The Black Cathedral

The Gods of the Wold
   Alemi
   Domi
   Flower
   Pantheon
   Ffloy
   Gargul

The Gods of Testing
   Marteaus
   Ga'al
   Caeroldra
   Jancassis
      Stinger
      Avenger
   Wardd
   Gargul

Natural Philosophy
   Woldology
   Druidicism

Immortal Powers

Summary & Notes

Stinger

Gadfly. Joker. Muckracker. Satirist. The stinger of Jancassis delivers revenge of a gentler sort. Using tricks, pranks, schemes, humor, song, and rumor, the stinger berates the bully, punctures the pompous, admonishes the autocrat, denounces the despot, and teases the thief.

The stinger uses mockery and wit, both mild and piercing, to visit vengeance of a kind to those whose offenses are not grievous. Stingers may also punish those who can only be reached through the court of popular opinion -- and their offenses may be severe indeed. They also serve as powerful voices for common folk -- since common folk protect them, they gain an immunity of sorts from persecution, and they can criticize and protest against the mighty and powerful. Bards make natural stingers. Rogues and clerics who honor Jancassis may also be stingers. Some witches become stingers, especially those who have themselves been bullied and harassed.

As NPCs, stingers are the most socially accepted of Jancassis's followers, often bringing laughter and relief from oppression and torment. They are welcome wherever folk seek relief from the petty injustices and frustrations of life.

Hit die: d8

Requirements

1. Skill: Perform 6 ranks or Diplomacy 6 ranks.
2. Skill or Domain: Sleight of Hand 4 ranks or Disable Device 4 ranks or Trickery Domain.
3. Skills: Gather Information 2 ranks and Bluff 2 ranks.
4. Feat: Negotiator or Persuasive.

Table -- The Stinger

Lvl...Att....Will...Refx...Fort...Special Abilities
.1.....+0......+2.....+2......+0.....Craft Rumor, +1 spellcast lvl
.2.....+1......+3.....+3......+0.....Poison Tongue, +1 spellcast lvl
.3.....+2......+3.....+3......+1.....Keen Mind, +1 spellcast lvl
.4.....+3......+4.....+4......+1.....True Ear, +1 spellcast lvl
.5.....+3......+4.....+4......+1.....Tricky Sting, +1 spellcast lvl
.6.....+4......+5.....+5......+2.....News on the Wind, +1 spellcast lvl
.7.....+5......+5.....+5......+2.....Shame Guilty, +1 spellcast lvl
.8.....+6......+6.....+6......+2.....Manipulate Crisis, +1 spellcast lvl
.9.....+6......+6.....+6......+3.....True Eye, +1 spellcast lvl
10.... +7......+7.....+7......+3.....Public Sting, +1 spellcast lvl

Class Skills

The stinger's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Skill Points per level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

Weapon & Armor Proficiencies: Stingers are proficient with light armor and these weapons: crossbow (hand, light, or heavy), dagger (any type), dart, rapier, sap, short bow (normal and composite), and short sword.

Spells & Spell Progression: When a new stinger 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 benefit a character of that class would have gained (better wildshape, metamagic or item creation feats, and so on). This essentially means that she adds the level of stinger to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly. If a character had more than one spellcasting class before she became an stinger, she must decide to which class she adds her stinger levels for purposes of determining spells per day when she first adopts the PrC.

Sect: Avengers organize in secret societies, planning in private places and plotting the downfall of those who have wronged them. Avengers do not boast, and they keep to their own hidden ways. They often communicate secretly (using the Bluff skill) -- and some refuse to talk openly. Many people do not even believe in avengers, and avengers encourage others to think them mere myth.

Ethos of Fairness in Vengeance: All stingers must swear certain oaths: to be fair in delivering vengeance and to target only those who are deserving of revenge. The main reason that people believe and trust Stingers is that when Crafting Rumors and Shaming the Guilty, they are sworn to be truthful. But fair vengeance may also be achieved through trickery, deception, satire, and exaggeration. This can seem contradictory, but it really just allows flexibility in gaining a fair vengeance.

People also trust stingers because they do not target any but those who deserve it -- and because a stinger's revenge fits the offense. A target is deserving of revenge if they have injured or tormented others; if they are offensively arrogant; if they are thieves, or bullies, or even just too full of themselves. An act of revenge must be proportionate. This ethos allows the Stinger to use certain special abilities only against those who are deserving of revenge: Craft Rumor, Craft Trick, Shame Guilty, and Empowered.

These required oaths give Stingers the moral authority to prevail even over the mighty and potent. If a Stinger violates this oath by accident, he loses the ability to cast spells until he makes reparations and compensates the victim he falsely accused. Any deliberate violation of these oath brings down the painful and often fatal vengeance of Jancassis herself.

Special Abilities

Craft Rumor: The stinger can create and spread a rumor about a deserving target easily and effectively. After one day of careful gossip, a stinger can spread a rumor through a community of 5,000 people per level. A "community" consists of people who relate and talk with each other -- a village, a guild, a mercenary company, a city, a tribe, a church, or a nation. The effects of the spreading rumor are determined by the DM, depending on the believability of the rumor and the nature of the community through which it spreads. This is an extraordinary ability.

Poison Tongue: This ability is exactly like the bardic music ability, with these two exceptions. First, the stinger can use either his Diplomacy or Perform skill with the ability. Second, the stinger gains Lesser Taunt and Greater Taunt at levels 4 and 8. Treat Taunts like Fascinate, but after a Lesser Taunt, deserving targets are shaken, and after a Greater Taunt, targets are panicked. Taunts can begin and continue even during combat, and they last for so long as the Stinger concentrates. Stingers who are also bards stack levels from both for this ability.

Keen Mind: The stinger gains the bardic knowledge ability as a bard of equal level. If the stinger has bard levels, they stack with stinger levels for this ability. Moreover, the stinger gains a competence bonus of +1 at level 3, +2 at level 6, and +3 at level 9 -- this bonus applies to saves vs. illusions as well as to spot, listen, and search checks.

True Ear: The stinger gains a sacred bonus on all Sense Motive checks equal to his stinger level. Moreover, stingers can cast Discern Lies as a second-level spell (or three times a day for non-spell casters).

Tricky Sting: When using skills -- such as sleight of hand, disguise, disable device, forgery, bluff -- to play a trick on a deserving target, the stinger gains a sacred bonus to skill checks equal to her level. Also, the stinger can use any item creation feat necessary (even ones he does not have) to create magic traps and cursed items, but such items must be set to work once only, and to affect only a particular deserving target. To make such a trap or cursed item, the stinger must have a personal possession or token from the target (hair, blood, etc). NOTE: These stings are seldom fatal, and are usually designed to humiliate, preferably in public. Creating a sting that is out of proportion to the offense may bring down the wrath of Jancassis.

News on the Wind: If a stinger has lived in an area for at least a week in the last year, she can make a Gather Information check in that area with just one minute of concentration (normally an evening's work). The stinger can Take 20 on the check after 20 minutes of concentration. There is no danger of drawing attention to yourself. This is an supernatural ability.

Shame Guilty: If the stinger can confront a deserving target face to face (within 50 feet) in a non-combat situation, the stinger can accuse the target and list his offenses. As soon as the stinger begins speaking, all creatures who can hear him -- allies, targets, and others -- pause without acting and listen. Any creatures who enter while the stinger speaks must also wait and listen. There is no save for this effect. As part of his accusation, the stinger must propose a course of action to the target that will set things right. The target can offer his opinion about what the course of action should be. After the stinger announces a fair course of action, the target chooses to accept the action or not. If he does not, he is cursed (like a Bestow Curse spell) and all creatures within earshot must make a Will save vs. DC 25 or shift attitude toward the target by one step. Using this ability takes one full minute from start to finish. The effect wears off after 24 hours, but thereafter the stinger can Shame the target again. This is a language-dependent supernatural ability.

Manipulate Crisis: For any encounter, the stinger can make the situation more violent or more peaceful. By telling jokes (usually at his own expense), the stinger can affect all creatures who understand his language within 25 feet plus 5 feet per level. Listeners must make a Will save vs DC 20 -- those who save shift in opinion by one step to the friendly; those who fail must also stop fighting for at least one round if in combat. Or, the stinger can taunt and anger all creatures in range. Listeners must make a Will save vs DC 20 -- those who save shift in opinion by one step to the unfriendly. The specific results of a shift in attitude are determined by the DM. The effect lasts one minute per stinger level.

True Eye: The stinger is adept at reading body language and facial expressions. The stinger also gains True Seeing (as the spell) and +10 sacred bonus on all Sense Motive checks. These two powers work continuously, but end if the stinger misleads others or voices even the slightest lie or even makes a Bluff, Disguise, or Sleight of Hand check . After the ability ends, it returns after a good night's sleep.

Public Sting: The stinger can Shame the Guilty even if he cannot confront the deserving target. Instead, he spends a day Crafting Rumors about the target and making public denunciations of the target's behavior. These rumors and denunciations must include the fair course of action that will set things right. At the end of the day, up to 50,000 creatures (those affected by a crafted rumor) must save vs. DC 25 or shift attitude one step toward the negative -- even those who are friendly and helpful. The target himself is cursed if he has heard the rumors the target has spread. Of course, if the target follows the proposed course of action, then he is not cursed and no attitudes shift. As with Shame Guilty, the Public Sting wears off after 24 hours, but thereafter the stinger can Publicly Sting the target again. This is a language-dependent supernatural ability.