another paladin or cleric of their within 10 feet of the charge, the charge is granted a +2
order. Masters of this school are generally willing to deflection bonus to AC.
teach their lessons to anyone of good alignment, though
most prefer having other paladins as students. Lesson 5: Improved Aid Another
MENEER Guardians must learn more effective ways of fighting
As the throneworld of House Golion, Meneer has in concert with another person. The principle focus of
always had the largest population of master Guardians. this training is learning to distract and delay the oppo-
Though there is no real organization to the masters of nent so that the student’s charge gains greater protec-
Meneer, most do maintain communication and a loose tion. Often, however, the charge is an active combatant
association. On Meneer, the lessons of the Guardians as well and the Guardians train to improve their charge’s
can be bought for the right price. chance to harm the opponent. This technique grants
twice the normal bonus when the Guardian aids another
in combat. That is, the charge gains a +4 circumstance
LESSONS bonus to attack the opponent or a +4 circumstance
bonus to AC against that opponent.
Lesson 1: Name Charge
Lesson 6: Protect Charge III
The most basic ability of the Guardians is to name the
charge they will protect. A Guardian may have only one As students’ skills and abilities improve, their super-
charge at any one time. The ritual to name a charge natural ability to protect a charge is increased as well.
requires one minute, but may be performed any number
This technique is similar to protect charge I but has been

of times. While a charge is named, the Guardian gains a developed more thoroughly. As long as the Guardian is
+1 bonus to Will saving throws as long as she stays within 10 feet of the charge, the charge is granted a +3
within 10 feet of her charge. This technique grants no deflection bonus to AC.
benefits to the charge, but the connection it establishes
is the basis for many more powerful abilities.
Lesson 7: Shield Other
Lesson 2: Protect Charge I Guardians learn to develop a supernatural connection
to their charges. This connection is used to shield the
Guardians must learn to protect their charges at all charge from any damage taken. This technique requires
times. Through magical rituals, the student gains a a full round to activate and lasts for one full hour. While
supernatural ability to deflect attacks directed at the this technique is active, one-half (round down) of all hit
charge. The Guardian must be within 10 feet of the point damage that would be taken by the charge is
charge in order for this ability to function. This tech- instead suffered by the Guardian. The charge must be
nique grants the charge a +1 deflection bonus to AC. within 10 feet of the Guardian when this ability is acti-
vated but may move beyond that range later.
Lesson 3: Guardian’s Watch
Lesson 8: Protect Charge IV
The training of Guardians includes surprise attacks as
well as magical and technological illusions. These tricks As students’ skills and abilities improve, their super-
and traps are designed to keep the student in a state of natural ability to protect a charge is increased as well.
heightened awareness and to develop more attuned This technique is similar to protect charge I but has been
senses. This technique grants a +1 bonus to Listen and developed more thoroughly. As long as the Guardian is
Spot skill checks and makes Listen and Spot class skills within 10 feet of the charge, the charge is granted a +4
for the Guardian. deflection bonus to AC.
Lesson 9: Danger Sense sue a membership, it does make an excellent forum for
the exchange of ideas, formulae, and lessons. The ease
The Guardians’ continued awareness training can be
expanded to an almost supernatural degree. Their
with which wizards may find masters of this school is
one of the few advantages they have in the Dragon
73
trained alertness to surroundings becomes an automatic Empire.
73r73
thing, and students sometimes find themselves reacting
to a threat before they realized one existed. Any time the ELVEN NATION
student is required to make a check to determine sur- While the Elven Nation’s political power is waning
prise, she may roll three times and take whichever result under the rule of Mezzenbone, they remain one of the
is the best. This technique also grants a +4 bonus on ini- organizations most supportive of wizards. By the time
tiative checks. an elven wizard has learned enough to master this
school, she has usually also gained sufficient respect
Lesson 10: Protect Charge V from her peers to be granted significant social standing.
Most wizards with some elven blood who seek the tech-
As students’ skills and abilities improve, their super- niques of Ios look for a master in the Elven Nation first.
natural ability to protect a charge is increased as well.
This technique is similar to protect charge I but has been LESSONS
developed more thoroughly. As long as the Guardian is
within 10 feet of the charge, the charge is granted a +5
deflection bonus to AC. Lesson 1: Focus
The first technique of Ios is central to all of its teach-
Ios ings. Students must learn to focus their minds so as to
take in everything around them, or to concentrate on one
The Dragon Empire is a techno-magical society in
thing to the exclusion of all else. That focus serves the
that technology and magic have equally important roles.
student well in absorbing new information or concen-
Space travel would be impossible in its current scale if
trating on the tasks at hand. This technique grants a +2
not for the collaboration of technology and magic.
competence bonus on Concentration checks.
While technological devices may be mass-produced,

however, magic remains the work of dedicated and tal-
ented individuals. Furthermore, the society ruled by the Lesson 2: Study
dragons favors sorcerers over wizards for their natural
affinity with magic. All these factors often leave wiz- The ability to learn new things and to find hidden
ards, who master magic through study and effort, sec- information is forever crucial to wizards. Ios masters
ond-class citizens. recognize this fact and teach their students how to
Early in the founding of the Dragon Empire, several search the morass of information available in the mod-
powerful wizards came together in an effort to combat ern world. The ability to find what information they
the established prejudice against them. While they failed need serves the students well when they have access to
to create any lasting political or social legacy, they did libraries and databases. This technique grants a +2 com-
manage to establish a school of study known simply as petence bonus to Research checks.
Ios. This school has been dedicated to expanding the
capabilities of the mortal intellect, particularly where it Lesson 3: Learning
relates to arcane magic. The lessons of this school are
only offered to arcane spellcasters who prepare their The learning technique is the first lesson of improved
spells. recall that Ios teaches its students. Through their per-
Motto: Scire, Iubere (“To Know, To Command”) sonal experience, as well as the training of previous
lessons, students encounter a wide variety of informa-
IMPERIAL SOCIETY OF ARCANE MAGIC tion. This technique grants students a greater recall of
With a few rare exceptions, every master of Ios is also information encountered, allowing them to make
a member of the Imperial Society of Arcane Magic. This Knowledge checks untrained. Learning also provides a
grants an additional benefit to wizards who elect mem- +2 competence bonus on Knowledge checks for
bership in the society—potential access to the school of Knowledge skills in which the student has at least 1
Ios. While not all students of this school choose to pur- rank.
Lesson 4: Lore I bonus 2nd-level spell, just as if earned through having a
high spellcasting ability score. Lore II also increases the
74 Once their minds have been focused and enhanced,
students are ready to begin applying their full mental
competence bonus on Spellcraft checks to +2.
faculties to true magical abilities. This lesson is not a Lesson 7: Instant Recall
74l74
matter of greater recall, as preparing spells is not really

a matter of memory or recall, but of magical finesse and The Ios student’s improved recall and arcane finesse
power. Nevertheless, the focus and recall learned in ear- abilities lead students to improve their recall abilities of
lier lessons prepare students for increased precision in prepared spells. Instant recall is similar to some magical
magical learning and improved recognition in arcane devices used to restore prepared spells but is accom-
matters. This technique grants the student a bonus 1st- plished using only the student’s own magical under-
level spell, just as if earned through having a high spell- standing and mental prowess. This technique allows the
casting ability score. Lore I also pro- student to make a Concentration check once
vides a +1 competence bonus on per day to recall a spell already cast. The
Spellcraft checks. DC of this check is 15 + twice the spell’s
level. Instant recall requires a full
Lesson 5: Memory round action and the spell to be
recalled must have been cast no
To master this lesson, stu- more than one minute/character
dents perform a series of level before the check is made.
mental exercises and
recall enhancement med- Lesson 8: Lore III
itations. Some students
show greater improve- This lesson is similar to
ment than others, but lore I, but more effective due
there is always some to improved mental abilities.
marked increase in the This technique grants a
students’ recall abilities, bonus 3rd-level spell, just as
particularly of visual or if earned through having a

textual materials. This high spellcasting ability
technique grants the score. Lore III also increas-
student an eidetic mem- es the competence bonus on
ory, allowing precise Spellcraft checks to +3.
recall of one page of
material per point of Lesson 9: Metamagic
Intelligence over 10.
The student can “clear” Mastery
his memory at will or by
copying the recalled One of the challenges of
information, allowing Ios is to train students to
him to store new informa- be both precise and flexi-
tion. This ability does ble of mind. Most stu-
allow a wizard to pre- dents never achieve this
pare spells without a level of mastery, but those
spellbook, as long as he that do find their ability to
chooses the appropriate make changes to their spells
pages of his spellbook as the information he can recall improves. Using metamagic feats to improve or simply
from memory. alter spells becomes less taxing. This technique reduces
the spell level increases from metamagic feats by one, to
a minimum increase of one level. Prepared spells whose
Lesson 6: Lore II effective level is not changed by metamagic feats are not
affected by this technique.
This lesson is similar to lore I, but more effective due
to improved mental abilities. This technique grants a
Lesson 10: Lore IV tion. They are well concealed and difficult to target,
while the empire is rigid and slow. Talrenz and many of
This lesson is similar to lore I, but more effective due
to improved mental abilities. This technique grants a
his followers are Masters of the Wolfpack and are will-
ing to teach what they know to anyone who will help
75
bonus 4th-level spell, just as if earned through having a them combat the empire.
75r75
high spellcasting ability score. Lore IV also increases
the competence bonus on Spellcraft checks to +4. LESSONS
Order of the Wolfpack Lesson 1: Eyes of the Wolf

In the political environment of the Dragon Empire, The first lesson of the Wolfpack is silence and alert-
the supporters of unpopular beliefs may often find them- ness. Students are taught to pay attention to what hap-
selves fighting against superior numbers and superior pens around them, for a lapse of awareness often has
firepower. Facing such a situation, it is common to take grievous consequences. The Wolfpack teaches students
to hiding and attack from concealment where the to be wary of their surroundings and alert for changes,
chances of survival are greater. Over the centuries, mas- but also to watch for means of escape in case their bat-
ters of these tactics have fashioned a school of combat tle turns against them. It is better to strike hard and fade
focused on this style of guerilla warfare. By presenting away than remain and become a target for the enemy. By
no target to their enemies, the members of the Wolfpack practicing this technique, the student gains a +2 compe-
increase their own survivability and effectiveness in tence bonus to Listen and Spot checks.
dangerous situations.
Motto: Strike True From Shadow
Lesson 2: Vanishing
SPECIAL OUTLANDS ARMY RECON The second lesson of the Wolfpack is the ability to
The paladins of Special Outlands Army Recon are disappear. It is crucial before battle to vanish behind
called on to face and defeat a variety of dangerous situ- cover and concealment. It is equally important to retain
ations. In the course of their missions, SOLAR paladins the ability to disappear during a fight. The hit-and-run
often fight against heavy odds and have learned to tactics of the Wolfpack require this flexibility and

undertake guerilla campaigns as a means of ensuring the mobility of its students. The vanishing technique grants
success of their sacred trusts. Some experienced the student a +4 circumstance bonus to Hide checks
SOLAR paladins are also Masters of the Wolfpack, and when he has any degree of cover or concealment.
many of their promising young followers are taught the
fundamentals of this school.
Lesson 3: Cautious Step
THE INSURRECTION When the wolf moves, it is with care and silence. If
The political movement known as the Insurrection has one’s enemy is forewarned, a battle against the odds
a number of factions, some more prone to militant rev- grows even more dangerous. The third lesson of the
olutionary activities than others. All of these factions Wolfpack is the cautious step. In this students learn the
agree, however, that they are a minority facing the com- tricks of the masters in how to move without being
bined might of the Imperial Legions, the ISPD, and the heard. Mastery of the cautious step grants the student a
personal power of the dragon lords they oppose. +2 competence bonus on Move Silently checks.
Christopher Talrenz is a capable and charismatic leader
of one of the many cells that make up the Insurrection. Lesson 4: Wolf’s Grace
He supports the active preparation for war with the
empire and has been known to teach his followers his The strength of the Wolfpack is in making themselves
combat skills—which he learned as a member of the more difficult to harm. This technique teaches students
Imperial Legions himself—as well as his own philoso- how to move in combat so as to protect themselves more
phy of war. effectively. By improving their reflexes and learning to
Talrenz has taught those who listen that their weak- move in unexpected ways that will confuse attackers,
nesses can become strengths with the right frame of masters of the wolf’s grace technique gain a +1 dodge
mind. They are quick to react and flexible, having the bonus to AC.
autonomy that comes with a lack of central organiza-
Lesson 5: Silent Stroke opportunity caused by moving within a threatened area.
Additionally, the student gains a +2 resistance bonus on
76 It is well known among the Wolfpack that the first
stroke must count the most. If the enemy can be routed
Will saves against any effect that would hinder or slow
them, such as the hold person or slow spells.
or destroyed with the initial attack, so much the better.
76l76
If they survive, the Wolfpack often must retreat or stand Lesson 10: Last Laugh
and face defeat. The silent stroke technique teaches stu-
dents how to make their first strike most effective. The The guerilla tactics of the Wolfpack help them to sur-
student gains +1d6 points of bonus damage in the first vive confrontations against stronger foes. Their choice
attack of any battle. If the first attack misses the intend- of methods, however, also means that they retreat from
ed target, the extra damage is lost. battle regularly after they inflict some damage on their
foes. It is no wonder that the masters of the Wolfpack
Lesson 6: Wolf’s Swiftness have learned how to make the most of such retreats. By
taking the last laugh, a student may take a double move
Reaching a battlefield before the enemy and being action—moving twice his speed as usual—and still
able to retreat when necessary are central to the survival make a single ranged attack at a –4 penalty on the attack
of the Wolfpack. The wolf’s swiftness technique roll. This attack may be made at any point during the
improves the student’s mobility by training to increase move.
speed and endurance. The wolf’s swiftness technique
increases the student’s base speed by 5 feet. Soldiers of the Iron Star
Some believe that the school known as the Soldiers of
Lesson 7: Fluid Motion the Iron Star is older than the empire itself. It is believed
to have begun on a primitive and dangerous world orig-
Students of the Wolfpack continually train themselves inally contacted by the Star League in the pre-Imperial
to be as flexible as possible, both in mind and body. era. On this unnamed homeworld, conditions were said
They must be able to apply themselves to whatever to have been almost unlivable and war and death were
tasks may help them succeed in their missions. The goal common plagues. In that place of daily trial and toil,
of increasing flexibility is to reach the point of fluidity, there arose a band of warriors dedicated to building and
where the body flows smoothly from one position to defending something worthwhile and sworn to holding
another with ease, grace, and finesse. The fluid motion back chaos and destruction with their very lives if need
technique improves the dodge bonus to AC from wolf’s be.
grace to +2. With the contact of the Star League, their order spread
into the stars. With the rise of the Dragon Empire, many
Lesson 8: Cloak of Shadow masters of the Iron Star school were inducted or volun-
teers for service in the armies of the twin kingdoms.
The members of the Wolfpack use concealment where Their lore has continued to thrive through millennia of
they can to improve their chances to survive. When conflict and is now found most often in the service of
there is nowhere to hide, they learn to rely on their train- the Imperial Legions.
ing to obscure themselves. The cloak of shadows tech- Motto: Determination, Endurance, Perseverance
nique teaches the student to conceal his exact location
using tricks of movement and dress. This provides the IMPERIAL LEGIONS
student with a natural 10% miss chance when no con-
Students of the Iron Star school seem naturally drawn
cealment is available.
into service in the Imperial Legions. The school teaches
its students to stand fast in the face of death and destruc-
Lesson 9: Improved Mobility tion, and few organizations offer as many opportunities
to prove one’s beliefs as the legions. Masters of the Iron
To survive when the fight goes against them, the Star often find themselves rising in the ranks of the
Wolfpack must remain mobile and unrestrained. This armies they serve, so they most often end up in positions
technique teaches the student ways to move that will of command. Some of these commanders even go so far
improve mobility, as well as the determination to keep as to train entire units of their soldiers in the techniques
going when others might give up. This grants a +4 of the Iron Star.
dodge bonus to the student’s AC against attacks of
THE INSURRECTION AND THE PALADIN ORDERS to face any danger. The lasting strength technique grants
the student +1 hit point per level.
There are many who follow the beliefs of the Iron Star
but do not find service in the Imperial Legions satisfac-
Lesson 5: Damage Reduction
77
tory. Most often, members of the paladin orders or free-
dom fighters in the Insurrection discover the school of
77r77
the Iron Star after they have dedicated themselves to During their training, students of the Iron Star face
their respective organizations. Indeed, masters of the untold dangers and must learn to face them and survive.
Iron Star may be found anywhere that soldiers seek to Part of this training is learning to minimize the effect of
improve their world through strength and steadfast any injuries suffered. This technique grants the student
courage, though they are more common in these organi- damage reduction 1/—.
zations than in more peaceful or scholarly groups.
Lesson 6: Greater Armor
LESSONS
In order to prepare students for surviving the worst
battles, masters of the Iron Star arrange to have them
Lesson 1: Courage beaten repeatedly until they have mastered the art of
turning aside and ignoring ever-greater blows. Building
Students of the Iron Star are regularly placed in fear- on their ability to withstand glancing blows learned with
ful situations. A soldier who will break under frighten- the lesser armor technique, this technique teaches stu-
ing conditions will be of no use to the school or his com- dents to face more solid hits and greater threats without
patriots. Students face regular tests of courage and are harm. Greater armor improves the student’s natural
carefully brought face-to-face with danger and horror. armor bonus by +1.
These trials, while unpleasant, make the student a
stronger soldier, better able to face the realities of war
without breaking. Courage grants the student a +4 Lesson 7: Determination
morale bonus against both mundane and magical fear
effects. The first of the triad of the Iron Star, determination
teaches the student to carry on despite any challenges.
The singularity of purpose taught by the Iron Star bene-

Lesson 2: Soldier’s Fortitude fits students who face unnatural influences. This tech-
nique grants a +2 morale bonus on Will saving throws.
As soon as the student has the courage to face his
fears, the Iron Star tests his ability to survive what he
has learned to face. Through privation and endurance Lesson 8: Endurance
training, students are taught to survive a little longer
than otherwise possible. This technique grants a +1 In times of great stress, the Soldiers of the Iron Star
morale bonus on all Fortitude saving throws. must be able to pull through with reserves of strength.
Not only must they survive their trials, but they also
learn to dig deep and find a second strength to help them
Lesson 3: Lesser Armor when they need it most. Once per day, the student can
gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and
Once a student is able to face greater threats and sur- Constitution. The effects of this technique last for one
vive, the Iron Star teaches how to prevent those threats round per character level.
from causing harm at all. This technique improves the
student’s ability to withstand physical attacks, teaching
ways to shrug off glancing blows. Lesser armor grants a Lesson 9: Perseverance
+2 natural armor bonus to Armor Class, or improves the
student’s natural armor by +2. The ability to face physical dangers is not enough. At
times, the Soldiers of the Iron Star must do battle in
places where the environment itself strikes out and tries
Lesson 4: Lasting Strength to bring them down. To defeat such challenges, students
must face and survive the fiercest and deadliest envi-
The trials of strength and endurance that students of ronments available. This survival training grants them
the Iron Star face may change them for life. These chal- cold and fire resistance 10, but only for the purposes of
lenges, however, also make them stronger and more able environmental hazards.
Lesson 10: Iron Body and the masters teach this lesson through a barrage of
subtle visual cues and stimuli. Students learning this les-
78 The greatest masters of the school learn to improve
their ability to withstand damage. While they cannot
son suffer from headaches, nausea, and confusion.
Those who master the technique are granted a +2 com-
match the imperviousness of dragons, masters of the petence bonus to Spot and Search checks.
78l78
Iron Star do learn to shrug off some of the damage from

even the worst attacks. This technique increases the stu- Lesson 2: Path of Sakar
dent’s damage reduction to 2/—.
Students must learn to walk in the footsteps of Sakar.
Vigil of Sakar While training for this technique, painful electric shocks
are most often used to communicate the master’s dis-
In the advanced civilization of the Dragon Empire, pleasure when the student is seen. In the end, the student
information is a powerful and valuable commodity. As learns to hide and move in silence. This technique grants
with any commodity, the demand convinces many to a +2 competence bonus to Move Silently and Hide in
provide a supply and the competition among suppliers Shadows checks.
provides for higher-quality services. The Vigil of Sakar
is a school of dedicated individuals specializing in Lesson 3: Tongue of Sakar
covert operations and information brokerage. It is com-
monly believed that Sakar is either an old god predating The tongue of Sakar is the gift of language and words.
the Unification Church or a secret name for the system Students learning this technique are blindfolded for the
where the school was founded. training and must learn to rely on their hearing. They
Motto: From the Heart and Mind may be given instructions in a variety of languages and
learn to decipher the meaning on their own. This tech-
ADAMANTINE ORDER nique grants a +2 competence bonus on Listen and
The Adamantine Order has a long history of covert Innuendo checks. The character also receives one bonus
operations and intelligence gathering. Students of the language.
Vigil of Sakar are naturally drawn to the Order as the
Lesson 4: Secrecy
natural place to use their skills freely. While working

under the auspices of the Kingdom of Asamet is hardly
the best condition in which to operate, it does provide a After students learn the basic lessons of Sakar, they
unique opportunity for the students of this school to are taught the beginnings of the more arcane lessons.
hone and master their skills. Through ritual and trance, students learn to keep them-
selves mystically hidden. This technique allows the stu-
HOUSE ARANATH dent to use nondetection as a spell-like ability once per
day, as if cast by a sorcerer of the student’s character
Many of those who have interest in secrets and infor-
level. The student may only use this ability on himself.
mation are not given to an evil disposition. Such people
usually feel uncomfortable about joining the
Adamantine Order out of a natural fear of working with- Lesson 5: Understanding
in the kingdom of the chromatic dragons. Fortunately,
House Aranath has always been welcoming to the stu- The Vigil of Sakar seeks to understand patterns of
dents of the Vigil of Sakar, so long as they are willing to information as well as the way others think and feel. The
work for the good of the house and the Kingdom of training for this lesson includes both complex analytical
Qesemet. Many of the greatest masters of the school can problems as well as an intuitive grasp of information
be found on the homeworld of the brass dragons. flow. This technique grants a +2 competence bonus on
all Gather Information, Research, and Sense Motive
checks.
LESSONS
Lesson 1: Eyes of Sakar Lesson 6: Cryptolinguistics
The Vigil of Sakar continues to master language and
The students of the Vigil must first learn to see. secrets as their abilities increase. The training includes
Awareness of one’s surroundings is essential to success, word and diagram puzzles as well as mathematical for-
mulae with hidden meanings. Students study patterns
and symbology in order to master the science of cryp-
tolinguistics. This technique grants a +2 competence
bonus on Cryptography and Decipher Script checks, and
79
makes Cryptography and Decipher Script class skills.
79r79
Lesson 7: Misdirection
The training of the Vigil of Sakar includes the ability
to confuse and misdirect others with the power of
words. Students focus on word tricks, confident presen-
tation, and fast talking to confuse others. This technique
grants a +4 competence bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy
checks made outside of combat. Also, Bluff and
Diplomacy are considered class skills.
Lesson 8: Vision
True mastery of information and knowledge relies not
only on the natural cognitive process, but also on super-
natural abilities. In a universe steeped with magic, the
Vigil seeks to know everything it can, and the vision
technique turns to magic to accomplish this. Through
trance-like meditation, the student learns to see other
places, people, and things. This spell-like ability func-
tions like the scrying spell with a caster level equal to
the student’s character level.
requires extensive travel unless suitable legendary

Lesson 9: Will of Sakar things or creatures are close at hand. This spell-like abil-
ity is usable only once per day, and functions as the
The lessons of Sakar include not only discerning the vision spell cast by a sorcerer of the student’s character
secrets of others, but also the concealment of one’s own level.
secrets. As the masters say, it is the will of Sakar that
each person conceal himself from the prying eyes of
others for safety. Achieving this goal requires long peri-
ods of intense exertion of will amid magical enhance-
ment. The masters probe at the student with magical
means. Until the student can turn aside each magical
probe, the master continues with instruction, reprimand,
or punishment. This technique grants the spell-like abil-
ity to use mind blank once per day as a sorcerer of the
student’s character level. Activating the effect requires
10 minutes of meditation, and the will of Sakar can only
be used on the student.
Lesson 10: Omniscience

The final lesson of the Vigil of Sakar is omniscience.
This power allows the student to learn the lore of crea-
tures, places, and things of power. Students must work
to study the auras of legendary heroes and places, mak-
ing it a difficult lesson to master. Learning this lesson
CHAPTER THREE
80
80l80
SPELLS AND SPELLWARE

7 Might of the Dragon. Subject gains draconic qual-
Spells ities and attacks.
8 Call Dragon. Summon a dragon and request a ser-
vice of it.
This section presents new spells and clerical domains
for use in Dragonstar the names and game mechanics 9 Wyrm. You assume the form of a great dragon.
of the spells and domains are designated as Open Game * Indicates spell from PHB.
Content.
TECHNOLOGY DOMAIN
New Cleric Domains Deities: The Father, the Judge, the Magus, the
CHAPTER THREE: SPELLS AND SPELLWARE

Merchant, the Smith, the Trickster, the Creator, the
Adversary.
DRAGON DOMAIN Granted Power: Repair and Use Device are class
Deities: The Destroyer, the Judge, the Lover, the skills. You can rebuke or command normal robots (but
Mother, the Reaper, the Creator, the Adversary. not soulmechs) as an evil cleric rebukes undead. Doing
Granted Power: Once per day, you can manifest so counts against the maximum number of times per day
frightful presence as a standard action. Enemies within you can turn/rebuke undead.
a radius equal to 5 feet per cleric level are subject to the
effect if they have fewer HD than you. Creatures failing Technology Domain Spells
a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 your cleric level + your
Charisma modifier) are panicked for 1d6 rounds. 1 Assimilate. You directly access information from
Dragons are immune to this power. datachips.
2 Refuel*. You instantly fill or charge an empty fuel
Dragon Domain Spells tank, battery, or energy cell.
3 Haywire. Makes robots behave erratically for 1
1 Dragonsight. The range of your darkvision is dou- round/level.
bled and your vision is enhanced. 4 Technobabble. Affected creatures lose benefit of
2 Scales of the Dragon. Subject gains +1 natural the Technical Proficiency feat.
armor per three levels and DR/—. 5 Control High-Tech Devices. You can control any
3 Fly*. Subject flies at speed of 90. high-tech device you can see.
4 Breath Weapon. Energy attack deals 1d6 points 6 Enter the Datastream. You transform yourself into
damage per two caster levels. and travel as an electronic signal.
5 Stamina of the Dragon. You gain enhancement 7 Cyborg. You transform yourself into a synthesis of
bonus to Constitution and energy resistance. organic being and machine.
6 Dragon Magic. You gain spell-like abilities based 8 Robotic Guardians. Creates 1d4 military robots.
on the dragon type you invoke. 9 Technological Ruin. Ruins all high-tech devices in
the area except those you carry. hinders evil creatures. The creature touched radiates
* Indicates spell from Starfarer’s Handbook. light equal to a daylight spell. Against attacks from evil
creatures, those within the radius enjoy a +2 deflection
81
New Spells bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus to saves.
Furthermore, the spell blocks attempts to possess or
81r81
Several spells below target high-tech devices. For mentally control creatures within the radius (in the same
purposes of these spells, a high-tech device is any manner as protection from evil). Evil creatures within
device with electronic or sophisticated mechanical the radius must succeed at a Will save or suffer a –2
parts. Soulmechs are considered high-tech devices. morale penalty to attacks, AC, and saves for one day or
until they successfully strike the creature emanating the
ANTI-TECHNOLOGY SHELL spell.
Abjuration
Level: Drd 6 ARMS OF THE MARILITH
Components: V, S, DF Illusion (Figment)
Casting Time: 1 action Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Range: 10 ft. Components: V, S
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you Casting Time: 1 action
Duration: 10 minutes/level (D) Range: Touch
Saving Throw: See text Target: Creature touched
Spell Resistance: See text Duration: 1 minute/level
Anti-technology shell creates an invisible, mobile bar- Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
rier that prevents high-tech devices from functioning Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
within its radius and also protects creatures within the When the target of this spell moves his arms rapidly,
radius against attacks from high-tech devices. Attacks illusory duplicates of his limbs and whatever is held in
from high-tech devices simply cannot penetrate the area hand appear. These illusory arms move as if attacking
of effect. Bullets stop short and fall to the ground. and defending, masking the recipient’s actual attacks,
Energy beams dissipate harmlessly. Even gas from a defenses, and feints. As a result, the recipient enjoys a

nausea grenade is repelled from an anti-technology +2 circumstance bonus to melee attack rolls and feint
shell. High-tech devices brought into the radius cease (Bluff) checks, and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against
functioning as long as they remain within the area of melee attacks.
effect.
Anti-technology shell protects against soulmechs. A ASSIMILATE
soulmech entering or caught within the area of the spell
Transmutation
must succeed at a Will save or be rendered helpless for
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Technology 1
as long as he remains in the radius. A soulmech with
Components: V, S, F
spell resistance can resist the anti-technology shell. The
Casting Time: 1 action
soulmech’s Will save and spell resistance (if applicable)
Range: Personal
do not protect any of the soulmech’s equipment from
Target: You
this spell’s effects.
Duration: 1 hour/level
While casting this spell, you press a datachip against
ARCHON’S BLESSING your head (or otherwise close to your brain, as dictated
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Good, Mind-Affecting] by your anatomy) and gain direct access to the informa-
Level: Clr 4, Pal 4 tion stored on the datachip. For the duration of the spell,
Components: V, S, DF you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on skill checks appro-
Casting Time: 1 action priate to the datachip.
Range: Touch Focus: The datachip to be assimilated.
Area: 10-ft.-radius emanation from creature touched
Duration: 1 minute/level (see text)
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes (see text)
Archon’s blessing surrounds the touched creature with
an emanation that protects those within the radius and
BLIND AS A BAT Duration: 1 bolt of frost/level
Saving Throw: None
Transmutation
82 Level: Drd 1, Rgr 1
Spell Resistance: Yes
With this spell, you become able to project one bolt of
Components: V, S, M
frost per attack for the duration of the spell at any target
82l82
within range. If your base attack bonus is high enough

Range: Touch
and you take the full attack action, you can project more
Target: Living creature touched
than one bolt per round. You must succeed at a ranged
Duration: 1 minute/level
touch attack with a bolt to deal damage. A bolt deals 1d6
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (harmless)
points of cold damage +1 point of piercing damage per
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
two caster levels (maximum +5). All bolts of frost must
You bestow upon the creature touched the ability to
be expended within 10 minutes of the initial casting.
“see” by emitting high-frequency sounds inaudible to
most creatures. The creature gains the blindsight ability
with a range of 120 feet. A silence spell negates this CALL DRAGON
ability. While blind as a bat is in effect, the target crea- Conjuration (Calling) [see text]
ture’s normal vision is limited to a range of 10 feet. Level: Dragon 8
Material Component: A bat’s ear. Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 10 minutes
BREATH WEAPON Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One summoned dragon
Evocation [see text]
Duration: Instantaneous
Level: Dragon 4
Saving Throw: None
Components: V
Spell Resistance: No
By casting this spell, you conjure a specific type of
Range: See text
dragon (but not a specific dragon). You may ask the
Area: See text
dragon to perform one task for you, and the dragon may
request some service in return. The more demanding
Saving Throw: Reflex half
your request, the greater return favor the dragon

demands. This bargaining takes at least one round, so
When you prepare this spell, you choose one of the
any actions by the dragon begin in the round after it
following types of breath weapon: acid, lightning, fire,
arrives. If you agree to the service, the dragon performs
cold, space, or radiation. This choice determines the
the task you requested, reports back to you afterward (if
descriptor of the breath weapon spell. You must also
possible), and then returns to its home. You are honor
choose whether breath weapon takes effect as a line or
bound to perform the return favor. The dragon may
a cone. Once these choices are made, they cannot be
accept some form of payment, such as a magic item, in
changed for that particular casting of breath weapon.
return for its service. Call dragon’s descriptor is either
You can prepare more than one breath weapon spell in
evil or good, depending on the type of dragon called.
order to vary damage types and areas of effect.
Upon casting breath weapon, you exhale destructive
Dragon Called Descriptor Age of Dragon
energy. Breath weapon inflicts 1d6 points of damage per
Black dragon Evil Mature adult
two caster levels (maximum 10d6) to all creatures
Blue dragon Evil Adult
caught in the area of effect. A line area of effect is 5 feet
Brass dragon Good Adult
wide, 5 feet high, and 10 feet long per caster level. A
Bronze dragon Good Young Adult
cone area of effect has a length of 5 feet per caster level
Copper dragon Good Adult
and is as high and wide as its length.
Gold dragon Good Young adult
Green dragon Evil Adult
BOLTS OF FROST Red dragon Evil Young adult
Evocation [Cold] Silver dragon Good Young adult
Level: Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 2 White dragon Evil Mature Adult
Components: V, S
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft. 2/levels)
Effect: Ray
83
83r83
CELESTIAL LIGHT CHANGE PLACES
Conjuration (Healing) [Good] Transmutation [Teleportation]
Level: Clr 3, Pal 4 Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, DF Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 ft. Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature Target: You and one creature within range weighing
Duration: 1 round/level, up to 10 rounds no more than 50 lb./level
Saving Throw: Will half (harmless) (see text) Duration: Instantaneous
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) (see text) Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell channels positive energy into a creature Spell Resistance: Yes
within range. For the duration, the creature enjoys the You instantly switch places with your target upon
benefits of fast healing. At the beginning of each of the casting this spell, but your target is allowed a Will save
creature’s turns, it heals 1 hit point of damage per four to negate the exchange and you must overcome your tar-
caster levels. Fast healing does not permit a creature to get’s spell resistance. Your target must be visible to you,
regrow or reattach lost body parts, nor does it heal dam- within range, and cannot weigh more than 50 pounds
age from starvation, thirst, or suffocation. If the creature per caster level. If you or your target cannot fit into the
has suffered subdual damage, it heals that damage first. other location due to the exchange, the spell automati-
Celestial light damages an undead target. An undead tar- cally fails. After using change places, you and your tar-
get is permitted a Will save and SR. If the spell is suc- get cannot take any other actions until your next turn.
cessful, celestial light inflicts 1d2 points of damage per
round for the duration of the spell on the undead crea-
ture’s turn. Soulmechs cannot be healed by this spell.
CHARIOT OF THE VOID Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: 1 creature/level
Conjuration (Creation)
84 Level: Clr 9, Drd 9
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will disbelief (see text)
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 full round
84l84
With this spell, you render yourself invisible to up to

Range: 10 ft.
1 creature per level that is within both range and sight
Effect: Magical chariot capable of space travel
when cloud the mind is cast. From the perspective of the
affected creatures, you vanish from sight. Your gear
Saving Throw: None
vanishes as well.
Items dropped or put down by you remain invisible to
By means of this spell, you conjure a Huge ebon char-
the affected creatures, but items picked up do not disap-
iot that twinkles with thousands of pinpoints of light as
pear from sight, even if tucked into your clothing or a
if it were constructed of a clear night sky. The chariot
pouch. Likewise, cloud the mind cannot mask light, but
can carry yourself and 6 passengers, and you must act as
the source of light could be rendered invisible. If some
the pilot. It also has compartments that can store 1,000
item you carry when casting the spell extends more than
pounds of additional cargo. You alone control the chari-
10 feet from you, it remains invisible to the affected
ot’s speed and direction of travel. If necessary, you make
creatures. Of course, cloud the mind has no effect upon
Pilot checks with a +10 handling bonus when control-
any noise you make or odor you might emit.
ling the chariot.
Should you take any action that would normally can-
The chariot can travel on land, through the air, or
cel the invisibility spell (such as making an attack),
through the void of space itself. It has a maximum speed
affected creatures in a position to witness the action are
of 25 (1,250 feet per round or 142 miles per hour on
permitted a Will save. If an affected creature makes its
land; multiply by 10 for flight speed and by 100 for
Will save, cloud the mind is negated for that creature.
space speed). Acceleration and deceleration between
Material Component: A strip of black cloth.
modes of travel is instantaneous, and passengers and
cargo are protected by the sudden changes. For example,
a chariot of the void traveling at 400 feet per round CONTROL HIGH-TECH DEVICES
(speed 8) on the ground switches to flight and immedi- Transmutation

ately accelerates to 4,000 feet per round (speed 8 for air Level: Technology 5
travel). Within a mode of travel, the chariot has acceler- Components: V, S
ation and deceleration values of 5. Casting Time: 1 action
A chariot of the void is capable of extreme accelera- Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
tion in space. By reducing the spell’s duration by two Target: Any high-tech device up to 2 pounds/level
hours, you can cause the chariot to travel 10 times faster Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
than normal through space for one hour. For example, Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
the chariot’s normal maximum speed in space is 14,200 Spell Resistance: Yes (object)
miles per hour. If you reduce the chariot’s duration by You can control any high-tech device within range
two hours, you can travel through space at 142,000 that you can see. Your ability to control these devices
miles per hour for one hour. does not impart to the device the ability to do anything
Passengers and cargo in the chariot while it is moving it normally could not do. Furthermore, you can actively
enjoy immunity to air-based attacks, cold, heat, radia- control only one device at a time, doing so as a standard
tion, and exposure to vacuum. The chariot provides 1g action. You can switch control from one device to
of artificial gravity. The chariot’s vehicle stat block fol- another as a free action. If the device is in the possession
lows: of a creature, a Will save negates the control attempt.
Chariot of the Void: Huge Vehicle; hp 80; Top Spd 25; Once control is established, you can cause the device to
Acc 5; Dec 5; Hand +10; Stealth 4; AC 3; SQ vehicle, function (or malfunction) as you wish, subject to the
hardness 10; Fuel None. normal limits of the device’s capabilities, so long as you
maintain concentration on the control. Sentient crea-
CLOUD THE MIND tures such as soulmechs cannot be affected by control
high-tech devices.
Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
CYBORG
Transmutation
Level: Technology 7 85
85r85
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
By means of this spell, you transform into a powerful
synthesis of creature and machine. Flesh and blood are
replaced by advanced materials impervious to harm.
You become faster, your Strength and Dexterity
increase, your senses sharpen, and your combat ability
improves. While in cyborg form, you cannot cast spells,
even from magic items. You are also recognizable as
yourself, which means that cyborg is not a useful dis-
guise.
For the spell’s duration, you have DR 10/—, a +4 nat-
ural armor bonus to AC, and a +4 enhancement bonus to
both Strength and Dexterity. Your ground speed increas-
es by 10 feet. Advanced sensors grant you darkvision
(60 feet) and a +2 circumstance bonus to Listen and
Spot checks. Furthermore, you function as if you had a
built in multiscanner. You gain a +1 bonus on attack
rolls for every three caster levels. One of your arms
effectively becomes a blaster carbine with a bayonet
attachment. Treat the bayonet as a short sword. You can

fight with your transformed arm as if you had the appro-
priate weapon proficiencies. The spell powers the
DIRE STRIKE
blaster carbine; it effectively has an unlimited number of Divination
shots. Level: Rgr 2
Soulmechs cannot be affected by this spell. Components: S, F
Range: Personal
DEPTHS OF DESPAIR Target: You
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Duration: 1 round
Level: Sor/Wiz 3 You gain knowledge about how to best strike a
Components: V, S favored enemy. Dire strike is good for one attack only,
Casting Time: 1 action and the knowledge lasts only one round. You inflict
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) +1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 5d6)
Targets: All living creatures within a 10-ft. radius with a successful attack, but the additional damage is
Duration: 1 round/2 levels, up to 10 rounds contingent on the same limitations imposed on a sneak
Saving Throw: Will partial attack. Additional damage from dire strike stacks with
Spell Resistance: Yes regular sneak attack damage dice.
This spell causes its subjects to experience feelings of Focus: The weapon you will use for the attack.
overwhelming despair. Affected creatures suffer a –2
morale penalty to saving throws, attack rolls, ability
checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
Furthermore, an affected creature is 25% likely each
round to be unable to take any action except defend
itself. A successful Will save halves this spell’s duration.
86 TABLE 3-1: DRAGON MAGIC
Essence Descriptor Spell-like Abilities
86l86
Black dragon Evil Darkness, insect plague, plant growth

Blue dragon Evil Hallucinatory terrain, mirage arcana, veil
Brass dragon Good Control winds, speak with animals, suggestion
Bronze dragon Good Control water, detect thoughts, polymorph self
Copper dragon Good Move earth, stone shape, transmute rock to mud
Gold dragon Good Bless, geas/quest, water breathing
Green dragon Evil Dominate person, plant growth, water breathing
Red dragon Evil Discern location, eyebite, suggestion
Silver dragon Good Control weather, feather fall, polymorph self
White dragon Evil Fog cloud, gust of wind, wall of ice
DRAGON MAGIC vision (if any) and normal vision become more acute.
You gain a +2 competence bonus on Spot checks.
Evocation [see text]
Reduce range penalties for missile weapon attacks by
Level: Dragon 6
50% while dragonsight remains in effect.
Range: Personal ENTER THE DATASTREAM
Target: You Transmutation
Duration: 1 hour/level (see text) Level: Sor/Wiz 6, Technology 6
You invoke the magical essence of dragonkind and Components: V
infuse it into your body, granting you certain spell-like Casting Time: 1 action
abilities. You can use each spell-like ability one time Range: Personal
before the spell’s duration expires. Invoking a dragon’s Target: You
magical essence is either good or evil. The type of Duration: 10 minutes/level
essence invoked determines dragon magic’s descriptor By means of this spell, you confer upon yourself the
as well what spell-like abilities are gained. ability to become an electronic datastream that can be
All spell-like abilities are standard actions that pro- transmitted between devices designed to transmit and
voke attacks of opportunity. They can be disrupted just receive such data. You could, for example, enter a per-
as a spell can be, but they cannot be counterspelled nor sonal communicator and exit a home holo-entertainment
used to counterspell. They do not require any compo- center hundreds of miles away. Movement as a datas-
nents as they are not really spells. Saving throws against tream is effectively at the speed of light, and can be used
spell-like abilities are normal for the spell, but all spell- for interplanetary travel, assuming the trip’s time does
like abilities are subject to spell resistance. The type of not exceed the spell’s duration. There is no limit to the
saving throw (Fortitude, Reflex, or Will) is determined number of times you can enter the datastream during
by the spell, but the DC is based on dragon magic. the spell’s duration. Changing to an electronic datas-
tream is a standard action. At the end of your transmis-
DRAGONSIGHT sion, you return to your normal form automatically, but
cannot act again until your next turn. Enter the datas-
Transmutation
tream does not grant any special knowledge about
Level: Sor/Wiz 1, Dragon 1
potential destinations.
Components: V, S
Range: Personal
Target: You
You augment your natural powers of sight. The range
of your darkvision (if any) doubles. Your low-light
TABLE 3-2: FLESH TO MY FLESH 87
Natural AC/
87r87
Adjusted Mass New Size Str* Dex* Con* AC Attack Reach
8–60 lb. Small +0 +0 +0 Same +1 5 ft.
61–500 lb. Medium +4 –2 +2 Same +0 5 ft.
501–4000 lb. Large +8 –2 +4 +2 –1 10 ft.
4,001–32,000 lb. Huge +8 –2 +4 +3 –2 15 ft.
32,001–250,000 lb. Gargantuan +8 +0 +4 +4 –4 20 ft.
More than 250,000 lb. Colossal +8 +0 +4 +5 –8 25 ft.
ESURIENCE tongues of debilitating energy lick about their bodies. A

sickened creature suffers a –2 penalty on attack rolls,
Transmutation
weapon damage rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
checks for the duration of the spell. A successful
Components: V, S, M
Fortitude save reduces damage to half. Soulmechs are
immune to the sickening effects of fire blight.
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous FLESH TO MY FLESH
Saving Throw: Fortitude half Necromancy [Death]
Spell Resistance: Yes Level: Sor/Wiz 9
By means of this spell, you inflict several days’ worth Components: V, S
of starvation on your target all in the blink of an eye. Casting Time: 1 action

Your victim suffers 1d6 points of subdual damage per Range: Touch
caster level (maximum 10d6). Furthermore, your victim Target: One living creature with no more than 100 hit
is fatigued until it is able to eat and rest for at least 8 points
hours. A fatigued creature suffers an effective penalty of Duration: Instantaneous (see text)
–2 to Strength and Dexterity, and it cannot run or Saving Throw: None
charge. Subdual damage inflicted by esurience cannot Spell Resistance: Yes
be healed (even by magical means) until the creature has With a successful melee touch attack after casting
recovered from the fatigue. A successful Fortitude save flesh to my flesh, you instantly slay any living creature
halves the subdual damage inflicted. Soulmechs are that has no more than 100 hit points. Furthermore, the
immune to esurience. corpse is stripped of its flesh and muscle. The tissue is
Material Component: A handful of dust. added to your own body, increasing your mass by one-
half the original weight of your victim. Your size
FIRE BLIGHT increases according to the table. These changes last 10
minutes per caster level. Effects of multiple flesh to my
Evocation [Fire]
flesh spells on the same caster are cumulative.
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
* Adjustments to Strength, Dexterity, and
Components: V, S
Constitution are cumulative per size category. For
example, an elven wizard (Medium-size, weighing 100
pounds) casts flesh to my flesh and touches a hill giant
Area: 20-ft.-radius spread
that currently has 95 hit points. The hill giant dies
Duration: 1 round/level
instantly. The hill giant corpse is stripped of flesh and
Saving Throw: Fortitude half
bone, and the wizard gains 3,500 pounds. His size
increases from Medium-size to Large. He gains a +8
This spell creates a burst of magical emerald flame in
bonus to Strength, a –2 penalty to Dexterity, etc.
a 10-ft.-radius spread that inflicts 1d4 points of fire
A soulmech can be slain with flesh to my flesh, but the
damage per caster level (maximum 10d4). Each creature
caster cannot absorb the soulmech’s mass.
caught in the blast is also sickened, as the greenish
GLOM winds. A successful Fortitude save negates these addi-
tional wind effects (which are summarized below).
Evocation [Force]
88 Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Creature Size* Wind Effects on Creatures
Components: V, S
Small or smaller Blown away
88l88
Medium-size Knocked down

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Large or Huge Checked
Target: One object up to 1/2 pound per level
* Flying or airborne creatures are treated as one size
Saving Throw: No
class smaller than their actual size, so an airborne
Spell Resistance: None
Gargantuan dragon is treated as Huge for purposes of
This spell creates a shimmering whip of force that
wind effects.
lashes out in order to retrieve an object or disarm a foe.
Blown Away: Creatures on the ground are knocked
An unattended object weighing no more than 1/2 pound
prone and rolled 1d4x10 feet, sustaining 1d4 points of
per level is automatically moved from its current loca-
subdual damage per 10 feet. Flying creatures are blown
tion to the caster’s hands. If the desired object is fixed in
back 2d6x10 feet and sustain 2d6 points of subdual
place (but not held by a creature), glom can break the
damage due to battering and buffering.
fixture as if it had a Strength of 12 + caster level (max-
Knocked Down: Creatures are knocked prone by the
imum Strength 22).
force of the wind. Flying creatures are instead blown
Glom can also be used to disarm a foe, assuming the
back 1d6x10 feet.
item to be disarmed is not heavier than permitted by this
Checked: Creatures are unable to move forward
spell. This is resolved as a normal disarm attempt, but
against the force of the wind. Flying creatures are blown
the caster does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
back 1d6x5 feet.
The caster and the target make opposed attack rolls.
Focus: A pair of brass cymbals.
Glom is treated as a Medium-size weapon. The caster
enjoys a +2 circumstance bonus. If the caster beats his
target’s attack roll by 5 or more, glom moves the target’s HAYWIRE
weapon (or other held item) into the caster’s hands. Transmutation
Otherwise, the weapon or item falls to the ground at the Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Technology 3
target’s feet. Components: V, S, M
GOWK STORM Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One robot per 3 levels, all of which must be
Transmutation
within 30 ft. of each other
Level: Drd 3
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
Components: V, S, F
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
This spell causes affected robots to behave erratically.
Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation
Any time an affected robot makes an attack roll, skill
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 round/level (D)
check, or ability check, any roll on the d20 less than 11
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial (see text)
(not counting modifiers) is determined by referring to
the table below. Results of 11 or higher (not counting
This spell changes the weather in the area of effect,
modifiers) are determined normally.
creating a powerful but short-lived storm. The heavy
rains and winds reduce visibility ranges by three quar-
d20 Roll Effect
ters, imposing a –8 penalty to all Spot, Search, and
1–2 Loss of coordination: The robot suffers a
Listen checks. Gowk storm makes most primitive
cumulative –1 penalty to Dexterity (maxi-
ranged weapon attacks impossible. Siege weapons
mum –5).
(including boulders tossed by giants) and high-tech
3–4 Power loss: The robot suffers a cumulative
weapons have a –4 penalty to attack. The weather
5-ft. drop in all of its movement categories.
effects automatically extinguish candles, torches, and
5–6 Jammed: The robot must repeat whatever
similar unprotected flames. They cause protected
action it just attempted (to include move-
flames, such as those of lanterns, to dance wildly and
ment) next round.
have a 50% chance per round to extinguish these lights.
7–8 Overload: The robot suffers 2d6 points of
There are additional effects possible due to the high
internal damage that bypasses hardness. ture to drop dangerously. Each round, the affected crea-
9–10 I/O Error: The robot suffers a cumulative ture suffers 1d6 points of subdual damage from cold, but
–1 level reduction in all of its programming
(maximum –5). Each level of programming
the target is allowed a Fortitude save each round to
negate that round’s damage. A creature that has suffered
89
reduction imposes a –1 penalty to all subdual damage from hypothermia is fatigued until it
89r89
attacks, skill checks, ability checks, and recovers the subdual damage taken. A fatigued creature
saving throws. suffers an effective penalty of –2 to Strength and
11+ Determine results of action normally. Dexterity, and it cannot run or charge. A creature ren-
dered unconscious due to hypothermia takes 1d6 points
Soulmechs are not true robots and are immune to hay- of cold damage per round for the duration of the spell
wire. (Fortitude saves still apply). Soulmechs are immune to
Material Component: A burned-out circuit board. hypothermia.
HIDE IN TIME IMPECCABLE TIMING

Transmutation Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S Components: V, S, F
Range: Personal Range: Touch
Target: You Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/2 levels (D) Duration: 5 rounds (see text)
Upon casting this spell, you slip into the temporal gap Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
between the present and the future. For up to one round Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
per two caster levels, you are effectively invisible, unde- The creature affected by this spell gains a +20 insight
tectable, and impervious to harm. Nothing short of bonus to a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check
extremely powerful magic such as limited wish can that results from the ready action. The affected creature
affect you. An antimagic field negates the spell so long has 5 rounds after the spell’s casting, during which time

as the field remains in the area. Dispel magic cannot it can benefit from impeccable timing only once (and
cancel hide in time (except as a counterspell), but then the spell ends).
greater dispelling cast as an area dispel might. Focus: An hourglass.
While hidden in time, you are still aware of what tran-
spires around you, but you cannot interact with the INFERNAL DARKNESS
world in any way. You cannot even move more than 5
Necromancy [Evil]
feet from your position when hide in time was cast.
Level: Clr 3
Although you cannot affect the world, you can cast
spells and use magic items to affect yourself. Once hide
in time ends, you reenter the normal time stream and can
Range: 30 ft.
act and be affected normally. If the area into which you
Target: One creature
would appear is now occupied by another solid object,
Duration: 1 round/level, up to 10 rounds
you are shunted into the astral plane just as if you had
Saving Throw: Will half (see text)
attempted to dimension door into a solid body.
You channel negative energy into one creature that is
HYPOTHERMIA within range. Against a living creature, the energy
Transmutation [Cold] inflicts 1d4 points of damage per round on the creature’s
Level: Drd 2, Sor/Wiz 2 turn for the spell’s duration. A successful Will save
Components: V, S reduces damage to 1d2 points per round. Against an
Casting Time: 1 action undead creature, infernal darkness heals 1d4 points of
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level) damage per round on the creature’s turn. This functions
Target: One creature as fast healing.
Duration: 1 round/2 levels, up to 5 rounds Soulmechs are immune to infernal darkness.
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text)
With this spell, you cause a creature’s body tempera-
JADE SHARD LASTING WOUNDS
Conjuration (Creation) Transmutation
90 Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Level: Clr 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, F Components: V, S, M/DF
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Casting Time: 1 action
90l90
Effect: One jade shard/four levels Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: Instantaneous Target: One living creature
Saving Throw: None Duration: Permanent
Spell Resistance: Yes Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
You create one jade shard for every four caster levels. Spell Resistance: Yes
These shards fly at your enemies, striking with a ranged This spell destroys your target’s ability to heal hit
touch attack for 2d6 points of piercing damage. Each point damage. Neither natural nor magical means of
jade shard requires a separate ranged touch attack and healing restore lost hit points to the target. Lasting
has a critical hit threat range of 19–20/x2. Due to the wounds negates abilities such as fast healing and regen-
magical properties of the jade created by this spell, each eration as well. Lasting wounds cannot be dispelled, but
shard does an additional 2d6 points of piercing damage it can be removed with a break enchantment, limited
against poisonous creatures. This bonus damage is not wish, miracle, remove curse, or wish spell. Soulmechs
multiplied in the event of a critical. All jade shards must are immune to lasting wounds.
be fired at enemies that are within 30 feet of each other. Arcane Material Component: A lump of clay.
Focus: A piece of jade.
LOGORREHIC ENCHANTMENT
KALEIDOSCOPIC WHIRLWIND Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Evocation Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4
Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V
Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One living creature able to cast spells
Area: 20-foot-radius emanation Duration: 1 round/level

Duration: Concentration, up to 7 rounds (D) Saving Throw: Will negates
Saving Throw: See text Spell Resistance: Yes
Spell Resistance: Yes A target who fails his saving throw against this spell
This spell causes a brilliant display of shifting colors is compelled to cast a known spell each round for the
to flash and spin within a 20-foot-radius circle that spell’s duration. He can take another action during the
emanates from the target point. Each round, including round as appropriate (e.g., a move), but each round must
the round in which the spell is cast, the spell has a dif- cast a known spell of his choice. Logorrehic enchant-
ferent effect on all creatures caught within the radius. ment can put an enemy spellcaster at a noticeable disad-
You can cause the center of the emanation to move 20 vantage. If the target runs out of spells before the dura-
feet per round as long as you don’t lose line of sight. tion expires, the spell expires immediately.
Round Effect
1
2
Blinded for 2d4 rounds (Fortitude negates)
4d6 points of fire damage (Reflex half)
MASTER OF THE HUNT
Divination
3 4d6 points of acid damage (Reflex half)
Level: Rgr 3
4 4d6 points of electricity damage (Reflex
Components: V, S
half)
5 Poison (initial/secondary 1d6 points tem-
Range: Personal
porary Constitution damage; Fortitude
Target: You
negates)
Duration: 10 minutes/level
6 Confused for 2d4 rounds (as confusion;
You can only cast this spell in your favored terrain.
Will negates)
The spell grants a +1 insight bonus per three caster lev-
7 Slowed for 2d4 rounds (as slow; Will
els (maximum +5) to Hide, Intuit Direction, Knowledge
negates)
(nature), Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Wilderness
Lore checks while operating in your favored terrain.
Material Component: A prism.
MIGHT OF THE DRAGON immune to critical hits or death from massive damage
cannot be killed instantly by the misericorde, but they
Transmutation
Level: Dragon 7
can still be damaged. Soulmechs can be affected by mis-
ericorde.
91
Material Component: A sliver of ebony.
91r91
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touched MUSIC OF THE SPHERES
Duration: 1 round/level Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting, Sonic]
Saving Throw: None Level: Brd 4
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless) Components: V, S, F
This spell transforms your target into a dragon-like Casting Time: 1 action
humanoid. The affected creature gains a +8 enhance- Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
ment bonus to Strength and a +2 enhancement bonus to Targets: All allies within range
Constitution. It becomes immune to sleep and paralysis. Duration: 1 round/level
The target also grows wings that allow it to fly at its Saving Throw: None
base speed with average maneuverability. Might of the Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
dragon does not modify armor or clothing to accommo- This spell fills the area with the ethereal music pro-
date these wings, but the spell does provide the target duced by the movements of heavenly bodies. All allies
with a +4 natural armor bonus to AC. The target’s head, within range at the time of casting are filled with
jaws, and hands also change to permit bite and claw courage and confidence. They gain 2d8 temporary hit
attacks, inflicting damage according to the following points and a +2 morale bonus to saving throws, attack
table. If the target already had bite and claw attacks, it rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage
uses whichever are better. rolls. At the time of casting, the music of the spheres
also dispels harmful mind-affecting effects within range
Bite Claw with a successful caster level check for each effect
Size Damage Damage (1d20 + 1 per caster level, maximum +20).
Fine 1 — Focus: Two small metal spheres crafted so that they

Diminutive 1d2 1 ring when rolled together in one hand (25 credits each).
Tiny 1d3 1d2
Small 1d4 1d3 NERVE GAS
Medium-size 1d6 1d4
Large 1d8 1d6
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Huge 2d6 2d8
Components: V, S
Gargantuan 2d8 2d6
Colossal 4d6 2d8
Area: Invisible cloud spreads 30 ft. wide and 20 ft.
MISERICORDE high
Conjuration (Creation) [Death] Duration: Cloud dissipates after 1 round
Level: Sor/Wiz 3 Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text)
Components: V, S, M Spell Resistance: Yes
Casting Time: 1 action This spell creates a cloud of poisonous, odorless, col-
Range: Touch orless, tasteless gas that is absorbed through the eyes,
Effect: One magical dagger lungs, and skin. Creatures caught in the spread must
Duration: 1 round make a Fortitude save or suffer 1d6 points of temporary
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial ability score damage to Dexterity and Constitution and
Spell Resistance: No be blinded for 2d4 hours. One minute after initial expo-
This spell creates a blade of ebon material in your sure, creatures that were exposed to the nerve gas must
hand. By making a touch attack with the misericorde make another Fortitude save or suffer 1d8 points of tem-
against a wounded creature, you inflict 1d4 points of porary ability score damage to Dexterity and
piercing damage +1 point per four caster levels (maxi- Constitution. Nerve gas cannot be cast underwater.
mum +5). Furthermore, your target must make a
Fortitude save against DC 10 + your relevant ability
modifier + damage inflicted or die instantly. Creatures
PANIC ATTACK Duration: 1 hour/level or 1 day/level (D) (see text)
Saving Throw: None
Necromancy [Fear, Mind-Affecting]
92 Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Sor/Wiz 3
This spell creates 1d4 military robots (see Starfarer’s
Components: V, F
Handbook, page 123). The robots are
92l92
under your command. They aid you in battle, perform

Range: Touch
specific missions, serve as bodyguards, and so forth.
Target: Weapon touched
The robots remain with you for one hour per caster level
Duration: 1 round/level (see text)
unless you dismiss them. If the robots are created only
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object) (see
for guard duty, however, the duration of the spell is one
text)
day per caster level. In this case, the robots can only be
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object) (see text)
ordered to guard a specific site or location. Robots sum-
You imbue a weapon with the ability to induce fright
moned for guard duty cannot move outside the spell’s
in a creature struck and damaged by the weapon. A
range, which is measured from the point where each
frightened creature suffers a –2 morale penalty on attack
first appeared.
rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws. It flees
from the wielder as well as it can. If unable to flee, the
creature may fight. Fright lasts for 1d4 rounds. A suc- SAVE TIME
cessful Will save resists the fright. The affected weapon Transmutation
can induce fear only once per round. Only the first suc- Level: Brd 2, Sor/Wiz 2
cessful attack against a creature in any given round Components: V, M
invokes the weapon’s fright-causing power. Bows, Casting Time: 1 action
crossbows, and slings targeted by this spell bestow the Range: Touch
fright-causing power upon their ammunition. Creatures Target: Creature touched
with 6 or more Hit Dice are immune. Panic attack coun- Duration: 1 minute (see text)
ters remove fear. Saving Throw: None
Focus: The weapon touched. Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell enables the creature touched to complete
POUNCE any one skill check in 1/20th the time it would normal-
ly take. For a skill that can normally be checked in 1
Transmutation
round, the skill check becomes a free action. For a skill
Level: Rgr 3
that takes longer, divide the normal time required by 20,
Components: V, S, F
but the skill check requires at least a standard action in
any event. The creature can save time when taking 20 on
Range: Personal
a skill check, but all the normal restrictions on taking 20
Target: You
still apply. Also, save time only affects the touched crea-
Duration: 1 round/level
ture, not any materials the creature may be working
You gain a +30 bonus on Jump checks and are not
with. This spell cannot, for example, make chemical
limited by the usual maximum distances for jumping (as
reactions take place quicker than normal and so cannot
per the jump spell). Furthermore, if you leap at least 10
be used to craft alchemist’s fire. Save time lasts until the
feet into combat with a foe, you can make a full attack
target completes his next skill check, but the skill check
even though you have just taken a move action.
must be started within one minute of casting save time.
Remember that pounce bestows no protection against
Material Component: A bit of quicksilver.
provoking attacks of opportunity.
Focus: The paw of a dire lion or a dire tiger.
SCALES OF THE DRAGON
ROBOTIC GUARDIANS Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2, Dragon 2
Components: V, S, M/DF
Level: Technology 8
Range: Touch
Target: Living creature touch
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Duration: 10 minutes/level
Effect: Two or more robots, no two of which can be
Saving Throw: None
more than 30 ft. apart
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Scales of the dragon makes the flesh of the creature Number of Failed
you touch more resistant to injury. The creature gains a Fortitude Saves Effect
+1 natural armor bonus to AC for every 3 caster levels
(maximum +5). The spell also grants DR 1/— to the
1
2
Creature is rendered unconscious.
Creature drops to –1 hit points
93
creature per 4 caster levels (maximum DR 5/—). Scales and is dying.
93r93
of the dragon causes the affected creature’s flesh to 3 Creature dies from suffocation.
become noticeably scaly. The natural armor bonus and
DR granted by this spell do not stack with natural armor Obviously, steal breath only affects creatures that
bonuses and DR from other sources. must breathe oxygen to live.
Material Component: The skin of any reptile.
TECHNOBABBLE
STAMINA OF THE DRAGON Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Abjuration Level: Sor/Wiz 4, Technology 4
Level: Dragon 5 Components: V, S
Components: V, S, DF Casting Time: 1 action
Casting Time: 1 action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Range: Personal Targets: All creatures in a 15-ft. radius
Target: You Duration: 1 round/level
Duration: 1 hour/level (D) Saving Throw: Will negates
Stamina of the dragon grants you a +1 enhancement Spell Resistance: Yes
bonus to Constitution for every four caster levels (max- By means of this spell, you confuse and confound
imum +5). It further bestows resistance to two of the fol- your foe’s ability to use high-tech devices. Affected
lowing attack forms (chosen at the time of casting): creatures are treated as if they did not have the Technical
acid, electricity, fire, cold, space, or radiation. Proficiency feat. This means that they suffer a –4 cir-
Resistance allows you to ignore 10 points of damage per cumstance penalty on all ability checks, skill checks,
four caster levels (maximum 50 points) from the chosen and attack rolls using high-tech devices. Furthermore,
attack forms each round. You cannot have more than affected creatures cannot use feats or skills that have

one stamina of the dragon spell in effect on your person Technical Proficiency as a prerequisite (e.g., the
at once. Starship Piloting feat or Use Device skill).
STEAL BREATH TECHNOLOGICAL RUIN

Transmutation Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 5 Level: Drd 9, Technology 9
Components: V, S Components: V
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One living creature Area: All high-tech devices within a 30-ft.-radius
Duration: 3 rounds burst
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text) Duration: Instantaneous
Spell Resistance: Yes Saving Throw: Will negates (object) (see text)
This spell forcibly removes oxygen from your target Spell Resistance: No
and prevents breathing for its duration. Each round of All high-tech devices within the radius of the spell,
the spell’s duration, the target must make a Fortitude except for those you carry or touch, are ruined. A ruined
save. Each successful Fortitude save grants a +2 cir- device is effectively sabotaged or destroyed: firearms
cumstance bonus on successive Fortitude saves against cease firing, robots grind to a halt, multiscanners shut
the same casting of this spell. Results depend on the off, etc. All nonmagical high-tech devices avoid ruin
number of failed Fortitude saves. with a successful Will save only if carried, touched, or
directly controlled by a creature at the time the spell is
cast. A magical high-tech device, such as a +1 combat
hardsuit, is allowed a Will save using either the device’s
Will save bonus or its possessor’s Will save bonus,
whichever is higher. A special caster level check (1d20
+ 1 per caster level) sets the Repair check DC for fixing
a ruined device. A soulmech caught in the area of tech- dragon form and your normal form as a free action. The
nological ruin is killed if he fails his Will save. change takes place either immediately before or after
94 WYRM
your regular action, but not during your regular action.
Material Component: The heart of a dragon able to
polymorph self.
Transmutation
94l94
Level: Dragon 9
Components: V, S, M, DF
Range: Personal
Spellware
The following is a list of new spellware available for
Target: You use in the Dragonstar universe. The items listed below
Duration: 30 minutes/level conform to the rules for the use and creation of spell-
You transform into a dragon-like creature. All equip- ware found on pages 87–88 of Guide to the Galaxy. The
ment held or carried when the spell is cast changes to names, game rules, and mechanics of the spellware
become part of your new form and is unusable as a enhancements are designated as Open Game Content.
result. While in dragon form, you can cast spells, but Armored Skeleton: This full-body enhance-
spell-like and supernatural abilities are not ment can be used on both the living
usable. You retain your extraordinary abilities, and the dead (usually as preparation for
and your new form grants several reanimating the body). The process uses
new abilities: arcane augmentation therapies to fuse
metal alloys with the subject’s
• Size increases to bones. The result gives the sub-
Gargantuan. This ject a +4 natural armor
imposes a –4 bonus to Armor Class
size penalty to against crushing and blud-
AC and attack geoning damage. This
rolls. spell is particularly effective
• Your physical ability when applied to skeletal
scores change to the follow- undead, and is a standard component

ing: Strength 35, Dex 10, Con 25. for the elite undead units in
If your Strength or Constitution are Mezzenbone’s service.
normally higher than these values, Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisites:
use your normal Strength or Implant Spellware, mage armor; Market
Constitution. Price: 2,000 cr; XP Cost: 80; Check
• You gain a +32 natural DC: 12 for skeletal undead, 18 for
armor bonus to AC. living subjects.
• Your speed becomes 60 feet, fly Balancing Tail: This major
250 feet (clumsy). body enhancement involves the
• You make one bite attack and two claw addition of an animated, magi-
attacks with the full attack option. cally created tail, seamlessly
Bite damage is 4d6 at your full grafted to the body and spine of
adjusted attack bonus the subject through runic
plus your adjusted surgery. The tail is com-
Strength bonus. pletely under the control of
Claw attacks inflict the subject once the procedure
2d8 points of damage at your adjusted attack bonus –5 is completed, functioning just as though it
plus one-half your adjusted Strength bonus. were one of his or her natural limbs. The tail adds a +10
• Your type becomes Dragon. circumstance bonus to all Balance, Freefall, and Tumble
• You become immune to sleep and paralysis effects. checks. The tail is not prehensile and cannot be used to
Furthermore, you acquire SR 25. wrap around or pick up anything. It is not long enough
• You gain the blindsight extraordinary ability with a or thick enough to be used for an effective tail sweep, as
range of 330 feet. Furthermore, you are affected by described in the MM. It can be given any color or
dragonsight while in dragon form. appearance desired, from fur to skin to scales to a sim-
For the duration of the spell, you can switch between ple metal or bone skeleton.
TABLE 3-3: DRAGON’S BREATH 95
Weapon Type Damage (DC) Required Spell Market Price XP Cost
95r95
Acid (Line) 6d4 (16) acid arrow 30,000 cr 1,200
Cold (Cone) 8d6 (17) cone of cold 50,000 cr 2,000
Fire (Line) 6d8 (19) fireball 60,000 cr 2,400
Gas (Cone) 6d10 (20) cloudkill 70,000 cr 2,800
Lightning (Line) 6d6 (18) lightning bolt 40,000 cr 1,600
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, A breath weapon implant can be used only once a day.
cat’s grace; Market Price: 12,000 cr; XP Cost: 480; Caster Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
Check DC: 15. spell as listed above; Check DC: 18.
Dragon’s Breath: A natural extension of spellware Energy Wings: Flight has long been a dream of
technology, breath weapon modification has had a rocky almost every sentient race throughout the galaxy. While
history in the Dragon Empire. The initial research into magic could allow a select few to achieve it, the rest of
the procedure was quashed under the early days of the the world had to either be born with wings or settle for
empire, as the dragons considered such technology “pre- riding in metal ships to sail among the clouds (and
sumptive,” “impudent,” and “an attempted violation of stars). Wings are inconvenient for fitting into the
the natural order.” The originators of the technology cramped quarters of a space vessel, though, and it’s a
were arrested and prosecuted in an attempt to put an end rare individual that owns their own star or airship, free
to that avenue of inquiry. to travel where they will.
It wasn’t long, however, before another group set out To this end, this enchantment was researched and
on the same path, this time going underground in an designed. Special twin elongated comma-shaped
attempt to evade the empire’s agents. They managed to implants are placed in the subject’s back, right between

succeed and bring the procedure to fruition, but the the shoulder blades. Typically the implants are made of
empire banned the procedure from use by any licensed metal alloys, ranging from silver to gold to mithral.
spellware practitioners. The procedure remains avail- Upon the bearer’s mental command, energies are sum-
able in shadowy corners of the empire, but anyone moned and shaped into wings—glowing incorporeal
caught bearing the implant is automatically found guilty creations that can bear their owner aloft. Similar ver-
of a felony violation of imperial law, punishable by a sions exist that draw upon the plane of shadow. They’re
sentence of no less than 20 years in an imperial penal commonly referred to as angel wings, though the shad-
colony and removal of the offending implant. ow versions garner less enlightened nicknames.
Despite the consequences for being caught with the Owners of energy wings can fly with a speed of 90
enhancement, it has become very popular in some cir- feet with a good maneuverability rating. They can carry
cles. Dragons, dragonkin and some sorcerers, howev- as much as the bearer’s maximum load, plus any armor
er—even those who find themselves on the wrong side he wears. The duration of the effect is one hour per use,
of the law on a regular basis—find the implant offensive with a maximum of three uses per day. Should the effect
and go out of their way to make sure that those who pos- end while the character is in mid-air, the subject will
sess it find their way in society (lawful or otherwise) descend 60 feet per round for 1d6 rounds. If it does not
barred. Still, among those who enjoy flouting the reach the ground in that time, it falls the rest of the dis-
empire’s authority, a bit of cleverly disguised and useful tance. Assuming the character possesses some means
contraband is hardly something to worry about. which will allow him to survive in space, the wings
Dragon’s breath come in acid, cold, fire, gas, and allow full flight and maneuverability, even in a vacuum.
electricity versions. Arcane tissue implants and bio- Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
modification are used to graft special glands in the fly ; Market Price: 35,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,400; Check
throat, enabling the subject to breathe out the appropri- DC: 15.
ate substance in a line or cone as indicated by the type. Enhanced Hearing: The character’s ears and aural
Only one type of breath weapon can be installed at any nerves are enhanced and modified through runic surgery
one time. A cone effect is 15 ft. wide at the base, while to expand both the range and accuracy of hearing in the
a line is three feet high, three feet wide, and 30 feet long. subject. Typically, the ears are elongated and pointed for
96 TABLE 3-4: GOLEM ARMS
Golem Arm Type Market Price
96l96
Golem arm 48,000 cr

Golem arm w/Blaster pistol 49,500 cr
Golem arm w/Electrostunner 49,500 cr
Golem arm w/Multiscanner and datapad 52,000 cr
Golem arm w/Diagnostic monitor 48,500 cr
Golem arm w/Electronic lockpick fingers (masterwork) 50,000 cr
Golem arm w/Laser torch 49,000 cr
Golem arm w/Toolkit fingers (masterwork) 49,000 cr
maximum efficiency, leading to the common name “elf munication between the two is possible. The affected
ears” for this spellware option. To an observer, a human creature reacts as though it were two steps friendlier in
with this modification could easily pass as a half-elf. attitude (see NPC Attitudes, Handling NPCs, DMG).
This procedure alone, however, would be insufficient to Once the effect has ended, the creature retains its new
let a human pass as a full-blooded elf. Subjects who attitude toward the bearer, but only as regards that par-
have undergone this procedure gain a +10 circumstance ticular suggestion or request. Caster Level: 1st;
bonus on Listen checks. Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, hypnotism; Market
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites:, Implant Spellware; Price: 2,000 cr; XP Cost: 80; Check DC: 12.
Market Price: 2,000 cr; XP Cost: 80; Check DC: 12. Golem Arms: This enhancement was originally only
Fascinating Gaze: This enhancement is commonly undertaken following severe trauma, where dismember-
used by unscrupulous individuals in the entertainment, ment had occurred and the limb was irrecoverable. A
public service, and diplomatic fields, especially since it prosthetic was fashioned and put in place of the original.
is undetectable except from its effects on others. The As time passed and research into the process gained
procedure involves delicate runic surgery on the corneas ground, the prosthetic grew more and more sophisticat-
of the individual receiving the implant. Once completed, ed, capable of integrating additional enhancements such
the recipient can hypnotize up to 5 HD of creatures per as tools, computers, and weaponry. Now, with the com-
day by meeting their gaze. The individual using the fas- plete range of motor skills, sensory capabilities, and
cinating gaze must make eye contact with the intended super-fine control granted by a combination of magic
target. This power does not work through recordings or and science, many individuals are opting to have one or
transmissions, only in person. If the target fails a Will both arms replaced with what they consider to be supe-
save (DC 12), the creature is hypnotized. If the saving rior alternatives.
throw succeeds, the effect is negated. The effect lasts for A golem arm is considered to have a Strength of 18. It
2d4 rounds. A target who fails his save does not remem- is constructed of metal and plastics, with an array of
ber being affected. cosmetic choices available. It has hardness 18, 140 hp
In order to use this effect in combat, the bearer of the (only for use if the arm is specifically targeted in an
spellware must use total defense actions for the round attack). There are a number of possible accessories, as
prior to using the gaze attack (see Miscellaneous listed below. The accessories are integral, installed inter-
Actions, PHB). The target gains a +2 to his Will save to nally with a pop-out mount and controlled by the men-
represent the difficulty of making full eye contact dur- tal commands of the subject. The XP cost is the same as
ing combat. If the bearer is able to isolate the target from the cost for the base arm, regardless of the attachment
distractions before attempting to hypnotize him, the tar- chosen. Only one accessory can be attached per arm.
get suffers a –2 penalty on his Will save. Accessories that require a microcell or minicell use a
While hypnotized, a creature’s Spot and Listen checks specialized rechargeable cell capable of supplying 50
suffer a –4 penalty. Any potential threat automatically uses.
negates the effect, as does shaking or slapping the crea- Of the available accessories, the only one not simply
ture. Freeing a creature from this effect is a standard a customized variant of standard equipment is the elec-
action. The bearer may make brief and reasonable trostunner. The electrostunner uses stun gauntlet tech-
requests of the hypnotized creature, assuming that com- nology and incorporates it into the arm itself. See
Starfarer’s Handbook, page 103, for more information. for half damage.
Caster Level: 12th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, The distance between the immolator and the con-
bull’s strength; XP Cost: 1920; Check DC: 18.
Image Recording: This enhancement allows the pro-
troller is irrelevant. The activation procedure forms an
astral link between the two, enabling the immolator to
97
jection of images from the memory of the subject for be activated any time, from anywhere. Any attempt to
97r97
viewing by others. This is possible through delicate remove the immolator results in detonation of the fire-
arcane organ augmentation to the retinas of the subject’s ball. If the blast is not somehow contained or dispelled,
eyes, imbuing them with the power to not only receive the subject dies. Should the controller be killed or oth-
images but also project them. This is a popular modifi- erwise unable to fulfill his job, control of the device can
cation for individuals in entertainment, journalism, and be transferred to another agent of the emperor in a ritu-
law enforcement, both at the local and imperial levels. al that takes 1d6+3 hours to complete.
It’s also become popular among those in the shadier Immolators are always installed without the subject’s
side of society, as subjects with this modification are consent, and often without his or her knowledge (unless
rumored to keep the last image they see before death in that knowledge is later required for “motivational” pur-
their eyes for others to find. Given that the spellware is poses). Immolators are restricted to use by the Imperial
utterly invisible to observers, it allows a measure of Special Police Directorate only. Anyone in the civilian
security should they meet their end at someone else’s sector caught implanting an immolator is subject to no
hands. This has also led to a rash of mutilated corpses less than 50 years in an imperial penal colony. Due to
where the eyes have been removed to circumvent this the involuntary nature of the procedure, the subject is
possibility. not charged XP for implantation of the device.
The images shown must be events that the individual Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
personally witnessed. Imagined or created images can- fireball; Market Price: 90,000 cr; XP Cost: —; Check
not be shown. Imperfectly remembered images will be DC: 15.
portrayed with blurs or blank spots visible in the affect- Magic Touch: The ability to sense the presence of
ed areas. The images have full visual and sensory range, magic is one that had long been the exclusive province
including sound, scent, and thermal qualities; in short, of those either consecrated to the gods or blessed with
the full memory is displayed. the ability to wield magical power from birth. While
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, those individuals can still gaze unaided upon the magi-

major image; Market Price: 30,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,200; cal auras of the universe, a cunning procedure has been
Check DC: 18. invented to allow mundane individuals to find and read
Immolator: While most forms of spellware are magical auras for themselves. This form of spellware
designed to give some measure of utility and benefit to has been dubbed “the magic touch.”
the recipient, this particular enhancement is anything Through arcane biotherapy, the epidermis of the sub-
but beneficial. This was one of the first designs to come ject’s body is rendered nominally sensitive to magical
out of the Emperor Mezzenbone’s private R&D corps. It auras. Any magical aura can be detected through this
sees heavy use at the hands of the Imperial Special method, though naturally some are more noticeable than
Police Directorate with “recruited” special agents, much others, giving the subject a warm tingling sensation in
to the eternal loathing of all those unlucky enough to fall the part of the body in contact with the object in ques-
into their clutches. tion. In addition, the enhancement allows the subject to
An immolator is a small module implanted by means determine the single most basic function of any magic
of runic surgery near the cortex of the subject’s brain. It item being sensed, just as with the identify spell.
is very small and consists only of a tiny metal cylinder. The subject must touch the object in question to detect
Immolators are set to respond to both a command word the presence of magic. Magic-using individuals can be
and a specific individual. By implanting and activating detected this way, along with any true magical items.
the device (steps that can be done separately; the activa- Spellware cannot be detected in this fashion. This
tion can take place at anytime thereafter, so long as the enhancement is affected by any magic designed to mis-
controller and the device are within 50 feet of one anoth- lead a detect magic spell. Clothing ordinarily blocks this
er). Upon the utterance of the command word by the sensation, but particularly strong auras—such as those
designated controller, the device serves as the grounding found in artifacts or holy sites—can sometimes still be
point for a fireball spell, instantly immolating the person felt through the garment.
bearing the implant and inflicting 5d6 points of fire The aura strength of an item can be determined as per
damage to everything within a 20-foot radius spread. the following table. Only strong or overwhelming mag-
The bearer of the implant receives no saving throw, ical auras can be felt through a single layer of clothing.
while others in the area can make a Reflex save (DC 14) Overwhelming auras can be felt by merely being within
98 TABLE 3-5: MAGIC TOUCH
Functioning
98l98
Strength Spell Level Item Caster Level

Dim 0-level or lingering aura Lingering aura
Faint 1st–3rd 1st–5th
Moderate 4th–6th 6th–11th
Strong 7th–9th 12th–20th
Overwhelming Artifact or deity-level Beyond mortal
magic caster
Aura Strength Duration

Faint 1d6 minutes
Moderate 1d6x10 minutes
Strong 1d6 hours
Overwhelming 1d6 days
a few feet of the object at the DM’s discretion. If auras putation to evasive maneuvers in an asteroid field.
overlap or fall into more than one strength category, This enhancement is popular among pilots in all
magic touch indicates only the stronger of the two. reaches of the galaxy. The imperial fleet rewards fighter
Lingering auras are always dim, but even weak magic pilots promoted into elite units with this enhancement as
leaves an impression on the universe. The length of time a bonus for their superior service, meaning that in addi-
an aura lingers depends on its original strength. tion to its overall usefulness, this particular bit of spell-
Lingering auras can only be detected if the magical ware is often indicative that its bearer is the best of the
effect physically touched a surface that the character can best. As a result, many pilots opt to make the internal
touch with his or her skin. procedure more noticeable by purchasing partial eye
Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, socket replacements made of metal or plastic that
detect magic, identify; Market Price: 5,000 cr; XP Cost: remain visible after the procedure is completed.
200; Check DC: 12. This enhancement provides a +10 circumstance bonus
Mental Accelerator: This modification provides a on all Pilot skill checks, as well as giving a +4 bonus to
subtle enhancement to the mental faculties of the recip- Spot and Search skill checks. A side benefit of this pro-
ient. Arcane biotherapy is combined with delicate organ cedure is that it also grants the user a +1 circumstance
modification to enhance the brain’s synaptic rate. This bonus to ranged attack rolls when the target has at least
increase does not transfer to the rest of the body, only 1/4 cover.
the brain, providing a +2 bonus on initiative checks and Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Alertness, Implant
rendering the user immune to surprise. Spellware, cat’s grace; Market Price: 15,000 cr; XP
Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, Cost: 600; Check DC: 15.
haste; Market Price: 16,000 cr; XP Cost: 640; Check Scent of Emotion: This ingenious enhancement
DC: 18. allows the bearer to subtly influence the emotional
Piloting Rig: This enhancement uses runic surgery states of those around her. By releasing magically
and arcane biotherapy to alter the neurochemical relays enhanced pheromones, she can induce a specified emo-
between the brain and the nervous system in specific tion in all living creatures within a 15-ft. radius. Targets
ways. The effects include enhancing peripheral vision of the emotional change are allowed a Will save (DC
by repositioning the eyes slightly and granting them 14); if successful, the spellware effect is negated for 15
greater mobility, boosting hand-eye coordination by minutes, at which time another check may be made. The
shortening the distance between nerve endings and target may make a total of three saves per exposure to
bathing them in conductive fluid, and refining the spa- the spellware’s effects. If he makes all three saves, he is
tial centers of the brain to more quickly and easily com- immune to the emotional influence of the spellware for
pute the necessary trajectories and course corrections the rest of the encounter.
necessary for everything from intersystem course com- This spellware can only have one version implanted at
TABLE 3-6: SCENT OF EMOTION 99
Emotion Effect
99r99
Despair Enchanted creatures suffer a –2 morale penalty to saving throws, attack rolls, abil-
ity checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
Fear Enchanted creatures flee from the bearer whenever they are in sight of her.
Friendship Enchanted creatures react more positively toward others. Their attitude shifts to
the next more favorable reaction type—hostile to unfriendly, unfriendly to indif-
ferent, indifferent to friendly, or friendly to helpful (see NPC Attitudes, Handling
NPCs, DMG). Creatures involved in combat, however, continue to fight back as
normal.
Hate Enchanted creatures react negatively toward others. Their attitude shifts to the next
less favorable reaction—helpful to friendly, friendly to indifferent, indifferent to
unfriendly, and unfriendly to hostile (see NPC Attitudes, Handling NPCS, DMG).
Hope Enchanted creatures gain a +2 morale bonus to saving throws, attack rolls ability
checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
Love Enchanted creatures fall deeply in love with the bearer, acting as though they were
under the effect of a charm person spell. Enchanted creatures will see the bearer
and her words and actions in the most favorable light possible.
Rage Enchanted creatures gain a +2 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution scores,
a +1 morale bonus on Will saves, and a –1 penalty to AC. They are compelled to
fight regardless of danger.
TABLE 3-7: SKILL AMPLIFIERS

Ability Skills Affected and Bonuses

Charisma Animal Empathy, Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Gather Information, Handle
Animal, Intimidate, Perform, Use Magic Device; 1 bonus 1st-level spell for sor-
cerers and bards
Constitution Concentration; +1 hit point per level
Dexterity Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock, Pick Pocket, Pilot,
Repair, Research, Ride, Tumble, Use Rope; +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class
Intelligence Alchemy, Appraise, Craft, Cryptography, Demolitions, Decipher Script, Disable
Device, Forgery, Knowledge (any), Navigate, Read Lips, Scry, Search, Speak
Language ,Use Device; 1 bonus 1st-level spell for wizards
Strength Climb, Jump, Swim; +1 damage on all successful melee attacks
Wisdom Heal, Innuendo, Intuit Direction, Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Urban
Lore, Wilderness Lore; 1 bonus 1st-level spell for clerics, druids, paladins, and
rangers
any given time. Each installation can only induce a sin- their specific effects are listed below.
gle emotion from the given list, chosen at the time of Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
installation. It does not allow the bearer of the scent to charm person, emotion; Market Price: 56,000 cr; XP
sense the emotional state of her targets. The bearer can- Cost: 2,240; Check DC: 12.
not be affected by her own spellware. Skill Amplifiers: This set of modifications actually
The pheromones are released for as long as the bear- comes in six varieties, one for each ability-based skill
er maintains concentration, up to a maximum duration group. The “skill amp” enhancement, as it is commonly
of one hour per day. Targets who fail their Will saves called, is actually a series of smaller week-long proce-
remain under the influence of the chosen emotion for as dures and implants done over a six-month period of
long as the target remains within the area of effect plus time. At the end of the procedure, the subject’s muscu-
1d4+1 hours afterward. The available emotions and lar-skeletal, nervous, or neurochemical systems have
by half. Soulmechs suffer damage as normal but cannot
be deafened. Crystalline creatures take 7d6 points of
100 damage; a successful Fortitude saving throw reduces
the damage by half. Characters holding fragile items
can negate damage to the items with a successful
100l100
Reflex save. Deafened characters suffer a –4 penalty to

initiative and a 20% chance of miscasting any spell
with a verbal component.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
shout; Market Price: 36,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,440; Check
DC: 12.
Spinnerets: The drow’s reverence for their Spider
Goddess is well known throughout most of the galaxy.
Mezzenbone’s ascension to the Dragon Empire throne
has increased the presence of the drow in all levels of
society, bringing with it greater tolerance and knowl-
edge of drow culture, albeit unwillingly in some areas.
As a result, many drow have taken to openly showing
their devotion to the Spider Goddess. This enables
them to both flaunt their long-oppressed religion in the
face of those who find it inimical and to express deep
levels of devotion within their own orders. Naturally,
drow culture being as it is, it is hard to tell which moti-
vation they find more attractive.
In additions to tattoos or other forms of body decora-
tion, a number of drow are having spinnerets implant-
ed. The spinneret is a small implant placed in the fore-
arm. When used, it ejects material that forms a magical
undergone a detailed fine-tuning. The base ability web, entrapping any unlucky enough to be captured
remains the same, but the system attached to it functions within its sticky strands. This trend is much more com-
better as a whole in the tasks it is asked to perform. For mon among female drow, the traditional members of the
each amplifier implanted, the subject receives a +4 cir- Spider Goddess’s clergy, but is not unknown among
cumstance bonus to the skills based on that particular males. This spellware design was not intended as any-
ability. thing more than a useful, non-lethal method of capturing
Caster Level: 13th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, targets, but its adoption by the drow has left more than
limited wish; Market Price: 35,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,400; one non-drow user suspected of evil tendencies.
Check DC: 15. A web can be flung up to 25 feet away. Enough web
Sonic Cry: When spellware first spread across the is created to trap one Large creature, two Medium-size
stars, one of the sources arcane surgeons first looked to creatures, three Small creatures, and so on. The webs
for inspiration was nature itself. In myriad forms across last for one hour each. The spinnerets can make up to
hundreds of planets, examples were noted and studied, three webs per day.
leading to some of the more common spellware designs A creature within the web’s strands is entangled.
available today. Among these designs was one for a Entangled creatures suffer a –2 penalty to attack, a –4
sonic attack, similar to methods of defense used penalty to effective Dexterity, and cannot move. Any
throughout the animal kingdom, with amazing success. attempt to cast a spell while entangled requires a suc-
Using arcane organ modification, the vocal cords and cessful Concentration check (DC 15) or the spell will be
diaphragm of a subject with sonic cry are magically lost. A successful Reflex save (DC 15) allows a creature
altered. The subject keeps his normal speaking and to avoid becoming entangled. A Strength check (DC 20)
singing voices, but is thereafter able to utter a piercing or an Escape Artist check (DC 25) can allow a stuck
cry capable of causing damage to the hearer. The cry creature to break free. The strands of the web are flam-
inflicts 2d6 points of damage upon everyone within a mable, and creatures trapped within flaming webs take
30-ft. cone. Everyone within the area of effect is also 2d4 points of damage.
deafened for 2d6 rounds. A successful Fortitude save Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
(DC 14) negates the deafness and reduces the damage web; Market Price: 12,000 cr; XP Cost: 480; Check DC:
12. This design allows the paladin to project a blast of
Voice Modulator: This enhancement sees great use light from his open palm. He must succeed at a ranged
in the entertainment industries, as well as among those
in more illicit professions. Through arcane organ aug-
touch attack in order to strike his target, with a range of
150 feet. A creature struck by this attack takes 3d8
101
mentation, the subject’s vocal cords and throat are points of damage. An undead creature takes 5d6 points
101r101
enhanced to allow them to replicate any sound made by of damage, and undead who are vulnerable to sunlight
a living creature. In addition, the spellware allows the take 5d8 points of damage. A successful Fortitude save
bearer to project his or her voice, making it seem as (DC 15) halves the damage.
though it issues from somewhere else (such as from Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
another creature, a statue, behind a door, down a pas- cleric of paladin’s deity, searing light; Market Price:
sage, etc.). The range of the effect is anywhere within a 35,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,400; Check DC: 12.
25-ft.radius. Listeners who make a successful Will save Divine Sight: This enhancement allows the paladin to
(DC 13) realize the sound is illusory, but still hear it. call upon divine power and reveal the presence of invis-
The effect lasts for as long as the bearer maintains con- ible assailants in her presence. This power works in a
centration. 25-ft. radius from the paladin, rendering any invisible
If the bearer’s voice is not disguised and the listener forms in the area visible and outlining them in glowing
recognizes it, he will know who is actually making the blue light, enabling the paladin to determine those being
sound. If the bearer is imitating another person or crea- revealed by the effect, even in a crowd. The power can
ture, the character must make a Charisma check (see be used three times per day and lasts for 10 minutes each
table below for DC) to see how successfully he emulates time. Creatures without a visible form, such as an invis-
the chosen person or creature. ible stalker, remain invisible. The paladin is the only one
who can see the invisible creatures; their invisibility is
Sound Type DC not stripped from them. They are merely revealed to the
Same PC race, same gender 12 paladin, who may then take action as she chooses.
Same PC race, different gender 14 Caster Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
Different PC race 14 cleric of paladin’s deity, invisibility purge; Market
Non-PC race 16 Price: 30,000 cr; XP Cost: 1,200; Check DC: 12.
Non-verbal creature variable Heavenly Shield: This enhancement allows the pal-

adin to deflect attacks for a total of five minutes per use.
Caster Level: 3rd; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware, The effect can be used two times per day, either on the
alter self, ventriloquism; Market Place: 18,000 cr; XP paladin herself or another creature touched. The
Cost: 720; Check DC: 15. enhancement creates a shimmering, magical field
around the touched creature that averts attacks. It grants
Divine Spellware the subject a +2 deflection bonus to AC against incom-

ing attacks.
Gods’ Favor: This enhancement grants the character Caster Level: 1st; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
the ability to move and attack normally for the duration cleric of paladin’s deity, shield of faith; Market Price:
of the effect, even when under the influence of magic 3,000 cr; XP Cost: 120; Check DC: 12.
designed to paralyze or entangle, such as hold person,
paralysis, or web. This also functions underwater and in
the vacuum of space. It does not grant the ability to
breathe underwater or in space.
Caster Level: 7th; Prerequisites: Implant Spellware,
cleric of paladin’s deity, freedom of movement; Market
Price: 56,000 cr; XP Cost: 2,240; Check DC: 15.
Cleansing Light: This spellware enhancement is of
great use to paladins who spend their time attempting to
grant rest to the spirits of the undead. This particular
design is typically only granted after the paladin has
proved his prowess against undead beyond question.
Once installed, it is considered a mandate from within
the faith to take up the fight against undead abomina-
tions without ceasing.
CHAPTER FOUR
102
102l102
PSIONICS
Introduction The Races and Psionics
Like the art of magic, psionics are an ancient disci- Most of the races in the Dragonstar setting can man-
pline in the Dragon Empire. And just as with magic, sci- ifest psionic powers without modification. Psionic abil-
entists have sought ways to combine technology with ity is usually not a function of race but of mental train-
psionics to create tools that are not limited by the laws ing and potential.
of physics. While not as completely successful as they
were with magic, scientists did happen upon a few very
important discoveries. As the awareness about the exis- Soulmechs and Psionics
tence of psionics and how they worked grew, new tech- The standard soulmech neural net will allow an indi-
nologies were developed to enhance the quiet mind with vidual to use psionics. A soulmech needs a special
CHAPTER FOUR: PSIONICS
the enlightenment of the soul. It was soon discovered upgrade to the neural net to be able to manifest psionic
that the psionically active mind was able to link its powers. The cost of this upgrade, in credits and XP, is
power to the latent energy patterns of crystals and their the same as the cost for the crystalware for creating a
matrices. bio-psion (see page 119). Assume, however, that this
The age of psionic enlightenment began when artifi- cost has been paid for at character creation. This allows
cial crystals were first grown. Now that the natural a soulmech to begin or multiclass as a psionicist without
matrices of latent energy could be created at a pittance paying the cost in experience or credits.
of the cost of mining, it became standard practice to Because of the dual nature of soulmechs—they are
engineer psionic individuals. Many of these fields are both constructs and living beings—many powers affect
still very new and unproven, but this hasn’t stopped the them differently than they might a flesh and blood crea-
unscrupulous from experimenting. ture, or even a standard construct. When a power desig-
Each citizen of the empire has his or her own beliefs nates the target as a creature or humanoid, assume that
about psionics, what they are, and how they work. the power also works on soulmechs. Soulmechs retain
Indeed many are skeptical and prejudiced out of fear. their natural magical immunities and susceptibilities for
The bottom line, however, is not what is true, but who is psionic effects. Psionic attack modes affect soulmechs a
using them, and more importantly, how they are being bit differently. Any result that would cause Strength,
used. Dexterity, or Constitution damage instead stuns a soul-
The names and game mechanics of classes, feats, mech for a number of rounds equal to the ability dam-
items, and powers in this section, as well as all game age. See the Guide to the Galaxy (page 118) for further
rules derived from the d20 System Reference details on psionics and soulmechs.
Document, are designated as Open Game Content. Soulmechs cannot use crystalware. Because of this
restriction, soulmechs may not become bio-psions, as
that would require a crystalware implant.
tinge to their thin skin and their skulls are enlarged, giv-
Tsalokhi (s-Humans) ing their heads a bulbous appearance. They often shave
There aren’t many people who live on the edge of the
Dark Zone who can claim to be truly free. The mind
their thick and silky hair into intricate patterns.
Complimenting this odd grooming habit, tsalokhi sport
103
flayers once held dominion over the area of the galaxy colorful tattoos and numerous body piercings. Hair
103r103
the tsalokhi call home. It is therefore quite remarkable color and eye color are as varied as any human’s, but
that the tsalokhi have been free of mind flayer control rare metallic shades are valued above all others.
for many generations. Tsalokhi are as careful and fanatical about cleanliness
Natural evolution and active breeding programs led and a groomed appearance as they are wild and chaotic
the tsalokhi to develop genetic psionic traits. There isn’t with their choice of fashion.
a tsalokhi born that does not have some trace of psionic Relations: Tsalokhi are relatively rare in the Dragon
talent. If it wasn’t for the mind flayers’ overconfidence, Empire and find it hard to get along with most everyone
the tsalokhi would never have succeeded in remaking due to a combination of their superior aloofness and bit-
themselves into a race of people naturally gifted at terness towards the empire. Most other races have a hard
resisting the considerable psionic prowess of their for- time dealing with these attitudes and usually treat the
mer masters. For many years, the tsalokhi enjoyed a tsalokhi with some measure of disdain. The only races
freedom that few, even those of the Dragon Empire, that frequently tolerate being treated as inferior are the
have known. They became complacent. various hybrid races and soulmechs, who put up with
In their arrogance and pride, the tsalokhi refused to prejudice throughout the empire on a regular basis. As a
acquiesce to the Dragon Emperor’s demands of sub- whole, tsalokhi are not a very popular people in the
servience and their society was destroyed. Today, the Dragon Empire, and that is largely due to excessive
few surviving tsalokhi have had some trouble adapting hubris. A few tsalokhi, however, have integrated suc-
to lives in the Dragon Empire. Despite their difficulty, cessfully into imperial society.
tsalokhi have earned the respect of many for their sur- Alignment: The majority of tsalokhi who survived
vival skills, strange powers, and inborn tenacity. The the Dragon Empire’s invasion are chaotic by nature. It
tsalokhi survive in the Dragon Empire as individuals on was the politicians who incited the Dragon Empire and
the fringe of society waiting for their chance to claim the survivalists who fled prior to the invasion. Both of
freedom once again. these factions exhibit chaotic tendencies. However,
Personality: The dichotomy of superiority and sub- some few are true contemplatives and philosophers—
servient survival that coexists within each individual students of thought. These few are usually lawful and

creates an air of uncertainty around the tsalokhi. On the are usually disdained by fellow tsalokhi as indecisive
surface, a tsalokhi may seem aloof and contemplative. and weak.
This, however, is not indicative of most actions they Tsalokhi Lands: Most tsalokhi are nomads and do
take. Often enough, seemingly rash and random acts not have a world that they can call home. After the
have one common denominator—survive at all costs. Dragon Empire’s invasion, the tsalokhi abandoned their
Tsalokhi also tend to patronize the other races of the home world of Tsalokhiin. Many travel the stars in
Dragon Empire. Despite their history of subjugation to search of a new home where they find limited accep-
first the mind flayers of the Dark Zone and then to the tance on other inhabited worlds throughout the empire.
Dragon Empire, tsalokhi honestly feel they are geneti- Some seek to find a new planet to call their own.
cally superior to any race that hasn’t remade itself. If Regardless of where they go, and why, tsalokhi do not
those in the Dragon Empire were truly of the same cal- have anywhere they can call tsalokhi lands. They could
iber, they would have found a way to throw off the yoke repopulate Tsalokhiin, but most look back at the near
of the dragons long ago. The tsalokhi are still trying to past with distaste. A small enclave, however, has peti-
find their place in the Dragon Empire and are still form- tioned the emperor for colonization rights on Tsalokhiin.
ing their lasting racial reputation as a whole. The key Religion: Living outside the influence of the
traits of tsalokhi are aloofness, attitudes of superiority, Unification Church, it is a wonder that the tsalokhi have
and rash unpredictability. While their unpredictability a similar concept of deific archetypes. Through their
usually has a specific focus, often survival, most people own self-realization during the time they remade them-
are hard pressed to understand the contradictory moti- selves, the tsalokhi concluded as a culture that there
vations of the tsalokhi. really are only two all encompassing Powers in the uni-
Physical Description: At first glance, a tsalokhi verse. While Dualist and tsalokhi concepts might slight-
resembles a tall, thin human. This is where the resem- ly differ in various minor ideologies and dogmatic prac-
blance ends, however. Tsalokhi have a slightly bluish tices, for all intents and purposes they are one and the
same. Most tsalokhi believe there are two opposing
deities that represent all Zhouten, ben Chindu,
polar conflicts in the uni- Ulfhedin. Surnames are
104 verse. This, however, is not
necessarily a rule among
sometimes prefaced with an
honorific attributed to their
tsalokhi. After the invasion social caste. Because the
104l104
and during their integration mind flayers instituted the

into the Dragon Empire, social castes, most tsalokhi
many tsalokhi had a crisis have chosen to abolish the
of faith. The Unification honorific. A few, however,
Church was quick to jump still use them to show humil-
in and fill the void. ity and as a reminder of how
Traditionally, tsalokhi did far a people can fall when
not worship the Creator or even the smallest freedoms
Adversary, but rather they are relinquished. Common
worshipped both as two honorifics include: bin, ben,
integral parts of the uni- B’, xel, ple, jhu.
verse—two aspects of the Adventurers: Tsalokhi, by
same entity. Today, one nature, are survivors. They
would be as likely to see a thrive on challenge and tak-
tsalokhi paying homage to ing rash actions. It took their
the Creator or Adversary as society being destroyed for
any of the Unification them to realize just how com-
deitypes. placent they had become.
Language: All tsalokhi The dangers inherent in
speak Tsalokhi, which is a adventuring are just the tonic
silent, telepathic language. needed for a prideful race to
Tsalokhi also speak regain its identity. When
Common, as this was the resisting the urge to seek
language spoken by their challenge, the nomadic tsalokhi find
primitive ancestors before adventure as they search for a new
they remade themselves. home.

Names: Parents usually
name their children after a TSALOKHI RACIAL TRAITS
legendary hero or leader
• +2 Constitution, +2
from the time when they began
Intelligence, –2 Charisma:
their genetic breeding programs.
Tsalokhi, through years of mental
Additionally, any tsalokhi who
training and meditation, have
made a stand, successful or not,
actively bred extreme intelli-
against the mind flayers are eligible
gence, but tend to be aloof around
for immortality. Indeed, tsalokhi
other races, which they deem to be
carry the superstition that when one of their
inferior.
children is given the name of a hero, leader,
• Medium-size: As Medium-size crea-
or martyr of the past, that great personality
tures, tsalokhi have no special bonuses or
will live on and make the child great. As such,
penalties due to their size.
children often remain nameless until they become
• Tsalokhi base speed is 30 feet. A tsalokhi
old enough to exhibit a recognizable personality.
gains the feat Speed of Thought for free (see Feat
Tsalokhi surnames are traced back to the original prim-
Descriptions, Psionics Handbook) but must meet all the
itive clans that once populated their planet before mind
prerequisites of the feat to be able to use it.
flayer oppression.
• +1 racial bonus on Will saves against psionic attack
Tsalokhi Male Names: Tsalo, Czilkh, Khabbo,
modes.
Llokn, Whven, Bhylmn, Fjolmod.
• Psionic Abilities: Tsalokhi with Charisma scores of
Tsalokhi Female Names: Ngoma, Lldoli, Gzarrt,
10 or higher may use the 0-level power missive at will.
Yvaal, Pfiilna, Ksukhee, Fjotra.
Additionally they may use the Psionic Attack Mode
Tsalokhi Surnames: Sakiir, Inson, B’Coultra, bin
mind thrust and the Psionic Defense Mode empty mind
each once per day. All tsalokhi have the psionic template
(see Monsters, Psionics Handbook).
• Tsalokhi may always take Knowledge (psionics) as
Original Psionic Classes 105
a class skill and receive a +4 racial bonus on checks
Psion
105r105
using this skill.
• If using the s-Template Variance below, the tsalokhi, Psions have found life difficult in the Dragon Empire.
or s-human, does not gain the bonus feat or skill points, For many thousands of years, their profession was mis-
as they are too single-minded and focused on survival to understood. They had to deal with prejudice and fear
be flexible and well rounded like true humans. wherever they went. It wasn’t until recently, during the
• Automatic Languages: Common and Tsalokhi. age of psionic enlightenment, that psions became
Tsalokhi is a silent telepathic language. Bonus accepted throughout the Dragon Empire. This accep-
Languages: Draconic and any other language or lan- tance was hard fought and came at a cost. A psion can
guages that are very commonly used on the planet they now walk openly in the streets and declare himself a
have taken as their new home. psion without fear of legal reprisal, but many of his indi-
• Favored Class: Psion or psychic warrior, chosen at vidual freedoms and privacy have been compromised
character creation. A tsalokhi’s psion or psychic warrior for this right. Unlike magic, psionics are an art for which
class does not count when determining whether he suf- the ruling elite—the dragons—do not have a natural
fers an XP penalty for multiclassing. The tsalokhi have aptitude. As a result, they remain suspicious of its
actively bred psionics into their gene pool and thus unconstrained use.
make exceptional psionicists. Tsalokhi are considered Despite the empire’s grudging acceptance of psionics
true psionicists and may not take any levels in the bio- as a viable talent, the restrictions are fairly significant.
psion class. Psions are required to register with the Imperial
• Level Adjustment +1: Their many psionic talents Committee for Psionic Oversight, which is itself over-
make tsalokhi slightly more powerful than other com- seen by the ISPD. Frequent activity reports to the ICPO
mon races in the Dragon Empire. by each individual psion ensure continued registration
in good standing with the empire. Further, psions must
ALTERNATE S-TEMPLATE VARIANCE report to local imperial administration at every port to
Many tsalokhi stories circulate through the Dragon which they travel. Any violation of the Psionic Code—
Empire of dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, and even a document dictating what a psion is and is not allowed

orcs who lived on or near their home planet of to do regarding manifestation of their powers—can be
Tsalokhiin. These other races, which maintain more tra- punishable according to the laws of the ruling jurisdic-
ditional physical traits, either keep their abilities secret tion.
or have not tried to integrate into the Dragon Empire;
some believe they were all killed in the invasion of GAME RULE INFORMATION
Tsalokhiin. In any case, it is possible that a few rare such The following new rules apply to psions.
individuals exist in the Dragon Empire.
Treat the tsalokhi racial traits as a template, which
would be added to the standard race. The extra racial
New Class Skills
traits added in the Starfarer’s Handbook should be used
The psion’s new class skills vary by the psion’s pri-
when using the s-template variance. The s-template may
mary discipline.
not be added to half-dragons or dragons. Half-Dragons
• The egoist’s new class skill (and its key abil-
could only have this template if the non-dragon parent
ity) is Freefall (Dex).
had the s-template. Dragons should use the standard
• The nomad’s new class skills (and the key
psionic template, as they were never privy to the secret
ability for each skill) are Pilot (Dex) and Navigate (Int).
genetic breeding program on Tsalokhiin. Tsalokhi are
• The savant’s new class skills (and the key
considered s-humans, however s-humans only get the
ability for each skill) are Freefall (Dex) and Use Device
above racial traits and do not gain the additional feat or
(Int).
skill points. The s-template has a level equivalent of +1.
• The shaper’s new class skill (and its key abil-
ity) is Repair (Int).
• The seer’s new class skills (and the key abil-
ity for each skill) are Cryptography (Int) and Research
(Wis).
• The telepath’s new class skills (and the key Psion Psicrystal II
ability for each skill) are Cryptography (Int) and Urban Level Intelligence Special
106 Lore (Wis). 1–2
3–4
6
7
Sighted, integral link
Remote connection
Class Features 5–6 8 Self-propulsion
106l106
7–8 9 Communicate in digital

All of the following are class features of the psion. 9–10 10
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: When a psion 11–12 11
takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he gains proficien- 13–14 12 Sight link
cy with all high-tech simple firearms. 15–16 13 Channel power
Technical Powers: When a psion takes the Technical 17–18 14
Proficiency feat, the technical powers detailed later in 19–20 15
this chapter become available (see page 123).
Crystalware: Crystalware requires that a psionically Intelligence: The psicrystal II’s Intelligence score.
enhanced crystal be implanted into the psion. This is an This works identically to the psicrystal’s Intellgience
invasive procedure and causes the psion’s connection to score.
his inner power to become partially disrupted. Because Sighted, Self-propulsion, Sight Link, and Channel
of this disruption, the psion loses the use of 1 power Power: These abilities work identically to the psicrys-
point per level of the power imbued into the crystalware tal’s abilities.
(see page 119). Integral Link: This ability works like a data connec-
Psionic Code: Psions who have registered with the tion. The transmittal of data is used to communicate
Imperial Committee for Psionic Oversight (ICPO) agree with the psion. The implanted component translates the
to follow the Psionic Code. The Psionic Code is a docu- data stream into coherent information that the psion can
ment that dictates when, where, and how a psion is understand. This transferal of data from the psicrystal II
allowed to manifest his powers. The document is filled to the psion works similarly to a modem connection and
with thousands of words of legal jargon, and each local has a maximum range of one mile.
jurisdiction has its own interpretation of the legalese. Remote Connection: This ability allows the psion to
Despite what may seem an overwhelming amount of connect to the Net through his psicrystal II (see page
rules a registered psion has to know, they can generally 119). The computer terminal or datapad the psicrystal II
be encapsulated in two principles: is using to access the Net must have a net crystal
1. One shall not use psionics to subvert the authority upgrade.

of the empire or those the empire invests with its author- Communicate in Digital: This allows the psicrystal II,
ity. and thus the psion, to communicate directly with a com-
2. One shall not unfairly garner fortune, standing, or puter.
influence by using psionics in a coercive, seductive, or
subversive way against another citizen of the Dragon
Empire.
Psychic Warrior
True Psionicist: Psions are considered true psioni- Not unlike the psion, psychic warriors have often had
cists as they come by their talents naturally. As such, to conceal their psionic talents. Fortunately, however,
psions may not take levels in the bio-psion class. the psychic warrior has other abilities that helped com-
Similarly, a bio-psion may not multiclass as a psion. pensate for the repression of their psionic powers. As
Psicrystals: When a psion begins play with the long as they didn’t stay in one place too long, a psychic
Technical Proficiency feat, he may choose an alternate warrior was usually able to pass himself off as a fighter
type of psicrystal. The alternate type is called a psicrys- or monk. Because of this deception, many found homes
tal II. A psicrystal II has two components, one of which and professions within several monastic orders through-
is implanted into the psion’s brain. The other component out the Dragon Empire.
is a psicrystal in all respects except as detailed by the Because they did not meet the same level of volatile
chart below. The implant of this psicrystal does not prejudice that psions did, psychic warriors have not
result in the loss of the use of any power points. been affected in the same way by the age of psionic
enlightenment. While they have enjoyed the freedom to
use their psionic powers openly, though subject to the
restrictions of the Psionic Code, they have also found
acceptance in a variety of monastic orders that allow
them to use and develop their powers more freely. Most of the empire or those the empire invests with its author-
of the monastic orders, however, have registered their ity.
psionic brethren by proxy. This allows the psychic war-
riors to remain anonymous.
2. One shall not unfairly garner fortune, standing, or
influence by using psionics in a coercive, seductive, or
107
Even though psychic warriors have been able to legal- subversive way against another citizen of the Dragon
107r107
ly avoid registration with the ICPO, their actions are still Empire.
bound by the Psionic Code. It is just a matter of time True Psionicist: Psychic warriors are considered true
before an anonymously registered member of one of the psionicists as they come by their talents naturally. As
various monastic orders knowingly and maliciously such, psychic warriors may not take levels in the bio-
breaks one of the rules mandated for all psionicists. psion class. Similarly, a bio-psion may not multiclass as
When this time comes, it is likely that the Dragon a psychic warrior.
Empire will not allow the orders to register by proxy any New Bonus Feats: The psychic warrior can choose
longer. bonus feats from all new psionic feats and the following
list, in addition to the standard ones: Autofire, Crack
GAME RULE INFORMATION Shot, Gunner, Improved Far Shot, Improved Shot on the
Run, Mobile Shot, Pressing Attack, Speed Load, Two-
The following new rules apply to psychic warriors.
Gun Shooting.
New Class Skills

The psychic warrior’s new class skill (and its key abil-
ity) is Freefall (Dex).
New Psionic Class
Class Features Bio-psion
Technology is a byproduct of both the ambitious and
All of the following are class features of the psychic creative. Many wonderful things have been invented,
warrior. making life more comfortable. The good intentions of
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: When a psychic these creators have also given birth to many horrible
warrior takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he auto- things—truths have been discovered that were better left
matically becomes proficient with all high-tech simple hidden. Then there are those creations that ride the fine

and martial weapons and all high-tech armor. line between morally acceptable and ethically criminal:
Technical Powers: When a psychic warrior takes the Should mortals play at being gods?
Technical Proficiency feat, the technical powers detailed Bio-psions are one of the focal points for this moral-
later in this chapter become available (see page 123). istic argument. Despite the bitter feud between the pro-
Crystalware: Crystalware requires that a psionically ponents and antagonists, bio-psions have been created
enhanced crystal be implanted into the psychic warrior. and now cannot legally be denied their right to exist.
This is an invasive procedure and causes the psychic Since creation is expensive, bio-psions often find them-
warrior’s connection to his inner power to become par- selves indebted to their financier. In many cases, the
tially disrupted. Because of this disruption, the psychic imperial government itself funds creation of a bio-psion.
warrior loses the use of 1 power point per level of the At least two different organizations—one sponsored by
power imbued into the crystalware (see page 119). House Golion and the other by the ISPD—openly
Psionic Code: Psychic warriors who have either reg- recruit volunteers. Regardless of the method of funding
istered personally or had their monastic order register by the creation of a bio-psion, they are always created with
proxy for them are required to follow the Psionic Code. a specific purpose in mind.
The Psionic Code is a document that dictates when, Adventures: Bio-psions don’t find many opportuni-
where, and how a psychic warrior is allowed to manifest ties to adventure, at least not for personal reasons. That
his powers. The document is filled with thousands of is, unless they try to flee from their indentured servi-
words of legal jargon, and each local jurisdiction has its tude, and then their lives become one big adventure.
own interpretation of the legalese. Despite what may Despite the figurative and sometimes literal collars they
seem an overwhelming amount of rules a registered psy- wear, bio-psions can often act as liaisons for their mas-
chic warrior has to know, they can generally be encap- ter, who might hire a group of adventurers to perform a
sulated in two principles: specific task. In most cases, the bio-psion would be sent
1. One shall not use psionics to subvert the authority along with the adventurers to ensure the successful com-
pletion of a job, within the acceptable parameters set.
While acting as the eyes and ears of an employer in this eligible to become bio-psions. Dwarves and gnomes are
fashion, bio-psions are often given a limited form of probably the best able to survive the invasive surgery
108 autonomy to make their own decisions. Any decisions
determined to be detrimental to their master will be rec-
required, as they have high natural fortitudes. The job,
however, for which they are created often determines
onciled after the mission is completed. what race is the best fit. Those whose purpose requires
108l108
Characteristics: Whether volunteers or forcefully the use of the psychometabolism discipline require
conscripted into service, bio-psions are engineered decent strength, so orcs or half-orcs work best, while
psionicists. They are built and molded into a elves and halflings would not. Conversely, elves and
tool for a particular purpose. While most are halflings would be best suited for any positions
not designed specifically for combat but as requiring use of the psychoportation discipline.
acting agents for their master, some com- Drow, on the other hand, find it difficult to survive
bat ability is usually necessary. the transformation, but if they do, they make great
Bio-psions are also not the practitioners of the metacre-
best psionicists, but they are ative, psychoportive, and
more closely linked to telepathy disciplines.
technology and the Dragon Other Classes: Designed
Empire than true psioni- as a specific tool, bio-
cists. psions often lack diversity
Alignment: Bio-psions in skill. Because of this
may be of any alignment. single-minded focus,
Volunteers most often bio-psions often excel
exhibit at least one ele- at tasks specifically
ment of their masters’ related to their
alignments, usually being goals. Finding a
within one step on the way to get beyond
alignment chart. They any other obstacles
gladly and willingly carry can lead to extreme
out the orders of their supe- difficulty. Because of the
riors and are fanatically loyal narrow scope of their special-
to their created purpose. Those conscripted into ser- ization, bio-psions often
vice include slaves, convicts, and unfortunates down require other individuals
on their luck. These few usually don’t conform to with different skill back-
their masters’ alignments and are often submis- grounds to assist them. This
sive in nature. may be a team of several bio-
Religion: Bio-psions don’t usually fol- psions all designed to perform
low any specific faith. They often pay different tasks. More often, however, others
homage, though, to the deity that meant the most to with more diverse abilities are hired or assigned to work
them prior to the procedure. Volunteers often worship or alongside the bio-psion.
convert to the worship of their master’s deity. Those
unfortunate enough to be forcefully transformed into a GAME RULE INFORMATION
bio-psion often pray to the Father, the Mother, and
Bio-psions have the following game statistics.
sometimes the Judge to deliver them safely from their
Abilities: Constitution is the most important ability
unjust bondage.
for bio-psion, because it is the ability they most rely on
Background: Bio-psions can come from just about
to survive the surgery required to become a psionicist.
anywhere. Volunteers are often already in their master’s
As with psions and psychic warriors, however, all abili-
employ. They might be a bodyguard, soldier, or some-
ty scores could be useful. Each discipline requires a
one ambitious enough to want a more highly ranking
good score in a different ability for optimal perfor-
position. Some will volunteer out of patriotism to a
mance.
domain or the empire and hear the call as a commoner,
Alignment: Any.
aristocrat, or any station in between. The conscripted are
Hit Die: d6.
usually not free prior to the procedure, and may be
Starting Gold: Same as psion.
slaves, indentured servants, or convicts still serving a
sentence.
Races: Characters or any race except soulmech are
TABLE 4-1: THE BIO-PSION 109
Base
109r109
Attack Fort Ref Will Power Powers Discovered
Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Pts/Day 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 +0 +2 +0 +0 Crystalware affinity,
pseudo-psionicist 5 — — — — — — —
2 +1 +3 +0 +0 5 1 — — — — — —
3 +2 +3 +1 +1 5 2 — — — — — —
4 +2 +4 +1 +1 Psionic combat mode 5/10 3 — — — — — —
5 +3 +4 +1 +2 7/15 3 1 — — — — —
6 +3 +5 +2 +2 Crystalware implant 9/20 3 2 — — — — —
7 +4 +5 +2 +2 11/25 3 3 — — — — —
8 +5 +6 +2 +3 Psionic combat mode 13/34 3 3 1 — — — —
9 +5 +6 +3 +3 15/41 3 3 2 — — — —
10 +6/+1 +7 +3 +4 Integral Psionic Item 17/50 3 3 3 — — — —
11 +6/+1 +7 +3 +4 19/59 3 3 3 1 — — —
12 +7/+2 +8 +4 +4 Crystalware implant,
psionic combat mode 21/70 3 3 3 2 — — —
13 +7/+2 +8 +4 +5 23/81 3 3 3 3 — — —
14 +8/+3 +9 +4 +5 25/94 3 3 3 3 1 — —
15 +8/+3 +9 +5 +6 27/107 3 3 3 3 2 — —
16 +9/+4 +10 +5 +6 Psionic combat mode 29/122 3 3 3 3 3 — —
17 +9/+4 +10 +5 +6 31/137 3 3 3 3 3 1 —
18 +10/+5 +11 +6 +7 Crystalware implant 33/154 3 3 3 3 3 2 —
19 +10/+5 +11 +6 +7 35/173 3 3 3 3 3 3 —
20 +11/+6/+1 +12 +6 +8 Two psionic combat
modes,

integral psionic item 37/192 3 3 3 3 3 3 1
Class Skills proficient with all simple weapons and all light or medi-
um armor. Additionally, a bio-psion may choose up to
The bio-psion’s class skills (and the key ability for two martial weapon proficiencies. Armor check penal-
each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), ties for some types of armor apply to the skills Balance,
Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Freefall (Dex), Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick
Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Profession (Wis), Psicraft Pocket, Pilot, and Tumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a
(Int), Remote View (Int), Repair (Int), Research (Wis), –1 penalty for every five pounds of armor and equip-
Stabilize Self (Str), Urban Lore (Wis), Use Device (Int), ment carried.
and Use Psionic Device (Cha). Powers: A bio-psion manifests powers similarly to a
psion or psychic warrior. All the rules regarding the
Skill Points at 1st level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. minimums for key ability scores apply to the bio-psion.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int mod- A bio-psion may choose any psionic power and is not
ifier. restricted by a specific power list. A bio-psion may
choose a power of a level equal to the psion level of that
power, assuming of course that the bio-psion can devel-
Class Features op a power of that level. If the power only has a psychic
warrior level, then the bio-psion may choose that power
All of the following are class features of the bio- when he can develop a power equal to the psychic war-
psion. rior level of the power. A bio-psion may never choose
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Bio-psions are powers greater than 6th level.
Power Points: A bio-psion starts with five power
110
points per day and does not start gaining more power
points until 5th level. At 5th level and each level there-
after, a bio-psion gains two power points automatically.
Original Prestige Classes
Because the crystalware implant used to create a bio-
Metamind
110l110
psion is a modification of a standard crystal capacitor, a

bio-psion may choose to purchase upgrades to his power With the general mindset of the empire being one of
point total. Table 4-1 shows two numbers separated by a ambition, metaminds fit into the fast-paced society of
slash. The first number is the automatic number of the Dragon Empire very well. While they are respected
power points a bio-psion has at each level. The second for their single-minded approach to gaining as much
number is the maximum amount a bio-psion can power as quickly as they can, metaminds are also
upgrade to at each level. If the power point total is regarded with more suspicion and paranoia than the
upgraded to the maximum for that level, and that average psionicist. Despite the restrictions of psionic
amount is more than the automatic upgrade upon gain- registration within the empire, many metaminds rise to
ing a new level, then no new power points are gained. positions of power on sheer tenacity alone.
The credit and experience point costs of these upgrades If a metamind’s ambition turns completely toward a
are detailed later in this chapter (see page 119). personal race for the most possible psychic power, he
Crystalware Affinity: Unlike normal psions or psy- can often be found among the anonymous psionic
chic warriors, a bio-psion can use crystalware without brethren of the various monastic orders that support
committing any permanent power points. The bio-psion their kind. Even though he doesn’t seek secular or spir-
implant includes the artificial link, so the bio-psion itual leadership, a powerful metamind often serves as
never has to have an artificial link applied to any crys- the head of these monastic orders.
talware he might have implanted.
Pseudo-psionicist: A bio-psion is a created psionicist.
As such, a bio-psion is restricted from multiclassing as
CLASS FEATURES
a psion or psychic warrior. Similarly, a character who is All of the following are class features of the meta-
already a psion or psychic warrior may not multiclass as mind.
a bio-psion. To choose bio-psion as your initial charac- Weapon and Armor Proficiency: When a metamind
ter class, the credit and experience point costs for the takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he automatically
bio-psion implant are considered paid in full. becomes proficient with all high-tech simple weapons.
Crystalware Implant: At 6th, 12th, and 18th level, a

bio-psion does not have to pay the experience point cost
of one crystalware implant. Keep a record of the experi-
Pyrokineticist
ence point cost. The bio-psion cannot gain a crystalware Fire has traditionally been the most dangerous ele-
implant that would cost more in experience than he has ment aboard a ship, from the archaic cutters and
before he would be reduced to the next lowest level galleons to the modern submarines and spacecraft. Ship
(e.g., a 6th-level bio-psion who has 17,000 XP could not captains and crewmembers alike know that fire could
receive crystalware that would cost more than 2,000 doom them to slow asphyxiation while traveling in the
XP). A bio-psion still has to pay the cost in credits for vacuum of space—and that is the best-case scenario. As
the crystalware. such, pyrokineticists are often banned from starships, or
Integral Psionic Item: At 10th and 20th level, a bio- if discovered en route, ejected—many times without
psion is able to receive a special kind of crystalware space suits or escape pods—into the depths of space.
implant. Any psionic item that requires charges to work Many a mutiny has been staged when the captain
may be implanted into the bio-psion. The bio-psion refused to abandon a pyrokineticist.
must pay double the XP cost of the item, as if he were Because of the prejudice against fire, pyrokineticists
going to create it. The bio-psion has the ability to find it difficult to travel from planet to planet, let alone
recharge the psionic item with his pool of power points. planetary system to system. Because of an extreme
It costs five power points per charge to recharge a psion- focus on fire and obvious gleeful love of open flame, a
ic item. The normal number of XP must be expended to pyrokineticist finds it hard to hide his chosen profession.
recharge the integral psionic item. Integral psionic items Pyrokineticists rarely receive the opportunity to leave
are considered crystalware, so bio-psions do not lose the their home world, and when they do, it is usually under
use of power points when they are implanted. strictly enforced restrictions on the use of their powers.
CLASS FEATURES exhibit their psionic powers or try to draw attention to
themselves in any other way, as their professions as per-
All of the following are class features of the pyroki-
neticist.
sonal bodyguards and assassins require a certain level of
discretion. Despite the popular use of soulknives, most
111
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: When a pyroki-
approach them with trepidation and fear, much like a
neticist takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he auto-
111r111
rich businessman approaching a street thug in a dark
matically becomes proficient with all high-tech simple
alley. Their penchant for violence is infamous, and few
weapons.
can be sure what might trigger a display of grisly car-
Special Fire Abilities: The pyrokineticist has several
nage.
abilities tied to the element of fire. All of these abilities
work normally under normal conditions. In the vacuum
of space, however, fire does not have oxygen to burn. CLASS FEATURES
See the section on powers and power clarifications in All of the following are class features of the soulknife.
this chapter for further details on ectoplasmic fire. For Weapon and Armor Proficiency: When a soulknife
example, the touch aflame ability will not set any flam- takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he automatically
mable materials on fire by its touch alone while in an becomes proficient with all high-tech simple weapons
airless environment, but the pyrokineticist can cause an and all high-tech light armor.
object or foe to light up using unstable ectoplasm much
like alchemist’s fire.
Slayer
New Prestige Classes
The following new prestige classes are designed for
The biggest threat to the sovereignty of the Dragon inclusion in Dragonstar campaigns that feature psion-
Empire, other than its own internal strife, appears to be ics prominently.
the mind flayers of the Dark Zone. While this generally
keeps slayers gainfully employed, it also shortens their
life expectancy drastically. Regardless of the rampant
Cyberkineticist
paranoia against psionicists and the resultant repression As the age of psionic enlightenment surged across the
of personal freedoms, slayers are often accepted grate- Dragon Empire, many psionicists seized the opportuni-
fully into most social circles. Indeed, many slayers are ty to enhance their powers with technology. One of the
hired to protect various nobles, cities, and planets, while ways they found to do this was to increase the ability to

those that are unscrupulous accept employment as remote view by using electronic surveillance equipment
assassins that target other psionicists. The ISPD main- as a viewing device. Cyberkineticists have perfected the
tains a unit of slayers trained to hunt down and destroy practice and have consequently become some of the best
those psioncists who are seen as a threat to the Dragon surveillance experts in the galaxy.
Empire. Cyberkineticists are very rarely found on the front
lines during any battles or skirmishes. They feel content
to sit back and watch through their sensors, analyzing
NEW CLASS SKILLS the best course of action for the troops in the field.
The slayer’s new class skill (and its key ability) is Indeed, a cyberkineticist’s skills are very useful to mili-
Urban Lore (Wis). tary commanders, prison wardens, highly secure gov-
ernment buildings, and other organizations with a pre-
CLASS FEATURES mium on surveillance.
All of the following are class features of the slayer. Hit Die: d6.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: When a slayer
takes the Technical Proficiency feat, he automatically REQUIREMENTS
becomes proficient with all high-tech simple and martial To qualify to become a cyberkineticist, a character
weapons and all high-tech armor. must fulfill all the following criteria.
Manifesting: Ability to manifest psionic powers.
Soulknife Base Attack Bonus: +3.
Skills: Knowledge (electronics) 5 ranks, Remote
Of all the psionicists in the Dragon Empire, View 8 ranks, Repair 5 ranks, Use Device 8 ranks.
soulknives find it the easiest to travel incognito without Feats: Gearhead, Technical Proficiency.
consciously trying to hide their abilities. They rarely
112 TABLE 4-2: THE CYBERKINETICIST
Base Powers
112l112
Class Attack Fort Ref Will Power Discovered

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Pts/Day 0 1 2 3
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Electrical affinity, detect
electronic surveillance +3 — — — —
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 +5 1 — — —
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Electrical remote
viewing +5 2 1 — —
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 +5 3 2 — —
5th +2 +1 +1 +4 Greater electrical
remote viewing +7 3 2 1 —
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 +7 3 3 1 —
7th +3 +2 +2 +5 Network viewing +7 3 3 2 —
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 +9 3 3 2 1
9th +4 +3 +3 +6 +9 3 3 2 2
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Superior electrical
remote viewing +9 3 3 3 2
CLASS SKILLS discovered as though the character had a number of

psion levels equal to his levels in the prestige class.
The cyberkineticist’s class skills (and the key ability
Detect Electronic Surveillance (Sp): At 1st level, a
for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Concentration
cyberkineticist is able to detect attempts to spy upon
(Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (electronics) (Int),
him electronically. This ability works as the spell detect
Knowledge (psionics) (Int),Navigate (Int), Pilot (Dex),
electronic surveillance. This ability is always active as
Profession (Wis), Psicraft (Int), Remote View (Int),
long as the cyberkineticist has at least 3 power points in
Repair (Int), Use Device (Int), and Use Psionic Device

his power point pool.
(Cha).
Electrical Affinity (Ex): At 1st level, a cyberkineti-
cist gains the benefit of rigorous training on all manner
of electrical devices. The character gains a +2 bonus on
all skill checks pertaining to electrical devices, electron-
CLASS FEATURES ics, and electricity. Additionally, cyberkineticists gain
All of the following are class features of the cyberki- electricity resistance 5.
neticist prestige class. Electrical Remote Viewing (Sp): At 3rd level, a
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The cyberkineti- cyberkineticist is able to manifest some powers through
cist gains no additional weapon or armor proficiencies. electronic surveillance sensors. This ability works as the
Armor check penalties for some types of armor apply to power electrical remote viewing. This ability may be
the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, used at will as long as the cyberkineticist has at least 3
Move Silently, Pick Pocket, Pilot, and Tumble. Also, power points in his power point pool.
Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for every five pounds Greater Electrical Remote Viewing (Sp): At 5th
of armor and equipment carried. level, a cyberkineticist gains a greater ability to manifest
Power Points: Cyberkineticists gain extra power powers through electronic surveillance sensors. This
points per day, which are added to the character’s previ- ability works as the power greater electrical remote
ous total. Cyberkineticists gain bonus power points viewing. This ability may be used at will as long as the
based on their Wisdom scores. cyberkineticist has at least 9 reserve power points in his
Powers Discovered: A cyberkineticist discovers power point pool.
powers as listed in Table 4-2: The Cyberkineticist. Network Viewing (Ex): At 7th level, a cyberkineti-
These powers are added to the character’s previous cist is able to use his electrical remote viewing or greater
powers known. Psionic attack and defense modes are electrical remote viewing abilities on multiple monitors
simultaneously. A Concentration check is required to REQUIREMENTS
maintain this kind of focus (DC 15 + number of moni-
To qualify to become a netwalker, a character must
tors viewing a different scene). A maximum number of
monitors may be viewed in this manner equal to the
fulfill all the following criteria. 113
Manifesting: Must be able to manifest psionic pow-
cyberkineticist’s level plus any other psionicist levels he
ers.
113r113
may have, plus his Intelligence modifier (if positive).
Skills: Net Talk 8 ranks, Remote View 5 ranks,
Superior Electrical Remote Viewing (Su): At 10th
Research 5 ranks, Use Device 8 ranks.
level, a cyberkineticist is able to manifest all powers, as
Feats: Hacker, Technical Proficiency.
well as psionic attack modes, through electronic surveil-
Special: Must have a net crystal crystalware
lance sensors. This ability works similarly to the power
implant.
greater electrical remote viewing, except there is no
restriction on which powers may be used through
the sensors. Any power not covered by greater CLASS SKILLS
electrical remote viewing only has a 5% chance The netwalker’s class skills (and the
per manifester level of working. This abili- key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis
ty may be used three times per (Wis), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int),
day and only if the cyberkineti- Cryptography (Int), Decipher Script (Int, exclu-
cist has 17 reserve power sive skill), Knowledge (psionics) (Int), Psicraft
points in his power point (Int), Profession (Wis), Remote View (Int), Repair
pool. (Int), Research (Wis), Search (Int), Use Device
(Int), and Use Psionic Device (Cha).
Netwalker Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int

Netwalkers are a modifier.
strange and reclu-
sive lot. They CLASS FEATURES
tend to spend all
All of the following are class fea-
day, and in many
tures of the netwalker prestige
cases all night
class.
as well,
Weapon and Armor

uplinked to their
Proficiency: The net-
computers. They are
walker gains no addi-
addicted to surfing
tional weapon or
the Net, but their
armor proficiencies.
obsession has made
Armor check penal-
them popular as the
ties for some types of
Dragon Empire
armor apply to the
grows in size. Their
skills Balance, Climb,
ability to expedite communication has
Escape Artist, Hide,
its uses commercially, militarily,
Jump, Move Silently, Pick
and in most business
Pocket, Pilot, and Tumble.
endeavors.
Also, Swim checks suffer a –1 penalty for
Netwalkers are usually
every five pounds of armor and equipment carried.
independent, like most computer hackers, but will often
Power Points: Netwalkers gain extra power points
find themselves in professions having to do with com-
per day, which are added to the character’s previous
munications, computer science, and even teaching.
total. Netwalkers receive bonus power points as any pre-
Some will join the military and serve as communication
vious existing psionic class, except their relevant ability
specialists, code breakers, and covert operatives, as long
score is Intelligence.
as a minimum of actual combat can be assured. A very
Powers Discovered: A netwalker discovers powers
few use their unique skills to subvert the authority of the
per his previous psionic class. Each level of netwalker
empire, commit other crimes, and generally create chaos
adds a virtual level to his existing psionic class for the
across the Net.
purpose of developing new powers. If the netwalker has
Hit Die: d6.
more than one existing psionic class, then he chooses
114 TABLE 4-3: THE NETWALKER
Base
114l114
Class Attack Fort Ref Will Power Powers

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Pts/Day Discovered
1st +0 +0 +0 +2 Hyper search,
remote uplink +5 +1 level in existing class
2nd +1 +0 +0 +3 +5 +1 level in existing class
3rd +1 +1 +1 +3 Understand
digital +7 +1 level in existing class
4th +2 +1 +1 +4 +7 +1 level in existing class
6th +3 +2 +2 +5 Transmit
consciousness +9 +1 level in existing class
8th +4 +2 +2 +6 Remote phase
uplink +11 +1 level in existing class
10th +5 +3 +3 +7 Transmit body +11 +1 level in existing class
one to gain a virtual level for the purposes of develop- mal data stream. This allows him to gain access to com-
ing new powers. These virtual levels add to the net- puters across the empire more quickly. A netwalker can-
walker’s manifester level. Psionic attack and defense not transmit his consciousness any faster than he could
modes are discovered as though the character had a normally transmit data. When his consciousness has
number of levels in the psychic warrior class equal to his been transmitted, the netwalker’s body is considered
levels in the prestige class. completely unaware and helpless. This can present a
Hyper Search (Ex): At 1st level, netwalkers gain the problem if the time of the transmission is extended. The
ability to increase their research speed while uplinked netwalker must insure that his body is taken care of
with the Net. When making a Research check, a net- while he is away.
walker may take 10 without spending any additional Normally, if a netwalker wanted to access a computer
time on the task, even when stress or distraction would eight light years away, it would take him a specific
otherwise prevent him from doing so. He may take 20 amount of time dependant on the speed of his net crys-
on Research checks when otherwise allowed to do so, tal upgrade. This might take days, weeks, or even
and these tasks take no more time than taking 10 ordi- months. It would take the same amount of time to trans-
narily would. mit the data back to his computer for perusal.
Remote Uplink (Su): At 1st level, a netwalker can When a netwalker transmits his consciousness, how-
link to the Net from anywhere, so long as he is within ever, it allows him direct and immediate access to the
100 feet of a computer with a net crystal upgrade. This information found on the computer and the local net-
ability may be used at will as long as the netwalker has work it is linked to. He can then send out communica-
at least 1 power point in his power point pool. tions from that computer or return to his body with the
Understand Digital (Ex): At 3rd level, due to their information. Returning to the body is instantaneous and
nearly constant connection with the Net, netwalkers any data traveling back with his consciousness returns at
have gained the ability to understand Digital. This the same speed. This allows a netwalker to cut down on
allows them to receive and transmit data directly to and data and information retrieval time by exponential
from a computer without having to go through a stan- degrees.
dard interface. This doubles the speed for all program- Remote Phase Uplink (Su): At 8th level, a netwalk-
ming, research, communication, and hacking tasks per- er is able to physically enter the Net. As long as he has
formed while uplinked to the Net. access to the remote uplink ability, a netwalker can
Transmit Consciousness (Su): At 6th level, a net- cause his body to flicker in and out of existence with a
walker can transmit his consciousness alongside a nor- strobelike effect. This is a partial transmission of his
physical body into the Net. The netwalker is affected as back into the fold. Recently, as the age of psionic
though the displacement spell had been cast on him. The enlightenment has spread across the galaxy, ascetics
spell true seeing and similar effects reveal the displaced
being’s true location, but because the netwalker is not
have found themselves acting as liaisons and merchants
for the psionic craftsmen of the Noetic Order. While this
115
entirely on the physical plane, the 50% miss chance still more secular job doesn’t really appeal to an ascetic of
115r115
applies. A magical weapon with the ghost touch ability the Noetic Order, they do understand the necessity.
affects the netwalker normally if his true location can be Hit Die: d6.
determined. This ability may be used three times per
day. REQUIREMENTS
Transmit Body (Su): At 10th level, a netwalker is
To qualify to become an ascetic of the Noetic Order,
able to physically transmit his body alongside a normal
a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
data stream. This ability works like the transmit con-
sciousness ability, except that the entire physical body is
Manifesting: Must be able to manifest psionic pow-
transferred from location to location. While in transit,
ers.
the netwalker’s body does not need to breathe or eat.
Skills: Hide: 8 ranks, Listen: 5 ranks, Move Silently:
The netwalker can, as a full-round action that pro-
8 ranks, Spot: 5 ranks.
vokes attacks of opportunity, transmit his body
Feats: Delay Power, Dodge, Psionic Dodge, and one
into the local network. The next round, as a
other metapsionic feat.
move-equivalent action, the netwalker can
Special: Must be a member in good standing of the
reappear anywhere within 100 feet of a com-
Noetic Order.
puter with a net crystal upgrade that is con-
nected to the local network. After reap-
pearing, the netwalker can make a CLASS SKILLS
Concentration check (DC 15 + 1 The ascetic’s class skills (and the key
per 1 mile from original location) ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis
to be able continue acting in the (Wis), Balance (Dex), Concentration
round. This function may be used (Con), Craft (Int), Freefall (Dex), Hide
once per day. The use of this ability (Dex), Knowledge
can be dangerous. If (psionics) (Int), Listen
the originating net (Wis), Move Silently

crystal upgrade is (Dex), Profession
destroyed, the net- (Wis), Psicraft (Int),
walker’s body will be Remote View (Int), Repair
shunted into the astral plane. (Int), Research (Wis), Spot (Wis),
Stabilize Self (Str), Urban Lore
Ascetic of the (Wis), Use Device (Int), and

Use Psionic Device (Cha).
Noetic Order Skill Points at Each Level: 4

+ Int modifier.
The Noetic Order is a secretive and mysteri-
ous monastic organization. Perhaps CLASS FEATURES
it was due to this secrecy, or
All of the following are class
maybe another more
features of the ascetic of the
mysterious reason, but the
Noetic Order.
Noetic Order has existed
Weapon and Armor
openly since the time of Emperor
Proficiency: Ascetics of the Noetic
Kupric. Ascetics of the Noetic Order are monks, psions,
Order are trained in the same weapons as monks. They
and psychic warriors who have attuned their minds to
gain proficiency with all basic peasant weapons and
the divine thoughts so closely that they have been
special weapons with which monks are proficient. The
charged to serve as missionaries.
are not proficient with any armor or with shields. Armor
Ascetics travel throughout the Dragon Empire teach-
check penalties for some types of armor apply to the
ing their Noetic philosophy. When they have a chance,
skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move
they also try to bring any of their wayward brethren
Silently, Pick Pocket, Pilot, and Tumble. Also, Swim
116 TABLE 4-4: THE ASCETIC OF THE NOETIC ORDER
Base
116l116
Class Attack Fort Ref Will Power

Level Bonus Save Save Save Special Pts/Day Powers Discovered
1st +0 +0 +2 +0 Hide Power feat,
danger Sense +3 +1 in existing psionic class
2nd +1 +0 +3 +0 +5 +1 level in existing class
3rd +2 +1 +3 +1 Bonus metapsionic
feat +5 +1 level in existing class
5th +3 +1 +4 +1 Bonus metapsionic
6th +4 +2 +5 +2 Nondetection +7 +1 level in existing class
7th +5 +2 +5 +2 Bonus metapsionic
8th +6/+1 +2 +6 +2 Adapt body +9 +1 level in existing class
9th +6/+1 +3 +6 +3 Bonus metapsionic
10th +7/+2 +3 +7 +3 Join the circle +9 +1 level in existing class
checks suffer a –1 penalty for every five pounds of the character gets every three character levels.
armor and equipment carried. Danger Sense (Sp): At 1st level, an ascetic of the
Power Points: Ascetics of the Noetic Order gain Noetic Order is able to intuitively sense when he is in
extra power points per day, which are added to the char- danger. This ability works as the power danger sense as
acter’s previous total. Ascetics receive bonus power cast by a psion of the ascetic’s character level.
points as other psionic classes, except their relevant Additionally, this ability grants the ascetic of the Noetic
ability score is Dexterity. Order a +4 circumstance bonus on ability or skill checks
Powers Discovered: An ascetic of the Noetic Order to avoid being surprised. This ability is always active as
discovers powers as his previous psionic class. Each long as the acetic has at least 5 power points in his
level of ascetic of the Noetic Order adds a virtual level power point pool.
to his existing psionic for the purposes of developing Nondetection (Sp): At 6th level, an ascetic of the
new powers. If the ascetic has more than one existing Noetic Order is able to hide his presence from spying
psionic class, he chooses which one to increase a level eyes. This ability works as the power nondetection as
for the purposes of developing new powers. These vir- cast by a psion of the ascetic’s character level. This abil-
tual levels add to the ascetic’s manifester level. Psionic ity is considered to always be active as long as the
attack and defense modes are discovered as though the ascetic has at least 5 power points in his power point
character were a psychic warrior of the same level as the pool.
prestige class. Adapt Body (Sp): At 8th level, an ascetic of the
Bonus Metapsionic Feats: At 3rd level, an ascetic of Noetic Order is able to adapt his body to various hostile
the Noetic Order may choose his first bonus metapsion- environments. This ability works as the power adapt
ic feat. He may choose additional metapsionic feats at body as cast by a psion of the ascetic’s character level.
5th, 7th, and 9th levels. An ascetic must first meet the The ascetic may use this ability once per day without
prerequisites of any feat before he may take that feat as power point expenditure. He may spend the normal
one of his bonus feats. These bonus feats are in addition power points required by the power to use it more than
to the feats that a character gets every three character once per day.
levels. Join the Circle (Su): Ascetics of the Noetic Order
Hide Power: At 1st level, an ascetic of the Noetic train rigorously to gain this final ability. At 10th level, a
Order receives the Hide Power metapsionic feat for free. group of ascetics of the Noetic Order may all join
This is a bonus feat and is in addition to any feats that together in a circle and manifest powers with a greater
ability than they are capable of individually. Ascetics of Concentration checks (DC 20 + 5 per extra task after the
the Noetic Order often need this power to protect the first two) are required to maintain your multitasking
secrecy and security of their order. This ability works as
the power metaconcert. The acetic may use this ability
under extreme or dangerous conditions.
117
once per day without any power point expenditure or KNOWLEDGE (PSIONICS) [INT; TRAINED ONLY]
117r117
requirements. If an ascetic wishes to use this ability
You are knowledgeable about the mechanics of psion-
more than once, he must expend 9 power points as the
ics and how they interact with the laws of physics.
power normally requires.
Special: As with other knowledge skills, your knowl-
edge of psionics is limited to your degree of contact with
Original Psionic Skills psionic manifestations. Even if you have had significant
experience with psionic powers, you may not know that
the manifestations were psionic, instead confusing them
Each of the skills detailed in the Psionics Handbook
is listed in the following section. Most of these skills are for arcane magic. Psionicists have hidden their powers
unmodified from their original descriptions. However, behind the veil of magic for many thousands of years, so
the technology and unique environments of the very few non-psionicists actually have detailed knowl-
Dragonstar setting expand the scope and function of edge of the art.
many skills.
PSICRAFT [INT; TRAINED ONLY]
AUTOHYPNOSIS [WIS; TRAINED ONLY; BIO- Because the open practice of psionics is a relatively
new phenomenon in the Dragon Empire, no changes
PSION, PSION, PSYCHIC WARRIOR ONLY] have been evidenced to date. There are no modifications
You have trained your mind to resist fear, pain, and to this skill.
toxins. You can survive without air for a short time, even
in the vacuum of space.
Special: You may make an Autohypnosis check to REMOTE VIEW [INT; BIO-PSION, PSION ONLY]
resist asphyxiation (DC 20). As with scry, psionic surveillance can be more effec-
Resist asphyxiation: In response to being exposed to tive and harder to detect than anything technology could
the vacuum of space without any protective clothing or create.
breathing apparatus, you can make an Autohypnosis Special: This skill does not work with electronic sur-
veillance devices, and it will not help you to detect such

check to remain conscious after you have expelled all
your breath. A successful check grants you a +4 circum- surveillance. It is only used for psionic remote viewing.
stance bonus to your Constitution check each round to
keep from passing out for lack of air. Additionally, you STABILIZE SELF [CON; TRAINED ONLY; BIO-
can make this skill check when the threat of drowning or
other forms of suffocation are imminent.
PSION, PSION, PSYCHIC WARRIOR ONLY]
High-tech firearms make combat exceptionally dan-
gerous in the Dragon Empire, and this is often a crucial
CONCENTRATION [CON] skill.
You are trained at focusing your mind. The alternate Special: You can subconsciously stabilize your trau-
uses of this ability outlined in both the Psionics ma symbiote. It is more difficult to stabilize a symbiote
Handbook and the Starfarer’s Handbook work the same (DC 20) using this skill than it is to stabilize yourself.
for psionicists in the Dragonstar setting.
Special: If you are attempting to multitask while
using the Net, Concentration checks are required to
USE PSIONIC DEVICE [CHA; TRAINED ONLY;
maintain multiple, simultaneous tasks (the DC is equal BARD, BIO-PSION, PSION, PSYCHIC WARRIOR,
to 15 + 5 per extra task beyond the first two.) ROGUE ONLY]
Multitasking: Net crystals are capable of handling an Regardless of whether an item is a hybrid of technol-
unlimited amount of multi-directional data streams. The ogy and psionics or a standard psionic item, all psionic
average mind is capable of handling several minor or items work the same across the known galaxy. There are
inconsequential tasks at once as well. The use of a net no modifications to this skill.
crystal, however, requires mental focus and concentra-
tion and makes it very difficult to multitask. To add an
additional task requires a Concentration check (DC 15).
RAPID METABOLISM
118
Original Psionic Feats Soulmechs do not have a metabolism, and so cannot
gain the benefits of this feat.
Most of the original feats are unchanged. The ones
listed here are those affected by new rules unique to the
RETURN SHOT
118l118
Dragonstar setting.
This feat only works against thrown or archaic missile
BODY FUEL weapons, such as arrows, stones, or crossbow bolts. You
cannot use this feat to snatch a bullet or energy pulse
Soulmechs and any other robots or constructs may not
and fire it back at your foe.
“burn” physical ability points (Str, Dex, or Con). Any
other creature or being that cannot alter an ability score,
or does not have a particular ability score, may not
burn that ability score. New Psionic
CRAFT PSIONIC ARMS AND Feats
ARMOR The following new feats
You must have the Technical can be incorporated into a
Proficiency feat to create psion- Dragonstar campaign
ic, high-tech weapons and that emphasizes psionic
armor. characters.
CRAFT UNIVERSAL ITEM IMPLANT

You must have the CRYSTALWARE
Technical Proficiency feat [ITEM CREATION]
to create high-tech miscel- You can psionically
laneous psionic items. enhance living beings
with crystalware.
FELL SHOT Prerequisites:
You can use this feat with Psionic Manifester level

high-tech ranged weapons, 5th+, Technical
such as firearms, in addition Proficiency.
to archaic projectile Benefits: You can
weapons. create any crystalware
whose prerequisites you
meet. Implanting crystalware
MENTAL LEAP in a patient takes 1 hour
Gravity can for each 1,000 credits in
affect the dis- its price and costs half
tance and height its price in raw materials,
you can leap. supplies, and equipment. The
You may use base price of a crystalware implant
Mental Leap under is the level of the power squared (0-level powers
any gravity condi- are considered 1st level) x the manifester level
tions beyond the norm. (minimum of 5th) x 2,000 credits ÷ (5 ÷
Apply the modifiers for charges per day up to a maximum of 5) x 2. The
gravity first, and then double recipient of the crystalware must spend 1/25 of
the distances for mental leap. the enhancement’s price in XP.
The surgeon is essentially implanting a modified
PSIONIC METABOLISM power stone into the patient. A link is created between
Soulmechs do not have a metabolism, and so cannot the patient and the power stone. If the patient is a non-
gain the benefits of this feat. psionic, the surgeon must create an artificial link, which
requires the recipient to spend double the XP cost. This worth an adventure or two. See the Creating Spellware
artificial link need be done only once as it can be section of the Guide to the Galaxy (page 88) for further
extended to all future crystalware implants.
More details on crystalware will be outlined later in
details on how to create and implant crystalware.
Bio-psion implant: To become a bio-psion, a charac-
119
this chapter (see below). ter must have this implant, which is a modified crystal
119r119
capacitor. The crystalware is implanted in the middle of
INERTIAL DAMPENING [PSIONIC] the patient’s brain and requires a Fortitude save (DC 15)
to survive the surgery. A failed save results in death. The
Your mind gives you more control over your body in
modifications to the crystal capacitor allow a non-psion-
low-g or zero-g environments.
ic to become psionic. The crystalware replenishes its
Prerequisites: Dexterity 13+, the Freefall skill,
own power points every 24 hours, regardless of whether
reserve power points 3+.
it is completely depleted or not. Once this crystalware
Benefits: You no longer need to make Freefall skill
enhancement is implanted, the patient may never
checks while in very low-g. You receive a +8 circum-
become a true psionicist because any real connection to
stance bonus to all Freefall checks while in zero-g.
his own inner power is destroyed when the brain surgery
is performed. A bio-psion implant does not take up an
NET SURFER [GENERAL] available crystalware implant slot.
You are naturally gifted at using the Net. Manifester Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Implant
Prerequisites: Technical Proficiency. Crystalware, Create Crystal Capacitor, psychic chirur-
Benefits: You get a +2 bonus on all Concentration, gy; Market Price: 162,000 cr; XP Cost: 6,480; Check
Research, and Use Device checks when using the Net. DC: 20.
Bio-psion implant upgrade: Bio-psions have the
PSIONIC G-TOLERANCE [PSIONIC] ability to purchase upgrades for their bio-psion implant
at 4th level. This increases the amount of power points
Your mind allows you to ignore alternate gravity.
the bio-psion has available to use on powers or psionic
Prerequisites: Dex 13+, reserve power points 5+,
combat modes. Since the surgery has already been done,
Inertial Dampening, at least one of the following feats:
the only cost incurred is the credit and experience point
High-G Tolerance, Low-G Tolerance, Zero-G
cost for each additional power point added to the
Tolerance.
implant’s capacity.
Benefits: You may treat any gravity environment as if
Manifester Level: 9th; Prerequisites: Implant
it were 1g in all respects. You must have the specific

Crystalware, Create Crystal Capacitor; Market Price:
gravity tolerance feat to affect that type of gravity envi-
1000 cr; XP Cost: 40; Check DC: 10.
ronment with this feat. If you have all the gravity toler-
Standard crystalware implant: Any character,
ance feats, then this feat will work in all gravity envi-
unless otherwise restricted, can receive a crystalware
ronments. You don’t have to ignore the gravity if you
implant. These implants grant the patient the use of a
wish to benefit from the effects. In all cases, however,
single psionic power up to a maximum of five times per
the penalties to Dexterity or Strength are negated.
day. A maximum of six implants per individual is
allowed. Once the daily charges have been used, a
New Equipment psionicist may channel power points through the

implant to manifest the power. The psionicst loses a
number of power points permanently from their power
The following new equipment can be incorporated
point pool, equal to the level of the power imbued into
into Dragonstar campaigns that emphasize psionics.
the implant. The market price below assumes a 1st-level
power at a manifester level of 5 is being used. See the
Crystalware Implant Crystalware feat above for the full equation to
calculate the market price and XP cost for higher-level
The creation of crystalware implants works similarly
powers and higher manifester levels.
to the creation of spellware. The surgeon needs the new
Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant
item creation feat Implant Crystalware and must have
Crystalware, Encode Stone, the power being imbued
ranks in Profession (surgeon). At least half of the cost in
into the implant; Market Price: 4,000 cr (1/day), 8,000
raw materials, equipment, and supplies must be in the
cr (2/day), 11,976 cr (3/day), 16,000 cr (4/day), 20,000
form of a crystal or gem, which is empowered and then
cr (5/day); XP Cost: 160 (1/day), 320 (2/day), 479
used as the actual crystalware implant. In some cases,
(3/day), 640 (4/day), 800 (5/day); Check DC: 12 + 1 per
the gem may need to be so expensive that finding one is
power level.
Net crystal implant: A net crystal implant integrates Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant
a psionicist’s brain directly with the Net through a com- Crystalware, Repair skill, uplink; Market Price: 30,000
120 puter that has a net crystal upgrade. Normally, an indi-
vidual would only be able to receive input and send out-
cr; XP Cost: 1,200; Check DC: 18.
Model IV allows communication from one side of the
put across the Net through the use of a computer termi- galaxy to the other in one day. The minumum time it
120l120
nal. A net crystal implant is considered a full brainport takes to communicate outside of the instantaneous local
(see Imperial Supply, page 4) for the advantages it network is 12 hours.
allows and dangers it incurs. A net crystal implant does Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant
not allow the use of skill chips. A net crystal implant Crystalware, Repair skill, uplink; Market Price: 40,000
takes up one available crystalware slot. Manifester cr; XP Cost: 1,600; Check DC: 20.
Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant Crystalware, uplink; Model V allows communication from one side of the
Market Price: 10,000 cr; XP Cost: 400; Check DC: 18. galaxy to the other in 12 hours. The minimum time it
Net crystal upgrade: A net crystal upgrade is a crys- takes to communicate outside of the instantaneous local
talline hardware upgrade for any computer not more network is one hour.
than two years old. This upgrade gives any user the abil- Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant
ity to access the Net through his computer terminal. Crystalware, Repair skill, uplink; Market Price: 50,000
These upgrades can be placed on servers, which would cr; XP Cost: 2,000; Check DC: 25.
grant every workstation the connectivity benefit, or on
an individual terminal. A standard net crystal upgrade
allows communication from one side of the galaxy to
the other in approximately one year. There are more
Powers
expensive models that allow a faster rate of communi-
cation, but the faster the rate the more likely burnout or
failure is to occur. There are five models of the net crys- Psionics and Magic
tal upgrade. Model I is the standard model and allows Psionics and magic are similar in that supernatural
the slowest rate of communication. A Use Device check energies are being channeled and expended for a desired
(DC 10) is required to use this model effectively. If the effect. This is where the similarity ends. While the
check is failed by more than 5, then a burnout can occur. magic-psionic transparency presented in the Psionic’s
Have the net crystal upgrade make a Fortitude save (DC Handbook is certainly a viable option, the Dragonstar
14 + its model number) to determine burnout. If burnout setting assumes a variant transparency exists. Why a
does occur, then the connection is dropped and a new variant? So that the game balance between psionics and
net crystal upgrade must be installed before the connec- magic is maintained while still allowing for psionics to
tion can be resumed. The creator must spend the XP cost be a completely different set of abilities and powers. The
for this psionic item, as it does not get implanted into a variant transparency system is based on the effect of the
patient. Consequently, a Repair check is required magic spell or psionic manifestation, not whether it is
instead of a surgery check to implant the item. specifically magic or psionic. If there is any question
Model I allows communication from one side of the about how this variant system works, assume that if a
galaxy to the other in one year. The minimum time it resistance or immunity to a specific effect is not defined
takes to communicate outside of the instantaneous local as resistance or immunity to magic or psionics specifi-
network is one month. cally, it works against both magic spells and psionic
Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant manifestations.
Crystalware, Repair skill, uplink; Market Price: 10,000
cr; XP Cost: 400; Check DC: 12. SPELL RESISTANCE (SR) VS. POWER
Model II allows communication from one side of the
galaxy to the other in one month. The minimum time it RESISTANCE (PR)
takes to communicate outside of the instantaneous local These two terms are interchangeable in the
network is one week. Dragonstar setting. Creatures with a natural SR gain an
Manifester Level: 5th; Prerequisites: Implant equal PR rating, and vice versa. Over the eons, creatures
Crystalware, Repair skill, uplink; Market Price: 20,000 have evolved and gained equal resistance to the effects
cr; XP Cost: 800; Check DC: 15. of both psionics and magic.
Model III allows communication from one side of the
galaxy to the other in one week. The minimum time it
takes to communicate outside of the instantaneous local
network is one day.
121
121r121
SAVINGS THROWS magic, however, is often accompanied by psionic damp-
ening. This is mostly true in naturally occurring dead-
Creatures that receive saving throw bonuses against
magic areas, as those artificially created are usually

certain types of magical effects, such as mind-affecting
fashioned by a pure spellcaster or psionicist rather than
spells, poison, or disease, receive these same bonuses
a combination of the two.
when a psionic power exhibits the same effect.
Similarly, if they receive a Reflex save bonus against
area of effect spells, they would receive the same save ECTOPLASMIC FIRE
bonus against area of effect psionic manifestations. Many psionic powers are tied to the element of fire,
Specific saving throw bonuses against magic or psion- which works normally in most conditions and environ-
ics, however, are not interchangeable. ments. However, in an environment without an atmos-
phere, fire no longer has oxygen to burn and therefore
IMMUNITIES cannot exist without magical or psionic assistance.
Psionic powers that use the element of fire often use
Creatures that are immune to certain effects, such as
unstable ectoplasm as fuel, and thus do not need oxygen
fire, cold, or sleep, maintain the immunity regardless of
to continue burning. This still does not allow for sec-
whether it is a magical or psionic effect. Specific immu-
ondary combustion of flammable materials, but it does
nities to magic or psionics do not translate into immuni-
allow for a persistent effect to maintain its burn.
ty to the other.
ANTI-MAGIC AND DEAD-MAGIC AREAS Original Powers

For all intents and purposes, psionics are not affected All of the powers originally outlined in the Psionics
by anti-magic and magic is not affected by psionic Handbook are available in the Dragonstar setting. In
dampening. This is not necessarily true for dead-magic fact, you can even incorporate powers from other d20
areas. By the definition of dead magic, psionics are not System products. None of the original powers have been
affected and work normally in such an area. Dead changed, but some of them need some new clarifica-
tions. These are described fully in this section. If a COMPRESSION
power doesn’t appear here, you can assume there’s noth-
Like the enlarge spell, this power works on soul-
122 ing to add.
mechs and robots. It is one of the few powers that can
affect the physical abilities of a soulmech or robot.
POWER CLARIFICATIONS
122l122
These power clarifications are presented in alphabeti- DIVERT TELEPORT

cal order, just like the Psionics Handbook. Many psion-
Starcasters can essentially teleport an entire ship and
ic powers duplicate magic spells in both name and
its crew across vast distances of space. This power
effect. Any special clarifications from the Starfarer’s
allows you to divert even a starcaster, but you must first
Handbook for specific magic spells can be applied
be aware that the starcasting is taking place. When you
equally to the psionic power that duplicates the spell or
divert a starcast, you are affecting the astronav comput-
spell effect. Unless otherwise described below, psionic
er. The computer gets a saving throw with a bonus equal
powers affect the universe in a similar fashion to magic
to the ship’s sensor rating to avoid the diversion.
spells and all general principles from the Starfarer’s
Handbook apply to psionics with the same game
mechanics. DREAM TRAVEL
Since soulmechs do not dream, this power does not
ADAPT BODY work on soulmechs.
This power allows you to adapt your body to
the dangerous vacuum of space as though you were a EMPATHIC TRANSFER
creature native to this barren environment. This allows Soulmechs may transfer damage from others to them-
you to breathe and move normally while in space. This selves normally using this power. They may not transfer
also means that any damage due to temperature any disease or poison, as they are immune to both.
extremes or unfiltered UV radiation is negated. Additionally, they may not transfer any physical ability
damage, as they cannot alter their physical abilities.
AFFINITY FIELD
If one or more of the creatures in the area of effect are EXPANSION
soulmechs, then the soulmechs are only affected if the Like the enlarge spell, this power works on soul-
magic spell or psionic power targeting the manifester of mechs and robots. It is one of the few powers that can
affinity field could normally affect a soulmech. affect the physical abilities of a soulmech or robot.
ANCHORED NAVIGATION IRON BODY

This power is very useful for traveling around the This power physically alters the body of the mani-
known galaxy. As often happens, much to the delight of fester. Because the physical body actually changes, a
starship mechanics, navigational equipment and ship soulmech does receive the physical ability adjustments
sensors often break down or are damaged during battle. this power confers. It is one of the few powers that can
Anchored navigation allows a pilot or navigator to cor- affect the physical abilities of a soulmech or robot.
rectly plot a course using the astronav computer, as long
as the course is on a direct route towards an anchored MATTER AGITATION
location. As many jumps as desired or necessary to
A soulmech takes damage from this power as though
make the trip are allowed, as long as the course is direct.
he were a creature with organic skin.
However, if the astronav computer is damaged, then you
would still have no way to send the appropriate activa-
tion sequence to the starcaster. OAK BODY
This power physically alters the body of the mani-
CLAWS OF THE VAMPIRE fester. Because the physical body actually changes, a
soulmech does receive the physical ability adjustments
A soulmech may not take advantage of the healing
this power confers. It is one of the few powers that can
this ability provides.
affect the physical abilities of a soulmech or robot.
STOMP Metacreativity
Unlike the earthquake spell, this power works on arti-
ficial structures, such as starships and space stations, no Irradiate: As per the irradiate spell in the Starfarer’s
Handbook; psion 8; power points 15.
123
matter how small they are.
Magic Bullets: As per the magic bullets spell in the
123r123
Starfarer’s Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2/psychic war-
SUSPEND LIFE rior 2; power points 3.
This power requires a living body to target. Since a Refuel: As per the refuel spell in the Starfarer’s
soulmech does not have a living body, it can’t be affect- Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2; power points 3.
ed by this power.
Psychokinesis
TRACE TELEPORT
This power allows you to trace a starcaster, but you Instant Reboot: As per the instant reboot spell in the
must first be aware that the starcasting is taking place. Starfarer’s Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2; power points
When you trace a starcast, you are “sensing” the astron- 3.
av computer’s activation sequence that it sends to the Power Down: As per the power down spell in the
starcaster. The computer gets a saving throw with a Starfarer’s Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2; power
bonus equal to the ship’s sensor rating to avoid the trace. points 3.
Tractor Beam: As per the tractor beam spell in the
WHITEFIRE Starfarer’s Handbook; psion 7; power points 13.
An airless environment, like the vacuum of space, Psychometabolism
affects this power the same as it does any other fire- Radiation Barrier: As per energy barrier, except this
based psionic manifestation. However, any metal that power protects the target against radiation; bio-psion
whitefire melts remains molten for the duration of the 5/psion 5/psychic warrior 5; power points 9.
power, even in space. Starship hulls generally do not Total Energy Barrier: As per energy barrier, except
have a low melting point in relation to metals like lead the target is temporarily invulnerable to all of the ele-
and gold, and so are not affected by this power. ments (acid, cold, fire, electricity, and sonic) and to radi-
ation as well; psion 7; power points 13.
New Powers

REMOTE UPLINK
Telepathy (Cha)
The following new powers can be incorporated into a Level: Bio-psion 3, Psion 3.
Dragonstar campaign that emphasizes the role of psion- Display: Ma
ics. They are listed alphabetically by discipline. Manifestation Time: 1 action
Range: Medium 100 feet
Clasentience Target: A computer with a net crystal upgrade
Detect Surveillance: As per the spell in the Saving Throw: No (see text)
Starfarer’s Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2/psychic war- Power Resistance: No
rior 3; power points 3. Power Points: 5
Electric Remote View: As per the electric scry spell You can link to the Net from anywhere, so long as you
in the Starfarer’s Handbook; bio-psion 2/psion 2; power are within 100 feet of a computer with a net crystal
points 3. upgrade. This allows you to receive and transmit data
Darkvision and Missive may be manifested through using the computer terminal you are uplinked to. If the
electronic surveillance sensors normally. Aura Sight can computer you link to has someone already using the
be manifested through the sensors, but only at a 5% computer, then they can try to kick you off. This
chance per manifester level. requires a contested Use Device check.
Greater Electric Remote View: As per the greater If the computer has an AI or firewall for security, then
electric scry spell in the Starfarer’s Handbook; bio- you need to make a successful computer hacking roll to
psion 5/psion 5; power points 9. Aura Sight, Darkvision, bypass the security. Otherwise you are forcefully eject-
and Missive may be manifested through electronic sur- ed from the uplink and will be stunned for one round.
veillance sensors normally.
124
124l124
SPACE WALK UPLINK

Psychoportation (Dex) Telepathy (Cha)
Level: Bio-psion 2, Psion 2, Psychic Warrior 2 Level: Bio-psion 1, Psion 1.

Display: Vi, Ma Display: Ma.
Manifestation Time: 1 action Manifestation Time: 1 action.
Range: Personal Range: Personal.
Target: You or creature touched Target: Any computer.
Duration: 10 minutes/level Duration: 1 hour/level.
Saving Throw: Will negates Saving Throw: No (see text).
Power Resistance: Yes Power Resistance: No.
Power Points: 3 Power Points: 1.
You can move around unerringly in a zero-g environ- You can link to the Net from any computer. The com-
ment without having to make Freefall checks. This puter does not have to have a net crystal upgrade. This
allows you to make direction changes without any solid allows you to receive and transmit data using the com-
object to push off of. Essentially treat a zero-g environ- puter terminal you are uplinked to.
ments as though you were swimming underwater. If the computer has an AI or firewall for security, then
you need to make a successful computer hacking roll to
bypass the security. Otherwise you are forcefully eject-
ed from the uplink and will be stunned for one round.
125
125r125
INDEX
adamantine infiltrator 4-6 noetic warrior 34-35
adamantine order 6-8 Order of the Wolfpack 75-76
arcane commando 8-10 prestige classes 4-47
ascetic of the Noetic Order 115-117 psion 105-106
bio-psion 107-110 psionics, equipment 119-120
celestial guard 12-13 psionics, feats 118-119
celestial guardsman 11-12 psionics, powers 120-124
Celestial Wind 63-65 psionics, races 102-105
Children of the Blade 66-67 psionics, skills 117-118
cleric domains 80-81 psychic warrior 106-107
combat ace 13-15 pyrokineticist 110-111
cyberkineticist 111-113 rebel 56-58
Dark Zone explorer 16-17 Royal Exploratory Service 43-44
divine spellware 101 royal marshal inspector 36-38
dragon slayer 19-20 Royal Marshal Service 38-39

Duelists 67-69 schools 63-79
ecoterrorist 22-24 scientific arcanist 45-46
faithful servant 49-50 shadow guards 10-11
Fate Reavers 69-71 s-human 103-105
feats 59-63 slayer 111
galactic conquerer 50-52 Soldiers of the Iron Star 76-78
Green Cabal 24-25 soulknife 111
Guardians of Dorrugan 71-73 spells 80-94
Guild of Scientific Spellcraft 46-47 spellware 94-101
Guild of Tinkers 30-31 trailblazer 42-43
imperial arcanist 25-27 tsalokhi 103-105
imperial legionnaire 31-32 unification missionary 39-41
Imperial Society of Arcane Magic 27-28 Vigil of Sakar 78-79
infowarrior 28-30 White Legion Expeditionary Force 32-33
Ios 73-75 wraith squadron 15-16
irindul society 17-19 Zorzi 20-22
legendary classes 47-58
machine man 52-54
master roboticist 54-55
metamind 110
Missionary Evangelists Nasuit 41-42
netwalker 113-115
Noetic Order 35-36
Your Survival Guide to
the Dragon Empire
Player’s Companion is an indispensable compendium of
new classes, feats, spells, spellware, psionics rules, and more
for the Dragonstar campaign setting. Player’s Companion is
designed for both players and DMs. The book presents new
options for both player characters and non-player characters, as
well as new rules a DM can incorporate into his campaign.
• More than 20 new prestige classes, including the arcane com-

mando, imperial legionnaire, and Dark Zone explorer.
• New feats and a variety of special schoools that allow charac-

ters to improve their skills and abilities, such as the Children of the
Blade, the Duelists, and the Soldiers of the Iron Star.
• New spells, such as might of the dragon and haywire, and new
spellware enhancements, such as magic touch and golem arms.
• A full chapter on integrating psionics and psionicist characters into
Dragonstar, including new classes, new rules for existing classes,
and new psionic feats, skills, and powers.
Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons® Player's Handbook,

Third Edition, published by Wizards of the Coast®
FANTASY
ISBN 1-58994-026 -1
#''#
FLIGHT
' %&#&' '" $
GAMES
DS04 $19.95 www.fantasyflightgames.com

Dragonstar - Player's Companion

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dragonstar - Player's Companion

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Dragonstar - Player's Companion

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What new character options does the book provide?

What new character options does the book provide?

What new rules for spells, feats and abilities are included?

What new rules for spells, feats and abilities are included?

®

Introduction The Open Game License

accurate and up to date intelligence on the organizations

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Base Attack Bonus: +5.

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

have been taught how to use their spells to augment their

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

zeal, the guardsman is fatigued (–2 to Strength, –2 to

an enemy succeeds in doing damage against an ally of

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

metal and powered by electricity, but who are just as

initiative rolls during vehicle combat. This bonus is not LEADER

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

LEADER fascinated by the Dark Zone. Indeed, its interdiction

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

dragon lord of the empire. Consequently, they should too far.

easy to integrate into an ongo-

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

The Green Cabal those who aid and abet them.

Some stay solidly within the bounds of good morality,

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

REQUIREMENTS magic as well as her field of research. Thus, when an

Special: Character must be a non-sorcerer and pay

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

include it in a campaign with one or secret war between Asamet

CLASS SKILLS character must choose to use either instant reboot or

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

The Guild of Tinkers the capabilities to police its activities effectively. By

banding of the Guild and the prosecution of its leaders.

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

gain power points per day as shown on

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

their own desires. order is slowly acquiescing to its influence.

ing more than imperfect reflections of divine thoughts

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

gray areas, which complicate the investigation of crimes

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

ity of covert operations, with cleric RES actively recruits new

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

The trailblazers that make up the RES are divided into

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES

Class Attack Fort Ref Will

CHAPTER ONE: CLASSES