Hermit
... the lone wanderer guided by Spirit!
"In the solitude of the Wilds, the Spirits can seize men, darkening their mind and willpower. Yet some resilient souls return transformed, speaking in wisdom gained from enduring silence. An inner glow illuminates their insights, offering the gift of warmth and presence.
Do you truly walk alone, Hermit?"
To be abandoned in the frigid Wilds of the Forever Frost meant a shivering death. The people knew well the blinding fury of the blizzards or the horrifying beasts that stalked the silent snow. Travel meant safety in numbers or by crude, frost-bitten vessels. Only the boldest survived alone in the Ice Age’s cold clutch. Yet despite such desolation, a rare few chose the uncertainty of isolation.
Those who unearthed profound truths at the edges of civilization were known as Hermits. Through communion with natural and supernatural forces, they gained a deeper understanding of themselves and the World. Hermits share these insights with others in the form of quiet crafts or captivating stories. Their presence inspires both awe and unease; shrouded in rumor, they wander alone.
Career & Adventure
Hermit's Journey
Hermits with a fair reputation are those that comfort others they meet while traveling. They're able to Forage sustenance from the treacherous land, as well as offer their arcane knowledge as uncommon solutions to problems. Evil Hermits are the problem as they sow chaos and turmoil amongst the civilized. Most Hermits follow the glimmer of their Spirit, to whatever end it guides them.
A Hermit encounters many Spiritual phenomenon as they seek shelter and security. An ability to commune with these forces empowers the Hermit with their mystic secrets, leading to many of the rumors surrounding these loners.
A Hermit encounters many Spiritual phenomenon as they seek shelter and security. An ability to commune with these forces empowers the Hermit with their mystic secrets, leading to many of the rumors surrounding these loners.
Becoming a Hermit
Whether in youth or at a critical moment in their Life, the Hermit chose solitude and ventured into the Wilds alone. They dwell in forgotten ruins, secluded groves, silent mountains, or dark caverns. In the absence of civilization, the Hermit learns new disciplines. Developing survival skills and a close relationship with the natural World, the Hermit survives on instinct and resilience as they navigate the land.
Contemplating deeper mysteries often reveals new insights. As the Hermit learns to listen closely to Spirits and the Divine, they begin to form new bonds with entities from beyond the Material Realm. First, the Hermit may hear a call as a whisper; then, visions or a feeling of being watched. For some, this is the moment that drove the Hermit to abandon their livelihoods and pursue quiet introspection.
Skills & Expertise
Lantern Spirit
Hermits learn how to illuminate the darkness with their willpower, by conjuring a small orb of Light from their Soul. This small orb floats around the Hermit, glowing much like a torch. Manifesting a Lantern Spirit is a sign of a Hermit's deepening connection to the Spiritual Realms. It appears in any color or pattern the Hermit chooses.
The Lantern Spirit provides many miraculous benefits, such as dispelling darkness, providing warmth, and recovering injuries. It heightens Perception, can detect the presence of Spirits or other dangers, or be used to communicate a simple message. The Hermit learns to wield the Lantern Spirit as a radiant tool and weapon.
Tools & Materials
Handcraft
Hermits vary by the types of Handcrafts they specialize. These unique items are crafted from ingredients the Hermit collects and harvests. While anyone can pick up Handcrafts, the Hermit specializes in their application.
Created and magically enhanced by the Hermit's acumen of Wild lore, these powerful consumables provide medicinal properties or unique conditions. The item type determines if the effect is localized to one person or shared in a group. While some Handcrafts nourish the body with nutritious ingredients, others replenish the mind with focus and clarity.
Created and magically enhanced by the Hermit's acumen of Wild lore, these powerful consumables provide medicinal properties or unique conditions. The item type determines if the effect is localized to one person or shared in a group. While some Handcrafts nourish the body with nutritious ingredients, others replenish the mind with focus and clarity.
A Hermit chooses 3 Handcrafts throughout their Career:
- Aromas: Incense, scent oils, perfumes. Aromatherapy.
- Brews: Fermented drinks, teas, coffees. Alcoholic beverages.
- Dishes: Cooked food. Recipes. Breads, cheese, steaks, stews.
- Engrave: Carved runes or figures. Letters or numbers.
- Elixirs: Infusions, tinctures, tonics. Concentrated drinks.
- Tonal: Basic instruments, such as drums, bells, chimes, rattles.
Handcraft's area of effect, duration, and use application are determined by the item's type, materials, associated Words, and ingredients used to craft the item.
Purpose & Progression
Hermits often harbor ambitions as complex and unpredictable as the Spirits they commune with. Living at the thresholds between society and wilderness, the Hermit becomes a conduit carrying truths from one realm into the next. While they gain wisdom in silence and introspection, Hermits seldom remain alone. Their duty isn't to abandon society, but to return and enlighten.
As Hermits listen to Spirits and prophecy, they may heighten their connection to Magical Words and walk the path of an Ascetic. Others may deepen their connection to outside forces as an Outsider, learning martial secrets from the Spirits they host. Still, some Hermits find truth in cycles of Nature and Order; through observation, they begin to inherit the quiet qualities of the wise Sage.
Walk of Life
Morning
Hevi the Water Sijinn woke much later than usual. As he stretched and yawned, Hevi noticed the den was barren, save the cold vaporous emissions of his breath. He understood why. Today, was different.
Hevi felt a small satchel next to him on the stone floor. Gifts. Inside, he found fresh water, food and essentials, as well as a tear-drop crystal shaped from a shard of Ice. He smiled with the knowledge that the Buniru were deeply sentimental people.
Hevi sipped from the water-skin thankfully, and replaced the contents before he began morning meditation. Eschewing a meal, he needed to concentrate on the Buniru elders' lessons. Hevi needed their insights by nightfall.
Noon
As his meditations came to a close, Hevi felt small, curious eyes watching him from the threshold of the inner den. He made no sign of noticing. Instead, with deliberate calm, he rose, turning to his next task, content to amuse his interloper.
Hevi hummed softly while preparing a tonic, his hands moving with practiced grace through the herbs the Buniru had left for him. Each motion carried memory; each memory, a low and even note, transmitted in the space between them.
After several minutes of preparation, he waited for the mixture to cool. Leaning against the wall, Hevi remarked, "With this gift, I share the water of Life," smiling, he turned, "that song was gifted to me by my Mother..." but, the presence was gone.
He chuckled, a soft sound lost in silence, and gave a loose shrug before gathering his things. At ease, Hevi stepped into the scattered sunlight as its pale warmth washed over him.
Day
"During the day, Hevi found a mass of Buniru cooking over a large camp flame. Boiling peppers and pungent mossy aromas came from the pot. Hevi sat down with an elderly Buniru, and began to peel some of the vegetables. Once they had enough, he waited for the elder to return.
Then, children approached with a torn cloak, which Hevi was happy to mend. As he drew his thread from a pouch in his robes, one of the youngest, the son of the elderly Baenlo, tugged at his sleeve, "Do you have to leave?" The question turned many heads. Even the elder returned and sat by the fire, calmly awaiting his response.
"I'll know tonight," Hevi began, "I trust in the circle of elders." Hevi watched the elder Baenlo, as he ladled soup into a bowl.
"I think it's up to more than Buniru alone," the elder said, as Hevi and the Buniru of the village paused to enjoy warm soup.
Evening
Within the Inner Den, there was a hidden chamber, wherein lied the circle of elders that guided the Buniru. A small flame was ignited between the huddled hermits, awaiting Hevi and the elder, Baenlo.
At the head of the flame, Baenlo spoke low at first, "Hevi, you came to us, a stranger, and through four Winters, you remained as the Great Blizzard tried to sweep us from the land. We gather to appreciate your strength and support through these trying Times. We have learned much from you, and I expect you will learn much more about us."
The Buniru Hermits began to chant and intone, as a few began to quiver and dance. Their footsteps became mystical flames caught by leaping over the fire and together, the music and the beating of their cloven hooves became a swell. Sitting elders swayed beneath the pulsing beat, as Hevi recoiled from the heat of the flames against his cool skin.
Yet it was an inviting warmth- perhaps that was the shock of it. The Buniru's Spirits became like flame as a great Ancestor appeared between them, above the fire. Beneath its' spectral gaze, Hevi met the Ancestor, for what felt like an eternity, before it descended as a wisp, into the ash and cinders.
Each of the elders turned to Hevi once their ritual was complete. They waited until Hevi broke the long silence, 'I know what I must do.' Each of them spoke through the night.
Night
In the solitude of night, Hevi departed the village of the Snow-Den Buniru. He knew that he had to return to his people, so that he could share with them the stories of the Buniru. The Blizzard that had claimed the land for many moons no longer concerned him. He now had the strength he needed for the journey, and he had the Buniru to thank.
As the elders watched him leave, they knew that he'd one day return. The Ancestor would bring Hevi back.
In the pitch of night, Hevi was guided by the steady warmth of his Lantern and the presence of the Buniru's Ancestral Spirit, watching over his quest to share their Cultures and hopefully spare the Buniru from any further harm by maligned mortals.
Path of Mastery
Hermit's Progression
The following Table includes the Hermit's Class Progression and Level gains: Hermit's Features
The following is a brief list of the Hermit's Class Abilities and brief descriptions:Perspective & Social Role
Each Culture viewed Hermits with differing degrees of respect and apprehension. Those that regularly socialized with the Tribes were seen as friendly and were often sought for their abilities. Many are also well-versed in a Tribe's crafts and rituals. A trusted Hermit might adopt a Spiritual role amongst a Tribe, become a Ward, or serve as an adviser to a Chieftain.
Yet true recluses inspired fear and rumor. Whether it was the Hermit's solitary nature or their ability to commune with outside forces, this combination made secretive Hermits bothersome in the least and suspicious to most. It was best to avoid an unknown Hermit than evoke their ire.
Yet true recluses inspired fear and rumor. Whether it was the Hermit's solitary nature or their ability to commune with outside forces, this combination made secretive Hermits bothersome in the least and suspicious to most. It was best to avoid an unknown Hermit than evoke their ire.
Myth Folk Hermit
Cultural Role & Identity
Aelven Hermits
The Aelves were mystified by the stories of the First Forager, which inspired their language and other habits. Those that chose to live alone sometimes accepted the title of Forager. There Hermits specifically traveled the lands of Mystomythia in search of different resources.
These Hermits were experts in cultural traditions of the Aelves and would re-visit their old homes in order to teach what they've learned exploring the wilderness. Sometimes they'd encounter other Cultures and offer aid or guidance. Foragers had a good reputation for being trustworthy.
Buniru Hermits
As a Culture, the Buniru spend their Time isolated from larger civilizations. Hermits form naturally within their dens and often take important roles as frontiersmen or spiritual advisors.
Particularly, their elders are known to commune with their Ancestral Spirits. They provide the Buniru with warnings from beyond. Elders enlighten their people and protect them from Spirits.
Historical Significance
Despite being solitary by nature, the Hermits were some of the first to gather for ritual purpose. Their many discoveries advanced several early civilizations in fields of languages, math, medicine, and the arts. Though many names were forgotten, their lonely deeds still remain.
Hermits often found their skills useful in the exploration of Dungeons. Sought for their mystical abilities, many Hermits were pivotal in closing dangerous Dungeons. Several orders and hermetic sects appear throughout the Ice Age, their tenets shaped by their collective journies.
Notable Figures & Legends
Aelven: The First Forager
This Aelven legend describes a Hermit known as the First Forager, who crossed the White Sea after the Aelven Departures. During a blizzard, the First Forager took refuge in a cave at the Edge of the World. Inside, he found several of his companions deeper within the cave, deceased from cold and starvation. From their remains were the fresh blooms of three mushrooms. Unlike any he had seen before, he consumed the Wordcaps.
Once ingested, for hours thereafter, he spoke unfamiliar Words as he was visited by the Spirit of Sahyu. This mysterious entity enlightened the First Forager upon the nature of these and other plants. Some believe the First Forager is Sahyu as an Ascendant Deity; this has never been proven by Sahyu's clergy. Instead, Sahyu belongs to the Chief Deity pantheon as a prominent figure of early Aelven civilization and medicine.
Game Integration
WIP- TBD
Arx- Core D10 System TTRPG information is currently WIP. Thank you for your patience!
How to Play as a Hermit
WIP- TBD
Class
Archetype:
Hybrid Class (Casting/Covert)
Hybrid Class (Casting/Covert)
TTRPG Quick Specs
Base Class:
Can be chosen at 1st Level.
Maxes at 10th Level.
Advancement: At 10th Level, Class advances:
Can be chosen at 1st Level.
Maxes at 10th Level.
- Hit Die:
1d4 - Best Statistics:
Spirit & Poise/ Psyche - Class Proficiencies:
List of Proficiencies-WIP - Weapon & Armor Proficiencies:
At 1st Level, Hermits receive:
+1 Melee Weapon or
+1 Ranged Weapon Proficiency
Advancement: At 10th Level, Class advances:
- Ascetic- Casting / Covert
- Outsider- Casting/ Combat
- Sage- Casting/ Covert
"We're fed if we learn what hunger means."
Profile
Qualifications
To qualify as a Hermit, one must:- Revere Spirits or Nature
- Experience exile; reclusion
Requirements
To become a Hermit, perform one of the following:- Learn Forage Proficiency.
- Extended Time isolated.
- Contact with Magic or Spirits.
Reputation
Social Role:
Moral Standing
Spiritual Influence
Social Status:
Fringe
Demographic:
Moral Standing
Spiritual Influence
Social Status:
Fringe
Demographic:
Favored by:
- Aelves
- Buniru
- Myth Folk
- Sijinn
Rank & Titles:
- Aelven Forager
- Marshrat
Symbolism
Sign & Symbol:
A Lantern Wisp
A Lantern Wisp
Rituals & Customs:
- Fasting Ritual
- Pact Conjuration
Tools & Materials:
- Rations, 3x Days
- Bedroll, Blankets
Arms & Armaments:
- Cloth Garment
- Wooden Sling-Staff
"Some Hermits speak Truths as others utter folly. Solitude feeds the wise, but to Fools, it's hollow succor that gnaws them to bones."
Entry for Worldbuilding Summer Camp 2025
Answering: "A profession related to spirituality or philosophy"
All content within Arc Sagas ©, including but not limited to original assets, mechanics, settings, systems, images, is the intellectual property of Myth X, unless attributed otherwise. Arc Sagas' universe and the Arx-Core D10's System (TTRPG) are © Myth X, 2023–2025. Select AI assets generated via Perchance.org or Elara-AI; all AI Images edited, watermarked by Myth X. Iconography sourced from RPG-Awesome and Font Awesome. Content is hosted and displayed via World Anvil.
All rights reserved. Redistribution or commercial use without express permission is prohibited.
All rights reserved. Redistribution or commercial use without express permission is prohibited.
Comments
Author's Notes
Let's go! I'm finally publishing and submitting the initial entry! This is also an expansion of the 9 Base Classes I created recently. As a note, all AS TTRPG-related material is currently in the works, so I apologize for leaving these sections unfinished! I promise! There's more to come, so if you like TTRPG related World-Building, you'll want to make sure to follow Arc Sagas for more!
Conceptually, I like the idea of the Hermit. I think they could make for very unique encounters in the Ancient setting. What do you think? Would you play a Hermit?
... ARE you a Hermit?
MYTH X
2025