4.15.5 Roleplaying a Sentinel
The Sentinels are an ancient warrior tradition, connected to the Rhythm and sworn to protect Dia'ruis and the Prime Material Plane's natural places from danger. Expert trackers, fierce fighters and peerless archers, they work together with the creatures of the wild to slay their foes.
[0;1;33mWhat is Dia'ruis?[0m
Dia'ruis is a Lirathyar, a - or rather the - Plane of Life, a fledgling plane born from the efforts of Duiran in the Year 504. Its forerunner, Dendara, served as the chief focus of Duiran for countless years as it decayed, overrun and slowly dying by shadow's rapacious consumption. In a daring ritual led by Esrytesh Sibatti Dur Naya, the Council, aided and abetted by the Hunter and the Underking, wrenched the moon from the sky, allowing Varian, the Celestine, a break from His perpetual duel with the Albedi Eschaton to trim away the healthy parts of Dendara and create a new Plane free of rot and corruption.
Thus was Dia'ruis born, and thus does life go on within this primordial land of unending dawn and eternal dusk. From this font of life come the spirits of all beasts, fauna, and fowl alike, awaiting their birth into the Cycle. At the heart of the plane stands a burgeoning World Tree, its nascent eaves stretching forth into the twilit heavens. It is a wild and untamed place, unmarred by civilisation or the tread of industry; nature in all its glory flourishes therein, from the gentle babbling of freshwater streams to the predators lurking in the dark hunting for prey.
[0;1;33mHow your skills generally work:[0m
* Dhuriv is an agile, skilled combat style utilizing a dual-bladed staff. The style was passed down to modern day Sentinels by the Black Raven clan. It focuses on clean, efficient strikes and builds to a vicious kill.
* Tracking is the ranger's art, allowing the clever hunter to overcome any foe. It covers archery, traps, woodsmanship, and unique resins, a method of combat solely practiced by the Sentinels.
* Woodlore represents the Sentinel's connection to the wild, allowing them to call on the aid of a number of beasts, including the mythical cockatrice, the grumpy badger, and the clever raccoon. Their bond is so great that the Sentinel can ride some of them, and use their abilities at will.
[0;1;33mVisual style of the class:[0m
Sentinels fight like a skirmisher, able to dip into and out of battle as they please, backflipping away and ambushing opponents. They are graceful, whirling their dhurives as they fight in tandem with their animal companions, who support the Sentinel without need for command or communication. They wield bows and crossbows as easily as they do their dhurives, and although they may seem brutal, their style of combat is efficient, quick, and clean. It is not cruel or unnecessarily violent. They might be calloused or scarred from hard years in the wilds, and may have facial hair or an unkempt appearance if they've spent a long time away from civilization.
[0;1;33mRoleplaying the class:[0m
Sentinels can come from many walks of life, but they're unified by not only a love for the wild, but a drive to protect it from that which threatens it. They understand both the predator and the prey, and the importance of each. They could be a starry-eyed explorer, a gruff hunter, a valiant warrior, or some combination of these and more. They do not treat their Woodlore allies as pets, but as equal allies, lending aid to a worthy cause. They respect nature, understanding their role within it, even as they attain mastery of it.
