Lantern

While Marionettes are stealthy and very accomplished living puppets, occasionally a Marionette falls prey to other assassins targeting it, or is destroyed in battle. In these circumstances, the Marionette must find a new body to implant their soul into, and occasionally they must utilize whatever is at hand.

The Lantern are a group of Marionettes whom have given up their bodies of wood to take instead a body of fire and straw. Scarecrow like creatures, able to slink around in the shadows and cause all sorts of trouble, The Lanterns gain insight, and power that the Marionettes lack.

**REQUIREMENTS**

**Marionette level 10**

**Feats:** Assassin Doll, Killer Puppet

**Special:** Most spend time with Nature, become initiated by a Lantern, or have your body destroyed and soul placed into a pumpkin.

**Hit die:** d8

The creature's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are

Bluff (Cha), Slight of hand (Dex), Escape artist (Dex), Pilot (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Martial knowledge (Physical Monster weapon) (Int), Knowledge (All taken seperately) (Int), Stealth (Dex), Climb (Str), Athletics (Dex), Perception (Wis)

**Skill Ranks per Level:** 6+ Int modifier.

**Race:**
When becoming a Lantern, you nearly become a new race all together. As such, you gain the bonuses listed below.

Type: Changes to Aberration (No recalculations are made however)

+4 Strength +2 Charisma. -2 Dexterity

+2 to Stealth and Knowledge Arcana

**Techniques readied**
At every level other than 2nd, 5th, and 8th, the Lantern gains techniques as if he had leveled up in his previous class. However he only gains the number of techniques readied, he must choose techniques from the new Lantern technique list located below. Lanterns can take Monster techniques Marked with a (\*\*), whenever they level up instead of having to wait to gain a monster technique. The Lantern uses whatever bonus the creature before it used to determine it's saving throws, however if it's strength score is higher than the normal relevant score, it uses it instead. In addition, the monster adds all of it's previous magichange change techniques to it's new technique list below.

**Better built muscles:**
Scarecrows are more powerful than they are dexterous, as such their relevant ability modifier changes to strength instead of dexterity.

**Ability Boost**
The Lantern gains bonuses to it's Strength and Charisma score at levels 2, 6, and 10. The Lantern does not gain new ability bonuses from it's previous class.

**Pumpkin (Su)**
At 1st level, you don your new pumpkin head and carve your face. Carving a Pumpkin's face is incredibly important as it grants the Pumpkin it's powers and personality and it cannot be changed. When you take your first level as a Lantern, you must choose one of these.

*Calm Expression:* You are always calm and collected, nothing surprises you and you are always prepared. You gain a +2 bonus to initiative checks.

*Angry Expression:* You are mean and nasty, and can summon up hateful powers. Creatures that attack you take a -1 morale penalty on attack rolls and damage rolls. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Happy Expression: Always full of joy and cheer, you never let the world get you down. You gain a +2 bonus on all charisma based skill checks.

Sad Expression: *Full of sadness and self loathing, you feel as if you are useless. Creatures that you attack in a round take a -1 morale penalty to all saving throws until the end of the round as they are distracted by how sad you are.*

Regardless of the face you chose, you gain Fire Resistance 5 and you gain a weakness to ice, taking 50% more damage from ice techniques. You also gain a powerful Death attack. If a Lantern studies his victim for 3 rounds and then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack has the additional effect of possibly either paralyzing or killing the target (assassin's choice). Studying the victim is a standard action. The death attack fails if the target detects the Lantern or recognizes the lantern as an enemy (although the attack might still be a sneak attack if the target is denied his Dexterity bonus to his Armor Class or is flanked). If the victim of such a death attack fails a Fortitude save (DC 10 + the Lantern's class level + the assassin's Int modifier) against the kill effect, she dies. If the saving throw fails against the paralysis effect, the victim is rendered helpless and unable to act for 1d6 rounds plus 1 round per level of the Lantern. If the victim's saving throw succeeds, the attack is just a normal sneak attack. Once the Lantern has completed the 3 rounds of study, he must make the death attack within the next 3 rounds.

If a death attack is attempted and fails (the victim makes her save) or if the Lantern does not launch the attack within 3 rounds of completing the study, 3 new rounds of study are required before he can attempt another death attack.

**Decoy (Su)**
At 3rd level you are known as a Decoy among the Lanterns. A simple construct who stands by and distracts while the enemy is none the wiser to your true motives. You gain a further ability depending on the face you chose.

*Calm Expression:* You are patient and efficient, you gain a +1 racial bonus to all skills, and your death attack only takes 2 rounds of studying to work.

*Angry Expression:* Your forceful anger is strong enough to demolish creatures a creature's will on the spot. Creatures that witness your sneak attack must succeed in a DC:10+Lantern level +Charisma modifier will save or be shaken until the end of the encounter. further witnessing a sneak attack just increases the level of fear.

*Happy Expression:* Your cheerful face is contagious, sometimes making other enemies laugh as well. A number of times per day equal to 3+Charisma modifier, you can mimic the effects of a Hideous Laughter spell when you make an attack. The creature's save is instead 10+Lantern level+ Charisma modifier.

*Sad Expression:* Your Sad face is contagious, sometimes making other enemies cry as well. A number of times per day equal to 3+Charisma modifier, you can mimic the effects of a Crushing Despair spell when you make an attack. The creature's save is instead 10+Lantern level+ Charisma modifier.

Regardless of the face you have, your fire resistance increases by 5 and you gain the Uncanny dodge ability.

**Mandrake (Su)**
At 4th level, the Lantern is updated to Mandrake status and is considered a full fledged member of the Lanterns and you earn a magical token that shows your admission into the guild. The lantern's fire resistance increases by 5. It gains a powerful cigarette, that is always lit, but never burns away. So long as you have the cigarette in your mouth (Doesn't count as an item slot), you gain a +1 insight bonus on armor class and saving throws equal to 1/2 your Lantern level. As a standard action, you can create a 5-foot-radius cloud of smoke. This power has a range of 30 feet. Creatures inside the cloud take a –2 penalty on attack rolls and Perception skill checks for as long as they remain inside and for 1 round after exiting the cloud. Creatures inside the cloud gain concealment from attacks made by opponents that are not adjacent to them. You are immune to any sort of concealment however. And finally, once per day you can spend a standard action to press your cigarette on your knife to grant it the flaming quality for 1 minute per Lantern level.

If the Cigarette is stolen from you or destroyed in some way, you can replace it by finding another lantern and having them cast an atonement spell on you. You must then spend 1,000 hl and sacrifice a tindertwig, some black powder, and one technique slot for the day.

**Scarecrow (Su)**
At 7th level the Lantern becomes a leader amongst his people, and is known for it's power of assassination. The Lantern gains an ability depending on it's face.

*Calm Expression:* Your calmness allows you to take the best measures for eliminating enemies. whenever you kill a creature using your death attack during a surprise round, you can also make a Stealth check, opposed by Perception checks of those in the vicinity to prevent them from identifying you as the assailant. If successful, those nearby might not even notice that the target is dead for a few moments, allowing the lantern to avoid detection.

*Angry Expression:* Your hatred is so great that creatures you slay you wish could never return. You add your Charisma bonus to all damage rolls when making a sneak attack. In addition, anyone slain by your death attack becomes more difficult to bring back from the dead. Spellcasters attempting to bring a creature back from the dead using raise dead or similar magic must make a caster level check with a DC equal to 15 + the Lantern's level or the spell fails and the material component is wasted. Casting remove curse the round before attempting to bring the creature back from the dead negates this chance. The DC of the remove curse is 10 + the Lantern's level.

*Happy Expression:* Your excited and happy face is known to bring good luck and cheer to your allies. All allies within 30 feet that can see your smiling face gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls and saves vs. Fear effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 levels you possess (Max+3 at level 9)

*Sad Expression:* Your Sadness destroys entire armies, making them sad and useless. When you successfully make a death attack, you can instead choose to bestow major curse instead of paralyze or kill the target. The saving throw is the same.

In addition, the Lantern gains immunity to fire and Improved Uncanny Dodge.

**Jack (Su)**
At 8th level, You have reached the level that most Lanterns never surpass. The rank of Jack means that you have become an assassin rivaling that of the legendary Jack the Ripper himself. You never get caught for your assassinations and you continue on with style and grace. Your Cigarette gains the ability to produce the effects of magic spells. These spells are, Fire, Scorching Ray, Fireball, and Fire shield. Each of these can be used once per day, using your Lantern level as your caster level. In addition, so long as you have the cigarette, you can always choose for your sneak attack damage to deal fire damage instead, and by sacrificing a dice of sneak attack damage, you can force your foe to make a DC: 10+Lantern level+Charisma modifier reflex saving throw, or light on fire, taking 1d6 fire damage per round for 1 round per level. In addition, the Lantern gains the Hide in plain sight ability. A lantern can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, an assassin can hide himself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. He cannot, however, hide in his own shadow.

**Halloween (Su)**

At 10th level you become the pinnacle of Lantern Society. Your name is known far and wide but only mentioned in hushed tones if ever at all. You are the master of the night and all things within. You gain an ability based on your face.

*Calm Expression:* You are so cool and collected that your preparations can alter the past when they don't follow your expectations. Once per day you can choose for a creature you made a sneak attack on in the last round to make a saving throw against your death attack. If the creature fails it is as if you just hit them with your death attack in this round and you get to roll damage again as well.

*Angry Expression:* Your rage is immense and you destroy all that you touch. You gain a +1 bonus to each die of your sneak attack damage.

*Happy Expression:* Your cheerful face literally deflects fear back on enemies. If a creature uses a fear effect that you are within the range of, the creature must make a save against their own fear effect or suffer it's penalties. Whenever you are within a creature's fear aura, or near a creature that has a fear status ailment of some sort, you gain fast healing 5.

*Sad Expression:* Your sadness makes foes unable to move or retaliate against your strength. Once per day, as an immediate action, you can let out a cry that causes creatures within 30 feet to be effected by a slow spell. This spell's duration is a number of rounds equal to your Lantern level, however the first round the character is always effected and gains no save. On the following round however they gain a save DC: 10+ Lantern level + Charisma modifier. Creatures that enter the area after the initial use are effected as well, however creatures that leave the aura are considered to have made their saving throw until they enter again.

Regardless of expression, you gain a powerful ability. 3 times per day, you can dig deep into your foe's armor, and ignore both natural armor, armor, and damage reduction for a single attack. This can be used once per encounter and must be declared before the attack is made.

**Lantern Techniques**

**1st—**Fire, Spark, burning hands, dancing lantern

**2nd—** Greater Magic Weapon , produce flame, burning gaze, elemental speech, elemental touch, fire breath, flaming sphere, pyrotechnics, resist energy, scorching ray, Death Knell

**3rd—**Mega Fire, campfire wall, draconic reservoir, elemental aura, fireball, flame arrow, protection from energy,

**4th—**Atonement, wall of fire, detonate, dragon's breath, fire shield, fire trap, firefall, wall of fire, Death Ward, \*\*Jackknife

**5th—**Giga Fire, fire snake, geyser, planar adaptation, planar binding, lesser,

**6th—** True Seeing, Greater Heroism, fire seeds, contagious flame, planar binding, sirocco,

**7th—** Resounding Blow , Omega Fire, delayed blast fireball, firebrand, Finger of Death, Destruction, Disintegrate

**8th—**incendiary cloud, incendiary cloud, planar binding, greater, wall of lava, Symbol of Death

**9th—**Peta Fire, fiery body, meteor swarm, Implosion