Sage Field
Sage fields represent vast spheres of knowledge accessible to characters based on their character class. Typically, each class offers four fields, except for druids who have three and bards who possess sixteen. During character creation, players select a specific field of expertise, after which the sage studies and abilities included therein are described as "in-field." Any knowledge outside this specialization is termed "out-of-field."
Knowledge is acquired through the character's education, starting from childhood and continuing until they achieve 1st level, at which point they enter the game campaign. Children receive some education in every field and study, most of which may seem cursory and irrelevant initially. However, as characters progress in levels, the formal education they received as children enables them to significantly enhance their knowledge within their chosen specialization and make modest gains in subjects outside their field. Further, characters may choose additional fields of knowledge at 7th, 13th, 19th and 25th level.
Sage Abilities
Fields and subjects serve as the framework for the acquisition of sage abilities, encompassing the character's proficiencies and skills applicable to a wide range of actions. The more fields a character possesses, the broader their knowledge becomes, providing them with a greater array of practical capabilities.
It's possible through various means for characters to gain sage abilities outside their studies. Such means include the character's progenitor, instruction and jack-of-all-trades. As well, some sage abilities appear in multiple fields. In such cases, obtaining the ability from different fields does not enhance the ability itself; it signifies only that the character has developed that skill through different avenues of study.
List of Fields
Below is a list of available fields, according to the character classes to which they apply. With regards to "animal training," while assassins, fighters, paladins and rangers all have "animal training" as a field, this field as possessed by assassins is less extensive.
- Animal Life – druid
- Animal Training – assassin, fighter, paladin, ranger
- Architecture – bard
- Art World – bard
- Black Magic – mage
- Ceramics – bard
- Church, the – cleric
- Circus – bard
- Civitas – illusionist, mage
- Dance – bard
- Drama – bard
- Earth & Sky – druid
- Fine Art – bard
- Fraud – thief
- Gastronomy – bard
- Grace – assassin
- Humanities – illusionist, mage
- Leadership – fighter, paladin
- Leather Work – bard
- Legends & Folklore – cleric
- Literature – bard
- Mastery at Arms – assassin, fighter, paladin, ranger
- Metalwork – bard
- Music – bard
- Plant Life – druid
- Power – cleric
- Puppetry – bard
- Reality – illusionist
- Reverence – paladin
- Salon – bard
- Science – mage
- Skulduggery – assassin, thief
- Streetwisdom – thief
- Textiles – bard
- Theft – thief
- Theology & Customs – cleric
- Training – fighter, ranger
- Unreality – illusionist
- Way of the Heart – monk
- Way of the Spirit – monk
- Way of the Stick – monk
- Way of the Stone – monk
- Wilderland – ranger
- Woodworking – bard
