The Keepers

The Earth Corner is bound to protect the natural state of rock and soil throughout Tellene. However, many Keepers of the Earth Corner believe this mighty terrain will defy any paltry efforts that people make to change it. Therefore, another goal of the cult is to provide balance and stability to the lives of the people inhabiting Tellene.

Keepers of the Air Corner often live in the wilderness. These clerics believe that fresh air and open spaces (where air can move freely) are the best thing in life. Therefore, they love to be outdoors among the fresh scents of flowers.

Although outsiders misunderstand the Fire Corner as having evil intentions, this cult simply represents an important part of nature. They have been known to destroy by fire both those areas that have become overrun by chaos and evil deeds, as well as those areas bound by the constraints of law and goodness. Blacksmiths, who make a living using fire, often call upon this cult for its knowledge of making hot and efficient fires. The Keepers of the Fire Corner are also called upon after large battles to consume the dead in great funeral pyres. Their most holy days are in late summer (fourth quarter of Siege-hold) when a great fire once swept the countryside. They anticipate that their master may cause this to happen again and continually prepare for the day by keeping themselves ready for travel to the elemental plane of fire. Because of this legend, the Fire Corner keeps an everlasting flame burning in all of its temples. They believe that the keeping of this flame allows the Grand Incinerator to enter Tellene.

The Water Corner believes that water, the source of all life, should be respected and kept clean. Anyone caught blatantly defiling a water source is taken far offshore and cast into the water to be judged by Wave Crusher. Keepers of the Water Corner also guard the waterways and those who use them. Many followers of Wave Crusher are sailors, fishermen or merchants.

Adventures: Common adventures for the Keepers are to seek out vortices or gates to the Elemental Planes. They also seek to right wrongs involving their elements, such as foolish attempts by mortals to control powerful natural forces.

Characteristics: Keepers are quick to rely on their command of magic and the elements. While not usually physically powerful in combat, they realize this shortcoming and prepare ahead of time with ranged spells that burn, crush or drown their enemies.

Background: Keepers come from isolated lands where the elements are a strong part of everyday life, such as high cliffs, windy plains, volcanoes or ocean shores. Inhabitants of (or near) the Ka’Asa and Lozhen Mountains, Drhokkeran Plains, and Delnondrian Islands, in particular, provide the Keepers with a steady influx of new blood.

Races: Humans, and their desire for power, often choose this class. Gnomes and halflings, who live among the raw elements, often advance as Keepers of any element. Dwarves naturally prefer the Earth elements, while elves tend towards either Air or Water. Hobgoblins tend to prefer Fire.

Relations With Other Classes: Druids share certain points of view with the Keepers, but barbarians, infiltrators and shamans appreciate the Keeper’s presence as a tangible reminder of a powerful force. These classes are likely to provide close allies for the Keeper. They consider paladins, and others more concerned with ethos over the laws of nature, unimportant.

Relations With Undead: Clerics must destroy undead at great cost, but need not sacrifice themselves or others. Clerics may animate or associate with undead only in rare, vital situations important to the faith. This may still bring excommunication, if the church leaders do not agree with the cleric’s assessment of the situation. There is no penalty of excommunication for animating the bodies of unintelligent creatures.

Role: Keepers tend to support other characters by providing firepower (sometimes literally) or the ability to manipulate raw elements. Earth Keepers are useful underground or in fortifications, while Air Keepers find usefulness wherever people breathe. Fire Keepers excel at destruction and burning enemies alive, and Water Keepers make excellent additions to any voyage over or beneath their element.