BACKGROUNDS
ACROBAT
Agile burglars and second-story men. These thieves avoid detection by stealth, and rely on mobility and cunning to avoid capture.
Journeyman - Acrobatics
Apprentice - Athletics, Dodge
Novice - Security, Sneak
AGENT
Operatives skilled in deception and avoidance, they are self-reliant and independent, devoting themselves to personal goals, or to various patrons or causes.
Journeyman - Sneak
Apprentice - Illusion, Speechcraft
Novice - Piercing, Security
ARCHER
Fighters specialized in long-range combat and rapid movement. Opponents are kept at distance by ranged weapons and swift maneuver.
Journeyman - Ranged Accuracy
Apprentice - Piercing, Dodge
Novice - Initiative, Intuition
ASSASSIN
Killers who rely on stealth and mobility to approach victims undetected. Assassins include ruthless murderers and principled agents of noble causes.
Journeyman - Sneak
Apprentice - Melee Acccuracy, Acrobatics
Novice - Dodge, Intimidation
BARBARIAN
Proud, savage warriors of the plains nomads, mountain tribes, and sea reavers. They tend to be brutal and direct, lacking civilized graces, but they glory in heroic feats, and excel in fierce, frenzied single combat.
Journeyman - Blunt
Apprentice - Athletics, Intimidation
Novice - Melee Accuracy, Resolve
BARD
Loremasters and storytellers, bards crave adventure for the wisdom and insight to be gained, and must depend on their wits to preserve them from the perils of their educational experiences.
Journeyman - Speechcraft
Apprentice - Initiative, Lore
Novice - Acrobatics, Sneak
BATTLEMAGE
Wizard-warriors trained in both lethal spellcasting and heavily armored combat. They sacrifice mobility and versatility for the ability to supplement melee and ranged attacks with elemental damage and summoned creatures.
Journeyman - Block
Apprentice - Alteration, Resolve
Novice - Melee Accuracy, Destruction
CRUSADER
Any heavily armored warrior with spellcasting powers and a good cause may call themselves a crusader. Crusaders do well by doing good. They hunt monsters and villains, making themselves rich by plunder as they rid the world of evil.
Journeyman - Slashing
Apprentice - Block, Faith
Novice - Melee Accuracy, Resolve
HEALER
Spellcasters who swear solemn oaths to heal the afflicted and cure the diseased. When threatened, they defend themselves with reason and disabling attacks and magic, relying on deadly force only in extremity.
Journeyman - Restoration
Apprentice - Illusion, Speechcraft
Novice - Lore, Spell Potency
KNIGHT
Of noble birth, or distinguished in battle or tourney, knights are civilized warriors, schooled in letters and courtesy, governed by the codes of chivalry. In addition to the arts of war, knights study the lore of healing and enchantment.
Journeyman - Melee Accuracy
Apprentice - Block, Speechcraft
Novice - Slashing, Faith
MAGE
Most mages claim to study magic for its intellectual rewards, but they also often profit from its practical applications. Varying widely in temperament and motivation, mages share but one thing in common: an avid love of spellcasting.
Journeyman - Spell Potency
Apprentice - Conjuration, Lore
Novice - Destruction, Alteration
MONK
Students of the ancient martial arts of hand-to-hand combat and unarmored self defense. Monks avoid detection by stealth, mobility, and agility, and are attuned to the natural world.
Journeyman - Mysticism
Apprentice - Athletics, Dodge
Novice - Lore, Spell Potency
NIGHTBLADE
Spellcasters who use their magics to enhance mobility, concealment, and stealthy close combat. They have a sinister reputation, since many nightblades are thieves, enforcers, assassins, or covert agents.
Journeyman - Sneak
Apprentice - Initiative, Illusion
Novice - Melee Accuracy, Security
PILGRIM
Travellers and seekers of truth and enlightenment. They fortify themselves for road and wilderness with arms, armor, and magic, and through wide experience of the world, they become shrewd in commerce and persuasion.
Journeyman - Speechcraft
Apprentice - Athletics, Faith
Novice - Block, Lore
ROGUE
Adventurers and opportunists with a gift for getting in and out of trouble. Relying variously on charm and dash, blades and business sense, they thrive on conflict and misfortune, trusting to their luck and cunning to survive.
Journeyman - Security
Apprentice - Sneak, Intuition
Novice - Ranged Accuracy, Speechcraft
SCOUT
Scouts rely on stealth to survey routes and opponents, using ranged weapons and skirmish tactics when forced to fight. By contrast with barbarians, in combat scouts tend to be cautious and methodical, rather than impulsive.
Journeyman - Athletics
Apprentice - Dodge, Ranged Accuracy
Novice - Initiative, Melee Accuracy
SORCERER
Wielding ferocious arcane potential, sorcerers rely on spells of the mystic arts. They are often greedy for magic scrolls, rings, armor, and weapons.
Journeyman - Destruction
Apprentice - Dodge, Lore
Novice - Mysticism, Spell Potency
SPELLSWORD
Spellcasting specialists trained to support Imperial troops in skirmish and in battle. Veteran spellswords are prized as mercenaries, and well-suited for careers as adventurers and soldiers-of-fortune.
Journeyman - Melee Accuracy
Apprentice - Alteration, Spell Potency
Novice - Slashing, Dodge
THIEF
Pickpockets and pilferers. Unlike robbers, who kill and loot, thieves typically choose stealth and subterfuge over violence, and often entertain romantic notions of their charm and cleverness in their acquisitive activities.
Journeyman - Sneak
Apprentice - Acrobatics, Security
Novice - Intuition, Speechcraft
WARRIOR
The professional men-at-arms, soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers of the Empire, trained with various weapons and armor styles, conditioned by long marches, and hardened by ambush, skirmish, and battle.
Journeyman - Block
Apprentice - Athletics, Melee Accuracy
Novice - Resolve, Intimidation
WITCHHUNTER
Dedicated to rooting out and destroying the perverted practices of dark cults and profane sorcery. They train for martial, magical, and stealthy war against vampires, witches, warlocks, and necromancers.
Journeyman - Intuition
Apprentice - Mysticism, Resolve
Novice - Ranged Accuracy, Security