The Gaesatae for OSE

 

The Gaesatae for OSE

I created this class for a Celtic design contest I ran a couple of years back, here it is converted for OSE.

A few cultural notes might be useful going into playing this class, so, in no particular order of importance we have-

Head Hunters. The Celts are head-hunters, they take the heads of important or valiant enemies as trophies. They would preserve them and bring them to feasts and talk to them, there was also a trade in prestigious heads. The head is thought to be the seat of “personhood”, this may be the motivation behind head hunting.

The Torc. A torc is a neck ring, and it has some religious significance to the Celts, they were known throughout the Celtic world and were important enough to a warrior that he would rather not go into battle without it, even non-Gaesatae warriors wore them, and it is said would put them on before armor or weapons in an emergency situation. They were generally made of as precious a metal as the warrior could afford, examples have been found in bronze, copper, silver and gold (although primarily bronze and gold); and as ornate as possible. It is also possible they were used as a form of currency. In any case, every Gaesatae should have one.

Fearlessness is somewhat religiously motivated. Celts were said to be fearless in battle because they were certain of their afterlife. An account I read spoke of warriors making deals to pay back debts to each other in the next life if they died in battle. Their fearlessness is such that they accidentally disrespected Alexander the Great when he asked them what it was such great warriors as themselves feared, expecting the answer to be some idle flattery like “you alone my lord”, instead they answered that they “feared only that the sky above might fall”, which is to say “nothing really”.

All right, the bullet points about the Celts and their culture done, I present the Gaesatae for OSE -

The Gaesatae

Requirements: minimum STR 12, DEX 12 and CHA 9

Prime requisite: None

Maximum level: 14

Armour: None, but may use shields

Weapons: Any

Languages: Tribal, Common

Gaesatae must have a minimum STR 12, DEX 12 and CHA 9, they have no Prime Requisite and do not receive XP bonuses.

Gaesatae can use any weapon, but may not wear armor other than a shield and helmet. They must be unclothed (save for wearing a weapon belt, shoes, and a torc) to use any class abilities.

Gaesatae Save as Fighters of equivalent level.

EXP Table

Level XP HD Class Ability

1 0-2,250 1d8 A

2 2,251-4,500 2d8

3 4,501-10,000 3d8 B

4 10,001-20,000 4d8

5 20,001-40,000 5d8 C

6 40,001-90,000 6d8

7 90,001-150,000 7d8 D

8 150,001-225,000 8d8

9 225,001-325,000 9d8 E

10 325,001-650,000 10d8

11 650,001-975,000 10d8+2

12 975,001-1,300,000 10d8+4

Notes-

A – Ritual Nudity - All Gaesatae Class abilities stem from their ritual nudity, and are only in effect when nude and during battle. To maintain their ritual nudity, a Gaesatae may only carry weapons and a shield, they may only wear a helmet, shoes, a weapon belt, and a torc.

All Gaesatae have a base encounter movement rate of 45'/round when unencumbered & nude. The Gaesatae has a natural unarmored AC of 8 [11 AAC]. The Gaesatae gets double the normal bonus to AC from DEX (13-15 +2, 16-17+4, 18+6).

When the Gaesatae lands a killing blow on an opponent, they immediately get another attack on an opponent within their weapon range, up to as many opponents as the Gaesatae has experience levels.

As a mark of their divine favor, all Gaesatae receive a +4 bonus to saves versus mind affecting spells or magical effects, and a +2 bonus on saves versus poison.

B – Gaesatae base encounter move goes up to 50'/round unencumbered. When a Gaesatae defeats an opponent of equal or greater level/hit dice and takes a round to remove it's head as a trophy, they cause fear as per the 1^st level Cleric spell. This only applies to humanoid creatures with heads, creatures that are immune to fear will be unaffected. Natural AC increases to AC 7 [12 AAC].

C – Natural AC increases to AC 6 [13 AAC]. Base encounter move increases to 55'/round unencumbered.

1d4 1st level Gaesatae approach to become apprentice/followers, treat as retainers with a base morale of 10.

D – Natural AC increases to AC 5 [14 AAC]. Base encounter movement rate increases to 60'/round unencumbered. The Gaesatae may now cause fear (as the 3^rd level Illusionist Spell) 3 times/day. When making a special attack following a killing blow, the Gaesatae may move instantly up to 10'. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and may be through an enemy occupied 10' space.

E – Natural AC increases to AC 4 [15 AAC]. May establish a Stronghold and attract followers of appropriate classes (Fighters, Gaesatae, Druids, Bards).