Spitekeeper

Spitekeepers are the chosen servants of Vastra, devoted to fomenting strife and hatred wherever there is peace and love. They are typically found working with dark elves or among more savage races, though just as many choose to mingle with high society. Common acts of spitekeepers include spreading strife and hatred among close friends and lovers, fostering and aiding in betrayals and assassinations, and furthering the goals of the dark elves as they plot to return to the surface of Migdalia.

Spitekeepers often proclaim themselves to be superior to everyone else, though many are driven by a lack of self worth and bitter jealousy. Spitekeepers are prone to assassinate anyone they consider a threat or superior, while at the same time pretending to be that person’s most loyal ally. Spitekeepers typically have a long list of such “friends”, and waste no time in making sure each and every person on their list gets exactly what’s coming to them. A favorite tactic of Spitekeepers is to befriend a target while they secretly work to turn his allies against him, striking only when the target has seen his entire life crumble around him.

Clerics are the most common spitekeepers, though a few fanatical rangers also adopt this class.

Hit Dice: d8

Requirements

In order to qualify to become a Spitekeeper, a character must meet the following criteria.

Alignment: Lawful Evil

Patron Deity: Vastra

Base Attack Bonus: +4

Skills: Bluff 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks

Feats: God Touched, Skill Versatility (Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate, or Sense Motive)

Spellcasting: Ability to cast 2nd level divine spells. Clerics who wish to become spitekeepers must have access to the Hatred domain.

Class Skills

The Spitekeeper’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Heal (Wis), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Spot (Wis). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spellcasting
1	+0	+2	+0	+2	Hatred Spells, Poison Use	-
2	+1	+3	+0	+3	Hidden Malice	+1 caster level
3	+2	+3	+1	+3	Vastra’s Wrath 1/day	-
4	+3	+4	+1	+4	Love’s Blight	+1 caster level
5	+3	+4	+1	+4	Treachery’s Voice	-
6	+4	+5	+2	+5	Vastra’s Wrath 2/day	+1 caster level
7	+5	+5	+2	+5	Bestow Curse	-
8	+6	+6	+2	+6	Vastra’s Kiss	+1 caster level
9	+6	+6	+3	+6	Vastra’s Wrath 3/day	-
10	+7	+7	+3	+7	Judgement	+1 caster level

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Spitekeeper prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Spitekeepers are proficient with all simple weapons, the scourge, all types of armor, and with shields. Spitekeepers are especially fond of using their deity’s favored weapon, a scourge, which they refer to as the “Hatred’s Lash”.

Spellcasting: A spitekeeper continues training with magic. Thus, at 2nd level and every other level thereafter, the character gains new spells per day and spells known as if she had also gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class she belonged to prior to adding this prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that level would have gained (improved chance of controlling or rebuking undead, metamagic or item creation feats, etc).

Hatred Spells: A spitekeeper can pray for and receive any Hatred domain spell as if it were on her divine spell list. The spell uses a spell slot of a level equal to its level in the Hatred domain list.

Poison Use (Ex): Spitekeepers are trained in the use of poison and never risk accidentally poisoning themselves when applying poison to a weapon.

Hidden Malice: A spitekeeper of at least 2nd level has learned to bury her hatred deep within her, never letting others see it until the time is ripe. Any attempt to magically discern her alignment fails, though not noticeably so (detect evil does not reveal her to be evil, detect good does not reveal her to be good, etc).

Vastra’s Wrath (Su): At 3rd level , the spitekeeper may attempt to smite a hated enemy with one normal melee attack. She adds her Charisma bonus (if any) to the attack roll and deals one extra point of damage per spitekeeper level. In addition, a creature damaged by this attack must attempt a Will saving throw (DC 10 + the spitekeeper’s class level + the spitekeeper’s Charisma modifier) or become unnerved by the spitekeeper’s hatred, rendering it shaken for 1 round per class level.

The spitekeeper can use this ability twice per day at 6th level, and three times per day at 9th level.

Love’s Blight (Su): Vastra teaches that the surest way to harm someone is through the ones they love. Upon reaching 4th level, the spitekeeper has taken this lesson to heart, gaining the ability to lash out at those her enemies love. As a standard action, the spitekeeper may launch a lance-like beam of greenish-black energy from her hand, striking a single target as a ranged touch attack. The energy does not harm the subject. Instead, the subject’s closest friend or dearest loved one is wracked with pain, taking 1d6 points of damage per class level the spitekeeper possesses. There is no limit to the distance between the caster and the loved one, and the loved one gets no saving throw or spell resistance. If the loved one is within an antimagic field, this ability has no effect. This ability is usable three times per day.

It is rare (but possible) that no individual qualifies for this ability’s criteria. In that case, the subject takes the damage.

Treachery’s Voice (Sp): A spitekeeper of 5th level or higher gains the ability to coerce others into following her will, effectively gaining the ability to use a suggestion effect at will. This ability functions as the spell of the same name, as if cast by a sorcerer of the spitekeeper’s character level.

Bestow Curse (Su): Beginning at 7th level, the spitekeeper gains the ability to channel her hatred to incredible extremes, cursing those she hates through sheer force of will. The spitekeeper gains the ability to bestow curse to a range of 60 feet at will, cursing her target unless they can succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 10 + the spitekeeper’s class level + the character’s Charisma modifier).

Vastra’s Kiss (Su): At 8th level , the spitekeeper gains the ability to poison a creature with a mere touch. Should a touched creature fail a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + the spitekeeper’s class level + the spitekeeper’s Charisma modifier), the creature takes 1d6 points of Constitution damage. One minute later, the creature must save against the poison again, or suffer an additional 1d6 points of Constitution damage. This ability is usable at will.

Judgement (Su): At 10th level, the spitekeeper gains the ability to judge all creatures within 100 feet of her that she can see. The spitekeeper can base her decision on any parameters she chooses, but all eligible creatures are judged according to the same criteria. Those found wanting are wracked with unbelievable pain, taking 1d6 points of damage per class level (Fortitude save for half, DC 10 + the spitekeeper’s class level + her Charisma modifier). This ability is usable once per day as a standard action.

Ex-Spitekeepers

A spitekeeper who willingly changes alignment or who ceases the worship of Vastra immediately loses all benefits of this class. In addition, the character instantly fails any saving throw she attempts to avoid the effects of a curse, and suffers a divine penalty equal to her ex-spitekeeper level on all Charisma-based skill checks, due to the hatred she unknowingly inspires in others. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her actions (see the atonement spell on page 201 of the Player’s Handbook).

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