STATISTICS
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Str 9, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB -1; CMD 11
Traits Infernal Influence, Reactionary, Student of Philosophy Drawback Meticulous
Crime Extortion
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +6, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Intimidate +8, Escape Artist +6, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Perception +7, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +6, Use Magic Device +6
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Infernal
SQ alchemy
Combat Gear —; Other Gear — [0 lbs.]
Wealth 0 gp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Inspiration (Ex): An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence bonus, minimum 1. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check (including any he takes 10 or 20 on). This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. A mastermind can use inspiration on any Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Knowledge skill checks without spending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in that skill.
Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, though at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
A Quiet Word (Ex): A mastermind's reputation precedes him. Once per day a mastermind can spend 10 minutes preparing an ally to make a single Diplomacy or Intimidate check (mastermind's choice when preparing the ally) within the next 24-hour period at the mastermind's behest. This skill check uses the mastermind's skill ranks instead of the ally's. The mastermind's affected ally still uses its own ability bonus for the check.
Furthermore, when a mastermind uses this ability, he can expend one use of inspiration to give the ally use of the inspiration die when making the check.
Background:
James Moriarti grew up the son of a prominent barrister and a very successful money lender in Talingarde's capital city of Matharyn. They were quite well off and could afford to provide their son with nearly every advantage money could buy. Of course, a childhood revolving around the advantages money can buy doesn't lend itself well to the development of scruples. Always a manipulative child, James quickly learned the lengths to which other children would go to avoid getting in trouble for things and, as he always seemed to be watching, did very well for himself in setting up a lucrative black market at his first boarding school by the age of 8. In a country like Talingarde, however, it is difficult to keep steady criminal (well, as criminal as sneaking minor contraband into a boarding school can be considered) activity beneath the notice of authorities and his operation was shut down within a year. Fortunately for James, he had been smart about setting up contingencies and another student took the brunt of the blame. His father managed to straighten out the rest and his involvement was swept under a rug.
Needless to say, the lack of negative consequences only reinforced the young Moriarti's behavior, and he only grew craftier with age and education, developing a wider network of potential... tools. He reasoned that life was a game and that, if it were to be enjoyable, he needed a grand objective in it. Thus, he decided that he would change the face of Talingarde in such a way to facilitate his subtle yet absolute control over the entire nation and, perhaps (given his hubris), the world once the manipulation of a mere island nation ceased to entertain.
In pursuit of this goal, Moriarti sought profession as an educator. After all, any worthwhile endeavor takes time and what better way to spend that time than gardening? Not to mention the things children will do to be acknowledged by someone they admire... So, Professor Moriarti spent several years planting the seeds of ambition in the youth of Talingarde and planning until she entered his class. Talia Montenegro had enrolled at his university specifically for the pleasure of his tutelage and she turned out to be quite the pupil indeed. Her beauty was matched only by her ambition and her acerbic wit. She proved an excellent resource for Moriarti, perfectly willing to use seduction to get her way, and that was exactly what he needed. Anyone with access to the royal family had been thoroughly screened, thus it was easier to create a crime for which to extort someone in such a position than to use or even find one they'd already committed. The captain of the Royal Guard was married but according to rumors not so happily anymore. James convinced the girl to sleep with him and extort from him access to the palace, access he had arranged for someone else to utilize.
Unfortunately, Moriarti underestimated Talia's charm. When the plan failed, she managed to convince the captain to pin the extortion charge on him. Now he finds himself rotting in a prison cell without even the mild satisfaction of having taken some insolent worm down with him. At least they haven't killed him. While no degree of legal finagling was going to get him out of that cell, charm was far from his only talent.
