Классы

Most of the player character classes available in the SRD are also available to choose in Midnight. There are a few notable exceptions, but mechanically, most classes follow their same basic rules. Thematically, however, some of these classes are very different. This chapter goes through each of the classes in turn. It discusses how they fit into the world of Midnight, and how each type of character may be perceived by the people around them. It also discusses the classes that are not playable in Midnight, and why that is.

Варвар

Battle is a constant fact of life in Midnight, and in times when training is rare and weapons are outlawed, fury is often all that a warrior has left. Barbarians have become increasingly common among the free peoples of Eredane since the end of the Third Age, especially among the Kurgun dwarves, as they give in to their rage at the daily destruction of their way of life. Some Erunsil, Danisil, and Clan Dwarves also forego their training and finesse and take on the mantle of these brutal warriors. Amongst the various cultures of humanity, the Dorns once boasted many barbarians within their fighting ranks, and all of their foes feared the fury of their berserkers. However, the most terrifying Dornish warriors died in the Shadow’s last invasion, and would-be barbarian warriors are all too likely to be slain by Izrador’s armies before they become any real threat. In all of occupied Erenland, any barbarians who exist are likely to be common folk oppressed and abused to a point where all they can do is lash out in furious rage. Of course, there is one culture in Eredane that embraces the way of the barbarian amongst its warriors. The orcs of Izrador’s legions are raised to be vicious, merciless, and unrelenting, all traits that fit well with a barbarian’s way of war.

Бард

Bards do exist in Eredane, though they are not the merry singers and entertainers some might associate with that name. Instead, bards tend to be wandering gossipmongers and storytellers, roaming from town to town to stay ahead of the Shadow while negotiating the news they learn and some brief song or merriment for a place to lay their head and a few meager morsels for their dinner. But what sets bards apart from all the other wanderers and refugees is their affinity with magic, a skill they almost universally attempt to keep hidden. Their arcane gifts doom them to a lifetime of being hunted amongst the occupied lands. But it can also make them dangerous foes of the Shadow. Cast as enemies of Izrador by their birth, those bards who survive long enough tend to become spies and messengers for the various factions of the resistance. If they are extremely lucky, they may even be able to make their way to the free lands of Eredane and receive formal training in the arcane arts. The elves and dwarves of Eredane have their own bardic traditions that have been preserved somewhat in the Age of Shadow. A few still serve as entertainers for a war-weary populace, but most put their skills to use on the front lines. Bards can be just as skilled with a bow or blade as their fellow warriors, but their greatest value is in inspiring their comrades to fight on when all seems lost.

Жрец - НЕДОСТУПЕН

There is only one god in Midnight, and that means the only clerics on Aryth are the legates who pledge themselves to Izrador. Thus, the clerics one encounters in Eredane are universally evil servants of a malign power, and the sworn enemies of the resistance. More on legates can be found on page 288. Clerics are not a class choice for player characters.

Друид

Druids gain magic from Aryth and from all those who walk upon its surface. Like wizards, they tap into the weave of magic that ebbs and flows across the world. But druids utilize that magic by maintaining balance and living in rhythm with the forces of nature. Perhaps, then, it is unsurprising that the elves and halflings of Eredane maintained the strongest druidic traditions even before the Last Age. Both peoples have an unsurpassed bond with the natural world. Druids known as currentspeakers could also be found amongst the gnomes. As for the various human cultures and the dwarven clans, druids of those peoples tended to be isolated hermits, treated with some distrust and even fear. Then, of course, the Shadow fell. In the occupied lands, most druids were rounded up and slain, or in some cases pledged their loyalty to Izrador in exchange for their lives. Any human, gnome, or halfling druids are twice as isolated as before, living far from civilization in hopes of escaping the Shadow’s eye, or fighting desperately with the last remnants of the free forces for their survival.

Воин

Martial warriors have become a rare sight in the occupied lands, unless they bear Izrador’s device upon their breast. In most settings, fighters are masters of martial training and weaponry, both of which are in short supply. This means that most fighters in Eredane either possess some innate knack for mayhem and violence or have received some training in secret from one of the insurgent groups that fight against the Shadow
Only in the lands of the elves and dwarves can a fighter find specialized martial training, as those lands’ leaders attempt to fill the depleted ranks of their battered armies. Otherwise, most fighters learn how to swing a weapon or parry a blow in the most unforgiving classroom: the battlefield. For these reasons, a player character who chooses the fighter class is more likely representing their capacity or raw potential to be a fighter, not specialized training. There is an exception, of course. Many of the soldiers in the Shadow’s armies are trained fighters. Occasionally, one might have their eyes open to the evil cause they serve. It’s a grim irony that some of the best fighters in the various resistance forces are deserters from Izrador’s legions.

Монах - НЕДОСТУПЕН

While some monastic orders have existed in Eredane for many centuries, they almost inevitably have been devoted to the study of some realm of knowledge or to introspection. Some of the more studious orders of legates may maintain a few monastic retreats as well. None of these, however, have ever studied the concept of ki, as that does not exist on Aryth. Monks are not a class choice for player characters.

Паладин

Paladins do exist in Midnight, though they are very different from the paladins in other settings. Most importantly, because there are no other gods save Izrador, a paladin does not worship a deity or draw power from their faith. Instead, they rely on the power of their convictions. A paladin might believe in justice for the oppressed, in freedom for those enslaved by the Shadow, or simply that doing good is even more important in these grim and desperate times. But they hold their convictions so strongly that they are able to produce miracles: healing the sick, inspiring the frightened, and even smiting their foes with radiant energy. For this reason, the agents of the Shadow despise paladins above all others. Because a paladin’s power comes from within, they cannot be scented by astiraxes and the other tools the legate Witch Takers use to track those with magical aptitudes. Though paladins are very rare individuals, those amongst the elves and dwarves often rise to positions of command in their armies. Meanwhile, paladins in the occupied lands tend to be drifters traveling from town to village, doing what good they can before fleeing their inevitable pursuers. Over the decades, a few paladins have fallen in with resistance groups, which tend to view these warriors as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, each is worth ten skilled swords in battle and can often heal a dying comrade with a touch. But on the other, the purity of their fervor means that paladins may not agree with many resistance groups’ more underhanded tactics.

Paladin Faith

A paladin’s spellcasting abilities cannot be tracked by an astirax or similar tools employed by the legates. This does not change the mechanics of a paladin’s spellcasting abilities, and anyone who witnesses them casting spells still assumes it is some form of magic.

Следопыт

Before the time of the fallen god’s reign, there were those who lived not only in the wilderness, but with it. These rangers knew the land and its inhabitants as well as a farmer knew their fields. They could identify medicinal herbs and roots, find a quick source of food, and use the land as a weapon against their enemies. As the forces of the Shadow marched through Eredane, these wildlanders retreated into the primeval forests and high mountains they knew so well. Some chose to fight against Izrador’s armies, but these were few, and they could only help delay the inevitable. Now, many see the wildlanders as cowards and traitors who allowed the Shadow in the North to conquer Erenland. However, the wildlanders are one of the only groups to have escaped the grasp of the Night Kings and their fell armies. Their skills in moving through the wilderness without being seen are becoming paramount to the forces of good that are fighting a desperate and ongoing battle against Izrador and his minions. In addition, their bond with the land and nature is so strong that they can do things that others may see as magical. Most current wildlanders are themselves descended from the rangers who retreated in the face of Izrador’s forces. They were trained by their parents in the ways of the wilderness, and as a result, they have a deep understanding of the lands around them. They tend to be isolated from others of their kind, and their social development in most cases has been inadequate at best. Other wildlanders are peasants who chose to live in the wild to escape the bonds of servitude that the Night Kings have forced upon their family and friends. These rangers learned their craft the hard way and tend toward using their skills to hamper the servants of Izrador whenever possible. As a result of their relatively normal upbringing, these wildlanders tend to understand and have better relations with others of their kind.

Ranger’s Spellcasting

A ranger’s spellcasting abilities cannot be tracked by an astirax or similar tools employed by the legates. This does not change the mechanics of a ranger’s spellcasting abilities, and anyone who witnesses them casting spells still assumes it is some form of magic.

Плут

If rogues are common in other settings, they are a plague in Midnight. After all, much of the continent is under occupation by a brutal enemy force that rewards those who divulge secret information or take advantage of their fellows. Their combination of stealth, offensive, and defensive capabilities ensures that they are common and capable members of every people and culture, whether they call themselves warriors, assassins, criminals, spies, or opportunists.

Чародей (Sorcerer)

Even in these desperate times, magic use can randomly appear among any of the peoples of Eredane. Sorcerers are still born amongst the Sarcosans, Dorns, and Erenlanders. Most are snatched up by Izrador’s Witch Takers, doomed to be enslaved as captive spellcasters or sacrificed to the black mirrors to feed the Shadow’s insatiable appetites for magical power. However, occasionally a parent can hide their child’s powers long enough to spirit them to safety with one of the insurgent groups in the occupied territories. The same holds true for halfling sorcerers born into slavery. Only the gnomes, with their extensive smuggling contacts and some measure of autonomy, can keep a magic user hidden from the legates. Amongst the dwarves and elves, sorcerers are more common, and they are almost inevitably drafted into the ongoing war. Dwarven and elven sorcerers are often brought to the front lines at an even younger age than their kin, so desperate is the need for their abilities. There, if they survive, they quickly learn how to steer their powers toward destruction. Sorcerers may even manifest amongst the orcs of Izrador’s legions. However, any orc who shows innate magical aptitude is quickly spirited away by the high priestesses who rule the orc legions. None know what becomes of these individuals.

Волшебник (Wizard)

Wizards are incredibly rare in the occupied lands. The study of magic is forbidden under pain of death, and the Witch Takers are constantly on the lookout for rogue wizards. Most spellbooks in the occupied territories have long since been consigned to the pyre. To become a wizard in Erenland, a character must discover an undestroyed spellbook locked away somewhere or have the rare fortune of meeting a more experienced wizard. Even then, as soon as the would-be apprentice learns their first cantrip, they can be sniffed out by the legates’ astiraxes or simply betrayed by a neighbor in exchange for a few coins and crusts of bread. There are, however, wizards in the Great Forest of Erethor and the Kaladrun Mountains. The dwarves and elves still train some in the mystical arts (the elves more than the dwarves), so most wizards come from one of these two peoples or were raised in one of these last bastions after having fled the Shadow.

Колдун (Warlock) - НЕДОСТУПЕН

There are no warlocks in Midnight as they exist in other settings. Long ago, Aryth was cut off from the other planes of existence, meaning there are no extraplanar entities for warlocks to pledge themselves to. While some such entities became trapped on Aryth during the Sundering, for one to form a bond with a mortal would be a rare and bizarre event, very unlike those depicted in the warlock class description in the SRD. Warlocks are not a class choice for player characters.

The Rare Gift and Curse of Magic

On Aryth, magic is a gift that few folk have and even fewer master. Ever since the Sundering, the world has been cut off from many sources of magic, and while magic still exists in the world, it has become increasingly difficult to call upon over the centuries. This means that wizards, mages, druids, and spellcasters of all types are a rare sight in the world. Most commoners have never even seen a spell being cast and certainly have never benefited from magic in any way. You and your fellow players, however, are not playing average folk. Since magic does exist on Aryth, you may build your character from most of the spellcasting classes that exist in the game. However, you should keep two things in mind when making a character who can cast spells. First, if you choose to play a spellcaster, your character will be one of the rare few who can use magic. When you visit a town, you are likely the only spellcaster present, and you may be the only magic user to have walked the streets for years or even decades. If you use your gifts openly, you will be noticed. Rumors and stories of your existence will spread like wildfire, or even faster if some of your companions can use magic too. Secondly, magic use in any of the occupied lands is illegal, save for its use by Izrador’s legates and armies. The fallen god sees magic as one of the biggest threats to his continued reign, and he has slaughtered whole villages to find a single hedge wizard. To be a magic user in Midnight is to have the ire of a god focused on you, and most do not survive the experience long.

Mysteries of Magic

From the ancient wisdom of the elves, we know that magic flows through all the world. Our world is made up not only of things that we can easily grasp, but also of forces that are often concealed from our view and comprehension. These things, too, are touched by the magic of Aryth. This magic flows through time, through the long history of the world, and it colors and even guides the lives of individuals and the course of nations. This is the magic of fate. The world of Aryth is not just the ground below us, the sky above us, and all things in between; it is the thread of destiny that leads us from our past, through our present, and into our future. And just as the magic of Aryth seeks a just and proper balance in the natural world, so too does it seek order in history. The world has a destiny that is right for it, that belongs to it, and the magic of Aryth is always searching for this destiny, reaching for it, blindly but with great purpose. The rare people who stand at the crossroads of this magic, who shake the foundations of kingdoms and turn the course of events, we call heroes. When the Shadow in the North corrupted the Night Kings, it was not merely a corruption of mortals, but a corruption of the magic of fate and destiny. But the magic of Aryth has not been stilled. Even in this bleak time, it strives to find its proper course once again. Just as the mortal vessel battles the disease that smothers the spark of life, so too does the magic of the world struggle against the dominion of the Shadow. New heroes will arise, driven by fate, to lead the world out of darkness and herald the coming of a new dawn. – Aran Noros of the Sahi Priesthood, Commentaries on Vesra’s Prophecies of the Last Age