Editing Ardarvia (section)

==New Prestige Classes==

===Supplicant of Ardarvia===

The Supplicant of Ardarvia, rather than making themselves scourges of evil and maintainers of order and law, take the role of ultimate submissives, allowing themselves to be used by the members of the Ardarvian clergy as examples of service in good faith, submission to the higher powers - in some cases the Highest Power - as a dedication of faith in the ways of their goddess. These Supplicants are often mistaken for the adherents of a terrible goddess of pain and torture and destruction, the Helotry of Xiombarg. It becomes very quickly apparent that these Supplicants are quite different; they are adherents to the Rule of Law, the dedication to serve as a means to better others, and the defense of the helpless. Many Supplicants started their careers as "Whipping Boys", young men or women who were companions to noble children and beloved by them, and who took the whippings for punishment that the nobles were supposed to receive when they did wrong as children. Others are often repentant converts who wish to make the ultimate sacrifice accepted by their goddess in order to make amends for their past deeds.

Becoming a Sacrificed  or a Supplicant is seen as the ultimate show of devotion by many Ardarvians, and it is not something entered into lightly. The church will refuse and warn away any initiates who are spiritually unprepared for such a life, and those who are seen as legitimate candidates undertake a long period of preparation before being considered for the ritual.

This is perhaps one of the most controversial facets of the Ardarvian faith, and as such is not highly publicized by the church.  A Sacrificed or a Supplicant who wishes to be restored may request it. The request is rarely denied, but it does incur some fitting penalties for having squandered Ardarvia's gifts and sacraments.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 200px; height: 200px;"
|-
! Lvl !! BAB !! FORT !! REF !! WILL
|-
! 1
| +0 || +1 || +0 || +1
|-
! 2
| +1 || +2 || +0 || +2
|-
! 3
| +1 || +3 || +0 || +3
|-
! 4
| +2 || +4 || +0 || +4
|-
! 5
| +2 || +5 || +0 || +5
|}

'''Requirements:''' Lawful, worshipper of Ardarvia, Minimum BAB +5
Skills: 2+Int modifier (Heal, Spot, Listen, Escape Artist, Knowledge Religion, Knowledge Arcana, Spellcraft, Diplomacy, Sense Motive)

'''1st Level:''' No increase in Spellcasting ability for a spellcaster. The Supplicant of Ardarvia gains the ability to take on the hurts of others. They gain the ability to cast "Shield Other" as a spell-like ability at will. They also gain a +2 inherent bonus to Con. They also gain Deathwatch as a permanent spell effect; this effect is considered a Supernatural ability.

'''2nd Level:''' Increase in Spellcasting ability, but no class ability increases. They also gain the supernatural ability to use the Status spell on anyone within 60' as a move equivalent action.

'''3rd level:''' Another increase in Spellcasting Ability. Their inherent bonus to Constitution increases to +4.

'''4th level:''' No increase in Spellcasting ability. The Supplicant is granted the ability to attempt to restore life to a character who has died no more than 1 round previous. They may use this ability to Revivify (or the Breath of Life spell) as a Spell Like Ability once per day; this increases to twice per day at 5th level; this also increases the time the character has been dead to two rounds. They may only attempt this once per body, and may only successful do so if the spirit is willing to return. This ability has no effect on undead. Success means the deceased has returned to life with one hit point. Any uncast spells they had memorized are retained if they are a spellcaster. Spells that have been cast are still lost.

'''5th level:''' Increase in Spellcasting ability. The Supplicant is granted the ability to negate the death of another by accepting the damage to themselves instead. As an immediate action, when someone is put into negative hit points, the Supplicant may instead instantly transfer all of the damage suffered to himself while the victim suffers none; no magical protection can prevent the Supplicant from taking this damage, and any effects, poisons, or status effects associated with the damage are also transferred. The Supplicant's inherent bonus to Con increases again, to +6.

Bear in mind that inherent bonuses do not stack, so the Supplicant cannot benefit from either a Tome of Gainful Exercise or whatever the con-increasing one is, nor can he benefit from wishes to increase his con score.

===Sacrificed of Ardarvia===

'''The Sacrificed'''

One of the most sacred - and most secret - mysteries of the Church of Ardarvia is the Sacrificed. The parable of the First Sacrificed was that of a handsome young noble who was prone to deep depressions and very dark moods. He was in normal states a very effective leader of his people and concerned with the well being of his folk. however, when these dark moods took him, he could be cruel, even vicious. Eventually, he fell prey to a dark urge, and mutilated a serving girl. When the girl expired, he found that his horrible - and shockingly expert - torture and mutilation of her body had alleviated the black mood. Soon he was driven to such deeds, at least two or three times a year.

One day, the young noble was weeping in a courtyard, and the clergyman of the household overheard him. The elderly priest had long suspected something wrong, but there was little he could do - the young man outranked him and had not been actually caught at his predation. After swearing a vow of secrecy, the priest listened to the horrifying tale and he succored the young man as best he could. Bound by his vow and by his loyalty to the noble household, the priest feared there was little he could do, but pray.

After several long and largely sleepless nights, the priest was given a vision - or perhaps a visitation - of the Exquisite Lament. the angel dried the priest's tears, and spoke with him at length, giving him instruction. When the priest rose, he found upon his altar a set of long white ribbons of silk so fine no mortal could have woven it, several knives of gleaming sunset-colored steel, and a saw of palest silver.

He spoke to the lord of the manor at length, and explained what he had been told and what must be done, not just for the safety of the household, but for the sake of the young noble's soul. The tearful nobleman agreed, and the priest sent for three acolytes and the nobleman's son. When the youth arrived in the chapel, the priest explained to him what Exquisite Lament had told him. The youth's heart was pure, but his body was diseased, and there would be no curing the need of his limbs for pain and murder. So, he would be given a choice. He could join a cloister, and give up his nobility and rank, and live in quiet suffering for the rest of his days....or he could give up his limbs and remove their hunger for pain and blood at the source. The priest did mention one other thing - he had been told that if the young man chose the latter, he would be blessed and protected by the goddess herself, in light of his devotion and his rank.

When the deed was done, the youth was alive, and sleeping, while the saw had rent through bone, and the knives had removed flesh. The ribbons of silk were forever stained black; such was the tainted blood from the youth's possessed limbs.

Since then, the faith has quiet accepted the Sacrificed, who dedicate their lives to protection, teaching, and the rooting out of evil in all things that it may be exposed to truth and healed.

'''Requirement:''' Able to manifest psionic powers of 3rd level, or cast arcane or divine spells of 3rd level; Religion 8 ranks (5 in Pathfinder); be a member in good standing of the Church of Ardarvia.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center; width: 200px; height: 200px;"
|-
! Lvl !! BAB !! FORT !! REF !! WILL
|-
! 1
| +0 || +1 || +0 || +1
|-
! 2
| +1 || +2 || +0 || +2
|-
! 3
| +1 || +3 || +0 || +3
|-
! 4
| +2 || +4 || +0 || +4
|-
! 5
| +2 || +5 || +0 || +5
|}

'''1st Level:''' No casting ability gain. The Sacrificed has all limbs removed. This results in no hit point loss or con drain, unlike most such operations, as the ritual is done with clerical help and expert chirurgeons.  Restoration of the limbs results in a loss of all abilities and powers other than spellcasting/manifesting increases of this PrC class. The Sacrificed gains the (Su) ability to manifest a variant of the Astral Construct power three times per day. This power is treated as though the Sacrificed was a metacreative psion of his caster level and spent power points equal to his caster level. This Construct - the Body - lasts for 2 hours per Sacrificed level. The only ability selects that can be taken for the construct are those pertaining to its defense or protective qualities, or its hit points/dice. It can no offensive capability at all, and cannot be made to attack anyone or anything. Two of it's limbs must carry the Sacrificed at all times. If it has more than two limbs, it can hold or carry objects or manipulate things at the behest of the Sacrificed, but can take no offensive actions.  The sacrificed also gains Eschew Materials and Still Spells as bonus feats if they are spellcasters; psychics gain Skill Focus: Concentration and Psionic Dodge as bonus feats. These bonus feats cannot be changed.

'''2nd level:''' Increase in casting ability/manifesting ability; the Sacrificed gains the ability to cast/manifest the power Telekinetic Force at will as a move action, but the duration is concentration only.

'''3rd Level:''' Increase in spellcasting/manifesting ability. By speaking in a calm, reasonable tone of voice to someone who is not engaged in violence, the Sacrificed can inflict a Charm Monster effect on the individual, as if he had cast the spell. He may do this once per day.

'''4th Level:''' Spellcasting/manifesting ability increase. The Sacrificed gain the ability to cast Spectral Hand as a (Su) ability 3 times per day. this hand has all the attributes of the spell, but it can transfer spells, powers, or spell like abilities. It cannot transfer supernatural or extraordinary abilities.

'''5th Level:''' No caster level increase. Instead, the Sacrificed gains the Grace of Ardarvia, which gives him a permanent Deflection Bonus to AC equal to his Charisma Bonus, and a permanent Luck bonus to his saving throws equal to his casting/manifesting ability score.  This is a Supernatural ability.