The Artist
The artist is another skilled manipulator of arcane energies that has learned to ply their trade in plain sight by using their natural artistic abilities as a conduit through which they can channel mystic energy to alter the world around them. A bit less traditional than most, the artist can use their abilities on the fly without tomes and scrolls and ancient secrets, they do so in most cases by entering into a compact with the powers of the void, losing some small part of themselves in the process. The compact they enter into varies dependent on the source of power, and this source will directly influence the elements and energies they gain control over.
Career
Qualifications
The primary qualification of the Artist is a willingness to enter into a pact with one of the known powers that are willing to offer it with the exception of a rare anomaly. Artists rely on their ability to manipulate the tools of their trade as well, as even before the imbuement of power, they are artists first. Dexterity plays a vital role in this, with a secondary leaning on mental acuity as the artist must be of sharp mind to learn the various styles and techniques that allow them to manipulate eneergy and bring their vision, in some cases literally, to life.
Perception
Purpose
While the Artist's mundane abilities are useful and accepted in societies of all races, the darker aspects of what they do are another matter. The ability to manipulate and control the energies that they utilize are viewed as magical workings, and as such highly illegal in most nations, and even those rare ones where it is not actively sought out as a criminal offense, the nature of what the artist does and the way they gain this power is still viewed as a dangerous link to entities that are feared and reviled.
Social Status
On the surface, the artist enjoys a well respected status in most cultures, and can in many cases make a substantial name for themselves if their work is accepted and sought after by the citizens. Those who are revealed as bearers of the pacts of the secret powers of Cairne however are viewed as criminal elements with low moral fiber, and in most cases are actively hunted by law enforcement.
Demographics
It is important to note that there is an extremely rare mutation caused on occasion by the Void that will allow an individual the ability to manipulate the energies of the secret powers of Cairne without their approval. These individuals are rare and walk a dangerous line. They are in essence thieves of power and are even more careful than most Artists, making an accurate figure for their numbers impossible to gauge.
History
Art has had its place in the cultures of Cairne since the Primordial March that began it, and creativity is sewn deep into the spirits of the people that inhabit the world. Not even the Blight could tamp that light down, and in fact, there has been a sharp resurgence of the arts since the Blight fell.
Operations
Tools
An Artist utilizes many tool of their trade, and in general usually requires a means by which they can direct the power they have been granted, though it is not always a mandatory thing depending upon the source of their power.
Materials
The needed materials will depend on the source of their power, and can range quite a great deal. Some of the greatest and often most dangerous Artists are those who excel at improvising.
Workplace
While the imbued Artist seldom maintains the luxury of staying in one place for too long, a studio can offer a great deal of freedom to create and focus their energy on larger projects. Those that maintain the guise of a mundane artist will often keep studio space in a location unlikely to be stumbled upon while they are plying their true trade. This studio will be much like any other, filled with the various implements of their artistic discipline and displays of their work, though the grantor of their power will often find way to interject imagery and symbols of themselves into the work of the Artist, not only as a mark of gentle reminding, but also as a potential means of recruiting the worthy.
Provided Services
On the surface, utilizing mundane skill the artist can provide a myriad of services to the public. Portraiture, statuary, landscaping, architecture, design and decor, etc. The list can be quite substantial. The imbued Artist however, plays a specialized role in an adventuring party, their ability to manipulate the various energies of the secret powers of Cairne allowing them to fill roles of both defense and offense, and often filling a substantial support role. Their ability to conjure needed items, and manipulate the world around them allows them to fill a much appreciated niche in any group.
Dangers & Hazards
Power comes at a price in all cases, and for the Artist, this is no different. The secret powers of Cairne will not abide a breach of the pact made that grants the Artist their power, nor will they suffer betrayal or the sharing of their secrets. These matters are dealt with swiftly and terribly, often resulting in the untimely death of the Artist. For those rare cases that are born with the ability to siphon this power with a direct tie to the source of the power, these dangers escalate even further, as they not only face the danger of being discovered by law enforcement, but the powers themselves and often, even other Artists as well.
Type
Artisan
Demand
Art remains an ever present luxury for all races, and those that excel at it are always in demand in one way or another depending on the culture.
Legality
Utilizing the powers of an imbued Artist is illegal in most cultures.
Famous in the Field
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