Mercenary Lawyer

**Mercenary Lawyer**

Prime Requisite: INT and CHA

Requirements: INT 12, CHA 12

Hit Dice: d6

Maximum Level: 14

**Description**: The Late-Medieval period serves as the primary historical backdrop for ACKS, our popular imagination would have us believe these times were a dark age dominated by feudalism and superstition but the truth is far more complicated.

During this era legendary scholars known as "Lawyers" emerged, great thinkers determined to fight for the rights of men in a world of injustice. It was an age not only of swords and savagery but also of litigation, emergent capitalism and shameless usury uninhibited by the taboos of old.

Mercenary companies (or as some call them "adventuring parties") were organized as limited-liability corporations with a contractual charter defining shareholdings, dividends and shareholder voting rights. The legacy of these companies was so influential that they formed the origin of the word "company" in modern English--and no company is safe without a Lawyer!

**Weapons and Armor**: Lawyers may use any type of armor or shield and arm themselves with bows including crossbows and arbalests. They may fight with both one and two handed weapons but cannot dual wield. For Lawyers, melee weapons serve both symbolic and practical purposes; they begin the game with a decorated silver melee weapon symbolizing their legal authority and may only use melee weapons of that category.

* **Sword Of Justice:** A 1d6/1d8 executioner's sword. Lawyers who choose this weapon may wield swords and daggers.
* **Ceremonial Mace:** An ornate 1d6/1d8 mace. Lawyers who choose this weapon may wield flails, hammers and maces.
* **Fasces:** A 1d6/1d8 battle axe carried in a bundle of wooden rods when outside of combat. Lawyers who choose this weapon may wield axes.
* **Qiang:** A 1d6/1d8 spear symbolising authority in far eastern culture. The preferred weapon of Lawyers hailing from Zhistraya or employed by Zhistrayan clients. Lawyers who choose this weapon may wield spears and polearms.

**Class Features:**

* **Licensed Practitioner** Lawyers start with two ranks in Profession (Lawyer). They may engage in expert commentary and advocacy relating to both civil and religious law with a proficiency throw of 7+. In lieu of adventuring they can earn 50gp a month for their skills (along with the relevant exp) and may supervise up to three apprentice lawyers (Law1), increasing their productivity by 50%.
* **Master Lawyer (optional)** Lawyers who invest an additional general proficiency point into Profession/Lawyer will raise their status to that of Master Lawyers. They may engage in expert commentary and advocacy relating to both civil and religious law with a proficiency throw of 3+. In lieu of adventuring they can earn 100gp a month for their skills (along with the relevant exp) and may supervise up to two journeyman lawyers (Law2) and four apprentice lawyers (Law1), increasing their productivity by 50%.

* **Song Of Justice** The Lawyer can improve the morale of troops. Inspiring courage requires a few moments of oration before a battle (one round), and grants the character’s allies within a 50' radius a +1 bonus to attack throws, damage rolls, morale rolls (for monsters or NPCs allied with the caster), and saving throws against magical fear. The bonus lasts for 10 minutes (1 turn). The character can inspire courage in any given character once per day per class level. The character cannot inspire courage on characters who are already engaged in combat.

* **Perceive Intentions** The Lawyer will always know the exact reaction result (Hostile, Unfriendly, etc.) of creatures he interacts with, even if the creatures attempt to lie or conceal their reactions. Creatures with a CHA greater than the character’s WIS are immune to this power (and the Lawyer will know they are immune).
* **Business Connections** Whenever the Lawyer buys and sells equipment, hires retainers, and engages in mercantile ventures in a market they have previously visited, he treats the market as if it were one market class larger than its actual size.

**Attack and Saving Throw Progression**

Paralysis
Death
Breath
Wands
 3-4
 5-6
 7-8
 9-10
 11-12
 13-14

**Class Proficiency List** (select one at 1st, 4th, 8th and 12th levels)

Alertness, Bargaining, Bribery, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery, Command, Diplomacy (G), Divine Blessing, Fighting Style, Knowledge (G), Illusion Resistance, Land-Surveying, Languages (G), Leadership (G), Lore Mastery, Martial Training, Profession (G), Prophecy, Running, Theology, Trap Finding, Wakefulness, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus.