Warrior Vocations

‘Warriors’ are characters who elect for a martial vocation. They focus on training for combat. A martial career requires that a man rely on brute strength, fast reflexes, physical toughness and bulldog tenacity, with quick wits thrown in for good measure. Above all, he is a fighting man, pure and simple. His goals in life are to seek glory, honour, and loot, to build and maintain a good reputation, and to be remembered after his death as a doughty warrior and a true hero.

Fighters: The Common Warriors

Fighters include all warriors lacking aristocratic backgrounds. While not enjoying the privileges of nobility, the common Fighter often has greater freedom of action. An ordinary feudal fighting man is not strictly bound by the Code of Chivalry which Knights are expected to observe in their daily conduct. On the other hand, neither are they protected by the Code, which is what dictates ‘correct’ treatment of prisoners of chivalric rank.

It is the PC’s social background, along with his ability to outfit himself accordingly, which establishes the type of Fighter he can choose to be to begin the fantasy role-playing campaign. One can not train to be a particular type of fighter without the appropriate equipment, i.e. how can you be a mounted warrior without a horse.

Fighters can choose from a wide range of combat skills. Of course, these choices will reflect personal preferences, but they will also be strongly influenced by a Fighter’s social and cultural backgrounds.

For instance, a Viking will probably be a proficient horseman, but it is unlikely he will have skill in mounted combat. Nordics rode whenever possible. Horses were commonly used for rapid movement but only rarely as battle steeds. Northmen traditionally fought on foot. They were very good at it, not only because of their renowned ferocity but also because they were disciplined infantry who trusted in their proven shield wall formation and time-tested battle tactics to win the day.