Adventuring
Classes - the Basics
Some
character classes
are commonly available, while others are restricted in minor ways,
due to location, religion, or patronage. Who you are, where you're
from, and what you have done count for a lot in Shey'Khenan. Most
Adventurers fill the nitch of wandering knight errante, standing just
outside
of the usual socal strictures of society. Their world is the
stuff of legend
to most - and they are reveared or hated justly because of it.
Fighters & Rogues
Fighters and Rogues are unrestricted, and can come from all walks of
life. Most Fighters have gained their training through competing
Martial schools, a specific mercenary company or as part of a kingdom's
elite military contingent. Rogues are often part of organized criminal
families or guilds, but a rough and uncertain upbringing may do just as
well.
Barbarians
Barbarians
are found
only in the Northern Steppes (the People of the Horse and the
Shadowhead
Khanite), Vikland, and amongst the Orcs of the Azthunk-Al'Grabben Wilds
and the Nomads of the Therapu Wastes. Shifters may follow the Totemic Barbarian
variant outlined in Unearthed Arcana.
Clerics
Clerics come in two varieties, Cloistered or Militant.
Cloistered Clerics are priests and scholars, while Militant Clerics
belong to the Orders that protect them. Pantheists,
it is rare
(but not unheard) of for a priest to take vows to serve but one
god.
Most give reverence and prayer to a particular faction of the Council
of the Gods (such as the Trinity of Order), though over time if their
piety warrant it a particular god may become their patron. While
Militant Clerics follow the rules as outlined in the PHB, Cloistered Clerics are defined
in Unearthed Arcana.
Druids
Like
Clerics, they
are Pantheists and accept that there are many gods at work in the
worlds. Druids are devoted to Shey'Khenan above all others however, and
draw their strength
from her. They are Her protectors, Her gardeners... they try to
keep the powers of the Council in check so that neither Law nor Chaos
upset the natural balance of the world. Most Druids originate or
receive their training in the great Sylvattan Forest.
Monks,
Paladins, and Rangers
Each class
rises from
specific martial orders founded and perpetuated by the Holy Church
of the Triumvirate. The Lords of Order are exemplified in these noble
castes - Bhina's meditative wisdom and self-reliance is embodied
in the discipline of the Monks, while Aldonis' holy crusade is seen
through in Outremer by his Paladins, just as the borderlands are
watched over by Rhin's attentive Rangers.
Bards,
Sorcerers &
Wizards
The Arcane magic-using classes
represent different paths to mastering the same power. While
all deal with the mastering of magic to bend reality to one's will,
each takes different roads to do it. Though a great rivalry
exists
between the methods, they are indistinguishable to non-arcane
spellcasters. Bards study (or steal) songs of power, often congregating
in Colleges dedicated to their Art, while Wizards frequently form
Guilds to better restrict and control the magical trade. Sorcerors
rarely bow to any authority but their own, claiming their mandate and
birthright from Shanalin the Trickster, dragon-mother and changeling
goddess who stole the secrets of magic long ago. As all Arcane magic is
disruptive to the Tapastry of Law though, even well meaning
spellcasters find themseles drawn to Chaos and Darkness, and risk being
drawn into their games.
|
