Barbarian in Alvalon | World Anvil
BUILD YOUR OWN WORLD Like what you see? Become the Master of your own Universe!

Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild

Barbarian

Barbarians run the gamut from warriors of nomadic tribes to elite vanguards of certain civilizations. They all share an ability to harness rage, which some believe is a wellspring of mortal fury that unlocks inner potential, while others attribute the rage to a divine or spiritual source. Regardless, rage makes these warriors potent adversaries. Barbarian academies don't really exist, with most learning their craft from communion with guiding spirits and forces alongside raw experience. Battleragers and zealots are somewhat of an exception, though schools for these are still rare.   Berserker Focused on the rage itself, berserkers often come from civilizations that prize martial prowess and often have elite warrior castes. Seen as just another type of warrior, berserkers are nevertheless often in the vanguard, where their unique talents can be best applied. Berserkers tend to form clubs wherever they are, though these are never great in number; even in cities where dozens of berserkers can be found (or among certain orc tribes), clubs tend to be small affairs, invariably with several rivalries among others. The four racing clubs (Red, White, Green, and Blue) of Ostburg are good examples of this.   Totem Warrior Believing that their abilities come from a close connection to a spiritual totem sacred to their tribe, totem warriors are always from a tribe of people, typically semi-nomadic. The tribe informs much of their identity and their association with other warriors; though two Wolf tribes from different parts of the world won’t recognize the same totem as the others. No other organizations are usually formed by these warriors. Note that even in orc tribes where a different types of barbarians are favored, totem warriors exist, following the tribal totem; animals not explicitly listed as totem options use a mix of abilities from those presented, or a similar totem.   Ancestral Guardian Still connected spiritually to the source of their strength, ancestral guardians look to their own families rather than a spiritual totem of special significance. Hailing mostly from more civilized areas, ancestral guardians treat each other with respect (even if battling), but rarely form associations outside of their families.   Storm Herald With few exceptions, Storm Heralds are iconoclasts, strange men and women touched by the Great Mother herself. Throughout the world, they wander into civilization from desolate wastes, often presaging terrible events to come or offering to guide others through unforgiving tracts of land in exchange for bizarre payments and their own inscrutable ends. Even orc tribes who favor storm heralds don’t have any large associations of these warriors, other than the clan.   Zealot For these holy warriors, the source of rage is their deity; a oneness with their god or goddess allows them to serve as a conduit for the divine in a devastating way. Though often misunderstood or outright feared by clerics and paladins, zealots are no less committed to their deities. Many form clubs where they can relax and blow off steam, like the Blood Blossoms of Jaguar’s Eye, or the Tiger’s Teeth in Wat.   Battlerager These unique dwarves have honed their rage and battle prowess into a class and fighting style all their own. Battleragers serve as vanguards and bodyguards for important dwarves, and are highly valued for the terror they incite in their enemies. Battleragers almost always belong to a club of some sort, as social organizations are very popular among dwarves.

Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!