by Naze in Dark Ages
Remaining a peasant is not only possible in Temuair, it is by far the most challenging of all paths. This path is not for the weak willed. It will be a constant challenge with few rewards. However, for those who seek the hardest path, the challenge is its own reward.
The Beginning
No guidance is needed to walk the humble peasant path. Upon reaching your fifth insight, you may feel some doubt about the future of this path. Whispers in your ear may mock you, saying you can go no further. Rest assured, the noble path of the peasant goes as far as every other path in Temuair. These feelings of doubt are merely the final warning of the gods: Choose your path now. Just remember, choosing to remain a peasant is as valid a choice of path as any other. If you have any doubts about your resolve, I would strongly recommend you visit the Temple of Veils and choose another path. There is no benefit to walking the peasant path halfway.
Skills and Spells
Only the most basic of skills and spells can be learned by a peasant. Most of the skills and spells you will learn come from joining a religion or running for a political office. Peasants lack the ability to improve their skills and spells. While you may only be able to gain rudimentary knowledge of the simplest of skills, these are all that are truly required to hunt the minions of darkness or perform the required duties of any office.
Attributes
As a peasant, you will find that most of the attributes of the Aisling are not really needed. Indeed, you will be relying largely upon your own strength. More to the point, you really need only concern yourself with two things when improving yourself upon insight: Your physical Strength and your iron Constitution. Of course, since there are no requirements for skills a peasant can learn, you can train your body in any manner you choose. Let us look at the attributes as they relate to a peasant:
Strength: This is the main ability for peasants. Even the meagre stick, when swung with enough force, can deal a deadly blow. To be blunt, in the first circle no Aisling can compare with the power of a peasant who has trained nothing but their strength.
Intelligence: Being smart or quick of wit is not needed to tend the crops and livestock. Peasants have absolutely no use for book smarts, as they immediately have all the mastery they ever shall of every skill they learn, slight though it may be.
Wisdom: While there is certain humble wisdom that comes from walking the peasant path, being wise is in no way needed for peasantry. Few spells will be known to you should you walk this path, none of which require vast stores of mana to cast. It is worthy to note, however, that wise Aislings are ranked higher upon the general census of Aislings wandering Temuair.
Constitution: Strength of the body is also essential to the endless toil that is life as a peasant. Being of sound body is absolutely vital. The importance of building your constitution at early insights cannot be understated. Spending even your first two insights concentrating on your body's power provides much more stamina than those who choose not to do so. ((Up to 100 HP more by Insight 6!))
Dexterity: Being swift of foot, while helpful in dodging the powerful maw of your enemy, is not really needed for a stalwart peasant. The best defense, as they say, is a good offense. Some say the fleet of fist can land more blows, but there are other means to improve your accuracy.
Equipment
It is highly recommended that you provide yourself with every possible advantage you can get. Nothing should be wasted; every little bit of power you can muster will help. To this end, make sure you are always equipped with the most powerful equipment you can wield at your current level of insight.
Armor:
In recent Deochs, there have been made available a bevy of peasant class armors. Everything from casual swimming garments to the high fashion of formal wear. But only two armors provide any real protection, the original peasant raiment and the pirate armors. The wise peasant trades in their standard ragged armor for non-ragged as soon as they can find the hundred coins needed. Ragged armor only provides half the defense of non ragged, though tattered rags are cheaper to repair. Pirate armors, while providing much more protection (Thrice that of non-ragged Shirts and Blouses) are also made of far finer materials. The result is that the additional protection will end up costing you every coin you have in repairs.
The supplemental armors are the true source of protection for peasants. Use the spoils of your war on the darkness to purchase Leather Greaves at your sixth insight and a fine pair of Leather Gauntlets at your ninth. And don't forget your shield! The bulk of your defense will come from your shield, so make sure it's a good one. Be sure to upgrade your supplimental armor whenever you can, until you are draped in the legendary metal, Hy-Brasyl, the ultimate protection a peasant can wear.
Weapons:
A stick is a powerful weapon in the hands of a peasant,
but sharpened sticks made of metal are even deadlier! Make sure you're
swinging the heaviest, most damaging piece of metal you can get your hands
on. A table below describes what I have personally found to be the
optimum weaponry for a peasant at the given insights. Note that most
of these weapons (Especially the early ones) cannot be obtained by a peasant
alone or at the insight when they would be useful. There are those
who will help you get them or sell them to you, however.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other:
The power of accessories is also of great benefit to peasants. The Gold Earrings can increase your strength even more when you reach the eighth insight. Necklaces can help correct the deficiencies of your attack swings, especially Jade Necklaces. The Diamond Necklace will provide additional protection, should you so choose. Belts will provide you with elemental defense against the spells of your foes. Rings are cherished by all Aislings, but they supply the bulk of a peasant's stamina. Be certain your rings are the best ones you can slip on your fingers. ((I would recommend Lapis at 8th insight and Spinel at 11th, the help in aiming your blows is a great boon. If you can take the loss of HP, Ruby Rings can be Blessed, so for the cost of 600 HP you can gain +6 Hit, compared to the use of Spinels..))
Magical Enhancements:
Armor can be improved by the touch of magic. There are twelve enchantments that can adorn raiment, but only a handful can be of use to a peasant. Remember that most magical armors require greater insight to wear than their mundane counterparts. Let us examine those magics of use to peasantry here:
Blessed: Ah, the most wondrous of magics a peasant could hope for! Every blessed item worn helps you swing your weapon more accurately, making those powerful peasant blows land all the more. Truly magnificent.
Abundance: This magic adds damage to the already devastating blows of the peasant. Not strictly needed, but some might prefer to deal more damage less often.
Might: Additional stamina will enable you to swing your weapon longer, enabling you to hit the enemy more often. An extra 100 HP per item is a good thing.
Gramail: Another beautiful magic to have upon your armors. Every item with Gramail's blessing upon it reduces the chance of a deadly spell landing upon your person by 10%. Very useful.
Cail: Cail's blessing raises your constitution. A well known secret of Aisling life is to equip as much of Cail's blessing as you can when you sense you are close to gaining an insight. This will enable you to gain much more endurance than you otherwise would. Every little bit helps.
Hunting
Hunting strategy is very simple for a peasant. Walk up to a monster you dislike and pound upon it until either it drops or you do. Note that you will miss with the vast majority of your swings, but if you train your strength well, the few blows that do land will be devastating. Of course, peasants attack best in mobs, so you should consider hunting in a group.
The only other thing to say about hunting as a peasant is that you best get your fill early on. Monsters of the highest circles are far too difficult to hit for the meagre assaults a peasant can muster. There are, however, monsters that certain mundanes will reward you for exterminating. These will always make good hunting for you, no matter what your insight.
During your first circle of insight, you will be able to hunt even the most powerful of monsters with ease. When you reach the second circle, you will still be comparable in hunting ability to other paths. Come the third circle, you will definitely find your simple peasant skills do not compare with the other paths. And should you reach the fourth circle, you will find that the aid of a good priest is essential in order to hit anything.
Questing
Quests are an excellent way to gain insight. Toiling in the mines of Pravat or the fields of Suomi is exactly what a peasant should expect to do. There is much lore already available upon the quests of Temuair in the Library, it would be prudent to familiarize yourself with them if you wish to walk the peasant path to its end.
Other Means
There are two other major ways to gain insight in Temuair. As a peasant, you will have to take advantage of any sources of insight you can. Mentoring is not only rewarding to the student, but the teacher as well. Being on either end will benefit you regularly. Religions are the other source of insight besides quests and hunts. Gods reward the pious with insight.
Rest assured, almost every action you take in Temuair is insightful, however meagre. It is not only possible to reach the highest insights without hunting, it is impossible, given enough time, to not reach the final insight.
On Being A Peasant
Walking the peasant path is much like any other. There is very little you cannot do as a peasant. Most notably, you cannot guide an Aisling, as peasants require no guiding. Currently, you also will be unable, along with Tagor citizens, to be able to ascend to the land of ice. Mastery is also a world that peasants may never know. But peasants can hunt, join a religion, run for political office, quest, and every other thing any other Aisling can do. Life as a peasant can be full and rewarding.
Being a peasant takes strength in many ways.
You will need physical strength if you intend to hunt. Strength of
will is needed to resist the temptations of the easy life of the other
paths. Most importantly, your strength of resolve must be absolute;
There is absolutely no point in walking the peasant path part way.
It is a hard life that requires much strength, but for some, challenges
are what makes life worthwhile.