Dervish
by Giampaolo AgostaRole: the Dervish is a follower of the Way of the Scholar, but his devotion brings him to seclude himself in the wildest areas of the Alasiyan desert, where he can meditate upon the sayings of al-Kalim and contemplate the Eternal Truth. The Dervish studies and protects the nature and the life forms native of the desert, and tries to improve his attunement to the Eternal Truth through a discipline of hard physical exertion, exposure to the elements, and meditation.
Requirements: Dervishes must be in peak physical condition. They are required to have a minimum Con score of 13. Moreover, they must have high Wisdom (12), and must be of Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral alignment.
Class Modifications: Dervishes turn undead as other priests. They have full access to the following spheres: All, Animal, Divination, Elemental (Earth, Water and Air), Sun, and Weather. They have limited access to the sphere of Healing. As a granted power, they are unaffected by hot or cold temperatures, behaving as if the temperature were nearer to 20 C by their level in C degrees (that is, a 10th level Dervish can work at any temperature between 10 C and 30 C as if it was 20 C, and at 40 C as if he was only at 30 C).
Weapon Proficiencies: due to their devotion to physical exercises, and their refusal to use weapon or armour, dervishes prefer martial arts, and they're always proficient in them. Dervishes can continue specialisation in martial arts. They can otherwise choose to be proficient in any weapon.
A dervish usually selects weapons that require more skill and concentration than brute force. Also, they rarely leave the desert, so they have little experience of foreign weapons. At first level, they can only choose short bows, scimitars, daggers, spears and other common Ylari weapons.
Non-Weapon Proficiencies: at first level, the Dervish receives the following proficiencies: Acrobatics, Reading/Writing, Meditation, Religion (Eternal Truth), Ceremony (al-Kalim), Endurance. He doesn't get any proficiency slot, except those for high Intelligence score. After that time, he is free to take any proficiency he wants, though many take Survival (Desert), Juggling, Jumping, Blind Fighting, Dancing or Animal Lore.
Survival (Desert) is especially useful, since it allows the dervish to retire deeper within the desert, and to rely on himself alone. Dancing has a double value, as a physical pursuit and as a way to honour al-Kalim and the Immortal Guardians. A dervish' Dancing skill revolves around traditional Ylari dances, and includes knowledge of the ancient dances codified by the desert druids well before al-Kalim's age.
Equipment: The only possessions a Dervish needs are his copy of the Nahmeh, and his clothes, which are usually very limited.
Special Benefits: due to their incredible moral and physical qualities, Dervishes enjoy a special +1 bonus to saving throws against poison, wands/rods/staves, and magic.
Special Hindrances: The dervish must meditate and train himself with mental and physical exercises for most of his time. He must seclude himself from society. He can be moved from his occupations only by the constraints imposed upon them by the principles of the Eternal Truth.
Dervishes do not desire material possessions, and will discard everything they don't need, giving it to the nearest temple of the Eternal Truth.
Starting Wealth: Dervishes care nothing for material wealth, so they start with only their clothes, a copy of the Nahmeh, a sack, a waterskin and 4d4 dinars of foodstuff and other items.