War Savants

This philosophic group goes by many names locally and every king seeks their council and advice. These are philosophers are deeply concerned with combat, conflict, the cause of war and the resolutions, seen as warrior sages they are actually more diplomatic. Paradoxically it is their belief that war is a massive failure of civilization, and that they study it to prevent it, and when it does happen that it follows the forms laid out in the Precepts of Combat, a primary set of books that are both against war, and also how to prepare and conduct war.
They have three orders of service; The Shield, the Helm, and the Sword. The order of the shield specialize in rapid deployment to war zones to set up hospitals and to observe the combat and make note of side showing bad form. They will come in after the battle and collect the wounded of both sides. This order prefers light armor, heavy shields and cavalry weapons. their armor is painted bright light blue. To attack these observers and healers is usually cause for summary execution from the nearest officer. often times combatants will come to the Fortress Hall long after the war to find help fighting the trauma endured in the war. The order of the shield will assist them then too, as this is also a wound suffered in combat.
The Helm are the diplomatic corps, and they will act as 3rd party arbiters and try to resolve conflicts, though no sovereign is compelled to cooperate with them. They also will mediate during surrenders, armistices, and peace accords, sovereigns who break oaths to follow agreements will find the order lobbying their allies and neutral parties to sanction and avoid trading with that sovereign. If the order of the Shield has been targeted, or notes bad form during a conflict the Helm will ask the sovereign to punish the offending officers (from fines to death), and in some cases hand over the accused to the helm for judgement. If the sovereign refuses them in these requests they will repeat the request 3 times. After the fourth they will close their Fortress in the city and their order will never help that sovereign again. The offenders the sovereign is protecting will "be put to the sword". An honorable general or officer will refuse their sovereign and go with the Helm and face his punishment rather than let his city loose a powerful asset, a coward will hide behind a king, country be damned.
The Sword is the true militant wing. career soldiers, officers, leaders and specialists. The sword operates the Fortress Halls of the War Savants in towns and cities. These philosophers train fighters, town guard, soldiers and conscripts. This orders believes that the source of bad form is ignorance, and that combat when needed is quicker, more decisive and less bloody when soldiers are better trained and fully comprehend and are mindful of what they are about to do. Not only to they train combat techniques, but how to take a captive, what is the right way to surrender, what is the right form for a captor and prisoner, and never attack or target a member of the order of the Shield, or interfere with their work. They teach the correct forms of combat and war, the role of officers and conscripts. A smaller, elite contingent are a team of assassins who find and kidnap any officer who has shown poor form, and been protected by a sovereign. This is dangerous work, but required to impress on kings, princes and generals, that there is a price for everyone to pay in war. Once an offender is found they are taken out of the country and then tried for their crimes.
The accused, weather they go with the Helm or are Taken by the sword, they have 3 choices; plead guilty, defend their actions, or trial by combat. If they plead guilty, they are usually killed but the body is returned with honors to their country. If they can mount a defense and convince the panel of judges their actions were correct form they may be spared. If they take the trial by combat, they face off against 10 champions with sparing weapons. If they win they are branded with a mark and cast out into the wilderness. If they loose they are blinded and muted, crippled and stripped and left in the streets. The mark is known to all as the tear of disappointment. Kings will never commission someone with the tear into their army, first its bad form, second they have already been branded as untrustworthy.

Type

Religious, Deanery

Philosophical Clerics: These are your more traditional cleric, armored, martially trained, and uses war domain magic. If they are part of the Order of the shield they are either on their way to be an observer or on their way back, and in between conflicts they may adventure to heal or explore and spread the philosophy of war and teach the proper forms of combat. If they are order of the Helm they are more scholarly, strategic and tactical thinkers, diplomats and may have a mission to to deliver diplomatic papers, or looking for information on historical battles. Order of the Sword Clerics may be trainers, lecturers, sparing partners, or one of the many who may be asked to apprehend an officer being shielded from justice, or help transport one out of the reach of that sovereign, or one of the selected champions to fight the accused.
Philosophical Monks: There are several martial arts monasteries associated with the War philosophers, some are regionally closely associated and may share a fortress, others may be less integrated with the other orders and have their own fortress. These monks also belong to the shield, helm and sword orders, and perform quests and duties along side their cleric sisters.
Philosophical Paladins: These paladins are likewise followers of the forms of war and may either be protecting the order of the shield, escorting the order of the Helm, or training officers in the order of the sword. They are usually the champions who volunteer to fight the accused, and may have a duty to escort the victor out into the wilderness.

Other Classes: Because the war philosophers play an important role in geopolitics, and that numeria and magic can make combat asymmetrical they employ and retain many different kinds of classes of characters to achieve their aims. Fighters, obviously, but also wizards and rouges are skilled specialists needed to collect intelligence and scry the location of persons of interest.

Philisophical Cleric

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Hit Points

Hit Dice: d8 per Philisophical Cleric level

Hit Points at first Level: 8+CON bonus

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8+Con bonus

Proficiences

Armor: Light Armor

Weapons: Simple weapons

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Wisdom, Charisma

Skills: History, Insight, Persuasion, Religion

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Overview & Creation

Clerics in this game are known as Philosophers, as there are no gods to worship. So logic and ideas are worshiped, the Philosopher is a conduit of this wisdom.
Normal D&D Clerics are part of an organized religion, that organized religion has various economic and political roles in the story.
The philosophical orders function in that niche, having a social and political role. Cities usually organize governments around philosophic logic. It may be more than one. A city for example could be a war and forge philosophy based. The city’s politics may be based on knights or paladins and have temples and universities that study these philosophies. They may be driven to produce great armored soldiers but lack other aspects, so they may be mercenaries, or expansionist, or even crusaders.
The common person however, does not go to the philosophical temples to worship but to find purpose in their life.. The feats of Philosophical magic can inspire because of their effects on reality to cure and destroy.
But philosophy doesn’t fill every void for every person, Philosophers are seen as a state to achieve but a difficult path. For many Philosophy beyond the magic is empty and has no effect on their lives.
In the world of Alterra the following philosophies that have proven true are:
Knowledge – So much has been lost and it must be uncovered, we are star children with a great inheritance beyond this world. This philosophy is attractive to explorers, Numeriamancers, wizards, and other who deeply believe that understanding underpins all of existence. These philosophers are in tune with the vibration of things and time. Philosopher's stone is a topaz crystal.
Life – Life is the 5th element of the universe, between all living things is a connection a deep level. Philosophers of life are deeply connected to all living things, tend to be vegetarians, and will speak out against slaughter, war and capital punishment. These philosophers can reforge flesh of the injured and sick channeling positive vibrations. Philosopher's stone are Aetites that rattle.
Light – Philosophers of light believe in the power of a light to transform the universe. They believe in the philosophical quanta that light is more than what we see, that it pervades and connects the universe together. Light philosophers are always seeking truth, not just facts. They usually strive for justice and uncovering corruption. Quartz crystals and lenses are often used as their philosopher’s stone.
Nature – As children of the stars, this world was not given to us, we did not evolve here, we must learn to commune with and build a relationship with it. Like the life domain these philosophers respect all life and resonate with it, but beyond individual living organisms they resonate with whole ecosystems. They feel the interconnections of the life web, the interdependence between life forms. These philosophers will be against the wanton destruction and desolation of any environment, and will hunt monsters and villains who exploit and disrupt. Philosopher stone is a garnet.
Tempest – These philosophers are driven by change, noticing it, fighting stagnation and opt for dynamism. Weather and seas embody the constant change and the larger cycle. Tempest philosophers are observers, justice driven, and against entropy. Use a load stone for the philosopher's stone.
Trickery – Everything we see is an illusion, there is always another layer, another twist, and the most dangerous people are the ones that are sure they know the answer. Trickery philosophers can be very strange people, but everything they do is with purpose to break an illusion of righteousness, power, affluence, intelligence or pride. They are somehow aware of perception its self and can channel and manipulate it. Trickery philosophers use amethyst for their philosopher stone.
War – War philosophers are not as interested in the political ambitions of princes, but the conflict within, focusing on challenges, the conflict between good and evil, the conflict between ambition and service. War is an awesome and terrible challenge; to win but not be cruel, to fight but not oppress, strength without arrogance, honor without spitefulness. A blood stone is their favored focus.
Forge – Philosophers of the Forge are builders, they are obsessed with mechanisms and craft, but also building communities, societies and civilizations. They vibrate with matter and the way it is both separate and yet connected. Use a hard polished Anthracite coal stone.
Grave – The greatest of mysteries is that of the connection between life, consciousness and what happens to that consciousness after we die. Grave philosophers are in tune with the vibrations and connections between these and are aware of when these auras change or can be manipulated to stay connected to the lifeforms or leave. A fossil, usually small nautical creatures, are used as grave philosopher stones.

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Class Features

Defeat Undead

at second level philosophers discover the great truth that death is real and un-life is essentially a falsehood perpetrated by necromancers. By arguing the bitter truth they can become immune to the effects of the undead and do additional damage to them.
Instead of turning the undead with divine power, the philosopher channels belief in their domain and become Immune to necrotic damage, and take half damage from any direct attack made by an undead. In addition the philosophical cleric's physical attacks using melee or ranged weapons now do +1d4+WIS Bonus radiant damage to Undead. It does no damage to magically animated corpses, or mechanically animated corpses. this radiant damage bonus is considered a magical attack that ignores undead resistance.
To trigger the effect the cleric must be in line of sight to an undead, and know it is an undead, they can trigger it on a DC test = 6+CR of the undead. This effect lasts until known undead are destroyed or flee the scene of the battle. This effect is triggered only in the presence of the Undead. For example a vampire that is using a magic device or other magic to pass as normal will not trigger this effect on the suspicion that the individual is a vampire, but as soon as something reveals that the they are in fact a vampire, they can then test to use their ability. For example they pass a perception test and they notice the individual doesn't reflect in a mirror or another spell reveals the presence of undead, or negates the illusions. Further once triggered if the vampire claws at the philosopher he takes half damage, if the vampire has a sword and hits the philosopher, he takes half damage, if the vampire casts a spell, any damage from the spell is half (other effects apply). But if the vampire cuts a rope and drops a chandelier on the philosopher he takes full damage.

Great Argument for Life

At 5th level the cleric may spend an action to inspire their comrades. The philosopher rolls 10+Persuasion roll. Each player that can hear the cleric's voice then rolls their wisdom save. Those that don't save are granted this ability above to allies who can hear the cleric. This effect on allies lasts 5 rounds. Allies that are deafened, or otherwise cannot hear the voice of the philosopher automatically pass. telepathy, reading lips, and recordings do not have the effect.

Exegesis

At 10th level your faith in your philosophy is so strong you literally bend the universe, using all of your actions you focus and can invoke any one cleric spell at 9th level. It is triggered at the end of your next turn. This ability can be used again after 7 days. To activate, roll d100 and if you roll below your current level you can unleash this effect.
At 20th level you may do this once a day

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Starting Equipment

Select from choices below:

• (a) padded armor or (b)Leather armor
• (a) mace or (b) staff (c) hand axe
• (a) short bow and 20 arrows or (b) light crossbow and 20 bolts
• (a) Priests pack or (b) explorer pack or (c) academic's pack
• (a) Fine clothes or (b) Fine boots or (c) Fine Hat
• Philosopher Stone, Book of Philosophy

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Spellcasting

Clerics of the philosophies conjure up the power of will over reality and channel dimensional energy linked to that philosophy. They are a conduit and shape that energy.
At first level Philosophical Clerics gain the cleric spell casting ability.

Cantrips

At first level you have access to all cleric cantrips and can select three to start. At higher levels clerics gain additional cantrip spells per the cleric spell progression table.

Preparing and casting spells

Philosophers must spend a short rest mentally preparing their arguments. For each level a certain number of slots are available for each level of spell. Caster may choose a number of spells from the Cleric list equal to their WIS modifier+Level, with a minimum of 1 spell.
After a long rest the philosopher must spend 1 minute per level of spell to refresh their arguments.

Spell Casting Ability

Wisdom is the controlling stat for philosophical magic, and will drive your ability to cast and the difficulty of targets to resist your magic. The base formula is:
Spell DC = 8 + Proficiency Bonus + WIS modifier Spell Attack Modifier = Proficiency Bonus + WIS modifier

Ritual Casting

A prepared argument that has the ritual tag may be cast without expending a spell slot if the required amount of time to prepare and cast is uninterrupted.

Spell Casting Focus

For a Philosophical cleric their focus is their Philosopher's Stone. Each philosophy has a different one. while holding their stone in their hand they gain the focus benefits. The stone reminds them of what is real and what is a falsehood.

Philosophical Domains

Each of the Cleric spells are divided into domains; Knowledge, Life, Light, Nature, Tempest, Trickery, or War, Forge, Grave. Philosophical clerics pick one domain. Spells in that domain are considered always prepared in addition to those that must be prepared daily. Spells that are not on the cleric list, but are tagged to that domain may be considered prepared.