Moktars!

The party now has two henchmen, a pair of young Moktars who have been indentured to Huxley (the party don't yet realize that they're paying the Moktar mob to hire the henchman) and I've been having a bit of fun with the idea of Moktar magic. Moktar are slightly goofy savages, generally lacking dexterity and making it up in strength. 

Moktar cuisine leaves much to be desired (Some guy from the comics)

This is Pat from Henchman Abuse's first draft of the class, and it hits the high points. I assume that the next installment of ASE will have full details.

My own shamanistic modifications of Moktardom as well as the stats for the two Moktars hired by the party are below.

Moktar are basically barbarians: 2HD to start, High Str, Low dex, light armor (max studded leather or non-metal scale) and natural AC 6. . High-level Moktars (Say 4 and up) might be able to wear specially made metal armor, but plate will only bring the average Moktar (Dex 8) to a 4 AC and chain will do nothing for them. I've decided that Moktars get -2 to int as well, but maybe that's not necessary. Moktars are both tough brutal combatants and bumbling!

I have allowed a special class for the rare Moktars that can work savage shamanistic magic – it's arcane magic, but terribly ritualized and the spells are limited to a special hard to find list. These Moktar “Holy Toms” gain XP as Elves, rather than Dwarves, but are limited to five levels in Magic (i.e. they will get a single 3^rd level spell eventually – that's it).  The class requirement is the same as Moktar 13 STR plus 13 INT (after reduction) they are also limited to wielding 'traditional' non-metal melee weapons, though they can throw clubs or stone axes. Holy Toms cast as magi-users off of a limited spell list and gain spells at the same rate. I figure that it's pretty hard for Moktar characters (or henchmen) to find new spells, because they can't cast regular magic-user spells and getting the rare Moktar shaman to teach one (they can be written in string ciphers but are usually oral tradition) is pretty difficult. The two Moktar youth's stats and three Moktar spells are below

GreyMol: AC 5, HP 10

STR:15  INT:16 WIS:14 DEX:8 CON:10 CHR: 12

Spells: Twine of History, Bird's Vision, Ancestral Claws (He's a prodigy - Holy-Toms get 1 spell in their 'book' to start and 1 spell extra per “bonus” point in Int. Greymol has the max.)

Leather Armor, Shield, Mace (1d6+1), Bone Hand Axe (1D6)

Gurgur: AC 5, HP 17

STR:18 INT:9 WIS:8 DEX:8 CON:15 CHR: 9 

Studded Leather Armor, Shield, Scimitar (1D8+3), Hand Axes (1D6) (x3)

Moktar Spells. Moktar Spells are unique, they have no spell books and cannot be taught to non-Moktars (though if a mage has the opportunity to study a Moktar Holy Tom casting a spell, there is a 25% chance that the mage can learn enough to figure out a counterspell next time). Moktars use knotted strings in lieu of spell book, with arrangements of knots and space showing how a casting ritual is to be done, these string ciphers tend to be personal, or at best systematic only within a given moktar tribe/band. Below are three Moktar spells that Graymol knows, having been taught by Rum-Tum who is a bit the Moktar genius (Also miraculously 6th level). 

 

Twine of History

Level:1

Duration: 2D4 turns

Range: Touch

The Moktar touches his victim and causes the victim's memory to first unravel and then tangle like a ball of string. The victim must save vs. spells or spend 2D4 turns attempting to unwind his past and untangle the present. Moktars, and other felines save at -2, while insect type creatures save at +2. This spell will work on anything with an organic consciousness and at least a modicum of memory, therefore it won't effect robots, constructs, undead or slimes.

Bird's Eye

Level: 1

Duration: 1 round

Range: sight

This spell allows the caster to momentarily seize control of the mind of any flying creature that the caster can see, and look through it's eyes for up to 30 seconds. The caster and the target will be dazed (as the flying creature sees through the caster's eyes for the same length of time) for 1D4 rounds after, unable to cast spells or fight. The spell can be used to get a glimpse over long distances, but it is not advisable to cast on dangerous creatures as it will often enrage them.

Ancestral Claws

Level:1

Duration: 1D6 rounds per level of caster

Range: Self

The caster's claw's become infused with ancestral spirits, leaving wounds that will not heal as they are magically infected. Additionally the Moktar's claws become much harder and longer, and the blessings of the Moktar ancestors allow them to slice through other dimensions. While the spell is effective the claws will do (1D10+1 per level of the caster, up to +5) points of damage per strike and are treated as a +1 weapon for the purposes of hitting creatures immune to normal weapons.