Wardens

Wardens are like the protectors of nature, and whenever it's in danger they spring into action. Whether it be poachers, wildfires, or any other problem, wardens are always ready for whatever's thrown at them. Many people do not believe the warden class is very important, especially since it is one of the newer classes in Evercrest, established only a couple hundred years ago. But since wardens focus on protecting nature, and nature is essential to life, many wardens like to think that their class is the most important (but of course they never say so aloud).

Wardens are identified by leather gloves. These gloves are custom-made, worn on the warden's dominant hand. On the back of the palm, the crest of the wardens is crafted onto the glove. The warden crest is circular, with gold lining and a large green W in the center with antlers that resembles our dragons, the eodai. Below the crest, the warden's name is sewn in so the warden will be allowed on warden property. The glove is mostly worn for identification, but every warden is given a pair of gloves and with both on they can climb trees, swing around branches, and other fun nature activities without injuring their hands.

When people think of wardens, they usually think of crazy, tree-hugging hippie-monkeys. While some of them are like that, the entire class is not as energetic as others. They are all serious about what they do, as it is very important to Alksheist.

The Treehouse is the warden tower, though it can't be considered an actual tower. It's a number of buildings built into the trees of the warden forest.

Positions
There are a couple different types of wardens you can be, each quite different from each other. They all have their strengths and their weaknesses, with no section better than the rest. Those who do brag or put others down will be dealt with by the class head. Wardens aren't assigned to different jobs until a couple of weeks after being chosen as a warden. Each student has to show their strengths, and from there they are assigned to their jobs.

First of all, there are the Foresters. They are the more combat-savvy wardens of the class. They prowl around, getting revenge on those who wrong the forests and nature. On missions, mentors are allowed to bring with them certain potions that are suggested by the class head, which can include poisons in the most dire cases. However, usually Foresters are not allowed to kill people, only seriously injure. Killing is for the erasers.

There are also the Veterinarians, who help care for the wounded animals in Evercrest, whether they be dragons or pets from home. They mostly study the differences between animal species, and how to handle different wounds. Veterinarians are more often than not the wardens that tend to the dragon eggs that are used for the entrance exams.

Lastly, there are the Gardeners. They work closely with Veterinarians, but are more plant-oriented with their studies. They study different plants that can be used as medicines, and the more advanced they become they can even learn how to brew poisons, though usually only mentors close friends with the class head are allowed to do so.

Classes
As a warden, students are expected to attend certain classes no matter what position they are. For Herbology, Zoology, and Martial Arts, there are two different sections: Basic and Intermediate. Basic is for all wardens, while Intermediate is for wardens with certain positions. For example, a Forester would take Basic Herbology and Basic Zoology, but would take Intermediate Martial Arts, because they are focused on fighting more than anything else.

Classes are taught to groups of wardens at a time by one mentor, but of course there is individual training between mentors and their students whenever they believe it is necessary. The class head decides who gets to teach what class, and they switch every week. Usually, the schedule is: Herbology Mondays, Zoology Tuesdays, Martial Arts Wednesday, and Eodai Studies Thursday. Friday is usually when mentors and students have individual training. Basic classes are held in the morning, while Intermediate classes are held in the afternoon.

Herbology
All warden students are expected to name and recognize at least a small list of plants in Alluum as well as the rest of Alksheist. In Basic Herbology, students are taught to recognize common plants, and know what is safe to eat or use in worst-case scenarios. Foresters begin to understand basic sciences behind potions that they may use on missions, and eventually get to even participate in labs to brew different concoctions. In Advanced Herbology, which is mostly for Gardeners, they are more hands-on, crafting and brewing different recipes which they get to experiment on different plants.

Zoology
Another important aspect of the warden class is their knowledge of different animal species in Alksheist. In Basic Zoology, students are taught which animals are hostile or friendly upon first meeting, how to defend or calm hostile animals, and even how to tame animals to be allies in missions or even around Evercrest. In Intermediate Zoology, for Veterinarians, they are taught about certain pressure points in different animals, different symptoms for different diseases, and how to treat different illnesses and wounds.

Martial Arts
The warden class isn't really known for their fighting, because those accepted into the class are more passive. (The eraser class always takes the extremely good fighters.) Instead, in Basic Martial Arts, students are taught different types of martial arts, like Taekwondo, Karate and T'ai chi ch'uan, mostly hand-to-hand combat. It is the only class taught out of the classrooms, instead being taught in the Dragon Arena. In Intermediate Martial Arts, which is for the Foresters, students are taught more intense and advanced fighting styles, using personal weapons and magic, if the student is magical.

Eodai Studies
This is the only class that all warden students take, no matter what position they are or want to be. This class is half-taught in the classroom, while the other half is taught in the stables. This is the class where students are taught the history of the eodai species, and how to properly care for their dragon. There are no Basic and Intermediate sections of this class, since everyone learns all the same thing.