-	-	Horoscopes and Predictions	-	-
Dragon	-	Classes	-	Dragon 45

NPCs for hire: One who predicts...
by Roger E. Moore
Astrologers are persons adept at forecasting future events through
the study of heavenly bodies on earthly affairs. They
are quite knowledgeable about the science of astronomy as well as
astrology, and may have a strong background in mathematics and
physics as well. If they are included in an AD&D campaign, the DM
should insure that there are changing celestial phenomena visible
from the lands of the campaign. Such phenomena would include
phases of hte moon(s), eclipses, moving planets, meteors, comets,
planetary oppositions and conjunctions, occultations, etc. It is not
necessary for complete astrological and astronomical charts to be
drawn own whenever a character wants his or her horoscope read,
however. A simpler system for prediction is given below.

Astrologers will accept employment for long terms only with
Fighters, Rangers, Paladins, Thieves and Assassins. They will consider
offers for a length of time starting at one year minimum, preferring
lifetime employment if that is at all possible. Prospective employers must
have constructed a fortress or freehold in which the Astrologer may
himself or herself and all the necessary equipment. The standard
monthly wage for an Astrologer is 200 gp, though living space,
study rooms, a library, and observatory areas must be offered initially
as well. A minimum expenditure for the above items will run in the
neighborhoold of 20,000 g.p.

Any class of character may consult an Astroloer on a short-term
basis for predictions or advice. Such short-term hiring cannot exceed a
period of one week. Astrologers will charge a standard fee of 75 g.p.
per day for short-term employers. Most questions will take only 2-5
days to answer.

Astrologer Characteristics
Strength: d6 + 8
Intelligence: d4 + 14
Wisdom: d6 + 12
Dexterity: 4d4 + 1
Constitution: 3d4 + 3
Charisma: 2d4 + 6
Hit Dice: 7d4 + plus Constitution bonuses, if applicable
Alignment: Astrologers have the same range of alignments as Sages do (see the Dungeon Masters Guide, p. 32).

Astrologers wear no armor and wilt use a dagger or staff in combat,
at the same odds to his as a 7th-level Magic-User. The age of an
Astrologer ranges between middle-age and venerable. Most Astrologers
(80%) are human, the rest being dwarven, elven, half-elven,
and/or some other race, as the Dungeon Master chooses.

Certain minor spells may be possessed by an Astrologer at the DM's
discretion, Astrologers will only be able to cast Read Magic, Light,
Continual Light, and Darkness, 15' Radius. Astrologers may cast
these spells from scrolls if desired. Rather than a regular spell book,
the references and tomes in a well-stocked Astrologer's library provide
him or her with the information to cast the spell. Only an Astrologer
may use these books in this way. These spells may be cast as often per
day as a 7th-level Magic-User could cast them. Astrologers who have
spell-casting ability will keep their powers a secret. Magical items that
are not for the exclusive use of any other single character class may be
used by Astrologers, and they may use magical daggers and staves
[with bonuses to hit and damage, but no other magical powers).

Horoscopes and predictions

Astrologers make a living by charting the positions of the heavenly
bodies and measuring the influence of each of them on the daily lives
of characters. They produce diagrams showing the projected appearance
of the heavens at certain times and use these diagrams (called
horoscopes) to predict the future. The predictions that Astrologers
make are frequently cryptic and vague and may only describe the
forces that will be interacting, the magnitude of danger to certain
parties, and hints about the nature of the opposition. Adventurers
may consult an Astrologer to check out the effects of a particular
undertaking and see if it will be difficult or easy to accomplish.

The accuracy of the prediction depends on the scope of the subject
matter, the person or persons about whom the prediction is being
made, and the length of time into the future the prediction is made for.
The further into the future the Astrologer is forecasting, the more
general, hence more accurate, the prediction: the prediction also becomes
more accurate the greater number of people it concerns.
Note that the more accurate an Astrologer's advice becomes, the
more cryptic it will be as well. Symbolism will be heavily used in all
predictions.
 

With any sort of precognition in AD&D, the Dungeon Master must
use considerable discretion to maintain game balance. If players find
they can hire an Astrologer and get completely accurate predictions
about the future, easily understandable and in detail, they will become
much too powerful. Making the advice subject to several interpretations,
with the possibility that the advice is wrong altogether, keeps the
game from becoming stale.

Only one prodiction may be made from a single horoscope, and
only one horoscope may be cast per week. Whatever free time an
Astrologer has during that week will be used to putter around with
astrological or astronomical projects, and no real work will get done by
the Astrologer. Interruption of this "off-duty" time will anger the
Astrologer and possibly reduce loyalty and reaction scores to the characters involved.

Predictions concerning the actions of other player characters must
be carefully handled, and may be frequently inaccurate.

Horoscope Accuracy

Scope	Time of Prediction up to 1 week	up to 1 month	up to 1 year	over 1 year
Person	5%	15%	25%	35%
Group*	15%	25%	35%	45%
City**	25%	35%	45%	55%
Nation***	35%	45%	55%	65%

* -- Parties of up to 100 people, castles and inhabitants, very small
tribes, and the like.

** -- Parties of up to 1,000 people, fiefdoms, small towns and
cities, etc.

*** -- Groups of persons over 1,000 in number.

For each point of Intelligence and Wisdom over 15 the Astrologer
has, add 2% to the base accuracy of any predictions made.

If an Astrologer is questioned more than once about a particular
prediction, he or she will repeat whatever advice was given before,
even if it was wrong. The special comments made on the Clerical spell
Augury in the Dungeon Masters Guide and on the psionic discipline
Precognition in the Players Handbook may prove helpful to a DM in
wording the prediction. A DM should feel free to adjust the accuracy
of a prediction up or down by as much as 20% depending upon the
complexity of  the prediction requested. A player may ask whether or
not there will be any people alive on earth 100 years from now; unless
the DM plans otherwise, the answer may be a simple yes. A question
on whether or not everyone alive at that time will practice the worship
of a particular god will be answered in more cryptic form ("Some shall
pay that being his due.") A question, as to who will be king in 100
years might receive the reply, "The lambs will follow the blind lion,"
which could symbolically represent any one of a number of events or
personages, supposing that the prediction was accurate.

Astrologers should be relatively rare in any campaign. They can be
introduced to provide clues or suggestions to players to lead them
toward a particular goal. Astrologers may be found only in large cities,
where they will be part of an informal organization similar to that of a guild.
Only one Astrologer may be hired out to a player character at any
time.