Arcwhalers

The Arcwhalers are members of the Companions of San Marino the Arcwhaler, a charter company recognized by the Bastonian crown and headquartered in the city of Coldwater. Their organization is one part religious order, one part professional association, and one part trade guild, with a legal oligopoly on the trade of Arcwhale oil, meat, and other such goods. In one sense they are a paramilitary order, and the term Arcwhaler usually refers to those members of the Companions who are specialists in the hunting and processing of Arcwhales, with other members of their company known more commonly as "whale men".

The order accepts both accomplished huntsmen and mercenaries into its ranks alongside accomplished sailors, though the latter are often subjected to a much longer process of training and apprenticeship to Master Arcwhalers as they develop the necessary combat expertise. Much like Rangers, Arcwhalers are particularly specialized hunters, specializing in combat against targets many times their own size, and on some occasions, Frontier Counts and other lordly Bastonians have called upon Arcwhalers to deal with not-dissimilar problems such as dragon infestations. An arcwhaler is also not unlike a paladin in that the blessings conferred upon them by their order in exchange for their vows and obedience allow them to channel divine magic and gifts from San Marino. Unlike Paladins, however, their prescribed behaviour is quite a bit looser and their status as senior members of the seafaring community lends them a somewhat more colourful reputation, within a certain degree.

The code of conduct to which Arcwhalers are sworn includes common religious prescriptions along with admonitions to support and bolster their companions, to do what is right, and to protect the integrity of the ship over the success of the hunt. There is no point in killing the Arcwhale if your ship goes down with it.

Understanding Arcwhalers as a Prestige Class

A formal prestige class for arcwhaler has not yet been created. The skill focus should certainly be on features to make the Arcwhaler, and possibly their companions, much more effective in combat with creatures that dramatically outsize them, as arcwhales are exceptionally large. Their magical abilities should favour this, and also provide mitigations for their environment - a stormy sea is not an ideal place for a human. While human is not a requirement, membership in the order is, and so it is fine to tie their behaviour to a code of conduct not unlike a cleric or paladin must put up with.

Additionally, they are a lancer class, which needs to be capable at sea and should be nimble and "bounding" in super-human ways to facilitate them bringing the fight directly to the target.