“In the world of politics, secrets are currency. In the world of politics, I am a rich, rich man.”

—Thobias Ebonmar, scion and “guide” of House Ebonmar

Secrets are indeed the currency of the world of politics, and few have learned this better than House Ebonmar. A politically oriented noble bloodline, Ebonmar has mastered the art of learning the most hidden facets of their rivals, while keeping their own dealings quiet and unseen. Their greatest tools in this endeavor are the infiltrators—or “guides” as they are obliquely referred to—who act as spies, saboteurs, and—when necessary—blackmailers of unsurpassed ability on behalf of the house.

BECOMING AN EBONMAR INFILTRATOR

The infiltrator is a master of stealth and deception, an interpreter, and an escape artist. Few individuals other than bards, rogues, and perhaps ambitious experts can master the wide variety of skills necessary to become an infiltrator. Monks could manage it, if they’re willing to spend a great many skill points on cross-class skills. All others must either multiclass or wait until much higher levels to become an infiltrator.

PLAYING AN EBONMAR INFILTRATOR

You prefer stealth to swordplay, avoiding a battle to fighting one. You are direct and driven in your goals to seek out and acquire secrets useful to House Ebonmar. Everything else is secondary. You normally prefer to work alone or with a team of others who share your skills, but if you can find companions who will aid you in your cause, you are more than happy to stick with them.

Your relationship with the house is inviolate. Everything you do, you do for your family and your blood. Your position within Ebonmar is rather unusual. As one of their guides, you are well respected, for they know they owe you and your kind much of their success. Yet you can never personally gain the political prestige that your work provides, for the house cannot afford to place their guides in a public position.

Combat

Where possible, avoid direct conflict, using your skills and special abilities to anticipate and escape from your foes. When battle is inevitable, focus on opponents against whom your special abilities are most effective, leaving creatures such as undead, constructs, and plants for your companions. Strike from concealment or odd angles, taking advantage of your sneak attack.

Try to use your spells in advance of battle to enhance your companions’ abilities as well as your own. Make liberal use of divinations to determine what you’ll be facing, and plan your strategies accordingly.

Advancement

Only members of House Ebonmar become infiltrators. You were likely born into the house, though it’s conceivable that you married or were adopted into it. The house keeps a constant lookout for members who boast the necessary skills to make a good infiltrator. They observed you for some time before approaching you, watching to ensure that you were not only sufficiently able, but also truly loyal to House Ebon mar and its secrets. Only when you had alleviated all their concerns did the family leaders ask you to become a guide.

Unearthing secrets and finding leverage on political rivals is now your primary goal. You remain a member in good standing of the house. In fact, you likely appear at public functions and gatherings, or perhaps even hold a minor position in the household or the city. You are not permitted to take on any role that is too public, however—the house must be able to disavow your actions if you are ever caught. At the same time, people expect members of Ebonmar to seek political power, so you must play the part of behindthe-scenes schemer to some extent. Your spare time is occupied with training, learning new techniques, and perhaps embarking on unrelated adventures to hone your prowess.

Once you’ve become an infiltrator, put a good portion of your skill points into stealth-related skills; these are your primary advantage in combat, and your only means of effectively carrying out your primary goals. Spread your remaining points evenly around your various class skills, making you sufficiently well rounded to understand and acquire information from almost any source. Focus your feat selections on those that will either improve your various skills or augment your spellcasting abilities.

Resources

Although they will not and cannot be overt about it, the members of House Ebonmar place their aid and resources at your disposal. If necessary, they can provide funding or equipment for a specific mission, an alibi, bail, or even a means of escape if you are captured or arrested and a safe place to hide.

In no case, however, will the house ever publicly acknowledge the connection between itself and anyone convicted of a crime or exposed as an infiltrator; therefore, it might cut ties with you at any point if you become a liability. Further, it only supports you when you work for its purposes; don’t expect any sort of aid when you’re off on unrelated adventures.

EBONMAR INFILTRATORS IN THE WORLD

“Tell you about him? I just said that I saw him in my chambers! Doesn’t mean I can tell you the first thing about him!”

—Lord Beaumond Richhierre, second-tier magistrate

Integrating infiltrators into an urban campaign is a fairly easy task. House Ebonmar can fit into almost any city with ambitious political families. The Ebonmar “guides” are its primary means of acquiring leverage. While little evidence exists to prove the house’s connection with these illicit activities, its use of infiltrators is something of an open secret. Thus, any urban campaign that involves political intrigue is a perfect place for an Ebonmar infiltrator. Even if the PCs prefer not to involve themselves in politics, an infiltrator might go on unrelated quests in order to hone his skills, or perhaps to get out of town for a while after a mission goes awry.

Organization

The infiltrators have no organization unique to themselves; they are simply members of House Ebonmar. Within the house, rank equates to age—the older the member, the higher his position. A council of five patriarchs and matriarchs governs the family; only a majority vote among them can strip a member of rank. Similarly, only the council can send an infiltrator on a mission. Any other members who want an infiltrator to perform a task must petition the patriarchs and matriarchs first.

Daily life for an infiltrator consists of equal parts high society and secret training. Like others of the family, they put in appearances at upper-class functions, and perhaps spend a few hours working in a minor governmental office. Their spare time consists of training to master their unusual abilities. Individual infiltrators might have their own agendas, but service to the house always comes first. Failure to abide by this stricture could result in exile from the house—and, if the infiltrator knows too much, perhaps a shallow grave in the deep woods. House Ebonmar is not an innately evil family (though it has more than its share of evil members), and the Patriarchs do not order such a step lightly, but neither will they risk a disgruntled and estranged member exposing their techniques.

On extremely rare occasions, an infiltrator might accept an outside commission, so long as his actions do not threaten the house or interfere with its plans. A character seeking an infiltrator need merely drop word of his interest in locations frequented by Ebonmar members, servants, and employees. It invariably gets back to the infiltrators, who observe the characters in secret for a time. If they agree to a meeting, the infiltrators simply show up when the characters are in a place that enables them to converse safely.

NPC Reactions

Political allies of House Ebonmar greet its members warmly, starting with a friendly attitude (PH 72). Political enemies are initially unfriendly. Most others are usually indifferent toward members of the house.

Few people react to the PC specifically as an infiltrator, simply because the character is unlikely to publicize his status. Still, should someone find out, they will likely view the character with some measure of distrust. If they have heard of the infiltrators, their reaction is one step nearer hostile than it would otherwise be, unless they are a close ally of the house.

INFILTRATOR LORE

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (local) or Knowledge (nobility and royalty) can research the Ebonmar infiltrators to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

DC 10: Ebonmar infiltrators collect secrets and knowledge about political and public figures, for use as leverage or even blackmail. Everyone knows they work for House Ebonmar, but nobody’s been able to do anything about it.

DC 15: The infiltrators are highly skilled in methods of stealth, deception, and information-gathering. They’re very hard to catch, and they are experts at avoiding combat.

DC 20: Infiltrators are capable opponents, able to strike a foe’s weak spots. The greatest among them can see in utter darkness, and even move through solid objects.

EBONMAR INFILTRATORS IN THE GAME

The infiltrators are secretive enough that the DM can easily work them into a campaign under the assumption that they have been active for some time. Alternatively, the PCs might simply have had no reason to deal with House Ebonmar before, or might only now be entering a city or district where the house is active.

Players who enjoy stealth or political intrigue are most likely to be drawn to the infiltrator. The prestige class makes an excellent spy (its main purpose) but can also become an effective scout, saboteur, or even assassin.

Adaptation

The Ebonmar infiltrator is easy enough to adapt to most campaigns by simply changing its flavor. The class might be associated with a different political house, or with a guild of thieves or assassins. It might be a religious cult devoted to a god of thieves or shadows, in which case you might consider making the spells divine rather than arcane. Alternatively, the class might be associated with a government, representing a cabal of specially trained and mystically enhanced covert operatives.