Courtiers are experts in body language and humanoid behavior. These educated advisors are well-versed in courtly etiquette and political intrigue, whispering in their master’s ear whether or not someone can be trusted or if they can be won over (whether with words or by gold).

Unlike other followers, you may only acquire a courtier by way of nobility. This may be from your background, the results of a campaign’s story, or because you have gained the favor of royalty.

Inexperienced. Once per day your courtier can evaluate someone you are conversing with to determine if they are lying or not, subtly messaging you cues. You gain a 1d8 expertise die on your next Insight check.

Seasoned. As inexperienced. In addition, once per day your courtier can tell whether someone can be bribed, reasoned with, or if they just want their ego stroked, granting you advantage on either a Deception check or Persuasion check.

Expert. As seasoned. In addition, once per week while in a city you can spend 1 hour with your courtier to automatically succeed on a Culture or History check.

Choosing the mobile feature means that a stronghold can also double as a vehicle. The cost for this feature should be handled on a case-bycase basis by the narrator. For strongholds that start as vehicles, such as the ship, there is no cost modifier. Adventurers who want a walking castle, however, will likely be spending far more to cover the cost of engineers, spellcasters, and components.

A ship is a floating bastion, able to carry crew, passengers, and supplies on long voyages. Some ships are bare or outfitted for war; others are luxuriously appointed, making every journey a pleasure.

Ships are unable to use the disguised/hidden, island, mountaintop, underground, or pocket dimension features. As a stronghold, you may treat your ship as a haven .

Special. The cost of a ship is determined not by its square footage, but by its entry in the water vehicles table (see Table: Water Vehicles in Chapter Four: Equipment of Adventurer’s Guide).

Ability Score Increase: Charisma or Constitution

Mobile: A ship is a stronghold that doubles as a vehicle.

Stronghold Feat: You gain proficiency with water vehicles. If you are already proficient, you instead gain an expertise die .

At Grade 3, you gain an expertise die on all Athletics checks to climb or swim.

At Grade 4, you gain the ability to speak with all sea creatures. This does not grant them intelligence they would not normally have.

At Grade 5, your ship becomes so well-known that you and a number of allies equal to your proficiency bonus gain an expertise die when making Intimidation or Persuasion checks. These allies are chosen when you reach this grade and can be changed once per week.

Best Suited For: Fighter , marshal , rogue

Minimum Size: 400 square feet (Grade 2)

Minimum Quality: Frugal

Followers Available: Apothecary, cook, diviner, healer, sailor

Sailors form the crew on seafaring vessels, with duties including raising sails, keeping watch, and cleaning decks.

Inexperienced. Once per day, you gain advantage on a Perception check made at sea.

Seasoned. Once per day, you gain a 1d6 expertise die on Intimidation checks made at sea

Expert. If you have a ship, it can travel one-quarter faster than it could normally.

An airship is a flying bastion, able to carry crew, passengers, and supplies on long voyages. Many airships are well-appointed or even opulent, as such a vessel requires a massive investment.

Airships are unable to use the disguised, island, mountaintop, underground, or pocket dimension features. They must have the mobile (as detailed in “Heirs of Command: Marshal Archetypes” in Gate Pass Gazette Issue #9) and floating in the air features. As a stronghold, you may treat your airship as a haven .

Special. As airships are often modified water-based ships, the size cost, and staff of an airship is determined not by its square footage, but by a corresponding vehicle (see Tables: Land, Water, or Air Vehicles in Chapter Four: Equipment of Adventurer’s Guide). Depending on the nature of the base vehicle, the Narrator may or may not choose to apply the cost multiplier of the floating in the air feature—a cloud galleon is already equipped to fly, but enchanting a mundane warship will likely be quite expensive

Ability Score Increase: Charisma or Dexterity

Stronghold Feat: You gain proficiency in air vehicles if you do not already have it

At Grade 3 you gain an expertise die on all Athletics or Acrobatics checks to climb or keep your feet.

At Grade 4 you gain the ability to speak with any creature capable of flight, though this does not provide them with greater intelligence to reply.

At Grade 5 your ship becomes so well-known that you and a number of allies equal to your proficiency bonus gain an expertise die when making Intimidation or Persuasion checks, chosen once.

Best Suited For: Bard , marshal , rogue

Minimum Size: 400 square feet (Grade 2)

Minimum Quality: Average

Followers Available: Aeronaut, cook, diviner, healer, interpreter

Skysailors, also known as aeronauts, perform the same basic duties on airships as sailors do on mundane ones, such as raising sails, keeping watch, and cleaning decks, as well as airship-specific duties such as maintaining the flight-enabling mechanics or magics of the craft.

Inexperienced. Once per day, you gain advantage on a Perception check made at while aboard an air vehicle.

Seasoned. Once per day, you gain a 1d6 expertise die on Intimidation checks made while aboard an air vehicle.

Expert. If you have an airship, it can travel one-quarter faster than it could normally.

With a deck just over 80 feet in length and 20 feet wide, the Zephyr is a beautiful rosewood ship hanging by ropes and chains from a massive canvas balloon framed with wooden ribs. Within the balloon a massive air elemental enjoys their time raising, or lowering, or racing the airship to and fro at the whims of Captain Talune.

The upper deck is divided into the forecastle, 15 feet deep from the prow of the ship, the Aftcastle, 20 feet deep from the stern of the ship, and the main deck occupying the 85 feet between. Within the forecastle is the ship’s galley, where the cook Alphonse prepares delightfully inventive meals for the crew and guests. Within the aftcastle are both the Captain’s quarters and also their modest library. Atop the forecastle is a lookout’s station at the prow, and upon the aftcastle the ship’s wheel.

The amidships are largely given over to the crew’s comforts, as well as two state rooms just beneath the Captain’s quarters. While the lowermost section of the boat, the hold, contains the cargo. While the cargo can be brought to the upper deck for disembarking when the Zephyr sets to port on water, a watertight cargo bay door on the starboard side allows for a quicker loading so long as the airship hovers, or rests in a drydock cradle.