Twin Towers RPG - The Healer's Way

THE HEALER'S WAY

The Wheel of Time turns and old things fade away to new and then come back around. At the end of Tarmon Gai'don during the very brief peace that occurred as the Armies of Light and Shadow recovered a new Path was born. The Healer's Way is a blend of philosophies--foremost amongst these being the sacred nature of human life. Those who chose the path of the Healer would Heal anyone who needed it--regardless of age, gender, occupation, or alignment. Because of this they were at first regarded with great suspicion by the populace but it was soon discovered that these Healer's held no alignment to the Shadow. The path they tread was that of neutrality and soon they became renowned for this--even more so than the Aes Sedai especially once knowledge of the Three Oaths being removed from the ceremony became common. Sometimes a follower of the Healer's Way will double as a mediator or third party during disputes if it is requested of them.

Those that follow the Healer's Way will not go out of their way to get into a confrontation; in fact they are more likely to either attempt to diffuse the situation or run. They hold their vow of the sanctity of human life very dear, but if forced into a physical battle they will defend themselves. All Healers wield a staff or a blunted weapon and are very capable of wielding them in a strong, but typically non-lethal manner. Often they will injure the party who attacks them and turn around and Heal them after they are suitably bound so that the Healer may escape without further violence.

As the years after Tarmon Gai'don passed and wars racked the land the Healer's Way became more and more respected. It is said that many of those that follow the Healer's Way live on the Far Western edge of the Sharan Empire in the dusty foothills that eventually lead into the Threefold Land. However, followers of the Healer's Way can be found all over the world as the teachings have spread to all the corners of the land. Many villages boast the presence of a Healer and most major cities have at least three or four.

Nowadays, Healers are not exclusively channelers as they were during the early years of the Way. Healers are always in excellent condition from rigid physical, mental, and spiritual training and discipline--a soft life in a town does not change them. All Healers are trained in every aspect of Healing, from herbal cures to the use of the One Power by a Master Healer. Often a Master Healer will have as many as five apprentices--but only one of the five makes it to the rank of a full Healer and only one in twenty attain the ultimate rank of a Master Healer.

The clothing they wear easily identifies the true follower of the Healer's Way. All female Healers wear a short skirt that stops at mid-thigh and a shirt that bares their midriff--typically the skirt is black but the shirts are usually of a vivid hue such as crimson, royal blue, or a vibrant green. The male Healers wear loose brown pants and a flowing white, sleeveless tunic that bares a good portion of their chests and belted at the waist with a soft rope. Both genders wear boots that end just below the knee, but the variation of the design is such that there is no standard footwear for Healers. Another identifying feature is the leather scrip that every Healer possesses, the sign of the Healer [a sheaf of what resembles herbs or wheat] is picked out in great detail against the well-cured brown leather. And the final most recognizable mark is the tattoo that encircles the upper arm on the right side...the mark resembles the links of a chain and have some special meaning that no Healer has seen fit to reveal to those outside of the Healer's Way.

Most Healers [despite the fact that there are many permanently stationed around the world] are born wanderers. They travel from place to place usually on foot--occasionally by horseback. In most places they are welcomed with open arms and many innkeepers allow them to stay free of charge.