Classes of Divaan

Different Types of Casters

There are many different categories of caster in Dungeons and Dragons, and their presentation in Divaan varies slightly from official rules and the Forgotten Realms setting. This is mostly seen in how each caster goes through the act of spellweaving itself: what they focus their magic through.

In short terms:

• Arcane Casters use material components over foci. They have a much stronger focus on not only material components, but complex somatic components as well. They also employ use of the lingua arcana to not only cast spells, but modify and create spells, as well as creating magical items.
• Divine Casters use foci such as holy symbols, religious texts, and other holy idols of their faith (including such things like holy materials, sacred animals, divine acts).
• Primal Casters also use foci, but only need it when standing on unnatural ground. Standing on natural ground is focus enough for them.
• Occult Casters do not fit into any of these categories, as their magic often comes from solely exterior sources. Those tied to patrons, those who employ a cadre of artifacts, those who force spirits to create spells for them.

Arcane Casters

Arcane casters are often those who are not born innately to magic, with some notable exceptions, and must learn it through ways not natural to the world. Arcane casters are practitioners of magic through learning, science, formulas, and trial and error research. The exemplar of all of this is, of course, the wizard, but other arcane casters follow suit. Bards learn through college, their only difference is where their magic channels through. Arcane casting is most easily identifiable as casting that relies on material components, having to forcefully extract and draw upon the natural magic of the world in order to utter their spellcraft. Arcane casters also record and learn spell formulae in the lingua arcana.

The lingua arcana has become the main signifier of arcanists. Bards, wizards, artificers, and spellblades must all learn their spells through the lingua arcana in order to weave their spells in the first place, manipulating the words of magic. Other casters are capable of wielding the lingua arcana naturally, when a divine cleric casts their blessings the words of their divinity flow through them, when a primal shaman casts their nature magics, the wind and the trees whisper the words in their ear.

Sorcerers are a notable exception to these rules. They still primarily require material components to cast their spells, though it has been known that some sorcerers find the ability to draw upon their own internal strength and completely transcend the need for material components or even a focus for their magic. Their understanding of the lingua arcana is often compared to a foreigner living in a city that speaks another language. They begin to understand the words by association and proximity to the language, but never undergo formal training. Sorcerers often can cast their spells as if they are second-nature, though sorcerers who manipulate the lingua arcana to create magical items, alter the effects of their spells, or even creating new spells are few and far between.

Arcane casters are as follows:

• Wizards
• Sorcerers
• Bards
• Artificers
• Spellblades

Divine Casters

Divine casters are as follows:

• Clerics
• Paladins
• Seekers

Primal Casters

Primal casters are as follows:

• Druids
• Benders
• Shamans
• Witches
• Wardens

Occult Casters

Occult casters are as follows:

• Warlocks
• Illriggers
• Investigators

Official Rules

Artificer

Artificers are magical inventors and visionaries employed by the Kheravazan Empire to build their magical items in large mills and factories. While many artificers inhabit the Eyrien and the city gathered at the tower's base, artificers are not considered on par with wizards. Artificers are contractual laborers for the Eyrien, though these contracts tend to favor the interests of the Eyrien and the wizards who rule it more than it favors the artificers.

The making of magical items is done through the use of the lingua arcana, making items inscribed with the language of magic or, in some exceedingly rare cases, crafting items of vertsteel. Vertsteel items are expensive, typically only carried by archmages or sages, and often highly confidential items. Many artificers fear being contracted to make something of vertsteel for its complexities and what might happen if they fail the Eyrien in such a delicate project.

Bard

Bards are arcane casters who focus on the magic of stories and song. Often, these are taught through specific bardic colleges. The Empire has little interest in such colleges, and only one exists in a rather squalid state. Other nations make far more use of them, especially in the kingdom of Ardoren where the spirits and the stories they tell are valued highly. Ardoren especially values bards due to their unique ability (unique among arcanists, in any event) to call and soothe spirits. By nature of story and song, bards often have a much more relaxed view of magic, contrasting the controlling vise grip of wizards, sorcerers, and artificers.

Because of this, bards are somewhat of an 'arcane witch' to some. Though this rarely is as true as it sounds, for many bards neglect the spirits still, and many others utilize their spirit-attracting magic to instead poach the spirits. Some bards make hefty sums luring and ensnaring spirits for the Eyrien.

Cleric

Whereas classes like Shaman and Warden are casters who venerate spirits of nature, clerics are almost always devoted to the gods of Divaan. This is most often the Alkanor, the primary pantheon of gods that all of Divaan worship, or at least recognize, in some capacity. Clerics channel their magic through their gods' will, and this does not have to be a single god. The main distinction between a cleric and a religious paladin is that a cleric, while very often considered a cleric of a single god, is not wholly exclusive to that god. A cleric of Valassin of the Alkanor may be more knowledgeable of Valassin's teachings and wield magic relating to Valassin's sun domain, but they worship the whole of the Alkanor all the same and can draw on power from any one of the gods.

Druid

Druids do not exist in Divaan. Not as they are presented in Dungeons and Dragons, anyways. Rather than being primal spellcasters who protect the interest of nature, druids are used to provide mechanics for playing a Shapeshifter of Carne. Other classes fill the role of shepherd of the natural world, such as the Shaman and the Warden.

Druids are Shapeshifters who foster their spiritual gift in the form of spellcasting, sacrificing complete mastery over their many forms. If one wishes to play a master of shapeshifting, the class of Shifter is available to represent Shifters who forego the usage of spellcraft and focus entirely on tooth and claw.

Monk

Monastic orders are somewhat rare in Irulia, though a few of them do exist. The Chained Hand of Ardoren and the Starseekers of Rhûv are the most widely known, being an order of convicted criminals using monastic teachings to find absolution and scholars who seek to understand the body as deeply as they seek to understand the stars and sea, respectively. The precise nature of ki is highly debated and poorly understood. Some think it a kind of magic, others a kind of psionics, others something else entirely. Regardless of the truth, it is a potent tool monks make use of. Many monks seek out the Starseekers, even those not wishing to join that order, in hopes to learn more of what the Rhûvian monks have uncovered about ki.

Paladin

Paladins are, broadly, warriors of a specific god. While they often worship more than just one god, their power, unlike clerics, comes solely from the faith of which they pledged their oath to. Paladins are a somewhat rare appearance in Divaan, though in times of trouble their ranks swell considerably in number. Particularly in times of war, strife, and plague, where many people pledge oaths to protect their loved ones and fight for their country.

Paladins who are sworn to things other than gods are exceedingly rare, but not unheard of. Paladins of spirits, of crowns, of causes, of vengeance, and of freedom also are known to exist. The paladin's power comes not from the god, but the pledge. Words are magic, after all, if the lingua arcana is anything to believe. The classification of non-deific paladin magic is nebulous and ill-understood still, however. Eyrien mages broadly consider it to be spiritual magic in some capacity, but others believe it to still be divine, and others believe it to be something else entirely.

Ranger

The difference between a ranger and a woodsman, hunter, or forest warden is the depth of understanding the ranger has in the natural world they exist within. The idea of a ranger first originated in Ardoren, where they are tasked with foreign and domestic intelligence gathering, law enforcement within Ardoren's borders, and special operations. While the practice of hunters who adopt primal magick into their arsenal has spread wider than Ardoren, the exact intricacies of the Ranger Corps is a closely guarded secret of Ardoren as one of their most prized weapons, a weapon that has shielded them from many attempts by the Empire to encroach upon their borders.

While the Empire seldom has rangers in the sense of warriors with primal magick, all other kingdoms have steadily been adopting it. Even Rhûv has sea-faring rangers who often serve on the decks of ships as navigators and readers of the ocean to warn of incoming attacks from monstrous sea beasts. Outside of the Ranger Corps, there have been no codified ranger organization in any of these kingdoms. Loose approximations of one crop up every now and again, but they have yet to become something formalized. In some cases, this is because the governments see little point in officializing such an organization, in others, other factions in the area-such as monster hunter guilds-find their presence threatening to business and run them out of town.

Sorcerer

Most commonly associated with the Saeveranacht, sorcerers are arcanists with inborn abilities. They must still learn how to harness and wield these powers, however, and must still wield material components. Sorcerers of the Saeveranacht wield the gifts of ancient spirits passed down through generations of their noble houses, though these gifts are as varied and strange as the spirits themselves. Some wield the magic of dreams and nightmares, others transmute flesh and create monstrous new beings, others manipulate light itself into searing beams.

Sorcerers who crop up outside of the Saeveranacht are, while rare, just as varied. Elemental sorcerers, sorcerers blessed by dragons, and more. Opinions on sorcerers is widely varied from town to town, with only a few kingdoms having widespread beliefs on them. Such as Carne, where they're viewed by the houses as superior, and by the Shapeshifters as despots, or in Rhûv where they are seen as a boon to have on your side for their versatility and aptitude for magic. The Kheravazan Empire runs tests on children for magical aptitude, and if one is discovered, they are sent to the Eyrien to study magic as a wizard. Because of this, Kheravaz has much less sorcerers than all other nations.

Warlock

Warlocks are those who achieved magic through being granted it in exchange for service by a patron. In most cases, this is done through the pact, and a list of deeds need be carried out. In some rare cases, such as some cultists in Veilderan, the warlock's pact is not a contract but a willing possession by the patron. Many in Veilderan allow the horrors from the stars to inhabit their minds in exchange for power. Often, this is in a feeble attempt to claw back some stability in the turbulent lives of Veilderian peasantry, but other times it is bitterness for the Church, or because they believe the starsworn to be beings from on high sent to be worshipped or sent to punish the people of Veilderan.

Wizard

The term 'wizard' is used almost unanimously to refer to arcane casters of the Kheravazan Empire, originating with the founding and meteoric rise to power of the Eyrien Citadel.

As the Eyrien has gained more influence and the reach of spellcraft expands deeper into the Empire, the term wizard has become something of an umbrella term. In general, a wizard refers to any magic user capable of using the lingua arcana to perform magic. In the Empire especially, this covers all manner of wizard subtypes as well as bards and artificers. Sorcerers seldom appear in the Empire, and when they do they are sent to the Eyrien to study as a wizard. Wizards are more commonly referred to with their specialty, such as diviner, conjurer, abjurer, evoker, and so on.

New Classes

Bender

Benders, as disparate as their affinities might be, are defined by their connection with the elements: a magic manifested through precise and practiced movements. More than a martial art, their motions are a spectacular union of magical and physical virtuosity, each twist and flick a nuanced touch of magic. For some, this is a weapon of war, of thunderclaps and fists of rock. For others, this is a tool to preserve, to craft shields of ice and invigorate with an inner flame. Whether a bender chooses to study all the elements—earth, air, water, and fire—or to master just one, the primordial forces of nature are theirs to command.

Benders in Divaan

Known as Weavers more than Benders, in Divaan these people are primarily those of the Crenaux river people in Lhynoon. The Weavers of Lhynoon are highly prized by the Crenaux, seen as blessed individuals. They often become people of importance, though not necessarily people of leadership, and many Crenaux stories and folk tales feature a Weaver as the hero.

The Kheravazan Empire has taken an apparent interest in the Weavers, and many Crenaux children who show signs of Weaving are found to be missing shortly later. Many Crenaux and Shapeshifters believe the Empire to be at fault for this, though the truth of the matter is unknown.

Blood Hunter

Blood hunters are clever warriors driven by an unending determination to destroy evils old and new. Armed with rites of secretive blood magic and a willingness to sacrifice their own vitality and humanity for their cause, they protect the realms from the shadows—even as they remain ever vigilant against being drawn to the darkness that consumes the monsters they hunt.

Far from the judging eyes of society, blood hunters have mastered the secretive techniques of hemocraft, finding blood magic’s esoteric nature effective against evils that resist divine rebuke or arcane bindings. Through careful study and practice, blood hunters hone the rites of hemocraft into unique combat techniques, forfeiting a portion of their own health to call blood curses down upon their enemies or summon the elements to aid their strikes. Willing to suffer whatever it takes to achieve victory, these adept warriors have forged themselves into a potent force dedicated to protecting the innocent.

Blood Hunters in Divaan

Veilderan is a miserable place where life is short, and pain is frequent. Assaulted by terrors from beyond the stars that bend the mind and shatter the soul, the people of Veilderan had to find a way to fight back. The Chalice of Sankt Zlokiri did just that, concocting mutagens and inventing the very practice of sangromancy to beat back the eldritch tide. The monsters of mind from between the stars, it seemed, had a particular weakness for the conduit of the body: blood.

The Blood Hunters are not these warriors. They are, instead, a diluted approximation of what the Chalice created. No technology stays secret forever, and the same is true for the trials that the warriors of the Chalice endure. The practice of these trials got out, eventually, though not in completion. The blood hunters are the result of this imperfect mutagens. Just like the Chalice, however, they are well known for serving as monster hunters. Coming into blows with the more mundane, unmutated monster hunter guilds, but hunters nonetheless.

Conduit

Conduits are living touch-points between the physical and spiritual realms. This innate quality allows them to reach beyond the veil and draw upon spiritual essence to power spells and other supernatural abilities. This gift is a double-edged sword—spirits are attracted to conduits like moths to a flame, and many of them harbor malicious intent.

In battle, conduits are resilient and versatile warriors who have trained both body and mind. Their arsenal ranges from light weapons that enable mobility to heavy arms that add weight to every blow. Their connection to the spirit realm helps them perceive supernatural threats, and the essence that flows through them keeps them fighting when others may perish. However, their most renowned ability is that of merging with spirits to unleash mystic powers, embolden their allies, and weaken their foes.

Conduits in Divaan

Conduits are rare. Exceedingly so, made all the more rare due to the fact the vast majority of conduits go their whole lives never realizing the power in their blood. The orcs are the most common people to realize conduits in their midst, but that is no surprise given the deep connection the orcish people still hold to the spirits of the world. Carnish people also frequently recognize their conduits, although few of them choose to pursue such gifts over their shapechanging birthright, of which they are only ever allowed to do one or the other for fear of what might happen should the two gifts meet.

The wizards of the Eyrien draw comparisons that liken conduits to sorcerers. In this comparison, it is often thought of that shamans are the wizards. Conduits are born with these powers in their very blood, and shamans must seek it out and learn. In Wyrdwir society, conduits are never a stand-in for shamans, though they often achieve the status of a walcaer. When a conduit is born in a Wyrdwir herd, they are often seen as both boon and bane, perceiving them to be a great champion who will protect the orcs and the spirits. However, they are also feared for this very reason, as the orcs believe them to only ever manifest when a time of great crisis is at hand.

Craftsman

Artisans of all types are an integral part of every culture: buildings must be erected, pots must be set to the kiln, tools must be forged. Despite their pervasiveness, master craftsmen are still as rare as they are prized. These artisans, creators, and inventors can smith items of mythic quality, and can solve most any problem simply by using the right tool and the appropriate amount of force.

Adventuring craftsmen come in many varieties, but nearly all leverage their advanced knowledge of metallurgy, smelting, and construction to forge arms and armor rarely seen, even by other adventurers. The smiths test their schematics and designs themselves, building prototypes and experimental gear that can later be refined into mass-production items.

Craftsmen in Divaan

Craftsmen are everywhere in Divaan, though those who go adventuring are often those seeking rare materials or seeking out masters of the craft to learn from. Some wish to go out to find exotic materials such as the vertsteel of Kheravaz, mithril and adamantine from the dwarfs, silksteel from the drow, or whatever else lurks out there in the world of Divaan.

Gunner

Whether as staunch protectors of frontier towns on the fringes of civilisation or ruthless desperados leaving a trail of empty bank vaults in their wake, Gunners make their mark upon the world with the crack of gunfire. Slick, resourceful, and lightning-fast, these deadly marksmen act when their foes least expect, changing the flow of battle with each well-timed, well-aimed shot. Blink and you’ll miss their next bullet—not that you could have dodged it, anyway.

Gunners in Divaan

Guns in Divaan are a mixed bag. Mostly coming from Rhûv in the form of so-called 'leycasters' which fire runic discs instead of bullets, it is rare to see someone who exclusively deals in firearms as their weapon of choice. The disks are expensive ammunition, albeit rather powerful. Lately, in the realm of Ardoren in the Dolorov Province, a new kind of firearm has been rising to power. Blackpowder firearms, exceedingly rare and hard to find, but the ammunition is cheaper--for the price of less impact damage. Many people fear the blackpowder weapons, with rumors of them originating from the industrial layers of the Nine Hells abound, and folktales of any who wield or die by blackpowder weapons having their souls consumed by the devil who imparted the dark knowledge onto the gunsmith who first invented blackpowder firearms.

Those who tout guns about make for potent mercenaries, however, and many of the more well renowned bounty hunters, mercenaries, and even monster hunters employ liberal use of Rhûvian leycasters.

Illrigger

The archdevils who rule the Seven Cities of Hell scheme endlessly. Each eternally plots to bring the others to heel—to ascend to the Throne of Hell, unite the Seven Cities and every infernal being living there, and lead an inexhaustible army of devils across the timescape until all worlds burn. These archdevils’ elite operatives are the illriggers. Knights, assassins, mages, and terrorcommandos of Hell, illriggers command the battlefield, disrupt enemy factions, and carry out their archdevil’s infernal will.

Millennia ago, the rulers of Hell did something remarkable: they cooperated. Together, they created the Order of Desolation—knights sworn to serve Hell first, their patron archdevil second. Those accepted into the Order of Desolation become comrades with every other illrigger, regardless of which archdevil they serve. Each archdevil has grand temples, underground fanes, secret societies, and sinister cults, all with leaders fanatically devoted to the archdevil who grants them their power. But the Order of Desolation stands above the petty political squabbles dividing the Seven Cities.

Members of the Order of Desolation, also known as the Desolate, are expected to be intelligent, resourceful, tactical, and manipulative. The order was founded to give the archdevils capable agents who could act independently across the timescape, free from the direct control of their patron. An illrigger has many powerful abilities granted by their archdevil, but more precious is their patron’s trust. Each illrigger is expected to sow discord, pain, strife, deceit, and fear without instruction or supervision. It’s not unusual, therefore, for a Desolate to first rely on other order members—regardless of which archdevil they serve—before turning to an institution devoted to their own archdevil.

Illriggers in Divaan

Inventor

Every inventor is defined by a specific craft. Inventors see mastering the basics of a craft as the first step towards true progress, the invention of new methods, and innovative approaches. Inventors are arcane engineers, students of invention and warfare who craft deadly firearms, ingenious gadgets, magical armor, and mechanical beings that they can augment with magic. All inventors are united by their curious and creative nature. To an inventor, magic is an evolving art with a leading edge of discovery and mastery that pushes further ahead with each passing year. Inventors value novelty and innovation. This penchant pushes them to seek a life of adventure. A hidden ruin might hold a forgotten magic item or a beautifully crafted mirror perfect for magical enhancement. Inventors win respect and renown among their kind by uncovering new lore or inventing new methods of creation.

An inventor is not the sort to be limited by what already exists or by conventional wisdom. They combine all the tools at their disposal to go beyond—to discover new boundaries and promptly exceed them. Few things can stand in the path of an inventor with a mind to change the world. Seeking to push beyond all and striving for the new is the unifying call of inventors, but how jealously they guard their secrets can vary greatly. Some push their knowledge upon the worlds, while others hoard it.

Inventors in Divaan

Investigator

There are forces more ancient than time, foes more sinister than the foulest men, and beings more titanic than gods. The world stands at a precipice of woe and terror, being threatened nightly by dark agents and hordes of monsters. At risk to their own lives and sanities, investigators penetrate the evil that creeps in the shadows and banish it from the world. Their battles are never-ending, for victory only delays doomsday another night. Investigators track supernatural threats ranging from incorporeal spirits, to nefarious vampires and lycanthropes, to incursions of demons and devils. Often in their investigations, they often uncover secret cults and maligned individuals who bring these supernatural threats to bear. It is always their goal to impede these evildoers by any means necessary, resorting to trickery, guile, magic, and bloodshed when necessary. To an investigator, no tactic is unthinkable when the world is at stake.

Even as they strive to contain its influence from the world at large, investigators dabble in forbidden magic to give themselves an edge against supernatural threats. Prepared investigators keep a well-stocked grimoire of magical secrets, containing rituals, incantations, notes on monsters’ powers and weaknesses, recipes for poisons, and arcane diagrams—everything needed to confront their foes on an even footing. Even so, an investigator’s occupation is perilous. A grimoire might spell out a vampire’s fear of sunlight and aversion to silver, but it does little to hinder their fangs.

Investigators in Divaan

Investigators in Divaan are often just that: investigators. Often independent investigators to government guard forces, and most often populating dense cities. An investigator is, in many ways, the urban witch. Though, where a witch seeks to understand and bridge the worlds of spirit and man, investigators are more widely varied in their approach.

Knight of Iron

Knights of Iron in Divaan

Knights of Iron were created by Falke Erdekrev in the Chalice of Sankt Zlokiri. Also known as the Comet of Sankt Zlokiri or the Iron Order, the rebel group of Veilderan pioneered the craft of alchemical mutagenics and blood magic to fight back against the starsworn scourging their lands. The exact processes that are involved in creating a Knight of Iron are a closely guarded secret, out of safety more than anything. If the Church ever found out how to create them, they would have little reason to entertain the Comet any longer. All Knights of Iron come from Veilderan, though not all of them are aligned with the Comet. The process involving their creation does not have to be known to the created hunter, and thus many people come to the Comet with hopes of being mutated to better fight the threat their lands face.

It is legendarily rare to see a Knight of Iron outside of Veilderan, as the country is sealed off by physical, magical, and spiritual means to the outside world. Regardless, a very scant few have managed to escape, and their trials were recreated in an echo, forming the profession of Blood Hunters.

Monster Hunter

Monster Hunters in Divaan

Pugilist

Pugilists in Divaan

Seeker

Seekers in Divaan

Shaman

Shamans in Divaan

Shifter

Shifters in Divaan

Spellblade

Becoming a spellblade isn't an accident—it is a difficult path to master and requires intense concentration and conditioning to master fluidly casting spells in the storm of battle in perfect sync with your attacks. Spellblades are, consequently, almost always driven by some form of motivation that have made them strive for this unique style of perfection. Some view it as an art or tradition important to them, some view it as the ultimate weapon to overcome a great obstacle, and some pursue it because of the challenge itself, seeking to prove themselves.

Spellblades are uncommon, requiring an unusual degree of talent to master their arts compared to those that choose to focus and specialize in only one of their two challenging fields. Adventurers are already a rare breed, but Spellblades are rarer still, which often causes them to defy expectations. A bookish and mild Spellblade may be surprisingly nimble or strong, while one that may look a musclebound oaf may be surprisingly erudite.

Spellblades in Divaan

Warden

Wardens are defined by their unique connection to the elements, but the source of this power is unlike the innate understanding of a sorcerer, the timeless study of a wizard, or even the reverent communion of a druid. To be a warden is to demand and be answered, to act as a conduit for the incredible forces that make up reality without regard to the potential consequences. This connection allows the warden to channel the fury of nature in a manner of their choosing, but rarely is the process entirely one-sided. Some scholars of the mystical arts believe that there is a consciousness, formless and timeless, that is the result of the interplay between the elements. They suspect that this force uses wardens as caretakers of its internal harmony. The subtlety of this universal engine causes most wardens to disregard these theories, if only for the sake of pride.

Unlike druids, wardens are rarely servants of nature. Instead, they command it to serve them. Their power does not come from a lifetime of patience and practice, but instead springs forth from a raw and innate connection to elemental essence. Wardens feel more at home in the confines of cities than other naturalists, and often find purpose within the urban world as easily as the wilderness. Nevertheless, most are possessed of a more mercenary sort of mindset. Few dedicate their lives to the pursuit of a single cause, instead moving on once their duties are fulfilled.

Wardens in Divaan