Martial Mastery through Training and Will
Fighters in Eldara represent the pinnacle of martial skill achieved through dedication, training, and sheer determination. Fighters rely on their physical prowess, tactical knowledge, and mastery of weapons and armor. However, some fighters do develop limited connections to the weave through intensive training or divine favor.
Good-Aligned Fighters: Champions of Justice
Divine Connection: Good fighters often serve as champions and protectors, drawing inspiration and occasional divine favor from deities who value courage, protection, and righteous combat.
Common Worship:
- Belron, Defender of the Just - Justice, honor in battle, protection of the innocent
- Seliana, Guardian of Hearth - Defending family and community
- Zyren, God of Life - Protecting the sacred spark of life
- Olvar, God of Craftsmanship - Perfecting the martial arts and weaponsmithing
Practices: Serve as guards, city watch, military officers, knights-errant, and protectors of the weak. Train constantly to perfect their skills and maintain codes of honor.
Evil-Aligned Fighters: Lords of War
Divine Connection: Evil fighters embrace combat for its own sake, drawing power from deities who celebrate violence, conquest, and the dominance of the strong over the weak.
Common Worship:
- Goroth, Lord of Bloodlust - Brutality, chaos, the joy of battle
- Karash, God of Corruption - Using strength to corrupt and dominate
- Akrath, God of Desolation - Bringing ruin through force of arms
- Malikar, God of Discord - Turning allies against each other through manipulation and betrayal
Practices: Serve as mercenaries, warlords, enforcers, and conquerors. Seek conflict for personal gain and revel in the suffering of their enemies.
Neutral Fighters: Soldiers and Sellswords
Divine Connection: Neutral fighters serve causes beyond simple good and evil, following codes of honor, loyalty to nations, or pursuing combat as a professional craft.
Common Worship:
- Olvar, God of Craftsmanship - Perfecting the craft of war
- Caelith, God of Winter / Solana, God of Summer - Seasonal campaigns and military cycles
- Thanriel, God of Passage - Honoring those who die in battle
Practices: Serve as professional soldiers, mercenaries, bodyguards, and military trainers. Focus on perfecting their martial skills regardless of the cause they serve.
Martial Traditions and the Weave
While most fighters rely purely on physical training, some develop limited connections to The Aetheric Weave (Magic) through extraordinary dedication or divine blessing. These exceptional warriors might manifest supernatural endurance, uncanny accuracy, or the ability to inspire allies through their presence on the battlefield.
The strength of a fighter’s abilities depends primarily on their training, experience, natural talent, and force of will rather than magical aptitude.