I realised I’ve not put anything here for a while, so I’ve been working on a quick adventure pack. It has turned out to not be quick. In the meanwhile, here’s a background I wrote for it.
I like backgrounds for two reasons (that I can think of right now):
- They give you some backstory immediately about your player, and an allegiance to something. Something you know your player cares about that the other players can make assumptions based of off.
- They allow the DM to build sticky hooks. “You forgot to pay your Guild dues, now you need to pay them back in the next 24 hours. Sidebar: All your money has just been stolen. Go make some quick cash!”
A thing I don’t like about them: the personality traits that come with them. I could do without those.
Itinerant
Those with arcane capabilities tend to show up right when you need them. You travel from town to town, offering minor magics as a service. Cleaning stained clothes, reattaching broken axe heads, turning over flowerbeds. Whatever services you can offer to the people who need it (and are willing to pay).
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools
Languages: One standard language of your choice
Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools, a set of traveller’s clothes, an identifying mark of an Itinerant, a pouch containing 15 gold pieces.
Feature: For services rendered
When you arrive in a town that you’ve not previously been to (or have not been there within the past ten days), you can spend some of your down time proffering your services. These almost always are required and earn you 3d6 copper pieces.
Over time, your attendance at the town becomes expected and the people begin to look forwards to your arrival.