Centuries ago Kao Tsen was a warrior-poet and champion of the Kao Dynasty. He served several emperors, in fact many emperors, to the point it is thought his sense of duty prevented him from dying.
In the cycle of time the dynasty ended and the empire diminished, becoming little more than a veneer over a commonwealth of lesser nations. Kao Tsen wants the family to grow in stature again, to bring them back into prominence as the leading family of a newly-reforged empire.
In patron terms, he supports the Kao family, promotes the ideal of empire, and opposes the condition of commonwealth: he means to see the empire restored to its former glory, or greater, under the family he served for so long.
When summoned, he manifests as a courtier in silk robes, every move graceful and measured… and poised for immediate violence if needed.
Kao Tsen’s vassals gain the following favors and drawbacks.
Courtier’s Grace When acting as, or on behalf of, a noble of the court, treat all charisma skills as trained, and if actually trained make such checks with advantage. Treat Insight as a charisma skill instead of intelligence or perception, as those who would try to mislead are taken off-guard and misspeak, giving away their deceptions. Vassal will become obsessed with ‘proper appearance’, and if not properly dressed and perfumed will lose poise and make all charisma checks with disadvantage instead.
Voice of Authority A vassal with at least 6 favor can, on a successful Leadership or Persuasion check, cause a target to follow a suggestion, as the Soothing Edict spell. The target only gets a save if the suggestion would be contrary to the target’s nature, or perceived as potentially harmful to the target’s well-being or honor. If the vassal commits the favor (and cannot regain normally until the suggestion is carried out or rescinded in the presence of the target, or the target dies) the suggestion can remain in place indefinitely. The vassal’s voice becomes mesmerizing when the vassal has 6 or more favor, comforting to those who hear it but having no actual effect.
Furious Wind A vassal with at least 10 favor makes initiative checks with advantage. The vassal can spend one point of favor to move and make one melee attack against one target for each square the vassal occupies during this movement. The vassal can instead commit a whirlwind attack, circling a single opponent and making a single melee attack for each square, at a cost of one point of favor per attack. A vassal with at least 10 favor always takes a position that allows immediate reaction to (or initiation of) violence; the gentle and soothing voice is backed up with an implicit aura of menace.
