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Hin Master Prestige Class

by Beau Yarbrough

With religion notably absent from any role in hin society in the Five Shires, it would be easy to say that the High Heroes (the hin Immortals) play no role in the lives of hindul (the halfling people). This would be a mistake: Where the Immortals of other races seek to guide or even command their peoples openly, the High Heroes want the hin to remain self-reliant and free. Instead of sending their clerics out amongst the hin to administer to and lead them, the High Heroes instead take aside noteworthy hin who have already shown a love of their land and a devotion to their people, and teach them the lore of the Gentle Folk and charge them with a mission to quietly protect the Five Shires, both land and people.

In many ways, the Hin masters resemble Mystara's seldom-seen druids, and it is possible that both rely on handed-down lore from the now-vanished Gentle Folk elves. Unlike druids, though, the masters are devoted to one land in particular: The Five Shires.

Their devotion to the Shires is shown in many ways: A new master changes her name from, for instance, "Lidda Heatherfoot" to "Lidda Heatherfoot Highshire," denoting the Shire in which she has lived. Until achieving the rank of Higher Master, a master will not willingly leave the Shires unless called upon to do so by a master tutor, Sheriff, involved in war beyond the nation's borders or a sign from the High Heroes.

Hin masters come from all walks of life, including non-adventuring classes. They tend to be quiet, soft spoken and seldom seen. They work apart from other hin as much as possible to avoid incurring resentment or making other hin dependent on their aid and abandoning self-reliance.

Masters battle evil humanoids and the evil beings residing in the Shires, they will do whatever is necessary and least harmful to those concerned to protect halflings from the attacks of such creatures.

Masters tend to dress simply, and have no distinctive uniform, speech or rune.

REQUIREMENTS

Halfling race, resident in the Five Shires Non-evil alignment
Knowledge (local - Five Shires) ranks: 5+ Wilderness Lore ranks: 5+
Feats: Denial
The prospective master must undergo an apprenticeship with another master for at least two seasons.

THE HIN MASTER
Hit dice: d8

Level	Att.	Fort.	Ref.	Will	Special
1	0	+2	0	+2	Improved Denial, Nature Sense, Turn Undead
2	+1	+3	0	+3	Low-Light Vision
3	+2	+3	+1	+3
4	+3	+4	+1	+4
5	+3	+4	+1	+4
6	+4	+5	+2	+5
7	+5	+5	+2	+5
8	+6	+6	+2	+6
9	+6	+6	+3	+6
10	+7	+7	+3	+7	Higher Master

Spells per Day
Level	0	1	2	3	4	5
1	3	1
2	4	2
3	4	2	1
4	5	3	2
5	5	3	2	1
6	5	3	3	2
7	6	4	3	2	1
8	6	4	3	3	2
9	6	4	4	3	2	1
10	6	4	4	3	3	2

Class Skills: Animal Empathy, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Disguise, Handle Animal, Heal, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (local - Five Shires), Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (Religion), Move Silently, Speak Language (Elvish), Spellcraft, Swim, Wilderness Lore

Skill points at each level: 4 + Int modifier.

CLASS FEATURES

Weapon and armour proficiency: A Hin master is trained in the use of simple weapons, light armour and shields.

Spells: A master can cast divine spells according to the table above and gains and prepares spells in the same way that a cleric does (although she cannot swap spells to cast a cure spell in its place). To prepare or cast a spell, a master must have a Wisdom score of at least 10 + the spell's level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a master's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the master's Wisdom modifier. Bonus spells for masters are based on Wisdom (see PHB Table 1-1: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells, page 8). For spells that require a divine focus, the master may use either a representation of a Crucible of Blackflame or actual blackflame, where available. A master cannot regain her spells outside of the Five Shires.

Bonus Language: A master knows Lalor, the ancient and almost extinct language of the halflings. Lalor is typically used in communication with other masters, Keepers and some Clanmasters when they know they are being listened to and do not wish others to know what they are saying. Lalor has its own alphabet. By spending a skill point, a master may also learn Elvish, of the Gentle Folk dialect.

Improved Denial: A master using denial can turn double the spell levels a normal halfling can.

Extra Denial: Hin masters can take the Denial feat additional times, gaining a single additional use per day.

Nature sense: A master can identify plants and animals with perfect accuracy and tell if water is safe to drink or dangerous. Masters do not hunt creatures for sport, although they will hunt for food.

Turn Undead: A master can turn undead as per a cleric of her same class level (see PHB page 139).

Extra Turning: As a feat, a master may take Extra Turning. This feat allows the master to turn undead four more times per day than normal. A master may take this feat multiple times, gaining four extra daily turning attempts each time.

Low-Light Vision: Starting at second level, a master gains low-light vision, and can see twice as far in starlight, moonlight, torchlight or similar conditions as an ordinary halfling can.

Higher Master: At 10th level, the master's bond with the land is so now so deep that many of the previous restrictions upon her are lifted, and can freely travel, adventure and regain spells outside of the Five Shires. They may also use denial outside of the Five Shires.

Ex-Masters: Masters who leave their calling lose all spells and special abilities, such as Improved Denial and low-light vision, but retain their nature sense. Masters who seek to return to their calling must atone (see the atonement spell in the PHB, page 176).

Master Spell List
0th Level (Orisons) -- Create Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Flare, Light, Purify Food and Drink, Resistance, Thornspear
1st Level -- Cure Light Wounds, Detect Animals or Plants, Detect Evil, Endure Elements, Magic Stone, Obscuring Mist, Remove Fear, Sleep
2nd Level -- Animal Trance, Detect Thoughts, Find Traps, Hold Person, Produce Flame, See Invisibility, Silence, Speak with Animals, Web
3rd Level -- Bestow Curse, Call Lightning, Fly, Locate Object, Neutralise Poison, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Speak with Plants, Water Walk
4th Level -- Charm Monster, Control Plants, Cure Serious Wounds, Dispel Magic, Scrying, Shout, Quench, Restoration
5th Level -- Animal Growth, Control Winds, Feeblemind, Insect Plague, Raise Dead, Tree Stride

SPELLS

Bestow Curse
TRANSMUTATION
Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Hin Master 3, Sor/Wiz 3

As the standard bestow curse, save that hin masters prefer the following curses, rather than those given on page 178 of the Player's Handbook:

· The first blow struck by a cursed creature against a halfling will miss
· Any lie told to a halfling by the cursed creature will immediately be known by the halfling
· Any attempted theft of any halfling property by the cursed creature will immediately be detected
· Any food eaten within the Shires by the cursed creature, for the rest of its life, will taste bad and cause indigestion and embarrassing flatulence

The curses listed in the Player's Handbook (page 178) are also available, although are less commonly used.

Scrying
DIVINATION
Level: Brd 3, Clr 5, Drd 4, Hin Master 4, Sor/Wiz 4

As per page 247 in the Player's Handbook. Hin Masters, like druids, use a natural pool of water as a focus.