Backgrounds

Your background provides narrative and mechanical information about who you are, what walk of life you come from, and where you might be headed. When you create a character at level 1, you choose your background from the following list. Seven of the nine backgrounds grant you additional skills if you take a profession with the corresponding occupation tag.

Starting Gear

All backgrounds also grant you the following starting gear: Your profession and background may specify that you gain additional equipment.

1. A) 2 one-handed melee weapons, or B) 1 two-handed or hand-and-a-half melee weapon, or C) 1 one-handed melee weapon and a buckler

2. A) 1 shortbow and 20 arrows, or B) 1 crossbow and 20 bolts, or C) 3 javelins

3. or you can forego equipment in both 1. and 2. for an amethyst wand

4. A) 1 quarterstaff, or B) 1 hatchet, or C) 2 daggers, or D) 2 knives, or E) 1 cestus, or F) 1 brass knuckles

5. 2 trinkets

Background Description and Occupation Tags

If you choose a Profession with the same tag as your Background, you gain additional skill as noted in the Background.

Background	Occupation Tag	Description
Born Warrior	Militant	Blood, toil, and sweat have marked you a proven soldier.
Criminal	Underworld	You deal in activities not endorsed by the law.
Entrepreneur	Mercantile	You own, supply, or represent a successful business.
Knave	None	Having tried multiple professions, nothing is quite a fit.
Noble Title	Aristocratic	By birth or deed, you are a minor noble in a nation.
Outlander	Wanderer	You live on the fringes of society, perhaps in the wilds.
Student	Academic	You endlessly toil to deepen a field of academic study.
True Believer	Religious	You are a devotee of a specific religion or faith system.
Urchin	None	You've grown up on the streets, always fending for yourself.
Additional Backgrounds
Haunted *Harker's Guide to Vampire Hunting	All	Once upon a time, your eyes fell upon the visage of a ghost, and it hasn’t left you alone ever since.

Background List

Born Warrior

You possess a natural talent for combat and have an unshakable bravery that inspires those around you. With your strong body and quick reflexes, you are a formidable force, always ready to defend those in need and vanquish evil wherever it may lurk..

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill.

• Athletics: Applied Force, Athletics, Sprinting

• Influence: Intimidating, Leadership

• Knowledge: Geography, History, Medicine*, Military, Vehicles* [land]

• Luck: Fortuity, Scavenging

• Stamina: Distance Running, Forced March, Menacing

• Survival: Animal Handling, Dungeoneering, Navigating*, Sheltering

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the militant tag, gain +2 Forced March

Professions with the militant tag: Guard, Inquisitor, Knight, Soldier, Thug

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20x2 sc (or take the average, 104 sc).

Criminal

You live on the fringes of society, always looking for opportunities to turn a profit through illegal means. Whether it is through thievery, blackmail, or shady deals, you have a knack for manipulating the law to your advantage, constantly staying one step ahead of the authorities.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +6 points into any individual skill with the subterfuge tag, and up to +3 points into any individual skills with any other tag.

• Acrobatics: Balancing, Contorting, Tumbling

• Athleticism: Athletics, Sprinting

• Crafting: Brewing*, Cooking*, Jeweling*, Painting*, Pottery*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Influence: Deceiving, Gossiping, Intimidating, Persuading

• Knowledge: Art, Law, Politics of [choose region]

• Luck: Fortuity, Scavenging

• Observation: Appraising, Eavesdropping, Intuiting, Investigating, Perceiving

• Performance: Entertaining, Savoir Faire

• Subterfuge: Disguising*, Evading, Forging*, Lockpicking*, Sleight of Hand

• Survival: Dungeoneering, Sneaking

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the underworld tag, gain +2 Intuiting.

Professions with the underworld tag: Charlatan, Sailor, Thug, Thief

Starting Wealth

Gain 4d100 sc (or take the average, 202 sc).

Entrepreneur

You have a keen eye for opportunity and an understanding of commerce. You are always seeking out new and innovative ways to make a profit, whether it is through trading goods, investing in businesses, or developing new products. Your business savvy has made you one of the most successful individuals in your town, and you are always looking for new opportunities to expand your wealth and influence.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +6 points into any individual skills with the crafting tag, and up to +3 points into any individual skills with any other tag.

• Crafting: Alchemy*, Brewing*, Calligraphy*, Carpentry*, Cartography*, Cobbling*, Cooking*, Glassblowing*, Jeweling*, Leatherworking*, Masonry*, Painting*, Pottery*, Smithing*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Influence: Deceiving, Empathy, Gossiping, Persuading

• Knowledge: Art, Economics, History, Law, Politics of [choose region]

• Luck: Fortuity

• Observation: Appraising, Eavesdropping, Intuiting, Perceiving

• Performance: Entertaining, Instrument* [choose one], Savoir Faire

• Subterfuge: Forging*, Sleight of Hand

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the mercantile tag, gain +2 Appraising.

Professions with the mercantile tag: Charlatan, Entertainer, Guard, Sailor, Trader

Starting Wealth

Gain 10d20x2 sc (or take the average, 210 sc).

Knave

You command a versatile set of skills and an equally versatile personality. A classic jack-of-all-trades and master of none, you are equally skilled charming your way out of a sticky situation, picking locks, or evading attackers with your quick wits and nimble movements. You have learned to adapt to whatever situation life throws at you and have a pension for being able to handle any job with some amount of success due to your sheer adaptability.

Skills

Gain +4 Savoir Faire.

Multiple Professions

As a Knave, you enter two professions of your choice. Gain the starting equipment, Skill Points, and rank 1 benefits of both professions.

Each time you gain a professional rank, choose which profession you want to advance.

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20x3 sc (or take the average, 156 sc).

Noble Title

You might have been born into wealth and privilege, with a strong family lineage and a respected name; or alternatively, through luck or deed, you have been bestowed a title among the aristocracy of your region. With your education, wealth, and connections, you have the capacity to shape the world around you, whether it is through politics, diplomacy, or simply using your family’s wealth and influence to fund worthy causes and projects. You strive to maintain the honor and prestige of your family name, to protect your position, and to ensure your continued prosperity.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill.

• Crafting: Alchemy*, Calligraphy*, Cartography*, Painting*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Influence: Deceiving, Empathy, Gossiping, Intimidating, Leadership, Persuading

• Knowledge: Arcana, Art, Astrology, Astronomy, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Medicine*, Military, Politics of [choose region] Religion [choose one]

• Observation: Appraising, Eavesdropping, Intuiting, Investigating, Perceiving

• Performance: Dancing, Entertaining, Instrument* [choose one], Savoir Faire

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the aristocratic tag, gain +2 Gossiping.

Professions with the aristocratic tag: Barrister, Entertainer, Honorable, Knight, Pioneer

Starting Wealth

Gain 10d20x3 sc (or take the average, 315 sc).

Outlander

You come from a different place, with different customs and beliefs than those around you. Perhaps you hail from a far- off nation, or maybe you are more at home in the wilderness than in an urban environment. Your unique perspective makes you a valuable asset, as you bring fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to the table. However, it can also make you an outsider, seen as strange or untrustworthy by those who do not understand your ways.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +6 points into any individual skills with the survival tag, and up to +3 points into any individual skills with any other tag.

• Acrobatics: Balancing, Contorting

• Athleticism: Applied Force, Athletics, Sprinting

• Crafting: Carpentry*, Cartography*, Cobbling*, Cooking*, Leatherworking*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Knowledge: Astrology, Astronomy, Geography, Medicine*, Vehicles* [land]

• Observation: Intuiting, Perceiving

• Performance: Instrument* [choose one]

• Stamina: Distance Running, Forced March

• Survival: Animal Handling, Dungeoneering, Foraging, Nature, Navigating*, Sheltering, Sneaking, Tracking

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the wanderer tag, gain +2 Navigating.

Professions with the wanderer tag: Nomad, Pioneer, Sailor

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20x2 sc (or take the average, 104 sc).

Student

You are constantly seeking knowledge and understanding, driven by a thirst for discovery and a desire to make a difference in the world. Whether you are studying magic, history, or the natural sciences, you are always eager to learn and to put your newfound knowledge to the test, eager to make a name for yourself and achieve great things. With your unwavering determination and quick mind, you are well on your way to becoming a respected master in your field.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +6 points into any individual skills with the knowledge tag, and up to +3 points into any individual skills with any other tag.

• Crafting: Alchemy*, Brewing*, Calligraphy*, Carpentry*, Cartography*, Cobbling*, Cooking*, Glassblowing*, Jeweling*, Leatherworking*, Masonry*, Painting*, Pottery*, Smithing*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Influence: Deceiving, Gossiping, Persuading

• Knowledge: Arcana, Art, Astrology, Astronomy, Economics, Engineering, Geography, History, Law, Medicine*, Military, Politics of [choose region], Religion [choose one]

• Observation: Appraising, Eavesdropping, Investigating

• Performance: Dancing, Entertaining, Instrument* [choose one]

• Subterfuge: Disguising*, Forging*

• Survival: Animal Handling, Navigating*

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the academic tag, gain +2 History.

Professions with the academic tag: Archivist, Barrister, Clergy, Physician

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20 sc (or take the average, 52 sc).

True Believer

You are guided by a strong faith in your chosen deity or belief system. You see the world through a lens of reverence and devotion. When able, you pursue acts of charity and stand up against those who would do harm to your beliefs.

Skills

Gain +12 Skill Points that you can spend on any of the following skills. With this feature, you may put up to +4 points into any individual skill.

• Crafting: Alchemy*, Brewing*, Calligraphy*, Cooking*, Jeweling*, Painting*, Pottery*, Weaving*, Woodcarving*

• Influence: Deceiving, Empathy, Gossiping, Intimidating, Leadership, Persuading

• Knowledge: Arcana, Art, Economics, Geography, History, Law, Medicine*, Politics of [choose region], Religion [choose one]

• Luck: Fortuity

• Observation: Intuiting, Perceiving

• Performance: Entertaining, Instrument* [choose one], Savoir Faire

• Stamina: Forced March

• Survival: Animal Handling, Navigating*

Occupational Bonus

If you take a profession with the religious tag, gain +2 Religion [choose one].

Professions with the religious tag: Clergy, Inquisitor, Physician

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20x2 sc (or take the average, 104 sc).

Urchin

You have had to fend for yourself from a young age, relying on your wits and cunning to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world. Growing up on the streets, you have learned to be quick on your feet; to pick pockets and slip away from danger without being detected. Despite the hardships you have faced, you have developed a fierce independence and a sense of humor that has helped you get by, and you always have a trick or two up your sleeve to help you out of a tight spot.

Skills

Gain +24 Skill Points that you can spend on any skills of your choice. With this feature, you may put up to +6 points into any individual skill.

No Professional Experience

As an urchin, you do not get to select a profession at level 1.

Starting Wealth

Gain 5d20 sc (or take the average, 52 sc).

Additional Equipment

Additionally, as an Urchin you gain the following equipment: backpack, leather armor, tool or kit (2), clothes (simple), rations (5), waterskin, utensils, sewing kit, bedroll, blanket, flint & steel, torch (10)

*Updated to v1.2