"You come to Rewal? Do you know what Rewal knows? Of course not, you know not what Rewal knows, for only Rewal knows as such. But if you do not know as Rewal does, how can you know you want to know what Rewal knows he does?"

The Ancient Lepper, Rewal the Rotten

Hermetic Tradition

Scattered in the far-removed and remote places of the wilds are those who live in utter, or rather, nearly utter solitude. These hermits, aesthetics, and wisemen contemplate the great mysteries of the universe, attempt to reach an inner harmony, or simply attempt to escape the oppressive presences of the other. Many simply do so completely alone, and will do anything to avoid contact. However, most are not completely alone. Sometimes, hermitages, loose groups of such people bind together to share wisdom and resources. At the very least, most hermits choose one to pass on their own school of thought to before they die.

          Hermits are rare and enigmatic, and in the void of information surrounding them, it is only natural for stories to spread. Many view such hermits as healers and wisemen, and seek them out in times of desperation. Others think that anyone who lives on their own in such an unnatural and unsightly way should be left to rot, rather than stirred up. Others view such aesthetics with a sense of religious esteem. In general, people will just be surprised to meet anyone who has actually had intimate contact with such folk. Hermits are rarely viewed as regular people, and so seeing someone who was once one or is one will automatically be alienated to some degree, whether for ill or not.

          The greatest lesson an adventurer can learn by living the life of a hermit is that it pays to know how to avoid trouble. Years of war, famine, plague, and chaos pass by while hermits continue to live in solitude, blissfully unaware. While many rush in to deal with enemies and challenges head on, those who have trained under a hermetic tradition are much more likely to simply step out of the way, and keep moving forward. That is not to say that hermits act like cowards - ultimately, this is a strategy. In the end, hermits tend to be the kind of folk who will stick by their principles, whether death knocks or not.

If you choose Hermetic Tradition, you gain the following:

~A +1 to one of the following Ability Scores of your choice: Wisdom, Constitution, or Strength~

~A Skill Proficiency in either Nature, Survival, or Religion~

~A Tool Proficiency either with an Herbalism Kit or with any one Instrument~

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