Class Summary

Prime Requisite:	CON and CHA
Requirements:	None
Hit Dice:	1d6
Maximum Level:	11

Valerian Keeper

Valerian Elf class — see Classes for the full list.

The Tairnadal faith of Valeria is built on the idea that each individual is sponsored by one of their community’s revered ancestors. The role of the “keepers of the past” is to guide the youth in their training and consult the ancestor spirits to determine which patron ancestor should be paired with each Valerian elf as they come of age.

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Valerian Keeper Level Progression / Valerian Keeper Spell Progression

Experience	Title	Level	Hit Dice	1	2	3	4	5	6
0	Ash-Listener	1	1d6+1	1	-	-	-	-	-
2,475	Cairn-Tender	2	2d6	3	-	-	-	-	-
4,950	Bone-Keeper	3	3d6	3	1	-	-	-	-
9,900	Thread-Reader	4	4d6	3	3	-	-	-	-
19,800	Spirit-Caller	5	5d6	3	3	1	-	-	-
39,600	Shade-Speaker	6	6d6	3	3	3	-	-	-
80,000	Name-Giver	7	7d6	4	3	3	1	-	-
160,000	Voice of the Ancestors	8	8d6	4	4	3	3	-	-
290,000	Keeper of the Past	9	9d6	4	4	4	3	1	-
420,000	Keeper of the Past, 10th Level	10	9d6 + 1*	4	4	4	4	3	-
550,000	Keeper of the Past, 11th Level	11	9d6 + 2*	5	4	4	4	3	1

Valerian Keeper Saving Throws and Attack Bonus

Level	Paralysis	Death	Blast	Implement	Spells	Attack Bonus
1-2	12+	10+	16+	13+	14+	+0
3-4	11+	9+	15+	12+	13+	+1
5-6	10+	8+	14+	11+	12+	+2
7-8	9+	7+	13+	10+	11+	+3
9-10	8+	6+	12+	9+	10+	+4
11	7+	5+	11+	8+	9+	+5

Combat Characteristics

Combat Proficiencies: Keepers have weapon proficiency with all missile weapons and with all tiny, small, and medium melee weapons. They have armor proficiency with light and very light armor. They have fighting style proficiency with the dual weapon and two-handed weapon styles, but not with the weapon and shield style.

Combat Progression: Keepers advance in attack throws and saving throws as clerics, by two points every four levels. They can cleave after felling a foe a maximum of once per round per every two class levels (rounded down).

Starting Class Powers

Commune with Ancestral Spirits: As the intermediary between his clan and the ancestors that watch over them, the keeper has the ability to commune with spirits once per week. When using this power, he can choose between the ancestral spirits of his clan, or the natural spirits of his current location. The spirits will answer three yes-or-no questions to the best of their ability. They are very wise regarding their clan history or local area, but not omniscient, so they might not be able to answer some questions accurately. Such details are left to the Judge’s discretion. The ritual to commune with the ancestor spirits takes 1 turn to complete, during which time the keeper is “out of body” and entirely helpless. The ritual is so taxing that it can be performed but once per week. Once a year, on a particular sacred day (determined by the Judge), the keeper can ask twice the normal number of questions of his ancestors without angering them. Communing with the spirits in a sinkhole of evil is a dangerous and chaotic act that might put him at risk of haunting or possession (Judge’s discretion).

Fateseeing: The keeper can see the fates of mortals. He can determine how many Fate Points a character has after 10 minutes (1 turn) of casual interaction or observation. Once per week, the character can cast fate (as the spell) with a casting time of 10 minutes (1 turn).

Inherited Divine Magic: Through the power of their ancestral patrons, keepers of the past can cast divine spells. The number and level of spells the character can cast per day is listed on the Spell Progression table above. The keeper can have a number of spells in his repertoire equal to those shown on the table, modified by his CHA bonus. Unlike studious spellcasters such as mages, the character’s repertoire is chosen soon as they increase in level. Unlike prayerful casters, having a spell and its reverse takes up two repertoire slots instead of just one. Inherited casters do not need a spellbook, and they cannot change their repertoire through study. The specific mechanism for determining which spells a keeper adds to their repertoire is left to the Judge’s discretion; one recommended method is to randomly determine the base spells and allow the player to choose any bonus spells from high CHA.

Ready for War: Every member of the zaeltairn caste is trained for battle. The keeper gains Battle Magic as a bonus proficiency.

Tairnadal Historian: Valerian keepers are more formally referred to as the “keepers of the past”. They begin play with Knowledge (history) and Loremastery as free proficiencies.

Valerian Patron: Each Valerian keeper is chosen to represent a particular ancestor revered by the Tairnadal culture. Their choice of patron grants them several abilities:

• Ancestral Insight: A Valerian keeper adds one bonus spell to their repertoire at each spell level they learn. The choice of spell to add must come from their patron ancestor’s divine repertoire.
• Patron’s Study: As a member of the zaeltairn, the keeper seeks to uphold the glory of his patron ancestor. He gains a bonus proficiency from among those his patron is renowned for.
• Totem Animal: Every keeper has a totem animal as a companion. The totem animal physically represents the keeper’s relationship with his patron ancestor. See Valerian Patrons for a list of patrons to choose from, and Totem Animals for more specifics on how that class power works.

Additional Class Powers

Minor Magical Research (5^th): At 5^th level, the keeper can scribe scrolls and brew potions and may research his own ceremonies.

Major Magical Research (9^th): At 9^th level the character may create permanent magic items such as weapons, rings, or staffs.

Nemeton (9^th): By acquiring a nemeton worth at least 15,000gp, the keeper can attract followers to his service. 1d6 apprentices of 1^st – 3^rd level plus 2d6 apprentices of 0^th level arrive to serve him as followers within 1d3 months of him acquiring the sanctum. If the keeper already has a nemeton, the followers arrive to serve him within 1d3 months of him reaching 9^th level. The apprentices function as assistants in magical research. If performing magic research, the apprentices must be provided food and lodging but need not be paid wages. (If asked to accompany the keeper on adventure, the apprentices must be paid wages as henchmen.) If the keeper builds a dungeon beneath or near his nemeton, monsters will start to arrive to dwell within, often followed by adventurers seeking to fight them.

Supreme Magical Research (11^th): The keeper can learn and cast ritual spells of great power (7^th, 8^th, and 9^th level spells) craft magical constructs and create magical crossbreeds. If Chaotic, the character may perform necromantic research to create unliving servants or transform himself into an undead creature.

Code of Behavior

In order to draw upon their inherited magic and the abilities granted by their patron, a Valerian keeper must uphold the traditions of the Tairnadal:

• The keeper must always display their zaelshin — the amulet bearing the sigil of their patron — upon their person when in public.
• The keeper must offer prayers to the ancestors at dawn or dusk each day. Offering prayers requires one hour (6 turns).
• The keeper must uphold the traditions of the Tairnadal, and assist other zaeltairn in upholding and honoring their patrons. For any of the zaelantar still awaiting a patron’s blessing, the keeper must strive to assist them in honing their skills and identifying an appropriate patron at the appropriate time.
• The keeper must strive to uphold the virtues of his own patron.
• The keeper must not use his divine magic or other powers to the detriment of his tribe, nor to any purpose that would shame or dishonor his patron specifically or the Tairnadal more generally.

If a keeper violates the strictures of his code, the ancestors might impose penalties upon the keeper (Judge’s discretion). The usual penalty is disfavor (see Conditions), but might include a reduction in spells available, abandonment by their totem animal, or even a loss of all keeper powers altogether. To remove the penalties, the keeper will have to atone for their violation by, e.g., sacrificing treasure, undertaking quests, or receiving an atonement spell from a more powerful keeper (Judge’s discretion).

Racial Traits

As Valerian elves, all keepers begin play with the following additional benefits:

Attunement to Nature: The elf gains a +1 bonus to surprise rolls when in the wilderness. When using Adventuring proficiency to search or listen, they succeed on a proficiency throw of 14+ (instead of the usual 18+). If separately proficient in Searching they gain a +2 bonus to their throw instead. If separately proficient in Listening, they gain a +4 bonus to their throw instead.

Connection to Nature: The character is unaffected by diseases caused by undead, gains a +1 bonus on HD rolls at 1^st level, and gain a +1 bonus on Paralysis and Spells saving throws.

Desert Born: The character is wise in the ways of barren and inhospitable lands. While in desert or barrens terrain, he gains a +4 bonus to proficiency throws to forage, hunt, track, and avoid getting lost. The bonus can be stacked with bonuses the character receives from other proficiencies such as Navigation or Survival, but it cannot be stacked with the bonus from an explorer or venturer’s Pathfinding class power.

Valerian Tongues: All Valerian elves are trained in the languages of their adversaries, and begin play knowing Valerian, Lizardfolk, Kobold, Giant in addition to Common.

Class Proficiencies

Proficiency Progression: At 1^st level, keepers select one class proficiency from their class proficiency list and one general proficiency from the general proficiency list. They select an additional class proficiency at 4^th and 8^th level. They select an additional general proficiency at 5^th and 9^th level.

Valerian Keeper Proficiency List: Animal Husbandry, Arid Dunecraft, Beast Friendship, Berserkergang, Black Lore of Mabar, Bright Lore of Irian, Contemplation, Diplomacy, Divine Blessing, Divine Health, Fighting Style Specialization, Healing, Knowledge, Laying on Hands, Magical Engineering, Magical Music, Mounted Combat, Mystic Aura, Naturalism, Passing Without Trace, Prestidigitation, Prophecy, Quiet Magic, Riding, Sensing Power, Soothsaying, Survival, Theology, Tracking, Unflappable Casting, Weapon Focus

Valerian Keeper Templates

Templates

3d6	Template	Proficiencies	Starting Equipment
3 – 4	Pariah Galmorm	Black Lore of Mabar Survival Quiet Magic Skirmishing	Rat totem animal, zaelshin (horned rat), club, hide armor, itchy wool tunic and pants, rawhide belt, sandals, small sack, waterskin, 2 weeks’ iron rations (enc. 3 4/6 st)
5 – 6	Wise Man Ashaela	Prophecy Knowledge (history) Sensing Power Mastery of Salving and Saving	Owl totem animal, zaelshin (silver crescent), staff, leather armor, grey wool tunic and pants, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, waterskin, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 7gp (enc. 5 3/6 st)
7 – 8	Warchanter Vorash	Magical Music Performance (chanting) Berserkergang Intimidation	Bear totem animal, zaelshin (bear’s teeth), iron spear, round wooden shield, leather armor, wool tunic and pants, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations (enc. 5 3/6 1/2 st)
9 – 10	Runecaster Talanor	Soothsaying Craft (rune-carving) Divine Blessing Mastery of Divination and Discernment	Crow totem animal, zaelshin (runestone), hand axe, wooden shield, leather armor, wool tunic and pants, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, carving knife, flask of holy water, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 1gp (enc. 5 st)
11 – 12	Druid Elidyr	Beast Friendship Naturalism Contemplation Passing Without Trace	Elk totem animal, zaelshin (golden sickle), whitewood spear, sickle sword, dagger, shield, leather armor under white druid’s robes, leather belt, low boots, backpack, flask of holy water, 1 lb garlic, 1 lb wolfsbane, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 8gp (enc. 6 2/6 st)
13 – 14	Snake Handler Sholai	Divine Health Healing Laying on Hands Performance (dancing)	Python totem animal, zaelshin (two snakes coiled around rod), long staff, dagger, leather armor under forest green robes, embossed belt, low boots, backpack, 2 lbs birthwort, 2 lbs comfrey, 2 lbs horsetail, 2 lbs woundwort, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 2gp (enc. 6 st)
15 – 16	Spirit Raiser Seredh	Bright Lore of Irian Leadership Command Arid Dunecraft	Hawk totem animal, zaelshin (eagle on sun), staff, dagger, leather armor under blue robes, leather belt, low boots, backpack, belt pouch, 2 flasks of holy water, tinderbox, 6 tallow candles, 4 lbs garlic, waterskin, 1 week’s iron rations, 25gp (7 st)
17 – 18	Nomad Shaman Shaelis	Unflappable Casting Riding Mounted Combat Mystic Aura	Horse totem animal, zaelshin (engraved horn), scimitar, round wooden shield, leather armor, wool cloak, wool tunic and pants, leather gloves, leather belt, high boots, backpack, belt pouch, waterskin, (second) steppe riding horse, riding saddle and tack, 2 leather saddlebags, 2 weeks’ iron rations, 21gp (3 4/6 st with rations on horse)

Notes: The totem animal and totem proficiency that each keeper template begins with is noted in bold. The patron’s study proficiency is in italics. The druid’s sickle sword is a type of short sword. The nomad shaman’s scimitar is a type of short sword.