Drow Conspirator: Difference between revisions
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| Description | Among male Drow, there are many that are completely enamored of the Dark Maidens, as is right and proper. | | Description | Among male Drow, there are many that are completely enamored of the Dark Maidens, as is right and proper. | ||
And then, there are the Conspirators. | |||
Drow Conspirators are cynical, jaded, and skeptical. The lower ranked Drow Ladies are generally not very pleased by the existence of the Conspirators, and frequently lobby to have them expunged. | |||
The higher ranked Drow Maidens, on the other hand, are wiser and more cosmopolitan in their tastes, and not only do they greatly value the contributions of the sly, cynical Conspirators, they recognize that the countervailing opinions they bring to the table are very useful, no matter how their lower ranked sisters may rail against their "uppity ways." | |||
As a result, Drow Conspirators are often 'assigned' to a lower level Drow Maiden as a sort of 'watch dog', meaning they have caught the attention of their elders. This is flattering, because the presence of a Conspirator, or six, means the Drow Maiden is under the eye of her higher ups. It is also more than a bit frightening, because it means the Greater Drow are looking. Which may be good, or very, very bad. | |||
In any case, the presence of Conspirators is an early sign that you are reaching the attention of Serious Drow, the sorts of ladies who command legions to march and don't merely command campaigns, but entire wars. | |||
In person, Conspirators seem like lesser Drow Males, endlessly devoted to their Dark Maidens, perfectly obedient and biddable, ever-willing, even eager to comply.... But there is a hidden sharp edge to their submissive acquiescence. A Conspirator will do as he is bid, of course, but the WAY he does it may be a sharp rebuke to the low-level Maiden who is, ostensibly, commanding his actions. | |||
Because a Drow Conspirator is always indicative of a Matriarch's attention, and often even a Regent, or rarely – very rarely – a Conspirator will be working on the whims of a Sovereign. | |||
If you have caught the attention of a Drow Sovereign, it is best to tread gently, gently indeed. | |||
In combat, a Drow Conspirator acts much like a lower level Drow male, capable of battle and obedient to his Lady. But there is also a powerful and dangerous edge of trickery, deception, and lies to a Conspirator. Fighting a Conspirator means that your allies may turn suddenly upon you, so always be careful when facing them. | |||
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<!-- Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance" --> | <!-- Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance" --> | ||
| Ability-1-Action-Required = | | Ability-1-Action-Required = Swift Action | ||
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| Ability-1-Description = As a swift action in combat, or up to once per minute out of combat, a Drow Conspirator may flash a winning smile at an enemy within their melee reach. This is a supernatural application of their natural charm and panache, and forces the targeted creature to roll a saving throw against a Will DC of {{Save-DC}}. If they fail the save, they are [[Charmed]] to perform an action the Drow asks of them. If they make the save, there is no effect. | | Ability-1-Description = As a swift action in combat, or up to once per minute out of combat, a Drow Conspirator may flash a winning smile at an enemy within their melee reach. This is a supernatural application of their natural charm and panache, and forces the targeted creature to roll a saving throw against a Will DC of {{Save-DC}}. If they fail the save, they are [[Charmed]] to perform an action the Drow asks of them. If they make the save, there is no effect. | ||
In general, they will use this ability every round in combat, usually asking for their enemies to move to inconvenient places, or to take no actions "while we talk this over". | |||
If they need to re-apply poison, they will often use their move action to apply poison and take a single attack, while still using their swift action to use Charming Smile. | |||
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<!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | ||
| Ability-2-Action-Required = | | Ability-2-Action-Required = Automatic after successful attack | ||
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Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc. --> | Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc. --> | ||
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}} | }} | ||
In addition, any creature which is already [[Drowsy]] or [[Sluggish]] suffers a -2 penalty to saving throws made to resist the effects of Languishroot Poison. | |||
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<!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | ||
| Ability-3-Action-Required = | | Ability-3-Action-Required = Surprise Round or Out of Combat, or, move action | ||
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| Ability-3-Description = Before the first round of any combat, a Drow Conspirator who is within 30 feet of another Drow may distract enemy creatures with a reference to the other Drow. This grants the Conspirator a single free action melee or ranged attack they may make during their first turn of the encounter. This is a free action for the Conspirator, and is basically a free attack for them, only in the first round of combat. | | Ability-3-Description = Before the first round of any combat, a Drow Conspirator who is within 30 feet of another Drow may distract enemy creatures with a reference to the other Drow. This grants the Conspirator a single free action melee or ranged attack they may make during their first turn of the encounter. This is a free action for the Conspirator, and is basically a free attack for them, only in the first round of combat. | ||
If an enemy creature is cautious of the Drow before combat begins, they may make a [[Sense motive]] or [[Sleight of Hand]] roll against the Drow's [[Maneuver Defense]]. If they equal or exceed the Drow's [[Maneuver Defense]] before combat begins, this power is negated. | |||
However, during combat, a Drow Conspirator may use a Move action to roll a [[Diplomacy]] skill check, with a DC of their target's [[Sense Motive]] bonus + 10. If the Drow beats this DC, then the target is considered [[flat-footed]] against all of their attacks for that round. | |||
Smiling Treachery does not require a shared language, but the enemy must be able to see the Drow for this ability to work. | |||
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<!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"--> | ||
| Ability-4-Action-Required = | | Ability-4-Action-Required = Free Action 1/Enc, or, Swift Action | ||
<!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action | <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action | ||
Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc. --> | Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc. --> | ||
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| Ability-4-Description = Once per encounter, a Conspirator may use his Quick Draw feat to reapply poison to his blade as a free action. This may be done in a round in which the conspirator has made an attack already and allows a Conspirator to use Languishroot Poison a second time in the same round, but only once per encounter. | | Ability-4-Description = Once per encounter, a Conspirator may use his Quick Draw feat to reapply poison to his blade as a free action. This may be done in a round in which the conspirator has made an attack already and allows a Conspirator to use Languishroot Poison a second time in the same round, but only once per encounter. | ||
A Conspirator may also apply poison as a swift action at any time, like all Drow. | |||
This application of posion is done with a practiced flourish, as the blade is slid through a slotted cup-like device on their belt, near the sword's sheath. The cup-like device contains 10 doses of Languishroot poison, and can be refilled outside of combat. | |||
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| CombatTactics = Drow Conspirators are not heavy-hitting beasts like the Driders, but that does not make them any less dangerous in combat. In battle, Drow Conspirators are most dangerous because they seem so...darned...nice. | | CombatTactics = Drow Conspirators are not heavy-hitting beasts like the Driders, but that does not make them any less dangerous in combat. In battle, Drow Conspirators are most dangerous because they seem so...darned...nice. | ||
A Conspirator is incredibly adept at presenting a kind, smiling before and during battle. They will be incredibly reasonable and rational as they ask their enemies, by word, gesture, and deed, to step away, stop fighting, even to move in the way of their friends. This whole fight is just a misunderstanding, surely we can work this out? | |||
The entire time, they will be attacking steadily, carefully. A Conspirator is not interested in KILLING you, they want to POISON you, and let their Languishroot do the job. They will always keep their blades venomed, even if they have to trade away attacks to do so, and will always try to nick their enemies with their blades, just to inflict more poison on you. Once per encounter they can apply poison as a free action, and if they are able to use their Smiling Treachery ability before combat, they also receive a free action melee or ranged attack. They frequently 'stack' all this into their first round of combat, seeking to 'alpha strike' their foes into unconsciousness. If this fails, they will fight powerfully and carefully, using flanks and their bonus on Disarm and Trip [[combat maneuver]]s to confound their enemies. | |||
They will use their Charming Smile ability to further confound their enemies, asking them to move, suggesting that they should grapple their friends to 'stop this senseless violence', and many other ways. If they are attacked from beyond their melee reach, they will take a five foot step away and fire their crossbows at the ranged attacker, seeking to poison and drop them so they may use their Charming Smiles un-molested. Fighting Conspirators can be a nightmarish experience, as their numerous abilities stack conditions on their enemies and soak up their actions with Charmed actions. | |||
Of course, at the end of the combat, Conspirators are just as fanatical as all Drow. If they can escape to carry out the wishes of their Dark Maid, they will do so. But if they must spend their lives for the Drow, they will do so without hesitation, and will seek to do as much damage as possible before they are killed. | |||
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| OutOfCombat = Drow Conspirators are the lowest ranking Drow males who work with the most senior Drow Maidens, those exalted Midnight Ladies who rank above the Matriarchs. As such, they are a different breed from the lower level Drow males, and hold the Driders and Dragloth in a fine state of contempt, while acknowleging that the beasts are useful and powerful. | | OutOfCombat = Drow Conspirators are the lowest ranking Drow males who work with the most senior Drow Maidens, those exalted Midnight Ladies who rank above the Matriarchs. As such, they are a different breed from the lower level Drow males, and hold the Driders and Dragloth in a fine state of contempt, while acknowleging that the beasts are useful and powerful. | ||
To Drow females, Conspirators are perfectly obedient, but not subservient. A Conspirator will tell his Dusky Maiden his opinions and advice, even if she does not wish to listen. If she then chooses to ignore him, so be it, but many of the lesser Drow females will lend some weight to the words of a Consiprator, because despite their annoying free will, they ARE quite learned.... | |||
Conspirators are sometimes assigned to spend time with lesser Drow males, just to give those lesser breeds a solid boost in morale and some knowing cameraderie, while ensuring that their loyalty is absolute. | |||
Conspirators are kept away from interactions with Driders and Dragloth. The monsters don't need the morale boost, and Conspirators dislike the beasts intensely.... | |||