cabbagesquirrel
2007-12-17, 10:22 PM
Heres a brief overview of my campaign setting, classes and races. Im working out just enough to give my players a feel for the setting before i flesh it out a bit more.
anyways, any comments, what you liked, what you didnt, what could do with some work, what sounds cool in your head that youd like to see in a setting..
Brief History of Ajur.
A dash of creation.
In the beginning there was the Void, the swirling maelstrom of entropy and chaos that begets and consumes all of creation in an infinite dance of life, death and time. Out of this near nothingness a bubble of reality formed. A quirk of nothing more than it was meant to be, and so it was. This bubble, cocoon, womb held the essence of an entire universe, a nigh infinite source of energy and power, a moment passed, and the newly born universe drew forth its first breath, its first heartbeat tolling out the ages to come. With this first breath the bubble expanded, releasing energy in all directions, these primordial powers swirling and converging in a tumultuous orgy of genesis, manifesting the planets, stars and galaxies themselves in one brilliant explosion of light.
With the first beating of the heart time began, and all past, present and future was born, each set to wander throughout the eons, until the Void consumed them once more.
The first life was conceived in this instant, the stars themselves alive with vigor and light, breathing their benevolent or baleful energies onto the planets that danced to their gravitational tune, their molten surfaces suffused with the raw elemental power of creation.
Gomah, Ajur’s newly risen sun, breathed the words of spirit onto the planet’s still tumultuous surface, laying the bedrock for the verdant life that would eventually spring from its cooling crust.
This first breath awoke the World Spirit Ajur, infusing the planet with a sense of destiny and gifting it with the ability to direct her own fate. Thus Gomah was content with its new creation and fell to slumber away the ages until entropy took him and he consumed all of his progeny in a cataclysmic wave of annihilation
Elemental Soup.
Ajur, its birthing pains still radiant, let forth tears of joy at simply existing, these tears filled up the crackling sky and came crashing down in gigantic droplets that cooled the seething crust of the earth and filled the deep chasms and cracks of the ground, creating the first oceans.
With each tear smiting the ground, new spirits sprang up, each with their own duties to perform in Ajur’ bubbling infancy. Some would sculpt the mountains; others would tame the winds or simply carve the earth into shapes that pleased their souls.
Thus the world was born, rivers ran, mountains towered above hills which in turn gave way to flat wastes before reaching the near endless, still steaming, seas.
The newly born spirits delighted in their creation, relishing all its glory and their own success at creating such a paradise. Ajur was not content however, she wished for more than the simple elemental furor of her spirit children. Thus she called them all together at a great convergence and set in motion her new plan.
First mortals.
Ajur spoke to her assembled spirit host and told them of her plan to craft beings to live upon her soil, of life that grew and changed with the passing of time, who would revel with the spark of life and honor the spirits that gave them such wondrous gifts. Much of the spirit host agreed with Ajur, their duties of world sculpting complete they wished for new prospects and playthings. Some disliked the idea, not wishing to share their new world with finite beings who would not share their ideas for a perfect world.
Each spirit offered Ajur a gift in the forging of these new life forms, some gave perceptive abilities, others felt physical needs to be paramount, many felt infusing the new souls with conscience and wonder to be the most important ideal. Eventually over what would have been millennia in recorded history, Ajur was satisfied, as were her spirits for the most part. With a dirge like song from the entire spirit choir all of Ajur flourished with new life, plant, animal and all between.
The most favored of these newborn entities were the elves, in which all the spirits had an equal say at their time of creation. These mortal beings were gifted with long life and the potential for great intellect, unlike any other race upon the world. It was Ajur’ wish that these new beings would be the custodians of the world, ensuring it remained in balance.
A not so golden age.
The Elves quickly took to civilization under the tutelage of the spirits, discovering the basics such as fire and the wheel before turning to agriculture. A single millennium had passed and before long they had experimented with metallurgy and the basics of elemental magic. Cities of stone grew upon the surface of Ajur and many of its animal species were subjugated as livestock for the elves, now calling themselves collectively the Hakari. This mollified some of the spirits, who felt all creatures should benefit from freedom and a certain level of choice; others stated the way of all living things, espousing such ideas as food chains and the natural order of intelligence, i.e. Ajur at the top, then the spirits themselves, elves second, then the beasts of Ajur
Whispers of discontent.
An age was well on its way to completion, and the Hakari had mastered Ajur’s elemental magic, allowing them to construct great citadels that towered into the sky and sank deep into the earth. The elves were artful crafters of armour and weaponry, as well as fine sculptors, craftsmen and farmers. Despite all this, many Hakari grew distant from their spirit tutors, or as some felt, overseers, shying away from their teachings the Hakari shunned their council and soon grew jealous of the spirits immortality.
Several elemental masters of the Hakari discovered a great secret, that the spirits and the world are intrinsically linked, that to alter one is to affect the other, and so in secret, the Hakari elders worked to bind the spirits to their will just as they had taught the animals of Ajur to become their beasts of burden. In their arrogance they began a plan, swaying the leaders of the elven nations to their cause the Hakarian elemental masters set their arcane traps throughout the nations, and patiently bided their time to strike.
The sundering.
A rogue comet came close to Ajur at this time and fearing for her children, she sent her spirit host out to this wayward interstellar traveler, to sway its destructive path. The spirits gathered en masse and hurtled towards the comet, slowing its advance and setting it in the sky of Ajur forever more. They named it Tivulis or ‘wanderer’ and it became Ajur’s heavenly consort, being lead by her in a cosmic dance throughout the eons. Thus the moon of Ajur was created, and at the same time, with the spirit host away, the Hakarian elves initiated their plan of enslavement.
Tapping deep into the elemental powers of Ajur, from deepest core to highest zephyr, the Hakari brought up a huge magical shield that blocked the spirits from returning once they had set Tivulis properly. This severed Ajur’s link to her true first children, causing her to become agitated and alarmed. Volcanoes boiled up at her cries of anguish and the very earth was torn with great cracks. The oceans seethed with rage at the Hakari, blistering with steam and smashing the coasts with giant waves.
Trying to quash the will of the entire planet through their arcane power, many of the Hakari elemental masters simply exploded with the sheer weight of power pressing between their thoughts. The spells that would bind Ajur to the elves were sent spiraling out of control, the traps set to catch the essence of the world imploded, taking much of the elven nations with them.
Such destruction was seen from above where the spirit host could do naught to help their stricken mother as she thrashed in pain. All was not lost however, using their incredible powers the spirits began to undo the barrier set up by the Hakari, it was a masterful creation, but under the scrutiny of powerful energy beings it began to crack and waver. In an instant the magical shell burst, sending shards of arcane power in all directions, severing matter and spirit alike, renting holes in the universe itself.
Exile or bust.
Ajur now freed from her cage and aided by her spirit children sought to undo the carnage before it was irreversible. In a giant amalgamation of elemental energies drawn from herself, Tivulis the newly created moon and the ancient broiling power of slumbering Gomah, Ajur severed the connection the Hakari had to their magic. Unable however to banish her foolish elven children from all creation, due to her weakened state, she clawed back the broken pieces of the Hakari spell shield, and infusing them with the wrathful energies of a baleful world god-spirit, shunted all remnants of the elves and their civilization into a shadowy twilight realm through one of the rents in the fabric of the universe. Thus the plane of Erisor was created, a literally hollow planet of death and chilling winds made entirely of the torn flesh of Ajur and the gaping wounds caused by the Hakari.
The last acts of Ajur before she would fall into a near infinite slumber, like Gomah, to replenish her energies were the following. She sealed the planar rifts across her surface that were the last links to Erisor and the Hakari, blocking their links to elemental magic and the light of any true star. She then healed her blistered surface by drowning it in a thousand year rain and finally she give her spirit children part of her waning soul, so that they could act with more impunity and power, should the need arise during her sleep.
Cleaning up the mess.
Without the guidance of Ajur, the spirits did their best to recreate the once beautiful surface of the world, they once again crafted the mountains, swept large tracts of land into great plains, however some of the wounds would never heal, leaving deep canyons and ravines as eternal reminders of the Hakari folly. The seeds of life were also sown, with the hopes of less abrasive species coming to fruition. Thus the ancient ancestors of both Humans and Tesh were created, much more carefully watched by their spirit mentors.
Through accelerated evolution brought on by careful magical intervention, the spirits gifted both Humans and Tesh with the forerunners of intelligence and thought less akin to simple instinct. Each race was taught to respect the land, to give back to the earth that reared them and to honor each other as fellow beings. Many spirits were careful about introducing magic to these new intelligent species, remembering the Hakari and their lust for power and so they allowed themselves to let their new children discover its secrets in time, rather than simply passing the knowledge on through tutelage. And so millennia came and went, the slow pace of both the fledgling species were ponderous compared to the swift rise of the elves, but the spirits felt this taught self reliance and a healthy dose of ‘who’s the boss?’, so that the mistakes of the past never came to fruition again.
Age of discovery.
Both Humans and Tesh had an insatiable love for exploration and often assisted each other in discovering what lay on the next horizon, this pleased the spirits who had put much hard work and love into its creation. Each race brought something to the table when creating new settlements, both in culture and technology. It was a new age where travel was seen as part of life, bringing about many nomadic cultures. Thus the new face of Ajur was populated, the two species developing as societies and civilizations wherever they went. There were setbacks of course; a struggling winter might hinder travelers just as an intolerable summer could wither crops.
Each species prevailed however, and soon Ajur had many differing ethnicities and cultures populating her, each with their own burgeoning ideas for the future.
This populating of the earth brought with it many new wonders; the discovery of the underworld was one such great feat, a new environment to explore and to witness first hand. Thus the two new peoples of Ajur crawled upon her face like tiny ants, exploring every nook and cranny, and for a time there was peace.
The first speakers.
The Illum people were a nomadic culture who often traveled throughout the lands of other nations, bringing with them the news of all Ajur and throwing great festivals for all and sundry. The Illum celebrated the spoken and written word, holding it as both a gift from the spirits and a means to facilitate their lucrative trading system, for no other people could transport goods from the east rocks to the western reach with such enthusiasm and prompt delivery. The Illum longed for a homeland to call their own however, a place to pool together both resources and their love of language. Lokis, a great spirit of Ajur took the Illum under his guidance and led them to a great fissure in the earth, a remnant of the Hakari war, and striking a sizable path for the Illum, Lokis allowed them to venture down into the gorge like edifice until they came to the entrance to an underground cave system. The caves went on for miles and being spirited travelers the Illum set out to explore their vast depths, delighting in the echoes their voices made on the cool stone. Lokis plotted their course with care and steered the Illum towards a feasible cavern habitable for such a large contingent of humanity. Thus the Illum began constructing their new land, sealing their exit from the world above in the process. Pleased with his adopted people and their progress Lokis gifted the Illum with glowing sigils of power around their brows, offering individual Illum magical powers associated with different mystical word combinations. These new found abilities allowed the Illum a distinct advantage within their subterranean home and soon they had forged an empire under the earth.
Trials and tribulations.
Just as not all the spirits of Ajur could agree about every issue, so the people upon her surface. Arguments turned to skirmishes, skirmishes to engagements, and engagements to full out battle on occasion. It was a period of much technological creation, much of it war based however architecture, medicine, magic and agriculture all benefited from this renaissance period that often tore the sedentary rural lives many Ajurian were living. It was a time where the foundations for the great cities of the future were struck, as well as the settling of kingdom borders, and despite the occasional bloodshed, the spirits of Ajur reveled in their children’s creativity.
The dragon or the egg?
It was a cloudless night when Tivulis wept tears of stone that fell with screams of fire upon the soils of Ajur, for a full hour they rained, igniting vegetation and cracking rock. If that were not odd enough, when the natives of Ajur went to investigate they found not huge rocks or other space jetsam, meteors had been known to fall to earth before, but living breathing, gargantuan reptiles. Each held a clutch of stone eggs in their claws.
With cacophonous cries of pain the first dragons had come to Ajur, their scales of different hues and colour. Such was their fury and might at falling from the heavens that many lashed out upon their discoverers, fearful of attack from these small bipeds; others took to the sky with a lopsided gait, unused to such heavy gravity. Each fled the scene of their descent with their clutch of unborn progeny, leaving their mortal bystanders in awe and wonder.
It was a point of concern for many kingdoms at the time, would these new beings be a bane or boon to the people of Ajur, and if bane, how could any man, or indeed army stop such a gargantuan beast.
A short time after, several dragons who had sought out each other for common protection and interests contacted the leaders of both Tesh and Human nations for diplomatic talks. It was understood that these great beings had fled their old world after fighting an enemy both numerous and deadly, and that they wished for nothing but survival for themselves and what was left of their kin.
The dragons offered the astounded mortals many secrets of magic and technology, crafting the pathway for a new golden age of growth and unity between the natives of Ajur and their draconian allies.
Up, up and away.
With the otherworldly powers of the more benevolent dragonkind, cities of both grandeur and wonder grew upon Ajur. Seats of discovery and culture with burgeoning technological and elemental magic centers, these cities were built upon a guild based structure, each doing their part to advance the city as a whole. For the most part, the wars of yesterday became the political quagmires of today.
It was a time of great trade opportunities and a unification of both currency and many laws governing the lands. The Illum people were discovered, their underground homes and network of subterranean highways a new wonder for the surface races. After some social and cultural hiccups, diplomatic relations were made, and despite their wary nature the Illum signed a proclamation of peace with the major nations of Ajur.
It was a time of unprecedented peace, minor battles had always been part of the semi feudal nature of many countries of Ajur but with such wealth flooding society, there was little reason to invade neighboring states for resources.
It was also a time of unbridled materialism and decadence and the creation of burgeoning middle classes, both guilds based and independent.
Money talked in this new climate, much less so than the breeding and blood privilege of earlier ages, this threw many into culture shock and also led to ‘old money’ versus ‘new money’ conflicts, civil affairs for the most part, but woe to those who got embroiled in the affairs of the rich.
To put it glibly it was Ajur’s renaissance and much more, it was a time of outward optimism and internal political commotion, of rising skyward in buildings of steel and stone and delving deeply into the earth for wonders unseen and untouched.
Portents and signs.
Talk of wild weather and unnatural beasts stalking both the streets and rural outskirts had begun to reach the ears of important individuals. These odd phenomena started off as rare occurrences, however they increased exponentially as winter crawled out from under the leaf cover of autumn. Soon people started to go missing, or turned up days later, gorily split inside out or otherwise raving madly at unseen assailants.
Those sensitive to the natural balance of Ajur and its elements soon began to worry, something was out of phase, and energies they had not sensed before were working at unraveling the underlying fabric of reality. Many focused their elemental powers to stave off this unknown influence but soon it became all to clear that what was happening could not be undone with their power and resources.
The winter was incredibly harsh that year, a chill that cut to the bone and winds that snuffed out hearth fires with ease. Snow fell at a depth unheard of in living memory and many communities became isolated in a heavy cover of stifling frost, becoming easier pickings for the starving wildlife in many rural areas.
It was at the end of this long frozen season, with the premature hope of spring and thaw on many Ajurian’ minds that the beginning of a new dark era began, the clouds fled the sky in an instant, unknown constellations sprang up where none were before and animals going mad with fear.
The cracking of the shell.
On the first day of spring the sky rent in two and the earth shook with terror. Gale force winds whipped up out of nowhere across the continent hammering all the major cities of Ajur with snow and hail. The air shimmered and for an instant the whole surface of the world was luminescent like a vivid desert mirage, as Erisor, the exiled ancient crust of Ajur tried to meld upon Ajur’s newer ground. Much like a body fighting off a debilitating infection the planet tried to shake off its attacker forcing Erisor back into its own semi phased out plane. For the most part Ajur was successful, for although she was just roused from her recuperating slumber, her anger was terrible to behold. However Erisor’s grip was not to be denied and after a cosmic struggle between the ancient world spirit and the corrupted skin of her own flesh, small pockets of Erisor became ensconced in Ajur’s surface, permanent portals belching out planar magic and creating unnatural gateways.
Many people died that fateful day, the swirling energies and undulating realities wiped many communities off the map, replacing them with cancerous wastelands. It was after this catastrophic event that the true terror began, the coming of the Hakari had been announced in blood and terror, and it was just the beginning.
The scourge.
The Hakari swarmed from Erisor’s arcane doorways with regimented decorum, fifty elves abreast in endless ranks. Mounted upon flying ships and giant beasts the nobles of the Hakari lorded over their cronies from the back of the legions. Many of these doorways had formed near populated areas of Ajur, there was little time to mount a defense or flee before the Hakari war machine was upon the civilian population. There was no mercy offered from the enemy, they simply slaughtered all they could find, once they had secured several of the main cities of Ajur the Hakari left those left with enough sense to run to serve as terrified emissaries, sowing fear in the rest of the populous.
In under a week the races of Ajur had fallen from their lofty perch, crushed under the might of the Hakari, many were forced to flee east, where the Hakari influence unknown. There were many pockets of resistance, staunch defenders of Ajur, many were ragtag bunches, barely militia, formed of patriotic or crazed individuals. Many communities were eradicated in the weeks after the initial incursion, their bodies left in huge pyres to burn, sending smoke signals of death to any within eyeshot.
A month passed and the beleaguered refugees and armies of Ajur heard from their new genocidal enemy. A single being, lithe, beautiful and predatory, stood before the remaining nobility, military generals and governing hosts of Ajur’s major empires. His words cut through the assembled crowd like a sword through stomach lining.
“I have been chosen to deliver this edict, to you, the newly sprung bastard children of an unwholesome womb. The true masters of Ajur have returned from their exile, your unwanted stewardship is at an end, as are your petulant empires and indeed your very lives. There will be no diplomacy, there will be mercy, and you will all taste defeat at the point of Hakari steel. If you wish you may send your own souls to the false gods that lord over your inferior forms and save my brethren the trouble, the manner of your death matters not however, for each of you will know the heat of the pyre soon enough.”
The emissary then evaporated in a wispy shadow before the awestruck crowd, his speech still ringing in their shocked ears.
Gingerbread men.
The Jezzik, newly arrived on Ajur from millennia in subjugation grew to love this new world and its freedom. They fought the Hakari with unrelenting zeal in an attempt to stem the tide of the Hakari war machine, but their numbers were too scattered to do much damage. The first encounters the Jezzik had with Ajur’s natives were sometimes bloody affairs, the natives’ reactions ones of fear and hatred to anything and anyone that had come from the Erisor gateways. Eventually word got to many Human and Tesh communities of staunch clay figures fighting the Hakari at every chance, many sending spies to investigate.
After surveying these mysterious construct beings, diplomatic ties were instigated, as many felt that the enemy of my enemy must be a friend, and so, slow at first, the Jezzik were offered amnesty within Human and Tesh communities. Many felt that being creations of the Hakari the Jezzik should all be turned to rubble, that they were spies sent to subvert the remaining resistance of the newly growing Hakari Empire. This sentiment in recent times has slowly began to dissipate with the acts of many Jezzik the stuff of tavern gossip and spoken with an air of awe.
Dark age.
A new shadow has fallen across the face of Ajur, the Hakari are now fully entrenched in several key sites, many of the main cities of humanity and Tesh are laid to waste, left to slowly smolder and degrade. The refugees of the now defunct nations are rebuilding their lives and often recruited into military service due to the many casualties.
The spirits of Ajur are in an uproar however some Hakari malignance blocks much of their efforts, an unknown type of magic that subverts the natural law.
These are dark times that call for brave individuals to take up arms against the external threat of the Hakari and the internal threats of subterfuge, civil war and other political intrigues.
Character Classes of Ajur.
The people of Ajur are a crafty and diverse lot from all walks of life. Provided in this chapter are many of the different character classes on offer for any denizen of Ajur or indeed Erisor.
Dragon Shaman:
The Dragons of Ajur are magnificent beings, powerful, graceful, fear inspiring and intelligent, for any who have stared upon their majesty; it would be folly to not admit their greatness. As a Dragon Shaman you have dedicated your life to a particular dragon, developing a symbiotic relationship with this giant magical creature, providing you with an array of magical abilities while the Dragon gains a loyal ally and agent.
A melee combatant with a dazzling selection of supernatural abilities, the Dragon Shaman is not simply a hack and slash meat shield, she can provide your entire party with powerful auras that strengthen their resolve or allow them to mend bone and knit flesh. Such is their power that at high levels Dragon Shamans gain both the aide and favor of their dragon sponsor, absorb titanic amounts of damage and heal the blind or deaf with a touch.
Element Bender:
Air, Earth, Fire and Water, each of the four elements together comprise the entirety of Ajur. Benders seek to tap into a part of this elemental power, through strict training and arduous physical and mental exercises.
Element Bending masters are awe inspiring combatants, one with their chosen element; they can turn aside their foes with ease.
The Element Bending classes (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water) are different in many aspects, due to their individual elemental seed lists and DC orientated casting nature, however their primary role in an adventuring party is to be a ranged blaster, the Earth Bender and Fire Bender may find combat to be useful from time to time and the Water Bender can provide some healing ability, however their poor armour options leave a lot to be desired in many areas of melee and ranged attacks can be deadly.
Guru.
The ethereal realms and their sublime magic allow wise mortals to see into the immaterial worlds of past and future, of destiny and fate, to channel their mind and make their thoughts manifest. Such is the power of the Guru that she can weave this mist like substance from beyond the material plane and create supernatural energies for spiritual enlightenment and power.
A mystic with a vast repertoire of spells, the Guru bends the ethereal and astral to her whim, only hindered by her imagination and strength of mind. The Guru develops her power through strict regimens of meditation coupled with hundreds of hours of research. The Guru pays homage to the many spirits of Ajur for protection, wisdom and guidance whilst on her spiritual exploration, for astral traveling the other planes of existence can be disconcerting and downright dangerous to the ill informed.
Herald:
Words have power, one word from the right magistrate can save a criminals life, or condemn it. Any literate person can tell you the thrill of a good book, how it can inspire and move the reader.
Some take this belief of word power a step further, developing an understanding of the words themselves, and their secret magic. These individuals are called Heralds, or as some are known ‘Wordsmiths’. These Wordsmiths bring their unique brand of magic to the common people and aristocratic alike. Equal parts storyteller, vagabond, spy, lore gatherer and rabble rouser the Herald plays many parts during their lives, often going by different aliases, gathering fame or infamy as their exploits are in turn told to all who will listen.
At first glance the Herald may appear very Bard like due to their flavor; however the Herald is no fifth wheel character. They have their place as the figurehead for any party of erstwhile adventurers; their healthy allotment of skill points and spells doesn’t go astray either, allowing this jack of all trades class to ensnare her opponent’ mind with a word, or coax their soul to simply shed its mortal coil, think Gandalf with less beard.
Knight:
Glory in combat; this is the true calling for any Knight. The rushes of adrenalin as you smite your enemy’s skull into two blood spraying halves. To feel the rough and tumble of the earth as you charge headlong at your opponent, dashing his defenses, and sundering his body.
Glory comes at a price however, a code of conduct must be observed, any simple fool can take up arms and attack their fellow man. One must always honor ‘The Code’ to truly be called a Knight.
The true tin soldier, a Knight revels in frontline combat, bedecked in their armour, often riding upon a stout charger; he crashes upon the enemy like a relentless wave upon the beach.
Part crusader, part meat shield, the Knight follows The Code, a set of principles that give the adherer martial powers and blessings to defeat his chosen foes. The Knight is the best front line combatant an adventuring party can afford, and while his skill repertoire isn’t that impressive, the Knight is good at what he does, and can stick around long enough to keep doing it.
Stalker:
All armies need those who have a keen eye and keener mind, often to gather information, to strike at enemy weaknesses, or to simply ‘remove’ a threat. Such is the life of the Stalker, mostly a lonely affair, spent silently awaiting their next mark, each stalker brings a swath of deadly attacks to bear and the range of efficient skills to make sure that sometimes, all you need is one clean attack to take your victim down.
The stalker is your slice and dice assassin meets sniper, skilled to the eyeballs to get the best out of all those checks you’ll need to make, sneaking stealthily behind your mark before piano wire garroting them to oblivion. You can focus on either melee or ranged combat, or a little of both, but don’t spread yourself too thin.
Warlock:
The entropic void is home to many unnamed and indescribable denizens, whispering sweet words of power to those mad or strong willed enough to listen. While neither good nor evil, the void provides the secrets for many individuals to uncover and master; however most come at a cost.
The Warlock is the classic medieval conjurer, calling upon otherworldly beings for power and information to aide his allies or to quench the life from his enemies. The Hakari elves were the first to discover the power of binding void spirits to their will, and this has given the class a sinister and unnatural reputation in the eyes of Ajur’ other sentient races. The power gained by this much maligned source is not to be underestimated however.
White Raven:
Blending incredible swordsmanship with subtle magic, the White Raven is an apt tactician that can bolster his allies with both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Named after the founder of this style of combat expertise as well as being an ancient portent for victory, a White Raven can strike fear into the hearts of many enemies. White Ravens are not front line melee fighters, they like to aide other members of their team, directing pin point attacks at weak spots, splintering their enemies defense and resolve with lightning efficiency.
Cooperation, teamwork and leadership are the three keystones to the White Raven philosophy.
White Ravens are first and foremost a melee class, however due to their lack of armour they will not last long when pushed to the front lines. Their power is a subtle one allowing the whole adventuring party to converge at a single point to defeat their opponents with effective attacks. A master of maneuvering, the White Raven need not play second fiddle to other characters; however his strength lies with his ability to command.
anyways, any comments, what you liked, what you didnt, what could do with some work, what sounds cool in your head that youd like to see in a setting..
Brief History of Ajur.
A dash of creation.
In the beginning there was the Void, the swirling maelstrom of entropy and chaos that begets and consumes all of creation in an infinite dance of life, death and time. Out of this near nothingness a bubble of reality formed. A quirk of nothing more than it was meant to be, and so it was. This bubble, cocoon, womb held the essence of an entire universe, a nigh infinite source of energy and power, a moment passed, and the newly born universe drew forth its first breath, its first heartbeat tolling out the ages to come. With this first breath the bubble expanded, releasing energy in all directions, these primordial powers swirling and converging in a tumultuous orgy of genesis, manifesting the planets, stars and galaxies themselves in one brilliant explosion of light.
With the first beating of the heart time began, and all past, present and future was born, each set to wander throughout the eons, until the Void consumed them once more.
The first life was conceived in this instant, the stars themselves alive with vigor and light, breathing their benevolent or baleful energies onto the planets that danced to their gravitational tune, their molten surfaces suffused with the raw elemental power of creation.
Gomah, Ajur’s newly risen sun, breathed the words of spirit onto the planet’s still tumultuous surface, laying the bedrock for the verdant life that would eventually spring from its cooling crust.
This first breath awoke the World Spirit Ajur, infusing the planet with a sense of destiny and gifting it with the ability to direct her own fate. Thus Gomah was content with its new creation and fell to slumber away the ages until entropy took him and he consumed all of his progeny in a cataclysmic wave of annihilation
Elemental Soup.
Ajur, its birthing pains still radiant, let forth tears of joy at simply existing, these tears filled up the crackling sky and came crashing down in gigantic droplets that cooled the seething crust of the earth and filled the deep chasms and cracks of the ground, creating the first oceans.
With each tear smiting the ground, new spirits sprang up, each with their own duties to perform in Ajur’ bubbling infancy. Some would sculpt the mountains; others would tame the winds or simply carve the earth into shapes that pleased their souls.
Thus the world was born, rivers ran, mountains towered above hills which in turn gave way to flat wastes before reaching the near endless, still steaming, seas.
The newly born spirits delighted in their creation, relishing all its glory and their own success at creating such a paradise. Ajur was not content however, she wished for more than the simple elemental furor of her spirit children. Thus she called them all together at a great convergence and set in motion her new plan.
First mortals.
Ajur spoke to her assembled spirit host and told them of her plan to craft beings to live upon her soil, of life that grew and changed with the passing of time, who would revel with the spark of life and honor the spirits that gave them such wondrous gifts. Much of the spirit host agreed with Ajur, their duties of world sculpting complete they wished for new prospects and playthings. Some disliked the idea, not wishing to share their new world with finite beings who would not share their ideas for a perfect world.
Each spirit offered Ajur a gift in the forging of these new life forms, some gave perceptive abilities, others felt physical needs to be paramount, many felt infusing the new souls with conscience and wonder to be the most important ideal. Eventually over what would have been millennia in recorded history, Ajur was satisfied, as were her spirits for the most part. With a dirge like song from the entire spirit choir all of Ajur flourished with new life, plant, animal and all between.
The most favored of these newborn entities were the elves, in which all the spirits had an equal say at their time of creation. These mortal beings were gifted with long life and the potential for great intellect, unlike any other race upon the world. It was Ajur’ wish that these new beings would be the custodians of the world, ensuring it remained in balance.
A not so golden age.
The Elves quickly took to civilization under the tutelage of the spirits, discovering the basics such as fire and the wheel before turning to agriculture. A single millennium had passed and before long they had experimented with metallurgy and the basics of elemental magic. Cities of stone grew upon the surface of Ajur and many of its animal species were subjugated as livestock for the elves, now calling themselves collectively the Hakari. This mollified some of the spirits, who felt all creatures should benefit from freedom and a certain level of choice; others stated the way of all living things, espousing such ideas as food chains and the natural order of intelligence, i.e. Ajur at the top, then the spirits themselves, elves second, then the beasts of Ajur
Whispers of discontent.
An age was well on its way to completion, and the Hakari had mastered Ajur’s elemental magic, allowing them to construct great citadels that towered into the sky and sank deep into the earth. The elves were artful crafters of armour and weaponry, as well as fine sculptors, craftsmen and farmers. Despite all this, many Hakari grew distant from their spirit tutors, or as some felt, overseers, shying away from their teachings the Hakari shunned their council and soon grew jealous of the spirits immortality.
Several elemental masters of the Hakari discovered a great secret, that the spirits and the world are intrinsically linked, that to alter one is to affect the other, and so in secret, the Hakari elders worked to bind the spirits to their will just as they had taught the animals of Ajur to become their beasts of burden. In their arrogance they began a plan, swaying the leaders of the elven nations to their cause the Hakarian elemental masters set their arcane traps throughout the nations, and patiently bided their time to strike.
The sundering.
A rogue comet came close to Ajur at this time and fearing for her children, she sent her spirit host out to this wayward interstellar traveler, to sway its destructive path. The spirits gathered en masse and hurtled towards the comet, slowing its advance and setting it in the sky of Ajur forever more. They named it Tivulis or ‘wanderer’ and it became Ajur’s heavenly consort, being lead by her in a cosmic dance throughout the eons. Thus the moon of Ajur was created, and at the same time, with the spirit host away, the Hakarian elves initiated their plan of enslavement.
Tapping deep into the elemental powers of Ajur, from deepest core to highest zephyr, the Hakari brought up a huge magical shield that blocked the spirits from returning once they had set Tivulis properly. This severed Ajur’s link to her true first children, causing her to become agitated and alarmed. Volcanoes boiled up at her cries of anguish and the very earth was torn with great cracks. The oceans seethed with rage at the Hakari, blistering with steam and smashing the coasts with giant waves.
Trying to quash the will of the entire planet through their arcane power, many of the Hakari elemental masters simply exploded with the sheer weight of power pressing between their thoughts. The spells that would bind Ajur to the elves were sent spiraling out of control, the traps set to catch the essence of the world imploded, taking much of the elven nations with them.
Such destruction was seen from above where the spirit host could do naught to help their stricken mother as she thrashed in pain. All was not lost however, using their incredible powers the spirits began to undo the barrier set up by the Hakari, it was a masterful creation, but under the scrutiny of powerful energy beings it began to crack and waver. In an instant the magical shell burst, sending shards of arcane power in all directions, severing matter and spirit alike, renting holes in the universe itself.
Exile or bust.
Ajur now freed from her cage and aided by her spirit children sought to undo the carnage before it was irreversible. In a giant amalgamation of elemental energies drawn from herself, Tivulis the newly created moon and the ancient broiling power of slumbering Gomah, Ajur severed the connection the Hakari had to their magic. Unable however to banish her foolish elven children from all creation, due to her weakened state, she clawed back the broken pieces of the Hakari spell shield, and infusing them with the wrathful energies of a baleful world god-spirit, shunted all remnants of the elves and their civilization into a shadowy twilight realm through one of the rents in the fabric of the universe. Thus the plane of Erisor was created, a literally hollow planet of death and chilling winds made entirely of the torn flesh of Ajur and the gaping wounds caused by the Hakari.
The last acts of Ajur before she would fall into a near infinite slumber, like Gomah, to replenish her energies were the following. She sealed the planar rifts across her surface that were the last links to Erisor and the Hakari, blocking their links to elemental magic and the light of any true star. She then healed her blistered surface by drowning it in a thousand year rain and finally she give her spirit children part of her waning soul, so that they could act with more impunity and power, should the need arise during her sleep.
Cleaning up the mess.
Without the guidance of Ajur, the spirits did their best to recreate the once beautiful surface of the world, they once again crafted the mountains, swept large tracts of land into great plains, however some of the wounds would never heal, leaving deep canyons and ravines as eternal reminders of the Hakari folly. The seeds of life were also sown, with the hopes of less abrasive species coming to fruition. Thus the ancient ancestors of both Humans and Tesh were created, much more carefully watched by their spirit mentors.
Through accelerated evolution brought on by careful magical intervention, the spirits gifted both Humans and Tesh with the forerunners of intelligence and thought less akin to simple instinct. Each race was taught to respect the land, to give back to the earth that reared them and to honor each other as fellow beings. Many spirits were careful about introducing magic to these new intelligent species, remembering the Hakari and their lust for power and so they allowed themselves to let their new children discover its secrets in time, rather than simply passing the knowledge on through tutelage. And so millennia came and went, the slow pace of both the fledgling species were ponderous compared to the swift rise of the elves, but the spirits felt this taught self reliance and a healthy dose of ‘who’s the boss?’, so that the mistakes of the past never came to fruition again.
Age of discovery.
Both Humans and Tesh had an insatiable love for exploration and often assisted each other in discovering what lay on the next horizon, this pleased the spirits who had put much hard work and love into its creation. Each race brought something to the table when creating new settlements, both in culture and technology. It was a new age where travel was seen as part of life, bringing about many nomadic cultures. Thus the new face of Ajur was populated, the two species developing as societies and civilizations wherever they went. There were setbacks of course; a struggling winter might hinder travelers just as an intolerable summer could wither crops.
Each species prevailed however, and soon Ajur had many differing ethnicities and cultures populating her, each with their own burgeoning ideas for the future.
This populating of the earth brought with it many new wonders; the discovery of the underworld was one such great feat, a new environment to explore and to witness first hand. Thus the two new peoples of Ajur crawled upon her face like tiny ants, exploring every nook and cranny, and for a time there was peace.
The first speakers.
The Illum people were a nomadic culture who often traveled throughout the lands of other nations, bringing with them the news of all Ajur and throwing great festivals for all and sundry. The Illum celebrated the spoken and written word, holding it as both a gift from the spirits and a means to facilitate their lucrative trading system, for no other people could transport goods from the east rocks to the western reach with such enthusiasm and prompt delivery. The Illum longed for a homeland to call their own however, a place to pool together both resources and their love of language. Lokis, a great spirit of Ajur took the Illum under his guidance and led them to a great fissure in the earth, a remnant of the Hakari war, and striking a sizable path for the Illum, Lokis allowed them to venture down into the gorge like edifice until they came to the entrance to an underground cave system. The caves went on for miles and being spirited travelers the Illum set out to explore their vast depths, delighting in the echoes their voices made on the cool stone. Lokis plotted their course with care and steered the Illum towards a feasible cavern habitable for such a large contingent of humanity. Thus the Illum began constructing their new land, sealing their exit from the world above in the process. Pleased with his adopted people and their progress Lokis gifted the Illum with glowing sigils of power around their brows, offering individual Illum magical powers associated with different mystical word combinations. These new found abilities allowed the Illum a distinct advantage within their subterranean home and soon they had forged an empire under the earth.
Trials and tribulations.
Just as not all the spirits of Ajur could agree about every issue, so the people upon her surface. Arguments turned to skirmishes, skirmishes to engagements, and engagements to full out battle on occasion. It was a period of much technological creation, much of it war based however architecture, medicine, magic and agriculture all benefited from this renaissance period that often tore the sedentary rural lives many Ajurian were living. It was a time where the foundations for the great cities of the future were struck, as well as the settling of kingdom borders, and despite the occasional bloodshed, the spirits of Ajur reveled in their children’s creativity.
The dragon or the egg?
It was a cloudless night when Tivulis wept tears of stone that fell with screams of fire upon the soils of Ajur, for a full hour they rained, igniting vegetation and cracking rock. If that were not odd enough, when the natives of Ajur went to investigate they found not huge rocks or other space jetsam, meteors had been known to fall to earth before, but living breathing, gargantuan reptiles. Each held a clutch of stone eggs in their claws.
With cacophonous cries of pain the first dragons had come to Ajur, their scales of different hues and colour. Such was their fury and might at falling from the heavens that many lashed out upon their discoverers, fearful of attack from these small bipeds; others took to the sky with a lopsided gait, unused to such heavy gravity. Each fled the scene of their descent with their clutch of unborn progeny, leaving their mortal bystanders in awe and wonder.
It was a point of concern for many kingdoms at the time, would these new beings be a bane or boon to the people of Ajur, and if bane, how could any man, or indeed army stop such a gargantuan beast.
A short time after, several dragons who had sought out each other for common protection and interests contacted the leaders of both Tesh and Human nations for diplomatic talks. It was understood that these great beings had fled their old world after fighting an enemy both numerous and deadly, and that they wished for nothing but survival for themselves and what was left of their kin.
The dragons offered the astounded mortals many secrets of magic and technology, crafting the pathway for a new golden age of growth and unity between the natives of Ajur and their draconian allies.
Up, up and away.
With the otherworldly powers of the more benevolent dragonkind, cities of both grandeur and wonder grew upon Ajur. Seats of discovery and culture with burgeoning technological and elemental magic centers, these cities were built upon a guild based structure, each doing their part to advance the city as a whole. For the most part, the wars of yesterday became the political quagmires of today.
It was a time of great trade opportunities and a unification of both currency and many laws governing the lands. The Illum people were discovered, their underground homes and network of subterranean highways a new wonder for the surface races. After some social and cultural hiccups, diplomatic relations were made, and despite their wary nature the Illum signed a proclamation of peace with the major nations of Ajur.
It was a time of unprecedented peace, minor battles had always been part of the semi feudal nature of many countries of Ajur but with such wealth flooding society, there was little reason to invade neighboring states for resources.
It was also a time of unbridled materialism and decadence and the creation of burgeoning middle classes, both guilds based and independent.
Money talked in this new climate, much less so than the breeding and blood privilege of earlier ages, this threw many into culture shock and also led to ‘old money’ versus ‘new money’ conflicts, civil affairs for the most part, but woe to those who got embroiled in the affairs of the rich.
To put it glibly it was Ajur’s renaissance and much more, it was a time of outward optimism and internal political commotion, of rising skyward in buildings of steel and stone and delving deeply into the earth for wonders unseen and untouched.
Portents and signs.
Talk of wild weather and unnatural beasts stalking both the streets and rural outskirts had begun to reach the ears of important individuals. These odd phenomena started off as rare occurrences, however they increased exponentially as winter crawled out from under the leaf cover of autumn. Soon people started to go missing, or turned up days later, gorily split inside out or otherwise raving madly at unseen assailants.
Those sensitive to the natural balance of Ajur and its elements soon began to worry, something was out of phase, and energies they had not sensed before were working at unraveling the underlying fabric of reality. Many focused their elemental powers to stave off this unknown influence but soon it became all to clear that what was happening could not be undone with their power and resources.
The winter was incredibly harsh that year, a chill that cut to the bone and winds that snuffed out hearth fires with ease. Snow fell at a depth unheard of in living memory and many communities became isolated in a heavy cover of stifling frost, becoming easier pickings for the starving wildlife in many rural areas.
It was at the end of this long frozen season, with the premature hope of spring and thaw on many Ajurian’ minds that the beginning of a new dark era began, the clouds fled the sky in an instant, unknown constellations sprang up where none were before and animals going mad with fear.
The cracking of the shell.
On the first day of spring the sky rent in two and the earth shook with terror. Gale force winds whipped up out of nowhere across the continent hammering all the major cities of Ajur with snow and hail. The air shimmered and for an instant the whole surface of the world was luminescent like a vivid desert mirage, as Erisor, the exiled ancient crust of Ajur tried to meld upon Ajur’s newer ground. Much like a body fighting off a debilitating infection the planet tried to shake off its attacker forcing Erisor back into its own semi phased out plane. For the most part Ajur was successful, for although she was just roused from her recuperating slumber, her anger was terrible to behold. However Erisor’s grip was not to be denied and after a cosmic struggle between the ancient world spirit and the corrupted skin of her own flesh, small pockets of Erisor became ensconced in Ajur’s surface, permanent portals belching out planar magic and creating unnatural gateways.
Many people died that fateful day, the swirling energies and undulating realities wiped many communities off the map, replacing them with cancerous wastelands. It was after this catastrophic event that the true terror began, the coming of the Hakari had been announced in blood and terror, and it was just the beginning.
The scourge.
The Hakari swarmed from Erisor’s arcane doorways with regimented decorum, fifty elves abreast in endless ranks. Mounted upon flying ships and giant beasts the nobles of the Hakari lorded over their cronies from the back of the legions. Many of these doorways had formed near populated areas of Ajur, there was little time to mount a defense or flee before the Hakari war machine was upon the civilian population. There was no mercy offered from the enemy, they simply slaughtered all they could find, once they had secured several of the main cities of Ajur the Hakari left those left with enough sense to run to serve as terrified emissaries, sowing fear in the rest of the populous.
In under a week the races of Ajur had fallen from their lofty perch, crushed under the might of the Hakari, many were forced to flee east, where the Hakari influence unknown. There were many pockets of resistance, staunch defenders of Ajur, many were ragtag bunches, barely militia, formed of patriotic or crazed individuals. Many communities were eradicated in the weeks after the initial incursion, their bodies left in huge pyres to burn, sending smoke signals of death to any within eyeshot.
A month passed and the beleaguered refugees and armies of Ajur heard from their new genocidal enemy. A single being, lithe, beautiful and predatory, stood before the remaining nobility, military generals and governing hosts of Ajur’s major empires. His words cut through the assembled crowd like a sword through stomach lining.
“I have been chosen to deliver this edict, to you, the newly sprung bastard children of an unwholesome womb. The true masters of Ajur have returned from their exile, your unwanted stewardship is at an end, as are your petulant empires and indeed your very lives. There will be no diplomacy, there will be mercy, and you will all taste defeat at the point of Hakari steel. If you wish you may send your own souls to the false gods that lord over your inferior forms and save my brethren the trouble, the manner of your death matters not however, for each of you will know the heat of the pyre soon enough.”
The emissary then evaporated in a wispy shadow before the awestruck crowd, his speech still ringing in their shocked ears.
Gingerbread men.
The Jezzik, newly arrived on Ajur from millennia in subjugation grew to love this new world and its freedom. They fought the Hakari with unrelenting zeal in an attempt to stem the tide of the Hakari war machine, but their numbers were too scattered to do much damage. The first encounters the Jezzik had with Ajur’s natives were sometimes bloody affairs, the natives’ reactions ones of fear and hatred to anything and anyone that had come from the Erisor gateways. Eventually word got to many Human and Tesh communities of staunch clay figures fighting the Hakari at every chance, many sending spies to investigate.
After surveying these mysterious construct beings, diplomatic ties were instigated, as many felt that the enemy of my enemy must be a friend, and so, slow at first, the Jezzik were offered amnesty within Human and Tesh communities. Many felt that being creations of the Hakari the Jezzik should all be turned to rubble, that they were spies sent to subvert the remaining resistance of the newly growing Hakari Empire. This sentiment in recent times has slowly began to dissipate with the acts of many Jezzik the stuff of tavern gossip and spoken with an air of awe.
Dark age.
A new shadow has fallen across the face of Ajur, the Hakari are now fully entrenched in several key sites, many of the main cities of humanity and Tesh are laid to waste, left to slowly smolder and degrade. The refugees of the now defunct nations are rebuilding their lives and often recruited into military service due to the many casualties.
The spirits of Ajur are in an uproar however some Hakari malignance blocks much of their efforts, an unknown type of magic that subverts the natural law.
These are dark times that call for brave individuals to take up arms against the external threat of the Hakari and the internal threats of subterfuge, civil war and other political intrigues.
Character Classes of Ajur.
The people of Ajur are a crafty and diverse lot from all walks of life. Provided in this chapter are many of the different character classes on offer for any denizen of Ajur or indeed Erisor.
Dragon Shaman:
The Dragons of Ajur are magnificent beings, powerful, graceful, fear inspiring and intelligent, for any who have stared upon their majesty; it would be folly to not admit their greatness. As a Dragon Shaman you have dedicated your life to a particular dragon, developing a symbiotic relationship with this giant magical creature, providing you with an array of magical abilities while the Dragon gains a loyal ally and agent.
A melee combatant with a dazzling selection of supernatural abilities, the Dragon Shaman is not simply a hack and slash meat shield, she can provide your entire party with powerful auras that strengthen their resolve or allow them to mend bone and knit flesh. Such is their power that at high levels Dragon Shamans gain both the aide and favor of their dragon sponsor, absorb titanic amounts of damage and heal the blind or deaf with a touch.
Element Bender:
Air, Earth, Fire and Water, each of the four elements together comprise the entirety of Ajur. Benders seek to tap into a part of this elemental power, through strict training and arduous physical and mental exercises.
Element Bending masters are awe inspiring combatants, one with their chosen element; they can turn aside their foes with ease.
The Element Bending classes (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water) are different in many aspects, due to their individual elemental seed lists and DC orientated casting nature, however their primary role in an adventuring party is to be a ranged blaster, the Earth Bender and Fire Bender may find combat to be useful from time to time and the Water Bender can provide some healing ability, however their poor armour options leave a lot to be desired in many areas of melee and ranged attacks can be deadly.
Guru.
The ethereal realms and their sublime magic allow wise mortals to see into the immaterial worlds of past and future, of destiny and fate, to channel their mind and make their thoughts manifest. Such is the power of the Guru that she can weave this mist like substance from beyond the material plane and create supernatural energies for spiritual enlightenment and power.
A mystic with a vast repertoire of spells, the Guru bends the ethereal and astral to her whim, only hindered by her imagination and strength of mind. The Guru develops her power through strict regimens of meditation coupled with hundreds of hours of research. The Guru pays homage to the many spirits of Ajur for protection, wisdom and guidance whilst on her spiritual exploration, for astral traveling the other planes of existence can be disconcerting and downright dangerous to the ill informed.
Herald:
Words have power, one word from the right magistrate can save a criminals life, or condemn it. Any literate person can tell you the thrill of a good book, how it can inspire and move the reader.
Some take this belief of word power a step further, developing an understanding of the words themselves, and their secret magic. These individuals are called Heralds, or as some are known ‘Wordsmiths’. These Wordsmiths bring their unique brand of magic to the common people and aristocratic alike. Equal parts storyteller, vagabond, spy, lore gatherer and rabble rouser the Herald plays many parts during their lives, often going by different aliases, gathering fame or infamy as their exploits are in turn told to all who will listen.
At first glance the Herald may appear very Bard like due to their flavor; however the Herald is no fifth wheel character. They have their place as the figurehead for any party of erstwhile adventurers; their healthy allotment of skill points and spells doesn’t go astray either, allowing this jack of all trades class to ensnare her opponent’ mind with a word, or coax their soul to simply shed its mortal coil, think Gandalf with less beard.
Knight:
Glory in combat; this is the true calling for any Knight. The rushes of adrenalin as you smite your enemy’s skull into two blood spraying halves. To feel the rough and tumble of the earth as you charge headlong at your opponent, dashing his defenses, and sundering his body.
Glory comes at a price however, a code of conduct must be observed, any simple fool can take up arms and attack their fellow man. One must always honor ‘The Code’ to truly be called a Knight.
The true tin soldier, a Knight revels in frontline combat, bedecked in their armour, often riding upon a stout charger; he crashes upon the enemy like a relentless wave upon the beach.
Part crusader, part meat shield, the Knight follows The Code, a set of principles that give the adherer martial powers and blessings to defeat his chosen foes. The Knight is the best front line combatant an adventuring party can afford, and while his skill repertoire isn’t that impressive, the Knight is good at what he does, and can stick around long enough to keep doing it.
Stalker:
All armies need those who have a keen eye and keener mind, often to gather information, to strike at enemy weaknesses, or to simply ‘remove’ a threat. Such is the life of the Stalker, mostly a lonely affair, spent silently awaiting their next mark, each stalker brings a swath of deadly attacks to bear and the range of efficient skills to make sure that sometimes, all you need is one clean attack to take your victim down.
The stalker is your slice and dice assassin meets sniper, skilled to the eyeballs to get the best out of all those checks you’ll need to make, sneaking stealthily behind your mark before piano wire garroting them to oblivion. You can focus on either melee or ranged combat, or a little of both, but don’t spread yourself too thin.
Warlock:
The entropic void is home to many unnamed and indescribable denizens, whispering sweet words of power to those mad or strong willed enough to listen. While neither good nor evil, the void provides the secrets for many individuals to uncover and master; however most come at a cost.
The Warlock is the classic medieval conjurer, calling upon otherworldly beings for power and information to aide his allies or to quench the life from his enemies. The Hakari elves were the first to discover the power of binding void spirits to their will, and this has given the class a sinister and unnatural reputation in the eyes of Ajur’ other sentient races. The power gained by this much maligned source is not to be underestimated however.
White Raven:
Blending incredible swordsmanship with subtle magic, the White Raven is an apt tactician that can bolster his allies with both offensive and defensive capabilities.
Named after the founder of this style of combat expertise as well as being an ancient portent for victory, a White Raven can strike fear into the hearts of many enemies. White Ravens are not front line melee fighters, they like to aide other members of their team, directing pin point attacks at weak spots, splintering their enemies defense and resolve with lightning efficiency.
Cooperation, teamwork and leadership are the three keystones to the White Raven philosophy.
White Ravens are first and foremost a melee class, however due to their lack of armour they will not last long when pushed to the front lines. Their power is a subtle one allowing the whole adventuring party to converge at a single point to defeat their opponents with effective attacks. A master of maneuvering, the White Raven need not play second fiddle to other characters; however his strength lies with his ability to command.