Wonderseeker [Human]

Wonderseekers are humans who wander the void chasing amusement, playing elaborate games with one another in which outsiders often serve, unknowing, as pawns or partners. They are unrelated to the knowledge-hunting seekers; these are dilettantes who meddle purely for their own pleasure, helping one day and tormenting the next.

They favor frills, cloaks, gems and ornaments, talk in florid courtly phrases, and burn with wanderlust. Many carry magical gemswords and wands of paralyzation.

Behind the languid pose most are dangerous. Roll d100: a warrior on 01-66, a thief on 67-77, a bard on 78-90, a wizard dual-classed with one of those on 91-99, and on 00 a dual-classed character who also has an inherited innate magical gift. All handle long swords, which fighters specialize in, along with daggers, darts, hand crossbows and throwing axes. They prefer wit to needless violence, which is messy and attracts the law, but many duel for sport.

Each has one minor personal magic, such as fly, levitate, invisibility, spider climb, telekinesis or dimension door, usable once per turn and 3-6 times daily, used on a whim or to escape and never revealed without cause.

A typical one carries 2-5 small, concealable magic items of the DM's choosing, with more aboard ship or in caches; favorites include bracers of defense, lenses of detection, necklaces of missiles and assorted figurines of wondrous power, and some craft unusual feather tokens.

These decadent misfits pursue their whims through patience and magic. Becoming one takes potions of longevity, passage into space and survival. Most trade, steal and explore well, and own wands, potions and handy items like an everfull porridge spoon or an endless-water decanter.

They feud constantly yet honor one another, and will help even a hated rival against web-eel slavers, mind reavers and similar threats. Instead of dueling a peer to the death, they prefer the Sevenfold Death: the sponsor secretly hires seven assassins, each of whom must strike alone, at least a day after the previous attempt, and leave a clue to the sponsor's identity that the sponsor himself provides. Anyone who survives all seven should know exactly who sent them, and can never be targeted by that ritual again.

Unnervingly calm in danger, wonderseekers care only for entertainment, so heeding them can be fatal. They are wild cards who oppose anyone ruling by force, from void merchants to slavers and pirates, and many serve adventurers well as allies, informants, rescuers for hire or fences.