Scavenger
Lord
Although best-known, most famous and most
common in the Scavenger Lands, the adventurers known as scavenger lords can be
found nearly anywhere that there are relics of the First Age to be found — that
is to say, nearly everywhere in Creation. Although not every scavenger lord is
a thaumaturge, and in fact, few think of themselves
primarily as wielders of thaumaturgy, nearly all of them have some diverse
collection of tricks up their sleeves — rituals and tidbits of knowledge they
have acquired over the decades. For most scavenger lords, thaumaturgy is a
tool, a means after an end, rather than an end in itself. Raiding First Age
tombs and ruins is hazardous work, but it would be even more so without the
help of whatever magics a scavenger lord can uncover
to aid him in his quest after glory and money.
Scavenger lords stress the physical and
social aspects of their being as much as the mental —fast reactions and a good
running speed are as essential as a strong memory and a quick mind. Few scavenger
lords are so well-connected and powerful they can ignore the skills of bribery,
judicious misapplication of the truth and the occasional bit of blackmail.
Fighting skills are also important to
scavenger lords. While the defenses of most First Age structures are sufficient
to overwhelm anything other than several determined Celestial Exalted, such is
not always the case. Some automata can be defeated by a strong mortal fighter,
and Charms are not required to defend oneself from robbers, tax agents indistinguishable
from brigands and members of one’s expeditionary group who contemplate how much
larger each slice would be if there were just a few less people getting one.
However, discretion in such matters is advised, as many rulers keep the
populace disarmed in order to cement their hold on power. While most scavenger
lords go armed, they generally do so discreetly. To do otherwise is a dangerous
challenge to the despots and highwaymen of the Threshold, and particularly of
the Scavenger Lands.
Many scavenger lords learn their trade at
the feet of more experienced grave robbers — the apprenticeship of these
would-be scavenger lords closely resembles that of more mundane craftsmen.
However, few blacksmith’s apprentices have to worry quite so much about being eaten
by hungry ghosts, chased by Wyld barbarians, cursed
by little gods, crushed by ancient traps or enslaved by vengeful Guild factors.
Although life as a scavenger lord’s apprentice is dangerous — when it isn’t
interminably boring — it has its rewards. The apprentice can count on seeing
parts of the
Abilities: Awareness and Investigation are probably
the two most important Abilities for scavenger lords — both for noticing
important details and for discovering where those important details might lead.
Larceny is a common Ability for scavenger lords, as are various combat
Abilities — particularly Dodge, which is useful in avoiding ancient security
measures and automatic defenses intent on slaying any hapless intruders.
Various sorts of Craft can be incredibly useful, and the scavenger lord who
skimps on Survival likely won’t live to regret it. Social Abilities such as
Bureaucracy, Linguistics, Socialize and Presence can be important as well —
getting artifacts out of the kingdom they were found in can be as difficult as
getting them out of the tomb they’ve been hidden inside.
Backgrounds: Successful scavenger lords often have
Reputation and/or Influence. Some have Backing or Mentors, and many will have
near-permanent teams of mercenary soldiers, diggers, specialists and porters (bought
with a combination of Henchmen, Followers, Allies and,
possibly, Command). Contacts are certainly possible, and while Spies are
unlikely, not all scavenger lords are daredevil adventurers skilled at
derring-do, and a spymaster sitting in a web of contacts and agents is
certainly not an impossible character concept. Artifact and Resources are
naturals for the successful scavenger lord — and even unsuccessful ones may
have one or two tricks up their sleeves.
Concepts: Adventuring scholar, archaeologist, grave
robber, dealer in antiquities, scheming philosopher
Hold on a Second.
Something here doesn’t
look quite right— Duck!