Crimson Scholar

“*He dared even to attend the Scholomance, and there was no branch of knowledge of his time that he did not essay.”*

—*Bram Stoker, Dracula*

Despite their vices and predatory nature there is one noble thing that the immortal vampires can be said to do in service to the greater good. They preserve the mysteries and knowledge of the past. Via myriad circumstances, crimson scholars have been taught by the most ancient of vampires in the knowledge of lost eras. Their training has shaped them into living repositories of knowledge, so much so that they can even hold the sum total of other creatures' knowledge and experience.

### **Reduced Base Attack Bonus**

A crimson scholar has a medium base attack bonus progression like a rogue.

This ability alters the vampire hunter’s base attack bonus.

### **Skills**

A crimson scholar gains Linguistics as a class skill but loses Ride.

### **Veilweaving**

Starting at 1st level, a crimson scholar learns to shape the magical power known as akasha into powerful veils, which are drawn from the nexus list. They use Intelligence as their veilweaving modifier and know and can shape any veil from this list that occupies the Hands, Feet, Head, Wrists, Shoulders, and Headband slots. The DC for a saving throw against a veil’s abilities is 10 + the number of points of essence invested in the veil + the crimson scholar’s Intelligence modifier. They can only shape a certain number of veils per day (see **Table: Crimson Scholar Veils and Essence**). Veils are constructs of pure magic and are suppressed while in the area of an antimagic field or similar phenomena.

At 1st level, the crimson scholar also gains access to their own personal pool of essence, which can be invested into veils and other receptacles to increase their power. The pool of available essence is listed in the crimson scholar’s veils and essence table; the crimson scholar's character level determines the maximum quantity of essence they can invest in any single veil. As a swift action, they can reallocate their essence investments into their veils every round. A crimson scholar must have a good night’s rest and must meditate for one hour to prepare their veils for the day.

This ability replaces the technique gained at 1st level and the spells class feature. Crimson scholars do not gain any spells or spellcasting ability, do not have a caster level, and cannot use spell trigger and spell completion magic items.

### **Judge of Mortality**

At 1st level, a crimson scholar gains the ability to see the ebb and flow of life, as well as aberrations to this pattern. They constantly have the veil Vanth’s Eyes shaped. This veil does not count against their normal limits on veils shaped, or their veil slots. As this veil does not count against the lost art user’s veil slots or chakras, a crimson scholar can still shape a different veil into the same slot as it freely. When shaped in this way Vanth’s Eyes loses the evil descriptor.

This ability replaces detect undead.

### **Scholar**

At 1st level, the crimson scholar must select Know Master or Vampire Scholar as their first technique feat.

This alters the technique feat selected at first level.

### **Living Tome (Su)**

At 1st level, a crimson scholar learns how to store large quantities of information flawlessly within their mind. By making a successful DC 15 Linguistics or Perception check as part of the action to read or interact with written or drawn information, the crimson scholar can memorize 1 page of such information, including images and maps. For every 5 by which they exceed this DC they can memorize another page of information as part of the same action. If the crimson scholar memorizes the entirety of a magical writing (such as a scroll or a page from a spellbook) they do not borrow, duplicate, or retain any of the magic in the writing. However, as a standard action the crimson scholar can expend an amount of crushed ruby with a gold piece value equal to the cost of a magical text they have memorized (e.g. the cost to write it in spellbook or the purchase cost of a scroll) and touch a number of blank pages sufficient to hold the text, they can impart the magical text, including its original properties, onto the pages. This process removes the memorized magical text from the crimson scholar’s mind.

This ability can be invested with essence. For each point of essence invested in this ability the crimson scholar gains a +2 insight bonus on Linguistics checks.

This ability replaces track.

### **Chakra Binds**

At 2nd level, 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, the crimson scholar gains the ability to bind veils directly to their chakras, unlocking potent new abilities. The crimson scholar gains the ability to bind slots in the following order: Hands, Feet, Head, Wrists, Shoulders, Headband.

### **Liquid Souls (Su)**

At 2nd level, by drinking at least a pint of an intelligent creature’s blood, or similar vital fluid, a crimson scholar can temporarily absorb its memories. At any point within 24 hours of imbibing the creature’s blood they can attempt a Diplomacy or Intimidation check to extract information from the traces of that creature’s soul lingering in the consumed blood. The base DC of this check is 20 + creature’s Charisma modifier. This check is modified as follows: simple information (-5), unimportant secrets (+5), valuable secrets (+10 or more based on GM discretion). The information gained is limited by the creature’s knowledge at the time the blood was taken and what they believed to be true. The DC also increases by +5 each time this is attempted the crimson scholar attempts this check against a given creature’s blood. After 24 hours the traces of the creature's soul vanish entirely.

This ability can be invested with essence. As long as at least 1 point of essence is invested in this ability, the crimson scholar can use their Intelligence modifier in place of the Charisma modifier when making checks to extract information from consumed blood. For each point of essence invested in this ability, past the first, they gain a +1 insight bonus on Diplomacy or Intimidation checks related to this ability. This ability is a necromancy effect with the evil and death descriptors.

At 5th level, the crimson scholar can attempt to consume more than just memories from a creature. If they consume at least 1 pint of blood, or similar fluid, from a dead intelligent creature or destroyed intelligent undead, within 1 minute of that creature’s death or destruction, that creature must make a Will save as if it were still alive against a DC of 10 + the number of points of essence invested in this ability + the crimson scholar’s Intelligence modifier. If the creature fails this saving throw, their remains crumble to dust, and their soul is trapped within the crimson scholar. Such as soul is only freed to move on if the crimson scholar dies, willingly releases them, or if they are resurrected via *true resurrection*, *miracle*, *wish*, or a similar effect. The crimson scholar can extract information from such a soul as described above, except that there is no time limit, and any increases to the DC due to making multiple attempts disappears when they shape their veils for the day. The crimson scholar can hold a number of souls equal to their veilweaver level. If a new soul would cause them to exceed this limit they must choose a soul they currently contain to release.

Additionally, once per day if a soul they have consumed is of a creature that is capable of shaping veils, they can attempt a check as if extracting information from it to gain access to their knowledge of veilweaving instead, which is treated as a valuable secret. If they succeed on this check, the crimson scholar can unshape one veil they currently have shaped and shape a veil that creature could shape in its place. They can bind a veil shaped in this way as a part of this process, so long as they have the ability to bind veils to the appropriate chakra. If the veil shaped occupies a slot they do not possess (e.g. Interface or Ring), the crimson scholar takes 2 points of essence burn that lasts until the next time they shape their veils for the day. The crimson scholar is always aware of if a soul that they have consumed was capable of veilweaving and what veils were available to them.

As long as the crimson scholar contains souls consumed via this ability they exude an evil aura like a cleric of an evil deity.

This ability replaces relentless and relentless band.

### **Unrestricted Scholar**

Beginning at 7th level, a crimson scholar learns that their only true limit is their knowledge. They can select Skill Focus, or an akashic feat they meet the prerequisites for, in place of the following vampire hunter class features: vampire tracker (7th), quarry (14th), and improved quarry (19th, must replace if quarry is replaced).

This replaces the vampire hunter class ability the crimson scholar gives up for the akashic feat.

### **Improved Essence Capacity**

At 15th level the maximum essence capacity of all the crimson scholar’s essence receptacles increases by 1.

### **Veil Touched Mastery**

At 20th level, each day when the crimson scholar shapes their veils for the day, instead of when they regain their spells per day, they choose one vampiric focus to be active on themself for the entire day.

This ability modifies but otherwise functions as master vampire hunter.