You are an experienced smuggler with a history of crime. You have spent a lot of time dealing with other criminals yet your specific service is best carried out alone or with a small and trusted crew. You are not as close to the world of murder, theft, and violence that pervades the underbelly of civilization as most criminals, for you have survived up to this point by quietly navigating the rules and regulations of society, exploiting loopholes and blind spots whilst appearing to be a law abiding citizen.
- Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth
- Tool Proficiencies: Thieves’ tools, one type of artisan's tools
- Equipment: A jacket with a secret pocket, Clothes, Traveler's, and a pouch containing 15 gp
There are many kinds of smugglers, each with their own particular specialties. Be it for regular clients or the highest bidder, the services you offer come with a high risk, but within your area of expertise the risk is significantly lower. Choose your typical smuggling arena, or roll on the table below.
| d8 | Smuggler Specialty |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ports |
| 2 | Rivers |
| 3 | Villages |
| 4 | Towns |
| 5 | Cities |
| 6 | Highways |
| 7 | Seas |
| 8 | Borders |
You have a legitimate business that serves as a front for your under the table operations. You have any official paperwork or required licenses, proficiency in one type of artisan's tools, and fellow tradesmen of your profession will vouch for your legitimacy. You are skilled at concealing objects in ordinary places, and may make with advantage any stealth or charisma based ability check in regards to keeping concealed objects concealed.
Suggested Characteristics
Smugglers might seem like regular criminals on a surface level, but many of them have a distaste for the treachery and villainy that comes with a life of crime. Some are regular criminals, for which the Criminal background Smuggling specialty would probably work better, but others are simply civilians who dabble in criminal affairs. They most often do not have a beef or bad reputation with law enforcement; they simply have found a profitable way to skirt the law.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong. |
| 2 | I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me. |
| 3 | The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable—or where such things could be hidden. |
| 4 | I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy. |
| 5 | I only trust people about as far as I can throw them. |
| 6 | I don’t pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds. |
| 7 | The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can’t do it. |
| 8 | I freak out when things are out of place. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Honor. I don’t steal from others in the trade. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Freedom. If someone is placing a restriction on something, I want that thing. (Chaotic) |
| 3 | Charity. I smuggle my goods so that I can use the extra money to help people in need. (Good) |
| 4 | Greed. I will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I’m loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Redemption. There’s a spark of good in everyone. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m trying to pay off an old debt I owe over a botched deal. |
| 2 | My ill-gotten gains go to support my family. |
| 3 | A criminal saved my life once, so if they ask me for a favor I ask no questions. |
| 4 | I will become the greatest smuggler that ever lived. |
| 5 | Something I once smuggled was used the next day to murder someone I loved. I hope I can redeem myself for it. |
| 6 | I'm addicted to the rush of the crime. Every time I try to go straight I come right back. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I always peak at what I'm smuggling, especially when I'm instructed not to. |
| 2 | When faced with a choice between money and my friends, I usually choose the money. |
| 3 | If there’s a plan, I’ll forget it. If I don’t forget it, I’ll ignore it. |
| 4 | I have a “tell” that reveals when I’m lying. |
| 5 | I turn tail and run when things look bad. |
| 6 | An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I’m okay with that. |
Although your capabilities are not too much different from those of a regular smuggler, you learned and practiced them in a very different context. You might have been an emancipator freeing slaves, a human trafficker transporting slaves, or a migrant smuggler adept at entering countries or regions illegally.
While out of sight methods are preferred, often times your options are limited to hiding in plain sight. Whenever a creature or group of creatures you are guiding or smuggling make a stealth or charisma based ability check within 30 feet of you, you can use the Help action to give them advantage.
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