Classes of the Valley | shattered-gates

It isn't hard to justify the presence of any class with in the communities of the Valley of Obelisks. Some classes naturally gravitate to certain occupations and locations.

Barbarians

The settled lands of the Valley of Obelisks have few native barbarians. Some tribes wander along the northern periphery or the headwaters of the Marrilach River.
Occupations: Barbarians who come to the valley find work as caravan guards or soldiers, or as bandits who fight caravan guards and soldiers.

Character Concepts:

    The berserker who glares at everyone and lets an axe do the talking.
    The exotic hunter-gatherer who's curious but naive about civilization.
    The survivor who lived through a massacre or disaster that wiped out the tribe.

Bards

The art of song is particularly esteemed in the Valley of Obelisks. Performers are common, but only the best can call themselves bards.

Occupations: Every bard needs an audience, so the natural tendency is for bards to gravitate to larger cities such as Sumberton and Jewelford. The gnomes of Riverbend produce a number of bards as well. many of whom learn their craft in the traveling Riverbend Carnival.

Character Concepts

    The tale-spinner who's eager to hit the road, perform heroic deeds, and tell stories about them.
    The fencer minstrel who wields a rapier as well as he does a mandolin.
    The dabbler who's fascinated by ancient lore, delving into crumbling ruins and long-forgotten crypts in search of secret knowledge.

Clerics

The folk of the Valley of Obelisk are cosmopolitan enough to tolerate the worship of any non-evil deity. With no single religion dominating the area, clerics of many faiths are common .

Occupations: Sumberton's Pious Way has a number of major temples and is the region's center of religious learning, so clerics commonly come from there. Every town, village, and hamlet has churches and chapels that could benefit from the presence of a cleric.

Character Concepts

    The missionary who tries to convert others by way of speech and example.
    The shepherd who guides and protects others through the trials and dangers of life.
    The zealot who takes the role of a soldier in a battle between good and evil.

Druids

While the Valley of Obelisks is known as an agricultural region, much of its land has never felt the touch of a plow. But that doesn't mean such land isn't tended, for druids watch over the valley's wild places.

Occupations: Some druids are loners, safeguarding the wilderness as best they can. The majority of druids in the valley belong to one of three orders: the Druids of the Red Rock (Andrall Forest), the Mahogany Circle (West Oakwood), and the Vaathwood Guardians (Vaathwood).

Character Concepts

The innocent who simply wants to see all the splendors of the natural world, from the highest mountains to the deepest caverns.

The militant who wants to protect the wilderness from the taint of evil - or the corruption of civilization.
The mystic who seeks to better understand nature and divine magic.

Fighters

The Valley of Obelisks might be at peace, but it's far from peaceful. A strong sword arm is always an asset, and skill with a blade highly prized.

Occupations: Some fighters are soldiers in the national army, quartered in Sumberton or Castle Pendrant .Most are members of local militias under the command of a titled lord or another member of the nobility.

Character Concepts

    The glory hound who sees each battle as a test of skill and a building block of fame.
    The soldier who's fascinated with small-unit tactics and apt to suggest techniques such as "pincer movements" and "bounding overwatch,"
    The mysterious drifter who does good deeds, then wanders on in search of something - or away from something else.

Monks

Valley residents regard the marrial arts as exotic, but a few understand the power such discipline offers.

Occupations: Many monks receive their training in one of Sumberton's monasteries. A few learned their art at a temple in Sekletir or in foreign lands.

Character Concepts

    The seeker who travels from place to place, finding adventure almost by accident.
    The contemplative who uses martial arts as a path to enlightenment.
    The would-be master who strives to best the champions of other fighting styles.

Paladins

Evildoers like to lurk on civilization's frontier, so who better than a paladin to make sure the Valley of Obelisks
remains safe?

Occupations: The temples of Sumberton have paladin orders affiliated with them, and many paladins owe allegiance to the shrine at Sekletir.

Character Concepts

    The crusader who's a soldier with a righteous cause that nothing can stand in the way of.
    The honorable knight who tries to a live a life of virtue as an example to others.
    The reformer who undertakes quest after quest in an effort to make up for some past sin.

Rangers

A ranger's place is out on the frontier, and the Valley of Obelisks offers plenty of challenges on the edge of civilization.

Occupations: Rangers are more common in the valley's smaller communities than in the big cities. Many act as hunters, guides, and scouts. The village of Hemyulak in particular is known for the rangers it produces.

Character Concepts

    The wanderer who goes wherever the path leads, always eager to see new sights.
    The guerilla who learned how to use stealth and camouflage to reach behind enemy lines, set ambushes, commit sabotage, and fade into the wilderness.
    The hunter who takes pride in stalking prey, then dispatching it quickly and cleanly .

Rogues

With so many communities and ways of life in the valley, it's easy for a rogue to make a mark or to blend in unobtrusively.

Occupations: The skills rogues possess mean that a city life best suits most of them, but some rogues are bandits or scouts in the trackless wilds.

Character Concepts

    The mischief-maker who loves to embarrass authority figures and do the impossible.
    The killer trained from childhood to slay quickly and silently.
    The deceiver who uses disguise, stealth, and other skills to act like a fantasy version of a modern spy.

Sorcerers

The raw arcane power of the sorcerer can manifest without warning, so members of this class are found through out the Valley of Obelisks.

Occupations: A sorcerer or two can be found in most valley communities, using their spells to keep the peace, protect others, or cause trouble.

Character Concepts

    The dragon-descended who regards spells as a birthright from draconic ancestors.
    The meditator who's always trying to unlock the arcane secrets within the soul.
    The curious free spirit who uses experimentation and observation to master new spells.

Wizards

Sumberton alone is big enough to support an arcane college, so wizards are uncommon in the valley.

Occupations: Most wizards use their spells to earn a livelihood, often as members of the Scriveners Guild in Sumberton. A few live elsewhere, mostly as apprentices to hermit wizard s who came to the valley to enjoy solitude.

Character Concepts

    The scholar who treats magic like a field of scientific inquiry.
    The acquisitor who's always on the lookout for new spells and magic items.
    The intellectual who uses intelligence and magic to overcome physical frailty or social stigma.

Other Classes

There are many more classes not listed here. They are not as common as the ones already listed, but if you can find it in a printed D20 supplement, it probably will be allowed. After all, the Valley of Obelisks is a very, very big place...