The Hero is the ideal Xanthic warrior: strong, brave, clever, respectful of the gods, and comely, never at a loss for what to do - whether it is the right thing or not. They each have a fatal flaw which comes to the fore at inopportune times, and one or more of the gods takes a personal interest in their welfare.
Role
Heroes do great deeds. They live to accomplish the impossible. Often, they must overcome overwhelming odds, discern the solution to unanswerable riddles, or perform tasks which no mortal can do. Though Heroes are capable of adventuring alone, they can also easily cooperate with others. As their fame grows, they are sought out and requested to perform incredible tasks. Heroes may represent their city, their king, their family or their god(s) in performing their amazing feats. They are what others aspire to be.
Distinctive Appearance
None
Special Benefits
First, Heroes are favored by one or more gods, who actively work on their behalf. This may be through counseling a certain course of action or by giving the Heroes special one-of-a-kind magical items which will help them complete their fantastic quests. The DM may either roll randomly or bestow the one which makes most sense in a given situation. A Hero should not receive the benefit of more than two favors in any given story (or part of a campaign).
Possible Favors (d4):
Strength. This gives the Hero great strength as per the second-level wizard spell, except that Strength of 19 or more can be conferred.
Luck. This favor confers the benefits of combined chant and prayer spells-i.e., a +2 bonus to the Hero’s attack, damage, and saving throws and a -2 penalty to his foes’ rolls for one turn.
Counsel. This favor grants special knowledge to the Hero which helps him or her complete a task or a quest. It functions as the divination spell, except there is no chance for an incorrect answer.
Gift. This favor bestows one or more gifts upon the Hero. These are usually special magical items (DM’s choice) which the gods loan to him or her and explain how to use, but may be mundane items the Hero had no reason to suspect he or she might need. When giving the gift, the gods do not necessarily appear in their own forms.
If Heroes ever fail to properly honor the gods, they lose their favors until they atone somehow.
Second, Heroes receive the benefits or fame. There is a 10% chance per level that people have heard of these Heroes. These people will treat Heroes with great respect and admiration,will flatter them, and provide them with food and shelter or gifts so they can be near them or claim them as friends.
At 3rd level and above, Heroes can call upon a group of brave people (from zero up to his own level) to accompany them on an adventure. The chance for heroes to do so is equal to the amount of fame they have x 10% (e.g. at 3rd level, there is a 30% chance). These people will serve as rowers on a ship or as troops in a large battle, though they cannot directly influence the outcome of the Heroes’ main quest. They will not serve as bait or wear down the Heroes’ opponents before the Heroes do battle. If asked to do anything they feel should be the Heroes’ job, or if denied payment, they lose respect for the Heroes and desert at the first opportunity. The DM should determine how large the group is depending on what they are needed to do.
Special Hindrances
First, there is a bad side to fame as well. Those who are jealous may seek to do the Heroes harm and have a better chance to locate them from reports of their whereabouts. They may be challenged by those who seek to best them to gain a reputation. Even those who admire them (including avatars at higher levels) will propose harder and more dangerous tasks and expect them to perform them or lose their reputations as Heroes. Each month, there is a 10% chance per level that some sort of challenge occurs.
The opposite side of fame is notoriety. If the Heroes treat others badly or fail to be heroic, they gain reputations for arrogance or for being fakes. Those who would have accorded them honor now denounce them and attempt to have them driven from their midst.
Second, all heroes have a fatal flaw. This may be an inherent part of their personality or some doom beyond their control, but whatever their flaw is, it comes into play at inopportune times. It serves to make things harder for them, to curb their power, and to insure that they do not aspire to challenge the gods. Each Hero has only one fatal flaw. This may be rolled randomly or chosen by the player or DM. The flaw comes into play whenever it seems to be appropriate to the DM, but should not be used to unfairly trip up the character at every opportunity. Other flaws may be created by the DM or by the player (with DM approval). Though many legendary heroes suffered for their flaws, some managed to overcome them or make up for them through performing great deeds. The chance to do so should form an integral part of the Hero character. No flaw should ever automatically cause the death of Heroes or their companions or keep them from achieving their goals.
Possible Fatal Flaws:
Hubris. Excessive pride. The Hero is too proud to withdraw when overmatched or to surrender when bested. The Hero may alienate certain NPCs or refuse help perceived as unnecessary. Finally, the flaw may preclude the Hero from taking subtle or devious courses of action in favor of a head-on confrontation.
Rage. The Hero becomes enraged for a turn whenever insulted, challenged, or the Hero thinks he or she is about to be overcome in battle. It confers the benefit of a +2 to attack and damage rolls, but exacts a 4 penalty to armor class. The Hero cannot distinguish friend from foe while enraged, and may harm or kill innocent people.
Fate. This flaw represents the working out of fate for some past misdeed of the character or his or her family, or may simply be an incomprehensible doom, ordained since his or her birth. Though the god(s) may still favor the Hero, at some point the penalty must be paid. The nature of the flaw of fate, its cause, and the probable penalty are best decided by the DM and player working together to reflect the intended course of the DMs campaign.
Orphan. The Hero was either abandoned or given away at birth. This may have been because of a prophecy about the child or because the Hero's parents could not keep the child, were ashamed of the child for some reason, or believed the child to be a weakling. The child survived somehow, being raised by wolves, a poor shepherd, a fisherman, or some such. Now as an adult, the Hero either seeks to learn his or her true heritage or ignores those beginnings to find fame or adventure. At some point the Hero crosses paths with a family member. This person may even be a villainous character and may possibly become the character's sworn foe. The character will not know who this person is (although the family member may be aware of the relationship), but the Hero's actions toward the relative determines his or her future. The gods do not reward those who harm their own families-even in ignorance.
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