Classes
There are many types of people in Broadsea, many trades to ply, many things to sell. But there are those who have chosen to pursue a life most would run from: adventuring. These folk don their armor and wield their weapons and spells, only to head off into the darkest, most dangerous corners of the world. Many do not return! But some do, and those precious become legends.
Thaddeus "Klep" Klepfeld
Wait a second ... you're adventurers? Why didn't you tell me! You're not allowed to take anything out of this library, first of all. I gave a paladin a copy of Gustavo's Grimoire of Gels and Jellies 103 years ago and never saw him again!
Clearly the adventuring life is not for me, but I applaud those who wish to do right in the world. You ... are doing right, aren't you?
Artificer - What's an artificer?
Barbarian - Barbarian "paths" stem from the various tribes within the Three Sisters, as well as the nomadic tribes that wander Broadsea. Barbarians themselves are chosen through the tribe's elders and often sent on a journey of self-discovery, where they utilize their rageful spirit to aid in defeating monsters. The history of the nomadic tribes is vague; they always have seemed to exist, wandering throughout the world.
I've met with plenty of tribal elders and would like to add that most of them send the young barbs out to play mostly because they're sick of cleaning up after them in camp.
Bard - The magic of artistry is the most notoriously difficult to harness, and those who have banded together to form the Colleges which are divided among the Three Sisters. The Colleges of Dance, Glamour, Lore, and Valor all reside in Highhaven, while the Colleges of Swords and Whispers are in Bellerost, and the Colleges of Creation, Eloquence, and Spirits are in Tynzeri. More may exist, though these are the most prominent.
They say bards are notorious flirts, but I've only see them tear pages out of my books because they felt "inspired" by the words.
Cleric - Clerics occupy a difficult place within Broadsea, as their power, linked to Divinity, marks them as divine operators, and thus "descendants" of the God-Emperor. This, culturally, has led them to be viewed poorly. Despite this, their access to healing magic makes them absolutely necessary to modern life. Most clerics operate under a particular domain, once the purview of a now-banished god.
It's unfair to call clerics a cult, but ... a lot people disagree with me on that notion.
Druid - The druids of the numerous groves remaining in Broadsea kept primal nature magic hidden from the God-Emperor during his reign; it is only after his death that the practice of "calling the trees" has risen out of near obscurity. The druids keep their secrets in the living pages of the Tomes of Nature.
Druidic practices date back from prehistory, and to witness a druid ceremony or ritual within a grove is truly a sight to see, if you're lucky enough to be invited.
Fighter - Fighting mastery has been around for ages, but it's only more recently that the eldritch knights and psi warriors have emerged. The former's history likely dates to the Last Holy War, as the forces against the God-Emperor imbued sword-and-board fighters with arcane power. Psi warriors, however, come from El-Karis, as an offshoot of the Karisian's studies on ignoring the God-Emperor through sheer power over their own bodies and minds.
I've been told that "psi" is akin to a barbarian's rage, except more honed. Like a sharp dagger as opposed to a big, gnarly hammer. Not my cup of tea, personally!
Monk - From the shores of El-Karis came the teachings of the Monastery of War, who brought their divine-proof monastic focus to Broadsea and the Greater World roughly 2,000 years ago. These monks lived in seclusion and secrecy, using their deep meditations to render them invisible to the God-Emperor's scrying. Those who sought the monk's mentorship would first have to find them, a practice which remains to this day. Numerous monk paths have since branched out of the Four Pillars of War.
Honestly? I've only ever seen monks at taverns. They love to drink!
Paladin - Paladins share similar emnity from the general populace as clerics, for their Oaths were brought about by the God-Emperor himself, who would imbue paladins with power if they swore their Oath and allegience to him and him alone. These divine warriors served as the commanders and lieutenants of the God-Emperor's vast armies, bolstering their battalions with a sliver of their power. Now, those who pursue the path of paladin continue to Swear an Oath, though it may not be to any but themselves. Their power comes from Divinity, but is granted freely.
Nothing scares me more than a paladin. Divinity aside, their fervor to their Oath can send them over the edge, tumbling into choices that might make others wary...
Ranger - Rangers are the true protectors of Broadsea, spending much of their time traversing the wilderness in search of quarries to kill. In doing so, they slow the advance of the darkness without need of applause or commendation. Many look to rangers for protection more than the Last Defense. Their unique survival skills make them a necessary addition to beat back the terrors of the Greater World.
There's no one in the wilderness I would trust more than a ranger. Druids, to me, are a little too ... self-serving. But a ranger is sworn to protect anyone who needs help.
Rogue - The roguish classification comes from a long line of treatises and manuals, handed down from thieves guild to thieves guild over thousands of years. These treatises likely have origins in the God-Emperor's own network of spies and skalds, who codified their practices in order to keep their boss happy and his enemies marked and/or dead. Since the God-Emperor's death, some rogues have found purchase in the arcane arts as well.
Rogues? I mean ... I run a library. The last thing I want is my books going missing. I already told you about that blasted paladin!
Sorcerer - The origins of sorcery as an arcane power are only known as a lineage gifted, somehow, by another entity. The most abundant of sorcerers during the God-Emperor's reign were the Dragonclaws, whose gifts were given freely by an ancient unknown dragon god during the Last Holy War to aid in ending the war. But other sorcerous origins exist, and the origin of those origins is unknown, but likely the result of secrets left hidden in the Greater World.
One time, a sorcerer practicing wild magic sneezed in my library and everyone's hair turned into cotton candy. Needless to say, we all went bald pretty quickly.
Warlock - Imagine the terrible, terrifying eldritch abominations in the Greater World. Now, imagine making a pact with those abominations in exchange for power. This is the wheelhouse of the warlock, whose origins stem from entites who would gift a portion of their power to mortals to aid in ending the God-Emperor's life. Now, warlocks suffer a difficult balance, as they navigate a world where their patrons continue to slowly suffocate mankind.
Pah, what a worthless people. Warlocks. Aiding in our own demise, they are! Gifts of despair on an already despairing world.
Wizard - Wizards became a natural progression, or antithesis, of innate sorcery. The careful study and experimentation with magic created the now eight schools of magic, and the wizards who practice within them. It is believed that wizardry was the key component in defeating the God-Emperor—that raw, focused, amplified arcane power was enough to finally destroy him. Since his death, however, wizards have felt a cap, of sorts, on their arcane abilities. Finding and using the energy to utilize magic has become more difficult.
I've never met a wizard that I like. Truly! Just snobby arseholes, the lot of them. Pardon my language. But at least they don't mind paying an arm and a leg for the more esoteric tomes in my collection.