Monday, December 7, 2020

GLOG Class: The Knight-Errant

 This is an idea I’ve wanted to do for a long time now. The idea of the brave knight on a quest is such a powerful image to me still, even as I grow older and further away from the fairytales of youth. So when the idea of + templates was raised to me, I jumped on the opportunity. Essentially, + templates are extra abilities that build upon what you already have, unlocked when you complete an in-world goal. This will hopefully encourage players to engage with the world more. Maybe. It could also just annoy some of the more power-gamer-y types.

Anyway, without further ado, here it is!


Knight by Johannes Voss

Knight-Errant

Starting Equipment: A Faithful Horse, Heavy Armour, Crested Shield, Sword Given To You By Your Old Master


Skills: 1. Courtship, 2. Chivalry, 3. Dueling


A: Knightly Quest, Crest [+Title]

B: Challenge [+Slayer of Legends], Code of Honour

C: Squire [+Warband]

D: Whosoever Lifts This Sword [+Divine Right of Kings]

A: Knightly Quest

A Knight-Errant is defined by the Quest they embark upon. Every Knight-Errant rolls for a Quest or discusses one with their GM. This is always some deed of immense honour and glory, and completing it successfully will bring much respect to your family and your name. Begin play with a strange magical item that, while slightly obfuscated in its exact use, will help you complete your quest, whether by leading you to the location of what you’re looking for or giving obscure riddles as to the true nature of your quest.


You may not ignore your Quest for more than a month at once, or you lose all Knight-Errant Templates. While you are working towards your Quest, there will always be a way to escape any bad situation. Upon completing your Quest, you will receive another one at some point in the next 1d4 years through magical or divine means.

A: Crest

Your shield is marked with the crest of your house or homeland, a reminder of where you set out from, though it is far away now. While wearing a shield with your crest on it, you have advantage on checks against being frightened or mind controlled, and have +1 Defence. You will be given an audience in any court you go to, though they may not necessarily like you.


+Title

Prerequisite: Complete a Knightly Quest


You are far more than merely a normal knight-errant now. Through your deeds, your name has become known throughout the land. Gain a title appropriate to what you have done, or whatever sounds cool (e.g. a Knight who found the Crystal Rose of Telgalan would become known as the Knight of Roses). You are immune to being frightened or mind controlled. Any enemy that knows of your reputation rolls morale checks with disadvantage. You will be given audience by anyone you ask it of, and most will respect your opinion on matters of war and battle. Once per adventure, you may pull off an unreasonably heroic feat and survive the process, no matter how improbable. If you ever sacrifice yourself for a cause you believe in, that cause will gain divine protection.

B: Challenge

You may at any point challenge another creature to a duel. In combat, they must save vs. compulsion or be forced to attack you and only you, though you must do the same. The duel is broken if any other creature intervenes in the fight. Outside, you may challenge anyone that can hear you. They must save vs. compulsion or agree to it. You must then decide amongst yourselves a time and place, and terms as to what happens when either of you win. A sufficiently wealthy person may send a proxy to fight in their place.


+Slayer of Legends

Prerequisite: Kill an opponent of mythical proportions in one-on-one combat.


Any normal creature you challenge to a fight now has a 3 in 6 chance of running away in fear at your reputation. You may now challenge people across any distance, and they will receive news of your challenge within 1d3 weeks. This can include kings, gods, dragons or anything of significant enough power. They will accept your challenge unless they have a significant reason to refuse.

B: Code of Honour

Name three things that you hold as evil and dishonourable (e.g. lying, consorting with demons). You can always tell when someone is engaging in those activities. You deal +1 damage to anyone you view as evil in reference to these three tenets. If you ever break one of your own tenets, you lose any + templates you may have and must go on a quest of atonement to regain your honour.

C: Squire

You have a loyal squire by your side, who will assist you in your Knightly Quest. They are two levels below you, and have templates in a martial class of your choice. You may decide their personality and backstory with your Gamemaster. They seek to learn from your experiences, and will assist you in any way they can. However, they may still leave you if they are mistreated. After six years of training from you or after they gain their last template in a martial class, they gain a level in Knight-Errant and go on their own Knightly Quest.


+Warband

Prerequisite: Gain a Title and be granted land by a lord.


Once per month, you may call together a group of up to [Level x 10] Knights to help you in a single task, such as storming a castle or grounding a dragon. These knights are old friends and acquaintances of yours. They will only stay with you for up to a week, and only for the duration of one specific task, after which they disband.

D: Whosoever Lifts This Sword

Gain a sword of immense magical power, rolling on the table below for its magical properties or deciding an appropriate ability with your GM. Once per adventure, you may miraculously survive a killing blow, instead dropping to 1 HP.


+Divine Right of Kings

Prerequisite: Claim the throne you were fated for.


You are the ruler of a prosperous, powerful kingdom. You may retire your character at any point and your character will go down in history as a good ruler, and the people will forever speak your name in reverence.


1d12

Sword Property

1

You may point your sword at a demon and cause them save vs. banishment or be forced back to their home plane.

2

You can instantly kill any being of 1 HD or lower, and cannot be harmed by them.

3

Woodland animals recognise you as a friend, and will follow your orders as their ruler. You can speak to and understand woodland animals.

4

You cannot be hurt by fire or lava. You may ignite yourself to impart an extra 1d6 fire damage on a hit.

5

You may fly and control the direction and strength of the wind.

6

You may raise the corpses of those you kill as 1 HD servants. You may have up to twice your Knight-Errant templates of undead under your control at one time.

7

You may mark any two doors with your blade. Opening one will lead out into the other. Only the one who holds the sword may use this effect. To everyone else the doors function normally.

8

You may freeze any water your blade touches, and are immune to all cold effects. You do not slip on ice, and anyone hit by your blade has their movement halved.

9

Your blade glows as a bright light, and you may shine it in the eyes of your enemies, forcing them to save vs. blindness or be blinded for 1d6 rounds. If they succeed, they are immune to this effect until the next day. You deal an extra 1d6 damage to anyone who violates your code of honour, and also to undead and demons (this does not stack if they are both).

10

Your sword may act on its own, flying out of your hands and attacking whoever you direct it towards. You may do this for [Knight-Errant templates x 2] rounds per day. It may also do this out of combat with no limit, though it cannot attack without using a round.

11

While standing in shadows, you are invisible to everything except high-level magic. You may teleport from one set of shadows to another you can see.

12

You cannot bleed, and cannot suffer from injuries (you still take damage, but there is no physical effect until you actually die). You cannot be hurt by projectiles, only melee weapons.


1d10

Knightly Quest

1

Kill the tyrannical red dragon Termithraviax of Bloodpeak Mountain.

2

Find the Crystal Rose of Telgalan by completing the Trials of the Forest Kings.

3

Reclaim the Throne of Silence from the giants who wrongfully claim it.

4

Find the Ocean Grail of the Coral God, Manifil.

5

Defeat each of the Manifold Knights in single combat.

6

Travel to the City of Ravens and entreat the Lady of Black Feathers to give you the Falling Star Rite.

7

Reach the end of the Time Spiral at the End of the World.

8

Return the Lich Jewel to its rightful place atop the Bonewall.

9

Slay the King of the Insect Hordes and bring back his mandibles.

10

Find the cure for the Heart-binding Curse.

3 comments:

  1. shouldn't the squire be two levels below the knight, instead of just one? it feels a bit incongruous for a third-level knight to get a second-level apprentice right after graduating from second level, but idk

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    Replies
    1. You're right, that was what I intended. Thanks for catching the mistake!

      Delete
  2. I really liked this class. I found it when adapting a knight class to The Green Knight and this literally checked all my boxes. I added some drawbacks to play up a theme of the Knight causing waste lands by living inauthentically.

    You can find my post here if you're interested: https://scriptoriumludi.wordpress.com/2021/08/06/the-green-knight-film-review-and-mechanics-reflection/

    ReplyDelete