Ever wandering and curious, Wayfarers are the nomads and free spirits of the small folk, often found in gardens, gutters, and the open sky, riding wayward breezes on dandelion seeds. They are also sometimes called Driftlings in older small folk tongue.

Physically, wayfarers are lean and wiry, with colourful hair often dyed with berry juice or pollen. They possess gliding membranes or frills between their limbs that allow them to drift remarkable distances on air currents. Their eyes reflect starlight strangely, hinting at their connection to the night sky.

Culturally, wayfarers are explorers and traders who never settle in one wall crack for long. A wayfarer family might migrate from one backyard to another with the seasons, their homes strapped to their backs in tiny rolled packs.

Spirit Patronage

Central to wayfarer culture is the practice of Spirit Patronage. Wayfarers can create magical contracts with powerful spirit patrons, often animal spirits connected to the natural world. Each pact grants the wayfarer access to a magical transformation token — a tiny berry or seed that grows in hidden or enchanted places.

When consumed, the berry allows the wayfarer to partially or fully transform into the patron's form for a time. A pact with a sparrow spirit might let them sprout small wings and glide; a fox spirit pact might grant sharper senses and cunning reflexes.

The transformation typically lasts from a few minutes to an hour, depending on the potency of the berry and the strength of the bond. Overuse can exhaust the wayfarer or strain the pact.

Racial traits

Glide and Soar — Wayfarers can glide gracefully from heights. When a wayfarer falls any distance, they can spread their "wings" to glide, taking no falling damage and drifting horizontally up to 2 spaces per space fallen.

Wind Whisperer — Wayfarers have a knack for sensing weather and wind changes. They gain a +1 Boon on checks related to navigation, weather prediction, or noticing incoming environmental threats.

Spirit Patronage (Dream Contracts) — All wayfarers have the innate ability to forge contracts with spirit patrons through dreamwalking. A wayfarer may maintain a number of patron contracts equal to their level ÷ 3 (minimum 1). See the Stargazer class for full patron rules.

Nomadic Resilience — Having lived outdoors and traveled far, wayfarers are tougher than whisperlings. They have advantage on saves against environmental hazards (temperature, weather, altitude, hunger) and difficult terrain rarely slows them on paths they've traveled before.

Roles

Wayfarers have one fully detailed role and a second that is still in development.

Stargazer

The shaman who forges pacts with multiple spirit patrons and carries their essences in magical transformation tokens.

Personality-wise, Stargazers are wise yet restless, carrying the accumulated knowledge of their many journeys and the responsibilities of their patron contracts. They often serve as spiritual leaders within their nomadic clans, guiding migrations by the stars and brokering peace between competing spirit territories.

Mechanically, Stargazers are versatile shapeshifters who rely on WIL for maintaining patron relationships and DEX or STR for combat effectiveness in their transformed states.

Patron options

Minor patrons (available from Level 1):

• Sparrow Spirit — +2 movement and light wings
• Mouse Guardian — tremor sense within 3 spaces
• Firefly Wisp — dim light aura and +1 Boon to stealth in darkness
• Beetle Keeper — +1 armour and shell-hardening (Level 3+)
• Cricket Song — immunity to surprise and +1 Boon on initiative (Level 3+)

Major patrons (available from Level 5):

• Owl Spirit — flight 6 spaces, silent movement, enhanced vision in darkness
• Fox Cunning — +2 INT, Boon to deception/stealth rolls, minor illusion ability
• Hedgehog Guardian — +2 STR, resistance to piercing damage, quill counter-attack

Legendary patrons (available from Level 7):

• Raven Lord — true flight, +2 INT, ability to see magic
• Stag Guardian — +4 STR/STR save advantage, charge attack
• Moon Serpent — aquatic breathing, shedding skin heals 1 Wound, hypnotic gaze

Class features (Levels 1–10)

• Level 1
  First Contact & Starlight Vision

  Bond with your first minor patron. Starlight Vision (Passive): You can see clearly in moonlight and starlight as if it were day. You gain a Boon on checks to navigate by stars or predict weather. Celestial Whisper (Action, 1/day): Ask the stars a single yes/no question about your immediate future (next few hours). The GM provides an honest answer, though it may be cryptic.

• Level 2
  Patron's Gift & Night Sense

  Your Level 1 patron grants an additional ability (e.g., Sparrow lets you glide 4 spaces when falling; Mouse lets you squeeze through gaps half your size). Night Sense (Passive): You automatically detect nocturnal predators (owls, cats, spiders) within 6 spaces through a prickling sensation. You gain a Boon on saves against surprise attacks from such creatures.

• Level 3
  Second Patron & Shape Memory

  Bond with a second patron from the minor list. Quick Shift (Action): You can switch between your two contracted forms as an action instead of the usual ritual. Each transformation still requires consuming a patron berry. Star Map (Passive): You never get lost outdoors at night and can always find your way back to places you've been under the stars.

• Level 4
  Attribute Improvement & Constellation Blessing

  Increase WIL or DEX by +1. Choose one constellation to favour you: The Hunter (grants +1 to attack rolls at night), The Wanderer (grants +2 movement outdoors), or The Healer (once per day, heal 1d4 HP to yourself or a touched ally as a free action).

• Level 5
  Major Patron & Moonbeam

  Replace one of your minor patrons with a major patron. Moonbeam (Action, 1/day): Call down a shaft of pure moonlight in a 1-space radius within 8 spaces. Creatures in the light must make a WIL save or be transfixed (Dazed) for 1 round. The beam lingers for 2 rounds.

• Level 6
  Spirit Speech & Third Contract

  You can communicate telepathically with any creature you're bonded to as a patron. You also understand the "language" of natural spirits and mundane animals (passive). Bond with a third patron (minor or major). Astral Step (Action, 1/encounter): Teleport up to 4 spaces to a location touched by moonlight or starlight, leaving a trail of silver sparks.

• Level 7
  Legendary Patron & Cosmic Insight

  Bond with one legendary patron. Cosmic Insight (Passive, 1/session): You can declare that "the stars warned you" about an immediate danger, granting your party a chance to prepare or avoid it. Star Shield (Reaction): When you or an ally within 6 spaces would take damage, invoke starlight to create a shimmering barrier, reducing the damage by 1d6.

• Level 8
  Attribute Improvement & Dual Form

  Increase WIL or STR by +1. Dual Form: You can now maintain two patron forms simultaneously, blending their abilities (e.g., owl wings + fox cunning). You appear as a mystical hybrid. Stellar Navigation (Passive): You can teleport to any location you've been before that's currently under the night sky, as a 1-minute ritual.

• Level 9
  Cosmic Patron & Celestial Form

  Bond with a cosmic patron (The North Star, The Void, The Dawn, etc.) — these transcend ordinary animal spirits. Celestial Form (Action, 1/day): Transform into pure starlight for up to 5 rounds. In this form you're incorporeal (pass through small gaps, immune to physical damage), emit blinding light, and fly at Speed 10.

• Level 10
  Master of Stars & Constellation Incarnate

  Choose one constellation to permanently embody, gaining a massive capstone ability: The Hunter (summon spectral hunting companions 1/day), The Phoenix (once per week, if you would die, resurrect at next sunset with full health), or The Dragon (transform into a cat-sized star-dragon with flight, breath weapon 3d6 radiant, and terrifying presence). You can now maintain four patron contracts and switch between them as a free action.

Second role

The second Wayfarer role is not yet written. Stay tuned for future updates.