5th Edition,  Coldforged,  D&D,  World Building

Coldforged: Class Treatment Part III


Each Thursday this year, I focus on a different aspect of the world I’ve created and played D&D in for over 20 years, in the hopes of honing the ideas and cementing enough in place to settle the world in my own mind. This week I talk about how each class of character is viewed by the different regions and kingdoms. This is the third and final part of three, as this is a much larger concept than I’d originally anticipated!

Rogue

  • Levisha – While those in Levisha do value personal freedoms and aspire to a live and let live philosophy, this absolutely does not extend to theft, murder and other forms of absolutely criminal activity. They tolerate rogues only so long as they are contributing, and not detracting from, the freedom of others.
  • Thrax – Thraxians tolerate direct confrontation and shows of might as the methodology to create a strong and powerful society. Rogues tend to subvert this with their more devious and cunning ways. In a fight, however, if you’re able to get to the soft spots and vulnerable areas of an enemy you can become invaluable. Rogues who focus on combat and are less concerned about stealth and subterfuge are accepted readily.
  • Killbarum – The cities and population have, when not yearning for the status and ability of arcane power, created a folk hero narrative around many of the rogues and thieves in the Republic. They are seen as fighting for the little man and creating a space in society that anyone, regardless of magical abilities, can excel.
  • Tyndaria – the Tyndarian Kingdoms have outlawed many types of thieving, briganding and other past times of the regular rogue, and hold them fast, with the majority of the population looking down on the shady and questionable dealings of these rogue individuals. intelligence, though, is a prime commodity in the 10 Kingdoms, so those few who peddle in information tend to have their lesser crimes passed over.
  • Drimmak – There is little room in the society of the Drimm to allow or tolerate such dastardly ways. While there may be times that the shadier side of things is accepted as necessary, it should be undertaken by the most straightforward way possible. an ambush ends with a charge, a rear assault begins with a harsh battle cry.
  • Brokensail – In a world that revolves around tribute, bribery, and high seas piracy, the abilities of many rogues are invaluable. In addition to the skills they are likely to pick up that are useful at sea, they can function in light armor, fight with the best of them, and are unlikely to be tripped up by a random rope or swinging bowsprit that comes at them.

Sorcerer

  • Levisha – Magic flows through the blood of many of the inhabitants of Levisha, and sorcery is not an unknown quantity. However, valuing training more than inborn skill, Sorcery is generally looked down on compared to wizardry. Still, powerful sorcerers are respected, especially if they dedicate their lives to improving Levisha, and do not squander their talents.
  • Thrax – According to Thraxians, the essence of dragons, giants, and demons all run strong in the blood of their kinds. These powers revealing themselves is seen as a boon and portent of great deeds to come. Thraxians treasure sorcerers and see them guided through life with dedicated guards and harsh teachers.
  • Killbarum – There is little difference in the mind of a Killbaran between Sorcery and Wizardry. Arcane power, innate or learned, is the spark necessary to rule the world. Sorcerers can hold the highest positions in the government, and are often, along with wizards and warlocks, simply referred to as Arcanists.
  • Tyndaria – Many High houses claim bloodlines that include powerful creatures, gods and other beings that empower their families to the heights they have achieved. Exhibiting these traits is seen as a sign of good luck for the house, and for the family. However, the sorcerous power is looked to as something that must be controlled and bent to the will of the house, often causing disastrous results before the child learned to truly control themselves.
  • Drimmak – The Drimm hold little opinion on sorcerous power, and its appearance is neither one for celebration nor one for grief. The sorcerer will do their part for the clan as best as possible, and if they do not because they see themselves as special or different, they will be educated in the error of their ways as anyone else would be.
  • Brokensail – Sorcerers, especially those who can control and work with the weather, are valuable and powerful allies. They have magical powers that can shape the waters and assist with pirating at the same time, making them useful in both a fight and at sea, something that comes in very handy to have aboard a sailing ship.

Warlock

  • Levisha – Oaths binding your will and your soul to another being are looks fairly askance in Levisha, and it is a pretty obvious sign of alarm for anyone paying attention. There are, however, those entities whose agenda aligns with those in Levisha, so warlocks are tolerated until they prove themselves untrustworthy or unreliable when they are exiled with extreme prejudice.
  • Thrax – One of the easiest ways to gain might and prestige, is by gaining and maintaining powerful allies, and what is a warlock but someone who has gained one of the most powerful allies. Seen as being worthy of great patronage, the Warlocks are seen as natural leaders and worthy advisors.
  • Killbarum – Magical power, no matter the source, is a respected and viable way of gaining political power. Some people have only one option to gain that power, and it is by making a pact with greater powers than those that reside on the world itself. while it is seen as an act of last resort, it is not looked down on and is in fact celebrated for the bravery it takes to enter into these compacts.
  • Tyndaria – Making a pact with a damnable being that is likely trying to invade and destroy the known world isn’t a great idea for a Tyndarian. While there are some beneficial pacts that can be made, benefiting both sides, Tyndarians are distrustful and admitting that you’re in league with an extraplanar being is likely to produce reactions that are extremely unfavorable to the party in question.
  • Drimmak – Those who are looking for power and potential beyond what the clan can provide often go looking for power in strange and dark places, and it is strongly looked down on for anyone to evoke, and make pacts with, dangerous beings. It is seen not only as an abandonment of your personal betterment, but it is also putting the clan at risk, as your benefactor may demand unsavory acts at any moment.
  • Brokensail – Much like sorcerers, Arcanists who are able to also fight in a pinch are of great use to those from Brokensail. Being able to both assist outside of times of conflict, and chip in with both melee and arcane power when the time comes makes the warlock a desired and useful companion for those abords the ships of Brokensail.

Wizard

  • Levisha – The study of magic and it’s arcane tenents is a long and arduous process that often takes hundreds of years. In Levisha, anyone who can dedicate several human lifetimes to the study of a single concept is admired, and wizards are the epitome of that concept, often holding great positions of power and strong leadership among the people of the Forest of Lev.
  • Thrax – While it’s not unheard of for Thraxians to gain arcane power the old fashioned way, there are clearly easier and quicker ways to gain power, if one wants it bad enough. Wizards in Thrax are playing the long game in a system that often rewards flexibility and adaptability. That said, of a Thraxian wizard can survive long enough, they often become powerful figures.
  • Killbarum – There is no more respected profession in the Republic of Killbarum than that of Wizard. Even among the supposedly equal Arcanists, that of the studious and wise wizard is treated as a master among equals, even by those who acquire their arcane talent in other ways. They are the first to be elected to positions of power and the first choice to lead both the army and politics.
  • Tyndaria – Generals learn the art of war through long hours of study, practice, and a good bit of luck. Wizards learn the art of magic in much the same way, and Tyndarians respect the work that goes into becoming a master of the arcane. Houses hold to the belief, like that of sorcerers, that their bloodlines are linked to specific forms of arcane knowledge, powers, and traditions. Those of lower houses hold no such belief and can practice what they wish, while those of high houses are steered towards the two or three magical schools that they are seen as having a birthright for.
  • Drimmak -Wizardry among the Drimm, for generations, was considered an oddity and something that was to be approached with ridicule and scorn. It has, however, come to light in the last few generations that a strong wizard is a boon both to the clan and the community as a whole, able to provide knowledge, arcane might, and often foresight into the future. It’s proven itself a valuable tool and one that Drimm often regret not having turned to earlier.
  • Brokensail – Wizards, despite all their power and magic, are often physically helpless and very likely frail and weak. Very little of this inspires the desire of any brokensail captain to take on onboard their ships and hire them for their crew. Unable to pull their weight, likely to end up overboard, and unable to swing, they are more headaches then they are worth.