The Paragnostic Assembly

"Nothing in this world, or any other, is more worthy of worship or more -precious a treasure than knowledge itself. " —Pallavarta Santalieri, Master of the Unturned Page

The Paragnostic Assembly is sometimes described as a group of religious fanatics with a scholarly bent, and sometimes as an association of knowledge-seekers with faint religious overtones, depending on who you ask. In truth, this organization's members are scholars, as faithful as they are educated and as knowledgeable as they are zealous. They whole-heartedly believe that knowledge is the ultimate prize and the ultimate power—beyond riches, beyond magic, beyond the gods themselves.

JOINING THE PARAGNOSTIC ASSEMBLY

Those who are already devoted to knowledge or to understanding the multiverse most commonly petition for entrance to the Paragnostic Assembly. Such classes include clerics, wizards, archivists™, and the more studious bards and psions. However, members of many other classes, including sorcerers, rogues, and warlocks, make up a significant minority. Even druids, monks, and the occasional canny fighter can be found in the organization's ranks.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Skills: Any two Knowledge skills, 3 ranks each.

Special: Intelligence 13 or Wisdom 13.

The Paragnostic Assembly exists to organize and catalog knowledge, to seek out new information and ancient secrets, and to empower its members through the use of that lore. As seekers of truth, its members are both studious and adventurous. They literally worship knowledge, viewing its acquisition as both self-discovery and holy obligation. When not studying or sharing information, members of this organization spend their time searching for new knowledge through magical experimentation, historical research, or (in the case of most PCs) adventuring.

AFFILIATION SPECIFICS

The Paragnostic Assembly accepts only those with the brainpower to absorb the knowledge it offers, or the sense to know how to use it.

To advance from one rank to the next, you must petition your superiors and provide evidence (in the form of written works, a recounting of accomplishments, and so forth) to indicate your worthiness. If your superiors agree, you are granted the next rank in a formal ceremony held before other members.

PARAGNOSTIC ASSEMBLY BENEFITS

The Paragnostic Assembly has contacts in most major governments, churches, and guilds, and its various archives contain almost every piece of information imaginable. Members who have gained sufficient rank in the organization can benefit

Criterion Affiliation Score Modifier

One-Time Character level 1/2 level Knowledge (any) 5-9 ranks +1/skill Knowledge (any) 10 or more ranks +2/skill Skill Focus (Knowledge [any]) +1 Has levels in a class that has at least three Knowledge skills as class skills +1 Can cast 3rd-level or higher divination spells +3 Is a devout and actively practicing worshiper of Boccob, Wee Jas, or knowledge as a principle +1 Has at least one level in the Paragnostic apostle or Paragnostic initiate prestige class +1 Has been a member of the Paragnostic +1, +1 for every Assembly for at least 5 years additional year after 5

Multiple Use

Has suffered serious injury or other threat on an expedition solely togather new Lore and Information + Is a high-ranking member of a prestigious university, arcanists' guild, sages' guild, or similar organization (other than the Paragnostic Assembly) +1 Provides the Paragnostic Assembly with a detailed account and analysis of a monster or culture unknown to other members +1 Provides the Paragnostic Assembly with a spell unknown to other members +1 Fails to share a new spell or bit of lore discovered* -8 Fails to pay monthly dues- -2 Fails to turn over the appropriate percentage of treasure to the Assembly* -4 * If one of these events occurs, the character is expelled unless she offers a very convincing explanation and makes proper restitution. The affiliation score modifier applies only if the character manages to retain membership.

Affiliation

Rank Score Titles: Benefits and Duties

0 3 or lower None. 1 4-10 Paragnostic Scholar: Gain +1 bonus I on Appraise, Decipher Script, any Knowledge skill, PsicraftEPH , Spellcraft, or TruespeakToM per hour spent researching (maximum +5); see text. 2 11-15 Sage of Worldly Matters: Gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks under certain circumstances; see text. 3 16-22 Seeker of Unseen Words: Add one of Appraise, Decipher Script, any Knowledge skill, Psicraft, or Spellcraft to class skill list; see text 4 23-29 Master of the Unturned Page: Gain +1 bonus on Appraise, Decipher Script, any Knowledge skill, Psicraft, Spellcraft, or Truespeak per hour spent researching (maximum+10); see text. 5 30 or higher Exalted Philosopher of Paragnostic Truths: Gain mastery of Knowledge skills; see text.

greatly from its connections and holdings. These advantages come at a price, though: You are expected to contribute tim| and money to furthering the Assembly's aims.

At ranks 1 though 3, you must donate 5% of all treasure gained from adventuring to the Assembly and devote at least 1 month per year to quests it assigns to you. At ranks 4 and 5, this amount increases to 10%, and you must quest for at least 2months per year. You also must donate 20% of any treasure gained on assigned quests to the organization. Furthermore, you must pay a monthly membership fee equal to 10 gold pieces per character level.

Paragnostic Scholar: You can gain a bonus equal to +1 per hour spent in research (maximum +5) on your choice of one of the following skill checks: Appraise, Decipher Script, any Knowledge skill, PsicraftEPH , Spellcraft, or TruespeakToM . Each time you perform research, you can choose a different skill to which to add the bonus.

Many of the church's clerics members worship specific deities of knowledge, but some empower themselves through the worship of knowledge itself. If you are a cleric, you can choose from the Knowledge, Magic, Trickery, Mind™, and Oracle™ domains.

Sage of Worldly Matters: At this rank, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Diplomacy checks made when dealing with a guild or government official, or with a priest of the Church of Boccob, Vecna, Wee Jas, or another knowledge deity.

Seeker of Unseen Words: At this rank, you can choose anyone of the skills on the Paragnostic Scholar list (except Truespeak) that does not appear on your class list. As long as you remain a member in good standing, that skill is treated as a class skill for you, regardless of which class you are advancing in.

Master of the Unturned Page: Because you now have access to restricted works, the maximum bonus on skill checks that you can obtain on research using skills from the Paragnostic Scholar list increases to +10. You can also use these works to reduce the time and cost involved in researching new spells by 10%.

Exalted Philosopher of Paragnostic Truths: The breadth of your learning is awe-inspiring. You can take 10 on any Knowledge skill, even if stress or distraction would normally prevent you from doing so.

PLAYING A PARAGNOSTIC ASSEMBLY MEMBER

You are a devoted student—indeed, a worshiper of knowledge. No pursuit is more important than learning new information, clarifying little-understood topics, or rediscovering old secrets. You appreciate the power that knowledge brings, but the search is its own reward. You might use your learning to help others, or you might hoard lore, using it only to empower yourself and your comrades. You never miss an opportunity to display your erudition, which makes you seem arrogant or condescending to others, but you're simply taking advantage of what you know.

Knowledge is your greatest weapon. In combat, focus on the types of creatures you have studied (as represented by your Knowledge skills), or guide your allies in dealing with them. By the same token, ignorance is your greatest weakness, so try to avoid combat with creatures that are unfamiliar to you. You aren't a coward, and you shouldn't abandon a friend or a goal, but it's often wiser to retreat and come back after doing research than to be unprepared for a fight.

Advancement

The Paragnostic Assembly is not a secretive group. You might have come into contact with it through the Church of Boccob or Wee Jas, or perhaps through a wizards' guild or university. Alternatively, perhaps you became fascinated with the notion of knowledge itself as a guiding principle. The Paragnostic Assembly, recognizing your skills and attitudes, might have contacted you.

Since joining the Assembly, you've come to understand even more that life is all about learning. Whether you have a regular job or are a full-time adventurer, you pay attention to the world around you and seek to learn from all that you do. You spend much of your time in the organization's libraries reading, researching, or conversing and debating with your fellow scholars. The Paragnostic Assembly also offers formal classes on a wide range of topics, and you might attend some of these as well.

Throughout your career, you should maximize your ranks in Knowledge and other Intelligence-based skills to represent this continuous learning process. You need not do so at the expense of your combat abilities, though; the proper Knowledge skill can improve your effectiveness against a particular enemy. Take the opportunity to use your skills whenever possible. If you're a spellcaster, consider learning more esoteric spells to broaden your range beyond those of less worldly compatriots. Never be afraid to admit that you don't know something, but then make every reasonable effort to correct that gap in your education. If a problem stumps you, there is no shame in consulting the nearest Assembly archives, as long as doing so is a reasonable course of action.

Missions

The Paragnostic Assembly sends all its adventuring members on occasional quests to retrieve ancient lore or to study distant lands and creatures. You must spend a certain amount of time each year questing on behalf of the organization, whether on a single long adventure or several shorter assignments. You might be a chronicler, a guide, or simply a caravan guard, but you are expected to participate fully and to take careful note of everything you observe.

You must turn over detailed logs of your annual quests to the Assembly's librarians, as well as reports on every other adventure you undertake. In addition, you must share every new spell you learn, every piece of information or lore you discover, and every tale you hear with the Paragnostic Assembly—no matter how seemingly trivial. Failure to do so can result in expulsion.

Resources

The Paragnostic Assembly offers its members access to information of all sorts. As a member, you can utilize its archives at any time, with the help of docents who are expert in their use. The organization pours most of its resources into building and maintaining libraries and archives, but it also sponsors missions to acquire new knowledge. When you undertake such a mission, you can request the loan of