Hakima Class

More than a few tales from the Arabian Nights portray intelligent and outspoken women with mystical abilities. The Hakima discipline is modelled after such extraordinary characters. A hakima's gaze can penetrate the veils of magic and lies to perceive the underlying truth. Although her other abilities are limited, the hakima's insight is highly valued both in the desert and the cities of Zakhara.

Role: Wise women are not fighters or aggressors by nature, but they still know how to defend themselves. They are the keepers of the home fires, the protectors of the family, and the unifier of tribes. They may rise in power to be leaders themselves, or guide others along the path to greatness. (Although women in the Land of Fate are treated with great equality compared to those in Arabian history, most Zakharan leaders are male.) A wise woman does not normally contest others directly; instead she opposes them more subtly, more cleverly, with champions and feints and challenges. A sultan could choose no one better than a loyal Hakima to be the leader of his household, as well as his favoured confidant and domestic spy.

Equipment: The Hakima may not purchase any form of armor with her initial gold, though she may buy it later. Hakima dress ranges from ordinary to spectacular. Most women wear veils in the Land of Fate, especially in settlements. In the city, a short, diaphanous curtain serves more as a fashionable custom than as a restriction. In many areas of the hinterland, veils are optional, serving only to keep the wind off one's face. However, a few tribes do require women hide their features behind a dark, heavy mask. In such tribes, the hakimas follow suit.

Restrictions: Hakimas (hah-KEEM-ahs) are usually female. In some rare instances males may function within this class, but this requires an unusually passive mind set for a male.

• Hit Die: d8
• Base Attack Increment: As Bard
• Saving Throws : Fortitude (Good), Reflex (Poor), Will (Good)
• Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
• Class Skills: Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Listen (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Read Lips (Int, restricted skill), Scry (Int, restricted skill), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis).

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hakimas are proficient in all simple weapons and with light armor. Note that the standard armor check penalties to skills apply. Hakimas do not gain proficiency with shields.

Spells: Hakimas calculate their maximum number of arcane spells per day as cleric of equal level, including wisdom bonuses. They have access to the healing and knowledge domains, and must select their domain spells from these domains.

Spontaneous Casting: Like a cleric, a hakima can spontaneously cast curative spells. This works just like the cleric ability of the same name, PH, p 32.

Perceive Station: The wise woman may discern an individual's true class and station in life by watching the individual eat and drink. A wise woman could discern a prince masquerading as a beggar, and vice versa. This requires a Sense Motive check opposed by the target's Will Saving throw.

Accumulated Wisdom: Like a bard, a hakima picks up an incredible lore of the trivial facts in her daily life. These facts contain tidbits of information, but most of it is more or less useless personal gossip. This ability works just like the bard's Bardic Knowledge, PH p. 29.