Whether you were the stable worker at a city livery, the menagerie keeper of a royal collection, the cage cleaner of the temple guardians, or a simple pig keeper at a wizard's tower, you have had some experience working with animals in a cultured setting. You know what living things need to stay alive and feel cared for, and you have some experience working with animal owners and their expectations. Depending on how rural your animals were, you may even have had to defend them from predators as your sheep or cows were in the pasture.  Due to the value of such animals, even liveries, menageries and temples are in need of defence at times from human predators of various sorts.

Most typically, you have experience dealing with some type of domestic animal but in certain cases you may have had to look after untamed animals in captivity or some type of servitude. Work with the DM to decide the narrowness or width of your understanding. Work at a livery also would provide understanding of the harnesses used with mounts as would some jobs like carriage drivers or wagoneers. A carriage driver or wagoneer could optionally replace a tool proficiency with land vehicle proficiency.

Skill Proficiencies: All animal keepers get animal handling. Choose a second skill from insight, history, athletics, medicine or nature.

Tool Proficiencies: Choose an instrument or gaming set and a simple weapon to be proficient with or choose between woodcarver's tools, cooks utensils or calligrapher's supplies.

Equipment: Choose an instrument, gaming set, weapon, or tool set to match your proficiency choices, a pouch of treats suitable for the animal that you worked with and a set of common clothes.

 

 

Suggested Characteristics

Animal keepers represent a wide variety of people connected with the care of and for animals. Depending on their situation, they may have in depth and extensive understandings of certain specific animals and the history of care and breeding, or they may be wheelers and dealers who have basic understanding of the animals and major on the understanding of people in the trade to make themselves a living. 

 

d8	Personality Trait
1	I follow a routine in my day that takes me through all my chores.
2	I love to spin tales to anyone who will listen, especially if I get to stop work for a few minutes.
3	I am always looking out for better quality animals for the collection.
4	I am a quiet, hardworking person who prefers the company of animals to most people.
5	I sit and dream of heroes who go on adventures when I should be watching the animals.
6	I tend to judge people by how they try to mount up the first time.
7	I believe that you can tell alot about people by how they treat the animals in their lives.
8	If an animal is in danger, I am strongly motivated to try and rescue it.

d6	Ideal
1	Respect Animals deserve to be well cared for, just like people do. (Good)
2	Control They will do what I want, or they will feel the consequences. (Evil)
3	Order If you use it, put it back where you found it. Make sure it is ready for the next person. (Lawful)
4	Relationship An animal should work with a person because it wants too, not because we make it. Let it go, and it will come back if it loves you. (Chaotic)
5	Keep the Head Down I just want to get through the day without anyone bothering me and go home. (Neutral)
6	Natural Order Nature has it's own way of solving problems so just let nature take it's course. (Neutral)

d6	Bond
1	I owe my life to an animal that saved me from a severe accident.
2	The hills where I herded are my favourite place in the world, and I hope to return there some day.
3	I am on a quest to find a particular animal to add to the collection.
4	I am charged with the protection of this animal that has gone missing. I must locate it and return it home.
5	I am dedicated to care for all people in the way that I learned to care for animals in my youth.
6	This animal is the last of its breed and I am devoted to trying to re-establish its bloodline.

d6	Flaw
1	I tend to cut corners and have been known to leave the pen unlocked.
2	I push the animals in my care too hard, and tend to exhaust or damage them.
3	I have a tendency to drink at work, and I tend to be an angry drunk.
4	I tend to be naive when dealing with people, expecting them to be much like the animals.
5	I try to get every last penny out of a sale and may even make the animals seem better to help drive up the price.
6	I care more about the pedigree than the animal, and if the reputation is good on paper then I am happy.