The shield
A front-line hero: protect your friends, stand firm, and meet danger head-on. You might be a soldier, brawler, or stubborn friend who believes problems can be solved by stepping in front of them.
CHARACTER CREATION
Start with a question, not a ten-page backstory.
Your first character only needs one strong idea and a reason to keep walking.
The shadow
A scout or rogue: move quietly, find trouble first, and notice the path everyone else missed. You might be a hunter, guide, or information-gatherer.
The spark
A mage or scholar: bring clever solutions and useful magic to ordinary disasters. You might be an alchemist or enthusiastic amateur whose experiments are only sometimes alarming.
The heart
A healer or supporter: keep the party moving and together when plans go wrong. You might be a diplomat, performer, priest, or morale officer.
CHARACTER CREATION · SPELLWORK
Where does your magic come from?
Magic can be learned, earned, inherited, or discovered in the living world. Use these paths as character inspiration; they describe story and flavour, not event rules or mechanics.
| Category | Source | Classes | How it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcane | Scientific ingenuity | Artificer (Alchemist) | Channel the Weave through tools: chemical reactions, reagents, and infusions create magical effects or elixirs. |
| Arcane | Study & logic | Wizard | Years of rigorous study, spellbooks, and precise formulas teach them to manipulate the Weave. |
| Arcane | Innate birthright | Sorcerer | An exotic bloodline, cosmic exposure, or otherworldly blessing makes magic spring from within. |
| Arcane | Pacts & bargains | Warlock | A binding pact with a powerful otherworldly patron—such as a fiend, fey, or Great Old One—grants their magic. |
| Arcane | Artistic expression | Bard | Words of creation and the music of the universe, echoed through song, speech, or performance, shape magic. |
| Divine | Deities & faith | Cleric | A god or goddess grants divine power to a faithful servant, who becomes a conduit for it. |
| Divine | Sacred vows | Paladin | Unyielding conviction in a sacred Oath channels cosmic power through sheer will. |
| Primal | Nature & animism | Druid, Ranger | Magic flows from alignment with natural forces, elemental planes, or nature spirits rather than a specific god. |
Keep it simple. Let the game give your character the details that no written backstory can provide.