Nomad Babels of the Latter Deluge!

At some time in the 21st Century the rains began to fall, on the just and the unjust alike. Plain and desert, fen and field, hill and dale  - there was but rain. The waters rose and covered the earth.

Some survived on Arks. Righteous folk, craftsmen and preachers, they bought liners or restored hulks or commandeered the vast merchant ships into floating sanctuaries - taking with them animal and plant life to sustain themselves.

The peaks of mountains could be found among the waves, where life on solid ground could flourish again. Pristine islands, where humans could live peacefully and in harmony - with nature and themselves. Or, as the case may be, in no kind of harmonay whatsoever. These paradises swiftly became known as Edens.

As the waters rose and the kingdoms of men were swept away, all thought that those not in the Arks or on the Edens had been lost. But it was not to be.

The ancient cities of the world, filled with sacred architecture and seated at the nexuses of lay-lines somehow rose up, despite their freight of unrepentant souls and festering sin. With ragged edges, fringes of seaweed and wave-washed streets they re-emerged, with much of their population undrowned. They do not float or bob like any natural material but they stay, somehow, atop the waves. But what is more, they have protectors.

Ancient spirits or new icons pull these through new seas. Rome is propelled by a doggy-paddling She-Wolf. Gog and Magog pull London by great chains - largely in the same direction. Cairo rides gracefully upon the crinkled hide of a giant crocodile. New York rejoices as it shelters behind the sea-weed skirts of Mother Liberty, her torch permanently grounded at Battery Park. Her course is assumed to be determined by public vote. The spirit of Mother Ganga moves Kolkata; her half-elephant steed Makara pulling the city across seas wider than any river.

In these cities, old ritual draws up new powers; miracle workers of the new age, the mystery cults of the city fathers, slum prophets and sorcerous advisors. The shattered science of the drowned world is put to use for new causes; vast profit and power can be found by freelancers and small operators. A time for adventure - and the possibility of escape from the befoulled remnants of the old world...

Equal parts Mortal Engines, The Scar and Leviathan (or, if you prefer, HMS Apollyon). A touch of the  swashbuckling and Biblical horror of Raiders of the Lost Ark is also thoroughly relevant. 

Peregrine Prophet: AtWC's Traveller for the 52 Pages

The cleric is morphed by the 52 Pages into a Prophet; the reasoning (in part) being to detach the floating murderhobo miracle worker from any given religious hierarchy. Well, Joseph Manola's Against the Wicked City detaches the class from any religious implication in the form of the Traveller (whilst still having many options for in-universe religious belief and divinely empowered classes).

Anyway, while I'm not turning my back on divine-magic settings, this is a useful class to have. So I thought I would put together a 52 Pages version of the Traveller. This is not, to my mind, simply a secular prophet. It is a concentration of the Clerical role onto experience, healing and prudence. This could represent a member of a religious order quite well, or a faithful layperson. The emphasis on experience and wisdom could implicate, for instance, Gandalf, quite nicely as a high-level Traveller - you will recall that the Grey Pilgrim does a lot of travelling and does very little in the way of bells-and-whistles-magic-missiles magic.

***
THE TRAVELLER

Size: 1

HP - d6+1+ CON +/-.

Attack Modifiers - None, initially
Mind Save 5 + WIS +/-
Speed Save 5 + DEX+/-
Body Save  9 + CON +/-

Knowledge    Notice Detail   Hear Noise   Handiwork   Stealth   Athletics
      [XX]               [XX]                   [X]              [ ]              [X]             [ ]

Starts with two extra Languages (which cannot be Scripts; the Traveller can start with Writing if they have a INT score of 12 or above), and Spells: 1+INT bonus*. Spells must come from the Restoration list, though at Third Level the Nature Spells Befriend Beast or Nature's Gift can be chosen.

The Traveller must choose at least one 'Environment' background. They are particular apt at finding food, water, paths or shelter in this biome.

The Traveller is not bound by a creed like the Prophet. Nor are they bound by the Sacred Weapon rules - however, they must use civilian weaponry (travel doesn't leave the same time for weapon training).

Level Advancement: +1 Melee, +1 Missile every Fourth Level
                                    +1 to all Saves every Odd Level
                                    +1 Spell per level


Like Wizards, the Traveller is presumably a little older than other classes - they have had to have spent enough years in a position of relative maturity and responsibility. I don't know as this could be enforced for tabletop play, but it's not inappropriate to consider as an aspect of the character.

The Traveller is not necessarily charismatic, but they are expected to understand people - at least on a broader scale of differences in laws and mores. Suitable bonuses should be applied, deriving from their background words.
(IE, Larissa Hornung has chosen 'Sea' as a Background word, and was either a sailor or spent quite enough time on ships with sailors. Though she has never visited the Harbour of Freeling, her background word is sufficient give a bonus in her discussions with the customs officials).



*All spells are deemed to be proven-to-be-effective remedies or field surgery - compare the abilities of the Man of the World. Consulting a real physician is probably advisable for serious injuries - he's a Traveller, Jim, not a miracle worker.