Chapter 1 - Non-weapon Proficiencies
Horde Summoning Non-weapon Proficiency
(must be a Barbarian)
Though a character may spend the slots to acquire this proficiency at any point in his career, he may only use it when he reaches 10th level. The proficiency enables him to summon a horde of like-minded characters to carry out a specific mission. The character may only summon a horde in his homeland. Only members from his homeland will join the horde. No evil-aligned members will respond.
To summon a horde, the character must meet the following conditions: He must state a clear and specific mission for the horde, such as: Defend our homeland from invasion, Gather food for our starving neighbors, Drive the ogres from the forest.
He must designate a staging area in his homeland where the horde will gather.
He must remain in his homeland for a week to spread the word of his intentions.
At the end of the week, he makes a proficiency check If the check fails, the horde fails to respond. He may spend another week attempting to rally a horde, making a second proficiency check at the end of this period, this time at a -3 penalty. If the check fails a second time, he cannot rally a horde for a period of one month.
If the check succeeds, the horde begins to assemble in the staging area at the rate of 500 men and women per week. The total number of members is equal to the summoner's experience point level divided by 2,000. (If the summoner has 1,500,000 experience points, the horde consists of 750 members; 500 arrive the first week, 250 the second week.) The number of members can't exceed the eligible population of the summoner's homeland.
Approximately 90% of the horde consists of 0-level fighters. The remaining 10% consists of 1st-level fighters. The horde also includes one aide for every 500 members, rounded up; the aides have one-half the level of the summoner (rounded up) and should be the same class as the summoner. Additionally, each aide has two assistants; the assistants have one-half the level of the aides (rounded up) and may be any class of the DM’s choice. Finally, the DM may include one wizard or priest per 1,000 members rounded up); these characters have half the level of the summoner. (Example: A 14th-level warrior with 1,500,OO experience points summons a 750-member horde. The horde consists of 675 0-level fighters, 75 1st-level fighters, two 7th-level aides, four 4th-level assistants, and one 7th-level priest.)
The horde tries to fulfill its mission to the best of their ability. The summoner may not change the mission. If he attempts to do so, the horde immediately disbands and the members return home; the original mission fails. Likewise, if the horde remains inactive for more than two weeks, the members desert; again, the mission is a failure. Otherwise, the summoner can hold the horde together for a period of weeks equal to his level. Controlling the horde is a full-time job. During this time, the summoner is constantly required to settle disputes, assign duties, and punish the disobedient. Though his aides can handle many of these chores, the ultimate responsibility belongs to the summoner. In any given week that the summoner fails to devote his full attention to his horde, he must make a proficiency check. If the check fails, the horde disbands and the mission is a failure.
If the mission hasn't been completed in a number of weeks equal to the summoner's level-and the horde is still intact-the summoner may appeal to the horde to stay together longer. The summoner must make a proficiency check; if the horde is on the verge of success or they've managed to accumulate substantial treasure, the DM may modify the check by as much as +4. If the proficiency check succeeds, the horde remains intact for another week. If the check fails, the horde disbands and the mission fails. No horde may stay together for more weeks than 150% of the summoner's level, rounded up. (Theoretically, a 13th-level summoner could keep a horde together for 20 weeks. Note, however, that this would require successful proficiency checks for seven weeks in a row.)
If the horde disbands after a successful mission, the summoner will have a better chance of rallying them again; for the next year, he receives a +2 bonus when summoning a horde. But if the mission fails, his reputation suffers; he must wait a full year before he can attempt to summon another horde.
Barbarians. A barbarian horde consists entirely of barbarian fighters, in the same proportions described above. At the DM's option, the horde may include a shaman (half the level of the summoner) for every 1000 members, rounded up. The summoner may not order a horde to undertake a mission that requires them to leave their home land unless he also has the leadership proficiency.
