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It’s been a long time since I did a post on Windemere information.  I revealed a lot early on and I’ve only had to talk about a few new locations.  This time I thought I’d write a little on the various warrior types that appear throughout the series.  Not just the basic swordsman or archer, but the more colorful fighters.

Forest Trackers

Let’s start with the first hero to be introduced to the Windemere audience. Luke Callindor is a specialized warrior called a Forest Tracker.  They started as nature guides and trackers from the northern forests, which is where the name comes from. Eventually, they evolved into the agile, twin-weapon warriors that you see today.  Some change their moniker if they are more adept at non-forest terrain like deserts and mountains, but they still acknowledge the original.  Tracking, hunting, nature lore, and keen senses are tools of the trade since they are commonly loners.  If you find a Forest Tracker in a group then they’ve either been hired, helping old friends, or are really people who only did the weapons training.  The third category rarely admits to being a Forest Tracker since a real one would take offense. Are these warriors dangerous?  Yes.  Unstoppable threats?  Only the veterans who have expanded their skills.

Paladins

These guys haven’t made a big appearance, but they’ll get an honorable mention.  These are holy knights that follow a god to get a magical boost to their physical abilities.  I tend to portray them as pompous because part of their training involves giving themselves entirely to their deity.  So they do get a little fanatical at times, but there may be a more tolerable one showing up from time to time.  Many cities have Paladin Orders that help against undead and demons, but are not connected to the local government.

Mercenaries

Delvin Cunningham is the Mercenary Prince, which is one of four titles within their money-focused world.  There are many who fight for other reasons, but payment always factors in.  Aside from the Prince, there’s the Queen (Tzefira), King (Kevin Masterson), and Princess (appearing later).  This is a fairly new system created by Selenia Hamilton after she amassed the largest mercenary army in history.  It brings order and professionalism to the organization, which was needed since they were routinely associated with bandits and assassins before this.  Mercenaries come from every walk of life and no two are truly alike.  They also work in small groups that tend to revolve around a central figure with more charisma than the rest.  If not charisma then the ability to find the juicy jobs.

Barbarians

You think of a rage-a-holic brute when you hear the word, but that isn’t the case with Windemere barbarians.  They live in tribes, which tend to be divided by species.  Timoran comes from the human Snow Tiger tribe, but there are others like the centaurs, orcs, dwarves, etc.  Nearly every species has a barbarian sect.  This is because they came from those who embraced the primitive survival instinct of their people.  It is this instinctive savagery that gives them their rage, which they have learned to control.  They also have keener senses and greater physical abilities than those who came from the city people. Not all barbarians are wise and civilized like Timoran’s people.  Some are primal or have branched off to other areas like shamanism, nature control, banditry, or whatever they needed to do to survive after the Great Cataclysm.