Knight of the Dim Star



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Fluff

Requirements
To become a Knight of the Dim Star, you must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: 8 skill points in four of Bluff, Disguise, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Forgery, Hide, Move Silently, Open Lock and Sleight of Hand

Saves: +5 Will Saving Throw

Special: Evoker Level 10, must have had the opportunity to turn Evil and either rejected or resisted it

Class Skill List
Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge [Dungeoneering] (Int), Knowledge [History] (Int), Knowledge [Local] (Int), Knowledge [Nobility] (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Open Lock (Dex), Perform (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex) Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magical Device (Cha)

Skill Points
6 + Int modifier at each level.

Hit Die
d10

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies
A Knight of the Dim Star gains no additional proficiencies.

Illuminations
At their core, Illuminations are nothing less than the purity and innocence of a Lightwielder made manifest to humble their foes. There is almost nothing more intrinsic to the vision of a Lightwielder than these manifestations of her power. But a Knight of the Dim Star is not what many would call a Lightwielder. Not anymore. Their purity and innocence is gone, ripped away by the harshness of their experiences in the world. And with that goes much of their power.

A Knight gains Illuminations and EL as shown. If she has more than one Evoking Class, then she must choose one of them when she takes her first level in Knight. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.

Remembered Weaving
A Knight still remembers bits and pieces of the power that was once hers, and remains fully capable of tapping into their strength. But as with anything once lost, it is a faint, faded memory of what she would be capable of if she had not been so broken.

A Knight of the Dim Star gains additional costume elements as her Evoker Level and Illuminations progress. As such, a Champion 10/Knight of the Dim Star 10, would have access to four costume elements.

Mask of the Fallen (Ex)
When innocence is ripped from your heart, there are none who walk from the ordeal unscathed. And for those who wield the powers of Light, connected to that ideal like no other can be, little is left unbroken. Knights survive this breaking through the creation of their Mask, a mental construct that allows them to separate themselves from the pain of their loss. It takes great mental fortitude to create such a thing, but none but one with such could hope to emerge from such an ordeal even partially sane.

At first level, a Knight of the Dim Star gain absolute immunity to alignment detection spells, reflecting the malleable nature of their Mask. They are always aware of when their alignment is being scanned and only return a reading – of their choice – if they so choose. In physical reflection of this ability, a Knight may create a disguise in half the normal time and reduces any penalties from assuming a disguise of a different gender, race, age or size by 1.

Blade of a Brighter World (Su)
The Order of the Dim Star takes no pleasure in its existence, but its members go about their duty with a dedication that is almost more frightening then their ability. Their weapons and raiment reflect this grim power, burning with a pale fire when summoned to face enemies of the Light, and granting their bearer great power.

At level two a Knight imbues her weapons with an echo of the harsh and pale fire that is all that remains of their personal Light, gaining a special Costume Effect that is always active and in addition to all others. This costume effect, however, does not have a base effect. Its Essence and Cartridge Boost effects are described below:

Essence Boost: For every mote invested in this effect, up to an investment ceiling of twice your class level, you gain two motes that can be used only to invest into other costume and device effects.

Cartridge Boost: When you expend a Cartridge to boost the effects of Blade of a Brighter World, choose two costume or device effects that you have active and trigger the Cartridge Boost effect for both.

Light to the Memory (Su)
Knights are rare creatures, those who survived the loss of – arguably – everything that made them who and what they were. And yet that rarity, for all it is a blessing, is also something of a curse. For the Dark hates them, hates them almost more than the so much rarer Children of Light, for the Knights – in the unbiased opinion of the Dark – cheat. They refuse to break when their innocence is taken from them, refuse to bow and change when the world is made to demand it, and they. Never. Stop. And yet, the Light likes the Knights little better. Those who wield its power truly – as some would say – see the Knights as terribly broken.

So the Knights learnt to hide themselves from those of Light and Dark that would seek to hinder them. They twist the Light within them, into a shield that will keep those of Light safe from them and those of Dark unaware. There are many, many tales as to the nature of this protection, and what the first of the Knights gave to attain it, but they are – must be – simply tales.

At third level, the memory of a Knight’s action fades far quicker than could be expected, as does the memory of a Knight themself. All those who witness the actions of a Knight must make a DC [10 + class level + Evoker Stat Modifier] Will save to identify her as such when questioned on the subject. Any who fail five consecutive saves against this effect rationalise the event into a local story or legend. In addition, any attempts to obtain information about Knights through divination magic requires the caster to make a caster level check against the same DC for the spell to succeed.

Mark of the Dim Star (Sp/Su)
Those who lose their purity are never truly the same again, even those who wear the mask of sanity and peace are not truly so after such an ordeal. At the most basic level they are now damaged, altered by trauma that none should be capable of bearing, and this leaves a mark on even the most stalwart soul. But the Order of the Dim Star turns this mark into a weapon, one with which they can seek the true heart of evil and darkness. For damaged souls call to damaged souls, and as they grow wiser Knights learn to use this connection and calling as a powerful tool with which to cast aside the illusions of the wicked.

A fourth level Knight gains the ability to detect one alignment opposed to their own. This ability functions as at will use of the Detect spell for the chosen alignment and is a spell-like ability. In addition to this, Knights also gain a powerful supernatural ability to pierce illusions and disguises. When a Knight sees an illusion or disguise spell of any sort, she immediately makes a Will save to see through it. She need not interact with or touch the illusion, sensory contact alone is enough to grant the Will save.

In the Dark, Of the Light (Su)
As the first tenant of their Order states, one never knows how bright the Light truly is until you have stood alone in Darkness, with none to judge your actions. Knights know this better than most, the experience that made them what they now are the ultimate testament to that understanding. They learn to shine as the icon of their order does, faint and hidden in the darkness that they routinely surround themselves with.

At level five, a Knight completes the painful learning experience of how to become any role that they need to be. When subjected to any ability that scans her surface thoughts, she may choose what thoughts her opponent detects and her true surface thoughts remain private. This ability does not protect against abilities that delve deeper than surface thoughts, nor against mental attacks. Further building upon the powers of her Mask, a Knight also gains the ability to assume a false alignment such that all alignment based spells and magical items affect her as if she was the alignment of her choice; this includes helpful and harmful effects. Assuming a false alignment is a standard action, and it lasts until the Knight changes it again or ends the effect (a free action).

Falling Star’s Sight (Su)
A falling star sees all as it descends from the heavens, streaking across the sky in an instant before fading forever from view in a shower of light. And the dim star above them sees all they see and more, for it is unseen by many who scan the skies for threats to their power. As it is with those stars, so it is with the Knights of follow their banner, and the Sight of the Falling Star is a tool unlike any known to the world.

At sixth level, Knights of the Dim Star gain access to the second most feared – and arguably most visually iconic – of all their abilities. The power to see through disguise and render lies unspoken under the pale glow of their sight. As a standard action, a Knight may activate Falling Star’s Sight, at which point the ability remains active for a minimum of one minute – up to a maximum of a minute/level/per day. Whilst under the effects of this ability, the Knight’s eyes are replaced by a replica of a clear night’s sky, every star burning with the cracked Light of the Order of which they are part. Falling Star’s Sight acts the spell True Seeing, but with the following modifications:

First, the Knight’s sight pierces mundane deceptions as easily as it does illusions, allowing none to hide from their gaze. Second, they automatically know whenever one is under the effect of spells or abilities that allow them to ignore the effects of spells and abilities that force one to tell the truth, and are instinctively aware of when someone not so protected lies to them.

Punishments In A House Of Darkness (Su)
The Mask of a Knight shifts and evolves as the Knight grows in power, growing from simply a mask to a mark, and then again to what the Order calls a Punishment. Punishments are those who have walked the road of the Order almost to its completion, and with this penultimate change to their Mask the Knight is called to strike out at the Dark which once humbled them, to seek justice – or vengeance – for the terrible wounds inflicted upon them. And against those which they know serve the dark, there is little mercy.

A Knight of the Dim Star of seventh level chooses an alignment opposed to hers and gains the ability to Smite those of that alignment. Once per encounter for every three class levels she possesses, a Knight may enhance a single melee attack with this ability. The Knight adds her Evoker Stat Modifier to her attack roll, her class level to damage, and the attack bypasses any DR that her target might possess. If she accidentally uses this ability on a creature not of her chosen alignment the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used for the encounter.

A Trail of Blood and Sorrow (Su)
None know sorrow like the Knights of the Dim Star. They are broken beyond measure by the standards of other Lightwielders and they know it, forever barred from holding the Light to which they gave everything. Such sorrow is a terrible thing, and the hands of experienced Knights, it becomes another weapon in their arsenal. Rarely called upon, and remembered in fear by any who witness it and survive, the sorrow of a fallen Lightwielder is a power that none who are sane deliberately provoke.

Once per day, when confronted again by the same or a similar darkness as to that which broke them, a Knight of the Dim Star may choose to activate this ability as a full-round action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Dim, terrible light erupts around the Knight, burning away any bonds that might hold them and instantly summoning their Radiant Armaments. The Knight may immediately take a full round of actions, but may not take any action akin to retreat from or mercy to those who have so provoked them. Overriding this compulsion requires a successful Will save against a DC of [10 + class level + Evoker Stat Modifier]. In addition, the Knight temporarily gains the Frightful Presence feat (Draconomicon, p.105), the DC of which is based off of the Knight’s Evoker Stat. The compulsion and temporary feat gained through activating A Trail of Blood and Sorrow’s last until the end of the encounter.

No Safety in Night (Su)
To the Dark and its servants, the night is safety, a place where the Light must tread either openly in glory, or with secrecy and trepidation. Not so the Knights of the Dim Star. Their sight pierces the dark without care for the need of Light, and their star-filled eyes bring a swift end to the illusions behind which those of the Dark hide themselves. Tremble in fear, wicked and accursed, for your veils of magic and disguise will not hide you. Tremble!

This ability enhances a Knight’s Fallen Star’s Sight, allowing them to tear away the illusions that – until now – only they could see through. By expending a minute of their per day use of that ability, a Knight may make a caster level check – treating their caster level as twice their class level – against any number of the illusions that she is aware of. Those effects against which she succeeds are dispelled as Greater Dispel Magic. Effects resulting from items are suppressed for one minute. Mundane disguises and deceptions are simply evaporated under the gaze of the star-eyed.

In addition to this enhancement, the Knight's connection to the Dim Star now reaches into the most basic level of their being and changes something in the way they see the world. The Knight adds the See in Darkness supernatural ability of a devil to their racial traits.

Judgement of the Star Eyed Sanction (Su/Ex): The justice of a Knight of the Dim Star is an often terrible thing to behold, but the most powerful of their Order are capable of handing down a punishment of such dreadful severity and power that it is said that on the day it was first invoked, the Gods of Law were shaken in their courts and palaces. In the most terrifying manifestation of all their powers, Grandmasters of the Order tear away the tapestry of lies that surround those of the Dark and force them to speak the truth of their actions. And once their crimes are laid bare to the world, they are banished beyond reach of those who would seek to redeem them. Cast into a world of shadow and darkness, they face an eternal punishment for their crimes at the hands of a shard of the Knight’s Mask.

But there is more to the Star Eyed sanction than ever meets the eye, for as it is the final weapon with which the Order of the Dim Star cleanses the world, it is also a power that can, if she so chooses, lead to a Knight’s rebirth.

At level ten, whilst under the effect of Fallen Star’s Sight, a Knight may target any foe within her line of sight with her Judgement. The pale half-light of their icon erupts around her, forming chains of bale power that reach out to bind her target in place. The target is allowed a single will save against the effects of the Judgement, against a DC of [15 + class level + Evoker Stat Modifier]. If they succeed, they manage to shrug off the Judgement in its opening stages, before the Knight digs too deeply into their mind. The trauma of being assaulted in such a fashion leaves marks however, inflicting 1d4 points of ability damage to each of the target’s mental ability scores. If the target fails their save, the Judgement proceeds to the Sanction.

The target is forced to verbally recant their crimes – although a Knight may end this recital at any time of her choosing. Upon ending their testimony, the target is banished into a locked Demiplane known only to those of the Order, and is left in that world of agonizing shadows at the mercy of a shard of the Knight’s own Mask. Divination spells to obtain information about the target or their location automatically fail, and the only way to enter the Demiplane is with the aid of a Knight capable of the Sanction.

After five uses of this ability, the true power of the Sanctions manifests before the Knight to grant her a single, incredible choice. For in each use of the Sanction, a Knight casts away a piece of her Mask until it is all but vanished, inflicting the due punishment upon those she has imprisoned. The final truth of the Order is whispered into her mind, and she is offered a final choice; to cast aside the Mask that she created for herself, or to become it.

A Knight who chooses to cast their Mask aside immediately looses all their levels in Knight, and may replace them with ten levels from any Tome of Radiance PrC that they qualify for. Their lost purity restored through their final rejection of what they became upon its loss, the Light welcomes them fully back into its embrace. The Mask remains however, now free from its mortal shell in the Demiplane of the Knights, and will not pause in its duty unless the redeemed Knight finds her way to that Demiplane and orders it to cease.

A Knight who chooses the latter option, to become the Mask that they have built, gains in full the terrible power of the Dim Star, becoming one with the pale echo of the pure Light that they once wielded. The Knight gains the ability to Plane Shift (Self only + 50 lbs. of non-living material) to the prison Demiplane to oversee the punishment of those she has Judged and Sanctioned there, and directly back to where she came from. Upon accepting her Mask, the Knight is actually automatically transferred to that Demiplane where she joins again with that Mask and – in doing so – gains the following benefits.

First, the Mask grants her a permanent Mind Blank effect, modified such that it grants the Knight a saving throw at a +4 modifier against any non-Epic effects that would pierce it, such as Metafaculty. Second, the Knight counts as a specific alignment only when it would be in her benefit to do so. Third, she is automatically aware of the visible alignments of those within her line of sight – limited as all Detect spells are in regards to interposed material. Fourth, she gains a bonus equal to half her class level to Disguise checks and the nature of her Mask means that any disguises she crafts for herself cannot be seen through by non-magical means. Finally, her Smite ability may affect any alignment and remains in effect against any target struck by it until that target is either dead or incapacitated – or until the Knight next rests and regains her uses of the ability.