Faerûnian Prestige Class : Cultist of the Shattered Peak
"The pride of wizards and arcanists nearly doomed Faerûn once. Never again." - Khemal Serist, Cultist of the Shattered Peak
The Cult of the Shattered Peak is a highly secretive society whose members are all direct descendants of the Netherese. Cult cells are scattered all across Faerûn, but the majority are concentrated within and around the former boundaries of Netheril. Many cultists live among the Bedine tribes of the Anauroch and the folk of the North and Tun. Smaller cells operate across the Western Heartlands, monitoring Netherese ruins both known and unknown.
Most of the tales about secret Netherese cults depict their members as power-mad wizards bent on raising the Empire of Magic once again, or exploiting its secrets for personal gain. But the Cult of the Shattered Peak bears no resemblance to the cults in these stories, since its membership includes not a single arcane spellcaster. The members of this cult recall the hubris of Netheril and its citizens' oppression of those they viewed as "lesser races," and they seek to ensure that the ways of old Netheril remain dead and buried. To that end, they employ a variety of tactics - spreading misinformation, discrediting scholars who get too close to resurrecting some aspect of Netherese life, and even outright assassination, if necessary. Their methods may be ruthless at times, but the cultists firmly believe that they are working toward the greater good.
Cultists of the Shattered Peak possess skill at arms, stealth, and a smattering of ancient lore. Most of those now operating in Faerûn began their careers as fighter/rogues. Single-class rogues or ranger/rogues are also fairly common, though they must wait until they have gained the requisite combat training. The cult's sometimes ruthless tactics make paladins rare in its ranks, and arcane spellcasters are simply not permitted.
Requirements
To qualify to become a Cultist of the Shattered Peak, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Race: Human of Netherese descent (home region Anauroch, Halruaa, Nimbral, the North, the Ride, Uthgardt Tribesfolk, or the Western Heartlands)
- Skills: Decipher Script 4 ranks, Disable Device 4 ranks, Knowledge (history) 4 ranks, Speak Language (Loross)
- Base Attack Bonus: +5
- Special: Sneak attack +1d6.
Special: You may not have any levels in an arcane spellcasting class.
Class Skills
The Shattered Peak cultist's class skills are Appraise, Bluff, Climb, Craft (any), Decipher Script, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (history), Listen, Move Silently, Open Lock, Profession (any), Sleight of Hand, Spot, and Use Rope.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Features
As a cult in of the Shattered Peak, you are focused on preventing arcane spellcasters from rediscovering the old ways of Netheril. Because that goal sometimes places you in direct conflict with arcane spellcasters, cult training grants you a number of abilities aimed at ensuring victory against such foes. All the following are Class Features of the cultist of the Shattered Peak prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: You are proficient with all simple and. martial weapons, as well as with light armor and bucklers.
Spellcasting: You have the ability to cast a small number of arcane spells. To cast a cultist spell, you must have an Intelligence score of at least 10 + the spell's level, so if you have an Intelligence of 10 or lower, you cannot cast these spells. Bonus spells are based on Intelligence, and saving throws against these spells have a DC of 10 + spell level + your Int modifier. When you get 0 spells per day of a given level (for instance, 0 1st-level spells at 1st level), you gain only the bonus spells you would be entitled to based on your Intelligence score for that spell level. You can learn sorcerer/wizard spells from the schools of abjuration or enchantment only. You have access to any spell on those lists and can freely choose which to prepare, Just as a wizard can. You prepare and cast spells just as a wizard does.
Ominous Presence (Ex): When adventurers or explorers come too close to discovering some great Netherese secret, you prefer to frighten them off rather than kill them if at all possible. Upon becoming a cultist of the Shattered Peak, you gain a bonus equal to your class level on all Bluff and Intimidate checks.
Zeal (Ex): You gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls against arcane spellcasters and a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against arcane spells and effects. The bonus on attack rolls does not apply to a creature with arcane spell-like abilities unless it is also an arcane spellcaster.
Sneak Attack (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, you deal extra damage when you are flanking an opponent or at any time when the target would be denied its Dexterity bonus. This extra damage applies to ranged attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. See the rogue class feature.
Smite Mage (Su): If you are forced into battle with an arcane spellcaster, your life depends on quick and decisive action. Starting at 3rd level, you can attempt to smite an arcane spellcaster with one normal melee attack once per day. You add your Charisma bonus (if any) to your attack roll, and you deal an extra 1 point of damage per cultist level you possess on a successful attack. If you accidentally smite a creature that is not an arcane spellcaster, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
Death Attack (Ex): Sometimes the only way to stop especially determined foes from acquiring forbidden knowledge is to kill them. At 5th level, you gain a death attack that works like the assassin ability of the same name, except that the DC of the Fortitude save to avoid the kill or paralysis effect is 15 + your Int modifier. See the assassin class feature.
| Cultist of the Shattered Peak | Hit Die: d6 | Spells | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CL | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Ominous presence, zeal | 0 | - | - |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Sneak attack +1d6 | 1 | - | - |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Smitemage | 2 | 0 | - |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Sneak attack +2d6 | 3 | 1 | - |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Death attack | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Source: Lost Empires of Faerûn