Tempest Harbinger

Career

Qualifications

1. Innate Connection to the Elements:
   • Affinity with Storms: Tempest Harbingers are typically born with an innate connection to the forces of nature. From a young age, they may experience intense storms, unnatural weather patterns, or even the ability to cause small storms unintentionally when emotionally disturbed. This connection is usually a sign of their potential to become a Harbinger.
   • Bloodline or Ancestry: Some Tempest Harbingers are born into ancient bloodlines known for their connection to elemental forces. These families may pass down elemental knowledge or magical rituals that enhance a person’s affinity for storms.


2. Magical Aptitude:
   • Arcane and Elemental Magic Training: To become a Tempest Harbinger, one must have mastery over both arcane and elemental magic. Most Harbingers begin training in basic elemental magic at a young age, learning to manipulate the forces of wind, lightning, and thunder. This training is usually done under the tutelage of a master or within an elemental cult or guild.
   • Weather Magic Mastery: This involves specialized training to manipulate the weather and harness its power. Tempest Harbingers study meteorological patterns and natural cycles, learning how to call down lightning, create windstorms, or cause rains to fall.


3. Physical Endurance and Toughness:
   • Surviving the Elements: To prove their worth, many Tempest Harbingers undergo trials where they must survive in the harshest of weather conditions, often standing in the midst of fierce storms or enduring extreme temperatures. Only those who can withstand the power of nature without succumbing to it are considered fit for the role.
   • Weather Resistance: Some Tempest Harbingers train to resist the damaging effects of lightning strikes or powerful winds. This could involve protective magic or rituals that make them immune to certain elemental forces.


4. Emotional Control and Discipline:
   • Emotional Synchronisation: A Tempest Harbinger’s connection to the storm is deeply emotional. Their ability to control weather is often linked to their internal balance. A Harbinger who cannot control their emotions may accidentally summon violent storms or lightning strikes. Training often involves meditation, rituals of calmness, and learning to align one’s own emotions with the natural world.
   • Balance Between Aggression and Calm: In some cases, Tempest Harbingers can be volatile or wrathful, while others may be calm and peaceful. Both temperaments are needed, depending on the specific role the Tempest Harbinger is meant to play. Some may serve as peacekeepers, while others might act as warriors of destruction.

Career Progression

1. Stormbound Initiate
   Responsibilities:
   • Learning the basics of elemental magic and forming a bond with the forces of nature.
   • Training in controlling wind and minor weather patterns, such as summoning breezes or light rain.
   • Studying the lore and history of storms, including legends of past Harbingers.
   
   Path to Promotion:
   • Must demonstrate the ability to summon a small storm without losing control.
   • Successfully survive the first trial: enduring a storm under the guidance of a mentor.


2. Gale Adept
   Responsibilities:
   • Acting as an assistant to higher-ranking Harbingers, aiding in minor weather manipulation and defence of settlements.
   • Beginning combat training with storm-forged weapons and basic self-defence techniques. Strengthening their bond with their emotions and natural surroundings to avoid uncontrolled surges of power.
   
   Path to Promotion:
   • Complete a service mission, such as protecting a town from a storm or aiding in agricultural needs through controlled weather.
   • Successfully navigate the Trial of the Winds, where the Adept must summon and disperse a strong gale without external help.


3. Thunderblade
   Responsibilities:
   • Becoming skilled in the offensive use of storm magic, including summoning lightning strikes and creating powerful wind barriers.
   • Taking on solo missions, such as defending trade caravans or leading combat operations.
   • Representing the Tempest Harbingers in diplomatic matters or elemental disputes.
   
   Path to Promotion:
   • Master the use of lightning as a precise and controlled weapon.
   • Prove their mettle in the Trial of Thunder, which involves surviving and manipulating a lightning storm to achieve a set goal (e.g., destroying a specific target).


4. Skywarden
   Responsibilities:
   • Overseeing a region or territory, using their powers to maintain weather harmony and protect against natural disasters.
   • Leading teams of lower-ranked Harbingers in larger-scale operations, such as combat missions or disaster relief efforts.
   • Acting as an intermediary between elemental beings and mortal communities, negotiating peace or support.
   
   Path to Promotion:
   • Must be chosen by a council of Skywardens or by the elemental forces themselves during a significant event, such as a great storm.
   • Prove their mastery in the Trial of Balance, where they must summon and sustain a storm that aids a community without causing harm.


5. Tempest Marshal
   Responsibilities:
   • Commanding large contingents of Tempest Harbingers in battle, natural crisis management, or diplomatic missions.
   • Crafting and safeguarding ancient storm-forged relics and ensuring their responsible use.
   • Serving as a spiritual leader, guiding others in maintaining the balance between destruction and renewal.
   
   Path to Promotion:
   • Must demonstrate unmatched mastery over storm magic, such as the ability to control an entire region’s weather.
   • Complete the Trial of the Tempest, where the candidate must stand in the heart of a massive storm and bend its power to their will without losing control.


6. Stormcaller Exemplar
   Responsibilities:
   • Serving as the highest authority among Tempest Harbingers, setting guidelines and overseeing the order’s traditions.
   • Acting as a direct mediator between elemental forces and the mortal world. Stormcaller Exemplars often serve as advisers to rulers and guardians of the natural order.
   • Training promising Harbingers and passing down the secrets of ancient storm magic.

Payment & Reimbursement

Tempest harbingers are paid exceedingly well, often making them rather wealthy.

Other Benefits

Tempest Harbingers are widely respected, even revered, for their ability to tame the chaos of storms. They are often treated as spiritual leaders or heroes, granted positions of honour within their communities and sought after for counsel. This respect is frequently accompanied by tangible rewards, such as wealth, land, or titles, provided by grateful rulers or townspeople. Many Harbingers also gain access to exclusive knowledge, including ancient elemental artefacts and secret rites passed down through their ranks.

Perception

Purpose

Tempest harbingers not only fight against catastrophic storms, they also prevent natural disasters, as well as aiding Saints in battle against the Time’s Veil cultists, and even providing aid and relief to those who’ve been affected by the storms.

History

The history of the Tempest Harbingers is as old as the storms themselves, rooted in the ancient relationship between mortals and the untamed forces of nature. The profession emerged not from ambition or conquest but from necessity- a response to the chaos and destruction wrought by the uncontrollable tempests that once ravaged Aeldrithius.
In the earliest days, storms were seen as the wrath of elemental fae, unleashed upon the world for mortal transgressions. Entire villages were wiped away by hurricanes, crops were drowned by relentless rains, and lightning burned forests to ash. In their desperation, the first mortals turned to the elemental beings themselves, offering prayers, sacrifices, and promises of servitude in exchange for protection. It is said that the first Tempest Harbinger, a mortal named Kaelis Stormroot, was chosen by the winds themselves. According to legend, Kaelis stood unyielding in the heart of a storm, pledging to wield its power not for personal gain but to protect and preserve the balance of nature.
The story of Kaelis marked the beginning of the Harbingers as an organised group. Early Harbingers were solitary figures, wandering the land to bring aid where storms had struck. They were seen as both saviours and enigmas, wielding powers few understood and claiming to act on behalf of the natural world itself. Over time, these individuals began to gather, forming the first Order of the Tempest, headquartered atop the Skydriven Peaks, where storms were most frequent. This sanctuary became a place of learning, where Harbingers shared techniques for channelling elemental energy and preserving the balance between destruction and renewal.
As civilisation advanced, the role of the Tempest Harbingers evolved. During the Era of the Elemental Wars, when elemental forces clashed with mortal armies, Harbingers became warriors, wielding storms to protect their homelands from destruction. Their reputation grew as tales spread of their ability to summon lightning to shatter enemy lines or call forth winds to scatter invaders. This era also saw the codification of their training, with the establishment of Trials to test a candidate's worthiness and skill.
In the centuries that followed, the Harbingers transitioned from warriors to stewards of balance. During the Age of Reclamation after the year 500, when mortals sought to heal the scars left by the wars, the Harbingers focused on restoration. They used their powers to regrow forests, purify waters, and ensure steady rainfall for crops. It was during this period that the Skywarden Council was formed, creating a hierarchical structure to better govern the growing number of Harbingers and their responsibilities.
Despite their noble intentions, the Tempest Harbingers faced challenges, particularly during the Shadowed Tempests, a dark period when some Harbingers turned to destructive ambitions. Corrupted by their immense power, these rogue Harbingers brought ruin to entire regions, forcing the Order to intervene and re-establish strict oversight. The lessons of this era are embedded in their modern practices, with a strong emphasis on discipline, emotional control, and service to the greater good.
In the present day, the Tempest Harbingers are revered as protectors and mediators, wielding their ancient powers to defend the natural world and its inhabitants. Their history, marked by both triumph and hardship, serves as a reminder of the delicate balance they strive to uphold. The storms they command are no longer feared as harbingers of doom but respected as forces of transformation, wielded by those who dedicate their lives to honouring the legacy of Kaelis Stormroot and the ancient bond between mortals and the elements.

Operations

Dangers & Hazards

Being a Tempest Harbinger is a profession fraught with peril, as it involves wielding and confronting the raw, untamed power of nature’s most destructive forces. By its very nature, storm manipulation demands a delicate balance between control and chaos, and even the most experienced Harbingers are not immune to the inherent dangers. Every storm they summon, disperse, or battle carries the risk of injury, and the unpredictable nature of these forces means that even a minor miscalculation can lead to devastating consequences.
Harbingers are often required to place themselves directly in the path of destruction, whether they are calming a hurricane threatening a settlement or using lightning strikes as a weapon in combat. In these high-stakes situations, a single mistake could result in severe harm, such as being struck by their own lightning, battered by gale-force winds, or caught in the centre of a natural disaster they failed to control. Furthermore, the storms themselves are not always cooperative; rogue tempests, influenced by elemental forces beyond mortal understanding, can resist even the most skilled manipulations, turning on their would-be master with deadly ferocity.
Additionally, prolonged exposure to the elements can take a toll on a Harbinger’s physical and mental well-being. The effort required to summon and sustain storms often drains their stamina, leaving them vulnerable to exhaustion or collapse at critical moments. The intense emotional connection they must maintain with the storm can also lead to psychological strain, as they must channel their own feelings—anger, grief, determination—into their magic while remaining in control. Failure to maintain this balance can result in a catastrophic loss of control, endangering not only the Harbinger but everyone around them.
Even outside of direct action, the risks remain high. Harbingers often operate in isolated or hazardous environments, such as storm-ravaged coastlines, frozen tundras, or mountain peaks lashed by perpetual winds. These locations, while rich in elemental power, are also rife with natural dangers, from landslides and avalanches to hostile wildlife. Moreover, their responsibilities can place them in conflict with other forces, such as rival Harbingers, corrupted elemental beings, or those who seek to exploit the power of storms for nefarious purposes.

Alternative Names

Storm men

Type

Agricultural / Fishing / Forestry