Holy Slayer Prestige Class

Holy slayers are religious assassins in oriental societies. Filled with utter devotion and zeal, they seek out and say those who oppose the religion or mislead the faithful. Living under covers as ordinary members of the faithful, holy slayers are ever-ready to come and strike at the call of their brotherhood.

Holy slayers see themselves as the epitome of righteousness. The devotion and loyalty demanded of the profession means that all holy slayers cannot be chaotic. A holy slayer that becomes chaotic cannot advance further in the class. If found out, he will be sought out and killed by his fellows.

Holy slayers are organized in brotherhoods. Each brotherhood has its own internal ranks, and is almost always ruled by a solitary figure, the grandfather or grandmother of the brotherhood. Each brotherhood serves a particular church, but may sometimes be at odds with the official doctrines of that church. In such cases, the church may find itself the victim of it's own holy slayers. Each brotherhood also has a favored weapon, used by preference in all holy slayings. This is always a melee weapon of medium size or smaller. The DM can provide brotherhoods for his campaign, or let the player of a holy slayer character design a brotherhood for his approval, along with the church served, specific goals and a holy weapon.

To a holy slayer, sin and corruption is like a cancer in the body of society, to be cut out by the surgeons knife of the brotherhood. And if an slaying can be used to show the populace the error of a corrupt way of life, so much the better. The ideal holy slaying is a public event involving a corrupt ruler or high official. When the target is in a public place, such as a procession, making a speech from a balcony or otherwise accessible and seen by many, the slayers strike, dressed in white to show their purity, and to show off the blood. Appearing suddenly from concealment or from out of the crowd, they kill the target while proclaiming their holy mission and the target's sins. Evil slayers often kill random bystanders vantonly, while good holy slayers may attack as a warning or martyr themselves deliberately to provide a warning to the faithful.

Naturally, not all holy slayings are such ideal events. Much of what the holy slayers do is undercover spy work, clandestine assassination, recruiting agents and hiding from authorities. Many holy slayers never actually draw their sacred weapons in anger. Far from all who are associated with a holy slayer brotherhood take up this prestige class, many are initiated through the Vision of Paradise ability but remain with their usual classes, never learning the deeper secrets of the brotherhood.

Holy slayers must always have a cover in normal society, and what better cover than levels in an innocent class? Most holy slayers were rogues or fighters prior to becoming slayers. Many were uncomfortable and unsuccessful in their previous roles, and underwent a significant life crisis before joining the slayers. Others were brought up to be slayers, but still had to learn the prerequisite skills and get a proper cover before being taught the inner secrets of the brotherhood. Even those who advance to join the holy slayer prestige class must still maintain their cover in ordinary society and continue to advance in their regular class.