"What are the Long Scouts? I've never heard of them."
"There has always been a need to get first hand information on what was going on up north. The Longs take care of that, and a lot of other dangerous jobs. You could call them the elite of the scouts, but don't tell Misha I said that. He hates it when I call him elite. He prefers to be called a scout, and a troubleshooter."- A Long Patrol
The Long Scouts
A distinct, independent body made up primarily of citizens or members of the regular military with skills far above the norm. They make up the core of Metamor's long range reconnaissance patrol. Commanded by Misha Brightleaf, they are answerable only to George the Patrol Master, the Prime Minister (currently Malisa) and Duke Thomas himself. The unit's existence is not secret but the average citizen knows little about them other then thay are a group of super, secret scouts/spies. Their real world counterparts are the U.S. Army Rangers and Green Berets. All its members are very good scouts and can survive alone in the wilderness for long periods of time.
Emblem: A white axe and bow crossed on a green background.
Nickname: The Longs. Recently they have been nicknamed 'The Order of the Axe and Bow' due to the emblem they use.
Base of operations: Long House
Ranks:
The Long Scouts are independent of the regular military ranking system, and those who are recruited from the regular army set aside their previous rank (though they are still considered 'active duty' and can be given promotions within the military, and entitled to all the rights and privileges that are given their rank). When not actively on Long Scout duty they wear their regular military rank with no sign of being a Long Scout.
The Long scouts have only four ranks; two considered NCO, two officer ranks. In times of war they answer to whichever command has control of the particular situation they are a part of (To their army commander in mass warfare, or a scout commander in skirmish or otrinca (guerrilla) attacks.
- NCO ranks
- Paw print (Equal to two swords)
- Paw print with claws (Equal to three swords)
- Officer ranks
- Slashed paw (Equal to crossed swords (Lieutenant) and is a paw with a long sword superimposed over it, diagonally from lower left to upper right - like a sword being wielded in combat).
- Slashed Paw with Claws. Equal to Crossed swords on kite shield (Captain) A Paw with claws with a sword super imposed
- Fox head icon (Equal to crossed swords with crown) (Colonel). Official name is Scout Commander. Currently only 1 person holds the rank of Scout Commander – Misha Brightleaf.
Current members are divided into 2 teams
Misha Brightleaf Commander
Caroline Hardy Assigned to team 1 but usually goes out on patrol with Misha.
Charles Matthias not active with the Longs at this time.
Team 1
Lisa Team Leader but on sick leave
Finbar Acting Team Leader
Danielle
Georgette
Kershaw
Jotham
Team 2
Laura Team Leader
Ralls
Arla Darlington
Meredith Bartelli
Allart
Padraic Cul Dethain
In Training to Become a Long Scout
Oberon
Nelis
Kelyn
Past members of the Scouts
Craig Lantoner
Llyn Wanderer
Baldwin
Associated with the Longs but not actually a member:
Andre Maugnard
George the Patrol Master
Note on the Longs emblem - It was not designed by anyone. When Misha discovered Long House that emblem was already there, including many banners hanging on the walls. Misha and the Longs liked it and have since adopted it.
Special Equipment, armor and weapons
The Longs use a lot of ordinary equipment but their special tasks have resulted in them using a wide variety of unique items.
- Camouflage suit - Shirt, pants, gloves. The Camo suit is made of tough linen dyed with brown, green and black patches meant to blend into the woods. It has a hood that can be pulled up over the wearers head breaking up their outline. It can keep some sharp eyed lutin from recognizing the pointed ears of a fox or an otter. There are variants with gray and white coloring for use in winter. The suit is meant to be worn over armor but can be worn alone. Who first created this suit is unknown but Misha first encountered it being worn by a lutin!
- Camouflage armor - This is regular armor specially manufactured for the Longs. It is usually chain mail made from a very light metal alloy and has been carefully padded (for silence) and covered with the same camouflaged cloth the Camo suit is made of. The Longs first used this armor and they use it so frequently that it's almost become a standard uniform.
- Camouflage dyes - These dyes are applied to the body (whether skin, fur or scale covered) in large spots. These dyes come in small, tough ceramic jars. The colors are black, gray, green, brown and white. The exact color dyes used varies with the season and terrain. They are used to cover those parts of the body not covered by the camouflage suit. They will last several hours under normal wear and tear.
- Hush Puppy - This weapon is a small, hand crossbow that fires bolts that are tipped with an extremely deadly poison. Its name is a sarcastic joke coming from the fact it is usually used to silently kill sentries and guard dogs. Note: This weapon has a real-life counterpart. The Special Forces in Vietnam had a special, silenced pistol with the same name they used for the same reason.
- No-Scent - Many of the animal morph Keepers have a very keen sense of smell. This had made them well aware of the fact that the lutins keep dogs and wolves that can track a Keeper by scent. This is a strong chemical that helps mask the Keeper's scent. It is used by rubbing the powder all over the body. It can usually last a few hours and of course washes off easily.
- Trail Rations - One meal's worth of trail ration consists of a loaf of bread stuffed with meat, fish, fowl or vegetables. Properly wrapped in parchment, a loaf can last for months. The rations are long on nutrition and preservation but short on flavor. Most Longs carry spices and sauces along with cheese to liven up the meal.
- Pemmican - This is a mix of dried meat and rendered animal fat, often with various seasonings mixed in including oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, dried soup mix, potatoes, onions, and garlic powder. Properly prepared and stored in an airtight casing (such as the cleaned animal intestine used to make sausage links) it can last for months. It is a good source of nutrients and is very high energy for its weight and size, and is often held as an emergency reserve to supplement sparse rations. Its highly concentrated form makes it best eaten sparingly and only when active.
- Weapon Black - This is used to kill the bright shine associated with metal weapons. This is a black, oily substance that can be rubbed onto weapons, armor and anything else metal. Oil based it is waterproof and does not wear off easily.
- Waterproofing - For people who spend large amounts of time in the wilderness waterproofing is a necessity. It is achieved through several different methods mostly involving soaking the item in various chemical mixtures or using a spell. These are used on various items; boots, coats, gloves, backpacks. The Keepers do have access to a limited amount of rubber imported at great expense from the south.
- Tomahawk - A recent addition to the Long Scouts. When a person becomes a Long Scout they are given a tomahawk specially made and highly decorated. These weapons are tough and sturdy and have many uses.
Real life Inspirations
- U.S. Army Rangers http://www.ranger.org/
- Green beret/Special Forces http://www.specialoperations.com/usspecops.html
- LRRP's (from the Vietnam war)
- British Commandos
- Rogers Rangers (from the French & Indian war)
- Daniel Morgan - One seriously tough person. He was whipped 500 times for striking a British officer and survived! At a time when anything over 300 was considered fatal. Highly respected soldier and one of the finest light infantry officers on either side in the American revolution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Morgan . His defeat of Tarlton at Cowpens is the perfect example of the Double Envelopment and is still studied at West Point.
Literary Inspirations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangers_of_Ithilien
Long House Guards
Technically not Long Scouts but they are permanently assigned to Long House. These are regular infantry assigned to guard Long House itself. They stand guard at the only entrance and at points inside. A small unit of less then a company all are well trained and well equipped. They wear the emblem of a black axe on their breast.
D20 notes:
Long Scout Prestige Class
Advancement:| Level | Base Attck | Fort | Ref | Will | Special |
| 1st | +1 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Sneak attack +1d6, evasion, sign lang. |
| 2nd | +2 | +0 | +3 | +0 | BlindFight, death attck, uncanny dodge (Dex bonus to AC) |
| 3rd | +3 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Bonus Feat, Silent Step |
| 4th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Sneak Attack +2d6, demolish |
| 5th | +4 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Trackless Step |
| 6th | +5 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Bonus Feat, uncanny dodge (can't be flanked) |
| 7th | +6 | +2 | +5 | +2 | Sneak Attack +3d6, improved evasion |
| 8th | +7 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Wraith step |
| 9th | +7 | +3 | +6 | +3 | Bonus feat |
| 10th | +8 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Sneak Attack +4d6, hide in plain sight |
Alignment: any non-evil
Hit Die: d8
Requirements:
Dex: 13+
Base attack bonus: +5
Hide: 8 ranks
Move Silently: 8 ranks
Wilderness Lore: 6 ranks
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Track, Martial Weapon Proficiency (longbow and at least one melee weapon), Light Armor Proficiency.
Special: Must have been selected personally by Long Scout Headmaster and undergone at least four months of initial training; must swear an oath of loyalty to Metamor.
Class Skills: The long scout’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Disable Device (Int). Disguise (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Innuendo (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (demolitions) (Int). Knowledge (tactics) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Read Lips (Int, exclusive skill), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis),Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Wilderness Lore (Wis) and Use Rope (Dex).
Skill Points: 6 + Int bonus per level.
Special abilities:
Sneak Attack (Ex): As for rogues. Stacks with any existing s.a. bonuses.
Evasion (Ex): If exposed to a ""Reflex half"" situation, long scout takes no damage on a successful save. Must be wearing no more than light armor.
Sign language: Character learns the sign language of the Long Scouts, permitting him to communicate & receive basic tactical information in complete silence. Non-long scouts must make an Intelligence or Innuendo check (DC 20) to understand what is being said.
Uncanny Dodge: At 2nd level, long scout retains Dex bonus even if flat-footed or targeted by invisible attacker; at 6th level, can no longer be flanked.
Blind-Fight: Long scouts get this feat for free at 2nd level.
Death Attack: If long scout studies target for 3 rounds before making sneak attack, target must make Fort save vs. DC (10+long scout class level) or be slain. If target makes save, he still takes sneak attack damage as normal. Only works on creatures that can be sneak-attacked. Death attack can be performed with any weapon that can be used in a sneak attack, melee or ranged, as long as it deals normal damage. If it is a ranged attack, the long scout can only aim accurately enough for a death attack if he is within 30 feet of his target.
Bonus Feat: At 3rd, 6th and 9th level, choose feat from following list: Alertness, Expertise, Far Shot, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Run, Silent Spell, Spring Attack, Still Spell, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (any), Weapon Specialization (any). All prerequisites for the feat must be met normally.
Silent Step: At 3rd level, the long scout gains the ability to move quickly while remaining unnoticed. He can move up to his full speed and still make Hide & Move Silently. Checks at no penalty, and can hustle at up to double his speed at a -5 penalty. Running or charging while Hiding provokes only a -10 penalty (instead of -20).
Demolish: At 4th level, the long scout gains the ability to sabotage buildings, siege engines, vehicles, and other structures and devices, rendering them unusable. This ability makes use of the Knowledge (demolitions) skill. Refer to the table below for information on DCs and demolition times for various structures. Once the structure has been rigged for demolition, the long scout can trigger its destruction with a standard action.
Trackless step: At 5th level, the long scout gains the ability to move so carefully that he leaves no sign of his passing. As long as the long scout is moving no faster than his base speed (typically 30 ft.), he leaves no trail behind him and cannot be tracked. This extraordinary ability works both in the forest and in more civilized environs, such as building interiors; however, it can be foiled if the area has been dusted with flour, covered in wet clay, or otherwise prepared specifically to show the tracks of those passing through. The long scout can identify such zones with a Spot check (DC 10), but cannot pass over them without leaving tracks unless other measures are taken.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 7th level, the long scout gains improved evasion. He takes only half damage on a failed Reflex save.
Wraith step (Ex): At 8th level, the long scout gains the ability to move into hiding, or from one hiding place to another, with almost supernatural speed. On the long scout's turn, he can make a Hide check at DC 15. (The normal rules for success at Hiding apply.) If successful, the long scout can then move from his present location to any spot within his Speed (typically 30 ft.) as a move action, ignoring any movement penalties or obstacles that would otherwise prevent him from moving his full Speed.1 If he ends this maneuver in a location where he could normally Hide, he automatically remains hidden and does not need to make another Hide check. While using wraith step the long scout moves in complete silence, and thus cannot be detected by a Listen check. Creatures with the Tremorsense ability are at a -20 to detect the long scout's passage. Wraith step is an extraordinary ability.
Hide in plain sight (Su): At 10th level, the long scout gains the ability to Hide even while being observed. As long as he is within 10 ft. of some sort of shadow or other hiding spot, the long scout can move to that spot and Hide himself even while being watched. To the observer, the long scout simply vanishes in the blink of an eye. This is a supernatural ability. Hide in plain sight does allow the long scout to use his other movement-related special abilities, such as silent step and wraith step, while being observed; however, he must still succeed at the Hide check as usual.
Knowledge (demolitions) - Examples:| Structure | DC | Time to Rig |
| Wheeled vehicle size huge or smaller | 10 | 1 round |
| Catapult, ballista, trebuchet | 15 | 1 minute |
| Wood-frame building, house-sized or smaller | 15 | 10 minutes |
| Wood-frame building, size Gargantuan or larger | 15 | 1 hour |
| Stone building, underground cavern* | 20 | 2 hours |
| Reinforced dike or other Colossal stone or concrete structure* | 30 | 2d6 hours |
- - Requires the use of dragon dust, explosive spells or powers, or special equipment & circumstances (DM's discretion)."
