Sgt. Cookie
2014-09-06, 09:52 PM
The Epithymia
http://i.imgur.com/QJo8x0J.png
"This Thief is the absolute best there is. He is faceless, he could be anyone. No one has ever gotten a fingerprint, a footprint, not even a whiff of him. Even the Keepers are oblivious to him. He carries out his work with meticulous detail, leaves no evidence at all that he was there. He has quite a large self image but cares nothing about gaining a reputation. In fact, he wants to remain anonymous. But at the same time, he enters a mission with a heightened sense of paranoia. Nothing can go wrong, he will settle for no error or slip ups in his execution of the job. He is a Paranoid Perfectionist while working, nothing out of place or amiss when he is finished. Not even the Allusion of a Thought in anyone's mind that he was there. He is also discriminating. Some missions he might not take because he might leave a trail, clue or hint of something. People are wondering how these things happen or get stolen and who is doing it and how. But no one knows anything or has a clue."
In the time of the Gods of Law, The Sun rose and birthed the first day. The Sun reigned, unchallenged, as the Stars appeared. The first, lost to time, passed by. The second, Harmony, created all the Gods. The third, Erudition, became knowledge itself. And the fourth, End, brought the first night. Revealed the Moon and brought darkness to existence. But in that darkness, there was... something. It was not a star, called by the light of the sun. It was not a God of Law, unseen and unheard. It was anguish, loss. Its birth-scream one of longing, of grief.
Of Desire.
The loss of the Sun caused a thought to appear. It was, at first, meaningless. Barely more than an incoherent whisper with nothing but darkness and the Moon. But the darkness soon coalesced around that thought, amplifying it, adding a voice. The whisper grow louder, more comprehensible until the darkness could contain it no longer. Its anguished sound shocking the thought into self awareness, at first, and then horror soon after. "I want the Sun!" it cried, but as soon as Desire made his demand, he realised what he had done. He had given an order to the Sun.
Before it could respond, Desire fled. He ran and hid and hoped he was beyond the Sun's reach. On the Second day, the Sun rose and heard Desire's demand, but found only an echo of grief. Oblivious to the thing it had unwittingly created. It spent the second day existing. It's brilliance brightening the sky. But the bodiless demand unsettled him. And so on the second night, he told the stars to wait. To be a beacon when the Sun could not. But their light was weak. No matter how brightly they shone or how many was among their number, darkness still reigned supreme.
But for Desire, it was a gift beyond measure. His demand of the Sun made him wary. When darkness fell, he was started at the sky, but was soon calm. The light was not the Sun, it was something... else. Desire did not know what they were, only that he wanted them. And so he left his hiding place and went to the stars he saw. They were not the Sun, no, they were lesser beings. But they still held a light and Desire very much wanted light. So he stole some Stars. He stole and stole and stole until the Sun approached and Desire returned to his secret place.
When the Sun arrived, fully, he saw that some Stars were gone and he did not know where. The Sun questioned the Moon, but she saw nothing. He questioned the rest of the stars, all of them, but none saw anything. Their brethren were there but then they were not. Desire, in his hiding place, looked upon "his" stars. But he found them lacking. Individually, they were nothing but together, they were brighter. Much, much brighter. But together, they still paled in comparison to the Sun. But he wanted more, ever more, until he had a light as bright as the Sun. And so he waited, until night fell once more and he could, unseen and unknown, take the Stars to create for himself a new sun. All his own.
And such is his Legacy, The Epithymia. They walk the earth, coveting all they see. Wealth, gold, jewels, they take it all. But they are not without allies. Darkness, anonymity and stealth. They take and steal and want, with only what has been lost proving that they exist at all.
The Thief's Mythos: An Epithymia's power is expressed in terms of one or more "Mythos", the building blocks of the legend they are, and the stories that they have told and will tell. While any given Mythos differs from the rest, they share some similar traits. They are always Extraordinary abilities and when they reference a difficulty class that saving throw is always calculated as (10 + 1/2 class level + Charisma modifier, unless otherwise stated). When a Mythos mentions a "level" that is not clearly defined in some other way, such as "character level", it refers to "class level" as in the number of levels one has in the Epithymia class. When a Mythos references "allies", it specifically does not refer to the Epithymia using it. When a Mythos grants a feat as a bonus feat, it is regardless of whether the character meets the prerequisites for that feat (unless otherwise stated), and if the character already possesses that feat (in some permanent fashion - via the normal allotment gained by leveling up, or through another Mythos, and so on, but not those gained temporarily, such as via a "Heroics" spell), they must replace the prior instance of that feat with another feat that they qualify for. Some Mythos grant bonus skill tricks, which do not "use up" the slots normally allotted to a character nor do they cost skill points. Additionally, these bonus skill tricks can be used an unlimited number of times, rather than once per encounter.
Every Mythos has a Tier. The Tier of a Mythos ranges from 1 to 4, typically referred to as Exceptional, Fantastic, Legendary, and Exalted. Exceptional Mythos are the stories of skilled footpads who stalk the halls of the well-to-do in search of loot. Fantastic Mythos are the stories of the silk touch specialists who can open any lock and take any item. Legendary Mythos tell of those who see thievery as a performance, playing for the silent applause of treasure taken without any knowledge of his passing. Exalted Mythos are of Thieves who have become true heirs of Desire who move hidden, unseen, unknown and unremembered. Just the way they like
Some Mythos, in addition to their initial stated effect, have Basic and Advanced manifestations. When an Epithymia gains access to a Mythos with a list of Basic manifestations, they may choose one such manifestation, and they gain that benefit immediately as well. This choice may not be changed later. When an Epithymia gains access to a Mythos with a list of Advanced manifestations, they may choose one such manifestation, and they gain that benefit upon achieving their next level of Epithymia. This choice may be changed at any point before receiving the chosen manifestation itself, but not after (choosing beforehand is just an easy way to mark it down on your character sheet so you don't forget that you'll be getting something later).
Mythos Known: A 1st level Epithymia begins play with two Exceptional Mythos that he qualifies for, if this is his first level in a PC class. At higher levels he gains additional Mythos as noted on the Epithymia table.
For character that multiclass into Epithymia after having taken levels in another PC character class, the 1st level of Epithymia grants one Mythos, rather than two.
An Epithymia also has the ability to learn more Mythos, above the ones automatically allotted to him by stealing something and simply... discarding it. Whenever the Epithymia steals something, he can, if he so desires, to simply get rid of the item at no mechanical benefit to him. This could be something as simple as throwing a gemstone that you no longer covet into the dirt, never to see it again or you could sell off the stolen item and donate the proceeds to an orphanage or something. Hell, stealing something and then [I]putting it back would also count. Whatever, as long as the item (or the proceeds thereof) is lost in some manner, with the intention that you will never try to reclaim it. Because if you didn't want it then, why would you want it now?
If you choose to do this, then the item's Gold Piece value is recouped to you as an equal number of Mythos Points.
By spending 1,000 Mythos Points, and 250xp, he may learn an Exceptional Mythos. A Fantastic Mythos requires 5,000 Mythos Points and 500xp. A Legendary Mythos takes 10,000 Mythos Points, and 1,000xp. And an Exalted Mythos takes 20,000 Mythos Points and 2,000xp.
Learning Mythos above the standard amount requires astounding, nearly single-minded devotion to the story of the Epithymia. An Epithymia may only utilize this ability while more than half of his effective character level (ECL) is devoted to levels in the Epithymia class.
Excellence Unseen: As denoted on their class table, an Epithymia gains a certain number of abilities known as "Excellencies". These tend to be more general, generic, and passive than a Mythos, but are useful nonetheless, and are drawn from their own separate list, unsegregated by Tiers. Like a Mythos, an Epithymia may learn more Excellencies above their allotted amount. Each one costs 1,000 Mythos Points and 100xp, plus an additional 1,000 Mythos Points and 100xp for each time a new Excellency is innovated beyond the first. (So, 2,000mp and 200xp for the second, 3,000mp and 300xp for the third, etc.)
http://i.imgur.com/QJo8x0J.png
"This Thief is the absolute best there is. He is faceless, he could be anyone. No one has ever gotten a fingerprint, a footprint, not even a whiff of him. Even the Keepers are oblivious to him. He carries out his work with meticulous detail, leaves no evidence at all that he was there. He has quite a large self image but cares nothing about gaining a reputation. In fact, he wants to remain anonymous. But at the same time, he enters a mission with a heightened sense of paranoia. Nothing can go wrong, he will settle for no error or slip ups in his execution of the job. He is a Paranoid Perfectionist while working, nothing out of place or amiss when he is finished. Not even the Allusion of a Thought in anyone's mind that he was there. He is also discriminating. Some missions he might not take because he might leave a trail, clue or hint of something. People are wondering how these things happen or get stolen and who is doing it and how. But no one knows anything or has a clue."
In the time of the Gods of Law, The Sun rose and birthed the first day. The Sun reigned, unchallenged, as the Stars appeared. The first, lost to time, passed by. The second, Harmony, created all the Gods. The third, Erudition, became knowledge itself. And the fourth, End, brought the first night. Revealed the Moon and brought darkness to existence. But in that darkness, there was... something. It was not a star, called by the light of the sun. It was not a God of Law, unseen and unheard. It was anguish, loss. Its birth-scream one of longing, of grief.
Of Desire.
The loss of the Sun caused a thought to appear. It was, at first, meaningless. Barely more than an incoherent whisper with nothing but darkness and the Moon. But the darkness soon coalesced around that thought, amplifying it, adding a voice. The whisper grow louder, more comprehensible until the darkness could contain it no longer. Its anguished sound shocking the thought into self awareness, at first, and then horror soon after. "I want the Sun!" it cried, but as soon as Desire made his demand, he realised what he had done. He had given an order to the Sun.
Before it could respond, Desire fled. He ran and hid and hoped he was beyond the Sun's reach. On the Second day, the Sun rose and heard Desire's demand, but found only an echo of grief. Oblivious to the thing it had unwittingly created. It spent the second day existing. It's brilliance brightening the sky. But the bodiless demand unsettled him. And so on the second night, he told the stars to wait. To be a beacon when the Sun could not. But their light was weak. No matter how brightly they shone or how many was among their number, darkness still reigned supreme.
But for Desire, it was a gift beyond measure. His demand of the Sun made him wary. When darkness fell, he was started at the sky, but was soon calm. The light was not the Sun, it was something... else. Desire did not know what they were, only that he wanted them. And so he left his hiding place and went to the stars he saw. They were not the Sun, no, they were lesser beings. But they still held a light and Desire very much wanted light. So he stole some Stars. He stole and stole and stole until the Sun approached and Desire returned to his secret place.
When the Sun arrived, fully, he saw that some Stars were gone and he did not know where. The Sun questioned the Moon, but she saw nothing. He questioned the rest of the stars, all of them, but none saw anything. Their brethren were there but then they were not. Desire, in his hiding place, looked upon "his" stars. But he found them lacking. Individually, they were nothing but together, they were brighter. Much, much brighter. But together, they still paled in comparison to the Sun. But he wanted more, ever more, until he had a light as bright as the Sun. And so he waited, until night fell once more and he could, unseen and unknown, take the Stars to create for himself a new sun. All his own.
And such is his Legacy, The Epithymia. They walk the earth, coveting all they see. Wealth, gold, jewels, they take it all. But they are not without allies. Darkness, anonymity and stealth. They take and steal and want, with only what has been lost proving that they exist at all.
The Thief's Mythos: An Epithymia's power is expressed in terms of one or more "Mythos", the building blocks of the legend they are, and the stories that they have told and will tell. While any given Mythos differs from the rest, they share some similar traits. They are always Extraordinary abilities and when they reference a difficulty class that saving throw is always calculated as (10 + 1/2 class level + Charisma modifier, unless otherwise stated). When a Mythos mentions a "level" that is not clearly defined in some other way, such as "character level", it refers to "class level" as in the number of levels one has in the Epithymia class. When a Mythos references "allies", it specifically does not refer to the Epithymia using it. When a Mythos grants a feat as a bonus feat, it is regardless of whether the character meets the prerequisites for that feat (unless otherwise stated), and if the character already possesses that feat (in some permanent fashion - via the normal allotment gained by leveling up, or through another Mythos, and so on, but not those gained temporarily, such as via a "Heroics" spell), they must replace the prior instance of that feat with another feat that they qualify for. Some Mythos grant bonus skill tricks, which do not "use up" the slots normally allotted to a character nor do they cost skill points. Additionally, these bonus skill tricks can be used an unlimited number of times, rather than once per encounter.
Every Mythos has a Tier. The Tier of a Mythos ranges from 1 to 4, typically referred to as Exceptional, Fantastic, Legendary, and Exalted. Exceptional Mythos are the stories of skilled footpads who stalk the halls of the well-to-do in search of loot. Fantastic Mythos are the stories of the silk touch specialists who can open any lock and take any item. Legendary Mythos tell of those who see thievery as a performance, playing for the silent applause of treasure taken without any knowledge of his passing. Exalted Mythos are of Thieves who have become true heirs of Desire who move hidden, unseen, unknown and unremembered. Just the way they like
Some Mythos, in addition to their initial stated effect, have Basic and Advanced manifestations. When an Epithymia gains access to a Mythos with a list of Basic manifestations, they may choose one such manifestation, and they gain that benefit immediately as well. This choice may not be changed later. When an Epithymia gains access to a Mythos with a list of Advanced manifestations, they may choose one such manifestation, and they gain that benefit upon achieving their next level of Epithymia. This choice may be changed at any point before receiving the chosen manifestation itself, but not after (choosing beforehand is just an easy way to mark it down on your character sheet so you don't forget that you'll be getting something later).
Mythos Known: A 1st level Epithymia begins play with two Exceptional Mythos that he qualifies for, if this is his first level in a PC class. At higher levels he gains additional Mythos as noted on the Epithymia table.
For character that multiclass into Epithymia after having taken levels in another PC character class, the 1st level of Epithymia grants one Mythos, rather than two.
An Epithymia also has the ability to learn more Mythos, above the ones automatically allotted to him by stealing something and simply... discarding it. Whenever the Epithymia steals something, he can, if he so desires, to simply get rid of the item at no mechanical benefit to him. This could be something as simple as throwing a gemstone that you no longer covet into the dirt, never to see it again or you could sell off the stolen item and donate the proceeds to an orphanage or something. Hell, stealing something and then [I]putting it back would also count. Whatever, as long as the item (or the proceeds thereof) is lost in some manner, with the intention that you will never try to reclaim it. Because if you didn't want it then, why would you want it now?
If you choose to do this, then the item's Gold Piece value is recouped to you as an equal number of Mythos Points.
By spending 1,000 Mythos Points, and 250xp, he may learn an Exceptional Mythos. A Fantastic Mythos requires 5,000 Mythos Points and 500xp. A Legendary Mythos takes 10,000 Mythos Points, and 1,000xp. And an Exalted Mythos takes 20,000 Mythos Points and 2,000xp.
Learning Mythos above the standard amount requires astounding, nearly single-minded devotion to the story of the Epithymia. An Epithymia may only utilize this ability while more than half of his effective character level (ECL) is devoted to levels in the Epithymia class.
Excellence Unseen: As denoted on their class table, an Epithymia gains a certain number of abilities known as "Excellencies". These tend to be more general, generic, and passive than a Mythos, but are useful nonetheless, and are drawn from their own separate list, unsegregated by Tiers. Like a Mythos, an Epithymia may learn more Excellencies above their allotted amount. Each one costs 1,000 Mythos Points and 100xp, plus an additional 1,000 Mythos Points and 100xp for each time a new Excellency is innovated beyond the first. (So, 2,000mp and 200xp for the second, 3,000mp and 300xp for the third, etc.)