If Humans are Fighters by default, then the Endjinn are Courtiers. This was the very first class I built for them and was heavily inspired by the joungleur design by CharlesDM, it effectively led me down this french culture path for the endjinn. In fact if you replace a few powers you can almost restore it to an endjinn version. Both the
Brass Joungler and the Elven Courtier (Players Companion) aim more for what I would call an inspire build. In the end though I wanted more of an influence and social focus. Critical to this was languages to engage in conversation against various creatures and some of the Mystics social skills. You may also notice I did way to much research into real life courtiers which influenced the writeup.
An important aspect is the proficiency list, it's quite generous, and starts to introduce the theme of divine power in Endjinn as they have increasing allocations of points in the endjinn class. With Fate points in play this leads to some interesting one shot proficiency uses (lay on hands for a fate point got a bit of in game use). The Diplomacy/Seduction/Intimidation skills are not in the proficiency list as they are general and I didn't want to many channels for stacking one off modifiers from fate point use.
BRASS COURTIER
Prime Requisite: CHA
Requirements: WIS 9
Hit Dice: 1d6
Maximum Level: 13
The brass courtier was the first improvement on the original Endjinn design. The courtiers were first molded to be servants to the rich and powerful, but the creators’ vanity saw them shaped more and more to represent a perfect image of themselves.
Over time this shaping saw them stylised to represent l'honnête homme ('the honest or upright man'), among whose chief virtues included accomplishments in art, weaponry and manner. Since the loss of the creators the Courtiers have transitioned from courtier or servant to fill the role of quasi nobility in Endjinn society. Those who do adventure often do so to round themselves out as individuals or to make their mark on the world at large.
Brass courtiers are capable combatants, though it is not their focus. They advance in attack throws and saving throws as a thief, by two points every four levels of experience. At first level, brass courtiers hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They may fight with any missile weapons and any one-handed melee weapons. They may fight with a one-handed weapon in each hand, or wielding a one-handed weapon with two hands. They cannot wear armor heavier than leather, and cannot use shields.
Endjinn are
intelligent constructs gaining many of the benefits of being a construct while still being treated as a humanoid. Unlike soulless automatons they are still affected by spells that normally affect humanoids such as hold, charm or sleep. But similar to automatons they are
immune to poison and disease, including those from magical sources. They are
fueled by elemental energies and do not eat, drink or breathe. This prevents them gaining any benefit or penalty associated with those actions, for example they cannot drink potions but they can walk underwater and not drown.
Their unique physiology requires them to care for their body differently to organic creatures. Even though they do not eat or drink endjinn still require
weekly maintenance that they perform on themselves. Each week they must spend an hour performing this maintenance and it consumes a unit of
mechanical parts. Failure to perform maintenance follows the same rules as failure to eat but with a cycle time of a week rather than a day. They are
unresting and require only four hours of sleep to be rested each night.
Endjinn are able to heal normally from rest and benefit from magical healing effects and spells. However, the Healing proficiency and the related healing equipment have no effect on endjinn. Instead, they may be
repaired as automatons with mechanical parts being consumed for every full 10hp recovered or part thereof (p.20 PC). While lacking the engineering knowledge to design and build new automatons, all endjinn are able to repair automatons as mechanists of their level.
A courtier’s
brass plating provides the character with a base unarmored AC of 2 instead of 0. However, the character has a base movement rate of only 90’. Due to their
brass body they may deal lethal damage when brawling (see ACKS p. 109). They can punch or kick characters in metal armor without themselves taking damage (as unarmed fighting proficiency, PC).
Brass Courtiers are
sturdy weighing 240 pounds and can carry up to 6 stone without becoming encumbered. When carrying 7-9 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 60’. When carrying 10-12 stone, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 45’. When carrying 13 stone or more, their encounter movement rate is reduced to 30’. A courtier can carry a maximum of 24 stone, modified by its Strength bonus or penalty.
Their
constructed nature makes other races cautious around them. Bronze chevaliers suffer a -1 penalty to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of humans and demi-humans they interact with. Conversely, they get a +1 bonus to the reactions, loyalty, and morale of endjinn.
Brass Courtiers can speak Common and Endjinn. As
scholars of language they may also learn an additional four languages. Similar to bonus languages due to high INT, they do not need to decide these until later when they encounter a language or decide which languages they know.
Courtiers pride themselves at being
accomplished in the arts and practice in a selected field extensively. Courtiers may either sing, recite poetry, or play a group of instruments in a skilled manner (as Perform proficiency). The courtier chooses the type of performance that his character knows and may take the Perform proficiency to learn other types of performances or improve their rank.
All courtiers are
accomplished with weapons having trained extensively an area of specialty and receive a bonus of +1 to attack throws with their choice of melee or missile attacks. The courtier must choose which type of attack will receive the bonus at 1st level, and may not change the choice as he advances.
Brass courtiers are
accomplished in manner gaining a +2 bonus to reaction rolls with creatures they speak to. If this bonus results in a total of 12 or more, the subjects act as if charmed while in their presence. Creatures with a WIS greater than the character’s CHA are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune).
Beginning at 5th level their refined character and critical observation allows them to
judge intentions. The character always know the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creature's attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the character will know they are immune).
Courtiers develop an air of authority that they can wield to resolve conflicts where they have the advantage. Starting at 9th level (Premier) they may
demand surrender from a group of hostile creatures in lieu of moving or attacking. The group can be of any size, but the creatures must be able to see, hear, and understand the courtier, and must be either outnumbered or surprised by the courtier and their allies in order to be affected. Affected creatures must make an immediate morale roll with a penalty equal to the courtier's CHA bonus. A result of Retreat or Fighting Withdrawal will lead to their immediate surrender. If the demand fails, a courtier may not demand surrender from the same creature or creatures again until other circumstances have triggered a morale roll by the creature or creatures. This ability can be used at the start of a D@W battle if the opposing army is surprised or outnumbered by the courtier's army.
Additionally at 9th level (Premier), they can attract endjinn from far and wide by constructing their own
forge. A forge may not be built in the civilized or borderland area of a other races realms, only in a endjinn realm, or wilderness area. A total of 3d6x10 endjinn of 1st level will arrive to help maintain and defend the forge at no cost to the brass courtier. A brass courtier is expected to employ only endjinn guards and militia, but may hire members of other races for other tasks. Endjinn forges are otherwise maintained like human domains as detailed in the Campaign chapter of the ACKS Rulebook.
Brass Courtier Proficiency List (29): Acrobatics, Alertness, Armor Training, Bargaining, Blind Fighting, Bribery, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (Disarm, Incapacitate), Command, Craft, Eavesdropping, Endurance, Fighting Style, Jury Rigging, Knowledge (political history), Language, Laying on Hands, Leadership, Loremastery, Military Strategy, Performance, Precise Shooting, Profession (seneschal), Riding, Running, Skirmishing, Swashbuckling, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus.
Class proficiencies at: 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th.
General proficiencies at: 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th.
Expert Template: This pre-generated template represents an expert in fields relating to esoteric knowledge and navigation. The template is ready for adventure. However, if your courtier’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Chapter 4 of ACKS). The Performance proficiency that each brass courtier template begins with is noted in italics. Additionally an advanced template ready for play at adventurer level play (6,000XP and 4,000gp) is listed below it.
Template: Expert
Proficiencies: Loremaster, Navigation, Performance (oration)
Starting Equipment: Composite bow, quiver with 20 arrows, long slender sword, stiletto (as dagger), red leather armor, sunset red cloak embroidered with gold flowers, red cassock, high boots, cavalier hat with red band, backpack, lantern, 2 flasks of military oil, rope, mechanical parts (10), 6gp. (4 3/6 st., Move 90’/30’)
Template: Veteran Expert
Proficiencies: Loremaster, Navigation, Performance (oration)
Starting Equipment: Masterwork composite bow (+1 to hit), quiver with 20 arrows, masterwork long slender sword (+1 to hit), stiletto (as dagger), masterwork red leather armor (+1 AC), sunset red cloak embroidered with gold flowers, red cassock, high boots, cavalier hat with red band, backpack, lantern, 2 flasks of military oil, rope, mechanical parts (10), 196gp. 3,000 gp magic item chance (p.259 of ACKS). (4 3/6 st., Move 90’/30’)
Brass Courtier Level Progression
Experience
|
Title
|
Level
|
Hit Dice
|
Repair
|
0
|
Attendant
|
1
|
1d6
|
17+
|
1,725
|
Adjutant
|
2
|
2d6
|
16+
|
3,450
|
Courtier
|
3
|
3d6
|
15+
|
6,900
|
Envoy
|
4
|
4d6
|
14+
|
13,800
|
Attache
|
5
|
5d6
|
13+
|
27,600
|
Secretary
|
6
|
6d6
|
12+
|
55,000
|
Counselor
|
7
|
7d6
|
11+
|
110,000
|
Ambassador
|
8
|
8d6
|
10+
|
250,000
|
Premier
|
9
|
9d6
|
9+
|
390,000
|
Premier, 10th lvl
|
10
|
9d6+2*
|
8+
|
530,000
|
Premier, 11th lvl
|
11
|
9d6+4*
|
7+
|
670,000
|
Premier, 12th lvl
|
12
|
9d6+6*
|
6+
|
810,000
|
Prime Minister
|
13
|
9d6+8*
|
5+
|
*Hit point modifiers from constitution are ignored
Brass Courtier (Thief) Attack and Saving Throws
Level
|
Petrif. & Paraly.
|
Poison & Death
|
Blast & Breath
|
Staffs & Wands
|
Spells
|
Attack
Throw
|
1-2
|
13+
|
13+
|
16+
|
14+
|
15+
|
10+
|
3-4
|
12+
|
12+
|
15+
|
13+
|
14+
|
9+
|
5-6
|
11+
|
11+
|
14+
|
12+
|
13+
|
8+
|
7-8
|
10+
|
10+
|
13+
|
11+
|
12+
|
7+
|
9-10
|
9+
|
9+
|
12+
|
10+
|
11+
|
6+
|
11-12
|
8+
|
8+
|
11+
|
9+
|
10+
|
5+
|
13
|
7+
|
7+
|
10+
|
8+
|
9+
|
4+
|
Brass Courtier Notes
Allocations: HP 0 (+1=1), FTR 1, THF 2, Endjinn 1
Max level: 13
Power: performance proficiency
Power: +1 ranged or melee hit
Power: Mystic aura (mystic version)
Power: 4 languages
Power: two powers
· 5th level - Judge Intentions (as is)
· 9th level - demand surrender (nobiran champion herald lvl7 ability)
Save: Thief
Magic items: Thief
Requirements and Prime requisites: Race, using WIS (one ability needs it, plus going with internal strong will aligned with divine). Prime requisite CHA as it’s a diplomat class.
Post 9 hp: as thief = 2 per level
Experience: 500+ 500+ 400 +325 = 1725; Round 7 to 55,000; Post 8 = THF 100,000 + Endjinn 40,000 = 140,000 per level
