Kolat Agent

Requirements

Alignment: Lawful Evil, Lawful Neutral, or Neutral Evil

Base Attack Bonus: +3

Skills: Gather Information (4 ranks), Bluff (4 ranks), Sense Motive (4 ranks), Innuendo (4 ranks)

Feats: Perceived Alignment

Special: The character must be chosen by the Ten Masters (or equivalent), to be indoctrinated into their techniques. Only a handful are chosen, and it is always the Kolat who will become one of their members, not vice versa. One need not be a member of this prestige class to have ties to the Kolat, but all of the Kolat's most skilled agents (and all of the Ten Masters) have at least one level in this prestige class. Advancing in this class is a privilege, not a right, and only those who have dutifully are allowed to progress. Only the Ten Masters themselves ever reach 10th level in their class.

Summary

Whispered in shadows and held in the utmost secrecy, the Kolat are perhaps the most secretive organization in the Empire. The Kolat are the philosophical descendants of those who first denied the Kami's right to rule, who turned their back on the ideas of an Empire founded by meddling gods. The ultimate goal of the Kolat is to overthrow the rule of the Kami - and the samurai society that they have built - returning the true power to the hands of the humans. Only through subtlety can they accomplish their goals and only through secrecy can they survive. The Kolat's great plan is a complex thing, known only to the Ten Masters hidden away in the orginization's secret temple. The Kolat care not about the means they must use to achieve their ultimate goal, but only the glorious ends.

In the meantime, the Kolat expand their power through stealth, espionage, and assassination. The Kolat offer their set vices to those who can pay their price, and often only ask for a bit of information, or a political favor in return. If the Great Clans knew the true purpose and goals of these shadowy spies and assassins even the most dishonorable samurai would have no truck with them. Luckily the Kolat are quite skilled at what they do, and no one can ever know for certain who is a Kolat Agent and who is not...

Rogues and ninja make excellent Kolat Agents, but a samurai with the proper skills makes an even more potent operative. Courtiers likewise make deadly Kolat agents. The Kolat value the teachings of Shinsei (a mortal who commanded the Kami) but few monks join the Kolat. Many find it hard to balance the teachings of Shinsei with the brainwashing and assassination. Shugenja join the Kolat even more rarely, though it is not unheard of for them to do so.

Role: DPS

Characteristics: Sneaky ninja like class that can program and activate sleeper agents

Source: Rokugan Campaign Setting

Game Rule Information

The Kolat Agent has the following game statistics.

Abilities: Dexterity for being a sneaky ninja boy, and Charisma and Wisdom for your innuendo checks.

Alignment: Lawful Evil, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Evil

Hit Die: d6

Starting Gold: N/A

Class Skills

The Kolat Agent's class skills are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (History) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Pick Pocket (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis) and Spot (Wis)

Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Kolat Agent.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Kolat Agent is proficient with whatever they were already proficient with prior to taking levels in this class.

Secret Brotherhood: At first level the Kolat agent gains the advantages of the Kolat's secret imitation. Kolat agents face none of the normal difficulties inherent for characters with multiple prestige classes in Rokugan. Training among the Kolat is always kept secret.

In addition, the Kolat agent has allies throughout the Empire, often in the most unlikely of places. The agent may use his Innuendo skill (DC 15), to leave a signal that only another Kolat agent would understand (a symbol painted on a wall, a certain sort of tree burning at a certain time of day etc.) This symbol can effectively transmit a message of up to seven words. Whether another agent decides to offer assistance is another matter.

Kolat Ability: At 1st, 4th, 7th, 9th, and 10th level, the Kolat Agent gains a new ability of his choices from among the following:

Perceived Alignment: The character gains this feat again for free. This ability may be chosen multiple times.

Broadened Skill Base: Select two cross-class skills. These skills become class skills for the Kolat agent, and he gains a +1 bonus to all checks with them. This ability may be chosen multiple times.

Poison Use: The Kolat agent no longer risks accidentally poisoning himself when brewing or applying poisons.

Kolat Duplicate: The Kolat agent is a master of disguise, gaining a +2 to all Bluff and Disguise checks. This ability may be chosen multiple times. If chosen for the same skill multiple times, its effects stack.

Sneak Attack Ex: At 2nd level, the Kolat gains a sneak attack ability similar to the rogue's. The Kolat agent is skilled in attacking vulnerable opponents in vital areas, inflicting additional damage. This damage bonus applies when a target is denied his Dexterity bonus to AC. Should the Kolat agent inflict a critical hit, the sneak attack damage is not multiplied. The Kolat agent's attack does +1d6 at second level, +2d6 damage at 5th level, and +3d6 at eighth. The Kolat agent may apply the bonus damage with a ranged weapon, but only if the target is within thirty feet. The Kolat agent may choose to inflict subdual damage on a sneak attack with a sap or unarmed strike. This extra damage stacks with damage applied from other sneak attack abilities. Creatures immune to critical hits are not vulnerable to sneak attacks.

Tell No Secrets: At third level the Kolat agent gains an additional save at a +4 bonus against all enchantment and mind-affecting effects, should any of those effects ever attempt to force him to reveal information about the Kolat or their operations.

Activate Sleeper Su: At sixth level the character has learned the secret techniques used to activate Kolat sleeper agents. With a single word (and a standard action) the agent may command all sleeper agents within range of his voice to obey his will. All sleepers present must make a Will save (DC 10 + Kolat agent's level + Kolat agent's Charisma modifier) or fall under the agent's control. This is identical in effect to a Charm Person spell, except that self-destructive orders will be obeyed if the Kolat agent succeeds in an opposed Charisma check. The Kolat agent gains a circumstance bonus equal to his level on all opposed Charisma checks to control a sleeper.

Sleeper obey the agent for a number of hours equal to his Kolat agent level, though he may renew his control with a standard action. An agent may control a maximum number of sleepers equal to his Charisma modifier at one time (he may release sleeper equal to his Charisma modifier at one time (he may release sleepers prematurely if he wishes to command others). When the agents control fades, sleepers lose all memory of any activities they performed while under his control unless the agent controlling them wishes otherwise. Two Kolat agents giving the same sleeper contradictory commands cause the sleeper to simply stand in one place and do nothing.

The best sleepers are those unaware that they are sleepers. Any individual who is consciously aware that he is a Kolat sleeper gains a +4 bonus to all Will saves and Charisma checks to resist the effect.

This ability only works on those previously programmed to be Kolat sleepers. This is a supernatural ability.

Program Sleeper Ex: At tenth level, the agent is a true master of the Kolat's techniques and can create sleeper agents.

Creating a sleeper agent is a long and difficult process requiring at least one day per character level of the subject. The Kolat agent must spend at least twelve hours per day indoctrinating the potential sleeper in the philosophies and directives of the Kolat, and the potential sleeper in the philosophies and directives of the Kolat, and the potential sleeper must have no other human contact during this time. At the end of this period, the Kolat agent must expend 100 Experience Points per character level of the subject, and the subject makes a Will save (DC 10 + Kolat agent's Charisma modifier + the Kolat agent's level). If this save fails, the subject has become a sleeper agent. The Kolat agent expends experience whether or not the process is successful.

If unsuccessful, the agent may immediately try again, beginning another period of deprogramming and brainwashing for a number of days equal to the subject's level. At the end of this time, he must expend Experience Points once more, but the DC of the subject's Will save is increased by two.

A Kolat agent is free to use torture, threats, or coercion to encourage a subject to voluntarily fail his Will save, but many Kolat frown upon this, relying instead upon the purity of their philosophy and their natural persuasive talents. (Then again, many Kolat are extremely practical people and don't cringe away from a bit of torture.)

Once indoctrinated as a sleeper, the process is permanent, and only a Wish, Miracle, or years of rest and rehabilitation can reverse the effects. When released from the programming a sleeper forgets the entire process and generally returns to his normal life. Thereafter, the Kolat agent can command the sleeper using the Activate Sleeper ability described above.

A Kolat agent may create sleepers that will obey only his own commands, rather than that of any agents.

Table 1-1: Kolat Agent Progression

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Kolat ability, secret brotherhood
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Sneak attack +1d6
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Tell no secrets
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Kolat ability
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Sneak attack +2d6
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Activate sleeper
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Kolat ability
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Sneak attack +3d6
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Kolat ability
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Program sleeper, kolat ability

Ex-Kolat Agents

Kolat agents who disobey the will of the Kolat or leave the organization no longer progress in levels as a Kolat agent, though they may use their abilities freely. Former agents of the Kolat are swiftly assassinated or, if that is impossible, blackmailed into submission to preserve the organization's secrecy.