1879: Saurids: The War Leader

In which we take a look at a Saurid-specific Profession from the forthcoming Saurids of the Gruv book. Those of you who have played our demo, Worst of Both Worlds, at conventions or your FLGS, have seen this Profession in action.

Hapatsyteskvos (War Leader)

“You can send your band to their deaths in battle, but are they willing to die for you?”

Unlike Terrestrial officers, the Hapatsyteskvos is not appointed from above, but supported from below. While the leadership of the Order or band may give potential leaders the opportunity, incipient Hapatsyteskvar must win the respect of their fellows themselves, and rise on their own merits and abilities. Throughout their lives, the Hapatsyteskvos must gain and keep the respect of their peers, their followers, and their superiors, being a leader not only in name but in practice. A brilliant tactician who cannot argue convincingly in council will not succeed as a Hapatsyteskvos. A charismatic individual with little military prowess will not win the respect of the warriors and convince them to follow. Part politician, part warrior, the Hapatsyteskvos must be a leader in every sense of the word, and must model the behavior they expect their followers to exhibit.

Important Attributes: DEX, PER
Profession Skill: Tactics
Racial Restrictions: Saurid (cultural)
Starting Equipment: Mount, Armor and Weapons
Starting Funds: Moderate
Income: Moderate
Suggested Social Level: 3

Skills and Abilities

• Initiate
  • Core Skills
    • Awareness, Battle Shout, Equestrian, Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons
  • Optional Skills
    • Animal Handling, Avoid Blow, Heartening Laugh, Sure Mount, Wound Balance
• Novice
  • Core Skills
    • Danger Sense, First Impression, Impressive Display, Shake It Off, Taunt
  • Optional Skills
    • Anticipate Blow, Eidetic Memory, Entertainer (Singing), Navigation, Stealthy Stride
• Journeyman
  • Core Skills
    • Diplomacy, Inspire Others, Lasting Impression, Leadership, Resist Taunt, Steely Stare, Stout Constitution
  • Optional Skills
    • Battle Bellow, Charge, Disarm, Lion Heart, Mapmaking, Mount Attack, Riposte
  • Abilities
    • The character gains +1 to their Physical Defense.
    • The character gains +1 to their Social Defense.
    • The character may spend Karma on any Charisma-only Test.
    • We Follow the Legends: The Hapatsyteskvos makes a particularly inspiring speech, comparing their companions to great heroes of tribal legend. The character makes an Inspire Others Test as normal. For 2 points of Strain per success, the companions add +1 to their Physical Defense and +1 to their Mystic Defense to the bonus already granted by Inspire Others.
• Warden
  • Core Skills
    • Bardic Voice, Command, Oratory, Rally, Strategy
  • Optional Skills
    • Defense, Resist Pain, Safe Thought, Second Attack, Second Weapon
  • Abilities
    • The character gains +1 to their Physical Defense.
    • The character gains +1 to their Mystic Defense.
    • The character may spend Karma on Recovery Tests.
    • We Strike Like Lightning: The character makes a Rally Test as normal. If the Rally Test scores more than one success, the character spends 5 Strain to grant each person affected by the Rally a Second Attack Test, using the Hapatsyteskvos’s Second Attack Rank but the recipient’s DEX Step. This Second Attack Test must be used in the round following the one in which the Rally occurs.
• Master
  • Core Skills
    • Concentrated Assault, Life Check, Multi-Strike, Relentless Recovery, Second Chance
  • Optional Skills
    • Lion Spirit, Perfect Focus, Song of Battle, Unflinching Fortitude, Vicious Wound
  • Abilities
    • The character gains +2 to their Physical Defense.
    • The character’s Max Karma increases by 15.
    • We Raise Our War Song: The Hapatsyteskvos must pay 2 permanent Damage Points to gain this ability. For Strain equal to the Command Rank needed to lead the current force +5, the character may lead their command in war song. For example, if the character is leading a battalion, the cost is 10 Strain. Make an Inspire Others + Song of Battle Test against the opposing commander’s Social Defense + Professional Rank. Karma may be used for this Test. For each success, troops under the command of the Hapatsyteskvos gain +1 to their Physical, Mystic, and Social Defenses, and +1 to all Action, Damage, and Effect Tests. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to the Hapatsyteskvos’s Song of Battle Rank. The Hapatsyteskvos must continue singing for the duration or the effect fails.