Artist's Vengeance - General Prestige Class
This is a general Prestige class that may be applicable to the Forgotten Realms Campaign
The strange and beautiful creatures known as lillends are utterly dedicated to the defense of the arts and all forms of artistic expression. Anyone who dares to defile a masterpiece or smash a priceless musical instrument might become the target of a lillend's wrath. Those mortals who espouse the same causes merit special respect from these extraplanar patrons and protectors of the arts.
The Artist's Vengeance began as an underground association of bards from all lands who shared one common trait: Their work had been heckled, censored, or destroyed. After lillends came to the defense of some members, slaying those who had discredited the artists and destroyed their work, the group developed into a lillend-worshiping cult. Now, members of the cult (artist's vengeances) work from the shadows to defend both artwork and artists, and they actively seek revenge on anyone who would destroy art, inhibit artistic expression, or harm an artist.
Most Artists' Vengeance bands meet in secret bardic colleges or thieves' guilds, far from the prying eyes of the authorities. Some even take to the wilderness, meeting outside a city before beginning a night's work. Artists' Vengeance groups usually operate democratically, often with no specific leader. Because the organization acts in secret and is often outside the law, authority figures and wealthy nobles tend to view it as a threat. To the common folk, however, the Artists'
Vengeance represents light in a realm of darkness - a flame of inspiration that cannot be extinguished.
The typical artist's vengeance was once a bard, and many were bards of great renown before adopting the class. Nonbards are rare, although characters of other prestige classes that emphasize musical talent might also qualify.
Characters could encounter an NPC artist's vengeance who has come to the aid of a bard or other artist and work cooperatively with her. Alternatively, if the PCs have inadvertently desecrated or destroyed a classic piece of art while sacking a dungeon or keep, they could find themselves facing the legendary wrath of the lillend cult.
Hit Die: d8
To qualify to become an Artist's Vengeance, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:
- Alignment: Chaotic good
- Skills: Perform 8 ranks, Intimidate 8 ranks
- Class Feature: Bardic music ability.
- Special: The candidate's art (be it dance, prose, painting, or any other form) must have been attacked, unfairly critiqued, or destroyed by another force.
From:
Dragon #307
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