Monster Trainer

An stern elf sits next to a chubby penguin. The penguin shoots a small beam of cold, freezing a practice dummy solid, and the elf's sour expression lightens. The elf tosses the penguin a fish, and writes the progress of their training in a large tome.

A man whistles as he walks down a dark street with an oversized lizard on his shoulder. As he passes by each lamppost, the lizard flicks an ember off its flaming tail and lights it. When the man turns the corner, the street is bright.

A gnome walks through a cave that reeks of goblin. She turns a corner, and after a few steps, realizes she's walked into a dead end. As the snickering goblins behind her come into view, she snaps her fingers, and there's a crackle of electricity as an elemental appears between her and her foes.

All of these characters are Monster Trainers, who's powers are defined by their relationships with the elemental monsters they adventure with.

Magical Monsters Monster Trainers empower mundane beasts with elemental rituals, and can harness their raw arcane power and allow them to channel it into spells. Neither the Trainer nor the Monster has real magical ability in their own right, but together, they can cast spells rivaling those of the most powerful Wizards and Sorcerers. While a trainer might not have the tenacity of a Fighter, the skills of a Rogue, or the arcane aptitude of a Wizard, their ability to train multiple Monsters and adapt to different situations makes them a welcome addition to any adventuring party.

Explorers and Travelers Many trainers find that their monsters perform best when exposed to new situations to learn from. Thus, it's a common practice for the best trainers to constantly be traveling the world, allowing their monsters to discover the world as they discover their power. Some trainers even search out other trainers to learn from as they travel.