Ascetic

Curious is the life of an Ascetic, people who, where faced with the decadence and temptations pervading through the Realms of Terror, do not only turn a blind eye. For them, there is no wine worth drinking, no feast which cannot be gorging, no revelry appropriate to its cost to the self. Instead, so they say, worthiness may be found only in discipline. In refusal, enlightenment. In abstinence, peace. In training, ferocity. Though how the individual Ascetic comes upon these truths is their own, all understand that the greatest wellspring of power stems from the body and soul.

Though often recluses, Ascetics may be found anywhere beyond the Misty Border. The inherent nature of their "profession" permits them a level of verisimilitude to practice in their lonesome without the need for public scrutiny. Some even collect themselves into temples and monasteries, adhering to a particular ideoligion, but this is not necessary for an Ascetic to embody their truths in the Realms of Terror. Others ruthlessly pursue this path with dogged inspiration, unaware - or perhaps bidding - that they will collide eventually with the real bearer of their powers: the Dread Astral.

Ascetics as Adventurers

Though many Ascetics are preferential to lives of hermitage, training, and quiet introspection, circumstances do not usually permit they be apart from the world when alone and forever. Adversity and challenge may motivate the Ascetic to move on from mere exercise but separate to this, others may feel it is their mission to eliminate threats to greater harmony. Indeed, meditation on one's own philosophies can divine certain moral obligations. Some may even travel as teachers, seeking students to share their enlightened truths.

Ideology and Alignment

All Ascetics are necessarily lawful. They live with disciplined serenity of the soul and body either because they believe it to be a natural state for being, or because an unkind and random universe is something that they must transcend. Some may believe compassion and good works to be in upholding this harmonic ideal, where others believe their struggle as beyond moral parameters, and others still might yet believe that power for power's sake is the sole path to true ascendancy before all others. Ascetics find little comfort engaging with organized civilization - their platonic, often idealized version of "law and order" rarely translates to "public authority" in the Core, and those who defy unjust societies could be well within scope of their philosophies.

Ascetics beyond the Misty Border do not require a connection to the Divine, though many from Outlander worlds have and continue to maintain their faith. Absolving from material wealth and devoting oneself to a higher purpose is the theoretical core of many ideoligions however church structures in practice around the Core may be contrary to the tenets which bind the Ascetic save for remote monasteries and lodges. A shadowy cult proselytizing that the only true divinity is Man and Man alone has much to appeal to Ascetics willing to bear the effort in finding likeminded brothers and sisters - and moral questions put aside.

Origins

The decision to be as an Ascetic is not one undertaken by mishap or accident. Although transient circumstances may force one to survive on limited means to achieve a resemblance of self-sufficiency, only continued acts of will with commitment to cause, power and the self begin their transformation from mundane to aspirant. Some will have masters who educate them in what become their truths, or have sought scholarship with other students. Others yet might grow disgusted with the corruption that follows wealth and gluttonous excess, seeking 'purified' existence. There are those who take on these oaths as acts of penance, and those who are warriors upholding that no harmony of theirs can be brought about without force.

Races

Ascetics are outliers - most humans would consider participation in society on all levels as necessary for survival in the harsh environments, physical or social, espoused by the Core. Dwarves, especially those of Darkonian descent now displaced by the Requiem, may find peace in passionate self-reliance. Elves possess long memories and varied worldviews, which permits those seeking refuge from the chaotic climes of their ancestry a wealth of possible philosophies. Half-elves may turn to asceticism when they cannot find another place in the world. Though halflings thrive in communities, these communities may venerate humility as the ultimate ideal. Caliban, though struggled to find masters, could achieve asceticism as a result of controlling their challenging natures.

Other Perspectives

Ascetics may be so blessed as to be ignored by the local populace, evading ignorant accusations as to their motives or feats of seemingly impossible strength and dexterity. Among other adventurers they may receive curiosity or bemusement, marveling at the Ascetic's ability to remain relevant despite fighting with what appears to be little more than farming equipment if not their bare fists. Those whose studies lend them to guesstimate the real power behind the Ascetic, such as Wizards, may even fear them as living engines who cut through spell-work as easy as the open air.

Still, those of a similarly lawful bent such as Inquisitors and Paladins ought to respect the Ascetic, even if they may individually disagree on which tenets, oaths and truths are the most important.

Ascetics in The Domains of Dread

For the first two levels, an Ascetic has at least 1 BAB and d8 Hit Dice, beginning play with (4 + INT) x 4 Skill Points.

An Ascetic who ceases to be lawful or wears armor other than cloth ceases being able to express ki and forfeits all other class or archetype features. An Ascetic may only express ki through a weapon marked as an appropriate Ascetic weapon, or their bare fists.

Class Features

Ki pool: Ascetics use ki, a supernatural force embodied by the Ascetic whose origins stem from the Dread Astral. An Ascetic expends ki by manifesting ki abilities, other features which consume a set amount per activation. Their base ki pool before modifiers is 6 + WIS + 2/2 levels.

Ki strike: Consumes 1 ki as a free action to initiate a ki strike on the Ascetic's next attack as a standard maneuver, choosing from the following as additional effects:

• Dazes the target;
• Shakes the target;
• Inflicts 1d4 bleeding damage/round for 3 rounds;
• Slows the target.

Unhindered: So long as an Ascetic does not wear armor other than cloth, they are bestowed an untyped AC bonus equal to the number shown, minimum +0.

Evasion: The Ascetic allocates evasion as a bonus feat. Whenever a Reflex save is taken for half damage, the Ascetic instead takes no damage if the save succeeds.

Ki mobility: Consumes 2 ki as a free action to enhance the Ascetic's movement speed equal to the number shown. Counts as a reaction and shares duration, substituting Ascetic level for caster level.

Still mind: The Ascetic enjoys +2 to saves made against mind-affecting spells and spell-like effects.

Ki maneuver: Consumes 2 ki as a free action to enhance the Ascetic's next maneuver, adding WIS as a circumstantial bonus.

Wholeness of body: The Ascetic may initiate a focus or meditation action that lasts 20 seconds IRT to restore their ki pool and heal 1d12 + WIS + 2/2 levels HP. 1/rest.

Improved evasion: The Ascetic allocates improved evasion as a bonus feat. Even if the Ascetic fails a Reflex save to take no damage, they will only take half damage.

Diamond body: The Ascetic gains immunity to all mundane and nonmagical poisons. Even magical poisons will expire 1.50x faster than base values.

Illuminate (Ium)

Requirements: LE, LN, LG alignment
BAB: 1
Hit Dice: d6
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, Exotic
Skill Points per Level: 4 + INT
Primary Saving Throw: All
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Handle Medicine, Intimidate, Intuition, Knowledge, Lore, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival, Tumble
Unavailable Skills: Handle Animal, Handle Magical Device

The Illuminate

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Honed Blades	Ki Pool	Ki Mobility
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Unhindered, ki strike, honed blades, general feat	+1d6 piercing	+0	+0%
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Evasion	+1d6 piercing	+2	+0%
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3	Cut beyond, ki mobility, general feat, bonus illuminate feat	+1d6 piercing	+2	+10%
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Unhindered +1, ASI	+1d6 piercing	+4	+10%
5th	+5	+4	+4	+4	Still mind, ki maneuver	+1d8 piercing	+4	+10%
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Cut beyond +1, general feat, bonus illuminate feat	+1d8 piercing	+6	+20%
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Wholeness of body	+1d8 piercing	+6	+20%
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+6	Unhindered +2, ASI	+1d10 piercing	+8	+20%
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	See into astral, cut beyond +2, bonus illuminate feat	+1d10 piercing	+8	+30%
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+7	Improved evasion	+1d10 piercing	+10	+30%
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	Diamond body	+1d10 piercing	+10	+30%
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+8	Diamond soul, bonus illuminate feat, ASI	+2d6 piercing	+12	+40%
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8	Unhindered +3	+2d6 piercing	+12	+40%
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+9	Cut beyond +3, capstone illuminate feat	+2d6 piercing + 1d4 astral	+14	+50%

Archetype Features

Honed blades: Whenever the Illuminate uses an applicable Ascetic weapon which deals piercing damage, they add the base die shown on the honed blades table as bonus damage. Honed blades does not apply to the secondary weapon if present by default, only the primary.

Cut beyond: Whenever the Illuminate initiates ki strike, regardless if successful, they enter a state whereupon their next 3 weapon attacks will add 1d4 astral damage count as having +1/2/3 enhancement bonus, reading from the number shown. Successive ki strikes will not add more instances of cut beyond, but will refresh it to 3. If the Illuminate is already receiving astral damage from another source, cut beyond upgrades the damage die.

See into astral: The Illuminate becomes conscious of the Dread Astral and its intermingling with the Dread Material. Consumes 4 ki as a free action to gain 55% concealment for a quick duration, substituting Ascetic level for caster level.

Diamond soul: The Illuminate enjoys 6 + WIS SR.

Monk (Mnk)

Requirements: LE, LN, LG alignment
BAB: 1
Hit Dice: d8
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, Exotic
Skill Points per Level: 4 + INT
Primary Saving Throw: All
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Handle Medicine, Intimidate, Intuition, Knowledge, Lore, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival, Tumble
Unavailable Skills: Handle Animal, Handle Magical Device

The Monk

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Honed Fists	Flurry of Blows	Ki Pool	Ki Mobility
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Unhindered, ki strike, honed fists, general feat	1d6 bludgeoning	-	+0	+0%
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Evasion	1d6 bludgeoning	-	+2	+0%
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3	Flurry of blows, ki mobility, general feat, bonus monk feat	1d6 bludgeoning	+0/+0	+2	+7%
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Unhindered +1, ASI	1d6 bludgeoning	+1/+1	+4	+7%
5th	+5	+4	+4	+4	Still mind, ki maneuver	1d8 bludgeoning	+2/+2	+4	+7%
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Ki grapple, general feat, bonus monk feat	1d8 bludgeoning	+3/+3	+6	+14%
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Wholeness of body	1d8 bludgeoning	+4/+4	+6	+14%
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+6	Unhindered +2, ASI	1d8 bludgeoning	+5/+5/+0	+8	+14%
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Ki whirlwind, improved ki strike, bonus monk feat	1d10 bludgeoning	+6/+6/+1	+8	+21%
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+7	Improved evasion	1d10 bludgeoning	+7/+7/+2	+10	+21%
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	Diamond body	1d10 bludgeoning	+8/+8/+8/+3	+10	+21%
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+8	Diamond palms, bonus monk feat, ASI	1d10 bludgeoning	+9/+9/+9/+4	+12	+28%
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8	Unhindered +3	2d6 bludgeoning	+9/+9/+9/+4	+12	+28%
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+9	Quivering palm, capstone monk feat	2d6 bludgeoning + 1d4 astral	+10/+10/+10/+5	+14	+35%

Honed fists: Whenever the Monk counts as being unarmed, they replace the weapon's base die with the one shown on the honed fists table.

Flurry of blows: The Monk may initiate flurry of blows as a free action, functioning as a toggle until deactivated by reactivating flurry of blows. While in this state, any unarmed attack will instead use the BAB listed on the flurry of blows table, including additional attacks.

Ki grapple: Consumes 2 ki to attempt to grapple an opponent the same size as the Monk, initiating a standard maneuver challenge check. If successful, the target cannot engage any other target in range other than the Monk without taking 2d6+WIS bludgeoning damage and provoking an additional attack of opportunity. They have -2 effective AC and AB while grappled. Ki grapple lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the Monk's level, rounded down, if not broken by movement or disengagement. The Monk cannot attack anyone other than their ki grapple target without breaking the effect.

Ki whirlwind: Consumes 4 ki to attempt to attack every target in melee range regardless of engagement with the Monk. These attacks are made at full BAB.

Improved ki strike: Ki strikes initiated by the Monk may now be selected to attempt to blind or deafen the target, and existing daze or shaken statuses on a target may be selected again to upgrade to confused or frightened, respectively.

Diamond palms: The Monk's unarmed attacks count as having +1 enhancement bonus.

Quivering palm: Consumes 6 ki to attempt to place a mark on a melee target, initiating a standard maneuver challenge check. If successful, the Monk may reactivate quivering palm as a free action to deal 6d8+WIS astral damage as their connection to the Dread Material is forcibly severed. The mark lasts for a number of rounds equal to half the Monk's level, rounded down, triggering at the end of the duration

Shepherd (Shp)

Requirements: LE, LN, LG alignment
BAB: 1
Hit Dice: d10
Weapon Proficiencies: Simple, Exotic
Skill Points per Level: 4 + INT
Primary Saving Throw: All
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Handle Medicine, Intimidate, Intuition, Knowledge, Lore, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival, Tumble
Unavailable Skills: Handle Animal, Handle Magical Device

The Shepherd

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Honed Heft	Ki Pool	Ki Mobility
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Unhindered, ki strike, honed heft, general feat	+1d4 bludgeoning	+0	+0%
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Evasion	+1d4 bludgeoning	+2	+0%
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3	Tend the flock, ki mobility, general feat, bonus shepherd feat	+1d4 bludgeoning	+2	+5%
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Unhindered +1, ASI	+1d6 bludgeoning	+4	+5%
5th	+5	+4	+4	+4	Still mind, ki maneuver	+1d6 bludgeoning	+4	+5%
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Ki ablation +1, general feat, bonus shepherd feat	+1d6 bludgeoning	+6	+10%
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Wholeness of body	+1d8 bludgeoning	+6	+10%
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+6	Unhindered +2, ASI	+1d8 bludgeoning	+8	+10%
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Astral foresight, ki ablation +2, bonus shepherd feat	+1d8 bludgeoning	+8	+15%
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+7	Improved evasion	+1d10 bludgeoning	+10	+15%
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	Diamond body	+1d10 bludgeoning	+10	+15%
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+8	Diamond spirit, bonus shepherd feat, ASI	+1d10 bludgeoning	+12	+20%
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8	Unhindered +3	+1d10 bludgeoning	+12	+20%
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+9	Ki ablation +3, capstone shepherd feat	+1d10 bludgeoning + 1d4 astral	+14	+25%

Honed heft: Whenever the Shepherd uses an applicable Ascetic weapon which deals bludgeoning damage, they add the base die shown on the honed heft table as bonus damage. Honed heft does not apply to the secondary weapon if present by default, only the primary.

Tend the flock: Whenever the Shepherd initiates ki strike regardless of success, they also swing their weapon in a wide arc, attempting to disrupt the cast or action of any opponent in a cone, initiating standard maneuver challenge checks. If successful, they must engage the Shepherd for at least 1 round no matter their original target plus an additional round every 2 levels after the 3rd, maximum +4 or disengage, suffering attacks of opportunity.

Ki ablation: Consumes 2 ki as a free action to gain untyped AC equal to the amount shown as well as 5/- DR against all sources of damage except force and astral for a quick duration, substituting Ascetic level for caster level.

Astral foresight: The Shepherd calls upon the Dread Astral to illustrate a possibility, taking 20 on their next attack or save. Consumes 4 ki as a free action.

Diamond spirit: The first time a Shepherd would be reduced to 0 HP, they will instead heal 12+WIS HP. 1/rest.