The Orzhov Syndicate The Orzhov Syndicate is the Ravnican guild of business, where the values of white and black meet, where the dead exist solely to rule. Nearly every business in Ravnica ties back to the Orzhov in some devious way or another. Whilst they bear the facade of a religious group and may well have been a true faith at the signing of the Guildpact, they now worship only profit and power.
Their white flavor can be seen in that they have a strong sense of tradition and community, reflected by the fact that they still go through all of their ancient rituals and customs despite not truly worshipping any gods, and by that they hoard all their wealth to themselves but will gladly share with family members or close friends. Their black flavor can be seen in that they regularly deal with the dead, they never give to charity if they can help it, and continually violate the spirit of the law solely to meet their own ends.
The Syndicate is famous for dealing with ghosts. They are presided over by a council of ghosts, the Obzedat, in Orzhova, the Church of Deals. Should somebody be in debt to them (as many are), that person must work off their debt even beyond the grave. The Orzhov work so thoroughly with death that they even know how to make thrulls out of the remains of the dead.
The high-ranking members of the Orzhov use magical means to expand their life, and are mutated in many ways that pass into their offspring. For example, one of Teysa Karlov's legs is practically useless, and therefore she has been forced to use a walking cane since birth.
The Orzhov Ghostwayman Alignment: Any Neutral
Hit Die: 1d8
Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Special | Soulmelds | Essentia | Chakra Binds |
1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Sudden Strike +1d6, Versatile Meldshaper | 1 | 0 | 0 |
2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +3 | Ghost Step (Invisibility) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +3 | Skirmish (+1d6, +1AC) | 1 | 2 | 0 |
4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Haunt (Minor) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +4 | Sudden Strike +2d6 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
6th | +4 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Chakra Binds (Crown, Feet, Hands) | 2 | 4 | 1 |
7th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +5 | Skirmish (+2d6, +2AC) | 2 | 5 | 1 |
8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +6 | Ghost Step (Gaseous Form) | 3 | 6 | 1 |
9th | +6/+1 | +3 | +6 | +6 | Sudden Strike +3d6 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Chakra Binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders) | 3 | 7 | 1 |
11th | +8/+3 | +3 | +7 | +7 | Skirmish (+3d6, +3AC) | 3 | 8 | 1 |
12th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Haunt (Lesser) | 4 | 9 | 2 |
13th | +9/+4 | +4 | +8 | +8 | Sudden Strike +4d6 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
14th | +10/+5 | +4 | +9 | +9 | Ghost Step (Etherealness) | 4 | 10 | 2 |
15th | +11/+6/+1 | +5 | +9 | +9 | Skirmish (+4d6, +4AC) | 4 | 11 | 2 |
16th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Chakra Binds (Throat, Waist) | 5 | 12 | 2 |
17th | +12/+7/+2 | +5 | +10 | +10 | Sudden Strike +5d6 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
18th | +13/+8/+3 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Chakra Bind (Heart) | 5 | 13 | 3 |
19th | +14/+9/+4 | +6 | +11 | +11 | Skirmish (+5d6, +5AC) | 5 | 14 | 3 |
20th | +15/+10/+5 | +6 | +12 | +12 | Haunt (Greater), Open Ghostgate | 6 | 15 | 3 |
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier): Appraise, Autohypnosis, Balance, Bluff, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Knowledge (Local), Knowledge (History), Knowledge (Religion), Move Silently, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Swim, and Tumble.
Weapon & Armor ProficienciesAn Orzhov Ghostwayman is proficient with all simple weapons and all light or one-handed martial weapons; with light armor, and with shields (but not Tower Shields).
MeldshapingAn Orzhov Ghostwayman shapes soulmelds, investing them with essentia, and binding them to chakras, as an Incarnate (see Magic of Incarnum), except that the saving throw DC to resist his soulmelds is 10 + 1/2 class level + Charisma modifier.
Orzhov Ghostwayman SoulmeldsCROWN
Diadem of Purelight, Necrocarnum Circlet, Soulspark Familiar, Soulspeaker Circlet
FEET
Acrobat Boots, Airstep Sandals, Cerulean Sandals, Impulse Boots
HANDS
Bloodwar Gauntlets, Gloves of the Poisoned Soul, Necrocarnum Weapon, Sighting Gloves
ARMS
Armguards of Disruption, Bloodwar Gauntlets, Lifebond Vestments, Necrocarnum Touch
BROW
Planar Chasuble, Silvertongue Mask, Soulspark Familiar
SHOULDERS
Pauldrons of Health, Therapeutic Mantle, Wind Cloak
THROAT
Apparition Ribbon, Necrocarnum Mantle, Planar Ward, Silvertongue Mask, Soulspark Familiar, Soulspeaker Circlet
WAIST
Necrocarnum Shroud, Necrocarnum Vestments, Strongheart Vest, Vitality Belt
HEART
Lifebond Vestments, Necrocarnum Vestments, Spellward Shirt, Strongheart Vest
SOUL
Incarnate Avatar*
*Orzhov Ghostwaymen do not unlock the Soul Chakra in their class levels, but they can still shape an Incarnate Avatar. At 18th level or higher, he can take the Open Greater Chakra feat to unlock the Soul Chakra if he chooses.
Sudden Strike (Ex): As Ninja
CAdv.
Versatile Meldshaper (Ex): An Orzhov Ghostwayman can shape soulmelds with any alignment descriptor regardless of his own alignment.
Ghost Step (Sp): Starting at 2nd level, a number of times per day equal to 3 + Constitution modifier, an Orzhov Ghostwayman may turn invisible as a swift action for 1 round as the
Greater Invisibility spell. As he gains levels he may use this ability for different effects.
Starting at 8th level, he may spend a daily use of Ghost Step as an immediate action to assume a
Gaseous Form for 1 round as the spell.
Starting at 14th level, he may spend a daily use of Ghost Step as a swift action to turn ethereal for 1 round as the
Ethereal Jaunt spell.
Skirmish (Ex): 3rd level; as Scout
CAdv for the most part, except that the progression is altered as given in the table above.
Haunt (Su): Starting at 4th level, when an Orzhov Ghostwayman becomes dead or dying, he may expend a daily use of his Ghost Step ability to project an incorporeal Undead spirit form that may move around with a fly speed equal to half his normal land speed (perfect maneuverability), speak to creatures, and utilize a
Mage Hand effect as the spell at-will. This form has a number of hit points equal to 1 + Cha mod/class level and is automatically destroyed if the Orzhov Ghostwayman is returned to 0 or more hit points.
This ability improves at 12th level, bestowing a -2 penalty to the saving throws of creatures he shares a space with, granting him an incorporeal touch attack that deals 1d6 + Charisma modifier force damage (plus any Sudden Strike or Skirmish damage), and improving his
Mage Hand effect to a
Greater Mage HandSC effect.
This ability improves once again at 20th level, adding 1d6 Strength damage (Fort negates, DC 10 + 1/2 his class level + Charisma modifier) to his incorporeal touch attack, and improving his
Greater Mage HandSC effect to a
Telekinesis effect.
Chakra Binds6th level; as Incarnate (see Versatile Meldshaper and Orzhov Ghostwayman Soulmelds above).
Open Ghostgate (Sp): At 20th level, an Orzhov Ghostwayman may spend two daily uses of his Ghost Step ability to cast a special variation of the
Gate spell that opens to the
Well of Souls. This Gate may be used in one of three ways:
- 1) To travel to the Well of Souls using the Planar Travel function of the Gate spell. Any number of creatures may pass through the Gate, but once the Orzhov Ghostwayman passes through the Gate automatically closes behind him.
- 2) To assume incorporeal Undead spirit form, as outlined in the Orzhov Ghostwayman's Haunt ability. To do so, a living creature moves through the Gate, emerging in the space on the other side in incorporeal Undead spirit form. Any number of creatures may pass through the Gate in this way, but the Orzhov Ghostwayman must concentrate to keep the Gate open, to a maximum number of rounds equal to 1 round per level. Any creature that elects to do this falls to -1 hit points and is dying but can control the spirit form until it's destroyed.
- 3) To call incorporeal Undead through the Gate using a special variation of the Calling function of the Gate spell. This does not cost XP to do.
Ravnica: City of GuildsThe Azorius Arbiter, the Boros Legionnaire, the Dimir Secretkeeper, the Golgari Graveborne, the Gruul Wildspeaker, the Izzet Mathmagican, the Orzhov Ghostwayman, the Rakdos Hellraiser, the Selesnya Convoker, and the Simic Visionary.