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It's always bothered me that there aren't many clear and well-developed pairings of caster classes and their melee templars (the only two that really come to mind are cleric-paladin and druid-ranger). This is my take on three caster classes (wizard/sorcerer was intentionally excluded from the list, and will perhaps get its own alternate templars when the mood strikes me) and their respective melee templars. This isn't really a set of game mechanics so much as a tying up of loose ends. Please let me know what y'all think.

Cleric
Heavy Templar: Paladin (smiting, turning)
Light Templar: Monk (healing, enhancement)

Druid
Heavy Templar: Barbarian (wildshape)
Light Templar: Ranger (wild empathy)

Bard
Heavy Templar: Fighter (bardic lore)
Light Templar: Rogue (bardic performance)

Paladin: the obvious choice for a cleric, the paladin tends to focus on smites, turning, and other aggressive cleric-like abilities.
Monk: the 'other' white knight, the monk tends to focus on self-only healing and enhancements emulating beneficial cleric spells.

Barbarian: the barbarian's rage is actually a very basic form of wildshape, inherent in all creatures and potent in the barbarian.
Ranger: focused on the more serene druidic paths, the ranger receives abilities to commune with and utilize creatures and environments.

Fighter: utilizing the bard's love of lore, the fighter gains advantages against creatures, equipment, and tactics it identifies in combat.
Rogue: utilizing the bard's knack for performance, the rogue feints, evades, and otherwise baffles enemies with deceptive maneuvers.

There are also three alternate templars.

Druidic Monk: focused on divination-like abilities used to commune with the natural world itself, able to 'read' stars like a written language, 'hear' the wind speaking, etc.
Bardic Barbarian: utilizes perform skills to maximize its intimidation factor in the heat of battle, incorporating its intimidate checks into normal attacks and maneuvers.
Clerical Fighter: combat medic emphasizing defense and aid of allies, as opposed to the more offense-oriented paladins and self-only monks. Often found on the front lines.

When you hear 'dwarf', you probably picture a stout humanoid with a huge, braided beard and a hammer, standing firmly on solid ground. 'Elf' probably conjures up images of a frail, pale-skinned humanoid with long, flowing hair sitting in a tree. 'Giant' is probably not a pleasant-smelling image, much less socially refined in any way. In Beryl, you are wrong on all of these accounts.

Each race has a skill that is always in-class; the new skill system is presented below the races, and encompasses almost all the skills employed in Pathfinder with the exception of a specialized few such as Escape Artist, Perform, and Sleight of Hand, which are instead presented as class features and such. Craft and Knowledge skills are also not part of this system; they are instead part of Professions, which are selected by each character and not included in the normal set of skills.

[RACIAL GROUP]
+4 Bonus (Divided Between Given Stats As Desired), +4 Save
1/2 Character Level Bonus to Skill Set
Racial Skill (Choose This Or Race's In-Class Skill)

Race Name: Description.
In-Class Skill

DWARVEN
Wisdom & Constitution, Fortitude Saves
Terrain & Weather Skills
Sentry

Volcanic: tough, heat-resistant innovators who favor precious minerals, fine craftsmanship, and tinkering. Their beards have the consistency of steel wool, and it is not uncommon to see live embers sparking in them.
Skill: Excavation

Forest: living in ancient, petrified forests, this druidic race eats minerals rather than plants and animals. Their beards have the consistency of vines and leaves, and often harbor insects and other small creatures.
Skill: Horticulture

River: dense and featuring incredible lung capacities, these dwarves live on river bottoms, lake beds, and ocean floors, fond of scouring for sunken treasure. Their beards have the consistency of seaweed, and are often used to hold pockets of air or ballast.
Skill: Appraisal

Desert: these things are creepy; barely related to dwarves more so than any other race, they are semi-organic creatures that live in self-constructed 'shells' like hermit crabs, highly resistant to virtually any weather condition. Their beards have the consistency of tough fabric, and are often used to cover the opening of their shell.
Skill: Forecast

HUMAN
Racial Stat (+2), Will Saves
Culture & History Skills
No Racial Skill

Agricultural: conservative, hard-working farmers and ranchers with stable economies and strong social values. Their eyes tend to be a deep, dark brown.
Racial Stat: Constitution or Wisdom
Skills: Leadership & Handling

Edenic: strange, reserved mystics who exist in very small numbers among larger societies, renowned for their ability as seers. Their eyes tend to be a light, misty gray.
Racial Stat: Intelligence or Wisdom
Skills: Literacy & Healing

Maritime: brave explorers and aggressive businessmen, fueled by prospects of adventure, fame, and fortune. Their eyes tend to be a bold, clear blue.
Racial Stat: Dexterity or Charisma
Skills: Astronomy & Linguistics

Giant: primitive but noble nomads with exceptional social skills developed to counter their quick tempers. Their eyes tend to be a bright, shining green.
Racial Stat: Strength or Charisma
Skills: Diplomacy & Hunting

ELVEN
Intelligence & Dexterity, Reflex Saves
Flora & Fauna Skills
Taming

Jungle: long-limbed creatures reminiscent of brachiators, these elves immerse themselves in dark arts and deceit, even towards each other. Their hair has the consistency of spider webs.
Skill: Poisoning

Tundra: a nature-oriented race that is intimately close to its environment out of necessity; survival on the harsh tundras depends on their ability to make the most of nature's bounty. Their hair has the consistency of down feathers.
Skill: Tracking

Plains: feral by nature, these barely-sentient creatures gnaw off their hands at an early age, constantly gnawing their exposed forearm bones into sharp points used for impaling prey. Their hair has the consistency of a lion's mane.
Skill: Stealth

Sea: graceful, amphibious creatures with muscular, boneless anatomies that can thrive just as easily on land as under water; they are exceptionally nimble, even among elves. Their hair has the consistency of sea anemone tentacles.
Skill: Maneuverability

HUMAN-DWARVEN
Strength, Constitution, & Wisdom, (+6) Fortitude & Reflex Saves
No Skill Bonuses
No Racial Skill

Orc: large, squarely-built ancestors of humans and dwarves who revere nature and form bonds with animals easily. They tend to be almost hairless, with hazel eyes that change color periodically.
No In-Class Skill

HUMAN-ELVEN
Dexterity, Constitution, & Charisma (+6), Fortitude & Reflex Saves
No Skill Bonuses
No Racial Skill

Halfling: small, plucky ancestors of humans and elves who love travel and live primarily nomadic lifestyles. They tend to be covered almost entirely in hair, with hazel eyes that change color periodically.
No In-Class Skill

SKILLS

FAUNA

Hunting - methods for capturing creatures, both active and passive. This includes not only trap crafting and trap setting, but also hunting maneuvers. In combat, a master hunter can set up deadly maneuvers to flank or disperse enemy formations.

Taming - methods for training creatures. This includes not only animals, but also other characters. A master of taming is also a great teacher, and can not only teach allies but also learn enemy tactics in combat.

Handling - methods for controlling and commanding creatures. This includes not only animals, but also other characters. A master handler can control the movement of a battle formation as easily as he can control his horse or an attack dog.

FLORA

Horticulture - methods for producing and gathering alchemical ingredients (mainly plants). The horticulturist can survive in the wild without rations, able to not only gather but also identify plants for various properties (healing abilities, poison, etc.).

Healing - methods for treating wounds and illnesses, primarily with the use of medicinal herbs. A healer is an all-around doctor, able to treat wounds in combat as well as concoct all manner of medicines.

Poisoning - methods for creating poisons and diseases, as well as safely inflicting them upon enemies. A poisoner not only knows how to create deadly chemicals, but also how to apply them to weapons and deliver them without any personal risk.

CULTURE

Linguistics - methods for interpreting and speaking languages, including both verbal and non-verbal communication. This includes basic communication and understanding of languages the user is unfamiliar with. Linguists can also learn to understand elemental languages such as that of the wind. In combat, the linguist is keen on interpreting body language and other cues, granting insight into the enemies' intentions.

Diplomacy - methods for both charming and intimidating others. This includes both friendly and hostile creatures; a good diplomat can strike fear and uncertainty into enemies as easily as he can bluff and deceive negotiators. He can also be positive with his skills, feigning weakness to lure in enemies or earning the trust of skeptics.

Leadership - methods for assessing and commanding. A great leader can see through a lie as easily as he can gauge the strength of an enemy battalion, and in combat he can issue orders which grant his allies bonuses if they comply, such as warning them of an impending backstab or pointing out an opening in the enemy's defense.

HISTORY

Excavation - methods for unearthing and treasure-hunting. A good excavator is an archeologist of sorts, with a keen eye for architecture and a penchant for discovering secret passages and uncovering valuables that might otherwise be overlooked.

Literacy - methods for reading and writing languages. A literate character is the ONLY character in the game who can read and write, a rare and difficult skill to obtain in ancient times. Literate characters may read tomes, scrolls, books, signs, and maps, revealing information no one else has access to. They may also create their own maps and sell the information at a steep premium. Literate characters can read the stars (astrology) and other methods of divination (such as tarot cards) like written languages. In combat, a literate character may share acquired knowledge with allies, granting conditional advantages.

Appraisal - methods for accounting and bargaining. A skilled appraiser is a record-keeper, as proficient with mathematics as a literate character is with the written word. Appraisers can not only keep numerical records of their inventories, they can haggle for prices with less mathematically-inclined characters, maximizing profit. Keen appraisers can calculate probabilities, essentially able to dissect the game mechanics as dice rolls and percentages. In combat, an appraiser can assess statistical data, gauging the potential strength, health, and threat level of enemies.

TERRAIN

Stealth - methods for moving undetected and employing camouflage. A master of stealth does more than merely conceal himself from view; he can evade all senses, producing no sounds or smells, even nullifying vibrations as he moves. A key element of stealth is camouflage, which also includes disguises that allow the user to emulate another creature in sight, sound, and smell.

Tracking - methods for following trails and leaving no trace. A master tracker pays keen attention to his environment, able to identify what creatures have come and gone, and able to follow their trails. When necessary, a tracker can conceal any sign of his own passage, leaving no evidence in his wake.

Maneuverability - methods for traversing hostile or otherwise inaccessible terrain. A master of maneuverability can climb, jump, swim, or otherwise cross virtually any obstacle. In combat, he can scramble for cover or advance over ground that would cause others to stumble or slow to a crawl, granting him unmatched agility.

WEATHER

Astronomy - methods for navigating based on heavenly bodies and other universal markers. A master astronomer can determine cardinal directions both day and night, reading the sun and stars like a map, as well as keep very accurate track of time, seasonal changes, etc. He can also foretell events such as eclipses and the passing of comets.

Sentry - methods for detecting and identifying creatures. A good sentry uses all his senses to detect the presence and nature of others, intimately aware of everything around him, even in his periphery. In combat, it's difficult to hide from or sneak up on a sentry.

Forecast - methods for predicting and surviving weather conditions. A forecaster is an expert traveler, able to foresee and cope with weather conditions, which can seriously affect characters and environment alike. This includes retaining visibility and bearings in severe storms, resisting the effects of extremely cold and hot environments, etc.

This is what I've got so far. Please let me know what y'all think; I'm always eager for feedback and the chance to refine my game world.

I am quite fond of 3.5, Pathfinder, and similar systems, but the nature of magic in these systems has never sat well with me. I don't like the idea that, at high levels, I either have to be a caster or decked out in enchanted gear in order to survive. Pathfinder addresses this to a degree by adjusting encounter difficulty for mundane gear, but this still doesn't overcome the problem of overpowered high-end casting. All attempts to make casting prohibitive (material costs, limited uses per day, etc.) are circumvented by clever players and end up breaking the game. This is my attempt to address the issue with an alternative approach. This is a very rough concept at this point and is essentially a mod of 3.5, but with time and playtesting it will hopefully evolve into something in its own right. Here we go:

Classes are divided into 4 types.
- Pure Melee (fighter, barbarian, rogue)
- Hybrid Melee (paladin, ranger, monk)
- Bardic Caster (seer, warden, shaman)
- True Caster (wizard, cleric, druid)

Pure Melees can not cast any spells or other magic. They do receive Combats; for the 3.5 conversion, these are a group of combat-themed spells (such as True Strike, Dimension Door, and Tenser's Transformation) that are used as extraordinary abilities. Pure Melees have full progression in these Combats (meaning they ultimately end up with 9th-level Combats, like a 3.5 wizard would have 9th-level spells). In addition to Combats, each class has unique features, such as a fighter's ability to accumulate knowledge of gear and tactics like a wizard's spellbook or a barbarian's ability to use grappled enemies as weapons or even live shields.

Hybrid Melees receive 4th-level Combats from a Pure Melee class of choice and 4th-level spells from a predetermined spell list (paladin:cleric, ranger:druid, monk:wizard). They also have special class features (such as a paladin's smite or a ranger's animal companion) and can sacrifice spell slots to use higher-level Combats. Hybrid Melees do not 'cast' in the traditional sense. They can activate magic items that cast spells or spell-like abilities as if they were casting the spell themselves, the number of charges/uses per day limited by their own spells per day rather than the item. Items with a constant effect occupy a number of slots appropriate for the effect's power for as long as they are worn/active.

Bardic Casters receive 8th-level spells from 2 lists (seer:wizard/cleric, warden:wizard/druid, shaman:cleric/druid), but their casting is likewise unconventional. Bardic Casters randomly draw spells, as if from a deck of cards, and apply them to items as if they were enchanting the item with the Spell Storing enhancement (except that, instead of having only 1 charge, the item's charges are dependent on the caster's available spells per day). A Bardic Caster doesn't have to cast the drawn spell immediately; the spell can be suspended until it is ready to be enchanted or cast directly, as normal. Bardic Casters gain the ability to suspend multiple spells at a time as they level, necessary for combining enchantment effects, and useful for versatility in combat. Bardic Casters can select two of the following class features: perform, lore, and observation (this last ability allows them to gain temporary proficiency with weapons and armor upon observation of a proficient character, allowing them to wade into battle as magic-heavy Hybrid Melees).

True Casters are rare and tend to keep themselves hidden (and with good reason, as you'll see below). Wizards, Clerics, and Druids can cast either their capstone spell-like ability or 9th-level spells each day; they must choose which at the first casting of the day(Wizard:Wish, Cleric:Miracle, Druid: Polymorph [Any]). They can enchant objects in a manner similar to a Bardic Caster, but in addition to costing the wielder spell slots as usual, the enchantment only has a limited number of charges equal to the number of spell slots the True Caster expends to enchant the item. The wielder can not cast the spell more times than it has charges (which do not refresh per day; to add additional charges, the True Caster must expend extra spell slots), even if the wielder has extra spell slots available. Furthermore, the True Caster loses both the spell cast and the spell slots expended until he/she decides to disenchant the item or it is destroyed (at which point the True Caster's expended spell slots and ability to cast the spell are restored). Here's what makes being a True Caster so dangerous: if the True Caster dies while an item is enchanted with his/her spells, the enchantment becomes permanent and its charges refresh per day. This gives treasure hunters all kinds of incentive to kill True Casters and cash in on their enchanted items, and likewise makes True Casters very paranoid about enchanting items to begin with. A True Caster may enchant an item with his/her capstone spell-like ability, but the item has only one charge and the process of enchantment kills the caster (if the caster is returned to life, the item is automatically disenchanted).

This system strives to give Pure Melees the advantage of using purely extraordinary abilities, allowing them to operate in antimagic fields and other situations that render magic users helpless (or at the very least, complicate things for them). It also strives to allow players to play True Casters, but at a steep price that genuinely requires a lot of intelligence, wisdom, and charisma on the player's part to stay alive.

A number of special factors help add flavor to the class and enforce role-playing to a degree. For example, a wizard has to be VERY clever to safely cast Wish on a daily basis without suffering some fairly serious consequences, so there will be no such thing as a dull-witted wizard player. A cleric's Miracle has a percent chance of success based on whether the requested action falls within the deity's portfolio and within the cleric's chosen domains, giving them incentive to stick to their deity's strengths and tactics both in combat and out. A druid's spells vary in effect based on the environment in which they are being cast (a blizzard in a jungle is much weaker than a fireball near a volcano, for example). The power of a paladin's smite depends on the difference between his alignment and his target's, giving the paladin incentive to hunt down those opposed to his ideals (a paladin in this system is not necessarily lawful good). The effectiveness of a bardic caster's perform abilities are tied to his/her fame as well as the size of the audience, giving the performer incentive to be a loud, attention-craving show-off in the spirit of a real bard. These are just a few ways in which game mechanics help 'force' role-play.

This is a broad overview of the system; please let me know what you think. I understand that this is rather vague, and I would be more than happy to answer any questions regarding specific classes, system mechanics, etc.

ALTERNATE ALLIANCES
A History of the Worlds

The True Cycles

In the beginning, there were the True Cycles, in which each world simply defended itself from the world it fed and attacked the world that fed it. Though this may seem like a brutal existence, it adhered closely to the way a predator/prey relationship functions in nature. Each world prospered fairly steadily, with influxes and shortages of mana self-regulating, as is nature's tendency.

Religion: Druids, regardless of what world they are from, insist upon this state of being as the purest and most natural. Though their seemingly savage outlook on life and death frightens and disgusts most civilized creatures, druids insist that balance is more important than the well-being of one select group. Many druids, for this reason, seclude themselves from civilized life and will relentlessly hunt down mortals without regard for their sentience or self-appointed importance.

The Sport of Gods

The first alliance to form was between the Lower and Upper Lands. In those days, Uplanders and Lowlanders were significantly more powerful, and the Middle Lands were a dark, mana-weak place they used as an arena of sorts. They played a game of sorts; the Uplander and Lowlander would pick out a target (usually a powerful Midlander, but sometimes an entire civilization or region) and compete to destroy it. If the Uplander won, the Lowlander would be bound to its service until it destroyed an equally powerful target (the death of Midlanders fed the Upper Lands, making this doubly profitable for the Uplanders). If the Lowlander won, however, the Uplander would be bound to sacrifice Uplanders of equal power, oftentimes through ritual suicide (this compensated the Lowlanders for the mana they fed to the Upper Lands, in the interest of fair sport). In this manner, both the Upper and Lower Lands grew mana-rich and powerful, their inhabitants rising to the status of demigods and raining destruction on the pitiful Middle Lands they toyed with. On occasion, powerful Uplanders and Lowlanders would have epic duels to the death, tearing the Middle Lands asunder in their terrifying shows of strength.

Religion: Midlanders of this time period followed religions similar to the pre-Abrahamic pantheons, such as the ancient Greek and Norse gods. Midlanders saw these deities as neither good nor evil; simply strong where they were weak, crushing them underfoot like insects. A fierce self-sufficiency pervaded such societies, but humility was equally emphasized. Sometimes, the only way to survive was to strike a deal with the nigh-indestructible beings that ravaged the world, often in the form of worship and sacrifices.

The Great Hunt

Over time, bonds formed between the Lower and Middle Lands, as they were much more similar in composition than the all-marine Upper Lands and their otherworldly life forms. The Midlanders found the powerful Lowlanders much easier to appease for this reason, and as soon as civilizations of the Middle Lands developed flight and began traveling to the Lower Lands, cultural exchange blossomed. Feeling that they had the upper hand, the Lowlanders united with the Midlanders to fight off the Uplanders and claim the Middle Lands as their domain. By protecting the Midlanders against the natural and supernatural dangers of their world, the Lowlanders drastically reduced their death rate, starving the Upper Lands and weakening their inhabitants. Further, large groups of 'demon hunters', Lowlanders specially trained to hunt Uplanders, scoured the Middle Lands for their quarry. Even if the Uplanders succeeded in killing them, the death of the Lowlanders simply fueled with Middle Lands, giving the Midlanders more strength to repel the Uplanders. Thus, the Midlanders prospered under the protection of their powerful allies.

Religion: Midlanders of this time period worshiped in a very shamanistic and animistic manner, placing emphasis on 'spirits', 'guardians', and other supernatural beings very similar to them in composition, rather than grandiose deities towering over them, incomprehensible and alien in nature. The powerful Lowlanders watched over the Midlanders, helped develop their societies, and influenced a great many aspects of their lives, resulting in them being worshiped as patron guardians or totemic spirits. In the modern era, in which the Uplanders are allied with the Midlanders, such religious practices are seen as heretical.

I have a game world I'd like to submit, but I'm not sure about what kind of copyright covers such a thing. My game world is not simply a campaign setting comprised of history, characters, and places, but an entire cosmology with its own natural laws. If I copyright it as a word document, the way a poem or novel would be, is my idea protected, or simply my writing describing the idea? Is this the sort of thing an Open Game License applies to?

I apologize if this isn't the right forum for these sorts of questions; it seemed like the most fitting place to ask, since this is where I would be posting my ideas.