Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits.
Archetypes
From Esterrapedia
More actions
An Archetype is a role within the world of Concord that your character occupies. Something that not only guides your actions within the game but also informs others of what your character is about. A chance to fit more into the world, to fill an important niche, and to help prompt interesting characters. It is the difference between a captain of a ship from Lerona Mere, and a Lerona Mere Free Captain.
Archetypes are entirely optional. Your character concept need not include an Archetype, rather the Archetypes are present to guide players towards embodying certain parts of their Realm, to provide goals, style, concerns to a character, and to create connections with other characters of a similar Archetype. It also allows the Concord Team to disperse stories through Archetypes when we feel it is appropriate.
Not every character role is represented by an Archetype. There are likely hard-bitten warriors in the Greenweald that do not meet the idea of a Ritter and there are likely rogues within Bordevar even though they lack a free-wheeling rogue Archetype. Over time your Character might also grow out of their Archetype or grow into one, this is totally fine. Just let us know by reselecting in the Character Creator so we can adjust our records.
However, if your Character is a member of an Archetype it forms the foundation of that Character's concept and that Archetype is defined by its concept. You couldn’t play an Avowed Knight of Bordevar who has been released from their pledge and still call yourself an Avowed Knight, since being bound by that pledge is what defines them. The Archetypes are not designed to be flexible, rather they are hard concepts to push your Character forward.
Finally, Archetypes are not designed to limit other Characters by their existence. Your Character can delve into an Andashi tomb without immediately being accosted for lacking a Delvers Belt, they might just not identify as part of the Delvers tradition. But the responsibility lies with the Player to embody an Archetype. If you play an Avowed Knight dishonourably you cannot be disappointed when other characters treat you like a dishonourable Avowed Knight, regardless of what the lore might say. The costume markers of the various Archetypes are also not exclusive, rather they are a recognised part of the world. Free Captains are often fashion trendsetters, leading to styles coats being common in Lerona Mere. So you may be misrecognised as being a Free Captain, which is fine if you’re fine with it. Although being misrecognised as something more exclusive (such as a Huntsmarshall or Kings Ranger) may be more of an issue.
Gaining an Archetype
Gaining an archetype should be the culmination of work and experience on the Characters part. Archetypes are complex social and professional roles that shouldn’t be and cant be entered into lightly, often requiring recognition and training. If your character is interested in gaining an archetype (assuming they lack one already) this journey should be one that takes some time, involves other players and your realm as a whole. An apprenticeship for a year or so is a common rule of thumb for these sorts of things. Although this may vary from circumstance to circumstance, as listed in the Becoming an X sections.
What is important is that Character don’t just jump into an Archetype quickly with little preparation. It cheapens the overall importance of the Archetype for yourself and for every other Character engaging in that role. Speak to other members of that Archetype out of character and attempt to gain a perspective on what they would consider appropriate training and story duration.
Of course this largely applies to Characters who are established, as a new Character can begin with an archetype without issue, provided it makes sense.
Losing an Archetype
Your character can rescind their archetype at any point, renouncing the roles and moving on with their life. Of course you may still carry the social standing that role has left on your reputation for some time.
Your character may also lose an archetype if you change realm. Archetypes are limited to their realm and reflect a social understanding of that culture. As such they are left behind as you shift.
Your character may also lose an archetype if they fail to meet the requirements. A Janissary who no longer leads a Military Investment would be lacking the important social standing that makes them a Janissary, same for a Priest of the Needle who forgoes the Divine Lore skill. If you would lose a required element of your Archetype, you have a grace period of One Summit to regain that element as necessary before you are considered to no longer be that Archetype.
Archetype Formats
Each archetype entry generally follows the same format. It is as follows:
A name and introduction
Need
Denotes skills that are required to properly embody that archetype. These are generally non-negotiable.
Recommended
Denotes skills that are recommended to embody that archetype but are not required.
Shouldn't
Denotes skills that shouldn't be taken by that archetype.
Costume Marker
Describes an item of costume particular to that archetype. Useful for marking yourself and recognising other characters of that Archetype.
Becoming an X
Describes the steps that must be taken to become the chosen Archetype. This is not necessary for new Characters who wish to come in as that Archetype.
History
Describes the history of that archetype in the world of Concord
Three Things they Are
Three Core Values of the archetype, both in play and theory.
One or Two Things they Aren't
One character style, aspect or action to avoid while embodying the archetype.
Andashi archetypes draw from the twin cultures of the new realm. Equal parts rough and tumble wanderer and refined city folk.
The Red Lady of Andash, a powerful warmage, and leader.
Andashi Archetypes
Janissary - Honourable Mercenaries, trading time and skill for coin and respect.
Learned Arcanist - Skilled and academic wizards with a penchant for pride and adventure.
Delver - Roguish tomb raiders always looking for the next big mystery and payday.
Andashi Patron - A new breed of leader, with coins for a heart and ambition for a dream.
Corsair - Sea-bound explorers and racers, Corsairs are daredevil competitors taking the waves to prove themselves heroes.
Wreathkeeper - Festooned with their own unique ‘wreaths,’ these part-sages, part-advisors keep the lessons and wisdom of the nomadic Andashi clans so that the future does not fall to the maladies of the past.
Shesti - The peak of Nomadic Martial culture, one that seeks the most that life has to offer.
