Ranting at the failure of reality to conform to their own twisted views...

AGITATOR (#25/31, #25/365) [POT]

SKILL: 6

STAMINA: 5

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Club

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Towns, Towns (Sewers), Plains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1 or 2-7

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Friendly to Hostile (depending on cause)

INTELLIGENCE: High

The AGITATOR is a professional malcontent, using the gift of the gab to argue for changing some aspect of the status quo that they find objectionable. They can be found in any settlement, the large the better, proclaiming their just cause as the true path above all other considerations. They typically carry little more than a few coins, a club to defend themselves with, and 2-12 pamphlets or scrolls extolling their beliefs in screed-form, though some may also have a tinderbox, a wet rag, a bottle of strong spirits and a pouch of Smoking Weed. The Agitator is generally tolerated as an irksome if necessary presence by more enlightened leaders, but an irritating trouble-maker to be silenced if necessary in the eyes of oppressive warlords and autocrats.

One of the best examples of official acknowledgement of the role of the Agitator in society, is the square called Ranter's Corner in Royal Lendle, capital of Gallantaria. Here, rabble-rousers and instigators such as Zekerah the Beggar-Prophet, preach daily on a wide variety of causes and topics. On the other hand, in Port Blacksand, we have the tragic tale of Tomron the People's Poet, an advocate for the rights of the common person until slain by the assassin Denzil, disguised as a troubadour, on the orders of Lord Azzur.

Typical Talents for Agitators could be Inspiring Leader, Natural Leader and Silvertongued, while Special Skills include Bargain, Con, Etiquette and Leadership for convincing their listeners (and Disguise, Dodge, Running and Sneaking, for when their persuasion skills fail them!). An example of an Agitator as a Hero is the pacifist Priest of Asrel, Ishan the Instigator from war-like Brice (see Heroes of Titan, p. 25). To determine the specific motivation of an Agitator, roll on the following table:

1. Chaos Infiltrator: The Agitator is attempting to sow chaos and discord within a peaceful kingdom at the urging of the Dark Lords of Evil and Chaos. They will have a Chaos Talisman and probably some sort of Chaos Tattoo as well (though both will obviously be hidden from view). The Agitator will not preach overtly about Chaos, but instead attempt to subvert the current order by whatever means necessary, to cause an nefarious explosion of unforeseen events.

2. Unpopular Cause: The Agitator espouses a belief that generally lacks support among the populace at large. Whether it be identifying as devoutly anti-magic in a town full of sorcerous colleges, or acknowledging friendship to Orcs in a keep on the borderlands, their cause is not popular. Such notoriety typically attracts negative attention, often from the very forces they seek to nullify or suppress.

3. Anti-Rulership: The Agitator is a champion of the oppressed! They rail against the inequalities of life's allotted vocation, and the inability, feigned or otherwise, of local rulers to improve the lot of the ordinary person. Rises in taxation, the exploitation of workers, and the failure of authorities to suppress the tide of hideous monsters rampaging across the country-side, are all familiar topics for emotional venting from this Agitator.

4. A New Cult: The Agitator is attempting to promote the worship of a different God that is at odds with the regular religious beliefs of a settlement. In a big city this could be a return to a more pastoral way of belief or equally a bright shiny new sect representing something completely unique. In a more isolated community, it may represent an attempt to convert the huddled masses to a single system of belief, and to root-out dissidents and non-believers, according to the particular motivation of the individual Agitator.

5. Impending Danger: The Agitator is attempting to warn a settlement of a terrible danger that is rapidly approaching. This could be the rise of a new evil sorcerer, an invading horde of monsters, a nearby army of nomadic barbarians, or weird and strange weather conditions. The warnings could be real or false; the Agitator may even be from another profession entirely who was simply caught up in and survived the encroaching danger.

6. Nefarious Intent: The Agitator does not have the best interests at heart for the settlement they currently inhabit. They may be there to inspire sloth and non-vigilance prior to an Orc attack, preach acquiescence to new invaders, or claim gold-rushes to empty the community of workers. Or, maybe the settlement is a lawless cityport and the Agitator is simply preaching peace and tolerance for a change...

Once the Agitator has reached a proficient level of rabble-rousing, and begun to accrue real influence and notoriety, they are now known as a DEMAGOGUE (SKILL 8 STAMINA 8, otherwise identical to an Agitator for weapons and gear). The Demagogue is typically accompanied by a cadre of 2-7 Agitator-followers who echo and amplify their speeches, disseminate their thoughts and ideas via leaflets and other written tracts, and redirect random tavern chatter to notice the glory of their radiant mentor. Probably the best example of successful demagoguery in recent times has been the rise of the once rebellious Merzei of the Isles of the Dawn, to their current eminence as Grand Councillor to King Maior himself.