Adjusting to a new setting can be difficult, especially one which offers five different races as well as magic to choose from. Figuring out what your character *does* as well as what he or she is may seem daunting, but we've provided this section to give players a plethora of suggestions and ideas regarding their character's occupation. The * denotes a position that must be either earned through RP or applied for. Instances of ** note restricted positions.

**AEGIAN: The Aegis comprises the Empyreal government, and once appointed, a member usually keeps his or her position for life (Note: Women are fairly rare within the Aegis; they weren't even allowed into its ranks until recent history). Many of its members are also aristocrats, so players may need to start in one of the Noble Houses if they want to attain this position.

*AMBASSADOR: With five different races and an indefinite number of domains and kingdoms, someone has to bridge the gap. Liaisons and diplomats are given immunity so that they may travel freely among those territories and try to keep the peace. This type of position must either be applied for or worked towards through RP.

*ARBITER: The higher officials within the city guard also act as judges or arbiters. As chief magistrate, and the makers of laws, new players cannot start out with such a position unless they apply for it.

BARD/STORYTELLER: Everyone enjoys a good story or song, and those who can provide them are usually welcomed anywhere; such entertainers are often given an informal immunity among the separate races. Each race also has its own area of expertise: Atlantean women are said to have the sweetest voices, like the sirens from ancient Earth-lore. The Varati are noted for their complex chanting, which had its start among the religious caste. The Empyreans weave intricate melodies on lyres, kitharas, and other stringed instruments. And the Sylvans, with their fast-paced dancing and compelling rhythms played out on the drums, draw a more primal response from their audience.

CRAFTSMAN/ARTISAN: Shaper-mages are still rare enough that someone has to make all the weapons, jewelry, furniture, and assorted objects the old-fashioned way; using tools, skills, and a lot of hard work. Yet there is enough of a demand for those items that artists, craftsmen, sculptors, and smiths will have a profitable career.

CAIRD/TRAVELER: Like Earth's gypsies, these itinerant vagabonds are made up of traders, entertainers, musicians, dancers, actors, and craftsmen. They wander from place to place like a traveling carnival, not always welcome, but certainly never dull.

CONCUBINE: With their strongly patriarchal culture, Varati women aren't given much of a role beyond concubine or wife, but that doesn't preclude them from gaining power in their own way--they'll simply have to be more subtle about it. It's been said that behind every great man there is a great woman, and the Varati are no exception.

CYPRIAN: To the ancient Greeks, it was another name for Aphrodite, the goddess of love. To citizens of Aether, it implies "the oldest profession," which is as thriving here as it is on Earth.

**DECEMVIR: Atlantis was said to have been ruled by ten kings, and it is a tradition which its people have upheld for centuries. There are ten royal families, and each one produces a ruler, though not all are PCs -- some are presumed to live in distant territories. Decemvirs are not currently allowed as PCs, but you can apply to Atlantean staff to be an Aide or Liaison to one.

ENTERTAINER: This is a catch-all term for actors, musicians, storytellers, artists, and playwrights, for they all have the same goal in mind: entertainment. The Empyreans are as much fans of music, drama, and literature as their ancient Greek and Roman counterparts, and those who produce it are given a high standing within Empyreal society.

*EPHOR: While the ultimate governance of the Atlantean people is left to the Decemvirate, the Ephorate takes care of the more day-to-day tasks, such as judging disputes, maintaining the peace, and general overseeing. Ephors serve the people directly, as civil servants, nobles, etc., and often acting as the interface between different tribes, and Decemvirates, as well as maintaining the Atlantean nation.

EXPLORER: The Atlanteans are typically the most "scientific" of the races, with their interest in gathering, studying, observing, and recording information. Their domain is as vast as the sea itself, and there is much to explore beneath the waves, but that interest extends to dry land as well; thus there is a group of Atlanteans whose sole task is to learn as much as they can about their world and its occupants.

GLADIATOR: Originally an Empyreal invention, the other races soon took an interest and often attend displays of gladiatorial combat, or send their own champions into the ring. Successful gladiators gain popular recognition, though their fame is short-lived, for competition is vicious within the arena. Many gladiators are free mercenaries who are in it for the money, while others are slaves who were raised into that lifestyle.

GRAISHA/HUNTER: Responsible for the legendary ferocity of the Sylvans as well as tales of "berserkers," "beast-men," and werewolves, the graisha are the hunters and warriors within their tribes. Half-man and half-beast, they have a unique link with the wild, and they provide for their people as well as defend the tribe against its enemies. But even their own people regard them with a mix of awe and fear, for it is a little ambiguous as to where their true nature lies: beast or man.

GUARD: All races employ guards of various sorts, and mercenaries hire out as guards to individuals as well. If this appeals to you, there are several options for the various races. You may wish to view the Race files for specifics.

HEALER/CADUCEAN: Most healers, because of their vow to help "any who are in need," are granted immunity so that they might travel freely among the other territories, despite their own race or affiliation. Rogue healers are another matter, but even they are received more widely, for a healer is a precious commodity in a land where tensions threaten to explode into warfare.

HERALD/MESSENGER: Literacy is uncommon on the world of Aether, and most news travels by word of mouth. Rumors have a way of getting out of hand, however, so this group was formed and entrusted with the truth. Granted immunity, they travel freely from realm to realm in order to keep others abreast of Aether's "current events."

HETAIRA: Trained to a high degree, Hetairai are the elite courtesans of the Empyrean nation. They do not carry the same stigma as the Cyprians. An Hetaira is educated to be able to provide intelligent conversation and usually skilled in music and the arts, able to provide companionship both in and out of the bedroom, Hetairai often graduate to become the kept mistresses of the rich and powerful.

HISTORIAN/SCHOLAR: Anyone who can read or write has an advantage over most, and such "scholars" can often attain more prestigious positions. The Empyreans, especially, prize these record-keepers, who can keep track of family heritage and bloodlines.

LOREKEEPER: Those that do read and write are given the task of recording information, and to the Atlanteans, this information is sacred. While most of their communication is done through telepathic means, they do have a written language, which only the most learned of scholars may study. Atlanteans also have the oldest-dating records; some say it extends back to a time when legends of another world were fact instead of fiction.

MAKER/SMITH: Renowned for their skill and craftsmanship, the Varati are the "master builders" of Aether, and though some of this is due to their magical shapers, even those without the affinity know the secret of forging steel. Varati weapons are said to be the strongest and deadliest; yet in contrast, their jewelry is incredibly delicate and ornate, and their palaces are works of art in themselves. Those responsible for such wonders are highly respected in the Varati community.

MERCHANT/TRADER: Any economy is based primarily on trade, especially in one of the few places where all the races can converge in order to trade and sell their wares. The Pons Pactum supports a thriving business, and merchants and traders are fairly well-to-do.

*NOBILITY: As the Aegis is the real governing body among the Empyreans, the nobility doesn't have as much influence as one might think. But they're wealthy, privileged, and the most magically-inclined; for the Empyreans strove to keep magic concentrated in that line for centuries in order to produce a suitable Emperor, previous to the Aegian Republic.

PRAETOR: The Praetorians are the Empyreal version of the military; acting as the police, defenders, and protectors of their realm. Both men and women are allowed in the ranks, though women are less common.

PRIEST: The Varati "god-king" is a physical embodiment of their deity; much as the Pharaoh was in ancient Egypt. He has priests among the other clans to act as his "disciples" and keep the worship going strong, as well as oppose any "underground" religions that might threaten his position. Characters may play priests of either the Atarvani or Ushasti.

PIRATE/SAILOR: Crossbreeding has occurred for centuries, taboo or not, and those "less pure" offspring are usually city-dwellers who have developed a lifestyle separate from the other races. One such group are these sea-faring Atlanteans who spend more time above water than below. Some are traders who brave the rough seas to reach outlying islands, some are raiders or pirates, and others are mere explorers. With their mixed blood, they're not quite accepted anywhere, and they live between land and sea, with ties to both.

*SACHEM: The Sylvan tribes are loosely affiliated with one another, and their "chiefs" or sachems often meet to discuss territorial disputes, the encroachment of the other races on their land, or growing tensions between their clans. Players may either work up to this position through RP, or apply to the Sylvan wizard for such a promotion.

SHAMAN: Sylvan mages rarely receive formalized training, given that race's distrust of anything "civilized." But magic is still abundant, and those who possess it are given special status within the tribe. The more powerful the mage, the more prominent their position, although there is always the danger that their power might grow out of control. Therefore, shamans are viewed with the same mix of awe and fear as a graisha.

SHAPER/ARCHITECT: Shaper-mages provide dwellings that might not otherwise have been possible. The Atlanteans, for example, must rely solely on magic for the creation of their homes beneath the waves; and the Sylvans, with their stress on the environment, wouldn't dream of chopping down trees to create houses. Shaping magic alters without destroying, and those who wield it are both respected and revered.

SLAVE/SERVANT: "Mongrels," the product of centuries of crossbreeding, are the lowest caste on the social ladder. They tend to do most of the farming, construction, manufacturing, etc., and each race has its own way of dealing with them. To the Varati and Empyreans, they are slaves or servants, while the Sylvans and Atlanteans tend to treat them with greater respect.

TRIBAL ELDER: Advisors to the sachems, or chiefs, the older members of Sylvan tribes help uphold traditions, see to their people's welfare, and guide the younger members of the clan.

**WARLORD: Warlords are the rulers of their Clan, overseeing its needs and protection as well as making sure that the people are thriving. While Khalid-Atar rules over the entire race, the Warlords are very much like princes of their clans as far as their responsibilities are concerned. Leaving their vara could mean potentially opening it up to attacks and chaos. Warlords are restricted characters.

WARRIOR/SOLDIER: Mercenaries, guardsmen, soldiers and warriors are a staple in any fantasy environment, and Aether is no exception. Every race has its own brand of "warrior"--those who protect or defend their people, or those bent on conquering others. But even fighters need a source of income, so try to flesh out your character's background before strapping on a sword and swaggering into town, looking for a fight.