Classes

"Even the mightiest of warriors cower when madness wears the crown."
- Dwarf Saying

This is a more in-depth look at the classes. Keep in mind that the class a PC begins as will shape their lives a lot, no matter what other classes they might take. As well, most classes (especially fighter and monk) require the PC have someone train them in it at least a year to reach level one. Most people take up to five (or even ten) years learning their class, since most can't devote 12 hours a day for a whole year to learning the class. Learning a class includes the legends, lore, and philosophies of said class, or at least those of the PC's teacher. The large exception to this is paladins, since the gods give them much of their knowledge and power innately though the paladins oath.

Keep in mind that no one knows of spells higher than level 6 - they are rumours and myths and legends, not facts. Few spell casters know them and fewer still would admit to knowing them.

Barbarians

There are two kinds of anger, see? The wrongeous and the righteous. When you get mad, you kill. Kill with the righteous anger and you're a hero. Do it the other way and yer no barbarian, just some civilized fop who sniffs hankies and thinks that justifications 're more than excuses.
- Pairt the Pale, northern barbarian

Barbarians are generally seen as people from the North Land but the term has come to encompass any scantily clad men and women who seem immune to frostbite and hypothermia, carry big weapons, have no social graces and tend to go into battle rages where they attack any and every thing in their way. Wait, that's the same people. Oh well.
Humour aside, barbarians are all from the North Lands or have been - gods forbid - raised by a barbarian in the south and chosen to follow their ways. Few outsiders know much about barbarian beliefs save that they all follow an unspoken Code. This should never be confused with the code of knights or the like. No barbarian would set out to rescue a damsel in distress (ravishing her, on the other hand, would be tempting). This code generally means that all barbarians uphold the honour of each other and are fiercely loyal to their friends. To take from Conan:

• Don't assault women and children.
• Don't lie or play pretty word games.
• Your Word is your bond.
• Strength and Skill are all a man needs to succeed in the world.
• Friendship and Loyalty are to be earned and treasured once earned.

There are no game changes for playing a Barbarian or Viking. The PC just needs to obey the Code. A Viking PC should have seamanship etc. skills for obvious reasons. Oh, yeah, and all barbarians are immune to normal cold.
Personality-wise, there is barbarian heroism. Basically, the barbarian solution to any problem involves a sword and attacking someone. They're not stupid, they just are rather direct (in game terms, Intimidation is their idea of Diplomacy, and likely of Bluff, Seduction (only for people who like big swords or some sword version of the NRA), Gather Information ("tell me or I cut your head off"), Bargain ("HOW much is it?"), Handle Animal ("See this? Settle down or shove it up and under yer rib cage.") and, in extreme cases, Healing ("Quit whining! *Stab* Now he doesn't need a healer."). All barbarian heroes are infected with wanderlust, like to quaff drinks, brawl, engage in petty theft, and attack anyone who might be an evil wizard and quote tribal epics.
Essentially, the barbarian hero always does the heroic thing. Doing otherwise makes no sense. If they get money, they spent it on wine, women and weapons. (The 3 w's :p). Saving it is completely foreign to them. If they need money, they'll rob the largest palace/merchant. If a neighbour is annoying them with a loud party, they'll go over and hack his door down with an axe, then challenge him to a duel. If they're bored of being king, they'd abdicate and start their way up again from the bottom. If they find themselves on a bad ship in a storm, they'll tie themselves to the mast in the hope and knowledge that they'll be cast up on some forsaken shore - even if there are enough lifeboats to go around.

Bards

Songs are as much discovery as they are invention.
- Splorrchahhh, Otyugh Bard

Bards are the historians and legend keepers and songsters of the lands. All bards know the local legends off by heart and generally have very good memories so keep track of who was born when, who married who and the like for their home village, often keeping a written record in case of their untimely demise. Bards are highly respected and most of them know many of the legends and myths of the world. As for people who think bards are somehow weak for choosing song over the sword, well, that's where songs come in.
By an ancient decree as old as bards, bards are immune from revenge against their singing. Because of the Singer's Law, people often hire bards to compose or recite nasty verse and those who insult bards can find themselves being sung about for a very long time in a rather unflattering manner. To add to this - or, in the opinion of "real" historians, to detract from it - bard's have the gift of the "lawful lie" or "truthful lie". It basically permits them to extrapolate events they're not told and embroider on the truth in the interests of telling a story or fitting words into the meter of a song they're making.
Despite this obvious power, bards are careful not to abuse the Singer's Law too often. A king might not be able to take direct action against the bard who sings about him being a useless king who's horse could rule better and is a better lay than his wife, but people in the dark with clubs can always mug you by mistake.

Bard magic is rarely known to bards, or anyone else. Since their magic takes from both the arcane and divine, it's existence would confuse a lot of clerics and worry them. At the very least bards might find themselves subject to the dangers devised by a very annoyed god who wants to know how they can heal and not get that power from the gods. Few bards know they can do magic and most of their spells just take effect as random magical happennings around them that they can often pretend to ignore. Few of them know why they have magic and most of those few are wise enough not to enquire too deeply into it.

Clerics

Power is not freedom, but the price of any power is a loss of freedom.
- Urien, human cleric

Clerics are uncommon in the world simply because they give up a portion of themselves and their freedom and will to the gods in exchange for their magic. As their are no set religions or theologies most clerics simply heal and help those in need and ask the gods for advice when they require it. They tend to live near places a god has touched - both to use it and protect it. It also makes it easy for potential clerics to find them. The other quarter of clerics are wanderers and travellers out to see the world and do the will of the gods, or have it done to them.
For the most part, male clerics serve the God, female ones the Goddess. The other deities are called upon by either sex at need and few clerics serve the other deities alone. (The God and Goddess are just that much more broad and powerful, but the lesser deity might give you more powers and aid in exchange for serving him/her alone.) Fate and Destiny are not called upon by clerics, nor (save by evil NPC clerics) is the Unnamed.
Despite the lack of any official theology, there are various clerical orders in existence, most of them dedicated to specific ideas about the gods or ways to serve them. Any cleric PC (and any player) can make up an order. Sample ones will be in the world section when I get around to writing them up. All orders must have some restriction on members.
Lastly, clerics call the gods by prayer (general plea) and invocation (spell). Clerical power comes from the gods and is focused by the piece of the gods inside them. It is NOT considered magic because it doesn't come from the OtherWorld and is not magic in any game sense.

Clerics can pick any domain they'd like (except evil, which belongs to the Unnamed) because they each serve the gods in their own way. Clerics may give more service to one deity over another (females the Goddess, males the God for example) but few of them rely on only one deity.

Druids

Nothing real is more real than anything else that's real.
- Merian, gnomish druid, shortly before being executed

Druids are very rare on Ios, having only been in existence for about 300 years. (Druids claim that there have been elven druids for a very long time to explain the elven connection to the Deep Wood, but elves ignore that.) They're basically clerics who somehow found a way to tap the world itself for magic rather than the gods or the OtherWorld. While this might not seem earth-shaking, it is. It's a new power, one that gives new meaning to people saying "mother nature is sure being a pain" because she (or he, or it) might just be. The world is not only alive, it can give power to those who serve it. To druids, this makes it the equal of the gods, or perhaps their progenitor. In practical terms, this means druids are making the first broad theology the world has ever seen. Most clerics see this as a really bad idea.
Most druids simply live alone and keep nature company, helping the world and having it help them in return. As far as beliefs go:

• The world we know is not the world entire.
• We are not here to dream of a better world but to make one now.
• We must suffer to learn. No blade has one side, no power just one price.

Druids are protected by the world to an extent despite the above: rain doesn't fall as hard on them, they don't get caught by thorns as much. Little things like that. In exchange for this, and the ability to use magic drawn from the world, druids serve the world. They can feel where it is hurt, and do what needs to be done to help it. To druids, their theology is secondary to helping the world and being worthy of the power they've asked for and been granted.
As well, druids can comminute with any animal or plant in an exchange of mental pictures pretty much at will. Animals like druids. It would take a lot for one to attack one, for example.

Fighters

Understand this, boy. Every time you kill, you die as well. Make sure what dies in you is something you can bear to part with.
- Hadrien Dragonsbane, to an apprentice

Fighters are basically trained warriors. They get good armour, good weapons and have a better knowledge of tactics and tricks (feats) than other people who use weapons. In game terms, most fighters can be divided into two classes - warriors and solders (mercenaries). Ethically, a warrior is someone you can order to die for a country, a soldier is ordered to win. Most fighters occupy a grey area between both at one time or another but as the old fighter saying says. "There's some that have a heart of gold, and some that would just wanta buy one. Pick which one you are, kid."
Fighters receive a lot of training to become one, and most of them have their first sword and armour before they've even killed anyone, since fighter training is more concentrated on staying alive than on killing the other bastard - more or less. The reasons for that are a quiet secret among fighters.

Fighters can have odd specialisations (more akin to Kits than 3e Prestige Classes), such as a sword master who can only use swords, but gets a lot of benefits with them. Such fighters are rare, but also very, very skilled with their chosen method of attack. Stripped of it, they mostly suck. The trick is to strip them of it :) Knights are possible as well, but need to be cleared by the DM.

Monks

To understand the body you must respect it, live it, nurture it, meditate in and outside of it, be one. Being ale to catch arrows or beat people senseless are just side effects, nothing more. The body is trained to overcome ego, not glorify in what it can do.
- The Yellow King

Monks are extremely rare on Ios, just because they're all trained by one monk. The King in Yellow is very old and human, at least according to the stories but the stories stretch back further than any human has ever lived. He trains all monks. Their teaching is largely based on meditation and being calm and tranquil. Being able to break bricks with their hands and the like is seen as a side effect of training their mind and body, not as the purpose of it. Monks are wanderers by nature and, when not doing the Kings bidding, help others. They only keep enough coin on them to feed themselves and for shelter, giving the rest away to those who need it generally.

Monks can teach others, but only the King in Yellow can complete their training, which is done by level 3 at the latest. Without his help, they can't advance further as a monk. Monks may also take Psionicist levels, but only if they begin the game as a monk.

Paladins

I am here to die for the gods. I am their arms, their vengeance, their justice.
- Just about any paladin

Defenders of the weak, protectors of the powerless, avengers of the slain, bane of the evil, and death to those who defy the gods. Pretty tough qualifications, which is one reason there are few paladins. The other is the price. To serve the gods, to be an embodiment of their retribution in the world, one has to give up everything else in the goal that makes them a paladin. The gods give them the power to achieve their goal, and in return get everything else, or near enough. Paladins are looked upon with a kind of naked awe by the good and terror by the evil. Paladins might not know the heart of men, but they do know if someone is evil and that a sword in the heart is the best cure.
Paladins are highly respected, held in a state of awe that approaches fear by many. They get meals free and no sane person gets in their way. All paladins are truthful at all times and must never lie. Even half-truths and evasions or loop holes are seen as lies. Sometimes even being tactful is discouraged, the result of that being that few paladins get into long term sexual relations. (Not that it would matter: no paladin can produce a child; that part of them is given up to the gods as well.) Most importantly, all paladins must be honourable. Exactly how they interpret or define this honour is up to each of them, and is in many ways the only thing that keeps the paladin as an individual person.

All paladins begin the game with a +2 holy sword and a Quest by one of the gods, excepting the Unnamed - only black paladins out of legend and myth serve that one. Keep in mind that a paladin is truly honourable and never lies. This doesn't mean they are necessarily good and many great evils have been done by good people in the name of goodness and "for their own good". Also, a paladin PC is at the whim of whatever god decides to act. The gods can block your memories, order you to certain doom and have you do things that would haunt anyone's nightmares. You're fate has been given over to the gods - you are a tool, a weapon, an instrument. Defy them or disobey too often and the gods can kill you in an instant.
There are no elf paladins at all in the world. (The exception would be a PC one.)

Rangers

To hunt an animal you must be an animal - the seeker must be the sought.
- Kami Leafsprout, halfling ranger

Rangers are for the most part the explorers, discovers, and travellers of the world. Most people like to have them around, but for their ability to find food and their knowledge of the wilderness and nature. Quite a few paladins have taken to making their livings in cities - since the city is just another kind of wilderness to them. No one knows how many of them there are but most tend to live in remote regions. Needless to say, they get along really well with druids.

Among rangers, there are a select few who can bond to animals really, really well. This Joining allows the animal and ranger to exchange senses, heighten or change each others senses, understand each others language and communicate telepathically. Joiners are bound to one animal alone, but can also communicate with any animal of that species. (One bound to a dog would know canine, and likely be able to be understood by wolves as well. Mind you, sitting down beside a dog and making growling and barking noises would receive quite a few odd looks.) The danger of joiners is that the death of one half of the joining is always very, very painful. And since few animals live as long as any of the races, most joiners tend to fear their gift and more than one has committed suicide because they can't stop the need to join. Most rangers think they are stories, but the others view them with pity.

Rogues

If you cannot keep it, you don't deserve to have it.
- Rogue Proverb

Rogues aren't being changed at all. So there. For your reading enjoyment, here's the information from the character creation stuff again: Rogues can be found everywhere, as well. While most lands have thieving as a crime, many rogues are simply people living on the streets, or those who've learned to make use of sneakiness in combat. Most fighters call it being a coward, most rogues point out that they're not built like fighters and for them it's practical. While mercenaries get along with rogues, they have more trouble with knights and warriors. I leave their relationship with paladins for your imagination. :)

Sorcerers

You can only be who you are.
- Jeram Kygul, half-orc sorcerer

The real magic workers, sorcerers are born with magic inside them and have no choice but to cast it and be it. For this reason, they tend to be pitied more than wizards and are often feared a little less, not that it makes much difference. Most of them are set apart from others but the magic inside them and the need to use it. The OtherWorld calls to them as it does to few others and most sorcerers tend to be more than a little vague and strange as a result. However, they also lack the need for magic and power that wizards seem to acquire. Indeed, most sorcerers aren't even capable of learning the higher magics, because their connection to the OtherWorld isn't deep enough. They make do, often trying to change people's view of magic as evil in their own small ways - and hunting down those who would abuse magic.
There is also said to be an old order of sorcerers, known as the Brotherhood to the men and the Sisterhood to the women. It was a largely informal system for exchanging information and sharing knowledge about the other world but is said to have been destroyed or disbanded sometime after the Wizard War.

Sorcerers can cast spells at a higher level than normal by paying HP equal to the level of the spell + the components (fireball would be 6 HP - 3 +3). This allows sorcerers to access powerful magic in times of desperation. They can also pay for material components for spells they know with HP instead of the components if they don't have them. However, sorcerers are limited as to how high a level of spell they can learn by how "deep" the magic in them is. It is quite possible to meet a 20th level sorcerer who can only cast up to level 3 spells for example. Few sorcerers can cast higher than level 5 spells, and knowledge of spells higher than level 6 is unknown: they've become things of myth and legend.

Wizards

Magic does not consist of drawing lines, but of erasing them.
- Avern, shortly before inventing the lich ritual.

Wizards are evil. Well, not always, but that tends to be the rule rather than the exception. Magic is seldom an easy path to follow and those who want what they can't have and learn rituals and spells in secret tomes to master it are a strange lot at the best of times. Sorcerers just know magic and for them it's as easy - or easier - than breathing. For wizards it's like passing a kidney stone or giving birth to learn magic, a desperate intense quest that finally allows them to draw the power of the OtherWorld, to force it to obey them. Sorcerers tend to view them as talented rapists since that's really what they do to the OtherWorld. But there are rewards for years in dank and smelly rooms: Wizards can learn any spell they can find, given enough time and effort. Sorcerers cannot. Wizards can also make items magical far easier than sorcerers, perhaps as a result of having to struggle that much more for their power. Magic is a need, a quest, a desperate wish fulfilment .... and wizards will often pay whatever they have to for it, no matter what.

Wizards must use spell components to cast any spell. On the plus side, they have no upper limit to the level of spells they can learn like sorcerers, just the real difficulty of finding any spell books that have survived the Wizard War.

Spell Components

"Circumstances don't make us what we are, they reveal what we are to others."
- Motto of the Brotherhood, circa the Age of Trade

• Bards just need to sing or play an instrument to cast their spells.
• Clerics just need their faith in the gods and what they are doing. If the Cleric is a member of some Order, a symbol of it is recommended but not necessarily required.
• Druids need to be in touch with nature. Carrying something like grass or a staff works if they're not touching nature itself.
• Paladins just need their faith, which they generally have in abundance.
• Monks using psionics don't have the 3e visual etc. effects happen for the most part. If they do, it's not directly apparent that the monk was the cause of the effect.
• Sorcerers need to use spell components, but can substitute HP for the components if they need to.
• Wizards need to use their spell components.

Prestige Classes

No one can look inside themselves and find anything that isn't already there. Self-examination is like looking into a mirror and proclaiming you've found something new when it's just you reflected. Enlightenment is often nothing more than knowing you're already enlightened.
- Delta Mu

Very few people know about prestige classes at all. They're things of legend, or known to just the class that is most likely to become that prestige class, and even then they are rare. It is possible to stumble into one by accident (someone must have initially, after all) but that is very rare. To become one you generally have to somehow find out about it and want to join it for whatever reason, and then find a member and convince them to teach you, which is often a quest in and of itself.
Needless to say, all prestige class choices must be approved by the DM. Player-made ones are permitted as choices as well.