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The master of shrouds is an evil spellcaster who magically seizes incorporeal undead and sets them to do her bidding. Plucking vile creatures such as wraiths and shadows from their restless haunts, she summons them to her presence and commands them to work her will. Furious at their forced servitude, the wrathful undead spread fear and death in their wake.

Most masters of shrouds have experience as clerics. Paladins never become masters of shrouds, though ex-paladins may do so, particularly if they turn far enough from their lawful good roots to become blackguards. Multiclass clerics are also common followers of this path, including cleric/fighters and cleric/rogues. A small number of cleric/necromancer/mystic theurges take up the role of master of shrouds at their highest levels.

NPC masters of shrouds operate in secret, pursuing their evil plans under cover of darkness. They may work individually or in groups, depending on their assignment. They rarely stay in one place for long, and rarely work in groups larger than four, to avoid attracting too much attention from paladins and good clerics, not to mention hunters of the dead.

Requirements

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Masters of shrouds are proficient with all simple weapons, with all types of armor, and with shields.

Spells per Day/Spells Known: When an even-numbered level of master of shrouds is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if he had also gained a level in a divine spellcasting class to which he belonged before he added the prestige class. He does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained (improved chance of turning or rebuking undead, or the like). The level of master of shrouds is added to the level of whatever other divine spellcasting class the character has, then spells per day, spells known, and caster level are determined accordingly.

If the character had more than one divine spellcasting class before he became a master of shrouds, the player must decide to which class to add each level of master of shrouds for the purpose of determining spells per day and spells known.

Summon Undead (Sp): At 1st level, the master of shrouds gains the ability to summon a shadow or allip to fight his enemies. This ability works like the summon monster I spell, except as follows. The master of shrouds cannot dismiss the summoned creature, and if it remains after the last enemy is gone or slain, it attacks the master of shrouds unless he successfully rebukes or commands it. The master of shrouds gains a +4 bonus on turning checks and damage against undead he has summoned.

As the master of shrouds gains additional levels in the prestige class, he can summon undead more frequently, and he gains access to more powerful incorporeal undead. He can summon two allips or two shadows at 3rd level, two wraiths at 5th level, two spectres at 7th level, or two greater shadows at 9th level. He may always choose to substitute lower-CR undead for any higher-CR ones that he can summon, but the number summoned does not change.

Extra Turning: The master of shrouds gains Extra Turning as a bonus feat. Furthermore, his master of shrouds levels stack with his levels in any other classes that can rebuke or destroy undead (such as cleric) for the purpose of determining the parameters of his rebuke or command ability.

Advancement