Using NPC/Alternate Characters

[Wanderer]

I've bounded through the wiki and can't seem to find much on this.  Can anyone point me at a walkthrough (forum, wiki, find these tombstones, whatever) of why/how/when do you use your alternate rescued characters and whatnot?  It might be I just haven't gotten far enough into the game for it to explain it to me, but it seems like I'm missing something.

[Toll]

In general, they're used for A) unlocks (a more diverse selection of characters if/when you die), B) professions, and C) the swap scroll (for when you just want to try another build, or if one of them look particularly useful). They'll always just hang around the settlement though.

[Wanderer]

Do the professions give you different spells/bonuses?

[Terraziel]

No, Professions are solely part of the Guardian Powers system.

[Toll]

The powers themselves can give you buffs though (temporary ones, at least). For instance, the newly-added Minor Swiftened Wrath gives you 25% higher shot speed (looking at it, that might need clarification; is it the speed of the shot itself, or is it the cooldown?) for five minutes and requires a level 2 Technozoologist.