ARADIL'S EYE

[The Hive Mind]

The Witch Queen of Erethor watches over the face of Eredane from her scrying chambers in the heart of the Arbor. With the war against Izrador closing in around her, even the queen’s legendary powers have been taxed, and she has been forced to rely on more mundane methods to gather information. This has led to the creation of Aradil’s Eyes, an elite organization of elven trackers and spies who can go to all corners of Eredane in search of information about the Night Kings and their forces. Entry into the ranks of the Eyes is allowed only to those who have shown the utmost bravery and allegiance to Aradil; being a hero to the elves is not enough. The ranks of the Eyes have swelled in the last 20 years as it has become more and more important to keep track of the enclosing invaders. Soon even this may not be enough, as the forest itself is being turned to ash at a frightening rate.


Hit Die: d6.

Requirements

Skills: Bluff 8 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks, Gather Information 8 ranks, Hide 8 ranks, Move Silently 5 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks.
Feats: Inconspicuous.
Special: The character must be a Caransil that is judged completely loyal to the Witch Queen.

Class Level / Base Attack Bonus / Fort Save / Ref Save / Will Save / Special
1st --------------+0 ---------------+0 --------+0 -------+2 ------Alter ego (1st), mindbond
2nd --------------+1 ---------------+0 --------+0 -------+3 ------Spy initiate
3rd --------------+2 ---------------+1 --------+1 -------+3 ------Alter ego (2nd)
4th --------------+3 ---------------+1 --------+1 -------+4 ------Closed mind
5th --------------+3 ---------------+1 --------+1 -------+4 ------Alter ego (quick change), spy
6th --------------+4 ---------------+2 --------+2 -------+5 ------Hide in plain sight
7th --------------+5 ---------------+2 --------+2 -------+5 ------Alter ego (thousand forms), slippery mind
8th --------------+6 ---------------+2 --------+2 -------+6 ------Undetectable alignment
9th --------------+6 ---------------+3 --------+3 -------+6 ------Alter ego (nonmagical)
10th --------------+7 --------------+3 --------+3 -------+7 ------Master spy

Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Int), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Forgery (Int), Gather Information (Cha), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Speak Language (n/a), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), and Use Rope (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier.

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Aradil's Eyes are proficient with all simple weapons, and gain no additional proficiency with armor or shields.

Alter Ego (Su): Upon being initiated into the group, the character must choose a disguise into which she transforms to avoid detection when in other lands. This disguise must be versatile enough to exist in many lands and must be one of the human races. The character studies the mannerisms, speech patterns, and habits of the chosen creature until the initiate can recreate them with little or no effort. At this point, the character undergoes a ritual that permanently imbues her with the ability to shift into this form.

The transformation takes one minute to complete and is physically taxing, causing 1d4 points of nonlethal damage to the character whenever she undergoes it. The same process allows her to revert to her normal form, although doing so when behind enemy lines is very risky. Once the transformation is complete, the character does not radiate a magical aura, as she would if under the effects of an alter self spell or similar magic. She does radiate magic while undergoing the transformation, however. Her true form is revealed by true seeing spells or abilities.

The transformation caused by this ability is complete, and the Aradil's eye becomes completely indistinguishable from a normal specimen of whatever race she chooses. Her speech and mannerisms change along with her physical form. She retains her personality, however, and her ability scores, skills, feats, and race and class abilities remain the same. Casual observation and conversation will not reveal the disguise, although if someone suspects that something is wrong and interrogates the character she must make a successful Bluff check opposed by the interrogator's Sense Motive scheck in order to maintain believability.

At 3rd level, the Aradil's eye gains an additional alter ego that follows all of the rules for the first. She must return to the Caraheen in order to undergo the ritual again, and until she does this she does not gain the benefits of the second alter ego. The master spies impress upon each initiate how important it is to acquire this second alter ego, as even infallible disguises wear out if the alter ego is connected by time and place to too many suspicious events. This second form must be humanoid and must be Small or Medium, but need not be human (a gnome identity is possible, for instance, or even an orc). However, experienced eyes recommend that a second human form is by far the most versatile, useful, and easy identity to assume.

At 5th level, the Aradil's eye can make the transformation between her normal form and either of her alter egos as a full round action. She still suffers 1d4 points of nonlethal damage each time she makes the transformation.

At 7th level, the Aradil's eye must once again return to Caraheen to undergo a ritual and period of study that lasts for one month. Her experience with the other peoples and cultures of Eredane allow her to transform into any humanoid race that she has seen. She now may adopt any number of aliases, although each must be carefully studied and practiced for one week before she adopts it. She cannot, for example, change into a dworg if she has never encountered and studied one.

At 9th level, the Aradil's eye becomes so practiced in the art of transformation that her alter ego ability becomes an extraordinary ability rather than a supernatural ability. She no longer radiates magic when transforming, and true seeingspells and the like do not reveal her true form. She still reverts to her natural form when killed.

Mindbond (Su): Beginning at 1st level, the character is mindbonded to one of the master spies who report directly to the Witch Queen herself. The character can establish this link once per day, usually at a predetermined time so that the master spy is prepared, and the two may communicate telepathically for up to 10 minutes. She may not perform any strenuous action while communicating through the link, although normal activities such as walking or breaking camp do not interfere.

The character's appointed mentor can activate the mindbond at any time, although this is only a one-way communication that does not allow the character to respond. If a response is urgently needed, the character might be asked to establish her mindbond so that the two might communicate.

Closed Mind (Ex): Aradil's eyes are subjected to rigorous mental testing, training, and hypnonsis. When the character fails a Will save against any mindreading or compulsion effect that would force the eye to reveal her knowledge about Aradil's spy network, her own identity as one of those spies, or knowledge of the identities of any other spies, the eye gains a second saving throw with a +4 circumstance bonus to the save. If she succeeds, she is still under the compulsion or mindreading effect, but her attacker can gain no information regarding the spy network.

Spy Initiate: Once the character establishes a minimum level of competency at performing her duties within the organization, she gains the title of Spy Initiate, which grants her the following benefits:

She gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks when dealing with elves and their allies.
Her mentor giver her a small pin, called a lenuin, that identifies her as a Spy Initiate within the organization. This pin is small enough to be sewn into clothing and is almost undetectable under a normal search.
She can request basic services from elven contacts across Eredane. This includes providing a meal and hiding her (but not her companions) for a night. It does not include giving or loaning her equipment, revealing sensitive information, or in any way placing the contact in further danger.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): Aradil's eyes can lose themselves in crowds quite easily. As long as they are within 10 feet of five or more other people, they can use the Hide skill even while being observed.

Spy: Upon reaching 5th level, the character has proven her worth enough to be promoted to the rank of Spy. Her lenuin automatically changes to denote her new rank, and she gains the following benefits:

Her bonus to Diplomacy checks when dealing with elves and elf friends increases to +8.

Her ability to request help from allies increases. She may now house her companions for up to one day with any elf friend and may request one day's worth of rations per companion from the ally. The ally is also willing to take more severe risks on behalf of the character, such as making first contact with a magical artisan or revealing the location of a stash of contraband.

The spy can request help if she is in a bad situation. She has a 10% chance per Aradil's eye level of receiving the aid of 1d3 other Aradil's eyes if her mentor deems the situation dire enough to warrant possibly exposing several agents to the Night Kings. It may take up to three days for such aid to arrive, and even then there is no guarantee the other agents can help. It is up to the DM to determine the exact nature, speed, and effectiveness of the help.

The character is given several outfits of hollowed clothing.

Undetectable Alignment (Ex): At 8th level, the Aradil's eye ceases to have a detectable alignment.

Master Spy: The highest rank within the organization is known as Master Spy. The character's mentor must sponsor the character in order for her to achieve this level, and even then a council must determine her fitness to accept this important position. In times of dire need these rituals will be eschewed in favor of an automatic promotion, but this does not happen often. When the character becomes a Master Spy she takes on several responsibilities and gains several benefits, as noted below:

The character is placed in charge of a specific region or mission (the Northlands, the Horse Plains of Erenland, the halfling slave populations, Izrador's search for new nexuses, etc.). In order to help her with her mission she is given 1d4+1 1st-level Aradil's eyes that are stationed throughout her region or areas of interest. She may establish mindbonds with these initiates as well as receive theirs. The Master Spy may be given fewer or additional apprentices as time goes on or the importance of her area of focus waxes and wanes.

The character may now mindbond with any Master Spy she has ever met, and may do so at any time. She may also mindbond with the Master Spies that have returned to the Caraheen to act as Aradil's advisors, whether or not she has previously met them. This ensures that, should even a Master Spy be in danger of discovery or capture, her information will not be lost.

If the character's identities have been compromised, her position outside the great forest less useful, or if Aradil simply likes the character, she may be commanded to remain in the Caraheen to act as a "dispatcher" and advisor to the queen. Because it takes several years to build an identity of the sort that Master Spies are expected to maintain, those that return to the Caraheen seldom sortie back out as spies. There are always several Master Spies at Caradul at any one time.

The character's bonus to Diplomacy checks when dealing with elves and elf friends increases to +10.

The character gains the benefits of being a trusted advisor to the Witch Queen herself. She never doubts the character's word, considers her advice and reports carefully, and may impart even the most sensitive of secrets to her. On the other hand, the existence of Master Spies is suspected by the Shadow and any that were discovered would meet a gruesome, soul-rending death.