Serpent of Kinja
The serpents of Kinja are members of clergy of the snake god Kinja, a spirit that possesses the most powerful among his flock. This being is the spiritual leader of all serpents and referred to as the Grand Fang. Serpents aspire to become his vessel and travel the world spreading his word to those that are willing to listen. They tend to be highly intolerant of the beliefs of others but are quick to take up arms for the weak. Temples or shrines to Kinja can be found throughout the world, but the main temple is located in Grogagon. Kinja pays tribute to the past in this temple with the Hall of Vessels, an expansive room with carved statues of all the Grand Fangs he has ever possessed.
When a young serpent is recruited they join the ranks and perform the duties of a pilgrim. They perform rituals and errands for their temple for the High Fang in charge. Pilgrims often serve as messengers between different temples and the ranks of the serpents. Young pilgrims are far from the strongest in combat and between their duties they train with the gerston to become better combatants, for that is the path of the crusader.
Pilgrims who show promise in battle are pulled into specialized training with their High Fang to become a crusader. The crusader begins training with the severtree, the serpents enchanted snake whip. Crusaders are tasked with the defense of temples and emissaries. They are also called to aid the various followers of Kinja with tasks ranging from recovering stolen items to slaying non-believers harassing Kinja’s flock. When a crusader distinguishes its self-enough to have garnered the attention of their Arch Fang, regional leaders that report directly to the Grand Fang, they are promoted to the rank of herald.
Heralds are in charge of expanding Kinja’s flock and, in rare occasions nowadays, make the declaration of war. They are usually found in small towns and villages helping the residents while trying to convert them. There are even stories of heralds who have converted tribes of the wild wolf-apes, the valgonni tribesmen. Heralds are also tasked with hunting down the lost ones, serpents who have left the faith. Lost ones can be among the most dangerous serpents around, as they exercise free will and are not bound by any oaths to Kinja. The Grand Fang has its own heralds; they are both bodyguards and assassins.
The serpents of Kinja are light armored battle-casters. They use martial skills in combination with lightning and telekinetic spells to deal strings of combo damage. While this makes them a bit weaker at lower levels, they can deal high damage with these combos when they reach higher levels. They also have a deep seated grudge with the Order of the Blade and often rush into battle with them. Armed only with the weapons gifted to them through Kinja they spread their message, not always in the most peaceable fashion.
Requirements
Role: Damage, Disable, Stealth
Species: Habataki, Human
Professions: Assassin, Explorer, Mariner, Medic, Soldier, Law Enforcement
Suggested Attributes: Dexterity and Wisdom
Health: 4 + Constitution per CPB + Species Health
Starting Armor Proficient: Cloth
Starting Weapon Proficient: Quarterstaff, Whip, Gerston, Severtree
Starting Skills: Choose 1 starting Combat Art and History: Religion.
Starting Equipment
Base
Armor: Cloth
Weapon(s): Quarterstaff
Equipment: Clothing, 1 Day Ration, Backpack, Canteen
Tarryns: 1d20x10
Guideline
Receives first gerston at CPB 2 and a replacement is given to the serpent at the CPB 4 and CPB 5. The severtree is available for use by the serpent at CPB 3 with a replacement available at CPB 5.
Resources
Serpent’s combo system allows them to string together different focus generating abilities. Combos are broken when the serpent changes targets or uses a focus spending ability.
Serpents use focus to gain passive buffs and use skills. They can store focus equal to their CPB. Focus is generated by consuming an action or using an ability that generates focus.
Abilities
Telepathy, Wisdom + CPB vs Wisdom + Sense
The ability to read, alter, and communicate with targets through psychic means. Telepathy takes concentration and breaks combo. In combat Telepathy can be used to give a bonus to a serpent's attacker or defender roll for 1 focus equal to their CPB. Out of combat critical rolls, mind control the target for a minute per wisdom + CPB.
Teleportation, Defender vs Attacker, 1 Focus
Teleportation is an instant ability to transport self 10' per CPB while out of combat or not adjacent to an enemy. In combat it is a reactive dodge available to use after a critical defense that moves the serpent up to 10’ from their attacker.
Second Skin, Instant Ability, 1 Focus
Second Skin creates an additional armor soak around the caster for the round equal to CPB. Soak rate against lightning damage is doubled.
Serpent's Mark, Instant Ability
The serpent can cast Serpent's Mark after killing a target to transfer up to their CPB of focus to a new target. While a target is marked attack actions and movement toward it do not break the serpent's combo. Any retreat action will clear focus.
Salvation, Instant Ability, Close Range, 1 Focus
Salvation allows the serpent to buff an ally's roll, increasing their roll by the serpent's CPB. Out of combat it must be used before the roll.
Cloak, Wisdom + CPB vs Wisdom + Alertness, 1 Focus
Cloak is the ability to blend into shadows while remaining still and increases difficulty to detect while moving. Adds an ambush attack that has 2d4 attacker bonus to hit. Unavailable once combat begins unless cast from cover.
Gift of Kinja, Passive Ability
This ability increases defender bonuses against poisons, venoms, and lightning magic by double CPB.
Spark of Kinja
The lightning of the serpent god is one of the three disciplines that the first Grand Fang taught to his followers. They harnessed the spark into a powerful weapon and tool of conversion during the crusades, often torturing captives into the service of Kinja. The serpents today use this ability to attack, defend, and revitalize themselves.
Shocking Strike, Attacker vs Defender, Weapon Range
The serpent strikes an opponent with lightning via physical strike, gerston, or severtree. Shocking Strike weapon damage + 1d4 per Focus stack lightning damage + generates 1 Focus. Critical Shocking Strike generates Focus equal to CPB.
Spark Boost, Instant Ability, Consume All Focus
The serpent sets off lightning sparks below it to launch itself up to 2 movement ranges in any direction. When used to the attack a target Spark Boost gives +1 attacker roll per Focus stack. Spark Boost can be used defensively as a reactive ability giving a +1 defender roll per focus stack.
Lightning Bolt, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Consume All Focus, Medium Range
The serpent sends a bolt of lightning from fingertips to a target a melee target dealing 1d10 lightning damage per Focus stack.
Energize, Passive Ability
Serpent's gain a magically critical defense of +1 per CPB for a round when they use a Spark of Kinja spell.
Telekinesis
The power of the mind is one of the three disciplines that the first Grand Fang taught to his followers. During the crusades this ability was used to sabotage and bombard their enemies. Not much has changed.
Manipulate, Wisdom + CPB vs Difficulty, Consume All Focus, Close Range
The serpent telekinetically interacts with small objects such as buttons, levers, switches, and etc with +1 per Focus. Normally used for infiltration or sabotage.
Impact, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Close Range
The serpent telekinetically strikes a target dealing strike damage + -1 defender per Focus stack for an action + generating 1 Focus. Critical Impact generates Focus equal to CPB and pushes the target 2' per stack.
Throw, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Close Range
The serpent telekinetically throws an object at a target dealing 1d10 physical damage per size increase. Small objects are up to 50 pounds and cost 1 Focus. At CPB 2 medium objects are up to 150 pounds and costs 2 Focus. At CPB 3 the range can be increased to medium range for an additional action and Focus. At CPB 4 large objects are up to 300 pounds and costs 3 Focus + 2 actions to throw with -3 attacker penalty. At CPB 5 massive objects are up to 600 pounds and costs 4 Focus + 3 actions to throw with a -5 attacker penalty. Thrown objects have a +1 critical chance per size increase and critical attacks knockdown targets. Throwing the living causes 1d6 damage to the thrown target as well. Throw can also be used to bring an object to the serpent, such as retrieving a weapon.
Deflection, Passive Ability
Serpent's gain the ability to telekinetically block ranged weapon attacks at a rate of +1 per CPB for a round after they use a Telekinesis spell.
Kinjarita
The martial art of the serpents is one of the three disciplines that the first Grand Fang taught to his followers. They spend years training so that they might master the gerston and severtree as well as learning strikes to aid them in battle.
Slam, Attacker vs Defender, Weapon Range
The serpent deals strike or weapon damage with +1 attacker roll per Focus stack + generating 1 Focus. Critical Slam staggers target and generates Focus equal to CPB.
Barrage, Attacker vs Defender, Consume All Focus
The serpent can cast Barrage dealing 1 strike per Focus stack. Each strike is rolled seperately. Critical strikes deal maximum damage for that strike.
Unbalance, Weapon Damage vs Dexterity Roll, Consumes All Focus
Serpent's can perform weapon damage based special attacks + 1d4 per Focus spent. Successful strikes stagger, gerston or staff hits stun, and severtree or whip hits knock a target prone.
Nibble Warrior, Passive Ability, Difficulty 20 Reduced by CPB
Well-trained serpents are hard to keep off their feet. They can instantly rise to their feet to avoid taking prone damage when knocked down for a round after using a Kinjarita ability.
Serpent of Kinja Mastery
Masteries among the serpents of Kinja are focused on enhancing their combat schools. The serpent can choose from Telekintic, Spark, or Kinjarita Master and can take one of the available masteries of that level.
Telekinetic Master
Improved Impact, Passive Ability, CPB 1
Impact generates 2 Focus per hit.
Redirection, Reactive Ability, CPB 2
For 1 Focus the serpent can reflect the damage back to a target after a successful Deflection.
Bounce, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Consume All Focus + 2 Actions, Close Range, CPB 3
The serpent lifts a target into the air and slam them into the ground. Bounce lifts the target 4' and deals 1d10 physical damage per Focus. Bounce deals 1d6 per Focus damage if the target impacts something on the way up as well.
Collide, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Consume All Focus + 2 Actions, Close Range, CPB 4
The serpent targets 1 target per Focus and pulls them all together dealing 1d8 per target to all targets.
Improve Range, Instant Ability, CPB 5
The serpent can spend an additional action to use Telekinesis up to medium range.
Spark Master
Improved Shocking Strike, Passive Ability, CPB 1
Shocking Strike generates 2 Focus per hit.
Discharge, Reactive Ability, CPB 2
Whenever the serpent performs a critical defense a spell while Energize is active they can spend a Focus to retaliate with a Lightning Bolt at current Focus stack.
Lightning Storm, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Consume All Focus + 2 Actions, CPB 3
The serpent creates a 12' cone dealing 1d8 lightning damage per Focus.
Conduit, Passive Ability, CPB 4
When the serpent consumes focus on a Spark of Kinja spell they surge with lightning for a round dealing 1d4 per Focus spent to melee attackers.
Lightning Rod, Wisdom + CPB vs Defender, Consumes All Focus, CPB 5
While Energize is active the serpent can consume the effect to deal a maximum damage Lightning Bolt at the current Focus stack.
Kinjarita Master
Improved Slam, Passive Ability, CPB 1
Slam generates 2 Focus on hit.
Agile Warrior, Reactive Ability, CPB 2
After Nimble Warrior is triggered the serpent can spend a Focus to make a movement.
Brutal Combo, Passive Ability, CPB 3
When the serpent uses Barrage on a staggered target all strikes deal +1d12 weapon damage.
Flurry, Attacker vs Defender, Consumes All Focus + 2 Actions, CPB 4
The serpent strikes all targets in range with a flurry of strikes and weapon attacks dealing damage + 1d6 per Focus stack. Flurry applies Unbalance on critical hits.
Controlling Blow, Attacker vs Defender, 2 Focus, CPB 5
The serpent dashes 1 movement and strikes a target dealing weapon damage + stagger + moving the target 6' in a chosen direction. If the target lands in melee range of a target not friendly to it, they get an instant attack against the target.