General: We’ve all seen these gents and ladies around: well dressed, well mannered, well travelled and with an ego as big as the Mississippi.  In the tradition of Columbus or Drake a Noble Explorer is a world traveler in search of new riches and to discover unknown parts the of the world.  Nowadays Noble Explorers work for companies or explorer societies, though many still have ties to older imperial traditions. Others are independantly wealthy as simplly go off and about on a lark.  Whom ever they work for a Noble Explorer really is in it for the adventure and challenge.  Be it a trip through an unmapped area of the Amazon or the Great Maze, they go not because they have to, but because of curiosity and the personal challenge that they take the harder road, often leaving the bodies of their companions or the locals as a testament of their epic journey. 

Classes: Noble explorers come from all backgrounds, though most are wealthy Europeans.  It also takes a lot of money and friends to go half way around the world to hunt Mohave Rattlers or climb Mountains in India.  Thus, nearly all Noble Explorers come from rich families, a long line of famous explorers, or sponser their trips with wealth of artefacts they dig up or "rescue" from the hands of primatives.  Occasionally a pauper becomes a famous and respected explorer through sheer determination and extraordinary deeds, but this quite rare unless their postion was handed down to them by another Noble Explorer. Gunslingers or Rowdies who "retire" may try their hand at exploration, their deadly skill with weapons and toughness make them potent hunters on the plans of Africa. Blessed who become Noble Explorers are life long Missionaries, willing to trudge through the gardens of hell to spread the word or bring comfort to the needy. Mad scientists and Hucksters make surprisingly good explorers, their somewhat unnatural nature always seems to lead them into dangerous places. Wilderness Scouts, Braves, and Shaman don't get along with most Noble Explorers, often working along side them just to minimize the amount of damage a full expodition causes.

Races: As usual in Deadlands, Humans only, though any curious race with a means and will to travel can become a Noble Explorer.

Relations: Noble Explorers can become famous vary quickly, and with notoriety comes a mixture of awe and jealously from the public.  Many people see such journeys as romantic; others see them as a complete waste of time and money.  Worst of all even more satisfying than the journey is the ability to boast about your conquests.  This is simple human nature, but makes the Noble Explorer seem pompous and arrogant.  There is also a great deal competition between explorer societies, each desiring for fame and fortune.  Such competition is gentlemanly in nature, though intense and hostile confrontations are not unheard of. Noble Explorers are most often hated by the natives of the lands they have traveled too, especially when colonizing. Though often warmly greeted by natives at first, the Noble Explorer's own aire of self righteous dominace eventual leads to violent confrountation.

Racial: Humanoid

Alignment: Any, chaotic good personalities are the most common. Noble Explorers who are evil by nature often consider themselves conquerors rather than travellers.

Attack/Save Bonus: +4 base attack bonus

Traits/Abilities: Constitution 12+, Charisma 13+

Skills: Knowledge (nature) 3 ranks, Wilderness Survival 3 ranks, Diplomacy 5 ranks, Tale Telling 5 ranks..

Feats: Dinero (one level), Fearless, Renown

Initiation rites:  Must get a position in an explorer society of some sort.  Most of the societies have membership fees, typically $500 to $1000 a year, and require you to complete at least one self funded expedition before letting you join. Most Societies also expect you to participate in meetings and take part in friendly competitive quests, and turn over artefacts and relics for study.

Appraise, Balance(dex), Craft(int), Climb(str), Diplomacy(cha), Driving (ground, air), Handle Animal(cha), Intuit direction(wis), Jump(str), Knowledge(Int) (area, nature, cartography, history, lore(any)), Listen(wis), Profession(wis), Ride(dex), Spot(wis), Swim(str), Tale Telling(Cha), Wilderness Lore(wis).

Weapons and Armour Proficiency:  As per origional class, plus see below under exotic weapon.

Exotic Weapon: At level 1 and 7 the Noble Explorer gains an exotic weapon proficiancy of choice. This comes from exposure to weapons from new cultures and ability to find someone to teach you how to use a few. The Marshal may allow the Noble Explorer to take other weapons or armour proficiencies in place of this ability.

Skill Focus:  At level 1, 5 and 8 you get a skill focus in one of the following skills: Climb, Driving (any), Intuit Direction, Jump, Knowledge (Nature, Cartography), Ride, Swim, Wilderness Lore.

Sponsorship:  At level 2, you get extra cash from some your financier at the beginning of each session you tend to go or are on an expedition (Marshal may determine if you are on an expedition or just touring on your own accord).  The extra cash is equal to 1d20 + Charisma bonus against a DC of 15.  You get $50 for every point above this DC (example if you roll a total of 20, you get $250 since you rolled 5 points above a DC of 15).  Money from funding is also transferable to other currencies or tradable goods with a simple (DC 15) diplomacy roll if you need to buy supplies in a region that does not usually use your type of money.  Funding is typically reserved to purchase supplies, transport and to pay for the salaries of service men.  If you decide to spend the money on yourself alone, your sponsors will not be to pleased, and most of your crew may think you'd be better suited to be shark or croc bait.
A Critical failure on your Sponsership roll means you loose $1d10x100 of your own cash, if you don't have the cash you'll have to liquidate some supplies or men. This serious loss can be caused by mother nature's hand, repossession by local authorities, theives or just plain bad luck.

Survival Savvy:  At level 3, the explorer has an uncanny knack of getting of even the worst situations with their hind ends intact by sheer force of character and keeping a stiff upper lip.  You may add your Charisma bonus modifier to all your saving throws.  This ability stacks with other abilities such as uncanny dodge if that ability is applicable to the situation. 

Free Feat: At level 4 and 9 you may take one of the following feats:
Endurance, Sand, Dinero (one extra level ), Run, Toughness, Alterness, Lightening Reflexes, Great Fortitude .

Leadership:  At level 6, you get the Leadership feat.  If you already have the feat you may use it as if you where one level higher than normal.  This represents your growing ability to organize and inspire men who accompany you on an expedition.

Dauntless:  Level 10, No matter how bad it gets, you will never give up or turn back. This ability allows you to resist the fear level of an area with a Will saving throw DC 20+ (fear level x2).  You may choose to make this saving throw once per day, a success indicates a full day of immunity to the fear level of the area.  This is more than just immunity to the effects of the fear level, but the ability to see the true nature of the surroundings, discerning fear induced images from real threats.  For example if you make your dauntless roll while in the Black Forest of Germany (Fear level 3) you can tell the real demonic living trees from the false ones that everyone else sees.  This is not true sight and does not dispel illusions or spells, or counter hide or move silently rolls, but like a light reveals creatures trying to lurk, in “plain sight”, in the darkness created by a travelers own fears.

Note that creatures who have the power to cause fear can still affect you.

If you critically fail your dauntless roll, your mind and spirit snap. You suffer 1d4 temporary Wisdom and Charisma damage. You also suffer the effects of the Fear spell until your abilities regain all of their lost points. The Manitous don't take to kindly to folks to those who just ignore all their hard work.