Warlock

Powerful mages with a connection to other planes of existence, a Warlock's abilities often come at a price... These mages historically sought after eldritch knowledge, and still do so in the present day, albeit in a more organized manner: gone are the underground cults to these creatures in the past. And thanks to many Warlocks managing to free themselves from unfair contracts with evil creatures while somehow preserving their powers, gone are the connotations of being an unwilling accessory to evil that the class used to have. Certain eldritch creatures were discovered that bear no ill will towards the mortal races: in terms of patron choice, these have gained massive amounts of followers amongst this class, and have attained great power that way. However, the exchange for their power still involves their soul forever remaining in their patron's kingdom, as this is sadly the only way for their patron to grow stronger. Nowadays, the size of the followers of these benevolent peudo-deities even rivals some more established temples. While the worship of these good-aligned patrons is still looked down upon by more conservative people, worshipping them is perfectly legal.    

Mighty Planescallers

Warlocks seek to understand the mysteries of other dimensions and planes of existence, and often make deals with a higher being from these other planes in order to attain this knowledge. They refer to this being as their patron: this being grants them their magical abilities. The price paid for these abilities is confirmed through a magical contract, binding the Warlock and patron for eternity and allowing them to telepathically communicate. Their mental fortitude often far outclasses most people around them: while as much as gazing upon certain eldritch creatures or certain artifacts would permanently drive lesser men mad beyond basic functioning, a Warlock could view it unharmed. This makes them valuable allies in a group when seeking to explore any location relating to these, and makes them ideal to study these artifacts and convey its secrets to others. However, a Warlock would still struggle if they would reach their patron's kingdom, unless they are quite powerful: It's said that the most powerful Warlocks can even open a portal to their patron's realm at will, and pass through it unfazed. These powerful Warlocks can also share this ability with their party through magic, allowing them to follow the Warlock if needs be. This mental resilience has also left Warlock able to resist the charm effects of monsters like Sirens, Succubi and Incubi, much like Paladins. It's not uncommon for these two classes to team up against threats utilizing mind control.    

Eldritch Magic

While a patron does hold power over the Warlock they have a contract with, the relationship between the two is not necessarily parasitic: symbiosis is very much a possibility, and is considered a healthy Warlock-patron dynamic. This type of dynamic is often a result of a shared goal between the patron and Warlock: in the College of Wanderers, different patrons often are contacted via scrying for the aspiring Warlocks to communicate with before they make a final decision on which patron to follow. When negotiations start between the future Warlock and patron, the higher being offers up a physical contract for the Warlock to interact with: this can range from a slab of stone to a piece of parchment. A standard piece of writing in his contract binds the Warlock's soul to their patron, transporting it to their realm upon their deaths. When this contract is signed, a magical bond between the two is made which is almost unbreakable. This tether is what allows the Warlock their abilities, and allows direct communication between the Warlock and patron without an intermediary. However, this method of patron selection has caused evil-aligned patrons to adopt a different tactic then before: instead of targeting those who have been subjected to a traumatic event in a moment of desperation, they will put up a front of a benevolent patron in hopes of tricking more naive Warlocks into a bad contract. However, when the contract is signed, this facade will fall, and most of them will consistently pressure the Warlock to do evil deeds under threat. And some of these ruffians even attempt to claim a Warlock's soul while they are still alive, leading to a soulless Husk under full control of the patron. Argathrul famously attempted to inflict this condition on Loralahne the Brave, and she was only able to resist due to having an incredibly strong soul.   Any contract where a patron disproportionately lords their power over the Warlock like this often causes the Warlock's allies to join forces in order to free their beleaguered friend from these chains, while leaving their powers intact. Many Paladins in particular will not stand for this kind of behavior from a patron, and the more powerful ones are often the first to suggest storming the patron's realm. More powerful patrons with millions of loyal followers are immortal, but the contract will still be broken through their temporary death: they will need time to resurrect if they are defeated. In the case of more powerful adventurers, more than one patron has been wiped from existence itself through their permanent deaths, as they did not hold enough followers to resurrect themselves upon defeat. While a patron with thousands of worshippers is a pseudo-deity able to withstand multiple lethal wounds, they are by no means immortal: enough of these wounds can lead to their demise. Loralahne the Brave was the most well-known victim of Argathul the Puppeteer, and while he was an immortal, she famously managed to permanently kill him by using his own tether against him. However, the ordeal nearly killed her as well due to the sheer power of the magical energy flowing through her body. Loralahne's situation and the College being unable to help caused the Warlocks of the College of Wanderers to speed up their research into ways to break the tether that patrons to a Warlock's soul in emergencies like this.    

Eldritch Servants

Upon a contract with a patron, a Warlock will recieve a familiar. While the mage is by no means bound to one patron to the bitter end, they are bound to their familiar for life. This was previously unknown to the College, but Tabbaz, the familiar to Loralahne the Unbreakable, famously changed forms when she started serving Eyerar. Upon closer research from the College, this seemed possible across all types of familiars, not just Imps like Tabbaz.