Friday, August 25, 2017

Wildwood Manuscripts: The Expert [Super W.I.P.]

The Expert [Fluff]

Herein lies the rub, as the bulk of humanity does not venture beyond their doorsteps let alone succumbing to the wanderlust that leads man astray into the Wildwood. Warriors are driven by their art of murder, if they remained in polite society it would succumb to barbarism. The Priesthood must pacify the pagans and claim more souls for the True God, lest come the Ruination of the World more belong to the sides of their enemy. Those who wield magic of arcane and foul sorts are private sorts, rarest among men. The Expert is the most common of men put into a most uncommon position. They enter the Wildwood in search of wealth and personal gain. They are no better than their fellow man upon their departure, but over time they learn how the skills developed as a common man can serve one just as well as a decade trained in the art of killing.

Experts are not rogues, though they are often roguish and prone to thievery of one form or another. Most Experts encountered who are not part of an adventuring party will not be much beyond their first level of experience. Only those who have been tested by the hardships of the unknown and wild world grow in greatness.



An Expert with a Fancy Hat

Hit Dice: d8
Initiative Bonus: 0




Saving Throws
Class Feature
Level
Experience
Enchantment
Substance
Geas
Dragon Spume
Ensorcellment
Skill Points
1
0
17
11
12
17
14
+4
2
2,500
17
11
12
17
14
+2
3
5,000
14
11
12
16
13
+2
4
10,000
14
11
12
16
13
+2
5
20,000
12
11
12
14
11
+2
6
40,000
12
9
10
14
11
+2
7
80,000
11
9
10
13
10
+2
8
150,000
11
9
10
13
10
+2
9
300,000
9
9
10
11
8
+2
10
450,000
9
9
10
11
8
+2


Class Features
Basic Skills: All characters are assumed to have a 1-in-6 success rating in the following items: Climbing, Cooking, Tracking, Identifying Traps, Foraging/Hunting, Sleight of Hand, Hiding.  Experts are the only class which may improve upon these skills without having to hire someone to train them further. They may do so with Skill Points gained during character creation or upon advancing in level. Upon reaching 6-in-6 on any Skill, you roll 2d6 and fail only on snake eyes.
Career Experience - Unlike other humans who are distracted by war, the priesthood, or arcane pursuits; the Expert has had time to properly learn their craft. Experts possess a 2-in-6 Success in very specialized skills that they’ve learned in their Early Career as well as during their Expert Career. The Expert Career is meant to be the occupation the Expert was performing before choosing to pursue adventuring proper.


As it stands, an Expert can begin play with no more than 4-in-6 Success in these skills. Skill points may be invested in these very circumstantial skills, or in the basic skills that all character are granted a 1-in-6 chance of succeeding in.
Early Career
d20
Career Name
Expert Skills Developed
1
Bonepicker
Avoiding Parasites, Identifying How Long Something's Been Dead, Appraising
2
Charcoal Burner
Starting Fires, Knowledge of Forest Beasts, Enduring Terrible Smells
3
Chimneysweep
Contorting Limbs Uncomfortably, Maintaining Balance, Snuffing Out Fires
4
Courier
Hiding Items On Person, Knowing Heraldry, Navigating by Directions or Stars
5
Cutpurse
Blending into a Crowd, Palming a Blade, Disguising One's Self
6
Exorcist's Apprentice
Theology, Torturing Others, Rousing a Mob
7
Farmhand
Handling Animals, Identifying Substances, Butchering Creatures
8
Fishcleaner
Butchering Creatures, Identifying Fish, Tying Knots
9
Frog Gigger
Avoiding Parasites, Finding Things in Filth, Butchering Creatures
10
Gardener
Herbalism, Identifying Substances, Knowledge of Forest Beasts
11
Graverobber
Anatomy, Avoiding Parasites, Identifying How Long Something's Been Dead
12
Loadman
Navigating by Directions or Stars, Repairing Things, Handling Animals
13
Henchman
Knowing Heraldry, Palming a Blade, Repairing Things
14
Mudlark
Appraising, Finding Things in Filth, Avoiding Parasites
15
Ratcatcher
Avoiding Parasites, Identifying Diseases, Handling Animals
16
Ruffian
Palming a Blade, Torturing Others, Blending into a Crowd
17
Servant
Knowing Heraldry, Blending into a Crowd, Identifying Substances
18
Strumpet
Disguising One's Self, Tying Knots, Identifying Diseases
19
Tradesman
Appraising, Identifying Substances, Knowledge of Contracts
20
Vagrant
Knowledge of Forest Beasts, Butchering Creatures, Blending into a Crowd

Expert Career
d20
Career Name
Expert Skills Developed
1
Agitator
Rousing a Mob, Torturing Others, Blending into a Crowd
2
Apothecary
Identifying Substances, Making Medicine, Making Poisons
3
Artisan
Crafting Items, Embellishing Items, Appraisal
4
Boatman
Sailing, Tying Knots, Navigating by Directions or Stars
5
Borderer
Starting Fires, Knowledge of Forest Beasts, Herbalism
6
Bounty Hunter
Anatomy, Tying Knots, Torturing Others
7
Burgher
Appraising, Knowledge of Contracts, Rousing a Mob
8
Charlatan
Rousing a Mob, Disguising One's Self, Knowledge of Terrible Beasts
9
Convict
Finding Things in Filth, Palming a Blade, Finding Weak Spots
10
Fence
Appraising, Torturing Others, Identifying Substances
11
Forger
Forging Documents, Knowledge of Contracts, Legalese
12
Highwayman
Finding Weak Spots, Palming a Blade, Appraising
13
Houndsman
Handling Animals, Butchering Creatures, Torturing Others
14
Interrogator
Torturing Others, Legalese, Finding Weak Spots
15
Litigant
Knowledge of Contracts, Legalese, Rousing a Mob
16
Physician
Herbalism, Anatomy, Identifying Diseases
17
Plague Doctor
Herbalism, Avoiding Parasites, Identifying Diseases
18
Scholar
Knowledge of History, Theological Knowledge, and Knowing Heraldry
19
Smuggler
Hiding Items on Person, Appraisal, Navigating by Directions or Stars
20
Vagabond
Navigating by Directions or Stars, Herbalism, Finding Things in Filth


Read Situations: At Levels 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, choose one of the following things for your Expert to be able to discern thanks to his experiences in dealing with people: Anxieties, Desires, Trustworthiness, the Community, Fears, the Situation and Nobility.

The Expert is able to discern subtle truths out of people and situations at a rate of 3-in-6. These abilities take at least enough time for the Expert to have a conversation or people-watch, save for reading the Situation which takes merely a full round of observation.


  • Read Anxieties: The Expert is able to discern what a person or group of people cannot stand, what makes them disgusted, what makes them uncomfortable, and what they’d rather not have to deal with.
  • Read Desires: The Expert is able to size up what greed and ambition clouds the hearts of others, determining in broad strokes what they might want, what they might seek out, or what they might kill for.
  • Read Trustworthiness: The Expert is able to read people, most notably when those other people are trying to screw him over. The Expert cannot discern honesty or the truth with this ability, merely whether or not someone is trying to put him in a poor situation (financially or otherwise).
  • Read the Community: The Expert is able to, in broad strokes, get a feel for the community he is in and what sorts of services they might provide, who the movers-and-shakers are, and what strange customs they might have.
  • Read Fears: The Expert can read into what paranoia or lingering dread underlies an individual or their community. While such information might not produce concrete facts that the Expert can deal with, it can give a sense of general dangers that many a charlatan would find use for.
  • Read the Situation: The Expert can take a look at a situation and come to a summary judgement on what appears to be going on, though the truth of the matter may be lost in the understanding of what is taking place.
  • Read Nobility: The Expert can with a glance determine the quality of one's honor and nobility, though it may not be wise to speak the results out loud. With this, the Expert can determine if someone is merely a pretender to a code of ethics, or an actual follower of their beliefs.

Expert Training - The Expert may train others in their skills, granting others a +1 to a single skill per month of training provided. Such training the Expert can, and should, charge for. The Expert cannot ever train a non-Expert in a skill above a success rating of 5-in-6. An Expert can train a number of individuals at a time equal to his Intelligence + Charisma Modifiers. Such money, when exchanged, counts as Experience Points gained for those spending it.

Regarding a lack of content of late: Time makes fools of us all, as does work. Got a few more WWM stuff practically done, then it all needs some proper revision. This post will eventually get a nice big equipment chart, and some other stuff. Lotta charts.

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