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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 1514023" data-attributes="member: 5203">See, this is why I love EnWorld... so many good ideas in only a few hours.Let's see if I can address some of the issues raised...True, but the thought was that the Paragons are an invention of the common people, and they would only pay respect to 'legitimate' parts of society.The Paragons aren't gods.  They aren't even real people.  They just kind of came into being as part of a collective mythology.  An example would be if  some kid asks his dad "why do I have to learn to read?"  Rather than saying "so you won't be ignorant", Dad would take his son aside and tell him the tale of how Vandor the Scholar came to a village one day to teach the villagers how to read, and the one villager who refused to learn ended up meeting with misfortune because of it.  It's that sort of thing.Of course, the likelihood of all the various races independently creating identical myth structures is slim, so I imagine there was some subtle divine influence in this process.  The gods probably hoped not only to encourage the prosperity of the individual races, but to promote interracial relations by giving them a common reference point.As for the gods themselves, it's a fairly structured system.  There are five major deities, and each represents a particular race (except humans, who have no primary deity), alignment axis (the primary goddess represents neutrality), and element (except for the primary deity, who represents magic).This I like - each of these Paragons can represent a darker side.  Tales of this aspect of the Paragons would serve as cautionary tales to those of good bent, while those of a less benevolent nature would look upon them as inspiring.As  to the other suggestions: I agree that The Landsman could be broken up.  When I first started making this list I was being too specific (one Paragon for farmers, one for shepherds, one for miners, etc), so I needed to group some into broader categories.  Perhaps if I kept farmers, miners, and loggers under The Landsman (ie, those who work with the earth) I could incorporate the others (ranchers, shepherds, hunters, fishermen, horse breeders, butchers) into a "works with animals" type.I also agree that sailors need to be included, I was just having trouble figuring out where.  One idea that strikes me from reading Tonguez suggestion would be to split up various roles.  I could put fishermen in the "works with animals" category, navigators in with The Scholar or The Teacher, and officers fall in with The Leader.  Regular sailors would probably need to be in some sort of general laborer category.Perhaps that's what I need, a "catch-all" Paragon for those whose role is non-specific, but still important.  The sailors, the wagon drivers, the laborers, the maids and servants, the sewer workers, lamplighters, rat-catchers, etc etc.  Basically, the grease that keeps the cogs of society moving along.  This could be the category where the roguish types fall in; the darker side of this part of society - instead of the grease, they're the bits of sand and grit.So, here's a revised list:1. The Builder.  Paragon of those who create finished goods.  Smiths, carpenters, masons, craftsmen, cobblers, coopers, tanners, engineers.  Negative aspect:  ?2. The "Earth Person" (I'm looking for a better term than 'Landsman').  Paragon of those who work with the earth.  Farmers, loggers, miners, explorers, rangers.  Negative aspect: those who abuse the land 3. The "Animal Person".  Paragon of those who work with animals.  Ranchers, shepherds, breeders, hunters, fishermen, butchers. Negative aspect: those who abuse animals4. The Scholar.  Paragon of those who preserve, expand, and pass along knowledge.  Sages, scribes, teachers, priests, wizards, navigators.  Negative aspect: those who hoard or destroy knowledge5. The Lawgiver.  Paragon of those who create and enforce authority.  Nobles, mayors, sheriffs, judges, advocates, jailors.  Negative aspect: those who abuse power6. The Soldier.  Paragon of those who take up arms in defense of community.  Militias, town watchmen, guards, warriors.  Negative aspect: those who fight for money or as conquerors7. The Artisan.  Paragon of those who create objects of beauty to inspire others.  Musicians, painters, poets, sculptors, weavers, jewelers.  Negative aspect: those whoe works demoralize instead of inspire8. The Hearthguard.  Paragon of those who care for other people.  Parents, servants, healers, midwives, priests.  Negative aspect: those who take advantage of their fellow beings9. The Layman.  Paragon of those whose work goes unseen.  Common sailors, maids, laborers, sewer workers, rat-catchers.  Negative aspect: those who prey on society for a living 10.  The ??.  Paragon of those who make connections.  Merchants, diplomats, messengers, teamsters.  Negative aspect: those who spread misinformation or break connections</blockquote>

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