Background
Your character's Background represents their past experiences and how they've shaped who they are today. It's the foundation of your character's identity and determines their most character-defining and mechanically important Aspects.
Forming Your Background
To begin forming your Background, first decide how you view your character's core features - your Aspects - and determine a reason based on your past. Then select a Profession, what you did to get by and put food on your table before joining the adventuring life. Finally, it is highly encouraged to create a brief Origin Story!
Assigning Starting Aspects
Choose between a Primary Aspect or a Generalist of all Three Aspects. This will determine the available Classes you will have access to. As such, you may wish to review the Class section first.
Body Aspect
Consider what your Body has endured over the strenuous years of becoming an adventurer. Did you labor in the mines, grow frail in the study halls of arcane knowledge, or perhaps years of fleeing from monsters have left you with a wellspring of Endurance?
Mind Aspect
Consider what your Mind has explored over your formative years before becoming an adventurer. Did you receive a formal education, tutor under a Wizard of some renown, or let your mind wander you left thinking to the experts?
Spirit Aspect
Consider what your Spirit has endured over trials and tribulations before becoming an adventurer. Did you endure emotional damage, were you loved or abandoned as a child, or perhaps have you struggled to keep marching on through the dark times but persevered?
Profession
You had to make money somehow to survive. What was it through trade? Or were you a noble, a farmer, or a thief? Your profession provides Proficiencies and minor benefits for social, crafting, or gathering.
A Profession is a non-combat trade from your Background. You had to make a living before becoming an adventurer, right?
Your Profession grants a Proficiency and can allow you to Craft Equipment, Harvest Resources, or Interact with special advantages as a Vocation.
Harvester Professions
| Harvester | Proficiency | Product | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apothecary | Medicine | Poisons & Potions | Alchemical Ingredients |
| Arcanist | Arcana | Foci & Relics | Foci & Relics |
| Bowyer | Precision | Bows/Crossbows & Arrows/Bolts | Bows/Crossbows & Arrows/Bolts |
| Jeweler | Perception | Jewelry | Gems & Jewelry |
| Leatherworker | Survival | Leather Equipment | Leather & Hide Quality |
| Munitioner | Precision | Guns, Grenades, & Ammo | Guns, Grenades, & Ammo |
| Rancher | Empathy | Raise & Train Non Ancestry Creatures | Quality & Types of Creatures |
| Scribe | Research | Spells & Chant Scrolls | Spells & Chant Scrolls |
| Smith | Athletics | Metal Equipment | Metal Equipment and Ore Quality |
| Tailor | Precision | Cloth Equipment | Cloths & Fabric Quality |
| Tinkerer | Knowledge | Tools & Gadgets | Tools, Gadgets, & Constructs |
Vocation Professions
| Vocation | Proficiency | Product | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assassin | Stealth | Dead Ancestry Creatures | Identity of Ancestry Creatures |
| Bounty Hunter | Intimidation | Captured Ancestry Creatures | Identity of Ancestry Creatures |
| Forager | Survival | Wild Ingredients | Wild Ingredients |
| Hunter | Precision | Creature Parts | Creature Parts |
| Lumberjack | Athletics | Lumber | Trees & Lumber |
| Miner | Athletics | Ore & Stone | Quality of Ore & Stone |
| Thief | Larceny | Currency & Valuables | Value of Currency and Valuables |
| Trapper | Survival | Non-Ancestry Creatures | Quality of Non Ancestry Creature |
Crafter Professions
| Crafter | Proficiency | Product | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commander | Leadership | Leadership Chants Cost 1 Less Morale | Enemy Tactics |
| Conservationist | Survival | Nature's Companion allows for 2 Beasts | Beast Creatures |
| Dancer | Balance | Dance Maneuvers Cost 1 Less Stamina | Dance Moves |
| Diplomat | Empathy | Make a Friend Endure Roll is Disadvantaged | Treaties and Politics |
| Jester | Dodge | Barrel Roll has No Cost | Good & Bad Jokes |
| Magician | Arcana | Counterspell Resist Roll is Disadvantaged | Spells and Spell Casters |
| Priest | Piety | Gain Heal/Harm, Revives Recently Dead Creatures | Undead & Fiends |
| Royal | Persuasion | Considered Neutral or Friendly to Nobility | Pedigree of Ancestry |
| Singer | Perform | Song Chants Last Additional Round | Singing Quality |
| Therapist | Empathy | Therapeutic Conversation Has No Cost | Emotional States |
| Town Crier | Knowledge | Considered Neutral or Friendly to Commoners | Newsworthy Stories |
Origin Story
Your character's origin story is a brief narrative that explains their background, motivations, and what led them to become an adventurer. This is not mechanically required but adds depth to your character and helps the Game Master integrate your character into the story.
Consider answering these questions when crafting your origin story:
- What was your life like before becoming an adventurer?
- What event or series of events led you to leave your previous life?
- What are your goals and motivations as an adventurer?
- What connections do you have to the world or other characters?