- Academic
- Alchemist
- Bard
- Blacksmith
- Butcher
- Cook
- Commoner
- Druid
- Historian
- Knight
- Monk
- Natural Philosopher
- Noteworthy
- Of the Cloth
- Philosopher
- Savage
- Scribe
- Sea Rat
- Vagabond
- Woodsman
The Academic is scholarly, studious, well read, learned, bookish. They strive to attain knowledge of everything theoretical, though rarely of a practical relevance, devoting their life to the search wholeheartedly. They are teachers, at the very heart, striving to get at the theoretical, conceptual, notional, the philosophical at times, the hypothetical, the speculative, sometimes that which is conjectural or even impractical and unrealistic, but always they are striving for something; a great many things as a rule.
To pin a specific attribute to an academic, to describe them as typical, in anything other than the general aspect of searching or longing, would be erroneous, utterly fallacious, and misguided. No. The academics are, categorically, not even themselves. The journey toward the knowledge of anything worthwhile, and to an academic it is all worthwhile, is riddled with upheaval, conversion, transformation; an inexplicable, absolute, soul-riving, metamorphosis that cannot be undone. To fathom, to truly comprehend, the nature of knowledge, of the theoretical, of the idea of nature itself, is to take into oneself a burden of gargantuan proportions, an affliction that cannot be measured, or weighed, or accounted for. It can only be felt or endured; not contained, throttled, or corralled; only experienced.
They are often lost, visibly lost, speak to no one in particular about notions and concepts far beyond the normal wit of the common man, and vehemently abhor ignorance of any kind; abhor it, to the extreme; fight it they will, grapple with it, compel it, lash it with words, curse it. Fight you say? Heaven forbid they raise a fist in anger. No. Their fight is with knowledge, the strength of will, of thought, of mind, of strategy. Run. That’s what an academic will do, they will run; though not necessarily in the proper or safe direction.
So what good are they, how can they help, why on earth would a party of adventurers ever consider having one along? The Academic is invaluable in their wealth of knowledge. Most of it theoretical mind you, but take one with you and see, just see how many pretty messes you avoid. Careful with your patience though, for by the end of the journey you may be inclined to stab, punch, club, bind, gag, or otherwise molest their person in the worst possible way. Just wait and see if they don’t save your hide.
All this is not to say that the academic will not assist in a fight, the fight, they will, given the proper motivation, endeavor to apply the knowledge attained, the theoretical knowledge, and temper it to some physical, some mechanical means by which they can assist. Be wary when the academic gets excited, when they begin to plot, and scheme, and put hands to work. Something serious is on the horizon. Hope that it isn’t you gets caught in their scheme.
To pin a specific attribute to an academic, to describe them as typical, in anything other than the general aspect of searching or longing, would be erroneous, utterly fallacious, and misguided. No. The academics are, categorically, not even themselves. The journey toward the knowledge of anything worthwhile, and to an academic it is all worthwhile, is riddled with upheaval, conversion, transformation; an inexplicable, absolute, soul-riving, metamorphosis that cannot be undone. To fathom, to truly comprehend, the nature of knowledge, of the theoretical, of the idea of nature itself, is to take into oneself a burden of gargantuan proportions, an affliction that cannot be measured, or weighed, or accounted for. It can only be felt or endured; not contained, throttled, or corralled; only experienced.
They are often lost, visibly lost, speak to no one in particular about notions and concepts far beyond the normal wit of the common man, and vehemently abhor ignorance of any kind; abhor it, to the extreme; fight it they will, grapple with it, compel it, lash it with words, curse it. Fight you say? Heaven forbid they raise a fist in anger. No. Their fight is with knowledge, the strength of will, of thought, of mind, of strategy. Run. That’s what an academic will do, they will run; though not necessarily in the proper or safe direction.
So what good are they, how can they help, why on earth would a party of adventurers ever consider having one along? The Academic is invaluable in their wealth of knowledge. Most of it theoretical mind you, but take one with you and see, just see how many pretty messes you avoid. Careful with your patience though, for by the end of the journey you may be inclined to stab, punch, club, bind, gag, or otherwise molest their person in the worst possible way. Just wait and see if they don’t save your hide.
All this is not to say that the academic will not assist in a fight, the fight, they will, given the proper motivation, endeavor to apply the knowledge attained, the theoretical knowledge, and temper it to some physical, some mechanical means by which they can assist. Be wary when the academic gets excited, when they begin to plot, and scheme, and put hands to work. Something serious is on the horizon. Hope that it isn’t you gets caught in their scheme.
The alchemist is a master of everything arcane. As lifelong students of the mystical and unknown, they are highly intelligent, impulsively creative, and often delve deep into mysteries that should be left buried and forgotten. They often spend days and weeks on end studying old crumbling parchments in musty, cobweb choked, long forgotten libraries deep within ancient cities and forgotten towers. When not reading they are practicing their newfound knowledge. Step into the laboratory of any Alchemist and you will inevitably see scorch marks and acid etched stone. There are no mysteries, alchemical formulae, or arcane magical knowledge the alchemist cannot discover, or kill themselves in the process of discovery. More than one apprentice has earned their title at the demise of their mentor. The Alchemist covets knowledge, power, and freedom above all else. Should these basic needs be taken away, a swift certain death would certainly ensue.
Alchemists rarely have the need to use weapons or armor. In fact, they detest the use of either. They rely on their mind and the vast knowledge stored therein to defend and defeat. However, if cornered, they will, most certainly, resort to physical means. They are not weaklings as some think—quite the contrary. Having spent hour upon hour lifting, rearranging, and cataloging enormously heavy tomes and traveling far and wide to gain knowledge, has hardened them physically and mentally. This is not to say they do not acquiesce to the common belief that they are weaklings. Keeping everyone else in the dark, as to the true nature of the secrets they have striven to unearth, is just part of their nature.
Alchemists rarely have the need to use weapons or armor. In fact, they detest the use of either. They rely on their mind and the vast knowledge stored therein to defend and defeat. However, if cornered, they will, most certainly, resort to physical means. They are not weaklings as some think—quite the contrary. Having spent hour upon hour lifting, rearranging, and cataloging enormously heavy tomes and traveling far and wide to gain knowledge, has hardened them physically and mentally. This is not to say they do not acquiesce to the common belief that they are weaklings. Keeping everyone else in the dark, as to the true nature of the secrets they have striven to unearth, is just part of their nature.
Blacksmith
Butcher
Cook
Commoner
The commoner represents everything typical and normal about the common, run-of-the-mill individual. Commoners come from no specific class or talent of society. These individuals make up the laborers of society, such as: fisherman, herders, farmers, dishwashers, etc. What drives a commoner to pursue the adventuring life you ask? Well, sometimes it comes about because a troll ate the rest of their family, or due to a hardship that forced them to take the road, or occasionally they are dared by a friend, got stuck following some adventurers around, and simply forgot to go home.
The commoner never rushes into battle, in fact, they avoid it all costs. They aren’t opposed to fighting, but reserve this task for the direst of circumstances. They shine in their ability to blend into the crowd, finding creative solutions to situations, and one or two specialized abilities. They are good at a lot of general tasks such as hiding in plain sight, climbing everyday common objects such as trees and big rocks, and the most important of life serving tactics, retreat.
A commoner hasn’t the penchant nor the understanding to wear armor, and little understanding of weapons more complicated than a paring knife. So what good are they you ask? They are the MacGyver of the adventuring world. Give the commoner a chicken bone, a spool of string, two pebbles, and a bit of animal fat, and he’ll rig you up a trap that will snare the wiliest of cave creatures.
No, the commoner is not a fighter, he’s not an engineer, he’s not even proud of what he does. At the end of the day he’s happy if he’s still alive. Surprise is his greatest skill of all, followed by retreat. Though many consider the commoner to be the lackey of the adventuring party, they often outlive everyone. They excel at teamwork and one or two other unique, albeit useless, skills.
Creativity, fear of battle, and specialization rule the day for the commoner. Don’t underestimate the power of these individuals. Their minds are always working. They never rule out the obvious or most obscure tactic. Every encounter is a chance to solve a problem. Sometimes the solution is simply to run away, at others it is to assist, but never ever is it prudent to tackle the problem head-on.
The commoner never rushes into battle, in fact, they avoid it all costs. They aren’t opposed to fighting, but reserve this task for the direst of circumstances. They shine in their ability to blend into the crowd, finding creative solutions to situations, and one or two specialized abilities. They are good at a lot of general tasks such as hiding in plain sight, climbing everyday common objects such as trees and big rocks, and the most important of life serving tactics, retreat.
A commoner hasn’t the penchant nor the understanding to wear armor, and little understanding of weapons more complicated than a paring knife. So what good are they you ask? They are the MacGyver of the adventuring world. Give the commoner a chicken bone, a spool of string, two pebbles, and a bit of animal fat, and he’ll rig you up a trap that will snare the wiliest of cave creatures.
No, the commoner is not a fighter, he’s not an engineer, he’s not even proud of what he does. At the end of the day he’s happy if he’s still alive. Surprise is his greatest skill of all, followed by retreat. Though many consider the commoner to be the lackey of the adventuring party, they often outlive everyone. They excel at teamwork and one or two other unique, albeit useless, skills.
Creativity, fear of battle, and specialization rule the day for the commoner. Don’t underestimate the power of these individuals. Their minds are always working. They never rule out the obvious or most obscure tactic. Every encounter is a chance to solve a problem. Sometimes the solution is simply to run away, at others it is to assist, but never ever is it prudent to tackle the problem head-on.
Historian
Knight
Knights were originally created by the highest order of men. Trained from birth to defend castles from evil forces bent on destroying mankind. Knights spend the first half of their life in academic and physical training. They learn to fight with increasingly heavier sets armor and weapons. The knight learns honor, code, respect, and self-discipline. Before a knight leaves the knighthood, they must recite the Knight’s Measure, a nine-page doctrine defining the meaning of honor. From that point on the knight begins and ends each day with the Knight’s Oath: ‘Est sularus oth mithas’ (My honor is my life).
Once knighted, a knight lives a life of servitude, defending those in need from the forces of evil, living life in dutiful servitude. It isn’t a painful existence, but rather an honor. By following the Knight’s Measure, they spend a lifetime following the ideals of heroism and courage. To die protecting those in need is an honor every knight dreams of being granted. A knight feels it is their personal responsibility to protect the weak and oppressed, the poor and enslaved, the falsely imprisoned, fellow Knights, and the defenseless. A knight only takes as much as he can carry easily, and always gives the remaining share, to the poor and needy. A knight never backs down from a fight; they will fight to the death protecting what they believe in.
The knight is a powerhouse of force. By merely walking onto the battlefield the opposition often cowers in fear, while those around him are encouraged. Knights wear only bronze, full, or field plate armor. They often wield weapons one size larger than their class and dual wield weapons on size class lower, thus granting them two attacks per round.
Once knighted, a knight lives a life of servitude, defending those in need from the forces of evil, living life in dutiful servitude. It isn’t a painful existence, but rather an honor. By following the Knight’s Measure, they spend a lifetime following the ideals of heroism and courage. To die protecting those in need is an honor every knight dreams of being granted. A knight feels it is their personal responsibility to protect the weak and oppressed, the poor and enslaved, the falsely imprisoned, fellow Knights, and the defenseless. A knight only takes as much as he can carry easily, and always gives the remaining share, to the poor and needy. A knight never backs down from a fight; they will fight to the death protecting what they believe in.
The knight is a powerhouse of force. By merely walking onto the battlefield the opposition often cowers in fear, while those around him are encouraged. Knights wear only bronze, full, or field plate armor. They often wield weapons one size larger than their class and dual wield weapons on size class lower, thus granting them two attacks per round.
As a monastic aesthetic, the monk is a master of body and mind. A monk spends years focusing their body and mind into a focused point. Having spent many hours, every day, reading, transcribing, and copying scrolls, tomes, ledgers, and all other sort of written documents, has given the monk a great deal of understanding of all known written and verbal languages.
They tend to be loners but often travel with other adventurers to hone and improve their skills in the real world. Like the knight, the monk has a personal devotion to those in need. Monks come from all walks of life. Most have lost their families to one form of evil or another.
A monk never wears armor and prefers his fists to actual physical weapons. They will employ light or medium weapons from time to time, or use what is nearby, even larger weapons if the need is dire. They dimply detest armor, feeling as though it restricts their inner spirit, stifling the flow of energy within. When it comes to hand-to-hand combat, the monk rules all. The fluidity, with which their bodies move, put even the best of high elves to shame.
They tend to be loners but often travel with other adventurers to hone and improve their skills in the real world. Like the knight, the monk has a personal devotion to those in need. Monks come from all walks of life. Most have lost their families to one form of evil or another.
A monk never wears armor and prefers his fists to actual physical weapons. They will employ light or medium weapons from time to time, or use what is nearby, even larger weapons if the need is dire. They dimply detest armor, feeling as though it restricts their inner spirit, stifling the flow of energy within. When it comes to hand-to-hand combat, the monk rules all. The fluidity, with which their bodies move, put even the best of high elves to shame.
The natural Philosopher is one who practices the study of nature and the physical world. Each natural philosopher has their own special interests, or areas of study, some broad, some more narrow, but they all have one thing in common, they involve themselves in the reasoning and explanation of nature; that is to say, everything physical in the world.
No two are alike in opinion or desire, and neither will you find any two who can agree on any one idea, whether scientific (based in fact) or philosophical (based in idea or opinion). They are quirky, demanding, haughty, arrogant at times, stubborn at the best of times, demanding, precocious, intolerable, quite insane, and otherwise a terrible pain to endure as company. Most, however, will agree on one thing concerning the natural philosopher, they are dedicated to their cause, reliable (for the most part), and always knowledgeable on their specific area of expertise. They are experts to be sure, this we shall all agree on, without a shadow of a doubt, for you see, the best of men have forfeit their lives having ignored the sound of advice of the natural philosopher.
Natural philosophers spend a great deal of their time split between the written sources of information and field research. Some do both at the same time, while others do one then the other; all in varying degrees of order. The greatest joy of the natural philosopher is to have their ideas written and distributed among their peers.
No two are alike in opinion or desire, and neither will you find any two who can agree on any one idea, whether scientific (based in fact) or philosophical (based in idea or opinion). They are quirky, demanding, haughty, arrogant at times, stubborn at the best of times, demanding, precocious, intolerable, quite insane, and otherwise a terrible pain to endure as company. Most, however, will agree on one thing concerning the natural philosopher, they are dedicated to their cause, reliable (for the most part), and always knowledgeable on their specific area of expertise. They are experts to be sure, this we shall all agree on, without a shadow of a doubt, for you see, the best of men have forfeit their lives having ignored the sound of advice of the natural philosopher.
Natural philosophers spend a great deal of their time split between the written sources of information and field research. Some do both at the same time, while others do one then the other; all in varying degrees of order. The greatest joy of the natural philosopher is to have their ideas written and distributed among their peers.
The noteworthy has a unique mastery of mind and body, unlike the monk, however, this mastery is of an academic nature. The noteworthy keep their mind and body in peak physical condition. They tend to move around in the upper echelon of social circles, making a name for themselves, while simultaneously moving through the lower orders of society helping the needy. They are typically very common individuals within their race and have been raised in sophisticated, highly structured families. Their exposure to the various aspects of society and life in general give them a diversity of skills.
While growing up, noteworthy spend hours on end studying in arcane libraries and apprentice in every occupation; thus giving them a mind and body primed for any situation. Contrary to what many believe, the noteworthy are typically humble individuals. Their constant contact with all aspects of society, including the academics, gives them a keen insight into the real ebb and flow of life on the planet. These insights ground the Noteworthy, granting them a sympathetic perspective to the needs of every class of citizen.
A host of skills transform the noteworthy into a well-rounded character. Although they can wear any armor and use any weapons, they often wear no armor and use no weapon, opting to use their hands and mind as lethal weapons.
Of the Cloth
While growing up, noteworthy spend hours on end studying in arcane libraries and apprentice in every occupation; thus giving them a mind and body primed for any situation. Contrary to what many believe, the noteworthy are typically humble individuals. Their constant contact with all aspects of society, including the academics, gives them a keen insight into the real ebb and flow of life on the planet. These insights ground the Noteworthy, granting them a sympathetic perspective to the needs of every class of citizen.
A host of skills transform the noteworthy into a well-rounded character. Although they can wear any armor and use any weapons, they often wear no armor and use no weapon, opting to use their hands and mind as lethal weapons.
Of the Cloth
Savage
The savage is an individual, of any race, that has reverted to a baser animal nature. These individuals, for any number of reasons, found themselves in the deepest, darkest, wilds—the heart of darkness if you will—and having no other communication with the greater world, or means of civilized sustainability, have succumbed to the animalistic darkness that dwells within each of us. They maintain their parent racial and personality traits, of course, but the animal within often takes over and drives them body and soul, to survive and thrive, with chaos as a center of gravity.
The savage hates, or rather despises, confinement and restraint. Armor as well as heavy clothing feels suffocating and will drive them mad after a time. The coldness of steel and metal objects warps their spine and drives them into fits. Natural weapons and handcrafted items are the tools of trade for this class. They are just as likely to bash an enemy with said enemy’s own appendage, having just been removed forcefully, as they are with a nearby rock.
Outside of battle the savage maintains a demurred composure, for as long as they can master their inner demons anyway. Prolonged stays within, or near, civilized areas will drive them mad after a time. In battle the savage is a force many would rather not contend with. Running, jumping, climbing, hooting and hollering, growling, spitting, biting and clawing, the savage turns even the worst of battles into maddening chaos. It is said that a savage, when driven to madness, will rend even their own flesh and bone, during such a battle. It is wise to stay on their good side, if they have one, or simply stay out of focus.
The savage hates, or rather despises, confinement and restraint. Armor as well as heavy clothing feels suffocating and will drive them mad after a time. The coldness of steel and metal objects warps their spine and drives them into fits. Natural weapons and handcrafted items are the tools of trade for this class. They are just as likely to bash an enemy with said enemy’s own appendage, having just been removed forcefully, as they are with a nearby rock.
Outside of battle the savage maintains a demurred composure, for as long as they can master their inner demons anyway. Prolonged stays within, or near, civilized areas will drive them mad after a time. In battle the savage is a force many would rather not contend with. Running, jumping, climbing, hooting and hollering, growling, spitting, biting and clawing, the savage turns even the worst of battles into maddening chaos. It is said that a savage, when driven to madness, will rend even their own flesh and bone, during such a battle. It is wise to stay on their good side, if they have one, or simply stay out of focus.
A scribe is someone who writes for a living. They typically work for barons, governments, and religious orders. They might copy books, scrolls, sacred texts, etc., or keep track of business records, judicial, or historical records/affairs, or take dictation from a noble or royalty. Some provide their services to the general public, freelance-like, writing letters on the street-corner or from their home. They are extremely efficient at reading and writing, far outstripping the abilities of any other profession.
Scribes are well educated and revered by all parts of society. Their skills are often used in courts, during the construction of important buildings, and during important rituals and ceremonies. Scribes often perform maintenance in libraries, keeping the various forms of written word clean and organized, transcribing tests from one language to another, etc.
They come in all shapes and sizes really. Some tend to be loners or extremely shy, opting a life of seclusion rather than one of social significance. While others prefer to be recognized for their talent, even going so far as to boast of it to anyone who will listen. They are highly intelligent, knowledgeable about a great many things written, some quite eccentric having gone mad form the long hours of copying and scribing letter upon letter, word after word, line after line, in their dim candle and torch-lit rooms, and for the most part a valuable asset to every social order.
Scribes are well educated and revered by all parts of society. Their skills are often used in courts, during the construction of important buildings, and during important rituals and ceremonies. Scribes often perform maintenance in libraries, keeping the various forms of written word clean and organized, transcribing tests from one language to another, etc.
They come in all shapes and sizes really. Some tend to be loners or extremely shy, opting a life of seclusion rather than one of social significance. While others prefer to be recognized for their talent, even going so far as to boast of it to anyone who will listen. They are highly intelligent, knowledgeable about a great many things written, some quite eccentric having gone mad form the long hours of copying and scribing letter upon letter, word after word, line after line, in their dim candle and torch-lit rooms, and for the most part a valuable asset to every social order.
Vagabond
The Vagabond is a nomad, vagrant, drifter, traveler, wanderer, gypsy. They are wanderers at heart, constantly traveling the world and beyond, ever restless, ever uneasy at heart. There is something out there, in the wide world, in the universe, which calls to them, heart and soul. The vagabonds’ wonderings, the never staying in place for long, grant them a wide variety of skills and knowledge. They often live on the fringes of civilization, traveling from one society to the next, never fully integrating, but rather gleaning as much knowledge, skill, and local knowledge as possible before moving on. They tend to be rough looking individuals, adopting small elements of dress and posture from the various cultures they meet, thus making them hard to identify or place culturally. Opponents find this appearance very unnerving and highly unpredictable when trying to judge character. Vagabonds make friends easily but often keep them at a limited social distance.
Vagabonds are crazy and unpredictable in hand-to-hand combat, moving around their opponent with an agile grace, uncharacteristic of their appearance mind you, mounting a flurry of blows, then retreating, circling, and gliding in for another round of torture. They tend to develop a set of combat skills, which they have learned, modified, and made their own, from the various cultures they have encountered.
Vagabonds are crazy and unpredictable in hand-to-hand combat, moving around their opponent with an agile grace, uncharacteristic of their appearance mind you, mounting a flurry of blows, then retreating, circling, and gliding in for another round of torture. They tend to develop a set of combat skills, which they have learned, modified, and made their own, from the various cultures they have encountered.