[@Jangel13] Oh, gosh... I had thought of that but it didn't seem like a worthwhile endeavor.  Now that you bring it up though... hmm.

On a more direct note.  That modification would reduce the progression tree to the following.


[hider=Simplified Tree (WIP)]

Goblin

Hobgoblin

Hedge Doctor - Skilled in making both medicine and poison, often from the same ingredients which are found in nature.

Shaman - Developing an understanding that all forms of life are entwined within the world's magic and the ability to enhance medicines and poisons with magic as well as some direct magical control and simple animal/plant manipulation.


[Balanced Branch after Shaman]

Trail Walker – Stronger in magic, medicine, and poison than a Shaman.  The Life Walker is devoted to honoring the balance and order of the world.  These can cast spells and perceive events through the network of interwoven living things around them.  They are also able to magically strengthen and speed the growth or decomposition of plants.

Vale Guardian – Able to see through the eyes of every natural creature within a large area, alive or dead.  Bonded with a strong tree, which defines the center of their vale, and two magically strengthened beasts that are meant to honor life and death.  Able to wield powerful nature magic of both growth and decomposition in an almost unlimited way within their vale so long as they act in contact with their tree.  The Bonded Beasts are able to leave the vale while still revealing all they perceive to their Guardian and retaining their strengths as well as remaining under the guardian’s direction.

[Death Branch after Shaman]

Bog Walker – Significantly stronger in magic and poison than a Shaman.  The Bog Walker works to honor and preserve the dead from being unnecessarily disturbed or defiled, gaining strength for every set of intact remains that they preserve within their territory.  The Bog Walker can perceive anything that happens within a limited area of a dead creature’s remains and can cast spells remotely through any corpse that is already partially decomposed (There is a range limit.).  They are also able to call up and empower the spirits of dead animals to protect the remains of the dead within their care, however, they prefer to wield poisonous plants and similarly lethal beasts instead whenever possible.

Wisp Guardian – Vastly stronger in magic than a Bog Walker and innately poisonous such that their touch alone can kill most living creatures, the Wisp Guardian has chosen a barren place to be a burial ground under their protection.  A small group of beasts serve them by gathering and moving the bones of dead creatures and people to the burial ground, but the defense of the place is largely left up to the magic of the Wisp Guardian who has largely abandoned physical form and become a creature of light and fog.  All plants and animals that inhale the fog of the Wisp Guardian become thralls of it, strengthened by it’s magic and made immune to poisons while becoming poisonous themselves.

[Life Branch after Shaman]

Breath Walker – Significantly stronger in magic and medicine than a Shaman.  These devote themselves to healing injuries, opposing disease and working to enhance longevity in all forms of life, gaining strength from every successful effort.  They can perceive events that occur, and cast spells remotely through, any living creature or plant that they have already treated in person.  They can also bind large numbers of beasts to their service and empower them so that they can better protect the area around the shrines and the Breath Walker.  However, these beasts are not bound to the Breath Walker’s will.  They will act of their own volition to accomplish these few priorities.  The Breath Walker can form direct Pacts with two strong beasts which will then serve their will directly and be able to travel with them freely.

Life Guardian – Vastly stronger in magic than a Breath Walker and having both a healing touch and a purifying breath, these have decided to never limit themselves to a single territory and instead devote themselves to traveling and doing the most good for the most living things that they can.  They are able to form pacts with up to five beasts and can mark trees or other long-lived plants with their magic, allowing teleportation between the plants that are marked.  (The Life Guardian is only able to transport one passenger along with them and their pact marked beasts via this method.)

[/hider]