Basic Information
Classes Allowed: Any Rogue
Races Allowed: Any
Alignments Allowed: Any
Ability Requirements: Intelligence 12+, Charisma 14+
Prime Requisite: Dexterity
Starting Cash: 2d6 x 20 gp
Proficiencies
Available Categories: Common, Rogue, By Race
Bonus Proficiencies: Read Lips
Recommended Proficiencies: Astrology, Disguise
The Demiplane of Dread is a land of intrigue and conspiracy. This is perhaps most apparent in the various secret societies that one encounters from time to time. Evil or good, lawful or chaotic, these groups tend to have many things in common. Chief among these is the maintenance of a select cadre of invisibles.
The invisible is a keeper of secrets and a warden of the truth. She is the trusted agent of a secret society, charged with missions that she may not fully understand, but which she is expected to carry out faithfully.
Requirements
An invisible must be a rogue, but may be of any race. Her alignment must match exactly that of the society by which she is employed. In addition, the invisible must have an Intelligence score of at least 12 and a Charisma score of not less than 14.
Description
Invisibles generally alternate between two styles of dress. When hunting down an enemy of their order, they try to dress in clothing that allows them to pass unnoticed among the common folk. Because of this, they often dress in the clothes of a laborer or other average citizen.
When the time comes to confront an enemy, however, the invisible wants no doubt left as to her nature or masters. When that happens, she dresses in the most ominous and imposing garb she has available. In many cases, this calls for a hooded black robe that hides her features, making her seem somehow inhuman. A glyph or other symbol that the victim recognizes as belonging to the invisible's masters is always clearly displayed at such times.
Roleplaying
Invisibles are dark and mysterious folk, and they should always be portrayed as secretive and intelligent. If an invisible character appears to know more than everyone around her (even if she really does not), she is being played correctly.
A certain distance must be kept between an invisible and her traveling companions. Even if she trusts them utterly, the invisible must not allow herself to be lured into a position where the secrets of her order might be exposed.
Unless multiple members of an adventuring party are invisibles working for the same order, the character of this kit will find that she must repeatedly keep secrets from her companions, which can be a strain on group dynamics. If the invisible leads the group, she may have to lead them on missions without revealing the true goal. Whether she chooses to tell the party that they are serving an unknown cause or keeps them completely in the dark, hers is a burden on the heart - especially if party members die along the way. If the invisible is simply an equal (or lesser) member of the party, she may be forced to leave the group occasionally unless she can convince her comrades to play parts in her quest (on a "need to know" basis, of course).
Therefore, the invisible's distance from the rest of the group is as much a personal defense mechanism as a requirement of her position. She cannot grow too close to people from whom she must keep constant secrets. Attempts to get close to her should be met with a combination of opposing reactions: desire and coldness, simultaneous longing and contempt, or a glimpse of appreciation quickly hidden behind scorn.
Benefits
An invisible is a staunch defender of her cause, no matter what it might be. At no time does her loyalty or dedication waver.
This is most apparent in the character's resistance to alignment changes. In any case where a character's alignment is subject to an involuntary change, the character receives a +4 bonus to her saving throw (if one is allowed). If no saving throw is normally allowed, the character is entitled to make a saving throw vs. spell to resist the change.
Invisibles are assumed to be somewhat better off than most rogue characters. As such, they all receive double the normal starting wealth (as indicated on the table above).
Another advantage of the invisible is her ability to call upon the agents of her order to aid her in times of crisis. Once per month, the player can announce to the Dungeon Master that the character is making contact with her order and requesting such aid. There is a delay of 1d4 days before the invisible's new allies arrive. At the end of this time, the invisible receives one follower for every two experience levels she has attained. Allies obtained through this ability are treated as henchmen (although they do not count toward the maximum number of henchmen that a character may have) and remain with the character for no more than one day per level of the character.
The invisible chooses the exact nature of the followers at the time she contacts her society. Any type of character listed under the "Human" heading in the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome is assumed to be available. Allies who have a frequency of "uncommon" count as two followers, while those who are "rare" count as three. A "very rare" ally counts as five followers.
For example, if a 12th-level invisible who wishes to undertake a sea voyage decides to add some of her own followers to the crew, she can request up to six agents from her society. If she chose to, she could opt for four sailors (common characters) and one soldier (an uncommon character that counts as two common ones).
All invisibles are also highly skilled at stealth. They all have a base 5% chance to hide in shadows and move silently. This ability functions just like those of the thief class, and thief invisibles gain a +5% bonus to their normal chances of success. Invisibles can also use this hide in shadows ability to blend into a crowd. This can be very useful when trying to escape from pursuers.
Hindrances
The same determination that makes it almost impossible to affect an invisible's alignment carries over to other aspects of the character's personalities as well.
No matter what steps the character takes to hide her true feelings, others still feel uneasy around her. Whenever the Dungeon Master checks for the reaction of a nonplayer character to the hero (see Table 59: Encounter Reactions in the DUNGEON MASTER Guide), the final result reduces by one step for those whose alignment does not exactly match the character's own. Thus, a result of "friendly" becomes "indifferent," and a result of "threatening" becomes "hostile." This penalty does not apply to other members of his secret society.
Players and Dungeon Masters must always remember that invisibles are not the masters of their own fate. They travel where they are told and undertake whatever tasks their mysterious masters might see fit to demand of them. This can be used by the Dungeon Master to start any number of adventures or even to complicate existing plot lines.
An invisible that violates the tenets of her secret society (as determined by the Dungeon Master) loses the benefits associated with this kit. She retains the negative adjustment to reaction rolls, which now applies to members of her own order as well. At the same time, a team of 1d4 invisibles (with total levels equal to twice that of the player character) is dispatched to exact vengeance for the transgression.
