AW-CLAS

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Adventurer Class Commentary[edit | edit source]

The people who live in the world of Raxia have a number of skills they use every day. The skills of adventurers, also called classes, are special, and go far above and beyond the normal work skills that would be used in an ordinary day.

What Are Adventurer Classes?[edit | edit source]

Work skills are useful as a part of daily life, and are often skills that would help earn a living as a farmer, craftsman, merchant, etc. These skills tend to affect one's social life, and will color how society views that person.

Adventurer classes, on the other hand, provide useful skills and abilities for those who wish to go out and adventure as a way of life. These include combat-capable classes, such as Fighter, Marksman, Sorcerer and Priest, as well as those classes who offer more of a passive role, increasing one's capabilities as a Sage or Scout.

The line between work skills and adventurer classes is clear: If the skills would help one go out into the field and fight against the various threats in the world, it is an adventurer class. Work skills, on the other hand, are thought to be unlikely to be useful while actively adventuring, though some skills may provide assistance to adventurers in between quests.

People with Adventurer Classes[edit | edit source]

As the name implies, Adventurer Classes are classes of skills an adventurer may have. These classes were developed to fight against the Barbarous, as well as delve into the depths of ruins and deal with the monsters and traps that may lie within.

However, not everyone who has adventurer classes is an active adventurer. For example, the local hunters may have a couple of levels in Marksman, while the town guard may be a Fighter or Fencer. A thief may have the Scout class, if they tend to be sneaky, though they may also be a Fighter is they're more adept at breaking and entering. There are a number of reasons why an NPC may have levels in adventurer classes without being an adventurer themselves, though it may only be a matter of time before they decide to answer the call and become a full-fledged adventurer.

Learning Adventurer Classes[edit | edit source]

Almost all adventurer classes require special training in order to learn. As a result, they are often taught by a master or other teacher to help the character learn the basics of that particular class. The type of person who becomes a teacher greatly depends upon the person's birth and environment, and may be a family friend or professional institution.

Of course, it may be something innate that the person is born with. For example, the child of a great warrior may know how to wield weapons from a very early age, as they look to imitate their parent. There may also be a sudden revelation, such as a vision from a god inspiring one to become a priest.

The exact method a character may have learned their classes is left up to the player, often as a way of determining the character's background. However, learning a new class during the course of a campaign should have some sort of reasoning behind it. This is not meant to discourage the character from taking levels in new classes, but it is nice to have some sort of coherent roleplaying behind the mechanical choices. For example, a character may find they are naturally dodging and weaving in and around their enemies in combat, and so taking levels in Fencer could be appropriate. Maybe the character wishes to study sorcery under the tutelage of another Sorcerer in the party. Even staying in a large city for long enough could be reason to pick up a level in a new class.

However, this kind of learning is more apt for those who are naturally heroic, such as player characters. Not everyone has the same capability and aptitude when it comes to learning new skills and classes. There are some who cannot understand Truespeech magic despite studying for years on end, as there are those who are more likely to injure themselves than a monster when using a bladed weapon. Learning adventurer classes is no small feat, and gaining the experience needed to advance as an adventurer is no small feat for an ordinary person.

Do Adventurer Classes Advance During Everyday Life?[edit | edit source]

Adventurer classes, as their name implies, will only advance from a character actively going out and adventuring. However, the exact definition of "adventuring" is different for each person, and so a guard who trains with a number of different weapons or the wizard who stays in their tower studying for months on end may still advance as adventurers.

There are also some NPCs with high levels in adventuring classes, despite never having left their home town. A town guard who is constantly repelling Barbarous attacks, or the sorcerer who is on the cusp of a new breakthrough in magic usage, these NPCs and similar others may have high levels in adventurer classes. In the end, it is up to the GM to give any NPCs levels in adventurer classes as they see fit.

With regards to player characters, it is assumed that they earn all of their Experience through actively adventuring, and so do not gain any through daily life. As always, the GM may change this as they see fit.

Fighter (Warrior-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Fighters

Summary[edit | edit source]

Fighters are those who take up heavy weapons and armor in order to withstand the blows of monsters and deal them grievous wounds in return. Those adventurers who are primarily Fighters are also commonly called warriors or even heavy warriors, though the latter is in comparison to light warriors (i.e. those who are primarily Fencers).

Fighters are skilled in the use of weapons and armor, and tend to use the best equipment for their combat style. A strong warrior's weaponry can cleave through the toughest hides, while their armor can withstand crushing blows that would cripple or kill others.

There is no restrictions on the Fighter with regards to equipment outside of their reliance on Strength, and so the stronger the Fighter the better equipment they have at their disposal. The downside of such a lifestyle is that higher-quality equipment can get pricey, and so Fighters have a reason to go out and adventure for treasure and riches.

Origins[edit | edit source]

Where there is conflict, people will look to arm themselves. The origins of the Fighter class can be traced back to the end of the Schnell Period, when the peaceful civilization of the divine was shattered by the appearance of Dalkhrem and the Barbarous. Since then, the art of combat has been in demand among the civilized races.

During the Durandal era, there was demand for a fighting style that could take advantage of the magical swords that were appearing throughout Raxia. There were a number of different methods of wielding such weapons, and so a number of fighting schools opened during this time, continuing their teaching throughout the years.

During the Al Menas period, the history of martial arts took a turn, as not only were swords being used to fight against the Barbarous, but a number of other weapons began to see magical infusions and use as well. Some schools kept with tradition and remained as sword schools, while others took up these new magical weapons and adapted their style to incorporate the different motions needed to wield these weapons effectively. These new martial arts took their place alongside the older styles, and to this day there are a significant number of organizations and families who have their own martial arts passed down from master to student.

Ironically, the Great Catastrophe caused a decline in the number of martial arts, as some schools went into hiding, while others were eradicated entirely by the tide of Barbarous. Even some of those arts that survived retained only a fraction of their techniques, having lost masters and records to Barbarous attacks. During the subsequent hardships and reconstruction, a new system of weapons and armor was developed, which also affected the traditions of the remaining martial arts styles.

Currently, there are quite a few different martial arts styles, often taught through schools and other institutions, though there are some old masters of ancient martial arts keeping traditions alive with a small handful of students. There are also those interested in learning about the past, as they believe that the more ancient the partial art, the closer it was to perfection. Considering some martial arts are 300 years old or less having been developed after the Great Catastrophe, while others can trace their lineage to the Durandal period and beyond, there may be some truth to that idea. There are also rumors of an ancient clan of martial artists, those who send their children out to find ancient masters and learn their style, before returning and teaching it to the clan historians. However, there is no solid evidence of such a clan of martial arts masters.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

There are several ways to learn how to be a Fighter. The most common way is to get formal training as a knight or soldier, becoming a footman for a liege. As much of Raxia still follows a feudal system, with a king or queen at the head of government, there is a need for those who are willing to give their life in service to one of these lieges. The knightly ranks tend to train under a specific person, whether a family member or a specially designated teacher, while soldiers are trained en masse, with volunteers and conscripts leaning to use arms and armor as a group.

There are also those who open their own schools and are willing to teach martial arts for the right price. This practice is especially popular among the Lildraken, and these dojos are often seen in the farther reaches of civilized lands, where Barbarous attacks are more common.

In some cases, a student may have innate skill with arms, and will practice on their own to train these skills for proper use in combat. It is also possible to seek out famous knights and strong warriors and become a disciple of theirs, learning how to fight in the manner that their teacher had learned. The various Adventurer's Guilds tend to be a common meeting place for situations like this, as it is a place where both powerful warriors and naive adventurers can mingle freely.

Finally, there are those who are seeking some form of self-discipline, and go out to fight the Barbarous in search of such a principle. It is a much more violent and reckless style of learning, but there are adventurers who can learn through this manner.

A Fighter's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

It should come as no surprise that those fighters who openly wear their arms and armor among the common folk, proudly displaying their weapons and being no strangers to fighting, are often shunned among the populace. While not criminals, Fighters are seen as necessary evils, to be kept at arms reach among polite company but not too far away in case there is a Barbarous attack. In rare cases there is some reverence among the community, where even appearing in public is appreciated, but in most cases it is difficult to get more than a faked smile and insincere words.

On the other hand, when their skills are needed, Fighters are highly valued. For instance, if there is a rampaging animal in the market square, it is commonly a Fighter who will be able to bear the brunt of the animal's assault while allowing others to either try and tame the animal or make their safe escape. Fighters are also often offered prime security jobs, such as guarding a merchant's supply train as it moves between regions, or guarding foreign diplomats during their stay in the capital.

The best Fighters have more opportunities for employment, and are able to reap much higher rewards, earning both more money and greater reputation. Despite their constant adventuring, though, many prominent Fighters are actually not well off. There is a constant need to repair and replace weapons and armor in order to fulfill the jobs that they are hired to do, and so there is a cycle of trying to find higher-paying jobs in order to purchase better weapons and armor, which would allow one to take even better jobs, etc.

Fighters can be found among all walks of life, and from any particular background. There are those who are known for their viciousness and savagery, others for their stoicism and composure, and still others who stand out due to their heart of gold. However, they all share the same traits, taking pride in their skills at arms, and having the courage to face the enemy when the time comes.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Fighters[edit | edit source]

A typical Fighter is one whose purpose is to protect their friends. Equipped with the heaviest armor and shield they can afford, these Fighters try and withstand the brunt of any attack coming their way. Having taken the Combat Feats 《Cover》 and 《Block》 allows them to step in for another of their party and prevent stragglers from escaping. With 《Armor Proficiency》 increasing their Defense and 《Toughness》 increasing their HP, this kind of Fighter can become quite the impenetrable wall.

Another kind of common Fighter is the destroyer, disregarding defense for a more powerful offense. Crushing their enemies with two-handed weapons, the Combat Feats 《Power Strike》 and 《Weapon Proficiency》 allows them to strike down enemies before any real damage can be dealt in return. With heavy armor and a sturdy frame, these Fighters aren't afraid of retaliation. Their philosophy is quite simple, "Cut the meat to the bone".

Regardless of the ratio between offense and defense, the pride of any Fighter is the ability to remain on the front lines without issue. Their position is in the face of danger, staring down any evil, and taking the brunt of the danger posed. This is the role of the Fighter.

If a character is primarily a Fighter, then taking levels in the Enhancer class is quite useful. There are a number of Techniques that can empower a Fighter above and beyond normal limits, becoming more valuable in that protector role as they increase their strength and defense. Similarly, Artificers have a few self-buffing spells, and having the ability to use a number of Evocations as a Minor Action makes the Alchemist class a good choice as well.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Fighters[edit | edit source]

In situations where a character is not primarily a Fighter (i.e. their Fighter class levels are either the same as another class, or even slightly behind), then the Magical Warrior archetype is often prominent. With Combat Feats such as 《Mana Strike》 and 《Multi-Action》, this style of Fighter can bring both magic and metal to bear against any foe. In fact, these kinds of warriors can often deal more damage than a dedicated Fighter. However, in establishing this combination of skills, the character often loses out on Defense and Evasion, making it more likely that the character will take powerful hits without being able to mitigate some of the damage. As such, this kind of warrior is often seen sticking with the rest of the party, instead of taking the lead like a primary Fighter would.

With regards to armor, the Sorcerer, Conjurer and Fairy Tamer classes have limitations in that they cannot wear metal armor and still have the ability to cast their spells. However, with lighter armor a blow that wouldn't do much to a fully armored Fighter would be far more dangerous, and so a Fighter's ability to tank hits is decreased. Nightmares, surprisingly enough, find this class combination quite favorable, due to their [Alternate Form] Racial Ability.

Artificers and Priests don't have any armor limitations, but due to the style of magic that they use, they aren't typically seen as front-line spellcasters. Despite that, Fighter-Priests are quite capable support fighters, able to tank powerful blows while also healing anything that may get through.

A candidate for a class that works well in tandem with Fighter is the Ranger class. There are a number of powerful Combat Feats that are only available to Rangers, and these allow a Fighter to be able to be much more maneuverable and tenacious while in combat. Rider is another class that works well with Fighter, as the mount can level alongside the Fighter themselves, while allowing the Fighter to be able to handle tougher threats and have the opportunity to explore new areas as a pair than would be possible if it was just the Fighter alone.

Tragedy of the Warrior Cysteel
Given the nature of warriors, who are trained to use a variety of different weapons, it is no surprise there are many who are aware of Sword Labyrinths. Going through one of these labyrinths and finding a magical sword is a never-ending dream for some of these warriors.

However, not all magical swords bring glory to the wielder. Such is the story that follows, the Tragedy of the Warrior Cysteel.

Delving into the depths of a Sword Labyrinth, the warrior Cysteel came across a magical sword, swathed in a foul miasma. Instantly recognizable as a dangerous weapon, Cysteel nevertheless pulled the sword from where it stood, wanting to claim a reward for all the hardship he endured coming to the bottom of the labyrinth.

However, the sword was cursed, insatiable with a thirst for human blood. The curse forced Cysteel to seek out and slay a human every day or become crippled from intense pain, tormenting one's spirit as well. Rather than become a slayer of man, Cysteel instead chose to kill himself, in order to stave off the curse.

The true tragedy begins later, as Cysteel's companions brought his corpse to a medic in order to revive the fallen warrior. Yet, despite throwing away the cursed sword before his suicide, the blade appeared at his side upon being resurrected. As he awakened, Cysteel grabbed the sword and cut down all present, including the medic, before fleeing into the night.

The tale has been spun over the years that Cysteel had begun to manifest a number of soulscars, and when he was revived it was as a Barbarous, instead of the man he once was. Whether this was the cause of the sword, or a side-effect of the method of resurrection, is yet unknown. However, Cysteel is still said to roam the outlands, seeking vengeance on any living creature in order to sate the curse's bloodlust.

Grappler (Warrior-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Grapplers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Grapplers are skilled warriors who rely only on their own body to fight, eschewing conventional weapons and armor. Rather than make one massive attack, they would rather overwhelm their opponents with a variety of punches, kicks and throws. Grapplers tend to deal less damage per hit than a Fighter of the same level, but often attack multiple times in a turn to make up for that. On the other hand, if a Grappler is attacked, the little armor they can wear doesn't have a high enough Defense to fully absorb the blow. With the threat of only a few blows being fatal, a Grappler's philosophy can be summed up as "The best defense is a good offense."

Origins[edit | edit source]

The history behind the Grappler's method of combat is said to have originated from beyond the Terastieran continent, and is said to be quite ancient. However, much of the history of the art has been lost due to the Great Catastrophe.

What is known is that the concept of weaponless martial arts exploded in popularity during the Al Menas Period. Dojos and gymnasiums sprung up in every city, and even multiple competing schools were often found in the same city. According to the few surviving records, as well as ruin exploration, this period was where a number of styles were created, as each school master had their own thoughts on martial arts and grappling.

After the Great Catastrophe, many of these schools were destroyed, though some of their teachings lived on due to independent adventurers and other students who survived the conflict. Some of these martial arts were combined into the same style out of necessity, as there were often gaps in one art that another's maneuvers could cover. Other styles remained pure, and are still currently taught the same way they were taught ages ago. As it happens, the eastern schools in Terastier tend to lean towards a variety of throwing moves, while the western schools teach various striking maneuvers.

With regard to racial styles, humans tended to be the most common students among the ancient martial arts. However, elves, dwarves, and lildraken also had their own schools, each teaching their own styles of martial arts.

While elves tended to stay away from the human settlements during the Al Menas era, they remained focused and protected their own culture. One of these cultural ideas was open-handed martial arts, and so elven Grapplers were an uncommon sight, though not completely unheard of among the humans. Elven Grapplers are known for their much more fluid fighting style, utilizing a lot of throwing and counterattacking maneuvers, using evasive tactics that take advantage of their sleek movements.

Dwarves and lildraken also have their own martial arts, though they are much more practical due to the differences in build. Like elves, dwarven martial arts tend to be throw-based as well, though this is more due to the short stature of a dwarf allowing them to pull their opponent off-balance and take advantage of the height difference in order to assert dominance. Lildraken, on the other hand, often use their tail as well as their other limbs in order to deal powerful striking blows from any direction.

Neither of these schools have developed any sort of choking or holding maneuvers, in part due to the rules of actual combat. While practicing may only allow one-on-one combat, in actual fights there may be a number of combatants on one side or the other, and stopping to put one combatant in a hold or choke would just allow others to attack the Grappler without issue. Not only that, but it is likely that some monsters will not be affected by a choke hold, so these races do not bother teaching what they believe to be ineffective maneuvers.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

Unlike with Fighters, there are no specialized schools or institutions to learn how to become a Grappler. The martial arts and body-building routines used to train as a Grappler are often simply passed down from one adventurer to another, often as the adventurer opens a school of their own after retiring from the adventurer life. Other schools may be found in larger cities, while smaller towns will often have students learn from a former adventurer in a small group at the adventurer's home.

In many cases, students are sent out into the world having learned only a few maneuvers, their teacher expecting them to learn as they did, through trial by combat. In Raxia, where Barbarous attacks are commonplace, it is expected that those with fighting skills are to be at the front lines to protect the rest of civilization as soon as they are technically able.

However, there are those students who will stay learning under the same master for years of their lives, learning the deep secrets of their styles. Typically, these students are from the eastern Grappler schools, while the western schools tend train multiple students quickly in order to drive off the Barbarous.

A Grappler's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

While Grapplers don't exist in any significant numbers, what few there are are seen by the populace as wielders of mysterious techniques. Many of them have trained hard and lived physical lives, but it is the teachings of the mind and spirit underpinning the intense training that leaves Grapplers as honorable and respectful of those around them. Additionally, since there is no need for heavy armor and expensive weapons, it is quite common for those of poorer backgrounds to train as Grapplers, which combined with their teachings leads many to live quite a frugal, if not nearly impoverished lifestyle.

As a result, Grapplers are often loathe to ask for a reward for jobs done, and will often take what money they are given and use it to help the poor. There are also a number of stories of Grapplers going out of their way to help the poor against Barbarous attacks with no other reward than the happiness of the people they have saved, which adds to the mystique of the wandering Grappler.

In general, Warrior-type classes are often hired as bodyguards and escorts, though Grapplers are preferred in cases where having an obviously heavily armed person is not desired. Their light armor and capability with bare hands allows them to be posted to sensitive positions, allowing them to perform their duties without attracting undue attention. Because of this, many wealthy diplomats and aristocrats will seek to hire capable Grapplers as a personal bodyguard.

Despite this, there aren't many wealthy Grapplers throughout Raxia. Those who tend to be successful in the field of combat or have achieved high ranks in the military don't tend to lead extravagant lives. Yet, there are a few retired Grapplers who are seen in market squares and open areas who look to teach their skills to the next generation, giving them a step up in learning some self-defense. Some of these Grapplers are quite popular, and have managed to leverage their combat knowledge into something that will allow them to live comfortably for the remainder of their lives.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Grapplers[edit | edit source]

As a Grappler, there are two primary ways to advance.

The first path uses a combination of the Combat Feats 《Weapon Proficiency/Wrestling》, 《Power Strike》 and 《Lethal Strike》 in order to massively increase the damage they deal, while also pairing 《Dual Wielding》 and 《Dual Technique》 in order to double the number of hits per attack. This combination sacrifices the Grappler's defense in order to pummel their opponent into oblivion with multiple hard-hitting attacks, only increasing in power as the Grappler increases in level. This type of grappler works quite well when partnered with a heavily armored Fighter next to them, absorbing whatever attacks coming their way.

The second, but no less powerful, path has the Grappler outlast their opponent, wearing them down with repeated throws and simply out-enduring them. This style of Grappler takes advantage of the 《Improved Throw》 Combat Feat in order to not only increase the strength of their throws, but also to allow other monsters to be thrown around that would normally resist the Grappler's attempts. After that, the Combat Feat 《Trample》 increases the amount of damage dealt to a thrown opponent, taking advantage of the prone position of the opponent in order to all but guarantee a second successful attack. With a secondary damage dealer at their side, the value of this style of Grappler greatly improves, especially as there are some enemies that still cannot be thrown even using 《Improved Throw》. Other good Combat Feats for this Grappler would be those that would increase their defensive abilities, such as 《Armor Proficiency/Non-Metal Armor》, 《Evasive Maneuvers》, and 《Tenacity》.

Looking only at their offensive capabilities, it is easy to see where one type of Grappler would cover for the other, and how they would work well together. However, defensively it is easy to see how their weaknesses only multiply with multiple primary Grapplers, especially when on the front lines. Regardless of which type of Grappler the party wishes to have as a primary damage dealer, it is nice when there is a Grappler and a Fighter on the front lines. If a character wishes to be a Grappler/Fighter, though, they will find the combination is surprisingly powerful, perhaps even more so than each class individually.

Other popular classes to pair with Grappler are Enhancer, Artificer, and Alchemist. These classes are all able to work with the Grappler's abilities, while not competing with the limited actions a character can take each turn. It may also be viable to focus more on the Grappler's natural tendency towards lighter armor, and so Scout is a possible class for Grapplers as well. There is even the option of combining Renowned Items for each of the classes, allowing for both classes to function at full capacity.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Grapplers[edit | edit source]

When it comes to pure damage dealing, a Grappler may be a better choice for the Magical Warrior archetype, as they naturally enable multiple attacks each turn, allowing for much more damage to be dealt via the Combat Feat 《Mana Strike》. As Grapplers are naturally more lightly armored, the armor restrictions of the spellcasting classes is of little concern, though this does mean that Defense is quite low, comparatively. While the destructive potential is great, this is an archetype that would appreciate friendly help a little more than others, and is not likely to stand alone for long.

It is recommended that a character with both the Scout and Grappler classes increase those class levels at the same time, in part due to the Scout's Combat Feat 《Fast Action》. At 7th Level, the Scout automatically learns this Combat Feat, which allows them to take two Major Actions the first turn of combat. With this, it is entirely possible the Scout/Grappler can come out swinging, dealing an absurd amount of damage and decimating the opposing forces without a possibility of counterattacks.

In a similar vein, Ranger is a possible class choice as well, though the Combat Feats they learn automatically aren't quite as strong as the Scout's 《Fast Action》. While both Fighter and Grappler are able to find benefits in the Ranger class, there are still some armor restrictions on some of the skills used by a Ranger, making Grappler a slightly more viable option.

One combination that is definitely not recommended would be combining Grappler and Rider. While it may not seem too bad at first, Wrestling type weapons cannot be used while mounted, making it all but impossible to take advantage of many of the Grappler's special Combat Feats.

Obsessed with Grappling
"Why don't you use powerful weapons, such as swords or spears?"

This question has been asked of Grapplers time and time again.

Of course, there are specialized weapons designed for use specifically by Grapplers, such as the cestus and spiked boots. However, these are less weapons in the classical sense, and more protection from injury while attacking armored opponents.

The history of Raxia is bound to three magical swords, and so many warriors that go out into the wilderness tend to pick up a sword for self-defense. However, Grapplers have a wholly different philosophy.

While it is true that the three Swords of Creation shaped the world of Raxia, the earth that they shaped had existed before the swords themselves. The ancient grandmasters of the various Grappler schools believed that the earth absorbed some of the magic from the swords, nurtured life, and was the source of everything that is known. By respecting the earth, it is believes that Grapplers can draw on this power and use it for their own ends.

It is thought that the power of the earth is drawn in through the feet, and the fists are how this power is returned to the earth, completing the "Ideology of the Circle". By studying this philosophy and training to be one with the earth, Grapplers have fostered a reverence for the ground itself, seeking to unite with it as their ultimate goal. It is this philosophy that leads Grapplers to eschew large, obvious weapons and focus on their own power.

Their goal is to achieve a perfect flow of power from the earth, into the Grappler, then back into the earth, becoming as one. There are rumors that one Grappler has even become a god trying to achieve this flow, hoping that his divine body is strong enough to withstand the completeness of the perfect flow. Even now, it is said that this god of the Grapplers is still training himself, seeking the truth of the world and trying to become one with the earth.

One famous grappler answered the question with the following.

"At the end of all things, magical swords can find themselves shattered, while the earth will remain unbroken."

Fencer (Warrior-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Fencers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Fencers, like Fighters, engage in combat as skilled weapon users. However, Fencers wield much lighter weapons and wear lighter armor than Fighters, relying more on their nimbleness and agility to avoid attacks and exploit weaknesses in an opponent's movements, as opposed to a Fighter's heavy armor absorbing damage. Because of this, Fencers are often referred to as "light warriors", compared to the Fighter's "heavy warrior". A Fencer constantly switches between evading incoming attacks and striking back with pinpoint accuracy, almost dancing across the battlefield in a whirlwind of death.

In order to maintain this freedom of movement, a Fencer can only wield lighter weapons and wear light armor. Fencers do not often train their Strength either, so they will often end up a step behind in terms of overall durability as compared to a Fighter or Grappler.

Origins[edit | edit source]

It is said that the first Fencers came about following the events of the War of the Gods, during the Durandal period. After the War, the peace that came after allowed those warriors who were still yearning for combat to look for ways to keep fighting, even if it meant they were training followers in the ways of martial arts. Many continued to study swordsmanship, hoping that their research would allow them to wield the Swords of Creation if given the chance. A good number of these styles emphasized strength over skill, with the thought that it would take a strong arm to wield one of the mythical swords, but there were some that trained with lighter weaponry, allowing for more movement but less devastating blows. Despite their harder training, this style was looked down upon as a minor martial art compared to heavy warrior styles.

During the Al Menas era, this lighter style of fighting became much more popular as the gun was created and use became widespread. Heavy warriors at the time found themselves vulnerable to this new weapon, as it bypassed the armor they wrapped themselves in, and so their heavy armor became little more than extra weight restricting their movements. The light warrior martial arts rose in the wake of this discovery, as they were much more agile and so more able to dodge a gun fired in their direction. Styles that were able to take advantage of lightly armored opponents rose to prominence almost in tandem with the fencer styles, as they were able to take advantage of the lack of heavy armor in order to strike vital points.

Much like the Fighter and Grappler martial arts, Fencer arts were thought to be lost during the Great Catastrophe, as most of the competent fighters in the style went to the front lines to fight back against the Barbarous. As a side-effect of losing most of the teachers, Fencers melded many of their styles into a single core, teaching both evasive maneuvers as well as vital strikes and passing these down as the basis of their martial arts. In the wake of the devastation, a number of Fencer dojos opened up in hopes of teaching another way of combat, and they became quite popular among those who could not afford the Fighter lifestyle.

Among the non-humans, elves are quite proficient with the light warrior styles, and pride themselves on their skills as a Fencer. While weaker physically than humans, elves more than make up for this weakness by passing down flowing techniques that allow them to wash across a battlefield like a great wave. Grassrunners, too, appreciate the style of combat a Fencer employs, though they tend to use such maneuvers to surprise opponents as opposed to killing them. The stockier races, such as Dwarves and Lildraken, tend to veer away from the Fencer class. Among those races, it is thought that if one was to fight, they would fight as a heavy warrior, and their physique only helps reinforce that idea.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

Unlike the Fighter, a person does not learn how to be a Fencer through military training. There, it is far better to use heavier weapons and armor, so that way each individual can become a well-guarded force of destruction.

As it stands, there are quite a few local dojos and schools that teach Fencer skills, such as the evasive maneuvers and lethal strikes to vital areas that they're known for. In these situations, heavier equipment is often hard to get a hold of, whether due to scarcity or lack of funding, and so the students must make do with what's available, which is typically lighter, wooden dummy weapons and less restrictive armor, if any. These schools are often rather popular with the average person, as they teach simple methods of self-defense without having to rely on expensive equipment.

Overall, there are just as many people who look to these schools for training as there are who are self-taught or are the sole student of a personal trainer. Much like the other Warrior-type classes, there is little to differentiate the method of learning how to be a Fencer, so long as the basics are properly taught and trained.

A Fencer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

As they aren't covered in shining metal armor and carrying heavy weaponry, Fencers tend to stand out much less than a Fighter would. In fact, it is rather unlikely that Fencers would tend to be noticed by most of the general public, typically only drawing attention when unsheathing their weapon of choice.

It is difficult to ascribe a general trait or philosophy to Fencers as a group, as each individual takes up the class for their own reasons. Some just appreciate the flowing movements and dance-like actions taken by a Fencer, and appreciate the martial art for being both beautiful and deadly. Others only seek to have a method of self-defense, whether due to living in an area rife with criminal behavior, constant Barbarous attacks, or some other threat real or imagined, and are loathe to draw their weapon in anger. Typically, it is the mindset behind other classes that will color how a Fencer fits into society.

When it comes to famous Fencers, there are only a few that are thought of enough to be considered "famous". Typically, Fighters and Grapplers tend to be more popular among the general public due to their place in fighting against the Barbarous, earning a reputation for flashy maneuvers and highly publicized exploits. Fencers, on the other hand, are more supportive combatants, and so they may be on the sidelines of one of these adventures, rather than the main focus.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Fencers[edit | edit source]

It is considered unwise to have a character primarily focus on the Fencer class, as there are a few downsides to such a character.

While the Fencer class does advance at a faster rate than a Fighter or Grappler in the early game, it is around the mid-levels that this advantage drops off in usefulness. Other Warrior-type classes will be better suited and equipped to handle more dangerous threats, between Fighters getting better equipment and Grapplers learning new Combat Feats to accentuate their fighting styles. In particular, the Combat Feat 《Tenacity》 is a good indicator of whether or not a Warrior-type class is meant to be in the vanguard position of a party, and that Fencers will miss out on this automatically learned Combat Feat means they are much less likely to be able to survive the stronger attacks that will be coming the party's way at that point. By the time Fighters will learn 《Toughness》 or Grapplers 《Counter》, any advantage a primary Fencer has had during character growth has long passed. Not to say that Fencer is a poor choice for a class, just that its true value lies with other classes that have been learned alongside it.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Fencers[edit | edit source]

As the Fencer finds itself at home in lighter armor, other classes that may have armor limitations are quite useful when paired with a Fencer. For example, Sorcerers, Conjurers and Fairy Tamers run into issues with heavier armor, making it difficult to cast their spells and make themselves useful in combat. With classes like these, the Fencer class allows the character to still be able to defend themselves without weighting themselves down with heavy armor. Though, if a character is considering becoming a lightly armored Magical Warrior, the Grappler class is probably the better choice due to their multiple attacks making the Combat Feat 《Mana Strike》 quite powerful.

Scout and Ranger are also classes that work well with the Fencer class. Considering the Fencer is supposed to be agile and built to dodge and evade attacks, having good Agility is to be expected. Both Scouts and Rangers have skills that become easier to perform with higher Agility naturally, making the combination a fairly easy choice. In particular, having a Scout that is able to take the first move in a combat situation is almost universally useful.

The skills a Fencer naturally has also meshes well with the Bard class, assuming the character is looking for a bit of self-defense. Combining spellsongs with the Fencer's naturally evasive maneuvers allows them to find a spot on the battlefield to affect as many targets as possible with their music without putting themselves in harm's way. Riders, too, find themselves appreciating a Fencer's abilities. By using their mounts effectively, a Fencer can find themselves gaining considerable offensive and defensive capabilities above and beyond what a Fencer alone could have.

If a light warrior like the Fencer wishes to be on the front lines, then it is recommended they take the Combat Feats 《Evasive Maneuvers》 and 《Armor Proficiency/Non-Metal Armor》 in order to give themselves some survivability if they find themselves on the receiving end of a powerful blow. 《Taunting Strike》 is another possibility, drawing the attention of an opponent away from another target and onto the Fencer, allowing their party to take advantage of any openings in the opponent's defenses while using the Fencer's naturally high Evasion to dodge attacks.

Born Swift
The Republic of Barnad, in the middle of the Dagnia Region, has risen out of ruins from the old days, building a new city out of the hollowed out shells of old buildings and destroyed houses from left behind from the Great Catastrophe. Unlike many other countries in northern Terastier, Barnad is a hierarchy built on the riches of those who govern it, with the richest on the top. However, there are also a group of those below the general populace, serfs acting as slaves to the rich in order to pay off incredible debts. One way to dig out of this hole, albeit a rather dangerous way, is to become a gladiator in the local arena fights.

The arena is not only a place for the lowest of the low to find freedom, but also for the citizens of Barnad to vent their anger. Fueled by the hope for freedom and the anger of the patrons, many gladiators find themselves fighting bloody, reckless battles, and often find themselves dying before achieving their goal of escaping the dregs of society.

In such an arena, the gladiator Born, called "The Swift", dominated.

Known for his focus on evasive maneuvers and his lack of armor, Born bucked the trend of many other gladiators in the arena. Despite this, matches he was in always drew large crowds, mesmerizing the public with his dancing combat and dodges. And yet, there was always a hope within the crowd that one of these days, the young man would dodge the wrong way, or make a misstep, and be cleaved in two by an angry gladiator.

The most well-known fight of Born's was against a lildraken, around which Born dodged and danced until the opponent couldn't even flap his wings enough to get off of the ground. Against a runefolk opponent, Born gracefully sidestepped magical attacks until the robot ran out of mana and shut down. A nimble elven warrior took on Born in a clash of fighting styles, which forced Born to change tactics. Rather than tire his opponent out and finish them with lethal blows to vital areas, Born chose to use his quickness to connect with a number of smaller strikes, wearing his opponent down in that manner, until the elf could no longer hold a weapon. Even the arena master's favorite gladiator, a tabbit musketeer, could only helplessly watch as Born dodged shot after shot, even managing to return a bullet to the tabbit's pocket.

While this number may be exaggerated, it is said that Born attained 99 victories in the arena.

This streak was stopped by a most unusual opponent. A stocky dwarven fighter, decked in heavy armor and thought to be at an incredible disadvantage, was the first to defeat Born in the arena. When this particular gladiator asked to take on Born, no one believed that he could win. However, the dwarf was able to watch Born, watch his movements, and strike at the perfect time. See, when Born went to attack an opponent, he moved in such a way that his dance-like evasion would not be able to save him. With a quick arm-drag and only the slightest of movement, the dwarf grabbed Born and threw him to the sandy ground of the arena floor. Taken by surprise that an opponent was able to catch him, Born shakily stood, uneasy about this opponent. However, with his confidence shaken, he was no match for the stocky dwarf, and was easily defeated.

Due to the amazing popularity that he had built up over the years, Born was able to escape death after his defeat. Having long since earned the right to leave the arena as a free man, Born took his leave and brought with him another gladiator of his choice. Who better to accompany Born out into the world than the dwarf that managed to defeat him?

Marksman (Warrior-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Marksmen

Summary[edit | edit source]

Marksmen are masters of the ranged attack, whether it is an arrow loosed from a bow, a balanced knife expertly thrown, or a gunshot blasting through armor. As bows and crossbows tend to be the weapon of choice for many an archer, due to their relatively common availability, they are often called archers among the general public.

With the benefit of not directly engaging in combat due to their ranged prowess, Marksmen miss out on the ability to calculate Evasion using their levels in the Marksman class. Additionally, while possible to shoot a gun or fire a bow at point blank range, actually doing so is quite dangerous. The role of a Marksman is to attack enemies from out of their reach, while allowing your allies to intercept any retaliation.

Origins[edit | edit source]

From the moment people started throwing rocks at large beasts to drive them away, it was only a matter of time before the concept of the first Marksman was born.

Whether blocking an incoming attack with a shield, absorbing the hit with heavy armor, using superior evasion to dodge the blow, or even counterattacking in order to hit first and hopefully knock the attacker off guard, there are a number of ways to avoid attacks. However, the simplest, and safest, way to avoid an attack is to never get in the way of one in the first place. There is no better way to deal with melee attacks than by keeping a distance, but it only gets better if it's possible to attack from that distance without any threat of retaliation.

What started with a simple rock eventually became simple spears, long sticks meant to guide the flight of a sharpened rock directly to its target. With hair and sinew from slain beasts braided and tied to supple tree branches, the bow was created, allowing ancient archers to launch smaller spears, called arrows, with more deadly accuracy. During the Durandal period, bows were constantly being improved and iterated upon, as bowyers all around Terastier experimented with a number of different materials for the bow itself, the string, and the arrows in order to find the deadliest shot.

As this experimentation kept going into the Al Menas period, the concept of the crossbow was introduced. A winding mechanism allowed for those who were too weak to fire the powerful bows at the time a way to still contribute, without sacrificing any range or power behind the shot. Crossbows were more commonly used among the western side of the continent, and many are still in use to this day.

The biggest invention during the age of the Al Menas, though, was the gun. Powered by the wielder's magic, these weapons shot bullets that were able to bypass even the heaviest of armor. Unsurprisingly, these weapons became widespread rather quickly, given their destructive capabilities. As the technology to create these guns became more widespread, so did the skill in using them correctly. It is said that, right before the end of the Al Menas era, there was a gun with the barrel the size of a tower, capable of blasting a hole through a mountain.

However, the Great Catastrophe had a much greater effect on Marksmen, especially when compared to other Warrior-type classes. Not only did the Barbarous slay many of the Marksmen who stood against them, but in destroying the Al Menas civilization they also destroyed the ability to create new guns. While there are still guns used throughout Raxia, these weapons are actually artifacts, found in archaeological sites and among the ruins of the Al Menas, that have been able to be repaired. Even the few schools that remain to teach Marksmen combine both gun usage as well as more conventional missile weapons.

With regards to non-human Marksmen, elves tend to be commonly seen with this class, having a very developed style of archery. Having kept their distance from the humans during the Al Menas period, they did not lose as much when the Barbarous attacked. Grassrunners, too, have the skill needed to make the Marksman a useful class for them, though they tend more towards throwing weapons than others.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

It is possible to learn the Marksman class from a variety of sources. The most common is through military training, as there is great value to be had with a squad of professionally trained archers sending volleys of arrows towards an approaching army. The concept of "Even a poor shot will hit a target, given a thousand shots" is the driving force behind such training. However, because of this it is difficult to acquire rare technology like guns.

The second way to learn how to be a Marksman is through the Institute of Magitechnology. The magic behind an Artificer's power involves a lot of guns and bullets, and so being able fire a straight shot is key to connecting with many of the Artificer's "Bullet" spells. Not only are there a number of trainers who can teach new Marksmen how to use their guns, but most Institutes provide a training range in order to practice target shooting, as well as other practice methods such as skeet shooting and random pop-up targets.

The Institute also offers a class for beginners, calling it a "temporary class for new shooters". However, this is a little misleading, as the class is essentially just a way for people to go to the Institute and fire a variety of guns at targets for an afternoon. The class is surprisingly popular among non-adventuring nobles and merchants, though, and the training range is often close to full on days where this class is available.

The third most common way for one to become a Marksman is to have grown up on the outskirts of society and become a hunter. Typically, this means learning from a young age, having parents and even grandparents teaching the child how to become an effective hunter, often using the same bow that is used for hunting game. In many cases, Ranger skills are also taught, as both classes are effective at hunting outdoors. If an adventurer takes on an apprentice, it is also likely that the apprentice will learn the same classes that their mentor has.

When it comes to Marksman schools near civilization, it is rather uncommon to find a school unless there is significant wilderness nearby. This is due to the Marksman class requiring a lot of room to practice target shooting and to avoid any misfiring accidents that may affect the nearby villages. These requirements mean that what few schools there are in civilized areas are quite expensive, because meeting such demands requires the purchase of a significant amount of land that cannot be used for farming or other general purposes. Even then, many of these schools lose a significant number of would-be students to the Institute of Magitechnology, due to the Institute's temporary shooting classes.

A Marksman's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

People who openly carry the tools of a Marksman, that is, an overly large bow or gun slung across their back for easy retrieval, often get strange, sometimes fearful looks in public. As with Fighters, the general populace is not particularly welcoming of those who readily carry weapons of war while in peaceful territory.

At the same time, carrying such weapons is a sign of prowess, as it would be foolish to carry a weapon one can't use correctly. Especially for those that are looking for an archer, it is occasionally useful to weather the stares and bad attitudes one may receive while traveling in order to find work for the right person. Just as well, as Marksmen are often called upon in larger numbers than other warriors in the face of danger, due to the other classes need to get in close with the monsters attacking.

Among adventurers, a skilled Marksman is often a good ally. Typically, lone archers and gunmen are solicited by adventuring parties rather quickly, due to the need for ranged combat as well as any skills the Marksman may have with regards to magitech. The mere presence of a bow or gun on one's person is often enough to identify them as a Marksman, and oftentimes they will have taken levels as an Artificer in order to be proficient with guns just as much as bown.

There are also a number of archers that can be found as troops in many kingdoms' armies, as their firepower is greatly appreciated when answering a call for combat. Unlike the infantry and cavalry on the front lines, the point of a squadron of archers is to reduce the numbers of the advancing army without putting any of them in danger of retaliation. Archers are also used in significant numbers when following orders for siege warfare, and large numbers of archers can be found in important areas around the Zalts region, such as Durlesburg.

The most common type of Marksman is the seeker, one who is always looking to hone their craft to the peak of perfection. Marksman adventurers know full well they are only able to do their job when their allies are willing to risk putting themselves in danger, and thus they are always trying to find the best shot in order to end the combat as early as possible. So for them, missing a shot not only means their friends will have to be in harm's way longer, but it almost feels like a betrayal of trust from their peers. However, this mindset is not always a healthy one, and many Marksmen who believe this way can often come across as intensely proud without actually meaning to be.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Marksmen[edit | edit source]

When it comes to characters who wish to be primarily Marksmen, they have three choices when it comes to what kind of ranged weapons they wish to focus on: Bows, Guns, or Thrown Weapons. It is important to note, though, that in order to get the most out of guns, one must also take levels as an Artificer.

Regardless of their particular focus, any Marksman worth their salt will have to take the Combat Feat 《Precise Shot》. Otherwise, they can do little more than stand there slack-jawed without putting their allies at risk of a misfired shot. 《Hawk Eye》 is another worthwhile Combat Feat to take, as there is often an enemy spellcaster hiding behind the melee that is taking place, providing support in various ways. 《Hawk Eye》 allows the Marksman to take aim at such an opponent, waiting for the perfect shot to sail through the battlefield and strike true. The appropriate 《Weapon Proficiency》 is also recommended, as there are few other ways to directly increase a Marksman's damage output.

For those Marksmen who specialize in Thrown Weapons, there are a few new weapons introduced in this book to allow for special, unique effects that will change the battlefield. In particular, a number of weapons that can Entangle an opponent are introduced, allowing for the possibility of capturing enemies alive, instead of slaying everything the party comes across. If this sort of combat sounds like it would be useful, then taking the Combat Feat 《Weapon Proficiency/Thrown》 is recommended.

One of the benefits of the Marksman class is that it can provide decent damage output while being a Minor Class, so advancing as a Marksman is fairly rapid at first. Being a high-level Marksman comes with some benefits, such as the possibility of taking the Combat Feat 《Archer's Grace》 at 7th level and using your Marksman class level to calculate Evasion in combat. However, while this is useful, this option is often too late to be fully effective, as Fighters have been able to rely on the excellent Defense of heavy armor, while the lighter warriors have already specialized in Evasion.

By the time the Marksman is able to learn 《Archer's Grace》, the party has already developed a consistent fighting style that has allowed them to stay alive thus far, and so it may be more beneficial to take Combat Feats that allow that style to flourish, rather than start on a new branch. Of course, there is also the possibility of creating a new, high-level character who has not had to work their way up from level 1, and in such cases taking 《Archer's Grace》 over, say, 《Precise Shot》 may be a viable option, depending upon the rest of the party.

Regarding other classes, Enhancer works surprisingly well when combined with Marksman. Specifically, the Technique "Cat's Eyes" gives the user slightly increased Accuracy, a key ability for Marksmen who never want to miss a shot.

Even if a character wishes to focus on their skills as a Marksman, though, there is something to be said for also learning how to become an Artificer. Taking two levels as an Artificer will change the flow of combat, as now the Marksman will have access to the spell "Healing Bullet", allowing them to provide support when their damage output is not needed. If the character wishes to focus on guns instead of the other ranged weapons, they must take at least one level in Artificer anyway in order to deal damage, with the added bonus of learning the spell "Targeting Sight" to increase their Accuracy.

If the character does not wish to use a gun, then the player should keep in mind that their ability to deal magical damage with their attacks is limited. Without a gun, the character may find themselves lacking a way to deal significant damage to physical-resistant monsters, making their presence on the battlefield pointless. To help alleviate this somewhat, there are a few new weapons introduced later in this book, magical arrows to provide a way for archers to continue to deal damage even against the strangest of monsters.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Marksmen[edit | edit source]

For those characters who have been caught up by old tales of gunslingers, lone adventurers who mosey on into town and dispense justice with the pull of a trigger, it is important that they combine the abilities from their Marksman class with those of an Artificer. A gunslinger who has both of these classes at a high level is able to deal significant damage at range, allowing them to open fire at the toughest of enemies with little to fear.

The role of the Marksman is to be behind the melee, taking aim at threats as they appear, and just keep dealing damage. As such, taking time to cast supportive spells and healing wounds means not dealing damage to the enemies, and so such actions are better left to other members of the party whenever possible. As with primary Marksmen, the Combat Feats 《Precise Shot》, 《Hawk Eye》 and 《Weapon Proficiency》 are still recommended for secondary Marksmen to still deal as much damage as possible.

Overall, there aren't a lot of classes that benefit from the skills that the Marksman class brings to the table. With the Stunts "Riding as One" and "Balance", it is theoretically possible for a Rider to also become a Marksman. However, as those particular Stunts require the Rider to be Level 5 and Level 10 respectively, it would be a long, arduous road to get to the point where the character is working as intended.

Sorcerer (Wizard-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Sorcerer

Summary[edit | edit source]

Sorcerers are those who have been trained in the secrets arts of Truespeech magic, an ancient style of magic that uses the language of magic itself in order to summon up powerful effects. Developed in the Durandal era, Truespeech magic is capable of some of the most impressively destructive spells out of any Wizard-type class. In addition to the many destructive spells they wield, Sorcerers also have access to a number of more supportive spells, such as that to find a Familiar or to detect if an item is magical.

Because of the complexity of the movements needed to summon up a Truespeech spell, most armor will end up binding and restricting the Sorcerer, causing significant penalties to apply to any Spellcasting check they make. This lack of Defense means that Sorcerers will often be in the rear of any combat, casting their spells and relying on allies to protect them from harm.

Origins[edit | edit source]

The origins of Truespeech magic are shrouded in mystery, though it is generally believed to have been created after the War of the Gods, reaching its peak during the Durandal era.

At the end of the War of the Gods, the Third Sword of Creation, Cardia, was shattered, and the world of Raxia was flooded with mana. The first Sorcerers were those who were able to tap into this new mana, utilizing it and shaping it into the various spells they desired. In its raw form, mana draws on the power of the mind and of the will of the user, and these early Sorcerers were able to use special words and phrases in order to control it.

By uttering certain phrases and using a magical implement to draw the appropriate design in the air, a Sorcerer can call upon the power of mana and shape it into the spell they wish to cast. Because of the need to focus mana in this way, casting a Truespeech spell without any sort of implement is impossible. Typically, these implements are either a wand or staff of some sort, or a ring on the user's hand, though wands and staves are the most common. It was originally thought that by using a long staff, the Sorcerer would be able to draw magical designs from as far away as possible, but some of the very long staves just became unwieldy after a certain length, so a standard size of around 2m was established.

It is thought that Truespeech magic is so destructive is due to the time it was supposedly created in. As the War of the Gods had just occurred, there were still a great number of Barbarous throughout Raxia, and so the early Sorcerers needed to have magical ways of fighting back against the hordes. Even after this, the various kings of the Durandal period were constantly fighting among each other, constantly looking for more and more powerful spells in hopes of dominating the other kingdoms.

However, after the fall of the Durandal civilization, as well as the Great Catastrophe, many Truespeech spells have been lost to time. There have been some that are sealed away, thought to be too destructive to unleash on the world of Raxia, while others have been lost due to the numerous conflicts that have ravaged Terastier and the whole of Raxia. Many Sorcerers seek to uncover these lost magics, searching day and night for any scrap of evidence of a long-forgotten spell.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

In order to learn how to become a Sorcerer, one must first find a master who is willing to teach them the ways of Truespeech magic.

The primary point of contact for such meetings is the Magician's Guild. The Guild was formed back during the Durandal period, as a way for Sorcerers and other spellcasters to meet up without drawing the ire of superstitious villagers. At the time, there was a strong hatred towards spellcasters due to the endless wars of the kings of the Durandal era, and so large gatherings were often shunned, if not actively attacked by those who were tired of magicians. Often thought of an a "secretive or eerie organization", the Magician's Guild allowed for a safe place for magicians to gather and trade research. While the number of Sorcerers has fallen since those early days, the Guild has not been able to shake it's reputation.

Regardless, it is not easy to become a full-fledged Sorcerer.

First, there is an intensive examination that must be passed in order to continue with the Guild. This exam, while difficult academically, is also meant to test the prospective Sorcerer's ability to call forth and manipulate mana.

While the Magician's Guild is a meeting place for various spellcasters, it is also a boarding house for traveling spellcasters as well. The second part of the apprentice's initiation as a Sorcerer is to live with their master, and assist not only them, but the Guild itself, with various tasks such as cleaning and meal preparation while studying. Such apprentices may be asked to assist with dangerous experiments, and on occasion there have been accidents, sometimes with lethal consequences.

All in all, the hierarchy is strict, and any sort of backtalk or insubordination against those of higher stature results in severe punishment. At the same time, though, merit is the only deciding factor as to whether or not an apprentice can become a full Sorcerer, as factors such as age, length of training and social status will have no bearing whether or not a person can use Truespeech magic. Whether the child of a peasant or the heir to a noble family, all are treated the same when it comes to training as a Sorcerer. As a result, there are few Sorcerers among the aristocrats, as they often expect to be treated differently due to their position and are loathe to "lower themselves" to be an apprentice for long.

Through all the hardships, few apprentices are able to graduate into becoming a Sorcerer. It is not uncommon for an apprentice to have an accident and perish from a mishandled experiment or excessive punishments, only to have their death be shrouded by the secrecy of the Guild.

In rare cases, a noble child might have their parents purchase the services of a private tutor in order to teach them the ways of a Sorcerer. These situations are much less dangerous for the apprentice, as there is much more accountability for the mentor to keep the student alive. Additionally, there is no need to aid the teacher with cleaning or shelter, as that has all been taken care of through their hiring fees. Despite all this, though, most mentors find it hard to change their attitude just because they are paid a high price, and will still run the apprentice ragged. "Class time" is often harsh, with the mentor occasionally assigning tasks that are impossible to do, if only to see the student struggle as they once did. All this being said, these private tutors will train even fewer successful Sorcerers than the Magician's Guild, and those apprentices that do become Sorcerers often find themselves behind in training compared to those brought up in the Guild.

A Sorcerer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Whether in the past or in current times, Sorcerers are feared by the general public as dangerous spellcasters. The negative image of the kings of the Durandal era have left a mark on Raxia even 3,000 years later. To the general public, Sorcerers are unstable magicians who study mysterious and esoteric methods of causing destruction, seeking only to use their power to dominate anyone who opposes them. Few people want to willingly live near a Magician's Guild, and even fewer are able to step foot into a Sorcerer's private residence. Many Sorcerers do not mind this treatment, though, and will gladly lean into the "dark and mysterious spellcaster" in order to keep people away from prying into their research.

Of course, this is not meant to be the definitive treatment of Sorcerers throughout Raxia. There are some Sorcerers who are quite open and jovial, whose presence around their local village are quite welcomed. Some schools and guildhalls are also far more open to non-spellcasting visitors, and are willing to allow those curious about the goings-on at such places to come and observe freely, without fear of retaliation or accidents. Some nations even have a court magician, who typically serve as either military strategists or advisors. Adventuring parties will also generally welcome a new Sorcerer within their ranks with open arms.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Sorcerers[edit | edit source]

One of the most important aspects of being a Sorcerer is the ability to assess the situation in any given combat, and to use the appropriate spell for the situation. For example, in a protracted battle against a fearsome opponent, it is more useful to cast "Blunt Weapon" as opposed to "Energy Bolt". Flashy, destructive spells are the calling card of Truespeech magic, but they are not the entirety of the discipline.

When looking to learn Combat Feats, a Sorcerer should keep in mind the spells they cast, and look to find the right Combat Feats to help them. Truespeech spells have a wide variety of effects, with a considerable number of low-level damaging spells, and so the path from 《Guided Magic》 to 《Magic Convergence》 to 《Magic Control》 is a smart one to take. At the same time, though, the immediate effects of learning Combat Feats such as 《Metamagic/Targets》 or 《MP Save/Sorcerer》 are rather enticing, and each Sorcerer will end up taking different paths to the same ends.

With Sorcerer being the primary class, the character must take armor restrictions into account when considering other classes to branch out into. Taking significant penalties for performing the core functions of a class are no fun for either the player or the rest of their party to watch. All things considered, there are few classes that lend themselves to offering a significant benefit to a Sorcerer. Generally, other Wizard-type classes are learned, so that way as the character advances, so does their MP pool, allowing them to cast more spells and stronger spells while in combat. It is possible to use an Enhancer's "Sphinx Knowledge" Technique to increase their Intelligence when casting spells, but this requires 5 levels in Enhancer to unlock, putting the character at a disadvantage before then.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Sorcerers[edit | edit source]

Most other classes will find some benefit from a character who decides to supplement their skills with levels in the Sorcerer class. As already discussed, there are Warrior-type classes that can function without armor, and so combining the spells from the Sorcerer class with melee attacks via the Combat Feat 《Multi-Action》 is one possibility.

Additionally, as mentioned above, characters can benefit from a larger MP pool when training in multiple Wizard-type classes. Specifically, those who also take levels in the Conjurer class often call themselves "Wizards", able to draw on a wide array of magical powers. Sorcerer-Priests are also common to see, as being able to call upon both healing and destructive spells as the situation requires is quite powerful indeed, so that way there is never any downtime during combat for such a character.

The Sage class, while not combat-capable, provides a number of useful skills to aid in the Sorcerer's research. Automatically learning the Combat Feat 《Weakness Exploit》 at Level 7 helps as well, allowing the character to take advantage of the wide array of Truespeech spells in order to consistently hit a monster's Weak Point for massive damage.

A Day in the Life of an Apprentice
Following a Sorcerer's apprentice as they spend a day in the Magician's Guild, we find that the young person has been awoken before dawn by their mentor's alarm golem. Still groggy, they quickly dress themselves and head down to the cleaning room, taking the time to clean any equipment that has become dirty from experiments, as well as washing the laundry of both themselves and their mentor. Afterwards, a simple breakfast is had. Though it is not the healthiest food, it is better than nothing.

Depending upon the master's disposition, there may be a lecture held in the morning that the apprentice is required to attend. Often, though, many Sorcerers will have their own research to distract them, and so the apprentice must help their master with whatever they require.

After a meager lunch, oftentimes no better than the breakfast earlier, the apprentice will begin their actual spellcasting training. Many times, this is simply assisting the master with their experiments again, or copying the various spells from their mentor's books into their own tome. While it may seem like busywork, the ability to read and decipher such arcane works is a key part in the Sorcerer's training, and the more knowledge of others' spells the apprentice has, the more likely they are to outperform other apprentices.

Depending upon the afternoon's work, dinner may be skipped altogether, with work continuing long into the night. Many masters work into the dark hours of the night, and will often pull their best students in to assist them. Sometimes, these experiments will stretch into the morning hours, and while the master will usually sleep until midday, the exhausted students will not be allowed the same luxury.

Even if there is no assigned work, the hours after dinner provide apprentices the most time to study on their own, reviewing the training of the day. It is often said that the first spell any good apprentice will learn is the "Light" spell, as the shabby dormitories at the Magician's Guild will often be without proper lighting.

This kind of life will typically last between 6 and 20 years, depending upon the skill of the individual apprentice. There is no clear-cut graduation exanimation, but it is up to the whim of the mentor (and possibly the strong will of the apprentice) that decides when the apprentice can begin calling themselves a Sorcerer. There is even a myth that it is better to be disliked by your master rather than ignored, because if one is disliked, then they can eventually earn the appreciation of their master and leave, while those ignored will remain as apprentices for the rest of their lives.

Conjurer (Wizard-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Conjurers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Masters of Spiritualism magic, Conjurers can call forth the power of invisible spirits in order to perform magic. In practice, this is very similar to the Truespeech magic of Sorcerers, however the method of actually casting spells is quite different. While Truespeech magic has a lot of destructive effects among its list of spells, Spiritualism magic will provide spells that can strengthen the caster and their allies, conjure and animate various monsters out of enchanted materials, and even call forth the spirit of one who has passed from the world. The ability to cast the "Resurrection" spell is incredibly powerful, and not a spell to be cast at a whim. Yet, the power of such magic only highlights the abilities of Spiritualism magic and the Conjurers that control it.

As with Sorcerers, Conjurers do find them limited in combat when it comes to wearing heavy armor, and so they are often seen behind the front lines of a melee, supporting their allies and providing aid with their conjured monsters.

Origins[edit | edit source]

Conjurers and the Spiritualism magic they possess share much of the same origins as Sorcerers and their Truespeech magic. Developed after the War of the Gods, when the various forms of magic were being created and used in grand battles between the ancient magician kings of the Durandal, those who found themselves able to use any of these magics found themselves being drawn into that same conflict.

While Truespeech magic was the way for those who sought destructive power, Spiritualism magic offered power to those who were looking for a more hands-off approach, where they could manipulate others to perform tasks instead. There was significant time and energy spent developing spells that were useful for enhancing another's abilities, as well as creating vessels for wayward spirits to inhabit, conjuring life from nothing. Many of these vessels, magical creatures called "golems", were used as protectors of the great kings, as well as expendable troops for their petty wars against each other. Some even were created to supplement the laborers, as these magical constructs could work far beyond what a living person could. Even now, many of these ancient golems still hold loyalty to these long-dead kings and masters, not able to realize their leaders have passed on.

It was also during this time that research was done into the reanimation of the dead, as well as any effects this may have on the newly revived. While it was possible to reunite those who had prematurely died with their loved ones, it was also found that the revived would often manifest strange physical and mental changes, with further research finding that these manifestations were due to the soul itself being scarred and changed as it was repeatedly brought from the afterlife back into the world of the living. Those who found themselves being revived from death a significant number of times eventually took on not only the appearance, but the mannerisms of an undead monster.

Once it was discovered that the necromantic magic the Conjurers were using would cause such soulscars, it would be easy to believe that such spells would be outlawed among civilized folk. However, not only were these spells not restricted, but some Conjurers twisted these spells in order to raise those who were long dead, creating an army of undead creatures under their control. It is said that some even became undead themselves in order to find a true path to immortality, and that these corrupt souls were the first Nosferatu among the Barbarous hordes.

Because of the storied history, use of Spiritualism magic was highly controlled among the Al Menas, if not outright forbidden. The most forbidden knowledge will undoubtedly draw in those who look for it, though, and the practice of Spiritualism magic managed to survive the Great Catastrophe. In current times, Conjurers have not only become more commonplace, but Spiritualism magic is seen as a pragmatic style of spellcasting, especially among adventurers. However, there are still some spells that have been locked away, lost in the sands of time, for the good of Raxia. It is said that some of these forbidden dark magics are so vile that using them would curse the caster for the rest of their days, distorting one's soul within their own body in order to call upon such foul magic.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

The path one must take to learn the Conjurer class is very much the same as that of a Sorcerer. However, there are those more foreboding Conjurers who take apprentices, only to abuse them in vile, twisted ways. Those Conjurers who focus on the necromantic aspects of Spiritualism magic are often quite dangerous even as mentors, as they are willing to use the naivety of their apprentices to their advantage, treating them as test subjects for horrific experiments. With such a reputation, there are actually fewer Conjurers than there are Sorcerers throughout Raxia.

This does not mean that a Conjurer's abilities are not needed, though. Because of the ability to resurrect the dead, a Conjurer's services are often in high demand, especially in towns with a significant number of adventurers coming and going. Having such a Conjurer around has other benefits, too, as these more benevolent Conjurers are much less likely to take advantage of young apprentices, as well as the apprentices having a much easier time learning Spiritualism magic. After all, when there is a constant stream of adventurers bringing their fallen friends in to be revived, there is little need to come up with dangerous necromantic experiments.

A Conjurer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

While Sorcerers were feared due to their powerful magical spells, Conjurers are often shunned entirely from communities. It is small wonder why, as Spiritualism magic allows an advanced Conjurer power over life and death, and there is little keeping rogue Conjurers from becoming the leader of their own undead army. In the public mind, Conjurers are often seen as the right hand of demons, or even the Grim Reaper themselves.

Such strong prejudices, some of them based on true stories while others the result of over-paranoid villagers, have been around since the time of the earliest Conjurers themselves. Because of these prejudices, the Al Menas requires Conjurers to obtain certain expensive qualifications in order to use their magic, considered non-refundable even if the Conjurer could not meet these requirements.

Even today, it is difficult to say that the general public understands the nuances of Spiritualism magic or have a proper understanding of Conjurers. The more superstitious folk among the public will fear any spellcaster, and will go to great lengths to connect any magician to the Barbarous hordes. For this reason, many Conjurers will just call themselves "adventurers", going out of their way to hide their powers and true identity.

Some politicians are shrewd, however, and recognize the usefulness of such a class. The act of conjuring a body for a golem is not in and of itself illegal, and some Conjurers will even create an army of golems in order to use them as laborers and guardians, requiring little upkeep or maintenance. There are also some kings who bring back loyal followers should death try and take them before it's time, though such acts are frowned upon by society and so must be done in secret.

When someone close to them dies suddenly, even those who may otherwise stay away from a Conjurer may seek them out for their services. However, it is quite possible that the soul of the deceased would prefer to stay in the afterlife and not become scarred by returning to the land of the living, contrary to the wishes of those left behind. With their loved ones refusing to return to them, the grief-stricken relatives may turn violently angry, taking their unfocused emotions out on the Conjurer.

As long as there are those who are prejudiced against spellcasters, there may never be a day where Conjurers may practice their arts freely without fear of repercussions.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Conjurers[edit | edit source]

For those characters who are primary Conjurers, the approach to combat is similar to primary Sorcerers, in that their role is to stand behind their allies, assess the combat, and choose the most viable spell for the situation. Since Spiritualism magic has a much wider variety of magic available to it than Truespeech magic, finding the right spell is much more exciting for both the player and the character.

A great boon to the Conjurer's party is the various "Create Golem" spells, allowing the Conjurer to provide additional allies to fight on the front line without having to put their friends in danger. Though changing the orders of a created golem with a number of 100G Command Stones can get quite expensive rather quickly, having another target to distract monsters is immeasurably helpful, especially among smaller parties.

When it comes to learning any Warrior-type class to supplement the Conjurer's might, there is less of an emphasis to learn the Combat Feat 《Magic Control》 than there would be for a Sorcerer. However, picking up 《Metamagic/Targets》 in order to provide support to more of the Conjurer's allies with less effort is greatly recommended. As with the Sorcerer class, there is little appeal to learn other classes outside of providing them with new combat-capable methods.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Conjurers[edit | edit source]

When taking levels in the Conjurer class in order to supplement other classes the character has already taken, it can be compared to the Sorcerer class when it comes to which classes will and will not work.

The player should be aware, though, that combining two or more Wizard-type Major Classes comes with its own special benefits and consequences. While yes, the character's MP pool will be substantial, and they will be able to call upon a rather large number of spells at their command, getting to such a point in the first place is much slower due to the significant experience needed to advance multiple Major Classes. Additionally, the character's Defense will be lacking considerably, forcing them to stay behind their allies if they wish to contribute to combat at all.

On the other hand, Conjurers pair well with Fairy Tamers, as their Spiritualism magic does not outshine or compete with Fairy magic like a Sorcerer's Truespeech magic would. For a more supportive character, Alchemists pair well with Conjurers, as neither class will step on the other's toes with regards to using their magic to the fullest potential. Additionally, one could also take the 《Multi-Action》 Combat Feat, which allows a spellcasting class like the Conjurer to mix with a melee combat class and have the ability to cast spells during combat, even if the caster themselves have already attacked in melee.

Resurrection of the Dead
Regardless of how one feels about an individual Conjurer, it is difficult to talk about the class as a whole and their capabilities without talking about the possibility of resurrecting the dead.

Many Conjurers capable of casting the "Resurrection" spell will often charge an exorbitant amount of money in order to revive the dead, typically beginning at 10,000 Gamels and going up from there. Their hope is that such high prices will tend to keep people away from them, and even if someone does manage to scrape together the fee, the Conjurer is often loathe to take it.

Why is this? Why are Conjurers hesitant to cast such a powerful spell, even if one such casting will make them independently wealthy?

There are a number of reasons why most Conjurers will resist casting "Resurrection", the first being it is often considered a taboo to pull the soul of someone who died away from the afterlife in order to force them back into their body and return to whatever life they had made for themselves.

Secondly, the success rate of casting the spell is fairly low. A soul will often wish to remain in the afterlife, in the presence of the divine, after leaving their body. Ascending to heaven is a pleasant experience, and the trip back to earth, into one's old mortal shell, is so painful that the soul itself becomes irreversibly scarred from the ordeal. Not only that, but after having tasted the pleasures of the afterlife, most mortal desires are no longer worthwhile.

Finally, there exists the possibility of the revived becoming a Revenant.

As mentioned above, pulling the soul back from the afterlife into their former body will scar that soul permanently. Oftentimes, as soulscars accumulate by the soul being pulled back again and again into the mortal realm, these will manifest on the person's body as well. There is a limit to how often a person can be brought back before the soulscars will have changed the person so drastically that they are no different from an undead creature. Such monsters are called Revenants, and desire nothing more than to take revenge on the living for forcing them back into the mortal realm.

Revenants have become so twisted over the multiple resurrections, such that any love and friendship they may have had is gone, replaced with nothing but pure hatred. There is some sliver of memories left inside the Revenant, though they have been twisted to show only pain and suffering towards the new Revenant instead. They do still retain much of their combat ability as they had during their normal life, perhaps becoming even more powerful in this distorted state of life. Most Revenants are unable to cast any magical spells they may have had access to, though there are tales of ancient Revenants with magical powers, nightmarish kings of undead armies.

As the Conjurer is the one who returned the Revenant to this mockery of life, they are often the first one the Revenant sees and attacks. It is an unwritten rule among Conjurers that if their abilities causes a Revenant to arise, that the Conjurer must put the new creature to rest, even if they must call for help in doing so. Occasionally, though, a Conjurer will resurrect a powerful adventurer only for them to turn into a Revenant and overpower the Conjurer before they can be put to rest again. Such monsters will escape into the world and wreak havoc for a small while, until a proper adventuring party can be assembled to take care of the threat once and for all.

For these reasons, a Conjurer does not resurrect the dead on a whim. Having such power also requires the wherewithal to use it correctly, as well as the ability to turn away those who may seek to take advantage of a soft-hearted Conjurer.

Priest (Wizard-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Priests

Summary[edit | edit source]

To call oneself a Priest is to openly admit that you are able to hear the voice of one of the gods of Raxia and follow their guidance. By listening to these sacred words, Priests are able to call upon Divine magic in order to protect the faithful and drive away the blasphemers.

One of the most basic requirements of a Priest is to remain in their god's good graces. This may be as simple as cleaning and maintaining a temple of that god in their local hometown, while others may see the need to go out into the world and proselytize, spreading the word of their god's powers and mercies. In return for keeping their god in the minds of their followers, as well as bringing new followers into the church, these Priests are able to tap in to a small sliver of godly power, performing miracles with Divine magic.

Divine magic differs from Truespeech or Spiritualism magics, in that it focuses much more on defense and recovery, than flashy offensive spells or creating hordes at the beck and call of the spellcaster. A good number of Divine spells also repel enemies of man, counting both the hordes of the Barbarous as well as the despoiled corpses of the undead. Priests are often called upon to be a shield of their faith, defending the downtrodden against that which would eradicate their followers.

The specific god that a Priest follows will change how each individual Priest is roleplayed, as there are certain strictures and dogma that need to be followed by the character in game. Each god also has a set of Divine spells only available to their followers, making each Priest mechanically different as well.

While Priests are a Wizard-type class, there is no restriction on casting spells in armor, and in fact many Priests also take up the mantle as Fighters in order to benefit from historic sets of armor worn by previous divine champions.

Origins[edit | edit source]

From the moment the gods first set foot into Raxia, there were Priests alongside them.

The furthest reaches of the ancient history of Raxia have the gods physically on the planet itself, living in harmony with the so-called "Little People", precursors of the many races on Raxia today. The possibility of becoming a god still exists in Raxia, whether through the accumulation of incredible power or by finding one of the legendary Swords of Creation, and many adventurers will set out in search of one or the other, hoping to become a god unto themselves. Thus, a Priest knows that their gods do exist and that they do care about the goings-on of the people of Raxia, allowing the Priest to have an absolutely unshakable faith.

With this rock-solid faith in the divine, the general public follow the various Priests in prayer to these gods, providing the divine with power of their own. The measure of a god's ability is only limited by the faith of their followers, and with more followers comes more power, allowing the god to perform more powerful miracles to attract more followers, etc. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Divine Ancestor, the first god Lyphos, has the largest congregation and is by far the most powerful and most well-known god among the gods of Raxia.

After the divine civilization of the Schnell period fell, through the Durandal period, then the Al Menas, and after the Great Catastrophe to the current day. Throughout all of this time, there have been Priests of various gods, offering their prayers to the divine in exchange for the right to call forth sacred miracles. Unlike other spellcasting traditions, there has been no loss of spells, nor any knowledge forgotten, and so Divine magic has not changed as drastically as other magics have. That does not mean there has been no change whatsoever, as over the years the domains of some gods have changed as a result of their followers altering how they choose to worship those gods.

=== Learning the Class ===+ For a character to become a priest is fairly simple, as regular attendance to their church, participation in holy rituals and holidays, and diligently serving in their faith will gain them standing in the faith. Actually becoming a classed Priest, one who can hear the sacred words of the god themselves, is quite a different task.

It is possible for one to have such virtue that their god reaches out to them directly, and given Priest abilities as an agent of the god themselves. Such divine visitations are almost unheard of, but have been known to happen throughout history. The much more likely path is that through intense meditation and training over a period of time (often a few weeks), the would-be Priest receives a revelation that awakens them to the divine, allowing them to begin casting Divine magic and performing miracles. There are devout followers who, despite their standing in the church and faith in their god, will never receive the ability to cast Divine magic. Others, however, might have a flash of inspiration out of the blue, some godly vision that unlocks their true potential, despite having never entered a church throughout their entire adult life. There are some who point to these examples, and others like them, to show that the gods are fickle, while others may see that the gods have their own choices for who they grant their magics to.

Such examples aside, Priests are usually called from among those who have spent some significant time and effort training, oftentimes rewarding the faith of those who have faith in the god themselves. The best way to be noticed for membership as a Priest is to be faithful and training in the same church as a high-ranking Priest already, as it is said that the gods will usually look in on their more powerful faithful every so often.

A Priest's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

For Priests, their standing in society comes in large part from the god they worship. Gods of the First Sword, "Lumiere", also known as the Gods of Light, are those known and trusted by the populace to only have their best interests in mind (even Grendal, who is also worshipped by the Barbarous), and so their Priests are welcomed with open arms into society. Even among these Priests, those of the Divine Ancestor Lyphos, the God of the Sun Tidan, and the God of Knights Zaiya are the most common throughout Raxia, and these Priests will often be the first contact for those who run into some sort of trouble in their lives.

Because of this absolute trust, Priests of the Gods of Light often have a higher status in society than most. Many kingdoms and nations recognize the temples of the various gods, and so they have almost a sort of extra-territoriality to them. In simpler terms, because the temple exists almost completely separate from the location they're in, the leaders of the church have the right to refuse the orders of the local ruler (even if that ruler is a King or Emperor). However, the relationship between the temples and the surrounding nations is often one of mutual respect, and so the temple leaders will tend to abide by the laws of the land and helping each other out in times of need.

Helping out the local populace also helps the gods themselves, as having Priests out in public giving aid is more likely to draw others to the church in order to help. This will lead to many of these new volunteers becoming a part of the congregation, and thereby directly increasing the power of the gods. In more rural areas, the church may also act as the local constabulary, using the power of their armed fighter-priests in order to enforce local laws and defend against Barbarous incursions.

Speaking of the Barbarous, Priests of the gods of the Second Sword "Ignis", also known as the Malevolent Gods, are despised throughout polite society. Very rarely do these gods take Priests from the civilized races, though when they do it is quite obvious the Priest has fallen under a malign influence. These gods often have such dogmas as "Destruction" and "Mayhem", and while following such is fine among the Barbarous, they cause quite a bit of trouble among the civilized races. And yet, there are those who would still speak for these gods, giving them a voice among the races of man. These dark Priests must keep their affiliation a secret when out in public, as even just showing a holy symbol of the Malevolent Gods is a dangerous sign that the Priest has fallen to evil and must be captured. In larger cities, there may be a number of these dark Priests, holding ceremonies in a hidden temple shared amongst each other in a den of evil.

A Priest's divine affiliation affects nearly aspect of their life, whether consciously or not. If one looks closely at those who already become Priests of a given god, it is quite easy to see the personality and attitude that god prefers, and it should be rather easy from that point to see which of its new petitioners will become full-fledged Priests. Each Priest is an extension of their god, and it is their duty and pleasure to live according to their god's dogma and strictures.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Priests[edit | edit source]

Priests specialize in healing and defensive magics, and are said to be the best class if that is the goal of the character. However, healing and defense are unnecessary when the situation does not require them, and so a character who focuses on the Priest class with little else may find themselves wasting time in combat, watching and waiting for one of your allies to be harmed in some way. If that is not something that is desired, it is recommended that another Major Class is taken alongside Priest.

Regardless of the Priest's focus, an important Combat Feat they should take is 《Metamagic/Targets》. This Combat Feat allows the character to be able to affect more of their allies with spells when necessary, such as to grant more allies a defensive bonus, or to heal minor wounds across the entire party. While such a feat is not mandatory, it is often seen along the same lines as a Marksman not taking the 《Precise Shot》 Combat Feat, in that it might be seen as selfish to the rest of the party.

Other Metamagic Combat Feats, such as 《Metamagic/Distance》 and 《Metamagic/Accuracy》 are useful as well. The 10m range of "Cure Wounds" may seem like enough of a distance, but many monsters can attack from that far or farther, and so being able to stretch that range to stay out of harm's way is always nice. Additionally, there may be times where the party's health relies on the Priest's spell going off, and an Automatic Failure on the Spellcasting check is a sure-fire way to a total party wipe, so having the ability to roll that check more than once could literally be the difference between life and death.

As with all spellcasters, 《MP Save》 is another standard Combat Feat to take, as it directly translates to being able to cast more spells with the same amount of MP. In an intense combat, where the Priest needs to be able to cast multiple spells to help keep the party in fighting shape, every little bit of MP is useful, and being able to squeeze one or two extra spells out can be handy.

Regarding supporting classes, a Priest would look for those classes that can perform their abilities with Minor Actions, as most of the character's Major Actions will be tied up casting Divine spells. With that in mind, the Alchemist is a very powerful support class, as they can use most of their Evocations as Minor Actions, providing alternative party buffs and enemy debuffs as well. The Bard class is also a worthwhile choice, as while most Spellsongs require a Major Action to begin performing, they can have one of their pets keep the Spellsong going while freeing the character to perform other needed Actions.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Priests[edit | edit source]

Since the Priest has no armor restrictions on their spellcasting, using it to supplement a primary Fighter class would be a good idea. That way, the character has access to heavy weaponry and armor, as well as Divine spells when necessary. Being able to continue attacking while healing using the 《Multi-Action》 Combat Feat is also quite useful. Sorcerers, too, can benefit from multiple spellcasting classes, both to increase the diversity of their magic as well as increasing the size of their MP pool.

While odd, having the Priest as a supplemental class to a primary Alchemist is interesting. Between the multi-function Evocations and the powerful Divine spells, the character can effortlessly switch between the two as necessary without having to worry about any overlap between the two classes.

Regardless of how the character is built, one thing that must remain in the forefront is that the Priest is the primary healing class of Sword World 2.0, and Divine spells are their forte. Even if it is as a supporting class, the rest of the party will look to the character as the source of their healing and protection, unless there is another Priest in the party.

Priests without Magic
It is said that a Priest is one who can hear the words of their god, and perform powerful miracles in their name.

However, as the number of followers increases, the temple grows, and the relationship between god and follower becomes more complex. With larger religions, it is not uncommon for those who have never heard the word of their god to become a priest.

While the church is established in the divine name of the god that watches over those who meet in its walls, the organization is still run by humans. Thus, some priests and priestesses are able to influence the leaders of the church, through social connections as well as money offered to the church, in order to advance within their ranks. As the temple grows larger, and the need for more priests becomes apparent, this type of advancement becomes much more common.

That is not to say that these priests do not slack in their worship. Indeed, some of these priests who have never heard the word of their god have become significant contributors to the well-being of the congregation and the upkeep of the church itself.

While these priests cannot call upon Divine magic in order to produce miracles for their followers, they make up for that shortcoming by becoming incredible orators. With skillful use of words, weaving stories in with proselytizing, these priests are able to call more to their church and increase the size of the congregation, which in turn increases the power of their god.

On the other hand, those priests who are able to cast Divine spells are often sent out to the frontiers, in order to use their magics to assist them in the various requests of the church. As the years have gone by, many higher-ups in the various churches have found that people living out in the frontier and beyond often have little time for the divine, unless there is concrete proof in front of them, and so the able spellcasters are sent to show the power of their god in hopes of attracting more followers to the church.

Two different paths emerge for the priests, depending upon whether or not they can use Divine spells. One path leads out into the wilds, in hopes of establishing a new temple by directly showing the power of their god. The other provides advancement in a church that has already been established, drawing in more followers by the conviction in their voice.

Fairy Tamer (Wizard-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Fairy Tamers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Fairies, tiny magical beings that live throughout Raxia, are able to talk and provide magical powers to a select few that they choose. These chosen people are known as Fairy Tamers, and they can call upon the powerful elements of Fairy magic. By summoning the appropriate fairy, the Fairy Tamer can use a variety of different magical effects. As a part of their training, Fairy Tamers are also able to converse directly with the different fairies in Raxia, though the quality of conversation differs, depending upon the fairy.

At a basic level, there are six different types of fairies: earth, fire, wind, water, light and darkness. A beginning Fairy Tamer will find it easiest to form contracts with wind and light fairies, before moving on to fairies of earth and fire, and finally completing contracts with water and darkness fairies.

The characteristics of Fairy magic differ greatly, depending upon the fairy called. Fire fairies are quite the offensive powerhouse, while wind fairies can offer a number of different effects. Earth and water fairies are strong defenders, light fairies will affect life in general and darkness fairies one's spirit. A skilled Fairy Tamer can call upon all of the various spells that the fairies can offer, giving them a diverse spell pool to draw from.

However, fairies have an adverse reaction to most metals, and so the Fairy Tamer is penalized when casting Fairy spells in metal armor.

Origins[edit | edit source]

With the shattering of the Third Sword, Cardia, mana was released into the world. With it came the fairies, the result of mana interfering with the natural world. Fairies can be found all throughout Raxia, even in the most inhospitable areas, though they are nearly invisible and will not show themselves without good cause.

Unlike other spellcasters, Fairy Tamers can trace their origins back to the elves, not the humans, at the end of the Schnell period. With their enhances senses and closeness to nature, the elves were able to see the fairies all throughout the lands, and took the time to study these elemental beings. In the process, the elves were able to learn the language of the fairies, as well as notice their penchant for various forms of jewelry.

Eventually, a pact was made between the elves and the fairies, where the elves could use the sparkle of specially prepared gems in order to summon a fairy to their aid. This concept was altered somewhat in order to become the Fairy magic in use today, though such a pact and its alterations took a significant amount of time. Fairies are quite flighty, with no concept of time and no definite lifespan, and so the longevity of the elves helped during negotiations in order to have an established set of rules for both sides to abide by.

With the original contract in place, Fairy magic and the Fairy Tamer class became popular among the elves, and some humans that were close with the elves were also able to pick up the difficult magics needed. There are some who have even sought out their own contracts with the various fairies, creating their own contracts beyond the original pacts the elves had made and creating new forms of Fairy magic.

While fairies are rather forgetful, and have no sense of time to speak of, they still somehow remember the contracts made and will always respond to the Fairy Tamer's summons. In return, they receive some of the caster's mana, and after completing their service (i.e. casting the spell they were called for), the fairy will return home. Exactly how the fairy is able to know where the Fairy Tamer is and not only appear, but disappear as well is still unknown. Some scholars believe there is an alternate dimension the fairies use to travel over vast distances, called the "fairy path" for sake of convenience.

Generally, fairies will remain among nature, very rarely entering human settlements. Their love of the open air and freedom of nature is an inherent part of them, and any aspiring Fairy Tamer understands this. Because of this, much of a Fairy Tamer's training is spent outdoors, getting to know the fairies, and so Fairy Tamers are quite at home living outside, away from civilization for extended periods of time.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

Those who wish to become Fairy Tamers quickly find that there is no formal education for learning the ways of calling fairies, but that the class relies on intuition and sensitivity rather than research and study. In this way, a Fairy Tamer is closer to a Priest in that both classes are more of a passively learned thing, rather than the active learning needed to become a Fighter or Sorcerer

Aspiring Fairy Tamers often have masters as well, those who are willing to teach the language and mannerisms of dealing with fairies, and are willing to help their pupils in their training. The majority of training as a Fairy Tamer, though, is the time spent finding fairies in nature, communicating with them and establishing a friendship before forming a contract.

Fairies are fickle and capricious in nature, often having vastly different values and ethics than another human would, and forming a friendship with some fairies is quite difficult as the views of the fairy and tamer clash. Situations like these require a lot of patience and diplomacy on the part of the tamer, as well as a certain amount of talent in order to seal the contract. Not to say there aren't those with a natural ability to talk to the fairies and can form contracts on their first day, though such people will often have issues blending into polite society and speaking to others in a normal manner.

Once an accord is reached and a friendship made, a contract can be forged between the Fairy Tamer and the fairy. Such a contract requires the use of a specially prepared gem, which will act as a gate for the fairy to call upon its power. Through this process, it is quite possible that the tamer and fairy will form some kind of friendship, though there have been some who attempt to force the fairy into performing their magic. Such brutes can often be found among the Barbarous, as fairies can detect soulscars and are naturally repelled by them, so the Barbarous oftentimes turn to another manner to get the fairies to work with them in order to stay in the thick of things. Unfortunately, this also affects Nightmares, who may have a soulscar or two naturally occuring due to their parents' lifestyle.

A Fairy Tamer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Fairy Tamers are seen as weirdos and freaks who live outside of normal civilization in order to be with invisible fairies. With Fairy Tamers being more comfortable in nature, their homes are often built in conjunction with nature, and appear to be more magical in nature than they really are. There are a number of elven Fairy Tamers as well, and they are seen by the humans with a combination of fear and envy.

As mentioned above, fairies do not like human settlements and will go out of their way to avoid such large gatherings of people. Thus, many Fairy Tamers will also keep themselves away from such environments in order to keep their fairy friends happy. Fairy Tamers will often find themselves drawn to places where they can be self-sufficient in nature, remote areas rich in natural resources such as fertile land and fresh water. In remote villages, the services of a Fairy Tamer can occasionally be bought, and they will serve as witch doctors, shamans, and priests as necessary.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Fairy Tamers[edit | edit source]

Fairy magic is quite versatile, being able to handle everything from offense to support to recovery, and all with a fairly low MP expenditure. As a result, Fairy Tamers are often reacting to the battlefield, casting the spell that they feel is able to help at the current situation.

As they grow up and advance as a Fairy Tamer, their magic expands, encompassing a variety of attributes and effects. With the various elements available to them, a Fairy Tamer can take advantage of any elemental weaknesses an opponent may have, though figuring out exactly which element to use in any given situation is an important skill for the Fairy Tamer. Honestly such a skill is useful for every character to have, but especially for the Fairy Tamer due to their versatility.

When it comes to useful supporting classes for the Fairy Tamer, the Scout immediately springs to mind. Armor restrictions are not a problem for Scouts, while the Fairy Tamer's "Fairy Wish" spell boosts the likelihood of Scout-related skills to succeed. With the abilities of a Scout added to the versatile magic of a Fairy Tamer, it is very easy for the character to become a strong supporting member of their adventuring party. The Alchemist class is also useful, as they can use Evocations without spending MP or using their Major Action, which means a multi-classed Fairy Tamer/Alchemist can be firing off a large number of spells and Evocations every turn.

As with most other spellcasting classes, the Fairy Tamer benefits greatly from the Combat Feat 《Metamagic/Targets》, as that allows them to affect large groups with only a small increase in MP spent. 《MP Save》 is also quite nice, as a lot of Fairy Tamer spells are quite cheap with respects to the MP cost, and being able to cast more spells without increasing one's MP pool is always useful. On the same note, there are a number of Fairy spells that only have a range of 10m, such as "Basic Healing" and "Advanced Healing", and so the Combat Feat 《Metamagic/Distance》 makes the Fairy Tamer much more useful in larger battlefields.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Fairy Tamers[edit | edit source]

When it comes to supporting other classes with Fairy magic, there are a few obvious choices. Keeping in mind the armor restrictions on casting Fairy spells, a Grappler or Fencer taking levels as a Fairy Tamer is quite popular. However, there are those who would also supplement their Fighter class with Fairy magic, though such a class combination may not be the most optimal choice. However, with the Combat Feat 《Multi-Action》, the character is able to still be useful in combat, and is surprisingly similar in power to that of a Sorcerer.

Another good class that can benefit from the Fairy Tamer's unique skills is the Sage. Sages are proficient in Monster Knowledge, giving them a bonus when attacking a monster's weaknesses, while the Fairy Tamer's spell selection allows them to actually take advantage of that weakness. Once the character has enough levels in Sage to automatically learn the Combat Feat 《Weakness Exploit》, then it is quite possible to watch an opponent's HP get shredded by the increased damage they are receiving.

Finally, as with all other spellcasters, it is a good idea to take a number of different spellcasting classes in order to increase the character's MP. Having more MP directly correlates to casting more spells and more powerful spells, while more classes allows the character to have a wide variety of spells to choose from in combat. However, in particular the Conjurer class not only deals with the same armor restrictions as the Fairy Tamer, but their spell list compliments the Fairy Tamer quite nicely.

Fairy Ecology
As the fairy sits quietly in the palm of my hand, I think about the different types of fairies there are. Though many take on the appearance of women, their ecology isn't really actually well known.

I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, to be honest. Sure, there are those like the one I'm holding, looking like a very small woman with a set of clear wings. However, as their power grows, the larger and stronger a fairy appears. The Efreet, for example, is a huge horned monster, while a Skadi is a supernaturally beautiful woman.

Fairies are created when mana integrates into a natural feature, such as the blowing of the wind or the heat from a dormant volcano. These simple fairies often don't have a long life, as their existence is unstable and they cannot absorb enough mana outside of their birthplace in order to keep themselves alive. There are some fairies who can keep themselves stable and develop a strong personality, and these are often the fairies seen by adventurers and others out in nature. These stronger fairies, such as the Salamanders and Undines, will stay hidden to most while absorbing more mana, and it is thought that they will eventually transform into Efreets and Skadi once they are strong enough.

Regardless, mana is a very valuable resource for fairies as a whole, and a Fairy Tamer that can provide mana to the fairies they contract with is a powerful ally. The contracts that Fairy Tamers create is more of a give-and-take relationship, as the fairies offer their abilities to cast magic in order to receive some of the MP that the Fairy Tamer has, keeping them alive during mana droughts. This is why fairies are willing to make such contracts to begin with, though their flighty nature would suggest otherwise. Unlike other spellcasters, though, when a Fairy Tamer calls for multiple targets using the 《Metamagic/Targets》 Combat Feat, they are actually calling more fairies to come and add their power to the spell, rather than simply adjusting one of the spell's parameters.

Since fairies could disappear at any moment, due to a lack of mana, they never bothered to create any sort of culture, civilization or language. They are also not very good at remembering specific interactions, let alone the passage of time itself, and so it is very difficult to have any sort of conversation at all with a fairy. A deeper study of the contracts that the fairies have agreed to reveals that they are simply called upon to perform a rather quick effect for each spell, which lines up with their flighty nature.

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, and fairies are no different. Some fairies have changed over a long period of time, and have become intelligent enough to hold full conversations with other races. It is even said that the most powerful fairies are on the same level as the gods of Raxia, able to control elements like none other. Ancient fairies are quite powerful, that much is true, but the concept of them being on the same level of the divine is a bit much. At the same time, the gods had to come from somewhere, and who's to say they weren't ancient fairies themselves...

Artificer (Wizard-Type Major Class)[edit | edit source]

Artificers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Artificers are those who work with the past in the present, relying upon the combination of magic with technology in order to accomplish their goals. While the inner workings and deep understandings of magically enhanced technology, or magitech, has been lost in the Great Catastrophe, Artificers are the few who are able to not only study the past, but can also breathe new life into ancient equipment.

The concept of the Artificer is a recent introduction to Raxia, as it was only during the Al Menas era, just over 300 years ago, that magitech was first created. Originally conceived as a way to make magical items that were usable by the common folk, magitech soon found a number of other wondrous uses, from mechanical automatons to ships that flew through the sky. However, when the Barbarous attacked, much of the knowledge of that period was destroyed, entire libraries burned to the ground, and with them went most of the knowledge of how to create magitech works.

Artificers tap into strange magitech devices called Magispheres in order to power many of their spells. Magispheres come in a variety of sizes, and the size of a Magisphere determines which spells the Artificer can cast. Since the idea behind magitech was to provide the public with cheap, easy to use magical items, so too does the Magisphere allow the Artificer to access a variety of spells, from grappling wires to utility lights, even temporarily transforming into a weapon or manabike mount.

The most powerful spells the Artificer has access to, though, are the numerous "Bullet" spells. In Raxia, gunpowder has not been developed, and so guns are simply weapons designed to allow the firing of crystallized mana bullets. Artificers are the only ones who are able to affect these bullets, infusing them with magic and changing their effectiveness. For example, the spell "Solid Bullet" deals a flat amount of damage regardless of the gun used, while "Healing Bullet" will allow the bullet to heal the target instead of harming it.

While Artificers are able to affect bullets in such a unique way, it is still the Marksman class that will determine the accuracy of the gunshot in the first place. Those Artificers who have also mastered the Marksman class are dangerous indeed, able to take out powerful enemies at range without putting themselves in harm's way.

Origins[edit | edit source]

It was during the Al Menas era that the Artificer first came to be, as it was the first civilization to successfully merge magic and technology. With the Durandal period behind them, the people rejected the concept of magic only being for the ruling elite, and sought a way to avoid the tyranny from the previous era from occurring again. Thus, a way for the general public to be able to use magic, even if it were through items designed for such purposes, was conceived.

In the beginning, these magitech items were quite basic, capable of performing only a single limited function. However, research advanced by leaps and bounds, and the culmination of this research was the Magisphere. Magispheres were groundbreaking devices, able to replicate a wide variety of magitech items without fail. It is said that, at the peak of the Al Menas society, everyone had their own Magisphere and were able to access the multitude of functions it could be used for.

With the practical use of different methods of transportation, such as the manabike and airship, it seemed as though the world became smaller. During this time, magical civilizations around the world were able to come together and share technology, while the different races of Raxia were able to mingle with each other without incident. To use a real world example, the technology level was equivalent to times just before World War II, with fast travel on both land and air, and a world on the cusp of a massive magic-powered industrial revolution.

The Barbarous had other plans, though, and the Great Catastrophe destroyed much of the knowledge that the Al Menas had taken the time to cultivate. While magitech items took little knowledge to use, the creation of even a single Magisphere was a highly intricate process, requiring significant skill and knowledge to produce. Moreover, much of the ability to get magitech into the hands of the public was due to a number of large factories and transportation infrastructure, which now lay destroyed at the hands of the Barbarous. With this knowledge lost, it is now impossible to accurately recreate any of the magitech wonders of the Al Menas.

However, with the help of the few engineers and intellectuals who survived the Great Catastrophe, what remains of the old factories is enough to maintain what magitech already exists. Additionally, with excursions into destroyed cities and ruined factories, there have been advancements made in restoring old technology to working order. Various machines and devices have been discovered on these excursions, and these discoveries have aided archaeologists and Artificers in recreating some of the lost technology.

Currently, it is impossible to create even something as relatively simple as a Magisphere with the technology available. There are more than enough Magispheres available to up and coming Artificers, though, the results from previous excursions and expeditions into old Al Menas ruins. It is with these excavated Magispheres that Artificers are able to exist in modern day Raxia. The Institute of Magitechnology has not stopped in trying to develop methods of creating new Magispheres, though, and this hunt for recovering lost technology has led them to be one of the biggest patrons for adventurers. If new ruins are discovered through the acts of adventurers, the Institute wishes to be the first in line in case the ruins hold a key to unlocking the lost ways of magitechnology.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

The best way to acquire skills as an Artificer is to enroll in the Institute of Magitechnology. In addition to its goal of finding lost technology and recovering the methods of creation for the various magitech devices in Raxia, the Institute also has a course devoted to training budding Artificers in the ways of magitech.

The Zalts region of Raxia, in northern Terastier, has the largest branch of the Institute in the Imperial Capital Lukythra, seat of the Lukythra Empire. This particular branch is the headquarters of the Institute, collecting and retaining the knowledge gathered by the other, smaller branches within the Zalts region and beyond. Additionally, this branch of the Institute determines the curriculum of the courses for training Artificers, and in general this training is much different than that offered by the Magician's Guild.

Artificer training is open to the public, and anyone with some skill with magitech is invited to try the courses and see if they are able to handle the training. In the case of the Institute at Lukythra, students as young as 10 are admitted to the Artificer course, given three years of primary education and follow that up with another three years of advanced learning. There are entrance exams required in order to join, however, as well as expensive entrance fees as well as tuition fees, so acceptance into the course can be a big deal for the average person, depending upon their background. Acceptance is not a guarantee of graduation, though, and students have flunked out of the curriculum. On the other hand, there is a possibility of skipping grades, and some especially gifted student are able to complete their education in only a single year.

Upon completion of their primary education, the student is able to handle but the simplest of magitech, and can cast only level 1 spells. Higher education may allow the student to advance their abilities, by a level, if not two, allowing for the possibility of a graduate able to cast 3rd level magitech. Those who wish to go further with their education are asked to study at the Institute at Lukythra.

While the Institute of Magitechnology was established after the Great Catastrophe, there has been corruption in the higher ranks of the school. What were once prestigious diplomas given out to only a few qualified individuals are now able to be bought and sold like a common commodity, such that a noble can be expected to send their child to the Institute and have their way paid by their wealthy parents. Aristocrats and the wealthy view the Institute's courses as status symbols, and so will only send their children to the school if they can make sure the child's way is fully paid through. This has led some of the other spellcasters to have a disdainful view of the school and recent graduates, as there is the belief that they had only graduated due to paying off the Institute.

Runefolk have a unique connection with the Artificer class, given that they themselves are the result of a branch of magitech research during the Al Menas period. Some Runefolk are innately able to self-train as Artificers, and it is believed that this training comes from some sort of Akashic record that the Runefolk taps into, distant memories of training during the Al Menas era that they can call upon in current times. Whether this is true or not, the fact of the matter is that Runefolk quite often do not need to train at the Institute of Magitechnology, and are able to simply train themselves as Artificers if they so choose.

An Artificer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Originally, Artificers were far more common among the public than other spellcasters, such as Sorcerers or Conjurers. However, with the fall of the Al Menas and the time that has passed since the Great Catastrophe obscuring the inner workings of their magitech wonders, the Artificer has become a far rarer sight throughout Raxia. Even then, there is a disparate reaction to Artificers in Terastier, depending upon the region they practice their arts in.

In larger cities, such as the Imperial Capital Lukythra, Artificers are known to be spellcasters on par with the other classes. The general public knows of the exorbitant fees it takes in order to study as an Artificer, as well as their reliance on Magispheres as a focus for their spells. With this knowledge, the lower classes look at Artificers with admiration, envy and jealousy, as it appears that the Artificer is able to throw around exorbitant amounts of money in order to fund frivolous expeditions. Many Artificers come from wealthy families, and so are unfazed by any disdain, as such sentiments are common for them to deal with to begin with. This blasé reaction often unintentionally comes off as self-confidence and optimism, regardless of how the Artificer means to appear to others.

In such cities, there is no aversion to magic, and there are often shops that will buy and sell old and broken magitech devices found in ancient ruins by adventurers. Some proprietors of these shops are able to repair them and resell them as functional magitech, while others can only try and recoup the price of scrap parts, depending upon the device. If the junk dealer can get a broken item working, it will often be something simple, such as a light or stove, and such items are easy to sell to the general public for their usefulness.

In more remote villages, Artificers are lumped in with the other spellcasting classes as "shamans", "witch doctors", and "evil wizards". Such villages are loathe to deal with any spellcaster at the best of times, and will often actively hunt down any who can cast magic, regardless of the source. Rerouted trade routes and the loss of mass transportation leave these villages with holes in their facts, which they are more than happy to fill with superstition and fear of the unknown. It is quite difficult to expect a decent reaction when venturing out to such a place.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Artificers[edit | edit source]

Artificers who focus solely on the class have a fairly difficult time advancing in the early levels, as the Artificer's 1st and 2nd level Magitech spells are all but useless in combat if there is no Warrior-type class to use as well. Even after progressing beyond those levels, the primary Artificer is at a disadvantage when compared to other spellcasters, and will be a detriment in combat without other action taken. Playing such a character is discouraged, as it may actively detract from other players' enjoyment of the game, though a discussion among the players may be in store if this style of character is truly the one the player wishes to play.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Artificers[edit | edit source]

The Artificer is second to none when it comes to continuously dealing damage over the course of a single combat. As such, they are reliable damage dealers, especially when compared to the other classes. Whether the character chooses to learn the Combat Feats 《Precise Shot》 and 《Hawk Eye》 to aim at distant targets with a powerful long-range gun, or learns how to use 《Dual Wielding》 with two one-handed pistols for rapid fire, the Artificer is a top choice to support primary Marksmen.

However, since the Artificer does not have any armor restrictions when casting spells, it is quite possible to combine their abilities with another Warrior-type class, aiming for a unique spin on the Magical Warrior archetype. Once the Artificer reaches 6th level, they can use "Create Weapon" to give them a weapon capable of dealing magical damage, even if the spell does tie up a Magisphere for the duration.

Few other classes gain such obvious bonuses when supported by Artificer levels, and the concept of a Rider/Artificer is a common option. While there isn't much synergy between the two classes, the ability of the Artificer to call forth a "Manabike" from a Magisphere while allowing the Rider to learn various Manabike Stunts is fun, if not always useful.

Functions of the Magisphere
While the society of the Al Menas has been long lost to history, some of their teachings still survive today among a number of recovered books. In these books, there are often descriptions of Magispheres providing a number of useful items and functions. For example, one of the features that a Magisphere is technically capable of, yet has not been figured out by the masses, was the ability to hold two-way conversations between anyone on the same continent, Other features that are known, but have not been re-developed, include such useful day-to-day functions such as audio and video recording, video reception, location confirmation, currency substitution, and so on.

Most of the Magispheres used today in Raxia are those found in old factories and recent ruins from the Al Menas, cleaned up and repurposed to serve the Artificers of the current day. However, on occasion there have been Magispheres found that have some prior information stored on them, pictures and videos of how life was during the Al Menas period.

And yet, the inner workings of a Magisphere remain a mystery.

The outer surface of a Magisphere is composed of a metal that seems to be forged in a way similar to manatite. Where the ancients have thwarted those in the present is inside the Magisphere, as each is nearly hollow. It is thought that there is some mana web, some invisible pattern of strings and mana that intertwines and is stored inside the Magisphere somehow that allows it to perform the myriad of functions that is was designed to do. Whatever is inside the Magisphere is nearly weightless, causing the Magisphere to appear to be rather unnatural in terms of what the mass should be compared to what it actually is when measured. Exactly what's happening here is still a mystery, and one that has quite a few researchers puzzling it out.

What has been confirmed is that when an Artificer uses the Magisphere for certain spells, such as "Create Weapon" or "Manabike", the Magisphere itself will stretch and contort to the new shape desired, rather than conjuring such a device instead. It is thought that the internals of a Magisphere allow it access to some other pocket dimension, some other place where it can store and recall the mass needed for its various transformations. Again, while this is not yet a proven fact, it is a common enough theory among the general public that some researchers have taken it up themselves and are performing a battery of tests to see whether or not these theories hold any weight.

Scout (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Scouts

Summary[edit | edit source]

The Scout class is built around performing covert operations, reconnaissance, and investigative work. Often in high demand, a proper Scout can find work with a number of different individuals and organizations, from adventuring parties to spymasters for a kingdom. Experts at snooping around where they shouldn't, and leaving no trace when they do, Scouts are the perfect class for those who need to infiltrate secure areas, find valuable or sensitive information, and make an escape.

Scouts are also quite skilled at disguising themselves, changing their appearance to whatever the situation may require. By looking like they belong, a Scout can sneak their way into heavily guarded areas and cause all kinds of havoc once inside. A Scout is also particularly adept at following people, tracking footprints and leavings from a distance in order to keep undetected, and rarely loses sight of a target.

In order to live up to this reputation as a sneak, Scouts are trained to anticipate and detect danger as early as possible. Whether finding and removing traps from ancient ruins, dodging surprise attacks, or outmaneuvering opponents in combat, a Scout is uniquely trained in escaping from a dangerous situation. Such training comes in quite handy when adventuring, and it may be said that such skills are almost required in order to be a successful adventurer. The phrase "adventuring without a Scout" is often used in order to warn against or mock young adventurers from being too reckless.

While the skills offered by the Scout class are useful, there are some drawbacks, as many require unfettered movement. Light, flexible armor such as Soft Leather or a Bone Vest will not hinder the Scout from using any of their skills, but heavier metal armor, such as Splint Armor or Chainmail, will penalize the Scout as they try to fight against the armor's restrictions in order to achieve the same goal.

Origins[edit | edit source]

While there is no specific event that caused the rise of the Scout class, historians generally agree they began to show up in significant numbers during the Durandal period. It is thought that much of the wars of intelligence that the magical kings waged against each other were facilitated by skilled Scouts on each side, as each king attempted to find a way to gain supremacy over another. However, whether during the time of the magical kings or in the current day, the skills that a Scout can bring to the table have never gone out of style, and they still remain in high demand.

What is strange about the Scout class is that there is no written record of their particular skillsets that can be found throughout history. The techniques and abilities that Scouts learn have never been written down or recorded, as these techniques and abilities can and have been used to steal state secrets and commit crimes. Without a written record, it is much easier for a captured Scout to be able to keep their friends and acquaintances safe and not put any colleagues at risk of retaliation.

The Scout class is a prime example of a common class that simply does not need formal training, but can be passed down with the correct training and word of mouth. As it stands, it is just simply too difficult to trace back the exact origins of the class, because it has been clandestinely passed from one Scout to the next through verbal records. Oftentimes, too, a Scout may try to change how they perform a task or use a particular technique, and if it proved successful, they would pass down the new version instead of the old, leaving it to be lost to history.

As a result, there are far too many secret schools of Scouts that trying to count them all would be foolish. Yet, Scouts typically don't compare their abilities against one another or try to find who is the "superior" Scout, so even major differences in the various schools of Scouts can go unnoticed for quite some time.

Out of the non-human races, Grassrunners tend to have the most Scouts among their numbers compared to the other races. Grassrunners aren't particularly drawn to stealthy pursuits or clandestine operations, though. Outside of the nimbleness a Scout requires to perform their abilities, it is a mystery as to why Grassrunners are drawn to the Scout class.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

In order to learn how to become a Scout, one must first find a trainer, someone already skilled in the ways of the class. Unlike most of the other classes, finding a trainer is fairly difficult, as no expert Scout will have a sign saying "I am a Scout", or want to expose themselves as a Scout and jeopardize any future employment by being known as a saboteur and sneakthief. Even adventuring Scouts will tend to downplay their Scout class and will emphasize their other classes in conversations.

Typically, a master Scout will end up finding an apprentice on their own, whether through their own devices, or through the various guilds. Even then, a master Scout could be any number of people, from the local king's spymaster, to the second-in-command of the branch of the Thieves' Guild, to a member of a famous adventuring party. For as many different backgrounds a master may have, there is also that many ways to train their apprentices.

In the case of agents of the state, potential Scouts are selected during military training, and are pulled aside for more specialized training. These Scouts have already had their abilities noticed, and are given a systematic education in order to not only reinforce their Scouting skills, but also their loyalty to their country.

As for the Thieves' Guild, there are often a number of apprentices looking for a master, while each of the guild members has their own particular qualities they look for in an apprentice, and will often take a couple prospects out on a heist. Because of the line of work, it can be a dangerous, even violent, way of weeding out those who aren't quite capable of learning the ways of the Scout. Some thieves will even leave the prospect to die if they can't get things right, believing it better to be dead than to be captured and tortured for information by the authorities.

Adventuring Scouts, and other so-called "free" Scouts, will tend more towards individualized training, teaching skills while not directly throwing the apprentice to the wolves. While training, the master and apprentice will often spend time living together, as the master passes their knowledge down as painlessly as possible. However, there is still some risk involved, as while abilities such as lock-picking are easy enough to train for, other key Scout abilities such as sensing danger preemptively can only be done when there is danger to be found. Even then, the master will tend to step in if something goes horribly wrong when training.

There are also those who have grown up separated from society, children of hunters or loggers or similar professions. In cases like these, oftentimes the parent will have learned various Scout and Ranger abilities through the course of learning their trade, and will pass these down to their children as a part of growing up. Such children will have a significantly easier time learning any sort of Scout or Ranger class when they choose to go out and adventure, as they already know most of the basics of each class.

A Scout's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Many Scouts will try and hide their class when out in society, whether they are secret intelligence agents of a nation, or criminals plying their trade. Even those who were Scouts in their youth, and have moved beyond such trifles as they've aged, will still go to great lengths to hide their abilities as a Scout. In the unlikely event that old jobs have come to light, the general public tends to look poorly on a Scout exposed like that, even if the former Scout is in a position where they could not be legally punished.

Those Scouts who find themselves at the Adventurer's Guild tend to avoid such unsavory jobs, only thinking of their skills as useful when diving into ancient ruins and forgotten dungeons. Even then, though, they do not talk about their capabilities as a Scout out in the open, as they are keenly aware of how the public would look upon them.

Many Scouts are cautious, and it may seem like they're being overly so. However, they are aware of how they're seen, as well as what fate may befall them were they to work publicly, so they go out of their way to work in the shadows. Most Scouts are used to pretending to be something they're not, and it's quite easy to pretend to be cheerful and easygoing (though Grassrunner Scouts may actually not be pretending...). Figuring out the true Scout from behind the exterior they wish to show everyone is a difficult task, not to be taken lightly.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Scouts[edit | edit source]

It is not advisable to raise only the Scout class to a high level. While the Scout provides a number of useful skills on adventures, they provide no advantage in a combat scenario. Unless the character wants to sit on the sidelines of every combat and watch their friends fight deadly opponents, a character should have a second combat-capable class at the same level or higher than that of their Scout level.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Scouts[edit | edit source]

As Scouts are a class that works best while wearing lighter armor, it will best support other classes that also use light armor. For Warrior-type classes, this would be the Grappler and Fencer, while for Wizard-type classes the Sorcerer, Conjurer and Fairy Tamer classes function in light armor.

In particular, Fairy Tamers can provide aid to the Scout in the form of their "Fairy Wish" spell. While it may not seem like a large bonus, having an extra +1 added to a Scout's checks could mean the difference between disarming a trap and triggering it. As there are some rather deadly traps to be found while adventuring, it is far better to be safe than sorry when attempting to disarm such traps.

Rangers are another lightly-armored class to consider, though there is significant overlap between the skills offered by the Ranger compared to the Scout's. At the same time, though, a character may wish to be a master of all such skills, and in that situation such an overlap may be necessary.

When thinking about out-of-combat situations, the Bard class might be something to consider. By advancing a bit as a Bard and learning both the "Curiosity" and "Lullaby" Spellsongs, the character can lure monsters to themselves and put them to sleep, allowing for easy movement around what would otherwise be dangerous dungeons. It may be worthwhile to train in a combat-capable class, though, in case something goes wrong.

Hendrys
There once was a thief from Eiras, one of the Allied Free Cities, that made quite an interesting name for themselves. This is the story of the Hendrys.

For a time, there was a pair of bandits that seems to have been mocking the authorities in how untouchable they were. Their pattern was to break into a target's house in the middle of the night by prying open locked doors and windows, blindfolding and tying up any inhabitants, and slowly but surely looting the residence. They used masks and blindfolds to make sure their faces were obscured, but were quite loose when talking to one another. Testimonies to the guards said that there were two thieves, a man, Ark and a woman, Betty, and from the fact they used the same last name, it was likely they were either siblings or married. Even the division of roles between the two was evident through their language, as it was Ark who tied up the occupants and threatened them to keep them in line, while Betty was the one who pried open the locks and found valuables throughout the house with her excellent sense of smell.

Months went by while the authorities could only stand back and watch as the duo robbed and pillaged their way throughout the city. It was nearly a year after they began their campaign that a major error led to their capture.

In this case, it was Ark as usual rounding up the members of the family and restraining them in one room. As he was searching through the house, he had missed that a small child had went to the bathroom, and was surprised by the child as they returned to their bedroom. What was more surprising, though, was that the child came across the true identity of the Hendrys, as Ark was having a conversation with himself, talking in two voices, one male and one female.

Ark Hendry, in a panic, escaped from the house. After authorities realized that they were looking for a single man and not a pair, though, they quickly found and detained him. One guard was noted as saying, "You can't trust anything that people like this would do." After a year's worth of investigation, the authorities were impressed as to how Ark had used their prejudices against them.

There was one burning question, however. During interrogation, it was asked, why wouldn't you tie up the child witness as well? Ark, in Betty's voice, answered immediately. "How could I do such a pitiful thing?"

Do you believe them?

Ranger (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Rangers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Rangers are those who have taken a liking to living and working outside, and have developed skills to survive out in the wilds away from society. Able to operate out in the field for significant periods of time, a Ranger is an expert at living off of the land. Whether it's following faint tracks from passing wildlife, setting traps to catch food, or almost disappearing into the forest to hide from larger predators, a Ranger is the quintessential outdoorsman.

Rangers are also quite skilled when it comes to finding herbs and creating medicines, having been trained as to which plants are useful and which ones may end up being poisonous. Some of these herbs and potions, such as the Magic Herb, can be used to heal MP, something that is rare among healing items. Having a Ranger around will aid in the efficacy of such items, making them much more useful when it comes to recovering from a drawn-out combat while in the field.

Generally, Rangers prefer to be wearing light armor when out and adventuring, allowing them to be nimble when evading any large predators or trying to chase down elusive prey. However, Rangers are quite adaptable when it comes to figuring out a means of survival, and there are those stronger Rangers who prefer the protection afforded to them from heavier armor that will take up arms on the front lines of combat.

Origins[edit | edit source]

The first Rangers were those who willingly lived out in the wilderness, away from society, and chose to live off of the land. As they did so, they needed to learn how to survive, given the dangerous nature of Raxia's wilderness. Abilities such as how to track prey without being noticed, how to tell dangerous plants from nutritious and healing herbs, how to treat wounds and recover quickly, these and more were devised rather quickly by these pioneers.

Many of these skills were (and still are) passed from parent to child, and as the child began to mature they began to help their parents in the various skills needed to hunt and forage effectively. Due to their penchant for living away from society, as well as the change in the environment from one location to another, the specific skills and abilities learned were often different between regions.

However, once the Al Menas era brought the infrastructure for faster travel between distant cities, these outdoorsmen began to head into trading towns and meet with others of their kind, sharing techniques and tricks to stay alive in the hard wilderness. There were often techniques from one region that those from another region used to cover deficiencies in their own hunting, and in exchange they offered techniques and knowledge from their own lives in hopes it would help another. While it is said that Rangers have existed in some form since the Schnell era, it was these meetings, the sharing of information and the interactions with one another that were the beginnings of the Ranger class as it is currently known.

Yet, unlike other classes there was no Ranger school built, or anything similar. Many Rangers became so through the traditional ways of learning from a parent or other guardian, learning how to survive without the aid of large libraries or organized information. This lack of a centralized repository of knowledge actually helped keep the Rangers around after the Great Catastrophe, as there was no loss of information or burning of irreplaceable books with regards to the Ranger class. However, with the infrastructure of the Al Menas destroyed and ruined, regional differences between Rangers have begun to crop up again.

Among the non-humans, it is quite noticeable that there are a number of Grassrunner Rangers. It should come as no surprise, though, as the Grassrunners were always famous for living outdoors, surviving off of the land for significant periods of time. In fact, it is said that they had much to offer once Rangers began to start meeting with one another during the Al Menas era, and that a lot of current Ranger technology was originally used by the Grassrunners.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

It is safe to say that there is no school or organization making a living off of teaching the skills of the Ranger class to anyone who walks in off of the street. If a character wishes to become a Ranger, they must find the appropriate teacher, often a friend of family member who is also a Ranger. In many cases, there is little actual teaching involved, as the skills and abilities are learned either through necessity or repetition.

Once learned, it is up to the Ranger as to how far they wish to advance. Only by experiencing a variety of dangerous situations and accumulating knowledge from out in the field can one truly reach the heights of the Ranger class.

A Ranger's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

There are a few different stereotypes of the traditional Ranger, and each has their own place in society.

The moxt extreme Rangers are those who are rarely seen in civilized lands at all. Whether they are fighters training endlessly, elven wizards that look to become one with nature, or so-called "prospectors" who would seek out ruins and sell the information among adventurers, they would all consider themselves Rangers. There are also those who are sent by the local king to track the movement of the Barbarous on the frontier, sending notifications in case there is an army on the move.

These folks often live on the fringe of society, not caring about their appearance to those in more civilized lands. In the rare occasion that they must be seen in public, they are often wearing old furs and pelts, giving little heed to the current fashions of the time. Given these types of people live out in the wilderness, the looks and thoughts of the general public mean little.

To a lesser extreme, there are those who don't go into towns unless necessary, but live on the outskirts of a town performing jobs that may be a little unsavory for civilized folk. Lumberjacks, charcoal makers, tanners, etc. will fall into this group. While not actively unfriendly, these folks will keep to themselves more than normal, though they do occasionally show up in town plying their wares.

Of course, not every Ranger is like the above stereotypes, anti-social hunters living on the fringe of civilization. Some Rangers are simply adventurers, those who have taken up the mantle of a Ranger in order to help themselves and others. Having sought out the skills of the Ranger in order to help their adventuring party.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Rangers[edit | edit source]

While the skills offered by the Ranger class have their place, combat is not an area where they are particularly useful. Not only that, but a good number of Ranger skills aren't useful unless the Ranger is outdoors. Therefore, it is a very bad idea to focus on advancing your Ranger class above and beyond other, more combat-capable classes.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Rangers[edit | edit source]

Unlike characters who wish to focus primarily on the Ranger class, those who supplement their other classes with the skills provided by the Ranger class will be much more successful. There are a few skills and Combat Feats exclusive to the Ranger class that provide a significant benefit for those who want to be on the front lines of combat, such as 《Indomitable》 and 《Shukuchi》. Even Fighters can benefit from the Ranger's 《Healing Aptitude》, especially if the character has any other sort of damage reduction ability, though the Fighter's heavy armor may interfere with some of the Ranger's other abilities.

Lighter armor doesn't interfere with the Ranger, though, and those classes that excel while wearing light armor welcome the abilities offered by the Ranger. Grapplers and Fencers can both benefit from the Ranger class, though in different ways. Fencers tend to avoid being on the front line of combat as they advance, so having the Ranger's 《Indomitable》 to allow them to retreat when heavily wounded can help avoid collapsing in battle. Grapplers, though, appreciate the 《Potion Master》 Combat Feat, as they are now able to attempt to use 《Counter》 and 《Taunting Strike》 while also being able to heal as a Minor Action with a potion on hand.

Those who wish to be in the rearguard of combat, such as Sorcerers, Conjurers and Fairy Tamers, can also find use out of the Ranger class. As classes that wish to use lighter armor, it seems like there's a match for them to be supplemented by the Ranger class. At the same time, though, the player may wish to be more active with such characters, and so the Sage class may provide more of a benefit for the spellcasters.

While it may seem that the Scout and Ranger classes would work well together, there's actually quite a bit of overlap between the two classes. There is enough of a difference for a character to wish to take both classes, but many others may see the combination as a waste of time and experience. Finally, the Rider class may find some use with the Ranger class, but there is a big disparity between how the character would work while inside of a building or dungeon as opposed to their usefulness while outdoors.

"The Lone Man", Sandiron
In warfare, there are those who are chosen to watch over the retreat of their friends, and are meant to hold back the opposing army as they advance forward. Knowing that the other squadrons are retreating means these warriors know the fight is futile, and yet they must position themselves in harm's way in order to allow their friends and fellow soldiers the chance to escape and fight again. These soldiers understand the position they are put in, and yet stand valiantly against the opposing forces, even if it means total annihilation.

Sandiron was one of these soldiers, guarding a shrine from being overrun by a local tribe of Barbarous. As part of their duty, the leader of Sandiron's squad had let himself be seen by the Barbarous in order to attract their attention to him and his squad. However, there was a delay in orders getting carried out, and the opposing army of Barbarous swarmed the squad and inflicted massive casualties to the unit, including slaying the squad leader.

In the midst of this crushing defeat, Sandiron took command of the squadron as the former second-in-command, and led the remaining soldiers into the nearby woods. After a surprise attack from the Barbarous, Sandiron took one of the bodies and decapitated it, setting it on a pike at the entrance to the forest. While such a barbaric act was looked down upon, Sandiron also hoped it would enrage the Barbarous into attacking him and his men.

As he had planned, the Barbarous went wild with rage and began to hunt for Sandiron relentlessly throughout the forest. In response, Sandiron led his troops to strike back using guerilla tactics, separating individual Barbarous from a group in the middle of the dense forest and slaying them. Taking advantage of the terrain, Sandiron's men were a plague upon the Barbarous, turning the woods into a trap-infested nightmare.

Eventually, the Barbarous wised up and thought to set the forest on fire, hoping the loss of their hiding area would drive Sandiron's men out. However, he had taken this into account, and managed to lead his men to safety. At the same time, there was one final trap set up, designed to appear as though one of Sandiron's company were heading through the forest. This last little trick was able to draw a number of Barbarous into the woods they themselves had set on fire, inflicting major casualties to the Barbarous.

One thing was clear throughout the whole battle, and that was Sandiron was an incredibly capable soldier. He had been able to choose the battlefield time and time again, even as his unit moved from one small forest to another in the mountainous region, and yet the Barbarous forces were incensed enough by him to keep on the hunt for Sandiron instead of attacking the shrine as they had planned.

In the end, Sandiron had fought against a force of approximately 10,000 Barbarous across seven different forests for a total of three months. Originally, when they had fled into the forest, Sandiron's unit had numbered around 20 or so people, but as time went on, they had lost their lives one by one. In fact, it was revealed that the last month of the guerilla war was fought solely by Sandiron alone, as the rest of his unit had perished.

Upon his return, Sandiron had been given the title, "The Lone Man" for standing alone in the face of the Barbarous army. However, there are no records of his subsequent military exploits. It is possible that he was disgusted by the atrocious acts he had to commit in order to keep the Barbarous on his trail, and retired from the military in order to pursue a quieter life. There is a rumor, through, that he was assigned to a location under siege due to his reputation, and his unfamiliarity with the situation and the region led to a crushing defeat and his downfall.

Sage (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Sages

Summary[edit | edit source]

A Sage is a person who has taken the time to become extremely knowledgeable about a wide range of topics. It can be expected of Sages to be able to recall information gleaned from ancient texts just as readily as they can recite modern works. They have read the literature, accumulated the knowledge, and have firsthand experiences with a variety of monsters both living and dead. In fact, a special skill only available to the Sages is the ability to notice the weak point of a given monster, allowing an adventuring party to exploit that weakness.

When an adventurer is looking to identify something, whether an ancient text, a mysterious artifact, or a bit of esoteric magic, the Sage is the one they look to. Sages are also polyglots, masters of language both old and new. As the Sage advances in their class, they can greatly increase the number of languages they are fluent in, both spoken and written.

Origins[edit | edit source]

With the introduction of written languages, information was much more readily passed from one generation to another without losing anything important. A great deal of information has been collected into innumerable books, allowing ancient writers to pass their knowledge down throughout countless years. This method of passing on information is much more accurate and reliable than oral traditions, and has allowed much more complex cultures and civilizations to form over time.

Even after more than 10,000 years, the job of the Sage has not changed. Their entire reason for being is to travel around Raxia, collect whatever new information they may find, and record it for their descendants to be able to read and learn. Those people who would end up being the earliest Sages did much the same during their time, and it was these works that allowed people from the current times to learn the variety of information needed to become a modern Sage.

In modern times, Sages can be found among both the Magician's Guild as well as in the Institute of Magitechnology. Both organizations are interested in finding old ruins and exploring them, and Sages will often follow along, hoping to find more information they can share with the world as a whole.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

The Sage class is an interesting class, as it does not require the prospective Sage to have any sort of pre-existing knowledge, nor does it favor those with any higher qualifications or aptitude. All it takes for one to want to become a Sage is the drive to learn, that in and of itself is enough to begin one down the path of the Sage.

There are much better ways to go about learning the Sage class than through self-teaching, though. The Institute of Magitechnology, for example, has a significant number of books from much of Raxia's history, and would be willing to allow a prospective Sage the chance to read through the collection and do their own research. While there are entrance tests and admission fees to contend with, the Institute does train Sages alongside Artificers and Alchemists, and will be a simple way to train in the class.

The Magician's Guild is another path to Sagehood, though it is not as organized or structured as the Institute's plan is. However, as mentioned previously, the Magician's Guild is not an organization of good standing, and so it is unlikely that most Sage apprentices would willingly join in order to advance in their chosen class.

In urban areas, it is common to have some sort of private school run by scholars available to younger children. These schools range in size and scope, from the smallest school only teaching basic reading and writing to the local children, allowing those children the ability to read basic instructions and correspond appropriately. Large private schools, on the other hand, can hold seminars open to the public on deep philosophical discussions and allow for reflection on a wider variety of topics.

A Sage's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Having completed a number of academic studies and gained significant knowledge, Sages are typically respected in general society, though there may be some who are jealous of the respect given to the Sage. At the same time, though, a Sage's knowledge can be tested in a multitude of situations and must be up to snuff in order to keep that respect intact, which can lead to quite a lot of stress for the Sage.

For example, a Sage's knowledge of monsters and weak points comes in handy when adventuring out in the field, though the Sage must also be able to pivot at a moment's notice to discern the usefulness and value of whatever ancient books and relics the party may find as well. The information the Sage may forget in the heat of the moment could mean the difference between a successful mission and a failed one, or even affect the life and death of the party they're traveling with.

Even the personalities of a Sage are often different from what is expected by society. The stereotype of a Sage is a stuffy old man, bent over from reading innumerable books over their lifetime and often quiet and ponderous when they do decide to converse with people. However, the truth of the matter is many Sages are impetuous and quite emotional, standing in stark contrast to the stereotype. While some do live up to the ideal of unparalleled diligence, other Sages can and do run fast and loose, often to their own detriment. The only common denominator between Sages is their insatiable curiosity for more information, otherwise they can be found with any given personality.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Sages[edit | edit source]

The Sage class covers most of the knowledge-related skills, allowing the character (and the players) to gather information from the world around them. Among their knowledge is the habitats, behavior and weaknesses of monsters, giving the Sage a unique benefit when it comes to discerning what type of monsters the party may be engaging in combat. However, that knowledge is the extent of the usefulness of the Sage class in combat situations, it is nearly the same as having no combat skill at all when it comes to the actual fighting of opponents.

Unless there is a significant number of players in the party, having a character become useless in combat is a loss of strength for the party, and is often just not fun as a player to sit back and watch as your friends fight (and maybe even die). While the Sage class offers some useful skills and knowledge, it is not a class that a player should focus on to the point of ignoring all other classes.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Sages[edit | edit source]

When planning out a character's growth, it should be noted that the skills a Sage is proficient in are all Intelligence-based skills, and so the Sage class synergizes well with other classes that use Intelligence, typically Wizard-type classes. Specifically, the Sorcerer, Fairy Tamer and Artificer classes are all great classes that will benefit from being supported by a Sage's knowledge. The Sage's 《Weakness Exploit》 Combat Feat is extraordinarily powerful in the hands of such characters, and can easily swing the tide of battle.

Warrior-type classes have no need for Intelligence one way or another, so they don't really benefit as much from having the knowledge of a Sage behind them. At the same time, though, it is common for players to assume that Warrior-type classes don't need Intelligence, and so will play them as unintelligent louts. In such cases, taking levels in the Sage class isn't recommended.

With regards to Other-type classes, Scouts, Rangers and Alchemists will all benefit from having levels in the Sage class. However, it is very easy to spread too thin and have the character's Adventurer Level be lower than it should in comparison to the others in the party. Such cases means the character will have to work significantly harder in order to achieve the same results as the rest of the party, which can lead to more failures and player disappointment.

As a general rule, it's not recommended to have a lot of low-level classes, but the Sage class is one that can be taken at the same time as a number of other classes and provides a tangible benefit even at low levels. The ability to detect a monster's weakness can be crucial to the outcome of a fierce battle, and the other skills and abilities the Sage offers shouldn't be overlooked, either. Depending upon the makeup of the party, it may be beneficial to have multiple Sages throughout the party, so that way it is all but guaranteed to succeed on a Monster Knowledge check.

Krumand's Box
The name "Murmuring" Krumand is known throughout much of Terastier as that of a great Sage, and renowned for his expertise in all things historical. This lone Tabbit has gone on a number of expeditions into ancient ruins, recovering innumerable relics from the past and acquiring a variety of different spells previously thought lost to time. Krumand is also credited with creating the first crude material cards used by Alchemists, as well as spreading the knowledge he used in order to do so. He was well-known as a teacher who was able to give lectures on incredibly specific and obscure topics while being easy-going and well-spoken enough to make them understandable by the general public. These lectures were often witty and entertaining as well, and it is said that the number of students attending the Institute of Magitechnology doubled on the days of his lectures.

While Krumand had a reputation as a genius, he also became intensely aware of his own mortality around the time of his 40th birthday, and dwelled on it to the point of madness. He had so much left to know, so much left to tell, and so little time left. As he was caught up in such an existential dread, he created a magical machine that could record his words and thoughts, theoretically forever. As he was seen constantly whispering to the machine, attempting to record everything he knew before passing from the mortal coil, he became known as "Murmuring" Krumand.

As he approached old age, and could not hide the ravages of time on his body, Krumand's intellect and wit remained just as sharp as it was in his younger days. He was always eager to study the past and make new discoveries, even as he whispered to his machine almost constantly. Though he recorded the past in his whispers, he never stopped his research.

Only the gods know how far he was able to get with his recordings, as Krumand was eventually found dead at his desk one morning, various research and history books open in front of him, and his machine working away as though nothing were wrong.

After his passing, the machine, now known as Krumand's Box, is stored in the College of Stone Towers, Cain Gara. Of the approximately 7 years worth of records, only 6 have been fully studied and analyzed. The last year of information, though, remains an interesting enigma even among the most celebrated minds. By that time, Krumand had already fallen deep into madness, and so recorded both his past knowledge as well as his current research in parallel, overlapping one another at the word level. The machine plays this year back as a bizarre mix of sentences, their cipher too difficult for anyone with just a surface level understanding of Krumand's work to even begin to understand. However, there were more than a few fans of Krumand who were able to keep up with him and could almost be considered contemporaries of his, and with their intimate knowledge of his work they tried to discern the meanings behind the whispers.

Yet, the Box's knowledge proved too difficult for these learned men and women, and more than a few who tried to find the cipher of Krumand's Box fell into a psychosis. What little has been gleaned has not come easily, as it is said that one year of work deciphering the whispers of the Box will only unravel a day's worth of information. At this time, there is no one currently attempting to unravel the secrets of Krumand's Box, and so contrary to the wishes of its creator it sits quietly, a repository of unattainable knowledge.

Enhancer (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Enhancers

Summary[edit | edit source]

Enhancers as a class are able to use special breathing and secret physical Techniques to improve their bodies far beyond their normal limits. This style of specialized breathing allows the Enhancer to infuse mana into themselves and and their body, transforming themselves into something more than human. However, despite activating the latent mana in their body, the Techniques used by Enhancers are actually not magical in any way.

The main focus of these Techniques is to provide utility in combat situations, where the Enhancer can increase certain ability scores and gain unique skills as the situation requires. Whether it is recovering HP, increasing the user's Accuracy or Evasion, or even growing wings, these Techniques can provide significant utility when used properly. As all Techniques are Minor Actions to activate, they can be used quite effectively by those on the front lines of combat without any major risk to the user.

As the Enhancer advances in the class, they learn additional Techniques each level, and are able to become much more versatile at higher levels. However, there is often little difference between a low-level Enhancer and a high-level Enhancer using the same Technique. One of the downsides of the Enhancer class is that it has little to offer a character other than the ability to learn and use the various Techniques provided, and does not offer any other proficiencies.

The role of the Enhancer is to aid weaker characters by compensating for some of their weaknesses, while also strengthening the more powerful warriors to allow them to deal with stronger enemies. While each Technique has modest effects, especially compared to some of the more powerful spells, they can be used in tandem with more effective offense without much of an opportunity cost. In addition, some of the more esoteric Techniques, such as Dragon Tail, will provide combat-oriented characters more options in combat outside of simply swinging their weapon like a robot.

Origins[edit | edit source]

The existence of Enhancers, or at least Enhancer-like characters, has existed in literature in some form or another, dating back to some of the most ancient books and writings from the Schnell period.

Originally, it is believed that the various Techniques were used by various monsters, though dragons are commonly mentioned in these texts. There is a theory that these monsters had significant mana infused into their bodies even before the shattering of the Third Sword, Cardia, and that tapping into that mana was the origin of the Enhancer's Techniques.

After the shattering of Cardia and the infusion of mana into Raxia, there were some ascetics who saw the power of the ancient monsters, and sought to recreate them in order to gain power. By changing their breathing in order to try and infuse their body with mana, similar to the naturally infused mana of the ancient beasts, these proto-Enhancers were able to recreate the various abilities of the monsters, and in doing so temporarily transformed into the monstrous shapes of their inspiration. It is said that such abilities were put to good use during the War of the Gods.

As the Age of Magic began to dawn on Raxia, these breathing techniques took a back seat to the developing magically inclined classes, as being able to transform oneself and become physically stronger and tougher did little to protect against the powerful magic wielded at the time.

However, as the various Grappler schools were being carved out, the bare-handed warriors found kindred spirits in the Enhancers. The training methods and philosophies of the Grapplers meshed quite well with the Enhancer way, as the importance of breathing is a central aspect of both classes. As a result, some schools had put an equal focus on breathing as well as physical training and martial arts, and such training has been passed down to the current day uninterrupted.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

Enhancers are often taught in the same dojo as Grapplers, though it could be said that there aren't any teachers who specialize in solely teaching the skills needed for the Enhancer class.

In order to learn how to become an Enhancer, rigorous training is required on the part of the prospective Enhancer. Not only do they need to be able to withstand the transformations caused by the various Techniques, but they need to learn the specific breathing patterns needed in order to activate the Techniques in the first place.

This physical training can include a variety of different training methods, from meditating underneath a waterfall, to running a marathon without becoming winded, to specialized breathing training in order to keep one's breathing steady and consistent. It takes quite a long period of time to be able to consciously control the flow of mana into and out of the body through breathing, and so Enhancers are fairly rare throughout Raxia.

As with other classes, there are some prodigies who are able to master the class without the harsh training or intense exercise. These geniuses are occasionally called "reincarnated beasts", or more commonly "children of the dragon", calling back to the myths of the first Enhancers copying the abilities of dragons for inspiration.

An Enhancer's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Within greater society, the Enhancer as a class isn't terribly well known, in part due to their training. Many people consider the Techniques learned by Enhancers to be more extensions of the training offered by Grapplers and Fighters, if only because there aren't any teachers that will train a person solely as an Enhancer.

There is also a bit of a social stigma with regards to the more esoteric Techniques that actually physically transform the user into a more bestial shape. Such outward transformations are frightening to the general public, and will often be met with prejudice and fear that the Enhancer is actually turning into a monster to attack the locals. For these reasons, Enhancers are quite careful in using such Techniques in public, and will go out of their way to avoid using them as long as is possible.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Enhancers[edit | edit source]

The Enhancer, as a class, is meant to be supplementing other Warrior-type classes, and is not meant to be a character's primary class. There is little to be gained in advancing this class far beyond any others, and such a choice is not recommended.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Enhancers[edit | edit source]

The Enhancer class is one that does not need high levels in order to function properly, though there are a few Techniques that only high-level Enhancers can use. With that in mind, it is quite possible to get by with only a few levels in Enhancer, though those who do devote time and effort into advancing as an Enhancer will allow for some interesting character development.

Warrior-type classes, such as the Fighter and Grappler, will benefit the most from having levels in Enhancer as well, being those classes that will find themselves on the front lines of combat more often than not. Having the ability to increase one's Accuracy, Evasion, Defense or damage through such Techniques as "Gazelle Feet" or "Cat's Eyes" is a great boon to a warrior, and it is rather easy to advance to 5th level as an Enhancer while using such Techniques.

However, advancing as an Enhancer does not increase the character's MP, so without taking this into account it is possible to end up not having enough MP to continually use the Techniques the character has learned. The Combat Feat 《Muscle Mystery》 does help in this regard, allowing Techniques to last longer, but it is also recommended to learn at least one other Wizard-type class, in order to increase the character's MP pool. The Artificer class, with its spells "Targeting Sight" and "Shadow Body" combined with their lack of armor restrictions, is a good choice to start with. However, there may still be an MP crunch, in which case Mako Stones can be used to help supplement the character's MP.

At the same time, though, there is little overlap between Enhancer Techniques and the various Wizard-type classes. The "Sphinx's Knowledge" Technique requires at least 5 levels in Enhancer to learn, and it is the only Technique that could directly affect the functionality of any sort of spellcasting. The "Fire Breath" Technique also seems like it would be useful when learned alongside Wizard-type classes, as it can be affected by the Combat Feat 《Magic Control》. However, any spellcasters that would have learned 《Magic Control》 are far more likely to use more powerful spells to take advantage of the Combat Feat, rather than just "Fire Breath". At the same time, though, Techniques are significantly more MP efficient than spells, and having such an ability to use when low on MP could change the flow of combat.

10th level as an Enhancer brings the ability to learn "Balloon Seed Shot", allowing the Enhancer to attack from a distance by spitting Thrown weapons from their mouth. For those Enhancers who aren't on the frontlines, such a Technique comes in handy in allowing the character to contribute in combat without putting themselves in harm's way. At the same time, though, there is also "Fenrir's Bite", a melee-style Technique that allows the character to get in close and fight dirty if necessary.

While most of the Enhancer's Techniques provide increased combat abilities, there are also other Techniques that can be used to assist in non-combat situations as well. For example, the "Owl Sight" and "Scale Leggings" Techniques are both useful for a Scout to be able to enhance their scouting abilities, even though both Enhancers and Scouts are Other-type Minor Classes and may not always have a bunch in common.

"The Man Who Became a Dragon"
There was once a man, who trained day and night in an attempt to become the strongest in the world.

One day, he felt that his physical training was not enough, and so began to train with the philosophies of martial arts in mind.

He stayed in the mountains, training his body and sharpening his mind, refining his fighting abilities until they were razor-sharp.

The man stayed in the mountains for some time, until one day he came down into civilization in order to test his skills, entering himself into a martial arts tournament that was being held.

The man's uncanny fighting skills were overwhelming to the heavily armored warriors, and so the man quickly earned his place in the finals of the tournament. However, he made a mistake once there, and saw his opponent as a skilled equal. This observation led the man to not hold back when fighting and to give his all, and in his joy to find a skilled opponent he in fact overwhelmed the opponent and killed the man.

This ended up being extremely bad, because not only had the man taken a life in front of a large crowd, but the man he had slain was a close relative of the local king, who was quick to seek revenge.

His life threatened by the king's men, the man fled back into the mountains, fighting off and slaying his pursuers. The king's vengeance and anger only grew, and continued to send subjugation teams into the mountains to bring the man to justice. As he fought, he further developed his skills and continued to repel even the most powerful of the king's pursuers.

After some time, the man realized that he was no longer a normal human being. His reflection in the mountain's pond only showed the visage of a fierce beast. With this realization, and tired of the constant fighting, the man finally discarded the last vestiges of his humanity and fully embraced his bestial nature. In front of the last squad sent to capture the man, he used the secret skills he had learned in order to become a dragon, spreading his wings and flying off to parts unknown.

Bard (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Bards

Summary[edit | edit source]

Able to affect others through the power of songs, the Bard is not powerful by itself, but can enhance the abilities of their party quite easily. By using specially created songs that can harness the innate mana in the air through the vibrations of both the Bard's voice and the timbre of their instruments, these spellsongs will affect all of those who hear them, regardless of whether they be friend or foe. While difficult to use effectively in combat, due to their mostly inoffensive nature, spellsongs have very powerful effects that can be exploited to great effect with some ingenuity from the Bard.

One of the many benefits of spellsongs is their cost, as while they provide magical effects they do not require the Bard to expend any MP in order to use them. When the Bard advances to the 3rd level, they can pick up a pet, whether a bird, frog, or musically inclined insect, that can assist the Bard in keeping spellsongs active. By allowing the pets to keep spellsongs going, the Bard is free to perform other actions as necessary, making them quite the versatile class.

However, a major weakness of the Bard and their spellsongs is that they have no effect on mindless opponents, such as the undead. In combat situations against such opponents, it is important to remember that the Bard has spellsongs that will also enhance the capabilities of their allies as well as debilitate opponents, and it is this versatility that will shift the combat into a more favorable outcome for the Bard and their party.

Additionally, as the Bard advances, they are able to learn to speak a new language at each level. While this does not allow the Bard to read ancient texts or the like, high-level Bards are able to converse with a number of different races, and can often find work as translators and diplomats for the higher courts of the area they may happen to find themselves in.

Origins[edit | edit source]

Unlike many of the other classes, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact section of time when Bards began to show up in significant numbers. However, literature at the time shows that there were spellsongs in use during the Durandal period, and as such Bards must have been around at the time in order to harness that power. As with normal music, there is still a song to be found underneath the magic of a spellsong, however in order to fully harness a spellsong's power, the music must be performed by a trained Bard. Even then, it is quite easy to disrupt the harmonies needed in order to harness the mana for such songs, and so many Bards find themselves more capable of performing while in the rearguard of a combat instead of in the front vanguard.

Originally, the Bard was seen as a wanderer, traveling from town to town peddling their wares and bringing stories from one region to another. Never staying in once place for too long, Bards and their spellsongs were never the subject of any intense scrutiny during the Durandal period, though they were able to share much of their information and spellsongs with each other. They were able to go mostly unnoticed as the fashion at the time was to be a fully expressed magic user, and not one who merely harnessed magic beyond their ability to do so.

However, despite their limited use, spellsongs and the Bard class as a whole were able to be quite popular. Through their use of instruments and their reliance on only their hands and voice to play spellsongs, Bards were actually much closer to the Al Menas ideal of having "magic in the hands of the people" than any other spellcasting class at the time. As such, Bards were the subject of quite a lot of research, and lent their aid to the Al Menas, allowing various musically inclined magic items to begin to be manufactured. Yet, despite the renewed focus on the class, the actual methodology of singing spellsongs remained much the same, and the modern Bard has remained similar to their older counterparts with regards to the actual performance of the class.

Even today, though, Bards still wander much of Raxia, serving as bearers of stories and information, rumors and dangers, loremongers to the common folk. It is through such contact that a Bard may develop new spellsongs, spellsongs that will quickly become commonplace due to the travel of information between Bards.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

As it stands, there currently aren't any official schools that would be able to train someone in the ways of the spellsong. However, a traveling Bard will often teach someone aspiring to be a Bard themselves (for a nominal fee, of course). Having siblings or other relations that know Bardic secrets will also help, and some even become Bards just from naturally figuring out a spellsong or two while practicing on an instrument.

The most important way that a character can become a Bard is by interacting with others. While yes, the Bard does have some power with their spellsongs, it is their knowledge of current events and connections throughout Raxia that are much more valuable. The entire reason Bards travel around in the first place is to form connections with as many people as possible in as many places as possible, leading to their current lifestyle.

A Bard's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Bards mainly perform in public areas, often common rooms in taverns and in market squares, using their talents to earn a few coins. By virtue of the job that they're doing, Bards are often quite friendly and easygoing, and can get along with most of the common folk. Greedy for information, Bards will often gossip between performances, trading news from faraway places for the happenings of the town they're passing through. In this manner, Bards act as a way for news to travel throughout Raxia, as major exploits of famous heroes are the bread and butter of a traveling minstrel.

Oftentimes, Bards will also take on sex work as they travel, as there is only so much money that they can make by performing. While unsavory, partners tend to open up about much more intimate secrets when they are in compromising positions, and so some Bards see this kind of work as just another method of collecting information. As a side benefit, many Bards, whether male or female, will be have a rather good sense of fashion, and are quite handy with makeup and costuming.

Because of their easygoing ways, Bards don't have the greatest reputations among the general public, and are seen as little more than traveling prostitutes singing and whoring their way across the continent. At the same time, though, entertainment is scarce in this time and age, and so the Bard's presence is tolerated to a point. Bards are also seen as flighty, and will only have a couple of performances before they move on to the next town, so the less acceptable habits of a Bard will often be overlooked in order to keep them around as long as possible before they move on.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Bards[edit | edit source]

Characters that are primarily Bards will find themselves having a bit harder time than others, because spellsongs, while powerful, are also indiscriminate in who they affect. In many cases, the enemies that stand in the way of the Bard's adventuring party are the same level as the Bard, if not higher, and will have increased resistances to the Bard's spellsongs compared to the rest of the party. While spellsongs are useful, they are of little help if both the party and the opponents are affected by them equally.

Another issue that could come into play at higher levels in the increasing range of spellsongs. Initially it may seem useful that the spellsong range increases as the Bard's level increases, but after a certain point it may become more of a hindrance. For example, a high level bard may wish to use a spellsong to affect only the rearguard of their adventuring party, but due to the increased range of the spellsong they may also begin to affect some opponents on the frontline as well. Situations like this are why it may be useful to have a pet continue to perform a spellsong, as their range is limited to 10m regardless of the Bard's level.

In order to use spellsongs effectively, the Bard ought to have plans to put into action, rather than just using tactics ad hoc and reacting to what may come. For example, if there is the need for a spellsong that has adverse effects, the Bard should provide the party with earplugs and have a way to notify that they're needed, instead of just playing the spellsong and seeing who it affects.

Spellsongs must be continuously played in order to be effective, and so it is difficult to have multiple effects going at once. The Combat Feat 《Harmony》 works well in situations like this, allowing the Bard and a pet to combine two Spellsongs for greater effect.

Spellsongs don't always need to be used in combat situations, however, and it is a sign of the player's ingenuity when they can use one to further their own goals. Whether information gathering, infiltration, diversion or something else, being able to use a spellsong in such capacities effectively is difficult, and ought to be rewarded when used correctly.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Bards[edit | edit source]

As mentioned above, the Bard class is one that can get unwieldy at higher levels, and so having other classes that the Bard supports is preferable. One of the big issues is that using a spellsong is a Major Action, meaning that the ability to use a pet for continuing a spellsong is almost required in order to take other actions in combat.

When it comes to combat positioning, being in the frontline of combat almost guarantees there are some enemies that will be affected by the Bard's spellsongs. While there are definitely some detrimental spellsongs to be used in this manner, it is more likely to find the Bard in the rearguard of the party, affecting only those others in the rearguard with them.

For example, having a pet being able to sing the "Morale" spellsong while the character takes a shot with their Marksman class is an easy, low-risk tactic. At the same time, though, the Bard could be on the frontline, having their pet continue to perform the "Ballad" spellsong while the Bard themselves uses the 《Cover》 Combat Feat to protect their allies.

Grassrunners and Spellsongs
Grassrunners as a race are known for their carefree attitudes and lifestyle, but are also quite renowned for their singing. Some of their more "annoying" songs are thought to be formed from the combination of these traits, the result of mindlessly playing around on their instruments and watching joyfully as the other races react poorly to the resulting dissonance. There is also an ever present rumor, a thought that Bards as a class were created by the Grassrunners, though many researchers deny such a link exists.

The reason these researchers deny the link between Grassrunners and Bards is due to the existence of spellsongs in ancient texts, texts that don't mention anything about Grassrunners. Those who believe in the rumor will often say that there were Grassrunners back then, but they just weren't recorded in the books. There are many theories as to why this is, ranging from "the magical kings of the Durandal era and their recorders just didn't interact with Grassrunners," to "Grassrunners were thought of as children, and avoided," to just the simple idea that the kings just couldn't actually see the Grassrunners, as their magical sight just couldn't detect the mana-resistant race.

The Grassrunners themselves are absolutely disinterested in their origins or any connections to spellsongs, and would rather just relax and play some music. They play music simply for the love of music, and whether they play any spellsongs or not is just a matter of chance.

When to Use Spellsongs
There is a theory when it comes to spellsongs and their use, and that is to alternate between "offensive" and "defensive" spellsongs.

Defensive spellsongs, or those that will adversely affect HP, magic use, increasing resistances, etc. should be sung as the last thing in the round, after all of the Bard's allies have taken their actions, and stopped as the first thing in the next round, so that way only the opponents will be affected by these songs.

Conversely, "offensive" spellsongs, or those that will increase Accuracy or Evasion, ought to be the first thing done in the round, and ended as the last thing in the next round. While this set-up does allow the opponent to be affected for one round, the Bard's allies will be affected for two whole rounds, providing a net gain of one round of benefits and quite possibly swinging combat into their favor.

While constantly switching spellsongs like this can be difficult, the results can be rather impressive, especially if this method is kept up over the course of multiple turns.

Rider (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Riders

Summary[edit | edit source]

The Rider class gives one the ability to control mounts, trained animals and magitech vehicles designed to be used in combat situations. With the special training the Rider has, they can have both themselves and their mounts act in combat simultaneously, allowing them to overwhelm their opponents. Additionally, the Rider can use their mount for movement purposes, allowing them to travel much faster than they could on foot, as well as taking advantage of any special movement the mount may allow for, such as traveling over water or through the air.

As the character advances in the Rider class, they will be able to control more mounts, and have access to much more powerful mounts than a beginning Rider. Horses and Mini Manabikes are typically used as starting mounts, but high-level Riders can mount up on hippogryphs, wyverns, and skybikes. Additionally, the Rider's training allows them to push their mount to the limit, bringing out the best of that mount and giving them combat prowess similar to that of a warrior of the same level.

The Rider also learns various Stunts as they advance in the class as well, gaining the knowledge of one additional Stunt for each Rider level they take. The same mount may act completely differently under different Riders because of the different Stunts the Riders have learned, making Riders quite unpredictable opponents. There are other Stunts that Riders will be able to take, allowing them to control the mount as they ride through the air or water, and will allow the Rider and their mount to attack opponents through other vectors, rather than just running at them head on.

One last benefit is that through their training, Riders are also trained to recognize a variety of different monsters through Monster Knowledge checks. However, unlike the Sage, Riders are only able to determine the monster's abilities and not their weaknesses, but even that is often enough to prepare a party for facing dangerous monster abilities.

Origins[edit | edit source]

The origins of the Rider class inevitably date back to the first moment when someone decided to ride astride an animal in order to travel faster, but there have been many innovations in techniques and equipment since then. In particular, the various Stunts are the culmination of knowledge over the years, passed down from teacher to student throughout generations.

However, as magitech began to be a common sight during the beginning of the Al Menas era, horsemanship and the knowledge of the Riders began to die out. People started to leave the old ways behind, and began to embrace the new emerging technology, though there were some holdouts that kept the knowledge alive. When the Great Catastrophe happened, the knowledge of the old Riders came back to the forefront, as the value of such abilities was reassessed in the wake of the destruction.

After the Great Catastrophe, many of the large-scale magitech transportation networks were damaged, if not outright destroyed, and so having people able to control mounts to transport workers and goods via trade caravans were in high demand. Additionally, cavalry that could keep up with such caravans and protect them from Barbarous attacks were also in need, and so the Rider's Guild was formed in order to train the needed Riders as well as provide mounts to those Riders.

The Rider's Guild has been a mainstay of modern-day Raxia ever since, despite its beginnings as a small group of clubs teaching the upper class how to ride animals for them to enjoy. Currently, there are a few different guilds operating under the banner of the Rider's Guild, having branched out to not only caravans and caravan guards, but adventurers and even entire armies. These guilds began independently, but soon realized the benefits of being able to join together and operate in a number of different cities. One of the benefits for adventurers is the ability to rent out the same mount from different locations, possibly even earning the right to purchase the mount outright from the Guild.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

The most reliable way to learn to become a Rider is to take classes at the Rider's Guild, as they have a vested interest in making sure prospective Riders don't harm or damage the mounts they rent out. Guilds in larger cities will also have training workshops fairly often, allowing groups to train simultaneously. However, adventurers will often have any fees for such training waived by the Guilds, as there is always a need for trained guards and cavalry to protect against the Barbarous.

At the very least, an untrained adventurer will be able to ride a trained horse or mini manabike with little issue. However, the degree to which the mount can unleash its potential relies on the character riding it, and so having levels in the Rider class will allow mounts to achieve their maximum output. This ability doesn't come overnight, though, and a potential Rider must take the basic skills they have and cultivate them in order to become a master Rider.

A Rider's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Trained Riders and their mounts, in all their elegance, are often looked at with jealousy by the general public. Especially among children, the sight of a Rider and their mount is something to behold, whether a knight in shining armor astride a barded warhorse, or an adventurer soaring through the sky on a winged beast. An old general, nicknamed the "Riding Typhoon", once said in reference to becoming a Rider, "If I hadn't opened the window when I was a child, I wouldn't have become the man I am now."

Strong mounts, such as wyverns and dragons, aren't typically allowed to be ridden in most cities. Those that are seen are typically under the control of powerful generals for the state, or are highly renowned adventurers (over 500 Reputation) that have special permission from the ruling government about to lead an army to war. These riders are admired and respected as heroes, protectors of the nations against the Barbarous.

Adventurer jockeys are often asked to take on various jobs, as their abilities are always in demand. Whether guarding caravans or escorting important people and information, Riders are constantly requested for their mobility and combat prowess should the worst happen.

An interesting effect of their training is that Riders are incredibly sensitive to reading the body language of others. Few Riders are driven by causing violence and fear, but instead are almost saintly with regards to their endurance and gentleness. They aren't accustomed to pretending to be something they're not, and seek to be genuine and honest when dealing with others. Not to say that every Rider is interested in socialization, just that as a whole Riders tend to be more personable than other adventurers.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Riders[edit | edit source]

Devoting most of a character's Experience Points to Rider levels is risky, as the class does not offer much in the way of combat prowess outside of their Stunts. Even then, Riders are often limited to certain mounts due to the location of the adventure, and some adventures offer little opportunity for a Rider to use their skills.

Now, there is a belief that the GM should work around such limitations when creating adventures, and that belief is generally correct. However, players creating characters singlemindedly devoted to a class to such an extreme and forcing the GM to adapt and adjust around the character is not only rude to the GM and the rest of the table, it is an unreasonable position to take, and such characters shouldbe discouraged before the session begins.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Riders[edit | edit source]

Mounts are often troublesome to use in underground dungeons and labyrinths, often too large to effectively move through the cramped tunnels and winding passageways. As such, Riders will typically shrink the mounts down using Mount Reduction Tags, and carry the statue form of their mount with them through such small areas. However, in doing so they are effectively limiting their abilities, so it would benefit their adventuring party if the Rider could contribute in combat while dismounted, and not just be someone needed to be escorted to the nearest large area in order to mount up and ride into battle.

As Riders commonly have the skills to be able to advance to the front lines of any fight, they make excellent support for Fighters and Fencers, as both classes also want to be front and center against powerful opponents. This also effectively doubles the Actions the character can take, between controlling their mount and taking their own Actions in combat. However, because of their need to control their mount, Riders have difficulties using Wrestling weapons while mounted, and so it is not recommended to advance as a Grappler.

Other classes, like the Marksman or any Wizard-Type class, are often at odds with the aims of the Rider class, and so combining their skills is quite tricky. Such classes want to be in the rear of combat, away from the dangers of melee, while Riders are quite happy being in the thick of things. At the same time, the increased mobility and unique skills of the mounts are quite tempting, and it can be possible to have the Rider's mount operate on its own while the Rider provides support. Stunts such as "Riding as One" and "Balance" allow the Rider to be able to keep both their hands free to cast spells or attack, while "Remote Command" allows for the mount to move at the behest of the Rider even when dismounted.

Even off of the battlefield, Riders have superior mobility and adaptability when moving between multiple types of terrain, giving them a nearly unmatched ability to provide reconnaissance when combined with the Scout or Ranger classes. Even the strongest castle walls are no match for an aerial assault.

Another class that may not be directly aided by Rider skills is the Alchemist. While there is no direct disparity between the two classes, and it may even be nice to fight while enhancing the mount with Evocations, the Alchemist is a class that tends to go through money quite quickly acquiring their various cards, while Riders do need significant amounts of money to rent or buy mounts from the Riders' Guild. If the character wants to have the most powerful mounts, it is likely they will be short on having the powerful cards needed to perform Evocations often, whereas picking up the varied numbers, colors and ranks of cards needed to use multiple different Evocations will often leave one too poor to afford a quality mount. It is said that in order to advance both classes optimally, one must be prepared to ride into battle naked.

Mount Reduction Tags
It takes lots of effort and money to raise, maintain and train animals, as any farmer worth their salt will say. However, during the time of the Al Menas, a revolutionary magical item was created that would help alleviate the stress of training and upkeep. This item, the Mount Reduction Tag, uses magic to petrify the target it's attached to as well as shrinking it to the point where the small statue can be picked up in one hand easily. While modern tags aren't terribly strong, there have been tags that have allowed the mount stay as a statue for significant periods of time.

In the modern day, the Rider's Guilds are responsible for distributing the tags for use to the general public. However, these tags are magical in nature, and creating them requires the use of magitech equipment from before the Great Catastrophe. This equipment requires specialized knowledge to maintain, and with much lost due to the Great Catastrophe, these machines are impossible to properly maintain at their fullest with the current technology. Additionally, there is a lack of the proper materials required, so while the tags can be created, they are not nearly as powerful as they used to be during the prime of the Al Menas era.

Even today, there are adventurers and explorers that find some of these mounts frozen in time hidden away in ruins, stored away for a time that has long since slipped away. Some of these stone statues are of creatures other than the mounts known today, monsters other than the various animals and mythical beasts, and rumor has it that even people were subject to the stronger tags and turned into statues as well.

Alchemist (Other-Type Minor Class)[edit | edit source]

Alchemists

Summary[edit | edit source]

The Alchemist class is one that can take the primal building blocks of the universe and use them to create various effects to both assist their party members and hinder their opponents. These effects, known as Evocations, might appear to be magical in nature, but are actually much more complex than that, and yet have been simplified enough for people to be able to learn the Alchemist class without devoting significant time and effort. In fact, the only restriction an Alchemist has is the need to carry around their Alchemists' Kit, which is a small pack that can easily fit on a belt, that holds everything the Alchemist may need.

In order to use these Evocations, Alchemists must have the appropriate Material Cards, created from the distilled elements of matter and formed into a portable shape. These Material Cards come in five different colors, depending upon which type of matter they were formed from, and are further separated into four different ranks of power. Refined Material Cards are sold by the various branches of the Institute of Magitechnology, though crude Material Cards can be made by the Alchemist in the field if necessary, though they do need to sacrifice some of the loot they've acquired to that point in order to do so.

A benefit of Evocations is that they do not need any MP to use, and can be used by an Alchemist so long as they have the right Material Cards. The downside of that, though, is that higher-quality Material Cards are not cheap, and an Alchemist may end up spending a significant portion of their share from an adventure on a single powerful card. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that the Alchemist may end up even spending more on a few powerful Material Cards than they would be making on the job that they're using them for.

Origins[edit | edit source]

The Alchemist class came around during the Al Menas era, as there was a big push to bring magic to the general public following the fall of the magic kings of the Durandal period. With this goal in mind, a number of magical studies were conducted, and the concept of magitech came from these studies. While magitech made magic easy to use and available to the public, it also allowed the Al Menas to connect the world in one big interconnected network. With this in mind, it is easy to see why the Al Menas society is thought to be the "magitech civilization".

However, there was more than just magitech that had come from those studies of magic. Other methods of making magic generally available were theorized, and the Alchemist was one of the results. The philosophy behind Alchemy was that everything in the world could be broken down into its most basic components, whether animal, mineral, vegetable, spiritual, or energetic. It was thought that the ratios and combinations of the different elements were what caused the differences in the natural world, including the various civilized races. By manipulating these ratios and combinations, the Alchemist could, theoretically, create nearly any effect they could conceive of. In other words, the Alchemist could possibly change not only matter, but life itself.

However, when it all shook out, the Alchemist has never been able to reach that high potential. Not to say that there wasn't significant advancements in transmutation, and very high-purity Material Cards were able to be refined from powerful materials, but there was just some small shortcoming preventing the Alchemist from being able to transmute matter at will. These Material Cards have been able to fuel some powerful effects by themselves, though, and manipulating these effects is what created the first Evocation.

Evocations were able to fulfill the Al Menas' desire to bring magic to anyone that so desired, as it only took minimal training in order to use them, as opposed to the years of study required for classes such as the Sorcerer or Conjurer. Though those classes were much more popular than the Alchemist, there were those that took notes and kept the concept of the Alchemist alive even despite being outclassed by magitech.

When the Great Catastrophe happened, it was thought that the knowledge of the Alchemists was lost forever in the aftermath. However, intrepid adventurers and archaeologists were able to find ruins of the Al Menas that contained knowledge of the class instead of the magitech the period was known for, and so the Alchemist persists to the modern day. Because of this discovery, the Institute of Magitechnology has claimed as much knowledge of the class as possible, and up-and-coming Alchemists must go through the Institute in order to advance, as well as purchase refined Material Cards.

Learning the Class[edit | edit source]

As mentioned above, the Institute of Magitechnology will teach anyone who is looking to become a new Alchemist. As with learning magitech and the Artificer class, would-be Alchemists must pay the Institute for classes, which actually tend to be cheaper than those for the Artificer. However, as the Alchemist does not use MP, but Material Cards, purchasing these Cards can get pricey rather quickly. Even those who look to buy certificates with money will lean towards the more lucrative Artificer class, and tend to avoid the more low-key Alchemist courses.

An Alchemist's Place in Society[edit | edit source]

Ever since its rediscovery, Alchemy and its practitioners haven't stood out in the eyes of the general public. Even if an Alchemist were to claim a title, there would be a significant number of people who would question them and their abilities, as Alchemy isn't nearly as well known as, say, Truespeech or Spiritualism Magic. Even the Alchemy Kit looks like a rather ornate box to those who don't know any better, despite the importance of it to an Alchemist.

Among adventurers, Alchemists are valued for their Evocations, but are also feared due to their heavy spending. As mentioned above, higher quality Material Cards will cost a significant portion of the Alchemist's savings, and Alchemists can even convert some of their loot into crude Material Cards if necessary, which will reduce their rewards even further.

Despite their spending, many Alchemists have managed to become wealthy, and so they often don't care as much when using rare, valuable Material Cards. There is a tale about how some would-be Alchemists nearly fainted when listening in on a couple of high-level Alchemists talking about their exploits. As the story goes, the two Alchemists were discussing not only how many incredible expensive cards they had recently acquired, some of which worth more than 20,000G in value, and how they had just used those in combat against some powerful Barbarous opponents. The trainees overheard how much money the two had essentially burned through, and nearly fainted from the shock.

Characteristics and Roles - Primary Alchemists[edit | edit source]

It is certainly possible to have a character advance primarily as an Alchemist, though actually doing so is rather offbeat. Certainly, there are Evocations that can greatly hinder opponents when used correctly, though it does require a good number of Material Cards and significant tactical knowledge in order to function at full capacity. At that point, learning a Wizard-Type class would be recommended, since Evocations don't require MP and so wouldn't be competing for what would inevitably be a smaller MP pool.

However, Grassrunners, with their lack of MP pool, might just be able to function as primary Alchemists. Of course, in doing so it is recommended to learn the different Combat Feats introduced in the book in order to boost the abilities of the various Evocations as well.

Assuming that the player wishes to continue forward as a primary Alchemist, it's not easy to find a class that provides a tangible benefit in a supporting role. Forcing the issue, both the Scout and Sage classes might be able to help, as they both learn Combat Feats involving improved Loot Recovery rolls, which can lead to acquiring powerful, if crude, Material Cards from fallen opponents without spending as much at the Institute.

Characteristics and Roles - Secondary Alchemists[edit | edit source]

Secondary Alchemists, on the other hand, are useful in improving one's own Warrior-Type class abilities. As most frontline combatants use their Major Actions to attack their opponents, they can use Evocations as Minor Actions in order to strengthen themselves. Evocations such as "Critical Ray" are specifically designed to aid those with heavy weapons, allowing them to unleash the full potential of such weapons. Even if the Alchemist doesn't want to strengthen themselves, they can always use an Evocation as a backup to a spell from a Wizard-Type class, giving them surprising versatility.

Basically, the Alchemist is one that doesn't need to be advanced to a high level, even if it is a secondary class. When trying to weaken enemies, higher levels are important to break through resistances, though magic tends to be much less risky and more effective.

Alchemy Kit
In order for the Alchemists to be able to use their Evocations, they need to have an Alchemy Kit on their body. In rare cases, there are some kits that are esoteric shapes, but the common appearance of the kit is two rectangles, joined vertically. One of these is the Card Holder, and the other is the Tool Chamber.

As the name suggests, the Card Holder is where the Alchemist stores their Material Cards while adventuring. The cards are typically stacked on top of each other normally, but when the Alchemist wishes to use an Evocation, the Material Cards will slide out of the Card Holder and arrange themselves in front of the Alchemist as they choose which cards to use. From the cards shown, the Alchemist will choose the required cards, while the rest will slide back into the holder. There are a number of switches on the side of the Card Holder that the Alchemist can use to determine which cards will slide out when an Evocation is used.

Meanwhile, the Tool Chamber contains tools designed for creating crude Material Cards. As the Alchemist removes some of the tools, it appears that they would not normally be able to fit into such a small area, which is similar to the kind of technology leveraged by the Al Menas when creating Magispheres. Among the tools are a mat for creating a magic circle, a small golden rod for creating a pyramid-shaped barrier, a ceremonial dagger used to remove the material used for the cards, a small reflector furnace used in order to heat the material and prepare it for extraction, and a press form to mold the raw materials into a Material Card. By using these as necessary, the Alchemist can turn various looted items into crude Material Cards.

Mana and the First Elements
Raxian alchemy teaches that all matter is made of five essential materials. However, there is a material known to Alchemists that even those five materials are created from.

This primordial element is colloquially known as the "Soul of the World". By adding different characteristics to this primordial element, one of the basic materials is formed from this malleable element. Therefore, it can be assumed that by changing the characteristics of one element that it can be transformed into another. Of the five essential materials, the closest to this "Soul of the World" would be the energetic material, and if it can be freely manipulated, the other four materials will come forth from this one and anything in the universe can be created. The energetic material is represented by the color gold, indicated by the color of the Material Card, and it is said that Alchemy is the pursuit of turning matter into this gold.

As for the question of what exactly is the "Soul of the World", it is commonly believed among researchers that it is actually mana. In the end, all of the different magic systems, as well as Alchemy, would really just end up being different ways of trying to achieve the same goal. Of course, this viewpoint isn't shared among many of the other spellcasting classes, and so there are some who don't believe this theory holds any weight.