Astrologer Kit

On Athas, the study of the stars and other celestial bodies dates back millennia. The phases of the moons, the precession of the constellations, and the movements of the comet known as the Wanderer all contribute to the various calendars in use across the Tablelands and beyond.

The distinction between astronomy and astrology is somewhat blurred to Athasians. Knowledge of the stars and their influence on the peoples of Athas go hand-in-hand, and many Athasian observatories are also home to fortune tellers and omen readers. When the powers of the elements affect heaven and earth, there seems little reason to most Athasians to doubt that the stars, too, play a part in determining a person’s fate.

Most cultures on Athas practice astronomy. Urik, for example, has a long history of celestial research sponsored by its sorcerer-king. In Nibenay, however, study of the tides of the heavens has reached a height unparalleled elsewhere. Every Nibenese child learns the constellations, every caravan master knows how to read the skies as part of navigation, and most noble families employ an astrologer to chart the course of their dynasty.

The astrologer is a kit that can be used by characters of any class. It relies on the omen reading non-weapon proficiency, and grants that proficiency as a bonus to all characters who take the kit.

Astrologer

The astrologer is a student of the heavens, charting the movements of the stars, moons, and other celestial bodies. Astrologers interpret these readings and measurements, and translate them into advice that can be used for the benefit of themselves and others.

The astrologer knows that the heavens are fickle, however, and that cosmic forces move in ways dimly understood by mortals. Whether this is due to the influence of the elements or other aspects of eternity, the astrologer knows that appropriate offerings must be made to ensure favourable outcomes.

An astrologer’s insights are at their strongest when giving advice to someone whose zodiac sign is ascendant. This occurs during that person’s birth month. So, if a dwarf is born in the month of Anabasis, their zodiac sign – Tyrospur the Lion – is ascendant during that month. They will benefit most from an astrologer’s advice during that time, but will still receive some benefit during other months of the year.

Recommended Weapons: None.
Recommended Non-weapon Proficiencies: Craft (gem cutting), knowledge (arcanology, religion), navigation, water find.
Bonus Weapon Proficiencies: None.
Bonus Non-weapon Proficiencies: Knowledge (cosmology), omen reading.
Equipment: An astrologer starts play with a set of astronomical tools for reading the heavens, worth 30 cp. If they lose these, they must replace them or be unable to carry out any readings or make use of the kit’s special benefits listed below.

Special Benefits

Read the Stars: If the astrologer makes a successful omen reading non-weapon proficiency check, they can offer insights and advice to an individual. This advice, if followed, grants that individual a +2 bonus on checks with a specific non-weapon proficiency for the rest of that day, depending on the month. This bonus is increased to +4 if the individual was born during that month, meaning that their zodiac is currently ascendant.
• Dominary – Balimarash the Caravan brings skill at finding routes through the wilderness, granting a bonus to navigation
• Sedulous – Fiddle the Beetle is hardy and resilient, granting a bonus to survival
• Fortuary – Hesper the Kenku is wily and sly, granting a bonus to disguise
• Macro – Saurus the Lizard grants insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the body and gives a bonus to healing
• Dessalia – this week occurs on the cusp of Macro and Fifthover, allowing a bonus to either healing or knowledge (engineering)
• Fifthover – Hortle the Spider blesses people with creative insight, granting a bonus to knowledge (engineering)
• Hexameron – Sylk the Wyrm is always thirsty and grants a bonus to water find
• Morrow – Tasker the Scorpion, master of poison, grants a bonus to herbalism
• Octavus – Pyrus the Wheel burns in the mind like a beacon, granting a bonus to psicraft
• Assalia – this week occurs on the cusp of Octavus and Thaumast, granting a bonus to either psicraft or spellcraft
• Thaumast – the Dragon is the master of all magics, granting a bonus to spellcraft
• Anabasis – under the sign of mighty Tyrospur the Lion, individuals receive a bonus to intimidation
• Hoard – Scratch the Basilisk is always wary and alert, granting a bonus to observation
• Flagstaad – Krawler the Kank provides insight into running with the herd, granting a bonus to animal handling
• Zenalia – this week is on the cusp of Flagstaad and Dominary, granting a bonus to animal handling or navigation

Special Hindrances

Appease the Moons: Whenever the astrologer uses their Read the Stars ability, they must make an offering to the heavens. This offering must be worth at least 20 cp, or 40 cp if the recipient’s zodiac is ascendant.

This offering cannot simply be coinage. It must be a material object or a living creature of the required value that is slain or destroyed in an appropriately respectful ceremony.

If the astrologer fails to perform this offering, the recipient of their advice will automatically fail a non-weapon proficiency check, ability check, saving throw, or attack roll at some point in the near future.

If the DM tracks the movement of the moons in their game, they may wish to have the phase of the moons determine which type of roll is affected:
• Full Moon – saving throw
• Waxing Moon – non-weapon proficiency check
• Waning Moon – ability check
• New Moon – attack roll

Where the moons are at different phases, the DM can roll randomly, choose, or even decide that more than one roll will fail (the DM may wish to allow the astrologer to make twice the normal offering to avoid such an outcome).

Alternatively, the DM can simply select which roll is failed and the timing of the failure, if they do not track the movements of the moons or find it more convenient to just choose.

Wealth Options: Standard.