Imperious Agent

An Imperious Agent is a frightful class of hex mage who has chosen to specialize in the manipulation of hexes as a tool to manipulate the targets thereof to do their bidding. Whether out of a desire to see justice done or, more often, to seize control over people as a tyrant, an Imperious Agent imposes their will on others by the power of magic in a manner both more subtle and more durable than what might be accomplished by a traditional mesmerist, beguiler, or enchanter. The powers of an Imperious Agent allow them to condition their targets into thralldom through magically-induced pain where traditional curses and intimidation will not sufice. This authoritarian magic is also contaigious to a certain extent, allowing skilled Agents to manipulate several thralls simultaneously.

Career

Qualifications

Aside from the basic skills of a hex mage, prospective Imperious Agents must demonstrate an unusual force of will and a desire to subvert the free will of others. A pre-existing social subtlety, persuasiveness, intimidating presence, and knowledge of human and animal psychology are a must for success in this field; an Imperious Agent who fails to take control, by hook or by crook, is ultimately destined for the graveyard. Narcissism, psychopathy, and a lust for power are not per se required for entry into the specialization - a rare few Imperious Agents are non-malicious agents of order who use their powers to reform wrongdoers rather than imposing on innocent folk - but these are qualities very common among aspirants.

Career Progression

The talents of Imperious Agents lend themselves well to the ascension of the social hierarchy in most societies or organizations into which Imperious Agents might choose to insinuate themselves - including hierarchies established among other Imperious Agents. Progression in the field often comes as a result of imposition upon 'lessers'. In short, the more powerful the thrall, the more powerful its Imperious Agent master. High-level Agents have other Agents as thralls, and it is considered the ultimate evocation of skill to successfully enthrall a fellow arcanist who's own schtick is asserting dominance through force of arcana.

Payment & Reimbursement

With some exceptions, Imperious Agents aren't generally paid for their work; they demand tribute from their subordinates, whether in the form of coin or service. Those who work for a higher power are often rewarded handsomely for it, whether as a token of respect for a job well done or (more likely) out of fear of what the Agent might do if not compensated thus. High-level Imperious Agents sometimes trade useful thralls amongst themselves in mutually beneficial arrangements.

Perception

Social Status

Imperious Agents are almost universally reviled for the will-sapping nature of their arcane talents, but few non-casters would openly give voice to this hatred for fear that the Agents might take notice of them and seek to make an example. Where given free reign, Agents quickly climb social hierarchies and assert themselves as leaders, often (but not always) ruling with an iron fist. At best, an Imperious Agent is an impartial enforcer of civil order; at worst, he is a tyrant that exercises authority for his own ends.
Somewhat ironically - as an Imperious Agent's training and experience extend less to the removal of curses than they would for other hex mages, such as Bearers of Burdens - the apex predator of an Agent will always be another Agent with more power. Other hex mages, recognizing the danger that Imperious Agents represent, will sometimes form bands to seek out and destroy Agents wherever they may be found. Where an Imperious Agent has taken power, there is inevitably a revolt against their power brewing in secret.

by Hero Forge

Even The Goblin is susceptible to the Imperious Agent's dire eldritch influence.

Type

Arcane

Other Associated professions

• Hex Mage

Imperious Agents in New Generica

The byzantine power structures constructed by Imperious Agents, glued together as they were with lethal currents of transmissible curse magic waiting to explode forth when the foundations of the structures are tested, likely had a significant influence on the collapse of some civilizations before the dawn of the New Generica Period. Political assassinations would likely have ensued in the aftermath of an Agent's death to establish a new pecking order within nations they once controlled; unfortunately for the would-be userpers, Imperious Agents' curses can function as contaigions, jumping into the body of anyone who killed a pawn of theirs in close quarters. Thus, the entire ruling classes of some nations evaporated almost overnight in puffs of vile ectoplasmic miasma, leaving surviving cultures weakened in the face of the famine and banditry that also marked the end of that storied epoch.

Game Statistics

Imperious Agents in D&D 3.5

Imperious Agents are unconventional party faces and minion controllers - less versatile than necromancers, summoners, or enchanters, but with an ability to acquire their minions on a permanent basis. The Imperious Agent's improved faculty with intimidation and eventual ability to affect multiple consecutive targets grant them some facility with crowd control by way of stacking penalties (via lingering dread and curses) and providing numerous flanking positions (via minions). Most NPC Imperious Agents will be villainous and, as such, make for thematically interesting antagonists in adventure modules. Player character Agents are likely more akin to paladins or clerics to lawful gods in their desire to root out chaos and reform the wicked with their powers.
Author's Note: I originally posted the following class features list on the Giant in the Playgound homebrew forums in 2014 under the Open Game License as it existed at that time. I am reposting in here for the sake of completeness and to preserve it for use in the parts of the New Generica setting that make use of D&D 3.5 rules, but have placed it in a spoiler because this article would otherwise be a rather lengthy read. I have also edited some of the formatting to better accord with WorldAnvil stylistic conventions. Enjoy! ~BCGR_Wurth
The Imperious Agent

Imperious Agents are slave-takers, beast-tamers, and apprehenders of fugitives in realms where curse magic is the norm. These specialists in the magical manipulation of other creatures renders them pariahs to the common people, though tyrannical rulers sometimes seek them out to take control of dissidents.
Prerequisites:
Alignment: Any non-good and non-chaotic
Class Features: Lesser Geas as a hex mage ability
Skills: Intimidate +8, Handle Animal +4

Class Features:
Class Skills: Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (any), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device, Use Rope
Skill Points Per Level: 8 + int mod per level
Hit Dice: d6

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies (Ex):
An Imperious Agent gains proficiency with whips and medium armor.
Spellcasting Progression (Ex):
An Imperious Agent continues to advance in the potency of his hex mage abilities. See the note on prestige classes under the hex mage class features for details.
Existential Fear and Lingering Dread Progression (Ex or Su):
Imperious Agent class levels stack with those of hex mage for all purposes with regard to the advancement of the Existential Fear and Lingering Dread class features.
Domineering Hex (Sp):
The most potent ability of the Imperious Agent lies in his ability to enslave other creatures to his will. To do this, he must first place a number of hex points equal to the number of hit dice that the creature has on the creature and expend them all at once on this ability, overcoming spell resistance as normal for hex mage abilities. If the creature succeeds on it’s will save, then nothing happens and the attempt is wasted. On the other hand, if the creature fails a will saving throw (10+1/2 hex mage caster level+the Imperious Agent’s charisma bonus), then that creature falls under the control of the command of the hex mage as if under the effect of the appropriate dominate spell, albeit with a few important exceptions.
Initially, the Imperious Agent can only effect living creatures with intelligence scores lower than two (to a minimum of mindlessness). Unlike a standard dominate spell, this ability also works against living creatures normally immune to mind affecting by dint of being mindless; such creatures are merely behaving on a stimulus-response level to discomfort caused by the cursed energies coursing through them, and only understand simple commands (“Go there!”, “Attack!”, etc.)
This ability improves in effectiveness at third level, allowing the Imperious Agent to dominate a living creature with an intelligence score of two or greater.
At sixth level, the ability improves further to allow the Imperious Agent to allow him to take control of even non-living creatures (such as undead and constructs) by corrupting the energies that dictate their behavior. If the creature’s creator is present, he may use his will save in the place of the creature’s own if higher. Effects such as a cleric’s ability to command undead may also rest control of these creatures from the Imperious Agent.
Minion (Su):
At first level, an Imperious Agent can select any one creature he dominates through this domineering hex ability to become a permanent minion. This process involves spending a number of hours equal to the creature’s hit dice engaged in an intense session of persuasion, coercion, or even torture to bend the creature’s will to his own. This culminates in a handle animal check (if non-sentient) or intimidate check (if sentient) opposed by a modified level check made by the creature (1d20+HD+any bonuses vs. fear or enchantment). If torture rules are in effect (see Book of Vile Darkness), then an Imperious Agent may avail himself to any bonuses derived from the use of these rules, though doing so is an especially evil act.
If the Imperious Agent succeeds on his check, then the creature will continue to follow the Imperious Agent’s commands indefinitely as if dominated. The creature is aware of it’s own actions if it has an intelligence score, perhaps on some level resenting the fact that it’s will is not it’s own, but has been conditioned to believe that it cannot resist (and wise Imperious Agents use other abilities, such as geas, to further ensure compliance in case the minion succeeds on a save at some point). At fourth level and every three levels thereafter, the Imperious Agent gains the ability to gain an additional minion. A minion may be released from service at any time to make room for a new one. Minions released in this fashion generally become instantly hostile to the Imperious Agent unless they were treated particularly well or feel their servitude was a justified penance for some past wrong (i.e. a lawful Imperious Agent acting to correct the behavior of a lawbreaker.) Minions can also be set free by break enchantment or any effect that renders them no longer a valid target of the Imperious Agent’s domineering hex ability at his current caster level.
Bonus Feat (Ex):
At second level and eighth level, the Imperious Agent gains a bonus feat drawn from the following list, for which he must have the necessary prerequisites: Ability Focus, Bind Vestige (ToM), Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Hex Mage Contract (see above), Craft Wondrous Item, Improved Bind Vestige (ToM), Leadership, Persuasive, Practiced Binder (ToM) Name-Bound Hex (see above), Skill Focus (any knowledge or cha-based), Truename Research (ToM), Truename Training (ToM), Imperious Command (DotU)
Lesser Planar Binding (Sp):
A third level Imperious Agent is capable of drawing extraplanar creatures to themselves and binding them to their will. To do so, he places a hex glyph and charges it with a number of hex points equal to the number of hit dice the creature to be called will have. He then expends these hex points to activate this ability. This functions as the lesser planar binding spell, except that, in lieu of a magic circle, the creature is targeted immediately upon arrival with the Imperious Agent’s domineering hex ability (offering a will save to resist as normal) to constrain it. If the creature is simply controlled through domineering hex instead of the Imperious Agent actually striking a bargain with it, the creature either becomes hostile to the summoner or (if possible) flees as soon as the domineering hex expires. If the Imperious Agent is not around when he expends the hex points stored in the glyph that summoned the creature, then the creature is likely to become hostile to the first creature it sees on the assumption that it was the summoner; this means that the lesser planar binding ability may be used to set summoning traps.
Contagious Curse (Su):
The minions of an Imperious Agent of at least 5th level have the potential to spread their personal curse to others. When a minion is slain, an arc of magical energy reaches out from it to strike the creature that dealt the killing blow, with a range of up to 30ft. The killer immediately gains a number of hex points equal to the number of that the Imperious Agent could have on a given creature at any time (normally equal to his effective hex mage caster level). Imperious Agents often use this ability to work their way up the hierarchy of an enemy organization, slaying or enslaving each member in turn.
Planar Binding (Sp):
The Imperious Agent gains this ability at 6th level. This functions as the lesser planar binding class ability (see above), but is instead treated as a planar binding spell. A separate glyph must be created for each creature to be summoned. Otherwise, any creature beyond the first is immediately considered unaffected by the Imperious Agent’s domineering hex ability.
Geas (Sp):
At 6th level, the Imperious Agent gains the geas ability as described in the hex mage class (see above). If he already has this class feature or would gain it a second time at some point, he instead gets a +2 bonus on the caster levels and saves required for the lesser geas and geas class features.
Greater Planar Binding (Sp):
The Imperious Agent gains this ability at 9th level. This functions as the planar binding class ability (see above), but is instead treated as a greater planar binding spell. A separate glyph must be created for each creature to be summoned. Otherwise, any creature beyond the first is immediately considered unaffected by the Imperious Agent’s domineering hex ability.
Tyrant’s Gaze (Su):
At 10th level, the Imperious Agent may insinuate his control over others with merely a glance. He gains a gaze attack that causes any creature within 30ft that sees his eyes to make a will save (DC 10 + 1/2 effective hex mage caster level + charisma modifier) or gain hex points as though the Imperious Agent had struck the creature with a hexing strike. The Imperious Agent may exclude creatures from being affected by his gaze if he so choses. See the gaze attack entry in the Monster Manual for details.
Ex Imperious Agents
The abilities that an Imperious Agent harnesses require a certain personal edge and ruthlessness that most kind-hearted individuals would inherently regard as deplorable. An Imperious Agent loses most class abilities if he becomes good or chaotic in alignment, though any minions he currently has under his control remain so bound until released. He cannot thereafter continue to advance in the Imperious Agent class unless he changes his alignment to one that would qualify for the class and receives an atonement from a cleric that matches his new alignment.