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Message: <blockquote data-quote="el-remmen" data-source="post: 9578351" data-attributes="member: 11">WarlockA warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being. Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not one of the 13 Gods. A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to one of the Under Gods, such as a demon prince, an archdevil, or a fey-queen, beings not typically served by clerics or might toil secretly in a solitary quest for a quick path to power. And yet, a warlock might be an apostate priestess serving an obscure syncretic version of two or more of the 13 Gods not recognized by any churches. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and student. The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron's behalf. A patron and a warlock’s agenda do not always align.In addition to using arcane magic, warlocks are even further from clerics in that they rarely advertise their connection with the otherworldly spirit they serve. Rather, they are most often found as village witches, serving common folk with spells, remedies, and sage advice or perhaps exploiting the villagers instead, or using the role to hide more nefarious goals. The role of village witch belies their potential dealings with the dark forces, but the rumors of those dealings never far from a warlock’s reputation, regardless of who they serve.The arcane magic bestowed on a warlock as a result of this pact ranges from minor but lasting alterations to the warlock's being to access to powerful spells. Warlocks are not typically good fighters or proficient with many weapons, but their pact can award them abilities that make them formidable in battle.Choosing a PatronWarlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives. This thirst shapes their careers as well, depending on the kind of knowledge they seek and who they seek it from.Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known. But many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady or ancient talking animal and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, a religious experience with a celestial Under God, revered ancestor, or syncretic form of the 13 Gods, leads a person to seek out alternative forms of piety.You and your DM will work together to determine the nature and identity of your specific patron. [See Otherworldly Patrons]Warlock AlignmentWarlocks tend towards supporting the cause of Chaos in the eternal cosmic struggle against Law, as they prefer the freedom to make their own choices and eschew rigid hierarchies. Furthermore, the arcane magic they tap into has its origins in the Void before Time, the realm of Chaos, even if by their nature spells add a touch of order to unpredictable power.Ethically, warlocks are as varied anyone else, but often their relationship with their patron colors this aspect of seeing the world.Warlocks in the Inchoate EmpiresThe warlock tradition and secrets are nearly wiped out in the Empires. In times past, they served as advisors to Emperors and Sultans, rose as great leaders with fiendish armies, and shepherded common folk through the tribulations of that part of the world. And while there are still some lone warlocks with an apprentice toiling with a patron’s help to find a way to gain true power or medicine men leading dwindling cults of people through harrowing rites, more than any other would-be adventurer, a warlock knows that seeking power requires moving to the East.Warlocks in the Republic of Makrinos Warlocks are feared and ostracized by many folks in Makrinos, as they are seen as strange and dangerous. At the same time, most people don’t make the connection between warlocks and the villages witches they rely on for everything from healing to love charms to breaking curses. But even they tend to live in shacks or other shelters on the edge of or completely outside of town.This is not, of course, the only way warlocks are found in Makrinos, in some areas they are the leaders of local religious movements (what some call cults) or they might be found living clandestinely in a city, working as a sage, scholar, or spiritualist. In some rare cases, a warlock might be a welcome member of a church of Cyrene, Lyssara, or Myraxus. Warlocks in Makrinos have a few words of code they to identify each other in public places, an obscure phrase and response that varies but can make clear when they are among their warlock brethren.</blockquote>

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