Factions: Rewards for Allegiance

In the classic roleplaying tradition, the PCs are independent heroes, and though they may undertake missions for powerful patrons, their association is usually temporary, with no long-term benef its. In Pathfinder, belonging to Factions is about something different.

The concept of factions is familiar from books and movies: mysterious organizations with hidden agendas, some secretive and others very public with their activities. Their members are contacts, associates, and informants for the heroes of the story, able to provide information, resources, or even backup or rescue in a pinch. The heroes might meet them by chance, seek them out for help, or be sought by them as their own reputations increase.

This section is a guide to how you can create characters that are integrated with the Andoran Eagle Knights. This entry talks about the mission and outlook of the group, why your character might want to be a part of it, and what the advantages are (both social and mechanical) of membership in a group.

Using Factions promotes a style of play that presumes characters are actively plugged in to the power brokers and organizations in the world of Golarion. Moreover, their connections with these organizations are rich and deep, affording characters both benefits of membership as well as the opportunity to advance.

Faction Basics

PCs improve their standing within their faction by succeeding in missions relating to or coming from a faction. In a given adventure, or even in between adventures, you should think about the faction your character has chosen to represent. Their factions might ask them to assassinate a crime lord, protect an innocent merchant caught in a crossfire, save a kidnapped child, hand off an important letter, foil an assassination, recover a specific stolen relic, or locate a letter of marque. Whatever the mission, a positive outcome earns the character a Prestige Award (PA).

As a character’s prestige increases, her faction rewards her excellent service with ever-increasing boons. In this section, you’ll find an expanded system of rules that describes the kinds of rewards and privileges a character can access as her Total Prestige Award (TPA) increases and how she can use her Prestige Award for a variety of benefits that reflect her faction’s willingness to assist her in times of need.

Faction Secrecy

Governments and religious, political, mercantile, or cultural organizations may vary a great deal when it comes to dealing with factions and their activities. Some factions, like the Mendev Crusaders and the Hellknights of Cheliax, are blatantly public in their actions and their efforts to recruit others to their cause. Others are subtler in their plots and operate in the shadows; even where their presence is known, local leaders often turn a blind eye to their existence and activities as long as they don’t make trouble. The more secretive factions often look down on those who act openly, but every faction must weigh the value of a public presence and reputation versus the ability to operate without interference. Factions have alliances and rivalries to be sure, but they usually avoid open conflict with their rivals in the interest of keeping the favor of local governments that allow them to operate freely in their territory.

Choosing the Faction of the Andoran Eagle Knights

Every faction has a unique history, culture, style, and specialty. Each has its own modus operandi in the ongoing struggle for power and influence on Golarion, and each offers its members different boons. Bear in mind that a PC need not be from a particular country to become a member of a faction, even if that faction itself is closely associated with that country. Likewise, characters of any class can join a faction. Thus, even a wizard born in the Mwangi Expanse can become an Eagle Knight of Andoran.

Lastly, characters should not be required to join a faction. Those uninterested in the idea can ignore it, but those who find it appealing have an additional option for customizing their characters and how they fit into the world.

Character Class versus Faction

Following a brief overview of the faction, the Eagle Knights entry explains the goals and the general alignment of the group; PCs who are part of the faction need not match this alignment precisely, but it serves as a guide to the faction’s general attitudes and values. Each description also includes the headquarters of the faction and one of its primary leaders. To help guide players, there is a list of character classes that are best and least suited to membership and advancement in the Andoran Eagle Knights.

These are by no means hard rules—if an assassin wants to join the Eagle Knights, it can be done, but she is going to have a harder time achieving the faction’s goals than a paladin would. The following entry provides a description of special resources available within the faction—not only material goods and services, but also unique feats, spells, equipment, and magical items only available to faction members, as well as titles, honors, privileges, and opportunities that can be accessed by gaining prestige in the faction.

Prestige Award

A character’s Prestige Award (PA) is an abstract way to track his growing renown and reputation within a faction.

Total and Current Prestige Award

Just as a character has a maximum hit point value when fully healed and a current hit point value when injured, that character has a Total Prestige Award (TPA) and a Current Prestige Award (CPA). TPA represents the character’s overall reputation within a faction. CPA represents how much influence the character currently has within that faction in terms of favors owed to him and his ability to influence others and make use of the faction’s resources.

Characters may spend CPA to acquire goods or services (see Spending Prestige Award), which means that a character’s CPA is usually less than his TPA, just as an adventuring character’s current hit points are usually less than his total hit points. CPA can never be higher than TPA.

Earning Prestige

Characters earn prestige for performing missions for a faction or otherwise advancing the faction’s goals. For example, a character allied with the Eagle Knights gains prestige with that faction for breaking up a slaving ring. At your discretion, a character may earn prestige for an adventure even if it’s not part of an “official” mission for a faction—a 7th-level paladin who’s freed many slaves probably has earned prestige with the Eagle Knights even if she’s never taken orders from a member of that faction.

When a character’s Prestige Award increases, her TPA and CPA increase by the same value. For example, Jothalia has 5 TPA and 2 CPA with the Eagle Knight faction; if she completes a mission for them and her PA increases by 2, she now has 7 TPA and 4 CPA.

Not every adventure or encounter needs to relate to an Eagle Knight mission, nor do the Eagle Knights have an interest in every possible adventure. If you cannot find a place within a given adventure for the interests of the Eagle Knights, make a point later on to achieve some faction goals.

The ability to earn prestige should be routine, but it is not be automatic. If a PC fails at her appointed tasks or passes up opportunities to further the Eagle Knight's goals, she does not earn prestige simply because her player showed up to play. By choosing to play using a faction, a player is agreeing to “play along” with faction goals in order to obtain faction rewards. If the PC does not fulfill her obligations as a member of the faction, she should not expect to rise in the faction’s esteem.

The rate at which characters’ prestige increases varies, but on average, characters should be able to increase their PA by 3 to 5 points per experience level, whether acquired by completing several small missions or tasks or one more difficult or significant task. Over the course of a long campaign like a Pathfinder Adventure Path, characters might expect to increase their PA by 40 or more points, especially if the campaign is tightly linked to the factions players choose.

( This campaign will use the characters’ PA to replace or supplement standard treasure awards. In a situation where looting the dead or robbing tombs is frowned upon, I will use PA to help fill the gap in character resources that would normally be satisfied by pillage and plunder. ~ Eric )

Losing Prestige

Prestige should be seen as an enticement rather than an instrument to punish PCs, but a character can lose prestige for betraying faction secrets to outsiders, causing the death of a faction member, stealing from or lying to their faction brethren, befriending or allying with members of opposed factions, and so on. A typical penalty would be the loss of 1–3 CPA. In extreme situations, however, a character might incur such a negative reputation within his faction that his CPA and TPA decrease by 5 or even 10 points for a major transgression, possibly resulting in loss of rank and privileges within the faction. This does not force characters to forfeit boons already acquired, but it may prevent them from obtaining any new boons or benefits for which they no longer qualify at their lowered TPA, and they must work to get back in the good graces of their peers.

Benefits of Prestige

A character’s Total Prestige Award represents her trustworthiness and status within their faction. The simplest representation of this prestige is that for every 10 points of her Total Prestige Award, she gains a +1 bonus on Diplomacy checks with members of that faction. In addition, she may learn certain feats or spells or be able to purchase unique magical items or other goods that are restricted to those whose TPA reaches a certain benchmark. Her faction contacts can allow her to buy or sell goods whose value exceeds the normal gp limit of the local area or that might be of questionable legality. Finally, depending on the organization, a character’s TPA might afford her certain titles and incidental privileges.

Dealing with Allied Factions

Many factions have close associations and alliances with other groups, and earning prestige in her faction can allow a character to enjoy some of the benefits of membership and prestige within allied factions as well. Each faction entry describes whether that faction is allied with any others. When dealing with members of an allied faction, a character may treat her TPA as if it were half its actual amount, including the related bonus on Diplomacy checks with, and buying and selling goods through, the allied faction; she can also spend CPA to obtain boons from an allied faction, though the costs are increased by 1.

Dealing with Opposed Factions

Just as factions have allies, so too do they have enemies. The very same prestige that can make a PC famous within her faction and among allies can make her infamous in the eyes of opposing factions, and avoiding attracting unwanted attention from her faction’s enemies or those friendly to them is one reason that some characters keep their faction allegiances secret. If a character’s faction allegiance is known, the initial attitude of an NPC of the opposing faction is treated as one step worse than normal (for example, Indifferent becomes Unfriendly, Unfriendly becomes Hostile), and for every 10 points of the character’s TPA, she takes a –1 penalty on Diplomacy checks to inf luence that NPC. If the NPC’s faction opposes more than one of the PC’s factions, only the faction with which the PC has the highest TPA counts.

Spending Prestige

A character’s CPA total ref lects the goodwill, political capital, and personal favors she has built up through service to the organization. While a character’s TPA can provide certain titles and privileges, most tangible benefits of faction membership are acquired when a character spends his CPA on temporary boons, favors, aid, spellcasting, or other services (see the Appendix). Regardless of whatever honorific titles a character has earned through his Total Prestige Award, the cost for obtaining boons remains the same—an exalted Vision of the Fifteenth Step of the Church of Razmir must spend 1 CPA to have a remove curse or dispel magic spell cast on his behalf, just like a new initiate.

Once a character’s CPA is spent, it is spent permanently; it is not recovered automatically like lost hit points or ability score damage. The character can, of course, earn more PA, which adds to both her TPA and her CPA, but spent points are gone.

Characters may not spend CPA during combat, and for the sake of simplicity you may limit characters to spending CPA once per gaming session (this keeps players from saving up their PA in large amounts and spending it all at once, making an adventure too easy). It is possible for a player to spend his character’s PA even if the PC is dead; in essence, this represents the PC having made prior arrangements with his faction to perform certain actions on his behalf, such as recovering his dead body and returning it to a specific location or having it raised.

You can add to the services presented in this book or create your own factions. The monetary equivalent of 1 point of PA is approximately 375 gp, though characters should normally only be able to spend PA on services, not physical goods.

PCs may not pool their earned prestige to obtain items or services, or for any other purpose, even if they are members of the same faction. As a general rule, PA is designed to be spent by characters on themselves; PA costs increase by 1 when the benefit is to other characters instead of to the member of the faction. However, PCs in a home game are ultimately free to spend their PA as they see fit.

A character’s ability to spend PA is dependent on his being in contact with other members of his faction, and unless noted otherwise, most factions tend to have agents, contacts, or headquarters in settlements that are at least the size of a large city. To reflect the difficulty of contacting a faction agent in a smaller settlement, PA costs increase by 5 in communities smaller than 5,000 people. This change, of course, can vary by organization.

Eagle Knights Faction

The Eagle Knights of Andoran are viewed by some as a shining example of the best of humanity in the face of a dark and cruel world populated by tyrants and filled with injustice. Others view them as benevolent but misguided ideological imperialists. Based within the nation of Andoran, the Eagle Knights find inspiration in its creed of common rule by the people, free mercantilism, and the respect of individual liberty. In many ways, they are best characterized as a military order devoted to the preservation and spread of Andoran’s philosophical tenets.

The common impression of an Eagle Knight is of a soldier or paladin dressed in the blue-and-white regalia of the order and clad with the hallmark golden epaulets. Even the least foot soldier within the Eagle Knights’ ranks stands among the best of the Andoren military, from which most of their number are initially recruited. Not all Eagle Knights are so open in their self-identification, however, nor are they all recruited from the upper tiers of the Andoren military, or even from the Andoren people.

The Eagle Knights are a tripartite faction devoted to freedom, liberty, and justice. They are shining examples of weal, wielding both sword and word as weapons to undermine and overthrow slavers, pirates, and tyrants of every sort. Within the Eagle Knights, the elite warriors of the Golden Legion serve alongside Andoran’s armies, while the Steel Falcons travel across Golarion as philosophical ambassadors, spreading their creed even as they work covertly to support partisans fighting for freedom. The secretive Twilight Talons, whose mere existence is denied by the order, are spies, saboteurs, and even assassins who investigate, infiltrate, and eliminate threats to freedom.

An Order of the Steel Falcon Eagle Knight

Goal: Liberty, Equality, Unity

Frequently operating beyond the borders of Andoran, the Eagle Knights recruit nontraditional soldiers, many of them from the diverse ranks of adventurers and others equally at ease battling enemy troops, performing diplomatic missions, or delving into crypts beneath ruined cities. Bards, rangers, and rogues find equal opportunity alongside fighters and paladins so long as they hold to the same philosophical and nationalistic beliefs. Barbarian and druid Eagle Knights are exceedingly rare. Clerics and arcane spellcasters are actively recruited into the organization’s fold, bypassing the typical military origins of their fellows. Clerics of allied churches often straddle a line of loyalty, though within Andoran this is generally not problematic, as both institutions are wont to cooperate to achieve their shared goals. Wizards and sorcerers are prized for their diverse and powerful abilities. Diviners are especially valued for their abilities to plumb the future and provide detailed information that oftentimes eludes agents on the ground, even deep-cover sleepers.

Within Andoran, the Eagle Knights of the Golden Legion operate alongside the nation’s military as elite adjunct units, doubling as field commanders and trainers depending on the needs of a particular area. The Golden Legion guards Andoran’s borders and its interior trade routes and keeps a watchful eye on the nation’s wilder regions. In the infamous Darkmoon Vale, for example, the Diamond Regiment operates under Commander Ingrid Odeber, the woman many say General Traxxus is training to take his place.

A Diamond Regiment Eagle Knight

Not simply bound to serve as defenders of Andoran proper, the Eagle Knights of the Steel Falcons act beyond their patron state’s borders, spreading Andoren philosophy like armed missionaries. Although the Steel Falcons do not openly acknowledge it, their foreign activities include guerilla, shadow, and proxy warfare directed against groups threatening Andoren security and those holding hostile ideologies, particularly the slave trade. In fact, the Gray Corsairs—a fleet of unmarked ships infamous for sinking a trio of Katapeshi slave-galleons and dozens of allied pirate vessels—are crewed, supplied, and directed by the Steel Falcons. In recent years, the Steel Falcons have launched operations against inland interests of Katapesh’s faceless overlords, pirates of the Shackles, and suspected mercenary proxies of the Cheliaxbased Aspis Consortium. Hoping to spread their ideology to other nations, the Steel Falcons even provided a small number of military advisors to the fragile government of Nirmathas, helping to mold that nascent land in Andoran’s image while keeping it free of Molthune’s control. Warfare aside, the Steel Falcons have made numerous exploratory forays to exotic locations. The results of one recent attempt to reach and map the ruins of legendary Kho are still unknown.

A Steel Falcon Gray Corsair

Operating without acknowledgment of their existence, the Twilight Talons are the Eagle Knights’ spies, saboteurs, deep cover agents, and—at times— assassins. Eschewing the uniforms, symbols, epaulets, and other overt regalia of their kindred Knights, the Twilight Talons utilize a covert system of hand signals and passwords to recognize one another and prevent their discovery by the same groups they seek to infiltrate. As a final identifying mark, each Twilight Talon operative is marked with a magical tattoo, invisible under ordinary circumstances but revealed by speaking a command word unique to the individual tattoo.

A Twilight Talon Eagle Knight Operative 

Known only to General Cormoth and Marshal Helena Trellis but widely speculated upon with great paranoia by their affected targets, the Twilight Talons have agents among the governments and militaries of Andoran’s rivals—Cheliax, Taldor, Katapesh, the Shackles, and Nidal. These spies only provide information, rather than risk breaking their cover to act in more immediately disruptive ways. More open action is provided by Twilight Talons who infiltrate groups without state support, such as independent slave traders and pirates, mercenary hirelings of the Aspis Consortium, and foreign, puppet extensions of the diabolist churches of Cheliax. The Twilight Talons report their findings to and pinpoint targets of opportunity for the larger forces of the Steel Falcons.

The Eagle Knights are ambassadors of everything Andoran wishes the world to be. They would see tyrants thrown down, slavery abolished, and piracy and pillage eradicated. They hope for a world without fear, hatred, and oppression, in which the common people leave mysticism and diabolism behind and rise to the challenge of liberty. When granted victory on the battlefield or in tournaments, Eagle Knights attribute their triumphs and laurels to the strength of heart, mind, body, and soul that can only come from those who live in freedom and welcome and encourage others to do the same.

Alignment: NG

Public Perception
Despite their noble intentions and the prestigious light in which the citizens of Andoran hold them, the Eagle Knights are not always held in high regard outside their patron nation’s borders. Realms such as Cheliax and Nidal are noted for being beholden to infernal powers and seeking to expand the mortal dominion of their distant masters—the collective lords of Hell and the god Zon- Kuthon, respectively. In these nations, reactions to an Eagle Knight range from cold tolerance at best to anger and eventual violence at worst. To the east, paranoid bureaucrats serving the crumbling empire of Taldor see Eagle Knights as rabble-rousers or even wouldbe anarchists.

The support of the Eagle Knights often comes to those who need it along with a push to adopt Andoran’s social and governmental model. Even enlightened nobles who share the Eagle Knights’ hatred of slavery feel a creeping worry that their own success and entrenched social power might be threatened by Andoran’s waxing ideological tide. This perception is more likely than the open hostility of diabolists and slave traders to stunt and inhibit the Eagle Knights’ goals in the world at large. Some suspect that the Eagle Knights are compromised by loyalties divided between Andoren nationalism and their founding philosophy as inspired by the legendary Talmandor. Perhaps such concerns are correct, and perhaps they are overinflated by the Eagle Knights’ rivals, but they exist nonetheless. While the knights’ crusade against slavery and the promotion of open trade between nations is supported by the merchant lords of Druma, some within the mercantile oligarchy worry about undue foreign inf luence from Andoran’s more radical political elite arriving by way of their smiling, always well-armed missionaries.

Eagle Knights are devoted not only to protecting the freedoms won in the People’s Revolution but also to spreading them throughout the world through their deeds and words. Every man must come to freedom, every woman to liberation, but only through empowerment of themselves as individuals and their realization that all are one in community. This cannot happen through forced conversion, but Eagle Knights will always seek to remove obstacles and shackles that prevent the oppressed from realizing their possibilities and potential. Every Eagle Knight seeks to be the torch that sustains hope in dark places and lights the way for every person to reach for greatness and the uplift of all.

Structure and Leadership
The order’s current leader is General Reginald Cormoth, paladin of Iomedae and a sitting Executive Consul of the Andoren People’s Council. Cormoth serves as the Eagle Knights’ public face as well as its commander.

The Lord Captain Commander of the Eagle Knights, General Reginald Cormoth (LG male human paladin of Iomedae 12), is a warrior of vast experience who rose from being a line officer in Andoran’s navy catching smugglers to being high commander of the military. He eventually became Executive Consul, his grizzled visage becoming the public face of the Eagle Knights. Under his leadership, the Eagle Knights have broadened membership to include people from other nations and nontraditional classes who are sympathetic to Andoran’s call for freedom.

Cormoth has held his position within the Aerie for a decade. Before that he served as a high-ranking member of the Andoren military and, most importantly, the unacknowledged operational leader of the Eagle Knights’ Twilight Talons. In his present role, Cormoth serves as the hand behind the Eagle Knights’ operations within Andoran and as an elite adjunct to the standard Andoren military and its foreign and covert activities, with each of these areas’ operational management delegated to his three under-marshals.


Below Cormoth, General Hedrik Traxxus of the Golden Legion, General Andira Marusek of the Steel Falcons, and the publicly unnamed Marshal Helena Trellis of the Twilight Talons control the three branches of the Eagle Knights’ operations. Collectively, any ranking member of the order is known as an Eagle Knight, with the member’s respective branch added to his title for formal address. For instance, General Traxxus is an Eagle Knight of the Golden Legion.

General Hedrik Traxxus of the Golden Legion

General Andira Marusek of the Steel Falcons

Marshal Helena Trellis of the Twilight Talons 

Good Class Choices

Bard, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger

Challenging Class Choices

Barbarian, Druid

Headquarters

The Eagle Knights’ headquarters is the Guardian Tower of the Golden Aerie, proudly watching over the Fields of Concord outside Almas. Surmounted by a massive gilded statue of Talmandor, the avoral patron of Andoran, the white pillar that forms the actual tower was brought from an ancient ruin and hollowed out for the order’s use. General Cormoth holds his councils here with the undermarshals of the three orders within the Eagle Knights, and the area around it is alive with couriers, scouts, and messengers, who come and go at all hours.

Officially known as the Guardian Tower of the Golden Aerie, the Eagle Knights’ headquarters is a massive, seven story column of white marble whose interior was quarried and converted into a gigantic watchtower overlooking the Andoren countryside. The column itself is ancient, and prior to its restoration 150 years ago, it was part of a sprawling, cyclopean ruin discovered and explored by Eagle Knights who carried the column back, piecemeal, as a spoil of conquest to the greater glory of Andoran. The exact location of that ruin and the circumstances behind its discovery are not entirely clear outside of the Eagle Knights’ higher echelons, but following the column’s restoration, the Knights erected a golden statue of Talmandor atop it in honor of their—and Andoran’s—celestial patron. Rumors persist that the column and the ruins in which it was found might be connected to an ancient center of agathion influence on Golarion, or that they might have some deeper connection to the legendary avoral himself. (Avoral agathions are detailed in Pathfinder Bestiary 2.)

Joining

Given their activities guarding Andoran, their pursuit of slavers outside of their homeland, and the secret operations of the Twilight Talons, the Eagle Knights are open to any who support the ideals of their organization—including trustworthy folk willing to be secret agents in evil lands such as Cheliax.

Gaining Prestige

The exact nature of suitable missions for each of the three branches of the organization varies according to the branch’s goals. Members of the Golden Legion gain prestige for thwarting military actions against the homeland. Members of the Steel Falcons gain prestige for freeing slaves, sinking slaving ships, and convincing foreign officials to reject slavery. The Twilight Talons gain prestige for eliminating key figures in the slave trade, uncovering information critical to the safety of Andoran, and sabotaging the efforts of enemy forces.

Resources

The Eagle Knights of Andoran are a formidable organization on Golarion as representatives of the nation, people, and ideology of Andoran. Their strength is thus not only military, though that is considerable, but also in their rhetoric. Common folk favor them wherever they roam, but they are not universally welcomed or well established. PA costs increase by 5 in Cheliax, Taldor, and any nation that does not border the Inner Sea or Lake Encarthan. Some of these resources are military ranks within the organization, which also allow the Eagle Knight to purchase certain magic items at a discount; the listed CPA cost for these rewards only applies to acquiring the rank (in other words, the character doesn’t have to spend CPA every time he wants to purchase the item associated with that rank).

5 TPA, variable CPA: Purchase a magical service from the following list: detect charm* (1 CPA), forbiddance (4 CPA per 60-foot cube), freedom (9 CPA), heroes’ feast (4 CPA), phantom steed (1 CPA), refuge (10 CPA), suppress charms and compulsions* (1 CPA), wind walk (4 CPA).

5 TPA, 1 CPA: Call upon faction members to assist in searching a person, structure, or location, granting a +10 bonus on checks to detect hidden items, disguises, forgeries, traps, secret doors, or compartments. This is normally only usable in a civilized area (not a dungeon) and lasts for up to 1 day.

5 TPA, 1 CPA: Gain the rank of lance corporal and Diplomacy as a class skill. A character of this rank may purchase feather tokens from the faction at a 10% discount.

5 TPA, 5 CPA: Gain diplomatic privilege, which gives the character a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (local), Knowledge (nobility), Perform (oratory), and Sense Motive checks with citizens of one country. This bonus increases to +4 on checks made to avoid legal trouble.

10 TPA, 2 CPA: Gain the temporary service of a celestial giant eagle as if using lesser planar ally. The member of the faction must negotiate and pay for the eagle’s service, though he can spend his CPA to have the Eagle Knights pay the price for the service. If the faction member is a poor negotiator, he can spend 1 CPA to hire a charismatic advocate to argue on his behalf.

10 TPA, 3 CPA, Lance Corporal: Gain the rank of captain and Perform (oratory) as a class skill. Captains may purchase golden eagle epaulets* at a 10% discount.

20 TPA, 5 CPA, Captain: Gain the rank of major, Knowledge (history) and Knowledge (nobility) as class skills, and a loyal team of 4–6 lance corporals (2ndlevel fighters). Majors may purchase serpentine owl or serpentine eagle* figurines of wondrous power at a 10% discount.

10 TPA, 15 CPA: Become invested as a knight of Andoran. The character may devise a coat of arms and use the honorific Sir if male or Dame or Milady if female. The character may append “knight” to her rank in the organization (for example, knight captain or knight major) and can invest others as knights (though abusing this right can lead to decreased TPA). He gains a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Knowledge (nobility) checks within Andoran and a pair of golden eagle epaulets*.

20 TPA: Purchase or upgrade magical armor from the following list at a 10% discount: arrow catching, energy resistance (any), glamered, shadow.

20 TPA: Purchase or upgrade magical weapons from the following list at a 10% discount: defending, holy, keen, mighty cleaving, shock.

20 TPA: Purchase magic items from the following list at a 10% discount: boots of speed, bracelet of friends, chime of opening, eyes of the eagle, goggles of night, hat of disguise, ring of friend shield, ring of swimming.

20 TPA, 3 CPA: Gain the temporary service of an avoral* as if using planar ally. The member of the faction must negotiate and pay for the avoral’s service, though he can spend CPA to have the Eagle Knights pay the price for the service. If the faction member is a poor negotiator, he can pay 1 CPA to hire a charismatic advocate argue on his behalf.

30 TPA, 10 CPA, Major: Gain the rank of commander, Knowledge (geography) as a class skill, and a loyal team of 1 captain (5th-level fighter) and 5–8 lance corporals (3rd-level fighters); one of the lance corporals may instead be a 3rd-level cleric, sorcerer, or wizard. Commanders may purchase a talon sword* at a 10% discount. If the commander is assigned to fortification (such as a castle, fort, or other Eagle Knight outpost), he also gains 10–20 guardsmen (1st-level fighters) and a support staff (5–10 noncombatant 1st-level commoners and experts) to handle the needs of his subordinates. If assigned to a Andoren military ship, he instead gains 10–20 marines (1st-level fighters) and a support staff for the ship. Most commanders lead brigades of ground troops or captain military ships; characters who do not want these specific duties are treated as inactive, unassigned officers in the military.

* Found in Pathfinder Companion: Andoran, Spirit of Liberty.

Total Prestige Award and Item Purchases

Note: Under normal circumstances, PCs should always be able to purchase certain items from their faction, even if the cost exceeds the value on this table. These items are the following: equipment from the Equipment chapter of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook (including equipment made from special materials, such as mithral); +1 weapons, armor, and shields; and 0- or 1st-level oils, potions, and scrolls at caster level 1 (Pathfinder Society Organized Play uses this rule).

Weekly Services

Note: Services requiring NPCs or animals include appropriate gear for their class and level and all living expenses for them. For double CPA cost, these NPCs serve for up to 1 month. The character is expected to return any NPCs or mounts and their gear to the faction when f inished with them. If the PC returns less than 50% of the mounts, gear, or NPCs acquired, she loses 1 TPA (and 3 TPA if none are returned).

Spellcasting

Note: Spellcasting is at a minimum caster level.

Miscellaneous Expenses

* Cost of living covers 1 month and is detailed on page 405 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.

** Characters can’t spend multiple PA for more items costing more than 750 gp.

Eagle Knight Special Traits

Faith Traits

These traits rely upon conviction of spirit, perception, and (often, but not always) religion.

Faithful Feedback (any religion): A shared religious fervor makes your healing magic more effective. Whenever you cast a spell belonging to the healing subschool on someone of your religion, increase the hit points healed by +1.

Eagle Knight Spells

Chastise

School transmutation; Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V

Range personal

Target you

Duration 1 minute/level

You gain a +5 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks to convince a listener that they will get in trouble with their superiors or with the law if they don’t do what you ask.

This spell is primarily used by the Eagle Knights, though they did not create it; Hellknights also use it extensively to gather information and foster cooperation.

Eagle Knight Feats

Andoren Falconry
You know the secret Andoren arts of falconry developed by the Novotnian family of Darkmoon Vale.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, Animal Affinity, animal companion class feature.
Benefit: You improve your affinity with birds of prey, such as eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls. You gain a +2 bonus on Animal Handling checks made to train or control birds of prey. In addition, if you have a bird of prey as an animal companion, your animal companion gains one of the following bonuses chosen at the time this animal companion is gained: a +1 dodge bonus to AC, a +1 morale bonus on all attack rolls, or a +2 morale bonus on all Will saves.

Flagbearer (Combat)
When brandishing a f lag adorned with the standard of an organization you owe allegiance to, you inspire nearby members of the same allegiance.
Prerequisites: Cha 15.
Benefit: As long as you hold your clan, house, or party’s f lag (see page 293), members of that allegiance within 30 feet who can see the f lag (including yourself ) gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects. You must hold the f lag in one hand in order to grant this bonus. If the standard is taken by the enemy or destroyed, this bonus becomes a penalty, affecting all creatures that the bonus previously affected for 1 hour (or until you reclaim the lost flag).

Focused Discipline (Combat)
Familiarity with the military traditions of your homeland inspires uncommon valor in you.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all saving throws against fear effects. Whenever a fear effect targets you and fails to affect you (either because of a successful saving throw or because of immunity to fear), you gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and CMB checks against the creature that attempted to use the fear affect on you for 1 round.

Desperate Battler (Combat)
Your experiences fighting against numerous foes that have already overwhelmed your allies, friends, and family have forced you to excel at fighting on your own.
Benefit: When no ally is within 10 feet of you and you are not receiving benefits from the aid another action, you gain a +1 morale bonus on melee attack and damage rolls.

Free Spirit
Your strong belief in the value of freedom protects you from mental and physical shackles.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, any chaotic alignment.
Benefit: You gain a +2 morale bonus on saving throws made against mind-affecting effects and on all Escape Artist or grapple checks made to escape a grapple or to escape from bonds.

Noble Scion
You are a member of a proud noble family, now committed to the Andoran cause of Freedom.
Prerequisites: Cha 13, must be taken at 1st level.
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nobility) checks, and that chosen Knowledge skill is always considered a class skill for you.
When you select this feat, choose one of the benefits listed below that matches the flavor of your noble family. Work with your GM to ensure that your choice is appropriate.
Scion of the Arts: You gain a +1 bonus on all Perform checks, and Perform is always a class skill for you. If you have the bardic performance ability, you can use that ability for an additional 3 rounds per day.
Scion of Lore: You gain a +1 bonus on all Knowledge skills in which you have at least 1 rank.
Scion of Magic: You gain one of the following languages as a bonus language: Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, or Sylvan. Once per day, as a free action, you can gain a +2 bonus on any Spellcraft check you make. You must spend the free action to gain this bonus before you make the check.
Scion of Peace: Whenever you take 10 on a Wisdom-based skill, treat the result as if you had rolled a 13 instead of a 10.
Scion of War: You use your Charisma modifier to adjust Initiative checks instead of your Dexterity modifier.

Rapid Reload (Combat)
Choose a type of crossbow (hand, light, heavy) or a single type of one-handed or two-handed firearm that you are proficient with. You can reload such a weapon quickly.
Prerequisites: Weapon Proficiency (crossbow type chosen) or Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearm).
Benefit: The time required for you to reload your chosen type of weapon is reduced to a free action (for a hand or light crossbow), a move action (for heavy crossbow or onehanded firearm), or a standard action (two-handed firearm). Reloading a crossbow or firearm still provokes attacks of opportunity.
If you have selected this feat for a hand crossbow or light crossbow, you may fire that weapon as many times in a fullattack action as you could attack if you were using a bow.
Normal: A character without this feat needs a move action to reload a hand or light crossbow, a standard action to reload a one-handed firearm, or a full-round action to load a heavy crossbow or a two-handed firearm.
Special: You can gain Rapid Reload multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new type of crossbow or a new type of firearm.

Shrewd Tactician (Combat)
Your dealings with pirates, thieves, and assassins have taught you to be exceedingly careful.
Prerequisite: Alertness, Combat Ref lexes.
Benefit: Opponents do not gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls for f lanking you, although they can still sneak attack you. You also gain a +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks made to resist a foe’s Bluff checks to feint in combat.

Eagle Knight Steel Falcon Prestige Class

Steel falcons constitute an elite military organization that serves to spread ideological beliefs of their country while protecting its interests both at home and abroad. The steel falcons are the spiritual and physical vanguard, spreading the government’s philosophical ideologies by whatever means necessary, from convincing a foreign noble by giving him inside information, to breaking the chains of the enslaved, to orchestrating widespread rebellion in an unfriendly land.

Class Details

Hit Die: d10

Requirements

To qualify to become a steel falcon, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

Alignment: Any good.

Base Attack Bonus: +2.

Feats: Iron Will.

Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Knowledge (local) 2 ranks, Sense Motive 5 ranks.

Special: A senior knight must invite the character into the organization.

Class Skills

The steel falcon's class skills (and the key ability for each) are Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: Steel Falcon

Level  BAB Fort Ref  Will Special

1st     +1         +1 +0 +0 Enemy of slavers, heart of freedom, sailor and survivalist

2nd     +2          +1 +1 +1 Heroic speech, luck of the eagle, superior aid

3rd     +3         +2 +1 +1 Natural traps, subtle manipulator

4th     +4         +2 +1 +1 Chainbreaker, comrade's bond

5th     +5         +3 +2 +2 Avoral blessing, Avoral fury

Class Features

The following are class features of the steel falcon prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Steel falcons gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Heart of Freedom (Ex)

A steel falcon gains a +4 morale bonus to saving throws against charm and compulsion effects and attempts to possess his body or mind.

Enemy of Slavers (Ex)

A steel falcon gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against slavers and slave-owners. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. At level 5, this bonus increases to +4. This is treated as a favored enemy bonus. If the steel falcon has a favored enemy bonus from another class and his target is a slaver as well as a favored enemy of another type, the bonuses do not stack, and he simply uses whichever bonus is higher.

Sailor and Survivalist (Ex)

A steel falcon adds his level to Profession (sailor) checks and Survival checks to get along in the wild and navigate in the wilderness.

Heroic Speech (Su)

At 2nd level, a steel falcon can inspire his allies with tales of greatness and heroism. This functions like the inspire courage aspect of bardic performances, treating the steel falcon’s class level as his bard level for determining the effect; if the steel falcon is a bard, his class levels stack with his bard levels to determine the effect of this ability and the effect of his inspire courage bard ability. The steel falcon can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to his class level plus his Charisma modifier.

Luck of the Eagle (Ex)

At 2nd level, once per day the steel falcon can re-roll any one d20 roll, but he must take the new roll, even if it is lower.

Superior Aid (Ex)

At 2nd level, when performing the aid another action, the steel falcon grants a +4 bonus on the ally’s attack or to the ally’s Armor Class instead of the normal +2.

Natural Traps (Ex)

As part of their guerilla warfare activities, starting at 3rd level, steel falcons learn how to use the natural environment to create simple traps. They can use the Craft (traps) skill untrained to create any of the following traps in a natural environment: arrow trap (CR 1), camouflaged pit trap (CR 3), camouflaged spiked pit trap (CR 8), falling tree trap (CR 4, as falling block trap but only affecting a 5-foot-by-10-foot area), hail of arrows trap (CR 9), javelin trap (CR 2), pit trap (CR 1), poisoned pit trap (CR 12), or spiked pit trap (CR 2). The GM is the final arbiter of what sort of trap the character can build in a particular environment (a barren desert landscape can support a pit trap but not a falling tree trap, while an overgrown swamp can have a falling tree trap but a pit trap is more difficult). Preparing a trap takes approximately 1 day of work per CR value of the trap, though the GM may rule that certain traps take more or less time depending on the environment, resources available, and number of creatures assisting in the construction.

Subtle Manipulator (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, if the steel falcon spends a full-round action studying a target, he may make a Sense Motive check opposed by the target’s Will save. If the target fails, the steel falcon gains a +5 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks made against that opponent for a number of days equal to his Wisdom modifier. This ability can only be used on any one target once per day.

Chainbreaker (Ex)

At 4th level, a steel falcon’s attacks against bindings, chains, and manacles bypass up to 10 points of harm. This includes weapons with chains (such as flails, nunchaku, and spiked chains), a kyton’s armor and weapons, chain animated by animate objects, and so on. He also gains a +10 bonus on Escape Artist checks to escape manacles or ropes.

Comrade’s Bond (Ex)

At 4th level, a steel falcon’s love of freedom and hatred of slavery is so great that he evokes similar feelings in his companions. As a move action, he can grant his allies half his enemy of slavers bonus against all appropriate targets in sight; the allies must be within 30 feet and able to see or hear him. This bonus lasts for a number of rounds equal to the steel falcon’s Charisma bonus (minimum 1). This bonus does not stack with any favored enemy bonuses possessed by his allies; they use whichever bonus is higher.

Avoral Blessing (Su)

At 5th level, a steel falcon gains the blessing of an avoral patron. He gains a +10 competence bonus to Acrobatics checks to make high or long jumps, a +4 bonus to Perception checks, and the protection of a feather fall effect at all times.

Avoral Fury (Su)

At 5th level, a steel falcon can channel his rage at the injustice in the world, transforming his countenance into a terrifying display of righteous fury, giving him a fear aura with a range of 30 feet. Enemies within this radius are affected by a fear spell (caster level 10, Will DC 15 + the steel falcon’s Charisma bonus). All other creatures in the area (including the steel falcon) are bolstered by the steel falcon’s wrath and may immediately re-roll their saving throws against any charm, compulsion, or possession effects affecting them. The steel falcon can use this ability if he is conscious, even if paralyzed or under the effect of a charm, compulsion, or possession that affects his judgment. He may use this ability once per day.

Eagle Knight Golden Legion Prestige Class

Class Details

Hit Die: d10.

Requirements

To qualify to become a Golden Legionnaire, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any good.

Armor Proficiency: Must be proficient with heavy armor.

Base Attack Bonus: +5

Skills: Diplomacy 5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks.

Special: A senior Golden Legionnaire must invite the character into the organization.

Class Skills

The Golden Legionnaire's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Heal (Wis), Ride (Dex), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Golden Legionnaire

Level  BAB Fort Ref Will Special

1st         +1 +1 +0 +0 Authoritative command +1, defy danger 1

2nd         +2 +1 +1 +1 Legion feat, intercept, united defense +2

3rd         +3 +2 +1 +1 Allied retribution +1

4th         +4 +2 +1 +1 Improved aid +1, legion feat

5th         +5 +3 +2 +2 Defy danger 2, hold the line

6th         +6 +3 +2 +2 Authoritative command +2, legion feat, united defense +4

7th         +7 +4 +2 +2 Allied retribution +2, preemptive strike

8th         +8 +4 +3 +3 Legion feat

9th         +9 +5 +3 +3 Defy danger 3, improved aid +2, retaliate

10th         +10 +5 +3 +3 Guardian of liberty, united defense +6

Class Features

The following are class features of the Golden Legionnaire prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Golden Legionnaire is proficient with all simple weapons and all martial weapons, and is proficient with all forms of armor and shields.

Authoritative Command (Ex)

As a move action, a Golden Legionnaire can issue orders to a number of allies up to 1/2 her character level who are within 30 feet and can see, hear, and understand her. As long as at least one selected ally obeys the Golden Legionnaire's orders during that round, the Golden Legionnaire and each compliant ally all gain a +1 competence bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws and to Armor Class for 1 round. Affected allies are not under any obligation to obey these commands, but do not gain the bonuses if they choose to ignore the commands. At 6th level, this bonus increases to +2. At 8th level, a Golden Legionnaire can use authoritative command as a swift action.

Defy Danger (Ex)

A Golden Legionnaire gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against one of the following dangers: charms and compulsions, curses, diseases, fear, poisons, traps, or the innate magical powers (spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities not gained from class levels) of one creature type (and subtype, if applicable) chosen from the ranger favored enemy list. At 5th level, and again at 9th level, a Golden Legionnaire gains an additional +2 bonus against a different danger; alternatively, she may increase the bonus against a previously selected danger by +2.

Legion Feats

A Golden Legionnaire gains the following bonus feats at the prescribed levels, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites:

2nd—Stand Still

4th—Bodyguard

6th—In Harm's Way

8th—Swift Aid

If she already possesses a listed feat, she can instead take any other combat feat she meets the prerequisites for.

Intercept (Ex)

At 2nd level, a Golden Legionnaire gains a bonus equal to 1/2 her class level on combat maneuver checks when using the Stand Still feat, and gains the same bonus to her CMD when an opponent attempts an Acrobatics check to move through a square she threatens.

United Defense (Ex)

At 2nd level, a Golden Legionnaire can select one ally as a swift action. While she is adjacent to this ally, the Golden Legionnaire takes a –1 penalty to her Armor Class and the selected ally receives a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class for 1 round. At 6th level, and again at 10th level, the Golden Legionnaire's AC takes an additional –1 penalty and the dodge bonus increases by an additional +2.

Allied Retribution (Ex)

At 3rd level, if a Golden Legionnaire sees a creature within 60 feet of her attack an ally or any friendly creature, including herself, she can select that attacker as a designated adversary. When a Golden Legionnaire does this, she gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls against the designated adversary for a number of rounds equal to her class level. A Golden Legionnaire can have a number of designated adversaries up to 1/3 her class level. If she already has her maximum number of designated adversaries selected, she can end the effects of her allied retribution against one of her previously designated adversaries when she selects a new one. The Golden Legionnaire can reselect a creature that is already a designated adversary if it attacks an ally or a friendly creature again, allowing her to restart the effect's duration.

At 7th level, the morale bonus increases to +2.

Improved Aid (Ex)

At 4th level, when a Golden Legionnaire successfully uses the aid another action in combat, the bonus on the ally's attack roll or to its Armor Class increases by +1.

At 9th level, the bonus increases by an additional +1.

Hold the Line (Ex)

At 5th level, if a creature takes a 5-foot step out of an area both adjacent to and threatened by a Golden Legionnaire, or if the creature withdraws out of that area, it provokes an attack of opportunity from her.

Preemptive Strike (Ex)

At 7th level, a Golden Legionnaire can make an attack of opportunity against a foe that moves into any square the Golden Legionnaire threatens, regardless of whether or not this movement would normally provoke an attack of opportunity. She can use this ability against each opponent once per day, and no more than once per round.

Retaliate (Ex)

At 9th level, once per round when a creature threatened by a Golden Legionnaire attacks and hits an ally adjacent to the Legionnaire, she may make an attack of opportunity against that creature.

Guardian of Liberty (Ex)

At 10th level, once per day as an immediate action a Golden Legionnaire can reroll a single attack roll or saving throw, or force an enemy to reroll an attack roll made against the Legionnaire or an adjacent ally after the result of the attack roll is revealed.