FIGHTERS

AT A GLANCE: The good sword-arm of the Realms are those individuals train- ed in
the use of weaponry and tactics, and they may be found, in various forms,
throughout the Realms.
ELMINSTER’S NOTES: The services of trained fighters, warriors, rangers, and
barbarians are in constant demand in the Forgotten Realms, owing to the large
number of hostile creatures (including men) to be found in the
world.
Fighters and their sub-groupings tend to gravitate to certain positions and
responsibilities, including:
l Local Militias, including police patrols, sentries, watchmen, and in times of
hostilities as foot troops in battle. Such positions are usu- ally low-paying and
hold little sta- tus, as in the battlefield such troops are often used to soften
enemy attacks with “acceptable
losses.”
l Mercenary Companies which engage in fighting for a price. These pay better, but
have the disadvan- tage that local rulers/employers usually give the Mercenary Com-
panies the most difficult positions or tasks, as they have earned it. Trade Guards
have the advantage of good benefits and travel with the disadvantage that the
fighter must fight not only to protect his own life but the property of oth- ers.
Some of the smaller traders offer high wages but deduct any losses from those
wages.
Raiders are the other side of the coin, and include acts of banditry and piracy.
The disadvantage of this life-style is that the fighter does not normally operate
in civilized areas and may be hunted down by more
law-abiding groups.
Bodyguards and other protection opportunities offer low pay at rel- atively little
risk.
Leadership possibilities are availa- ble at high level for fighter-types, as their
abilities are generally understood by the populace (as opposed to magic-users and
cler- ics) allowing a measure of trust. Adventuring Companies offer the highest
return in advancement and moneys, as well as allowing the warrior a great degree of
inde- pendence. The disadvantage of these operations is the great deal of personal
risk the fighter is placed in and the essential need of cooperation with others.
Gladiators and professional fight- ers are a rare occurence in the North, though
some debauched regions do set up such matches, usually between slaves or pris-
oners against monsters. The older realms to the south, including Amn, Calimshan,
and Unther, have established gladitorial guilds.
GAME INFORMATION: Fighters may be found in every part of the Realms, though the
tools of their trades vary according to area and wealth.
All the weapons and armor listed in Player’s Handbook and Unearthed Arcana are
available in “the North”— the region of the Forgotten Realms detailed in the
enclosed maps. Those
weapons which cost more than 50 gp and armor costing more than 500 gp can only be
readily found in cities, or in those towns that have smiths of suffic- ient ability
to make armor.
Further information on the role of the fighter in the Realms is delineated in the
DM’s Sourcebook of the Realms.