Rogues of the Dragon Coast (Character Kit)

Class Information 	Class Information
Racial Requirements 	Human, half-elf
Ability Requirements 	Dexterity 9, varies
Prime Requisite 	Dexterity
Hit Die Type 	Varies
Attack as 	Rogue
Save as 	Rogue
Advance as 	Rogue
Spell Ability? 	No
Exceptional Strength? 	Varies
Exceptional Constitution?	Varies
Starting Cash (x10 gp) 	3d6
Proficiencies 	Proficiencies
Weapon Slots 	2
Additional Slot 	4
Nonproficiency Penalty 	-3
Nonweapon Slots 	3
Additional Slot 	4
Available Categories 	General, Rogue
Bonus Proficiencies 	Varies
Recommended Proficiencies	None
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==Overview==
The Dragon Coast is a collection of city-states that dot the southern shores of the Dragonmere. No single power dominates this region, for each of the city-states is an independent entity. The people of the Dragon Coast value their independence above all else. Governments are important for the provision of basic services and defense of  the city, but any ruler who sticks his nose too far into the business of the citizens is asking for trouble. It is often said in these parts that a good leader is invisible.
==Description==
Rogues from the Dragon Coast can best be described as free-spirited individuals. This is reflected in their dress,
for the only common theme among them is probably that there isn't a common theme. A traveler to these parts is likely to meet (and be robbed by) almost any type of rogue imaginable. So determined are these folk to be unique that members of the many thieves' guilds in this region carry some form of identifying item so they can be readily identified by others of their band.
==Role Playing==
Dragon Coast rogues like action, adventure, and freedom. They are often reckless in their pursuit of treasure, love, or whatever it is that attracts their attention at any given time. This frenzied approach to life results in a high death rate among young rogues but guarantees that those who live to attain higher levels of experience will be among the most crafty of their kind on Toril.
==Special Abilities==
===Elversult===
Elversult is often thought of as a den of smugglers, narcotics dealers, and assassins. Much of this is true, for the Cult of the Dragon has spent many years forging an underworld network in Elversult from which they can spin their foul web of corruption, death, and larceny. In recent years, however, an upstart group known as the Purple Masks has begun to challenge the power of this network. All characters designed with this kit belong to the Purple Masks.
Members of the Purple Masks wear such things when undertaking criminal activity. These masks serve to both identify the rogue as a member of that order and conceal his identity from his victims.
Members of the Purple Masks are extremely well connected within the city. As a result, they begin play with the local history skill.
All members of the Purple Masks are expected to be in excellent physical condition. To survive their undeclared war with the Cult of the Dragon, they are often called upon to exert themselves to the limit. These characters also receive the blind-fighting, jumping, and tumbling skills. These are bonus proficiencies and the character need not allocate any slots to obtain them. Slots can be expended to improve the character's chance of success when employing these skills if desired.
===The Pirate Isles===
Whether they operate out of the Dragonisle itself or are based on one of the many smaller islands that poke above the waves of the Inner Sea, the rogues of the Pirate Isles are a menace to shipping and commerce throughout the region.
Nearly as talented at fighting as they are at thieving, these characters use eight-sided Hit Dice when rolling for hit points and are entitled to the bonuses for both exceptional Strength and high Constitution.
Characters designed with this kit also receive the seamanship and rope use proficiencies. These are bonus skills and the character need not allocate any slots to obtain them. Slots can be expended to increase the character's chance of success when using them.
Because they spend so much time on the high seas, the pirates of the Inner Sea are exposed to a number of skills not normally open to characters of their class. As a result, they need not expend an extra slot to gain proficiencies from the Warrior group.
===Teziir===
One of the most active and rapidly expanding groups of thieves one is likely to encounter along the Dragon Coast is the Astorians of Teziir. Not as powerful or expansive as the Night Masks of Westgate, this group of felons specializes in protection and extortion rackets. All characters designed with this kit are members of the Astorians.
To join the Astorians, a character must have Strength and Constitution scores of at least 12. This is because that group tends to solve its problems with a show of muscle. Arson, beatings, and kidnappings are everyday parts of the Astorian operation.
Because the Astorians are so fond of hitting things (usually people), they gain a +1 bonus to all melee attack rolls.
Characters created with this kit are highly skilled in unarmed combat. Usually, this doesn't involve formal training but simply indicates the character is a skilled street brawler. Occasionally, more experienced characters may have had some formal martial arts training. Whatever the source of this skill, its game effects are the same. Whenever one of the Astorians makes an unarmed melee attack, he gains a +4 bonus to his attack roll and causes twice the normal damage indicated on Table 58: Punching and Wrestling Results in the Player's Handbook. This bonus applies to punching or wrestling attacks, but not to overbearing attempts.
===Westgate===
The free-city of Westgate is one of the most important trading centers in Faerûn. Located opposite Cormyr on the shores of the Dragonmere, it is possible that more wealth passes through Westgate than through any other city on the planet. This delights the merchants of the city immensely, of course. It doesn't exactly upset the thieves' guild, either.
Although the legal government of Westgate is a council of wealthy nobles and merchants, the true power in the city rests in the hands of The Faceless, an unknown individual who dominates the city's thieves' guild. Known as the Night Masks, this band of rogues controls every aspect of crime in the city.
The Night Masks make no secret of their existence (at least not as a group), although they hide their individual identities behind domino masks. These same masks are often left as calling cards to warn those who have offended the guild.
Like the Astorians of Teziir, the Night Masks are noted for their tendency to use violence to solve their problems. They are, however, somewhat more subtle than their peers to the west. Where an Astorian would break a victim's legs or beat him to a pulp, a member of the Night Masks would simply administer an unhealthy dose of toxin or slip a knife into the offender's back. Their skill in such matters imposes a -2 penalty on an opponent's surprise roll if the Night Mask is acting alone or in the company only of other Night Masks.
In addition to their surprise advantage, the Night Masks train their members to anticipate an opponent's combat style. All members of this guild receive a -2 bonus to their own initiative roll in combat, in addition to any other bonuses that might apply.
==Special Disadvantages==
===Elversult===
The hoods that members of the Purple Masks wear do an excellent job of hiding the identity of their wearer. They have the disadvantage, though, of reducing the character's detect noise skill by 15% when worn.
The physical demands of this guild are not without their costs. Members of the Purple Masks devote so much time to their daily exercises that they neglect less material pursuits. As a result, they suffer a -15% penalty to their read languages skill. They also suffer a -1 penalty when making a proficiency check on any skill that is based on Wisdom or Intelligence.
===The Pirate Isles===
Many of the skills commonly associated with rogues and thieves have little value on the high seas. Because of this, the pirates of the Inner Sea spend little time mastering the pick pockets, hide in shadows, climb walls, or detect noise skills and so suffer a -15% penalty to their chance of success when using them.
===Teziir===
The thugs and ruffians that compose the Astorians are not noted for subtle plans or deep thinking. Their most commonly executed scam consists of telling a shopkeeper to give them some money. If he refuses, they beat the stuffing out of him, possibly setting fire to his store in the process, and move on to the next shop. Before long, merchants are more than willing to pay this protection money.
Because this sort of operation doesn't attract the most intelligent men and women to join the Astorians, all characters designed with this kit must reduce their starting Intelligence and Wisdom scores by 2 points.
===Westgate===
The Night Masks have all sworn oaths of loyalty to their master, whom they know only as The Faceless. For the most part, the guild is operated by a pentad of individuals who answer directly to this master. The Faceless himself seldom interferes with their decisions, and they seem to respect or fear him so much that his direct orders are never questioned. From time to time, orders from this pentad, or from The Faceless himself, may require the players to undertake risky missions in the name of the Night Masks. The percentage chance of this happening is equal to the rogue's Charisma score. The DM makes this check at the start of each month to see if this happens.
In addition, Westhavian Night Mask rogues never gain the ability to use magical scrolls at 10th level. They are too busy pursuing their more mundane talents to acquire the arcane knowledge needed to develop this talent.