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Champion of Zirchev

by Paul Benfield

Modern Karameikos despite heavy colonisation remains an empty and wild country. Population centres are concentrated along the major rivers and roads leaving large unsettled forests, plains and empty valleys. In this untamed land Rangers have always had a special part to play and it was one of these stout warriors who became one of the three patrons of Traldar society. With the recent recovery of ancient texts some Rangers and Sorcerors of Karameikos have formed a group who seek to maintain the balance with nature whilst at the same time protecting and providing for the communities around them. The Champions of Zirchev strive to live as Zirchev would expect; in tune with nature and sensitive to the needs of the Traladar.

Requirements
Alignment: Any neutral.
Race: Born in Traladar/Karameikos (or lived most of life there).
Skills: Handle Animal 4
Ability to cast 1st level Divine Spells or 3rd level Arcane Spells

The Champions of Zirchev are all individuals with strong ties to their land, whether they have never left their sheltered valley home or if they have wandered the length and breadth of Karameikos they know and have a deep respect for the land.

Hit Dice: d8

Level Base	Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells
1	+0	+2	+0	+2	Zirchev's Servant	+1 Sorceror level
2	+1	+3	+0	+3	Mounted Archery	Ranger Spells: 1 1st
3	+1	+3	+1	+3	Mounted Combat	Ranger Spells: 2 1st
4	+2	+4	+1	+4	Heightened Skill	+1 Sorceror level
5	+2	+4	+1	+4	Heightened Skill	+1 Sorceror level
6	+3	+5	+2	+5	Heightened Sense	Ranger Spells:2 1st,1 2nd
7	+4	+5	+2	+5		Ranger spells: 2 1st, 1 2nd, 1 3rd
8	+5/+1	+6	+2	+6	Heightened Skill	Ranger Spells: 2 1st, 2 2nd, 1 3rd
9	+6/+1	+6	+3	+6		+1 Sorceror level
10	+7/+3	+7	+3	+7	Heightened Sense	Ranger Spells: 2 1st, 2 2nd, 1 3rd, 1 4th

Class skills
Move Silently, Spot, Swim, Knowledge (Nature), Wilderness Lore, Rope Use, Intuit Direction, Climb, Search, Animal Empathy, Handle Animal, Jump

Skill Points: 2 + Int per level

Class Features
Champions of Zirchev are proficient in the use of all simple weapons and they can learn the Shortbow or Longbow as Martial Weapon Proficiencies. The Longbow and the Spear are the favoured weapons of Zirchev. The Champions are proficient with lighter types of armour at best Studded Leather and with shields although normal penalties apply for both when using certain skills or any arcane spells.

Track:
All Champions learn to track and hunt in the wilderness as part of their intensive training.

Zirchev's Servant:
As a first level Champion the character can use a modified summon familiar spell to bring one creature to accompany and aid him or her. The type of familiar is chosen by the caster although it can only be one of the following animals of symbolic importance to Zirchev; a dog, a hawk, an owl or a horse. Normal rules for familiars apply as per the Sorceror class.

Mounted Archer / Combat:
At the appropriate level all Champions of Zirchev learn to fight with a variety of weapons whilst on horseback. In fact almost all of the Champions spend a great deal of time on wilderness trails and therefore need to be able to react to situations without first dismounting and securing their horse.

Heightened Sense:
Zirchev received gifts from the Immortals in the form of enhanced senses. Each time the character receives this ability he should pick one sense from the following to have magically improved.
Hawk's sight:
The character's visual range is doubled allowing him to see twice as far, to read at twice the normal distance. He will never suffer from poor eye sight as long as he lives. Spot, search, Track and other visual checks all receive a +3 bonus.
Wolf's hearing:
The character's hearing is improved drastically allowing him to hear sounds at greater distance with greater clarity. The character's hearing will remain perfect till the end of his life. Listen checks receive a +3 bonus.
Dog's sense:
The characters sense of smell increases in sensitivity allowing him to distinguish between subtler smells. The character's sense of smell is more resilient than normal and he receives a +2 bonus to Fortitude saves against any sort of nausea or smell attack. Track checks receive a +3 bonus if the sense of smell is appropriate.

Heightened Skill:
Champions of Zirchev receive their patrons blessing in the form of improved mastery of certain physical/wilderness skills. Each time the Champion gains this ability he should chose one skill from the list that follows. Checks against that skill are made with the Champion's level (not counting levels from other classes) as an additional bonus. Climb, Swim, Ride or Jump.

Spells:
Champions of Zirchev excel at magic of several kinds due to their patron Immortal's affinity with the magical arts. Each level gained increases the Champion's casting level in one of two classes. This does not confer abilities or bonuses other than the equivalent spell casting ability and selection of spells. Note that if the character has no Ranger levels prior to becoming a Champion of Zirchev then he gains automatic spell use as indicated by a number of spells of set levels. If he already possess Ranger levels then ignore this information and simply increase the characters effective Ranger level regarding spell ability once for each time an entry entitled Ranger Spells is reached. The Ranger spell progression for a Champion of Zirchev mirrors the Sorceror pattern more than that of a normal Ranger - building up more spells of a given level before gaining access to the next higher one. Example: a level 6 Cleric / level 5 Champion of Zirchev would have 2 1st level Ranger spells a day whereas a level 5 Ranger / level 5 Champion of Zirchev would have 1 1st level and 1 2nd level Ranger spell.
This reflects the influence of Sorcerous training on the Champion's study of nature magic.