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ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 09:31 PM
Inculpators

“They may call themselves Lindarin, but we know what they are. They are disgraced Feldarin; a race of our noble people who betrayed the rest of the beings of Ursole, and who have now brought upon us this most horrendous of calamities. They may call themselves Lindarin, but we know that they are Fallen, and we condemn them!”
-High Pursuer Azokus, in a speech given to the Fourth Council of the Inculpation.

While the Shame of the Elves is ancient history to many of the non-elves of Ursole, not all of the Feldarin have forgotten of their origin. While many Feldarin long considered Elves as cowards or betrayers, it was not until The Weeping that the Inculpation was formed. In the mind of the Council Pursuant, the elves not only fled from their Feldarin heritage, but in doing so, they brought about the plague.

The Inculpators call the elves Fallen, because they believe that the contract made with the plague fiend did not create the elves, but rather stripped from them their noble Feldarin traits. Thus, they see elves not as an offshoot species, but rather as regressed one. Elves are biologically Feldarin, but without the true dignity of their ancestors.

The Inculpation is not a branch of the Feldarin government, but it operates openly with no fear of curtailment. Their goal is simple: hunt down and destroy elven communities. While they consider the Morvanima the worst of the worst, they grant no leniency to the Vanimar either, despite their own sorrow over their actions. When Inculpator scouts find an elven town or are tipped of by cooperative human locals, they notify the Council Pursuant, who gather as many Inculpators as they can (often up to 60% or more of the entire organization) and sweep in en masse, killing every elf they can find, women and children included, and destroying everything elven that they find. Though their exterminations are unmerciful, they are not savage. There is a surgical precision to their work, and elves who submit will be given a clean death.

ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 09:42 PM
Many Feldarin view the Inculpators as overzealous fanatics who have leapt to conclusions about the Plague based on events centuries before their birth. But at the same time, there is an unspoken sense of satisfaction at the humiliation of a people who turned their backs on Feldarin society and thought themselves superior.

The Inculpators recruit mostly from the military class, particularly those who have lost family to the Plague. For an young person who just lost their parents, an easy scapegoat is an attractive possibility, and the evidence presented by the Inculpators seems especially convincing to someone raised to think that the elves are cowards. The idea of craven weaklings betraying their warrior heritage, and selling out all mortal life to a fiend, are easy to imagine for one raised with the Feldarin conception of honor.

Only some of the highest-ranking Pursuers work full time for the Inculpation. The vast majority of the Inculpators are volunteers: Feldarin noblemen and tradesmen who have the financial resources to leave their homes once or twice a year for up to a month to go on a raid. This volunteer nature makes the Inculpation a more loose-knit society than a formal organization.

ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 10:01 PM
The hierarchy of the Inculpation is somewhat looser than that of many other Feldarin organizations. Many of the members serve part-time, leaving their mundane lives behind to answer the call of the Council Pursuant for a raid.

The rankings are numerical, based on the number of raids an Inculpator has been on. Thus, a 5th rank Inculpator has been on five raids. Within their ranks, a higher-ranking Inculpator will informally refer to a lower-ranking member by their number as a form of good-natured ribbing, (i.e. Hey Four, get us some more wine!) but in more formal contexts an Inculpator’s name will be used with their oridinal. (i.e. Second Russil reported elven movements around the edges of the Al-Barajah deserts after our strike.) An Inculpator who has yet to go on a raid is called an Initiate.

When an Inculpator reports the location of an elven settlement, the receive the special title of Pursuer, which is placed after their ordinal (i.e. Sixth Pursuer Sallus).

The five highest-ranking Pursuers form the Council Pursuant, the highest body in the Inculpation. They are responsible for evaluating reports and declaring a raid. The Council Pursuant participate in nearly every raid, leading from the front in order to justify their place, as well as to show the elves how a real Feldarin acts. Members of the Council Receive the title High Pursuer, and within the council there is no hierarchy.

ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 10:01 PM
Composition:

In general, it is a safe assumption to believe that an Inculpator will have a number of PC levels equal to their rank, although at higher ranks this may fall off a bit. Inculpators tend to be rangers or fighters, although many are also paladins. There are also a fair handful of clerics, who have learned of the Shame of the Elves in their religious studies and renounced the monastic life. Arcane casters are exceedingly rare.

There are approximately 1500 members of the Inculpation, with the following breakdown of ranks: 200 Initiates, 300 Firsts, 300 Seconds, 250 Thirds, 200 Fourths, 100 Fifths, 50 Sixths, 50 Sevenths, 30 Eights, 10 Ninths, and 10 members of Tenth-rank or higher, including the Council.

An average raid includes about 700 Inculpators, including 4 of the 5 High Pursuers and nearly all of the Sixths and up.

About 70 Inculpators hold the rank of Pursuer, almost all are Fourths or higher.

All Inculpators are Feldarin, and they provide their own equipment, which can vary widely. The only unifying feature of all Inculpators is the blue hat, helmet, or facepaint which has become an iconic feature of their order, and a terrifying sight for an elf.

The stats below represent average members of the Inculpation:

ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 10:02 PM
Typical Inculpator Soldier:
Second Russil: Feldarin Ars 1, Ranger 2.
Hit Dice: 2d8+11 (20 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Attack: Masterwork Composite Longbow +4 ranged (or +2/+2 ranged) (1d8/x3) or Masterwork Glaive +5 slashing (1d10+2/x3)
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 10, Cha 11, Wis 10
Skills: Sense Motive +6, Diplomacy +5, Knowledge (Nobility) +5, Ride +3, Spot +3, Listen +3, Knowledge (History) +1, Use Rope +3, Heal +2, Climb +2, Spot +1
Feats and abilites: Low-light Vision, Aura of Will (Included in own saves), Noble Education, Skill Focus (Sense Motive), Favored Enemy (Elves) +2, Track, Wild Empathy, Rapid Shot, Point Blank Shot
Possessions: Chain shirt, Masterwork Composite Longbow, Glaive, Light horse.

Russil grew up in a minor noble family, and for all of his childhood thought his place would be among the Machiavellian scheming of the petty nobility. However, shortly after he married, both his parents came down with the Plague. Neither survived. Looking for answers, Russil turned to the Inculpation, and he found an answer to his problems. Russil spends about 1 month a year training, and has recently participated in two particularly bloody raids along the northern edge of the Al-Barajah Desert. He doesn’t see the Inculpation as the most important part of his life, but he’s looking forward to his next raid.


Typical Inculpator Elite:
Sixth Pursuer Sallus: Feldarin Fighter 2, Ranger 3, Rogue 1
Hit Dice: d10+3d8+d6+22 (39 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 armor), touch 12, flat-footed 15
Attack: Sling +7 ranged (1d4+3) or +1 Longsword +10 slashing (1d8+4/19-20/x2)
Full attack:: Sling +7 ranged (1d4+3) or +1 Longsword +8 slashing (1d8+4/19-20/x2) and MW Cold Iron Kukri +7 slashing (1d4+3/18-20/x2)
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 12, Cha 8, Wis 12
Skills: Knowledge (Geography) +6, Climb +8, Swim +7, Intimidate +2, Hide +7, Move Silently +7, Survival +5, Listen +5, Spot +5, Tumble +2, Use Rope +3, Gather Information +0, Knowledge (History) +2
Feats and abilities: Low-light Vision, Aura of Will (Included in own saves), Military Education, Weapon Focus (Longsword), Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Quick Draw, Favored Enemy (Elves) +2, Track, Wild Empathy, Two-Weapon Fighting, Stealthy, Endurance, Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding
Possessions: MW Chain shirt, Sling, +1 Longsword, MW cold iron kukri.

Sallus was a moderately successful adventurer who had joined the Inculpation early in his career. He saw his membership more as a means of upward social mobility than a true cause. After his party helped a newly established village of elves fight of an athach, he reported their location to the Council Pursuant, and was granted the title of Pursuer. At this point, he gave up adventuring full time to hunt for elves, a far more socially lucrative profession, and one on which he has since focused his efforts.


High Pursuer (11th-rank) Catal:
Feldarin Paladin 9
Hit Dice: 8d10+28 (64 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+9 armor, +2 Deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 21
Attack: +1 flaming elfbane Greataxe +14 slashing (1d12+1d6 flame+5/19-20/x3)
Full attack:: +1 flaming elfbane Greataxe +14/+9 slashing (1d12+1d6 flame+5/19-20/x3)
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 11, Con 15, Int 12, Cha 14, Wis 14
Skills: Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Nobility) +7, Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +15
Feats and abilities: Low-light Vision, Aura of Will (Included in own saves), Military Education, Weapon Focus (Greataxe), Aura of Law, Detect Chaos, Smite 2/day, Divine Grace (included in saves), Lay on Hands 18/day, Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Power Attack, Turn Undead, Remove Disease 2/Week, Cleave, Improved Critical (Greataxe)
Spells Memorized: Blessx2, Divine Favor, Eagle’s Splendor
Possessions: +1 Full Plate, +1 flaming elfbane Greataxe, Ring of Protection +2

Having risen quickly through the ranks, High Pursuer Catal is the youngest and most militant of the High Pursuers, and one of the most popular. His devotion to the cause is absolute, and he is justifiably feared by elves. Despite being the lowest ranking member of the Council Pursuant, he is considered a rising star and is often the face of the movement when dealing with other Feldarin organizations, especially the military

ajkkjjk52
2007-04-04, 10:03 PM
Plot Hooks:

As enemies: Defending an elven village from a raid by the Inculpators is a challenge far outside of anything that PCs can manage. However, an elven village could entreat them to eliminate a Pursuer scout who had located the village.

As allies: If the party knows the location of any elves, any member of the Inculpation will personally pay them a small fortune for this information. The chance to become a Pursuer is so lucrative that this information is extremely valuable.