Valley of the Shrines (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

This is not to say Bard’s Gate does not contain the unusual or the fantastic — it does, simply not in every shop. Bard’s Gate, for your reference, has more in common with Lieber’s Lankhmar than it does with the Realms’ Waterdeep (high fantasy) or Tolkien’s Minas Tirith (low fantasy).

Most residents of Bard’s Gate are of the NPC classes (commoners, experts, warriors, etc) with a Profession skill reflecting their occupation and Skill Focus on their respective main skill. Most are no more than 5th level in their NPC class, with some exceptional few being as high as 9th level. A few residents have levels in a class from the PHB, those being mostly rogue, fighter, sorcerer or cleric levels. In general, those residents that do have such classes are no more than 3rd level in any PHB class, with several exceptional few being as high as 7th level. Keep these parameters in mind when you fill out the city as part of your campaign.

Duloth rose to power after the city’s original thieves’ guild, known as the Grey Deacons, vanished about ten years ago.

The criminal class of Bard’s Gate knows Jaeger as a man who can find anything, eventually, if the price is right. He also runs a “legitimate” pawn shop, haggling skillfully with desperate, destitute customers. He only deals illegal goods to those whom he knows and recommendations from the Thieve's Guild.

It is not known who is behind the new Thieve's Guild since the Gray Deacons vanished. They are simply known as The Guild.

A Justicar of Muir is the living embodiment of the first and most important of the triune virtues of Muir — Truth. As an embodiment of truth, and in keeping with the strictness of Muir, a Justicar of Muir must follow an extremely strict moral code beyond that required of a common paladin. The benefit of this purity and stricture is awe-inspiring — eventually allowing the Justicar of Muir to become an avatar of Muir herself.

Role:
Justicars of Muir are the elite paladins in the worship of Muir. While there may be many paladins of Muir, there can never be more than 13 Justicars of Muir alive at any one time. The leader of the Justicars of Muir is known as the Grandmaster. The grandmaster must be a Justicar of at least 8th level. Because the worship of Muir has waned substantially, it would be appropriate if there were no current Justicars in your game world and no priests of the necessary level to ordain a Justicar thus requiring other means of the PC obtaining ordainment.

Alignment: Lawful good.
Hit Die: d10.

Requirements
To qualify to become a Justicar of Muir, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Class: A Justicar must have at least 3 paladin levels and may not be a ex-paladin. In addition, the PC must have taken his last level as a paladin prior to becoming a Justicar. Thus a person who takes 3 levels of paladin and then 7 levels of cleric cannot be a Justicar, though a person who has taken 7 levels of cleric and then 3 levels of paladin could be a Justicar.

Deity: Muir.

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks, Diplomacy 2 ranks.

Quest: A Justicar-to-be must complete an arduous quest of some significance to Muir to demonstrate his worth to Muir before he may be ordained (see below).

Ordination: This is the most difficult of the requirements to become a Justicar. A Justicar of Muir must be ordained by a person with to power to ordain Justicars. This power is only held by clerics of Muir of 13th level or higher and clerics of Thyr of 16th level or higher. Once the Justicar-to-be proves himself worthy by a quest (see above), the ordaining priest must cast bless, zone of truth, prayer, discern lies, mark of justice, righteous might, and holy word upon the Justicar-tobe. This ordination ritual also requires the presence of a holy relic of Muir, such as the Stone of Tircople, the Holy Sword of Karith, or the Sword of Gerrant. Ordination should be a difficult and arduous process. A PC should not be allowed to become a Justicar of Muir simply because he meets the other prerequisites.

Class Limitations Justicars must follow a strict and rather unforgiving moral code.Failure to follow these rules may result in the PC becoming an ex-Justicar.

Alignment: A Justicar must be lawful good. In addition to the strictures placed on a paladin, a Justicar must live by the following additional limitations:

Reject Cohorts and Henchmen: A Justicar may never gain followers, cohorts, henchmen, or hirelings. If, at the time of becoming a Justicar, the character has followers, cohorts, henchmen, or hirelings, he must renounce them and free them of their bonds of fealty or obligation. In addition, a Justicar may not hire men-at-arms. A Justicar may retain his special mount, if gained while a paladin. Once slain, however, a Justicar may not call a new mount. The only exception to this limitation is that a Justicar may retain his falcon familiar (see below) as long as he remains a Justicar. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Unintentional disobedience (accidentally obtaining a cohort because the cohort was enchanted to follow you, for example) requires atonement and the Justicar must break the enchantment and rid himself of the cohort as quickly as possible. A simple offer by a prospective follower or cohort to follow you, if rejected, does not constitute isobedience. This requirement does not prevent a Justicar from traveling with companions.

Reject Property: A Justicar may not own real property, land, buildings or other holdings, nor may he circumvent this by having agents or friends hold such property in his name. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Unintentional disobedience (inherited land, for example) requires atonement. A gift of land, if rejected, does not constitute disobedience.

Reject Falsehood: A Justicar may not lie, regardless of how noble the goal. Lying means active deception. Standing silent or failing to answer a question is not lying. However, if a Justicar fails to answer a question because of an intent to deceive, he must do atonement. Willful disobedience of this principle results in the character becoming an ex-Justicar. Unintentional disobedience (being magically compelled or otherwise forced to lie against your will, for example) requires atonement. Because a Justicar embodies Truth, the GM is encouraged to demand the strictest compliance to this principle.

Ex-Justicars: If a Justicar violates any of the strictures above, he becomes an ex-Justicar. He loses all Justicar spells and class features (including the service of the Justicar’s falcon familiar, but not weapon, armor, and shield proficiencies). He may not progress any further in levels as a Justicar, nor can he ever regain his status as a Justicar. Muir is a strict and demanding goddess.

Torment: The above rules allow evil NPCs (or characters) to torment Justicars — attempting to give them wealth, magically disguising them against their will, etc. An evil creature can never cause a Justicar to become an ex-Justicar by such torment unless the Justicar willingly joins or fails to reject the evil character. At worst, such actions may require the Justicar to do atonement. Note that in the case of such torment, a Justicar is free to attempt to slay the tormenting evil NPC prior to attempting to undo the source of the torment (breaking the spell on a charmed cohort, dismissing the obscuring mist spell placed upon him, giving away treasure, etc.). The only exception is lying. If a Justicar willfully lies, even to an evil opponent, he becomes an ex-Justicar.

Class Skills
The Justicar’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int). The following skills are prohibited to the Justicar: Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth.

Skill Ranks per level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Justicar of Muir prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Justicar’s gain proficiency in the bastard sword as an exotic weapon per the feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword).

Spells per Day: When a Justicar of Muir level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if he had also gained a level in any one spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain other benefits a character of that class would have gained, except for additional spells per day, spells known (if he is a spontaneous caster), and an increased effective level of spellcasting. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before becoming a Justicar, he must decide to which class he adds the new spell level for purposes of determining spells per day.

Resist Illusions (Su): A Justicar gains a +4 divine bonus on Will saves against illusion magic. In addition, Justicars are allowed to save to disbelieve illusions without having to interact with the illusion, even if that is normally required to disbelieve the illusion.

Zone of Truth (Sp): Once per day for every three Justicar levels, a Justicar can cast the spell zone of truth as a spell-like ability. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

Enemy of Evil (Su): A Justicar gains a +2 divine bonus to attack and damage rolls against evil-aligned undead and outsiders.

Celestial Companion (Su): A Justicar gains a celestial falcon the holy animal of Muir as a companion per the druid animal companion rules (see “Druid” in Chapter 3 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game).
Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 80 ft. (average); AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 talons (1d4); Ability Scores Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10; Special Attacks smite evil 1/day as a swift action (adds Cha bonus to attack rolls and damage bonus equal to HD against evil foes; smite persists until the target is dead or the celestial falcon rests); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, DR and energy resistance per Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary “Celestial Creature”, SR equal to class level +5

4th-Level Advancement: Ability Scores Str +2, Con +2.

Discern Lies (Su): At 2nd level, a Justicar can discern lies as the spell once per day and an additional time per day for every 3 Justicar levels thereafter (2 at 5th, 3 at 8th). The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

Shield of Truth (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, a Justicar can invoke Muir’s shield of truth once per day. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current shield or temporarily creates a supernatural shield for the Justicar to use. The shield has the following abilities: +2 divine truth bonus (if the shield is created, this is the only armor benefit it provides) and becomes a blinding shield (see the “Magic Items” section in Chapter 15 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game), except the blinding effect only affects evil creatures. In addition, the shield radiates the effects of a prayer spell for its duration. This ability lasts for 30 minutes. Shield of truth cannot be used in combination with either sword of courage or armor of honor until the Justicar gains the avatar ability.

Mark of Justice (Su): Beginning at 4th level, the Justicar gains the ability to pass holy judgment on others once per day and place a mark of justice on persons so judged as the spell (but as a standard action). The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

Immunity to Illusions (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a Justicar is immune to all illusions. A Justicar notes the presence of illusions but recognizes them for what they are and disbelieves them immediately and automatically.

Sword of Courage (Su): Beginning at 6th level, a Justicar can invoke Muir’s sword of courage once per day. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current sword or temporarily creates a supernatural magical bastard sword for the Justicar to use. The sword gains a +2 divine courage bonus to attack and damage rolls. The sword also becomes a holy weapon (see the “Magic Items” section in Chapter 15 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) for its duration. In addition, the sword radiates remove fear in a 30-foot radius for its duration (caster level equal to the Justicar’s total character level). The ability lasts for 30 minutes. Sword of courage cannot be used in combination with either shield of truth or armor of honor until the Justicar gains the avatar ability.

Scourge of Evil (Su): At 6th level, a Justicar gains an additional +1 divine bonus to attack and damage rolls and double the normal critical threat range against all evil-aligned creatures (of all types). This ability stacks with the enemy of evil ability and the Improved Critical feat or keen weapon quality if the Justicar has these as well.

True Seeing (Su): Beginning at 7th level, a Justicar can use true seeing as the spell once per day. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

Armor of Honor (Su): Beginning at 8th level, a Justicar can invoke Muir’s armor of honor once per day. Invoking this ability either enhances the Justicar’s current armor or temporarily creates a suit of magical chainmail around the Justicar. The armor gains a +2 divine honor bonus to AC. The armor also has the qualities of moderate fortification, invulnerability, and spell resistance (15) (see the “Magic Items” section in Chapter 15 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game) for its duration. This ability lasts for 30 minutes. Armor of honor cannot be used in combination with either shield of truth or sword of courage until the Justicar gains the avatar ability.

Holy Word (Su): Beginning at 9th level, a Justicar can speak a holy word as the spell once per day. The ability functions as if cast by a caster of a level equal to the Justicar’s total character level.

Avatar (Su): At 10th level, a Justicar can use shield of truth, sword of courage, and armor of honor at the same time up to once per week. When all three powers are invoked at the same time it seems as if a spectral figure of Muir herself overlaps the body of the Justicar and mimics his every movement. In combat against evil creatures the figure of Muir becomes even more apparent. In addition to allowing all three powers to operate in unison, when a Justicar becomes an Avatar of Muir he is treated as if under the effects of a greater heroism spell (caster level equal to the Justicar’s total character level) for the duration of the ability. The avatar ability lasts only so long as all three abilities — shield of truth, sword of courage, and armor of honor — are in effect at the same time.

Demon-bane (Su): At 10th level, a Justicar becomes an evilkilling machine. His critical threat range is doubled against evil undead and outsiders. This ability stacks with both the scourge of evil ability (see above) and the Improved Critical feat or keen weapon quality if the Justicar has these as well.

Asleif and her children sell books, scrolls, parchment, quills, inks and other writing implements and she will copy any book at a normal rate of 1 sp per page.

She also scribes magical scrolls for wizards and sorcerers, but refuses to deal with those of evil alignment. Anyone who purchases scrolls or magical tomes from her must first swear that they will not be used for evil purposes.

Currently, Asleif has heard a rumor that an especially evil tome can currently be found in Bard’s Gate, and is working hard to locate it.