Building a character tied to Highfolk is more than picking a class and background—it’s about finding your place in the story of the Free Lands. Highfolk stands at the crossroads of civilization and wilderness, where politics, old magic, and legend intertwine. Whether you’re a local hero, a traveler chasing rumor, or a scholar seeking the unknown, your origin can connect directly to the people and mysteries of the region. Below are a few examples of how different archetypes might naturally fit into Highfolk and the Vesve.

College of the Moon (Bard)

• A Follower of the Old Ways, seeking to protect nature by spreading tales of the Vesve’s wild glory beyond the High Forest’s borders.
• A visitor from the elven kingdom of Celene. A more traditional, fey-filled realm than the more eldritch Highfolk. Who draws power from Greyhawk’s second, smaller blue moon of the same name.
• A traveling minstrel plying the waters on barges, from the Gate of the Velverdyva at the Perrenland border eastward to Baranford. Along the way, they tap into the power of this mighty river to fuel their magic and mythmaking.

Knowledge Domain (Cleric)

• A chronicler from a secluded monastery high in the Yatil Mountains. Sent to gather knowledge and artifacts from Highfolk and the lands beyond to enrich the monastery’s archives.
• A devotee of Boccob, Istus, or Rao residing in the City of Highfolk. Dedicated to preserving and modernizing the frontier settlement’s archives.
• A seeker of lost knowledge, sent to the Free Lands of Highfolk to document the ancient ruins and forgotten relics hidden throughout the region, or to pursue one artifact in particular.

Banneret (Fighter)

• A member of the Highfolk City Watch. Determined to transform this ragtag band of guards into a disciplined force capable of defending the city and its people.
• An aspiring knight of the Order of the Hart. Traveling to Highfolk to prove themselves worthy of the organization’s respect on the frontier.
• A “knight itinerant” of the Highvale. Journeying from community to community to rally the locals against their troubles before swiftly moving on to the next town in need.

Oath of the Noble Genies (Paladin)

• A magically empowered envoy from a distant nation in the western Flanaess. Beginning their travels eastward through Highfolk.
• A champion of the elemental powers of good (perhaps one of the Wind Dukes of Aaqa) tasked with investigating the rising influence of elemental evil in the Central Flanaess, beginning in Highfolk, where the natural elements seem strangely out of balance.
• A tomb raider who uncovered an ancient relic deep in the Vesve Forest or the Yatil Mountains. Inadvertently freeing a bound genie and now serving as its mortal steward while it rediscovers the modern world.

Winter Walker (Ranger)

• A solitary wanderer from the Archbarony of Blackmoor or even the Land of Black Ice. Traveling south into Highfolk on a mysterious mission.
• A hunter from the snowbound peaks of the Yatils or Clatspurs. Seeking a change of scenery in the warmer valleys of Highfolk.
• A champion of Beory or Obad-Hai, infused with the wrath of winter to bring the frozen season to Highfolk; a land that has stubbornly refused to feel winter’s chill this year.

Bladesinger (Wizard)

• A member of one of the Highvale’s high olven clans. Devoted to perfecting the sacred art of swordcraft and the arcane magic that empowers it.
• A warrior-mage of the sylvan olven of the Vesve Forest. Blending the martial discipline of wild-elf sorties with the primal eldritch energy of the forest itself.
• A good-hearted outlaw based in the highlands near Verbeeg Hill. Using both sword and spell to relieve corrupt prospectors, greedy merchants, and swindlers of their ill-gotten gains.