Between the realms of the living and those who have passed, there are some who seek to breech the veil and serve as a bridge for worlds. For a few, this is an act of respect, to communicate to the deceased and quell mortal fear; others use the gift simply to seek knowledge, whether good or ill; and there are some who subjugate and abuse their talent, harnessing the Otherworld for personal gain - these are the darkest and most foul. Some are called prophet, medium, or seer... others are known as villains.
Usually driven to dwell at the fringe of polite society, these (typically) destitute individuals often exhibit strange or unusual behavior, sometimes aloof and uncaring and other times scheming or simply unaware of grace - regardless, they generally share a hermit tendency, unable or unwilling to make friends with the still-breathing. As such, a ghostwalker is normally encountered in a state that one might consider insane or below even peasantry, barely clothed and rambling in a tongue known only to themselves; in fact, at least in many cases, the ghostwalker is playing along doing the expected to avoid unscrupulous attention... or has simply gone mad. They do possess the power to see the deceased, and sometimes speak to them, but it is not a trait that most are willing to use simply because it can be used - the spirits, if abused, quickly sort the rest.
Due to the treatment accustomed to one who walks with spirits, ghostwalkers tend to develop skills that keep them safe, namely that of blending in with normal folk, but also those of deception - this generally takes the form of false divination or begging, much like a gypsy is rumored to possess; some even resort to thievery. However, these abilities are not always reliable since some strongholds consider their practice forbidden and guilds (if a recognizable one exists) sometimes take issue with the practice, extorting protection or other services - in fact, this is often the impetus for a ghostwalker to take an adventuring life, both for fear and possibly for power or wealth.
PRIME ATTRIBUTE: Charisma
HIT DICE: d6
ALIGNMENT: Any
WEAPONS ALLOWED: Hand axe, brass knuckles, cat-o-nine-tails, cestus, cleaver, club, dagger, dirk, light flail, flatchet, hatchet, knife, light mace, light pick, pike, sap, sickle, spear, short sword, dart, sling, and whip
ARMOR ALLOWED: Padded armor, leather coat, leather armor, studded leather, mail shirt, and buckler
ABILITIES: Disguise, pick pockets, dead cant, ethersight, parlor tricks, ancestral knowledge, fearlessness
Disguise (Charisma): This ability is identical to that of the assassin class except that a ghostwalker gains a bonus when impersonating specific individuals if the spirit of that individual has been consulted (note, use of disguise in this way implies the impersonated person is deceased,) and a positive reaction achieved - in such a case, a +4 modifier is bestowed. Furthermore, a ghostwalker can easily assume the disguise of a poor or destitute individual, this requiring no roll, and always succeeds, for weal or woe.
Pick Pockets (Dexterity): Street life is not an easy existence, and so a ghostwalker typically learns to supplement income by less-savory means, much like a common thief - this ability functions identically as that of the rogue class.
Dead Cant: Tied directly to the Otherworld, ghostwalkers have the unearthly ability to not only see the dead, but to communicate with them, often seeming as a person afflicted with madness when doing so - indeed, any person not acquainted with the practice automatically assumes the ghostwalker is insane or threatening, and reacts appropriately, perhaps even believing the ghostwalker to be demon-possessed or a warped spellcaster. In effect, when used, the ghostwalker gains two amazing abilities - that of speaking with the dead and of turning (or commanding) undead. The speak with dead ability functions as the spell of the same name, with a caster level of 5; it may be used once per day for every 3 levels the ghostwalker has attained, starting at first (increases to twice per day at 3rd, 3 at 6th, 4 at 9th, etc.) Unlike the spell, a ghostwalker may speak with any dead character, but must make a Charisma check if alignment / disposition are dissimilar - the Castle Keeper decides when a check is needed, and always makes it in secret. Turning undead functions like the clerical ability of the same name, except the ghostwalker may choose to turn, or command, and does so with each attempt; it is also not a Wisdom check, but one based on Charisma - the ability has a level of effect equal to half level +2 (at 1st level, this means the effective level is 2), and allows up to the same in total Hit Dice of undead to be commanded.
Ethersight: A ghostwalker can see into realms mortals were not to dwell, able to view the world as it really is. When used, which requires complete concentration, akin to that of maintaining a spell, this ability grants the ghostwalker a +3 bonus against any illusion which relies on vision as a major component, such as disguises, polymorphs, and anything with the word image in its name (the Castle Keeper will need to decide when this ability applies, as it should not be universal against all illusions.) It also lets the ghostwalker see into the ethereal plane, revealing things not visible to standard sight, but leaves them vulnerable to things such as a basilisk gaze, ghostly attack, etc. Use of this ability is draining on a ghostwalker and may be used once per day for every 2 levels earned, minimum of 1 at 1st.
Parlor Tricks (Charisma): Through psychological manipulation, skilled use of mundane prestidigitation, and the like, a ghostwalker is able to affect amazing results, or so it seems. This ability is often used to divine the future, the ghostwalker using some tool such as cards, dice, or a crystal ball to draw a subject into a lie and rake in the gold; the ghostwalker has no real magical ability at this art, but the victim often believes they do, and pay accordingly - as such, with a successful check, a ghostwalker will earn an amount of gold equivalence, per use, equal to their Charisma modifier multiplied by level. To maintain the illusion of actual power, the ghostwalker cannot use this ability for this purpose more than once per day. Finally, if the ghostwalker has enough time to plan ahead and prepare for a given victim, some real magic effects can be duplicated, such as ghost sound or prestidigitation but these are always at 1st level casting ability - the effect is not truly magical in nature but produced by alchemical components, mechanisms, and the victim’s own mind.
Ancestral Knowledge: A ghostwalker is typically friendly to the spirits and specters that haunt the Otherworld, and these beings sometimes impart their knowledge. Essentially, a ghostwalker can select one dead being with which they have had contact and gain an ability possessed by that being, provided the ability is not one which is magical in nature (the ability to cast spells is one such), empowered by a divine source (such as most everything gifted to a paladin), or one which is antithetical to the character concept (that is, a ghostwalker who is primarily good would be hard-pressed for a good reason to request the death attack ability of an assassin.) Note, this does not give the same level of expertise - it simply allows the ghostwalker an attempt (or, in the case of weapon or armor skills, to use the item without penalty), when none may have been given, such as a ghostwalker who requests the decipher script ability of a passed-on wizard. This ability is tricky, and potentially abusive, so a Castle Keeper must be somewhat strict with its allowances - if a ghostwalker wants a very powerful use, it is certainly acceptable to not only reverse it, but to also pervert the request in some way, to reflect the disdain of the dead. The ghostwalker may only have one ability bestowed through ancestral knowledge at any given time - changing it requires a meditative state which lasts 3 days during which nothing else may be done. Furthermore, the Castle Keeper may require a Charisma check to see if the spirit is willing, this done in secret - if it fails, the ghostwalker falls out of favor and is not allowed to use this ability until some sort of atonement is performed, at the behest of the spirit.
Fearlessness: Having seen and dealt with death for practically all of their life, a ghostwalker is not afraid of the Otherworld like most other living people, and so does not exhibit the same sort of inhibitions that others might - this ability grants a +2 bonus against fear and against death-based effects.
Code: Select all
Level HD BtH EPP
1 d6 +0 0
2 d6 +1 2625
3 d6 +1 5251
4 d6 +2 10,501
5 d6 +2 21,001
6 d6 +2 42,001
7 d6 +3 84,001
8 d6 +3 168,001
9 d6 +3 336,001
10 d6 +4 672,001
11 +1 +4 868,001
12 +1 +4 1,068,001
13+ +200,000
