Outland Warrior (Character Kit)

Outland Warrior

This kit comprises mysterious foreigners with odd, heavy armor, outrageous weapons, and even more outrageous tales which they scatter throughout the Land of Fate. Outland warriors can be found lost in the desert, at seaports looking for passage, or working for the caliph as new trinkets among his guard. These warriors come from lands that are even farther flung than those of the barbarian mercenaries. And while the strangers claim to be civilized men, their speech is rude and curt, and they have no grasp of the poetic nature of Midani (the common language of Zakhara). They seem to lust after gold more than lovers. Further, they see differences between dwarves, elves, humans, and halflings—differences that a native Zakharan does not understand. The outlanders are welcomed into Zakhara, but they are not fully trusted, for who knows what powers and motivations they may truly possess.

Requirements: Any race and both genders are eligible. However, newly created characters are not recommended for this kit; it is designed for foreigners, not natives.

More a description than an actual kit, the outland warrior is a catchall category of existing fighters, rangers, and paladins for which the regular AL-QADIM^TM campaign kits are inappropriate. DMs have the option of allowing newly created outland warriors in their campaigns if someone wishes to play a more traditional character who's a foreigner or a "mysterious stranger." If a DM allows kits from other sources (such as The Complete Fighter's Handbook), then those kits also become outland warriors.

Role: While it is not among the standard kits available to new characters in the campaign, the outland warrior can fit more easily into the flow of the land and its peoples than, say, an alien wizard. Native Zakharans view these foreign warriors with a great deal of curiosity and a healthy dose of fear. The outlanders are not seen as evil—just very strange. Their odd manners and attributes can't be missed, nor do their unusual outfits and odd fighting styles escape attention. In game terms, the difference between the smooth, graceful actions of a Zakharan warrior and the hacking attacks of a "Northern" knight is not reflected in combat statistics; nonetheless, the difference is still readily apparent to Zakharans.

Most outland warriors enter the campaign already in creation, drifting in from the unknown lands to the north. They may also be created by players who wish to play a standard nonhuman or to try their hands at a traditional character visiting these new, exotic areas.

Weapon Proficiencies: Initial weapon proficiencies are drawn from the Player's Handbook, not from any new weapons that are indigenous to the Land of Fate.

Nonweapon Proficiencies:

• Bonus Proficiencies: None, unless provided for by another kit approved by the DM.
• Recommended, General and Warrior: Any from the Player's Handbook, unless forbidden below.
• Recommended, Priest: None unless paladin. For paladins, all are recommended, unless forbidden below.
• Recommended, Wizard: None unless ranger. For rangers, all are recommended unless forbidden below.
• Recommended, Rogue: None.
• Forbidden: Any proficiency introduced in this book. Further, certain proficiencies that

outlanders may take are limited to their home territories and do not apply to Zakhara; in effect, they must be relearned for use in this setting. These proficiencies include dancing, etiquette, heraldry, languages (modern), singing, ancient history, ancient languages, reading/writing, religion, and local history. An outlander may still possess these proficiencies initially, but they only apply while relating to something the individual would know outside the Land of Fate. Even outlanders who spend a few weeks speaking with native sages do not know this exotic land well enough to acquire or "translate" proficiences that are dependent upon experience in Zakhara.

Equipment: Outlanders are limited to the items listed in the Player's Handbook. This makes available certain items that are foreign to Zakhara. Once such items are lost, stolen, or destroyed, they cannot be replaced. Outlanders should also note that wearing heavy armor in warm climates is hazardous to one's health (see Chapter 5).

Special Benefits: None, other than benefits provided by a "foreign" subclass or kit allowed in the campaign by the DM.

Special Hindrances: Outlanders have but one major hindrance: their foreign accent. The Zakharan version of Common, called Midani, is a melodic, smooth, and silky dialect whose tones are extremely difficult for foreign adults to master. To natives, other versions of Common sound like a bucket of spikes being tossed off a parapet. Those who speak such tongues are treated with sympathy and even amusement. Newcomers to the land be forewarned: even after you've mastered a few new idioms, your accent is sure to linger for years (if not forever).

Wealth Options: Each outland warrior begins campaign play with 5d4 x 10 gp. Limits in purchasing are noted under "Equipment" above. Some outland warriors choose to sell items imported from other lands. Provided such items are unusual in some way (from a Zakharan viewpoint), they command twice their normal price. Merchants in the Land of Fate enjoy purchasing "relics from the savage North" (or West, East, or South).

Races: Members of any race may be outland warriors. Foreign elves and dwarves are often surprised to see that their legendary rivalry does not exist in Zakhara. Racial abilities and benefits still apply within the Land of Fate, but societal restrictions do not. Even dwarven authorities in Zakhara do not accept "orcs are traditional enemies" as just cause for an outlander dwarf to break up an orcish wedding. Of course, vendettas or blood feuds in defense of family or personal honor are another matter. But strictly racial battles are unheard of in Zakhara. Any that occur are ascribed to savagery or the flawed mindset of outlanders.