Jackal
There are a number of wizards who prefer to live by trickery and stealth than by the wielding of potent magical energies. These wizards are derisively known as Jackals. Jackals are the thieves of the magical world, and their abilities represent this. While other wizards study and work hard to learn and cast new spells, the Jackal prefers to steal such knowledge from unwary wizards they encounter. Jackals are considered particularly loathsoam within the boundaries of Appollonia as their skill is believed to have stemmed from a latent Psion endowment. They are hunted and punished brutally if caught.
Role
None
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
Jackals are thieves by nature.
They can cast spells just like other wizards but must steal those they choose to cast. Jackals don’t steal spells from books or take the scrolls of other wizards. Instead, they have the ability to actually reach into another wizard’s mind and take those spells they want. This ability is far from foolproof. Jackals that are caught indulging in spell thievery will suffer the loss of one point of intelligence (2d6 months) as well as the undying enmity of the wizard from whom they were thieving.
To use this ability, the Jackal must roll his Intelligence -1 on 1d20. If the level of the target is higher than the level of the Jackal, that difference must also be subtracted from the Jackal’s Intelligence. If the Jackal is successful, he may take one spell level from his victim per each of his own levels. This is also the maximum number of spells that a Jackal can steal from a single individual. However, it is not the maximum number of spell levels that a Jackal can keep memorized at a time.
The number that a Jackal can keep memorized is equal to the number of spell levels that can be memorized by a standard wizard kit of the same level. If a Jackal steals more spell levels than his level allows, all spells are lost.
One round per spell level is required in order for the Jackal to succeed in stealing the spell. During this time the wizard that is being stolen from must remain in the Jackal’s line of sight. Jackals may follow the wizard they are stealing from, but if the Jackal performs any actions which require more thought than walking (such as dodging an attack or attacking someone), the contact is broken and no spells are stolen.
To become aware of a Jackal’s thievery, a wizard must make a successful Intelligence check. The wizard receives a bonus to this roll equal to the number of spell levels that the Jackal is attempting to steal. The “victim” wizard gets one chance to detect the theft. Once the wizard is aware of the Jackal’s thieving, he may attempt to overload the jackal. This is done by channeling the magical energies contained in the wizard’s memory toward the Jackal in an attempt to surpass the Jackal’s limit of stolen spells. The wizard must state how many spell levels he is going to unleash and which spell(s) those levels are going to come from. A wizard may release a number of spell levels equal to his own level in one round. To overcome the Jackal, the wizard must go over the Jackal’s maximum in one round. Otherwise, the Jackal simply absorbs the spells and breaks contact when he reaches his maximum.
The theft of spells is a crime that is very hard to prove in a Appollonian court, so few mages allow it to come to this (it is thought that some mages relish the hunt of a Jackal that has stolen from them and their corpses are often seen crucified near House property as a warning to others).
Special Hindrances
As noted above, Jackals are unable to learn spells in a standard way.
They are also unable to make scrolls or other magical items as they are simply too lazy to devote the time and resources necessary to perform such a feat. [p/]
They do not have spellbooks of any kind and must constantly be on the lookout for other wizards to steal spells from.
Jackals may use scrolls and magical items, but they do so at one level below their own for determining spell failure. This is because they are not used to studying a scroll or focusing on a magic item to gain magical knowledge or to activate a spell.
Jackals must specialize in two schools of magic and cannot cast spells from outside of those two schools.
Jackals are despised among wizards everywhere. If a Jackal is discovered, he will be ostracized and, possibly, killed. Wizards will point Jackals out to one another and are likely to take violent action against members of this kit who are caught stealing spells.
Class
Wizard
Attribute Requirements
None
Barred Beliefs
Jackals cannot be of lawful alignments.
Race Requirement
Any race whose members can be wizards can become Jackals.
Bonus Weapon Proficiencies
None
Required Weapon Proficiencies
Jackals are limited in their weapon choice, just as are other wizards. They may use the dagger, staff, jambiya, knife, dart, and sling.
Recommended Weapon Proficiencies
None
Barred Weapon Proficiencies
None
Bonus Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Recommended Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Debate, Haggling, Etiquette, Genie Lore, Reading/Writing, Spellcraft, Gaming, Reading Lips (Jackals go to great lengths to hide their true nature)
Barred Non-Weapon Proficiencies
None. (Many carry the trappings of other kits, hoping that no one will question them about their profession. If a jackal’s true nature is discovered, they will be shunned by other wizards and chased away.)
Equipment
Jackals may purchase and use daggers, staves, jambiya, knives, darts, and slings. They may not wear armor.
Wealth Options
Jackals start the game with 3d6 x 10 gp.
Homeland Terrain
None
Economic System
None
Recommended Discipline(s)
None
Recommended Devotion(s)
None
Recommended Science(s)
None
Barred Discipline(s)
None
Preferred Schools
None
Barred Schools
None