Faerûnian Prestige Class : Moonstar Agent
"Despite the self-aggrandizing puffery of those windbags at Twilight Hall, the Blackstaff stands, as ever, unbowed. But then again, that's what makes him so much fun to tease." -Kyriani Agrivar
Moonstar agents, also known as Teukiir, are members of the Tel Teukiira, a group founded in the Year of the Tankard (1370 DR) by Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun when he broke from the Harpers. Similar in many ways to Those Who Harp, Moonstar agents combine a keen understanding of history with a knack for spying on chosen targets and acquiring powerful artifacts. The group receives the blessings of three deities long favored by the Blackstaff: Mystra, Oghma, and Sehanine Moonbow. In addition, Khelben and his consort, Laeral Silverhand Arunsun, perform arcane rituals reminiscent of elven high magic on members of the group, giving them special magical abilities.
Bards, bard/rangers, bard/rogues, rogue/sorcerers, and rogue/wizards all make good Moonstar agents, for they combine a wide array of skills with arcane spellcasting ability. Single-classed sorcerers and wizards, ranger/sorcerers, ranger/wizards, and. other bard multiclass options can also become Moonstar agents, although they are less common.
Depending on your base arcane spellcasting class, you will find that Intelligence or Charisma remains your most valuable ability score. You will also find that the art of gathering information, dodging surprise attacks, and manipulating others requires equal parts Dexterity and Charisma.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Moonstar Agent, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Skills: Decipher Script 4 ranks, Gather Information 4 ranks, Knowledge (history) 8 ranks
- Feats: Investigator, Stealthy,
- Spells:
- Ability to cast disguise self and identify.
- Special: Bardic knowledge, lore (loremaster class feature or any similar ability), Harper knowledge, or ability to cast legend lore.
Special: Member of the Tel Teukiira (see page 75, Waterdeep).
Class Skills
The Moonstar agent's class skills are Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Disguise, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Knowledge (any), Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Search, Sense Motive, Speak Language, Spellcraft, Spot, Survival, and Use Magic Device.
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Moonstar agent prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Moonstar agents gain no proficiency with any weapons, armor, or shields.
Spellcasting: When a new Moonstar agent level is gained, you gain new spells per day and an increase in caster level (and spells known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in a spellcasting class you belonged to before adding the prestige class. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained, except for an increased effective level of spellcasting. This essentially means that you add the level of Moonstar agent to the level of some other spellcasting class you have, then determine spells per day, caster level, and spells known accordingly.
Lore (Ex): Like a bard, a Moonstar agent has a knack for picking up odd bits of knowledge. This ability works exactly like the bardic knowledge ability of the bard class. If you have bard levels (or levels in another class with the same ability, such as loremaster or Harper agent), your Moonstar agent levels and bard levels (or levels in the other appropriate class) stack for the purpose of using Moonstar agent knowledge.
Oghma's Insight: As masters of obscure lore, Moonstar agents develop a keen interest in many fields. You gain Skill Focus in any one Knowledge skill as a bonus feat.
Laeral's Intuition (Sp): At 2nd level, you can use detect thoughts, as the spell, three times per day.
Mystra's Boon (Su): At 3rd level, you gain a +2 sacred bonus on all saving throws against spells.
Khelben's Call (Sp): At 4th level, you can use sending, as the spell, as a standard action once per day.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): When you reach 5th level, you retain your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) regardless of being caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. (You still lose any Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized.)
If you gain uncanny dodge from a second class, you automatically gain improved uncanny dodge.
Ex-Moonstar Agents
Any Moonstar agent who violates the code of the Tel Teukiira, endangers other Telkiir through negligence or deliberate action, or intentionally turns away from the Tel Teukiira quickly gains a reputation in the organization. Such an individual can no longer progress in the Moonstar agent prestige class. Furthermore, he can no longer use the supernatural or spell-like abilities of the class. A petition to Khelben Arunsun, fulfillment of a suitable quest set by the Blackstaff, and an atonement spell from a cleric of a deity chosen by Khelben brings the former Moonstar agent back into good standing. Thereafter, she regains the use of all class abilities and can once again gain levels in the prestige class.
Moonstars And Harper Agents
Characters with levels in the Harper agent prestige class can take levels in the Moonstar agent prestige class without losing any of their Harper agent abilities, and vice versa.
| Moonstar Agent | Hit Dice: d6 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Spells |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Lore, Oghma's insight | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Laeral's intuition | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Mystra's boon | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Khelben's call | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Uncanny dodge | +1 level of existing spellcasting class |
Moonstar Agents in the World
The Tel Teukiira, which translates to "Moonstars" in the common tongue, is a shadowy group of ex-Harpers who broke from Those Who-Harp to pursue the mysterious objectives of the Blackstaff. The Tel Teukiira is described in detail on Tel Teukiira.
Resources
Although the Tel Teukiira is a young group, it can call upon all the resources of the Blackstaff, not to mention their powerful colleagues. In practice, this means Moonstar agents have access to the vast magical resources of Blackstaff Tower , albeit only in cases of demonstrable need, and indirect access to the resources of Those Who Harp (primarily through Harpers who are inclined favorably to the Tel Teukiira) and the Lords of Waterdeep (of which Khelben and Kyriani Agrivar are members). Moonstar agents can employ either Blackstaff Tower or (assuming they have a Teukiir badge) the Silver Safehold as a refuge when needed.
NPC Reactions
The Tel Teukiira is a secretive group that few have even heard of. If a hero is revealed to be a member of the Tel Teukiira,
most NPCs would mistake them for Harpers in the service of the ever-meddling Blackstaff. Most Harpers of the North and the Dalelands remain favorably inclined toward Khelben and any agents who serve in his employ. In contrast, Harpers closely affiliated with Twilight Hall in Berdusk are likely to view members of the Tel Teukiira as traitors (if they are ex-Harpers) or untrustworthy (if they are revealed to serve the traitorous Blackstaff).
Moonstar Agents Lore
The Tel Teukiira are well hidden in the City of Splendors because the group works hard to hide its existence, and the bulk of the group's activities and agents are located in cities across Faerûn. Characters who succeed on a Gather Information check can learn the following information, including the information from lower DCs.
- DC 15: Ever since he resigned from the Lords, the Blackstaff has been assembling a private army of meddlers even worse than Those Who Harp.
- DC 25: The Tel Teukiira are behind the fall-off in Zhentarim activity in western Faerûn. The Blackstaff and his agents made some deal with the tyrant of the Moonsea to divide control of the Realms.
- Characters who learn the name "Tel Teukiira" and succeed on a Knowledge (history) check can learn the following information.
- DC 25: Amagal's Tome, an ancient Elven text of early Cormanthor, notes that the Tel Teukiira "will come hidden and in many guises and faces. They dwell in shadow and speak in omens, yet they shall bring about waking dreams and save us from the Three Threats Who Wait in Darkness, the Prefects, and ourselves."
- Even members of the Tel Teukiira are uncertain as to what this means, although most suspect that Khelben knows and does not say.
Encounters
Moonstar agents are most commonly encountered individually. They can act as patrons for the PCs, commissioning or suggesting the recovery of lost lore from an ancient ruin. They can act as manipulators, subtly or not, who attempt to use the characters to accomplish a particular goal. They can also act as spies, watching and observing the PCs or their foes. In the latter case, the characters might blunder into an ongoing Moonstar operation, forcing the Moonstar agent to adapt to the new situation.
Source: City of Splendors: Waterdeep