Sun-Chosen

Relics & Rituals: Olympus

© 2004 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Distributed for Sword and Sorcery Studios by White Wolf Publishing, Inc.

By W. Jason Peck, Aaron Rosenberg, Christina Stiles and Relics & Rituals: Olympus team

As Artemis has her sacred huntresses, so too does her twin brother Apollo have his sun-chosen. They are priests empowered with the grace of Apollo, and with a measure of his divine light. Though not warriors by trade, the sun-chosen, like the sacred huntresses, devote themselves to archery as a form of worship. They also practice the finer arts of music, song and poetry, and attempt to live their lives in emulation of their god. Sometimes the sun-chosen are called to adventure, and they take to that road with the same bright vigor that informs the rest of their lives.

Most come from the ranks of clerics of Apollo, although some may have been paladins before they ascended to their current rank. A few rangers who worship Apollo enter their ranks; such rangers have a greater affinity for hawks and other birds than they do for the beasts of the field, and tend to hunt by day rather than by night.

NPC sun-chosen are sometimes the high priests of Apollo in their city-states, leading the sun-cults by example. One who acts as priest to a community is hard to forget he shines with golden sunlight even on the darkest days, and lifts a pure voice in song. Others set out on holy quests for their god, recovering artifacts important to the faith or defending places of artistic beauty. The sun-chosen are particularly given to rescuing fair youths and damsels from danger; like their god, they tend to have an eye for physical beauty.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a sun-chosen, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.

Skills: Diplomacy 8 ranks, Perform (any) 4 ranks, Heal 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks
Feats: Weapon Focus (bow or shortbow)
Spells: Ability to cast 1st-level divine spells.

Class Skills

The sun-chosen class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Constitution), Craft (Intelligence), Diplomacy (Charisma), Heal (Wisdom), Intimidate (Charisma), Knowledge (history) (Wisdom), Knowledge (religion) (Wisdom), Perform (Charisma), Profession (Wisdom), Ride (Dexterity), Search (Intelligence), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Spellcraft (Intelligence), and Spot (Wisdom).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

The Sun-Chosen
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Divine shot, light	–
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Searing arrow 1/day	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Radiant brow	–
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Searing arrow 2/day	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Unfailing vision, daylight	–
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Searing arrow 3/day	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Unquenchable soul	–
8th	+6	+2	+6	+6	Searing arrow 4/day	+1 level of existing divine spellcasting class
9th	+6	+3	+7	+7	Sunburst arrow	–
10th	+7	+3	+7	+7	Searing arrow 5/day	+1 level of existing divine

Class Features

All of the following are features of the sun-chosen prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: They are proficient with all simple weapons, with all bows (but not crossbows), and with all forms of armor (but not shields).

Spells per Day/ Spells Known: At 2nd level, and at every other level thereafter, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in whatever divine spellcasting class he belonged to before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (increased ability to turn undead or wild shape, and so on). In effect, he adds one-half his level in sun-chosen to the level of whatever other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

If the character possessed levels in multiple divine spellcasting classes before becoming a sun-chosen, he must decide to which class he adds each alternate level of sun-chosen for the purpose of determining spells per day (and spells known, if applicable).

Divine Shot (Su): The sun-chosen may choose to fire a divinely inspired bow shot as a standard action. When doing so, the character adds his Wisdom bonus to the attack roll and a number of points equal to double his Charisma bonus to the damage roll. The sun-chosen may use this ability a number of times per day equal to his sun-chosen class level.

Light (Sp): The sun-chosen may use the light spell at will as a spell-like ability.

Searing Arrow (Sp): Beginning at 2nd level, they can imbue an arrow with the essence of sunlight itself, inflicting additional damage. An arrow so imbued inflicts damage as usual, plus a variable amount of damage based on the sun-chosen level and the creature type. Most creatures take an additional 1d8 per two sun-chosen levels (round down). An undead creature takes 1d6 points of damage per sun-chosen level, and an undead creature particularly vulnerable to sunlight takes 1d8 points of damage per sun-chosen level. A construct or inanimate object only takes an additional 1d6 per two sun-chosen levels (round down). At 1st level, the sun-chosen may fire one searing arrow per day; he may use this ability an additional time per day for every two sunchosen levels. Using this ability is a standard action (and firing the arrow is part of the action).

Radiant Brow (Su): Beginning at 3rd level, they may choose to emanate a bright halo that envelops his head and features. While this aura is in effect, the sun-chosen gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks made to inspire awe, and to Intimidate checks. The sun-chosen also gains a +4 circumstance bonus on saving throws made against gaze attacks, as enemies with gaze weapons find it difficult to stare directly at their features. However, while the halo is in effect, the sun-chosen also suffers a –10 penalty to Hide checks.

Unfailing Vision (Ex): At 5th level, the sun-chosen becomes immune to all magical effects that would cause blindness, short of the power of a god. Bright lights of mundane origin also cannot blind him, although he does not obtain protection from other nonmagical effects that damage the eyes (such as acid). This ability grants no increased ability to see in the dark they gain no particular vision powers, only protection from effects that would blind him.

Daylight (Sp): Beginning at 5th level, the sun-chosen may invoke a daylight effect as a standard action.

Unquenchable Soul (Su): At 7th level, they gain Spell Resistance equal to 15 + his sun-chosen level against any spells or spell-like abilities with the [Darkness] or [Evil] descriptor.

Sunburst Arrow (Sp): At 9th level, they may, once per day as a standard action, fire a single arrow empowered with a sun burst effect. The sun burst effect acts as the spell, emanating in a burst from the point where the arrow lands. The DC to save against the effect is equal to 18 + the sun-chosen’s Charisma bonus.