Majordomo (Investigator Archetype)
For those of noble bearing, or whom otherwise have a major presence in the political landscape, having the right servant to manage the household and provide support in other ways can be an enormous boon.
Todayās entry may indeed be a butler or head maid, but these majordomos are much more than mere house servants. Individuals of extreme professionalism and cunning, they mix the skills of an investigator with that of their namesake, not only managing aspects of their employerās lives, but also coordinating with their other servants and allies, as well as doing a bit of direct investigation for them, giving them the edge they need.
This archetype has clearly been inspired by pretty much every badass butler in fiction ever. From Alfred Pennyworth to Sebastian to Walter C. Dorneaz to Norman Burg and beyond.
Ā These cunning servants well-versed in paperwork in dealing with their employerās own correspondence and records, and can apply those skills to detecting forgeries as well as discrepancies in such records, as well as judge the intent of the writer of any sort of written example.
As the head house servant, a majordomo learns how to coordinate with others, instructing them to work together both in combat and outside of it, temporarily granting competency in such things, including for a longer time if they take the time to make much more thorough instructions.
They also are naturally masters of managing households and mundane tasks, able to create plans to reduce the time such a task takes, as well as demonstrate their considerable knowledge when helping to run a kingdom or estate.
A majordomo makes things run much more smoothly, whether it be downtime tasks, an investigation, or combat. If youāre interested in that, and also curious about an investigator that drops alchemy in favor of a selection of bonus teamwork feats and the ability to grant them to allies for extended periods, this might be what youāre interested in. Whether you play this as a PC or a cohort, consider the makeup of your party and decide which feats best suit their play style.
Ā I can see this archetype getting a lot more play as a cohort archetype, if only because it does imply playing second fiddle to someone else, which might not appeal to some players who want to be Batman, not Alfred. However, there will be those who enjoy playing a character that acts as a direct support of another, particularly if they get to be cheeky while they do so.
Ā Ā Ebidar has served the Junvas family for years, keeping up after then and taking care of business for the current head of the household. Occasionally, this means the older vishkanya must break into halls of rival noble families or lead the house garrison in its defense.
Ā Heir of an undertaking family that caters to nobility by day, Pehira takes on the guise of the Grave Avenger at night. However, her vigilante escapades would have never gotten as far as they have without her beloved servant Heida, whom insists she is her ābutlerā despite identifying as a woman.
Ā Recently,the attention of the butler of the Haufsad House has been divided, the tiefling having discovered a forlarren that snuck into the hedge maze. Feeling a bit of kinship for the fiend-touched fey, he seeks to help rehabilitate her and overcome her violent urges. Whether thatās even possible remains to be seen, but he does put the whole family and servants at risk should she decide to lash out.