The Calling of the Warrior
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Warriors are the most numerous of all adventuring classes and are found in all strata of society from aristocratic knights to peasant militia. They are common in every culture from barbaric to sedentary. Many never exceed the lowest of levels and blend imperceptibly among the non-adventuring labourers of ordinary society. The roles to which warriors can apply themselves are numerous and include city guard, mercenary, bodyguard, prize-fighter, bandit and pirate.
Experts at Arms
What sets warriors apart from other classes is the extent to which they can become expert wielders of particular weapons. Members of other classes may become proficient over time in a number of weapons and a few exceptionally experienced ones may even become specialised in one weapon. Warriors however can be specialised in particular weapons from the very start and become specialised in many over time. A warrior using a specialised weapon fights faster and with more devastating effect.
Rangers
Rangers in the Lands are practitioners of a particular way-of-life that was originally developed among Planavic villagers faced with assault and oppression from numerically more powerful military opponents (even from rival Planavic clans). Rangers are warriors who eschew those notions of honour which insist that the warrior must always face opponents openly. If such conduct will allow a more powerful force to win and oppress peaceful non-combatants then Rangers will abandon it for other methods. Rangers have an affinity with others of that movement but are partisan and will always support the needs of their own community - at times they will even be found fighting on two sides of the same conflict. Most travel the Eastern Expanse but there are some scattered much further afield.
Rangers practice a blend of both bravery and shrewdness which allows for stealth and surprise in the service of defending ones freedom. As such they cultivate skills associated with wilderness survival and surprise attack – in particular tracking. They can use herbalism as an alternative to the curative powers of the clergy. In accordance with many generations of habit they become expert in ranged weapons such as spear or bow-and-arrow. They also favour the combination of long sword and hand axe. They tend to venerate both Nitara and Teloch. The movement to date has only ever counted humans and Half-Elves among its number.
Paladins
Paladins in the Lands are members of one of two sibling orders of knights. These two orders are associated with the Erimanic nation-states of Rolania and Bordenia respectively. Paladins are armed defenders of the honour and virtue of those nations and must be drawn from the aristocracy (whether by blood or elevation to knighthood) and as a result Paladins are always human. They were specifically formed to test the accuracy of claims to Eriman royal blood and some Paladins will travel far and wide in order to make such investigations.
As warriors the Paladins are expert in particular weapons – the bastard sword, the lance, and the mace. They are also proficient in such aristocratic skills as horse riding and etiquette. In addition to this Paladins study under the tutelage of clerics of the churches of Olorin and Bernali and over time can access some divine spell-like effects. Paladins must follow a knightly code which includes the virtues of hope, trust, forgiveness, truth, justice, and the reciprocal nature of the relationship between nobility and commoners. The two orders are independent of one another but keep in regular contact. These orders form a small but important part of the national militia to which they are attached.
Relations with Mages
In some ways mages and warriors are as different as can be. Many warriors are extremely suspicious of the spell-casting eccentrics who can best them in combat despite a complete lack of fighting prowess. However there are some warriors who recognise that the skills of the two classes compliment one another and who are prepared to work with mages. These warriors are likely to be receptive to evokers in particular.
Relations with Clergy
As has been noted, Paladins associate closely with particular clerics. Beyond that warriors may have any disposition towards the churches that they want. This will vary considerably depending on the particular warrior and also depending on which kind of clergy. Druids will be well received by any warrior who comes from the rural areas in which they serve. In more urban areas warriors will tend to gravitate towards particular churches depending on life circumstances. Both bandits and pirates are fond of Kandoth. Teloch is attractive to the mercenary while Bernali is more attractive to the city guard. The rivalry between the churches of Teloch and Bernali for the attention of warriors is well-developed.
Relations with Rogues
Warriors will tend to be wary of rogues particularly if they object to cunning and trickery as a way-of-life. As such Paladins denigrate the methods of rogues while Rangers will form a judgement based more on the objectives of a rogue. In the case of one particular kind of rogue – the Bard – warriors will tend to be much more receptive to these characters to the extent that they are fond of story-telling and music.
Races of Warriors
There are warriors among all races. Specific characteristics will differ however in relation to preferred arms and armour.
Important Groups of Warriors
There are two traditions that are so old as to have taken on the status of distinctive warrior callings - the Rangers and Paladins. However there are other groups of warrior in the Lands that are also worth noting.
The Crossed Blades Pirates
Pirates have existed for generations along the coast of the Great Ocean. They have utilised the Pirate Isles as the location of hideaways and safe ports for ages. But they have always acted independent of one another - every ship its own mobile nation. However recently many pirate ships are uniting under one banner. Rather than use the Skull And Crossed Bones they use a new Skull And Crossed Blades (representing the love they have of the combined attack of long-with-short sword). This new fleet is causing much difficulty and danger to merchant vessels.
The Battering Ram Mercenary Company
The existence of small groups of mercenary troops is common in the Lands but only one is regarded as rivalling national militia in its size and professionalism – the Battering Ram Mercenary Company stationed outside the walls of the free city of Ivana. The Planavic warriors of Ivana are more loyal to the fifteen separate ancestral clans they serve than they are towards the city itself. In response to this the current Duke of Ivana has seen fit to extend a long-term welcome to the Battering Ram in return for its services as overall city militia. In addition to this the Battering Ram provides all manner of military services big and small from armed escort for caravans to mediation services between rival clans.
The Cavar
The Cavar are the horse-riding warriors of Rovnara. In Rovnaran culture only men may be warriors and these warriors must as a matter of course develop horse-riding skills. The only infrantryman in Rovnara is one who has lost his horse. If he wishes to be the patron of a clan he must both be a Cavar and take a Magøsha as his spouse. This is all because the original king of Rovnara was of such a kind.
Warriors are the most numerous of all adventuring classes and are found in all strata of society from aristocratic knights to peasant militia. They are common in every culture from barbaric to sedentary. Many never exceed the lowest of levels and blend imperceptibly among the non-adventuring labourers of ordinary society. The roles to which warriors can apply themselves are numerous and include city guard, mercenary, bodyguard, prize-fighter, bandit and pirate.
Experts at Arms
What sets warriors apart from other classes is the extent to which they can become expert wielders of particular weapons. Members of other classes may become proficient over time in a number of weapons and a few exceptionally experienced ones may even become specialised in one weapon. Warriors however can be specialised in particular weapons from the very start and become specialised in many over time. A warrior using a specialised weapon fights faster and with more devastating effect.
Rangers
Rangers in the Lands are practitioners of a particular way-of-life that was originally developed among Planavic villagers faced with assault and oppression from numerically more powerful military opponents (even from rival Planavic clans). Rangers are warriors who eschew those notions of honour which insist that the warrior must always face opponents openly. If such conduct will allow a more powerful force to win and oppress peaceful non-combatants then Rangers will abandon it for other methods. Rangers have an affinity with others of that movement but are partisan and will always support the needs of their own community - at times they will even be found fighting on two sides of the same conflict. Most travel the Eastern Expanse but there are some scattered much further afield.
Rangers practice a blend of both bravery and shrewdness which allows for stealth and surprise in the service of defending ones freedom. As such they cultivate skills associated with wilderness survival and surprise attack – in particular tracking. They can use herbalism as an alternative to the curative powers of the clergy. In accordance with many generations of habit they become expert in ranged weapons such as spear or bow-and-arrow. They also favour the combination of long sword and hand axe. They tend to venerate both Nitara and Teloch. The movement to date has only ever counted humans and Half-Elves among its number.
Paladins
Paladins in the Lands are members of one of two sibling orders of knights. These two orders are associated with the Erimanic nation-states of Rolania and Bordenia respectively. Paladins are armed defenders of the honour and virtue of those nations and must be drawn from the aristocracy (whether by blood or elevation to knighthood) and as a result Paladins are always human. They were specifically formed to test the accuracy of claims to Eriman royal blood and some Paladins will travel far and wide in order to make such investigations.
As warriors the Paladins are expert in particular weapons – the bastard sword, the lance, and the mace. They are also proficient in such aristocratic skills as horse riding and etiquette. In addition to this Paladins study under the tutelage of clerics of the churches of Olorin and Bernali and over time can access some divine spell-like effects. Paladins must follow a knightly code which includes the virtues of hope, trust, forgiveness, truth, justice, and the reciprocal nature of the relationship between nobility and commoners. The two orders are independent of one another but keep in regular contact. These orders form a small but important part of the national militia to which they are attached.
Relations with Mages
In some ways mages and warriors are as different as can be. Many warriors are extremely suspicious of the spell-casting eccentrics who can best them in combat despite a complete lack of fighting prowess. However there are some warriors who recognise that the skills of the two classes compliment one another and who are prepared to work with mages. These warriors are likely to be receptive to evokers in particular.
Relations with Clergy
As has been noted, Paladins associate closely with particular clerics. Beyond that warriors may have any disposition towards the churches that they want. This will vary considerably depending on the particular warrior and also depending on which kind of clergy. Druids will be well received by any warrior who comes from the rural areas in which they serve. In more urban areas warriors will tend to gravitate towards particular churches depending on life circumstances. Both bandits and pirates are fond of Kandoth. Teloch is attractive to the mercenary while Bernali is more attractive to the city guard. The rivalry between the churches of Teloch and Bernali for the attention of warriors is well-developed.
Relations with Rogues
Warriors will tend to be wary of rogues particularly if they object to cunning and trickery as a way-of-life. As such Paladins denigrate the methods of rogues while Rangers will form a judgement based more on the objectives of a rogue. In the case of one particular kind of rogue – the Bard – warriors will tend to be much more receptive to these characters to the extent that they are fond of story-telling and music.
Races of Warriors
There are warriors among all races. Specific characteristics will differ however in relation to preferred arms and armour.
Important Groups of Warriors
There are two traditions that are so old as to have taken on the status of distinctive warrior callings - the Rangers and Paladins. However there are other groups of warrior in the Lands that are also worth noting.
The Crossed Blades Pirates
Pirates have existed for generations along the coast of the Great Ocean. They have utilised the Pirate Isles as the location of hideaways and safe ports for ages. But they have always acted independent of one another - every ship its own mobile nation. However recently many pirate ships are uniting under one banner. Rather than use the Skull And Crossed Bones they use a new Skull And Crossed Blades (representing the love they have of the combined attack of long-with-short sword). This new fleet is causing much difficulty and danger to merchant vessels.
The Battering Ram Mercenary Company
The existence of small groups of mercenary troops is common in the Lands but only one is regarded as rivalling national militia in its size and professionalism – the Battering Ram Mercenary Company stationed outside the walls of the free city of Ivana. The Planavic warriors of Ivana are more loyal to the fifteen separate ancestral clans they serve than they are towards the city itself. In response to this the current Duke of Ivana has seen fit to extend a long-term welcome to the Battering Ram in return for its services as overall city militia. In addition to this the Battering Ram provides all manner of military services big and small from armed escort for caravans to mediation services between rival clans.
The Cavar
The Cavar are the horse-riding warriors of Rovnara. In Rovnaran culture only men may be warriors and these warriors must as a matter of course develop horse-riding skills. The only infrantryman in Rovnara is one who has lost his horse. If he wishes to be the patron of a clan he must both be a Cavar and take a Magøsha as his spouse. This is all because the original king of Rovnara was of such a kind.
posted by Daniel | 8.5.06
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