Class (Gaea)

While the term "Class" can refer to a great many things, it carries a special significance in Gaea. Due to the curious metaphysical properties of Gaea's reality and the way in which humans and similar creatures function there, individuals normally develop new capabilities through a number of common sequences, sometimes referred to as "Jobs," "Occupations," "Traditions," or "Classes." While these are far from absolute, with many individuals acquiring capabilities that are quite distinct from these traditions, they always still advance through one or more of them. Many Wayfarers find this to be exceedingly unnatural due to the generally freeform manner in which people develop on Earth. However, to Gaeans, this is perfectly normal. Some Wayfarers have theorized that this may be due to the role Mana plays in everyday life, though there is no clear explanation of how or why this might be the case. Others claim that this is just part of the natural order devised by the gods. Regardless of what the reason is, the fact remains that individuals who find themselves in Gaea, whether by birth or by some other method, are subjected to these rules. Thankfully, it is relatively easy to change one's Class... and even to retrain their capabilities, sacrificing some of what they once knew to acquire new skills.

## Origins

There is much speculation as to the origins of the Class System, though largely among scholars and Wayfarers. Most people native to Gaea believe that it is merely an inherent property of a Soul to have a Class, a sort of "container" for their Mana, or shape of their Soul. They also generally believe that these Classes can be changed by the influence of others and life experiences, transforming into something new. It is commonly believed that this is simply part of the design used to make Man by the Divines, and that Monsters are either emulating it, have been able to steal it due to their predations on Man, due to the Karmic process, or the simple "fact" that Monsters are the manifestations of human sin.

Most Classes have their individual origins in the actions of one or more individuals, or the practices of an organization. The Guardian, for example, has its roots in the military practices of the ancient Reman Empire... at least within the 4th Age. Due to the cyclic nature of human history in Gaea, most Classes have risen and fallen at one point or another, being invented, lost, and reinvented repeatedly... and sometimes in dramatically different locations at roughly the same time. It's thought that individuals who attain Mythic status are more likely to accomplish this, particularly if they developed into a Freelancer.

## Acquiring Classes

#### First Classes

Most people in Gaea begin their lives in one of the Common Classes. There are some exceptions, to be sure, but the vast majority have humble beginnings. Most never truly move beyond them, instead advancing in one or more such Classes. Those who gain better training or education, or unlock their latent potential, often leave these humble beginnings behind.

#### Retraining

Most individuals who have the aptitude eventually retrain their first Classes once they have the opportunity. This usually means spending some time with an individual who has already acquired that Class, or studying materials that teach its methods and practicing independently. Some naturally develop their capabilities without such outside influences, like Sorcerers, but the majority of people need some degree of assistance to accomplish this transition. Retraining can be startlingly quick to the understanding of Earthlings; Gaeans may be able to suddenly acquire an extraordinary degree of mastery of a martial art in a matter of a few days, for example, as they rapidly swap all of their Commoner experience for that of a Fighter or Warblade; so long as the resources are available and the talent is there, the actual process can happen far faster than anything that might happen on Earth. Mana facilitates this, so long as it is still malleable, still compatible. So long as the potential of a person remains untapped. For others, their natural talents may lie in strange places, making retraining extremely difficult... until they find resources that suit them.

Exceptional Classes are much harder to retrain than the Common Classes that most individuals naturally fall into, though it *can* be done with great effort and a reasonable degree of compatibility on the part of the person in question.

#### Multiclassing

For most people, rather than retraining an Exceptional Class they've developed, they instead advance in an additional Class when attempting to retrain themselves. This is actually quite a common practice, though few people have more than two Classes.

#### Prestige Classes

Some individuals are inducted into particularly specific traditions or organizations that have unique properties not seen in other Classes. Sometimes understood as Prestige Classes, these are difficult to develop and are never a person's first Class. They are often highly focused in their functions, being adept at a very narrow range of tasks or functions.

#### Awakened Souls

Some individuals, through a range of processes, are able to unlock the full potential of their Souls. Possessed of Mythic Power, these individuals naturally advance as two Classes simultaneously. Curiously, some individuals with a Common Class achieve this, occasionally even becoming Freelancers or some other Class while also advancing as their first Class, but most develop two Exceptional Classes instead.

## Types of Classes

### Common Classes

#### Academic

Scholars cloistered in church libraries, teachers at great schools and academies, advisors to political leaders, philosophers, theorists, scientists, authors, and more than a few book sellers are often Academics. Primarily focused on knowledge rather than practical skills, these individuals enjoy a great deal of influence in urban societies and rural communities that value their insight and intellect. Academics are by their nature drawn to dusty tomes rather than adventuring.

#### Adept

Individuals who lack significant magical talent despite their education, or who have talent but lack meaningful training, often become Adepts. Most common among Monsters and talented individuals in remote communities, the adept is one of the most widespread of focused spellcasters.

#### Apprentice

Most who take up the practice of Witchcraft do so under the tutelage of another Witch... but others do so after encountering a Familiar Spirit. Such individuals are often slower to learn their craft, and may take time to fully develop into a Witch, Warlock, Hexblade, or other such practitioner. Such individuals are often thought of as Apprentices... as are those who have begun to study under a Witch directly, but have not yet been fully initiated into one of the traditions.

#### Aristocrat

People born to wealth or status, or who somehow rose to them, but who lack a true aptitude to use such power, Aristocrats make up the majority of the ruling class on Gaea. Most Aristocrats have the resources to pursue Traditions that suit them better, so few emphasize this Class.

#### Bandit

Sometimes criminals, sometimes rebels, sometimes secret benefactors of the poor and downtrodden, Bandits stand outside of the law and prey on their fellows. Robbers, thieves, cutthroats, muggers, highwaymen, and even pirates are often Bandits.

#### Commoner

The overwhelming majority of Gaea’s population at least *begin* their lives as Commoners. Few who can get any degree of training, education, opportunity, or who possess talent of any sort advance as such. Rural farmers, common laborers, low-skill workers, and the like are frequently Commoners.

#### Disciple

Every great master of the martial arts begins their career somewhere, and for most, that's as a Disciple. Students of various fighting techniques (though most often of the unarmed sort), Disciples are often youngsters beginning the long path to mastery.

#### Expert

Individuals who pursue conventional trade skills in relative safety usually advance as Experts. Experts prioritize the mastery of one or more professional or performing skills. People who make their livings as craftsmen, skilled laborers, and other relatively mundane but still complicated occupations are usually Experts.

#### Magewright

Craftsmen who incorporate magic into their work, Magewrights power the machinery of many of Gaea’s more advanced cultures. Most commonly seen in major urban centers, Magewrights dominate civilian and military crafting professions... at least in terms of representation, if not performance.

#### Messenger

Gaea is a dangerous place, and so perhaps it's inaccurate to say that a Messenger is not an Adventurer of a sort. However, in practice, they are often not. Instead, they are merely someone who happens to be fast... and at least reliable enough to make a delivery. In a world where most long-distance communications are delivered by hand through travelers, Messengers are an invaluable occupation.

#### Official

The various governments of Gaea don't run themselves. Most are managed by a legion of bureaucrats, managers, and other employees who work for the head of state. These Officials often wield considerable political power due to their station, with many being nobility in their own right.

#### Serviceman

Dutiful soldiers and servants in a manner akin to Warriors, Servicemen are the uniformed and regimented counterpart to the more common Warrior. Often better trained but not as versatile, they are most dangerous in groups. The better organized guards of nobles in their livery, the uniformed soldiers of a nation, and the like are most often Servicemen.

#### Warrior

The most common type of guard, mercenaries, or common muscle, Warriors lack the greater prowess of Classes like Fighters and Barbarians, and are often largely self-taught. Most people serving in some kind of security or fighting capacity are actually Warriors.

### Exceptional Classes

#### Aegis

An unusual tradition mostly associated with Jambudvipa and followers of the Great Old Ones, it has nonetheless appeared spontaneously among individuals with sufficient Psionic aptitude and intense rejection responses or dislike of personal contact, Aegises create literal armor from their own mental energies. A rare form of psionicist that happens to be adept at physical combat rather than manifesting powers, Aegises are juggernauts on the battlefield that are quite capable of crushing foes with the raw power of their adaptive, mech-like protections. Outside of Jampbudvipa, this tradition is not well understood and often has a strong element of surprise. Within that continent's borders, however, it's well-known and a relatively common military tradition.

Aegis are often taught by more experienced practitioners in settings akin to conventional military academies or martial arts schools, though those outside of Jambudvipa are more likely to learn the trade as a sort of religious practice, or even to just stumble through it naturally.

#### Agent

A common tradition found throughout the civilized world, Agents are spies and operatives beholden to greater powers. Most often servants of nations, guilds, noble families, companies, or religious organizations, Agents act on behalf of their benefactors by gathering information on enemies, rivals, and even other members of the same organizations. While there are other Classes that sometimes fill the same role across the world, Agents are the most widely seen.

Most Agents learn their capabilities either from studying under senior Agents directly, or through personal experience before being directly hired by a patron. Some are freelance operatives, especially in more advanced societies, where they can be hired by virtually anyone to perform clandestine activities.

#### Archer\*

An exceedingly common tradition found throughout the world, Archers are skilled ranged combatants who emphasize the use of bows and crossbows. Many Archer traditions are explicitly military in nature, while others are derived from hunting practices. Virtually every society has Archers of some sort or other, with a myriad range of ways one might begin to learn the art.

* Archers do not gain a Limit Break. Instead, they retain the 1st Level Class Feature from their original Common Class.

#### Alchemist

Among the most common mystical practices in the world, Alchemists can be found in nearly every society, brewing potions and extracts and creating various useful items. While many dabble in the *skill* Alchemy, only those who devote themselves to this tradition truly earn the title of Alchemist. Alchemists learn their craft primarily through education; most either apprentice to other Alchemists or attend some type of formal school. However, it's not unheard of for some Commoner or Aristocrat to stumble upon the Formula Book of an Alchemist and manage to teach themselves the finer points of the tradition.

#### Antipaladin

Antipaladins have historically been seen as the allies of Monsters, traitors to Men or elite champions of the Overlord from the ranks of the Monsters themselves. Possessing terrible powers of death, malady, and destruction, and formidable warriors besides, Antipaladins were long seen as a blight upon the world, an embodiment of malevolence and agents of ruin and decay. However, this image has begun to change, just as Monsters have, to the point that Antipaladins can now be found even among the servants of the Twelve and One and other holy forces, where they serve as a manifestation of the wrath of the gods, divine punishment incarnate. Antipaladins remain a controversial part of society, with the majority still manifesting among Monsters and their allies and still championing the same, but the changes that have overtaken Monsters seem to have carried over to Antipaladins as well; they are now known for their lasciviousness as much as their former love of wickedness, violence, and depravity. Those who serve under the Divines are usually more restrained, adopting instead an attitude of ruthlessness towards the foes of their faiths and a willingness to employ all manner of tactics, no matter how terrible.

* Antipaladins are no longer required to be of Evil Alignment, however, few are Good.

#### Barbarian

The warrior elite of primitive cultures, or untrained brutes from more civilized ones, or on some occasions just a reasonably well-conditioned combatant with anger management issues, Barbarians are one of the most common and widespread traditions. They're found in virtually every civilization *somewhere*, even if you have to look in the gutter outside of a bar. They are, however, most strongly associated with relatively high-status positions in many tribal societies, where their ferocity in battle is respected highly enough to compensate for what mayhem they may cause on the home front.

#### Beguiler\*\*

The exact origins of this magical tradition are unknown. Many speculate that they trace their origins to the influence of the Fey or Demons such as Succubi, while others suspect an origin tied to the Plane of Shadow. Still others say that it's merely the result of Wizards dedicating themselves wholly to the study of Enchantment and Illusion magic. Regardless of where it began, it remains a powerful and much feared art; it's capacity to warp the perceptions of others, to control their minds, to manipulate their emotions has rendered it a taboo practice among many. It is seen, especially in the modern era, as entirely too close to what Monsters do.

Beguilers most often teach one another in master-apprentice relationships that are usually *anything* but Platonic, and are often *very* lopsided in terms of power dynamics. The apprentice is often as much a plaything of the master as they are a possible student. Making this worse is the fact that most Beguilers need to be born with a certain degree of inherited talent, meaning that the practice is often a *family* tradition.

* Beguilers may choose one of the following at 1st Level:
	+ Evil Eye (Su): The Beguiler gains the Evil Eye Hex, as a Witch.
	+ Dazed and Confused (Su): Whenever the Beguiler is targeted by a melee attack, they may, as an immediate Reaction, they may force the attacker to make a Will Save against a DC of 10+1/2 their Beguiler Level+ their Intelligence Modifier; on a success, the attacker suffers no ill-effects, but on a failure they are immediately Dazed for one Round, preventing their attack. At 8th Level, they are also Confused on the following Round. This is a Mind-Affecting Enchantment effect.
	+ Double Vision (Su): The Beguiler gains the ability to spontaneously create illusory doubles of himself that persist for one Round as a free action or immediate Reaction. He may create no more than one such double per Round. This double lasts until the start of his next Turn and otherwise functions as *Mirror Image.* This ability may be used in conjunction with an Attack Roll; if the subject of the attack fails their Will Save against the illusory double, then they are treated as Flat-Footed against the Attack Roll (and only that specific Attack Roll).
	+ Throwing Shade (Su): The Beguiler gains the ability to summon a shield of shadow-stuff as an immediate Reaction, granting him a +2 Shield Bonus to his AC for one Round. He may also fire a dart of shadow-stuff as a ranged Attack that deals 1d4/3 Beguiler Levels points of Force damage.
* Beguilers who take one of the above options may choose to gain Spells other than those of the Enchantment and Illusion Schools when gaining their Advanced Learning Class Feature. Alternatively, they may choose one of the following at 1st Level, which replaces the above Features *and* the Advanced Learning and Cloaked Casting Class Features:
	+ Abyssal, Accursed, Celestial, Dreamspun, Fey, Imperious, Infernal, Maestro, Psychic, or Shadow Sorcerer Bloodline. You use your Intelligence Modifier instead of your Charisma Modifier for any abilities derived from this choice that would normally rely on the latter.
	+ Enchantment or Illusion Arcane School Class Feature from the Wizard Class, including their Focused School options, or the Smoke Focused School of the Air or Fire Elemental Arcane School of the same Class.

#### Binder\*\*

A much maligned and feared Class, Binders draw their power from a source forbidden in virtually all communities and taboo even to Monsters; the spirits of Overlords past. Through the use of complex sigils known as Seals and a simple ritual and bargaining process, Binders conjure fragments of dead or deposed Overlords' Mana, their Souls, and merge them temporarily with that of their own. This process marks those who practice it, but grants them great power for little effort; the remnants of these past Overlords, called Vestiges, are eager to experience the world through the bodies of those who bear them into it... and also to influence it once more.

No one is quite sure who the first Binder was. Some claim that the now dead Succubus Queen Eisheth Zenunim devised the technique. After all, it was her foul mastery of souls that gave rise to the cursed Tradition of the Necrocarnate. However, the truth remains a mystery.

Binders most often train apprentices or keep small, secretive cabals of students who engage in elaborate membership rituals and rites meant to promote secrecy and camaraderie while allowing them to spread the knowledge they've gained of the Vestiges, their Seals, and other mystical secrets and lore.

* Binders use their original Class Features, but also gain spellcasting as a Medium.
* Binders begin play knowing one Vestige (and its corresponding Seal and summoning ritual), plus one additional Vestige per positive point of Charisma Modifier, minimum one. This means that all Binders know *at least* two Vestiges, regardless of Level. Binders created beyond first automatically know one additional Vestige for every odd-numbered Level they possess beyond 1st Level.

#### Bloodrager

Bloodragers, like Sorcerers, are born rather than made. When an individual with a hint of something inhuman in their ancestry or a strong karmic vestige of a past life as something other than a Man is born, they often become Sorcerers by focusing on this unusual quality of their Mana. However, those with a more militant attitude often become Bloodragers, locking their magical potential behind their own intense emotions. Bloodragers are most common in more primitive societies, especially those that favor Barbarians as their standard for fighting men.

Bloodragers usually develop their abilities through self-discovery or mentoring, coupled with martial practices common in their societies.

#### Brawler

An exceedingly common Class, Brawlers can show up in any culture and are most strongly associated with people low on the social ladder. However, it's very easy to pick up and is especially likely to appear in places where the law is weak, people are numerous, and alcohol is readily available. Most Brawlers come to their abilities naturally through personal experience or after being mentored or taught in small schools that tend to double as fighting clubs where betting and blood bring the crowds.

#### Brigand

One part warrior and one part thief, Brigands are powerful and threatening, reminiscent of Wolfsheads but favoring a more controlled approach to battle... and a greater emphasis on intimidation and threats. Brigands are most often self-taught, taking up the tradition after falling on hard times and resorting to criminal endeavors to survive. A few are taught these sorts of dirty fighting and thuggish tactics intentionally, often as a particularly ruthless form of self-defense, but such schools are uncommon.

#### Cavalier

The most common Cavaliers are noblemen born to status and military obligations throughout Meropis and Thule. Trained to fight but lacking the qualities needed to become a holy warrior like a Paladin, Cavaliers are nonetheless formidable and charismatic. Most are taught directly by other Cavaliers or Paladins, usually by a master-at-arms within their family's employ or otherwise hired to teach the prospective knight. Cavaliers are occasionally trained from lower classes as part of broader military campaigns, but this is both uncommon and expensive. Some Cavaliers and Paladins specialize in training others and will take on small "classes" of hopeful pages and squires, taking them through practical training and experience as well as conventional training regimens and studies.

#### Cleric

Servants of the Divines, Clerics are more militant than their counterpart Priests, but not so much as the dedicated Warpriests. Known for their great power and dedication, Clerics wield the miracles of the gods themselves in return for their piety, worship, and devoted acts. Clerics make up a not-insignificant portion of the Adventuring community, where their extraordinary powers are appreciated (even if their tendency to preach isn't always). Most Clerics are formally trained, being inducted into a specific religious order at a young age. Many are the second sons or daughter of nobles, but just as many come from humble beginnings; a surprisingly large number are orphans taken in by various Church-run orphanages. Potential Clerics learn to defend themselves, but not before having the teachings of their faith ingrained in them and mastering their prayers and rituals.

#### Dread Necromancer

Often simply known as Necromancers, Dread Necromancers are individuals born with a strong connection to the forces of death and undeath. Such individuals are a step above those who merely *learn* of such things; to the Dread Necromancer, it is literally their nature expressing itself. Dread Necromancers are rare and frightening to most, but in truth quite a few belong to an organization that seeks to protect and preserve the natural karmic order of the world by using their powers to hunt down those who would disturb and desecrate the dead... a tradition most common among the often-vilified Half-Orcs. Unfortunately, not all Dread Necromancers are so benevolent, and the majority slowly transform into Monsters themselves due to the forces they handle.

#### Druid

A tradition that traces its origins to Meropis and Thule, Druids are the religious leaders of a number of traditions that have largely been supplanted by the Church of the Twelve and One. While some of these focus on the worship of the Tuatha de Danaan, others hearken back to the faiths of the Titans, particularly Demeter. Still others revere the Fey, especially the Six Crowns that hold sway over Annwn. Yet more worship nature as an abstract, the Elementals and their Princes, and even a few Demon Lords. Regardless of the foci of their worship, however, the Druids primarily exist as stewards of nature and the tribal societies they oversee; they are the priests of the wilds and the people that dwell there.

Druids are most common among the Elves, Half-Elves, Turnskins, Genasi, Halflings, Elflings, and Humans of rural Meropis, Thule, and Hyperborea. They sometimes come into cultural conflicts with Shamans and Clerics in areas where these different religious systems overlap.

#### Duskblade

This hybrid tradition of Arcane magic and martial prowess is seen as the spiritual ancestor of the modern Magus. Believed to have originally been devised in Atlantis, where they served as a sort of knighthood loyal to the crown, the tradition was mostly lost when the Unnamed One destroyed that civilization during the Sundering of Thule. The tradition has continued to exist in a very limited form, appearing in what remains of Atlantis among the few survivors.

#### Fighter

While Warriors and Servicemen are the most common members of armies, Fighters are the backbone of such forces. This tradition is easily one of the most widespread, with a multitude of variations found throughout the world. Different regions have different standards and traditions, and different ways of teaching, but most use relatively standardized practices within their own organizations. The sorts of organizations that train Fighters usually encourage all of their members to learn the same basic techniques, with relatively little variation save when creating specialized units in a given fighting force.

#### Idol

Often unrecognized for what they are among the commonfolk, Idols are individuals with a potent psychic ability... and little to no actual training to use it. Many result from an ugly combination of natural magical talent and psychological (and often *sexual*) trauma that interferes with their ability to develop into more conventional magical traditions. Instead of being readily shaped into spells or powers, it condenses into a slowly growing aura that influences everything around them. Best known for their power to influence the thoughts and feelings of others, even unconsciously, Pathoturges are often lackluster otherwise. Instead, they seem to have a great *presence* to them that makes them deeply appealing. Magnetic, even. They are able to bolster the performance of others... or wear them down, and as they learn to wield their own emotions and beliefs, the properties of their Soul, they gain the ability to weaponize those same characteristics against others by infusing their auras with them.

Idols are usually naturally-occurring, often from lineages with a history of producing Sorcerers, Bloodragers, Kineticists, Wilders and other spontaneous or psychic spellcasters and manifesters. They are rarely trained and learn their abilities through self-discovery and experimentation. Few every multiclass into true spellcasting or power manifestation due to the unsual characteristics of this Class, but many are something of a jack-of-all-trades otherwise.

#### Luchador

First introduced by a Wayfarer, known as King Tiger who appeared in the New World, this martial tradition remains popular in certain regions, where its masked practitioners often perform elaborate gladiatorial shows as well as engage in genuine life-and-death struggles. Though King Tiger himself has long vanished, many have taken up the practice of emulating him, while others are said to have studied under him, and still others to have opposed him. Luchadors are known for their Vigilante-like heroism and challenging each other, a practice King Tiger established with his first supposed students. While most common in the southern New World, such as Aztlan, Crownsworn have imported it back to the Old World, where it's elaborate performances have gained popularity as a form of entertainment.

#### Master

Superior even to the skills of an Expert, Masters are those who have taken common skills to such a degree of perfection that they can no longer be viewed as such; they have transcended the mundane and become something almost divine. While Experts are common, true Masters are relatively rare, having braved great danger and endured great hardship to achieve their wondrous skill.

#### Psyphon

An unusual tradition of psionicists that originated in Western Thule among the Highlanders, Midlanders, Lowlanders, Elfmarked, and Feykin, Psyphons reject conventional Psionic Powers in favor of Aptitudes, skill, and martial prowess. Known as deceptive warriors, their tradition is thought to have originated from Rangers with psychic ability. Known for their unusual ability to drain the Mana of others to empower their own techniques, they are seen as a particular threat to casters.

The most common psionicists in the West, they are still not well understood by most. They normally apprentice individuals they encounter who have the talent but aren't already pursuing another tradition.

#### Skin-Changer

Thought to have originated as a technique used by human warriors to infiltrate the armies of the Overlord Circe during her war of conquest on Gaea in antiquity, Skin-Changers are skilled, stealthy warriors who are capable of transforming into the forms of animals. These capabilities, so akin to those of the Shifter, are nonetheless a distinct Tradition. Practitioners often augment their capabilities with ritually-prepared hides that can allow them to transform into a particular shape more often and for longer periods, but these coveted items are often passed down within families rather than crafted anew.

Skin-Changers are normally a familial Tradition; parents teach their children, who in turn pass the secrets of this practice on to their own heirs. Most such families live lives of relative seclusion in the remote wilds and only gather at certain times of year to celebrate, share news, and discuss future plans and goals.

#### Vampire Hunter

While the tradition of Vampire hunting is as old as the Monsters themselves, this Class didn't fully form until the creatures themselves became involved in its cultivation during the Reign of Blood. A product of the twisted society that grew up in Scholomance, Vampire Hunters were corralled by the very creatures they'd sought to exterminate and manipulated or coerced into targeting members of rival clans within the byzantine political structure of the scholastic state. Philosophies, practices, training regimens, cultivated bloodlines, and all manner of tools, tricks, and tactics were formed into distinct styles that came to typify the individual Houses that governed the school's Departments, and by extension those Departments as well. Vampire Hunting became an often-fatal career that was itself controlled by the vampires, the liches, the ghosts and mummies and ghouls and therianthropes and hags.

Over time, these teachings spread from the borders of Scholomance and Kogaionon, but they are still rare beyond that strange society's borders. Known for their dedication to eradicating specific targets, Vampire Hunters are in many ways akin to assassins, but are trained more for frontal assaults and direct combat than other such traditions, making them akin to Slayers. They specialize in being able to confront not only their prey, but the potent defenses and minions such creatures are wont to employ. In the current era, they are unusual in that they continue to be a tradition that once focused on killing Monsters and actually *still does*. They are very much a practice geared towards fighting other reasoning creatures.

#### Vigilante

Whether criminals, rebels, avengers, or crime-fighters, there have been many individuals who have lived a double life in Gaea's history, operating as a normal member of society at times, and at others donning a false identity to pursue their personal agendas. Vigilantes are most associated with daring strikes against the corruption that lurks within society; thieves who steal from the rich to give to the poor. Avengers who punish abusers sheltered by their wealth or status. Rescuers seeking to save those who are unjustly punished. Vigilantes are unusual in that each is unique, making them akin to the Freelancers described below. However, whereas a Freelancer simply becomes themselves, a Vigilante becomes someone else entirely.

There are no schools or traditions of training for Vigilantes. Most who adopt the practice do so as an extension of other careers or after actively choosing to cultivate the weird lifestyle and training this tradition demands. Some are taught by existing Vigilantes, but most are self-taught or dabblers in other traditions who never fully adopt their supposed interest.

#### Witch

One of the few traditions known to have originated in the Golden Age of Man, Witchcraft has a long and storied tradition, and is arguable *the* original form of Arcane spellcasting. The practice, which involves forming a contract with a tutelary spirit called a Familiar that serves another, more powerful being known as a Patron, and teaches the prospective Witch magical knowledge and Spells, was originated by a number of *gods*, most notably Hecate. By granting mortals these Familiars, the gods were able to bestow knowledge and power upon their chosen followers without directly offering pieces of themselves. Over time, however, other entities would take up the practice, becoming Patrons and creating Familiars to serve those who sought such teachings. Witchcraft often comes with a price, as do many of its related practices, such as Warlocks and Hexblades; the Patron demands services or sacrifices in exchange for their wisdom.

While Witches were originally created by the Divines, most are now associated in superstition (whether accurately or not) with the Witch Cults of the Baphomet, an exceedingly powerful and ancient Demon God that has seeded entire species of Monsters into the world and produced a host of cults devoted to various forms of corruption and depravity... especially of the sexual sort. There are in fact a wide range of *other* Patrons, including Hecate and other deities of magic, nature, the moon, and the like, various Fey entities, the Great Old Ones, a range of powerful Monsters (particularly Demon Princes, Kings, and Lords), and even some powerful Elemental spirits, among a host of others. However, it's the Baphomet and it's ilk that most command the public imagination in the modern era.

#### Witch Hunter

Originally formed long before the current Overlord rose to power, the first Witch Hunters were simply common folk in remote areas who developed a need to contend with malicious spellcasters who would often prey on such outlying communities. Lacking the magical education options of available to more urban populations, they adapted the techniques of Rangers, Rogues, Alchemists, herbalists, and what lore they could gather from their own rustic superstitions and folk wisdom. This proved potent, becoming a tradition in many communities and spreading far and wide.

Witch Hunters are most common in rural communities, often coming from long lineages of the practice who serve as equal parts lawman and local expert on combating fell powers.

#### Wizard

Well educated and exceedingly powerful, Wizards are one of the most common of all magical traditions. Whether trained through apprenticeship, private tutoring, or an edifice of education, Wizards are almost never self-taught. Those that are are geniuses among geniuses. Wizardry centers upon memorization and study, extensive notetaking, and a keen understanding of the metaphysical principles upon which the world relies. By manipulating these principles, exploiting curious loopholes and properties and laws, they are able to achieve feats of extraordinary magical power. There are too many Wzard traditions to truly begin to guess which came first, but it's safe to say that this practice is likely one of the first Classes.

Wizards can come from a range of different environments and origins due to how common and widespread the tradition is; commoners who were discovered by other spellcasters are just as likely as noblemen tutored from birth... and often just as effective.

#### Wolfshead

A martial tradition commonly traced back to the seasonal raiders common among the peoples of the northern coasts of Western Thule and what was once Central Thule (and still common among the people of the Shattered Isles), Wolfsheads are reasonably known as Raiders by most. Forms of the tradition appear in quite a few seafaring peoples, including those inhabiting Hawaiiki, Meropis's central islands, and a host of other territories. Wolfsheads are essentially ruffians and brutes who temper their violence with ruthless cunning and effective tactics. Able to work themselves into a frenzy, they're often compared to Barbarians, but are more clear-thinking and stealthy than is associated with those hardier warriors. Wolfsheads were often seen as a threat secondary only to Monsters in olden times, and even moreso in recent ones. Only the threat of Beasts has upended this perception in many areas, as Wolfsheads often represented warriors from rival states or pirates raiding in search of resources and plunder.

Wolfsheads are usually not formally trained, they learn their combat abilities from sparring with others in a society where such practices are common, or from teachings handed down by parents, elder siblings, and other role models. While strongly associated with preying on other Men, they are in truth largely just a common combat tradition in their homelands. Most are actually farmers, herdsmen, or fishermen by trade rather than professional soldiers or raiders; the activities were historically used to supplement meager food production and raise social status through wealth and glory in battle.

#### Zealot

A hybrid tradition originating in Irkalla and Jambudvipa, the Zealots combine martial discipline with psionic power, linking the minds of allies so that they can fight effectively as a single unit. A strange practice that is generally quite rare, Zealots tend to become leaders of military units due to their unique abilities. Most are trained directly by other Zealots, though there are more generalized schools within Jambudvipa that teach the practice as a religious and caste-associated practice to those with the talent and proper status.

### Outliers

#### Freelancer

A surprisingly rare Class in Gaea considering that it's the *only* Class on Earth, Freelancer's are not a conventional tradition when compared to the rest of Gaea's Classes. One does not study to become a Freelancer. They do not train with someone else who is already one. They do not absorb their Mana and adapt their practices. Instead, they develop *their own* independently of others. Freelancers are primarily self-taught; they learn by mimicry, by direct personal experience and experimentation and self-study. They acquire capabilities as they need them or are drawn to them by personal curiosity. Freelancers are people who unlock *their own* potential rather than having someone else show them how. As such, Freelancers normally appear spontaneously from among the common Classes, usually at a young age. They are most often people who were thrust into some form of hardship without having significant training and managed to adapt in an "adapt or die" scenario. Once someone has begun the path of a Freelancer, the method of self-study, of drawing out one's own potential and unfettered growth, remains. They can always return to it, even if they should learn another tradition. Such individuals are highly-prized, and those that carry on with their natural development as Freelancers are often said to be the originators of other Classes or Archetypes.

Freelancers are a versatile lot; they have no real common ground in terms of capabilities. They learn to use different types of weapons and armor, they develop different resistances, cultivate vitality and Mana differently, train in combat differently. Some learn spellcasting. Some don't. Some learn Psionics. Some don't. Some are highly intellectual while others are nearly-mindless brutes. The range of capabilities that Freelancers develop is truly mind-boggling, as is the utter inconsistency between them. One can even say that Freelancer itself is just a term for someone who has somehow broken free of the normal Class system... a fact that a superstitious few might consider ill-omened.

While Freelancers native to Gaea are rare, as mentioned above, the Class is the *only* one to appear on Earth. This is one of the reasons why Wayfarer's sometimes speculate that the Class system itself is in some manner tied to Mana; while Mana exists on Earth, it does not flow freely and is completely bound up in matter and conventional energy, to the point that is effectively impossible to detect as discrete from the material aspects of the world. Freelancers are most common in places with few capable, trained individuals. Places where most people lack exceptional Classes. Gaean Freelancers, therefore, are normally people who have had to develop into exceptional people without the influence of other exceptional people on their spirits. They are trailblazers. Meanwhile, for Earthlings, such Mana influence was impossible to begin with, and so natural growth and development is always unique to the individual.

### Other Classes

While the above list is massive and covers a wide range of different traditions that exist in Gaea, *it is not an **exhaustive** list*. There are actually quite a few different traditions and regional variates *besides* those listed above, making it extremely difficult to keep track of, let alone predict, exactly what capabilities a person might have based solely on their appearance... with the exceptions of people like the Thief Class, who are trained specifically to do that.