Those who deal exclusively with aberrant threats to nature. They bind and kill demons. Keep crypts and preside over burial rights. They know and understand the necessity of death and destruction in nature and tend to have powers that have no obvious alignment. Even so they are well tempered individuals and spend most of their lives as they come into power considerably weaker than those of other circles. They have to learn and embody the balance of the universe, to do this they take little power into themselves and instead bend nature outside of themselves. They are taught cleansing rights and rituals specifically for keeping the dead and demons at bay. They are also most likely to use the lesser forms of all powers of other circles.
(Considered the most useless in game because there were no demons or undead within AoE's base game). Because Gatekeepers must be able to defeat even creatures which cannot be stopped, they are imbued with the power to capture, block and ward off evils that should remain unknown to nature. They gain the ability to use vessels to hold evil. They are granted the ability to purify using the blood skill 'Purge' at their first trial. And gain other bonuses but not necessarily those of Status.
"Nature is Balance, purity and corruption.
Death brings life and life death.
Paths traveled are not linear and will always curve back."
The first Tenant is one which acknowledges necessary evils and unnecessary goods in Nature. Gatekeepers are expected to uphold the balance, both in how they deal with creatures and how they deal with humans. Everything that exists, does so for a reason, and one cannot judge based simply on what something is. The second Tenant requires the understanding and necessity of life and death. Gatekeepers must be aware always that death and life are both equal life cannot truly be understood without death and death would not have meaning without life. The last Tenant denotes an understanding of ones own place in the cycle of life, as you move upon a path it might seem to lead to a singular conclusion, but that conclusion may simply lead you back to the beginning. You must always be willing to travel the path, even when its unclear what you gain from it. Breaking any of these Tenants will cause a Gatekeepers power to forsake them, it will allow them to fall to the corruption of life. Their Insignia will become corrupt and they will no longer be able to travel the path.
Parameter Bonuses
Strength: --
Endurance: --
Agility: --
Mana: +
Luck: +
Artifact: +
Gatekeepers Initiation
Gatekeepers are tasked with protecting the boundaries of the world from 'Demons' and incursions from aberrations. As such they are tasked with maintaining the natural order of this world and taught to recognize the signs of incursion. A Gatekeeper is taught moderation first and foremost, as such their first trial isn't one of physical test, but instead one of decision and thought. There are five Trials associated with becoming a Gatekeeper.
Trial of Intercision: A trial of cutting, enacted before leaving the Migrating Vale the first time. It binds one of the trial takers main skills to one of the stones which lines the Druid Circle of their homeland. Putting on display their intention to follow the path and learn to moderate their abilities. You choose which skill to leave behind and are responsible for reaching a certain threshold without the true use of that skill. You can choose between a 1/2-2 full tiers of any singular skill. Your reward equal to what you give up if you make it that far. It won't be given back until the completion of the 3rd trial. When you give up a skill you are given the blood trait 'Purge' which gives your mana the ability to clear 'Evil' Magics. The tier of this trait is connected directly to the amount you give up the more you give, the better your 'Purge' skill, with a special bonus if you give up 'Mana' as your skill of choice. (Taken at Character Creation.)
Trial of Interpretation: A trial undertaken after a bit of adventuring. It requires a return to the Migrating Vale and enter the sealed cave. Upon entering, the cave itself shifts into one of darkness and requires the Trial Taker to learn to interpret the will of nature to find the exit. Upon doing so, they will be able to dive into a spring, and come out with the full ability of interpreting nature. Hearing the whispers of creation and manifest the ability to speak with that which is unseen. The path taken in the sealed cave will determine the type of Nature Spirits one can talk to, taking the long route will guarantee a well-rounded character, if one is afraid and takes only the shortest path they will only be able to commune with fire spirits. (This trial allows one to gain the ability to speak to spirits of nature, to hear them and be heard by them, it causes a slight increase to the luck stat) (Available at level 5.)
Trial of Reclamation: A trial undertaking after the next leg of the adventure of an aspiring Gatekeeper. It requires them to return to the stone which holds the fruits of their Intercision. Upon reaching it, they have to reclaim it by solving the puzzle that is the stone. Something only truly possible if they recieved the right crystal from the previous trial. Upon its completion, the lost tiers of their essence is returned. And they are granted a boon depending on the type of puzzle. (The amount of skill left behind determines the complexity of the puzzle, the more tiers left behind the greater the complexity of the puzzle. Some puzzles are so complex they cannot be solved by conventional means, leading to the inability to reclaim the lost essence). Completing this trial grants a base boost to the use of Rune and Druidic Magics, adding strength to already existing runes and bounded fields and allowing the cast and placement of more powerful runes at will, by speaking them into existence. (Available at level 10.)
Trial of Suppression: A trial which tests the understanding of the balance of nature. It requires the Gatekeeper in training to enter the Catacombs. Upon entering this place they must stay until the corpse within rots away completely. Though the space itself is magically enhanced so one only has to spend a relatively short time there. It is also tainted by 'dark' magics. The words of demons and creatures of other places speak to the user and try to force them to go against nature and speed up this natural process. If the trial taker concedes to any demonic wish uttered during this time period they will fail and likely be the next body within the Catacombs as they won't be able to exit. In order to pass this trial you must face the fears of your mind and calm yourself to accept that which you cannot change. (Gives the ability to heal self and replenish mana and stamina stores through meditation in a natural space, gains immunity to 'darken auras' including the influence of aberrations, unbound necromancers and free magic creatures).(Available at level 15.)
Trial of Aggression: The final trial of Gatekeepers. It requires them to delve into the deepest reaches of the Migrating Vale's Forest. In this place, the line between realms is thin. And creatures of the depths emerge, particularly in places where Dark Magic Rituals have corrupted once pure spaces. The kind of creature that emerges is always different and is usually some form of undead, Demon or Corrupt Nature Spirit not previously dealt with. It is the responsibility of the given Gatekeeper to subdue this creature. The trial of Aggression is a test of knowledge, skill and judgement. What you choose to do against your creature of choice is up to you, and it is possible to pass this test regardless of your choice of action. But if you die, join the undead or sacrifice another to get out of it, You will fail. A bonus is granted if one is able to fix the problem which allowed the crossing of the tainted spirit in the first place. (Available at level 20.)