So you want to be a Wayfarer
Wayfarer Heritage Profile
Who came first, the Amazons or the Wayfarers? Good question. The Wayfarers will claim that the Amazons were a lost branch of their tree, who developed some peculiar habits in order to survive. To hear the Amazons tell it, the Wayfarers were what developed from the families (consorts and offspring) that they left behind when they went to war. Both have a driving desire for freedom and are often seen traveling together.
Wayfarers are the ultimate cultural appreciators. They have picked up languages, accents, clothing, performing arts, stories and cuisines from all over the known world (and perhaps beyond). They take what is useful, beautiful or noteworthy along their travels and weave it into their lives going forward. They are masters of the tall tale and it is wise to take much of what they say with a grain of salt- especially if you are not a Wayfarer.
With each other, Wayfarers are gracious and honest to a fault. They will never cheat or undermine another Wayfarer and can be counted upon for support in any circumstances. Wayfarers are uninterested in political affiliations or titles that may cause them to fall into conflict with each other. A ruling council has been rumoured to exist, but has more to do with clan elders than hereditary titles. They try to follow the prevailing rules of the land they are in, but that gets murky when you travel a lot.
Wayfarers make excellent Bards, Merchants and Spies. They have developed a unique skill called the Mystical Blade Dance that prevents physical damage from passing beyond the Dancers. Unfortunately, a Blade Dancer cannot make any offensive strikes during the Blade Dance, and this can leave them vulnerable if they tire or falter.
Wayfarers often have a clan patron God, but are comfortable at just about any altar or in the Forum.
Heritage Abilities
These are the abilities that make Wayfarers unique.You get them at the start of the game. It is up to you to role play them successfully.
Active: Mystical Blade Dance: Wayfarers can create a dancing wall, preventing attacks from getting beyond them. This lasts as long as the dancers are dancing- so no two step shuffles.
Roleplay: Performance Bonus: Renew 1 skill or 10 mana (recipients choice) to audience members by performing for an audience of at least 3. The performance must last 3 minutes, audience size of 3 or more must be maintained. The performer and audience members must be out of combat. The performer conducting the performance may not regain skills or mana from their own show but may benefit from those of others. In the event that multiple performers are working together, they will gain the benefits created by the other performers. Continuous shows with multiple performers using this ability lasting more than 3 minutes will bestow this benefit every 3 minutes to all audience members and performers. This assumes that the performers are using the bonus to refresh their own Performance Bonus to continue the effect. Performers do not count as audience members while also performing. The show must be presented to an audience.
Passive: Navigation: Wayfarers have an innate direction sense. They can often make good choices in unknown situations.
Wayfarer Example Archetypes
Bard
Wayfarers are excellent performers.
Merchant
Wayfarers bring many exotic goods into trading cities and ports. They are great merchants, but prefer to do it from a wagon.
Spy
Wayfarers trade in information just as much as they trade in goods.