You have been trained to read the rites of your respective culture, society, or association and officiate their ceremonies. Through years of careful study and practice, you have been entrusted with the job to maintain the traditions of your people, a position often reserved for religious orators and high-ranking officials. Those before you in the same vocation have read the rites of passage and birth to newborn babies, presided over the creation of new clans and tribes, initiated the young into adulthood, wedded couples, lain the dead to rest, and recorded the downfall of powerful clans, great cities, and influential guilds. In other associations, such as guilds and organizations, these Readers offered their services exclusively to other members, but also conducted services to communicate with other entities for wealth and knowledge, or to bless its members and the fruits of their labours. It is through your will that these traditions and services are honoured.
Those with the Rites Reader background may wish to work with the DM to refine the rites your character and the people they are associated with, where your character learnt their rites from, and why they read and performed these rites. You may also wish for your ceremonies to have a long lasting impact in the game, in which planning and communication is essential. Did your character come from a culture who are heavily associated with aesthetics? Were they born in a small tribe whose worship of their deity involved various rituals? Or did you learn the rites you practiced by being part of a traditionalist society?
- Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Arcana.
- Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher's Supplies.
- Languages: Choose one common language and one exotic language.
- Equipment: Ceremonial garb, a scroll case containing notes on rites and ceremonies of your respective culture/society/organization, a set of salts used in your rites, and a belt pouch containing 5gp.
You may be known among some circles for the services you provide, and you are sometimes rumoured about and sought for. Alternatively, rather than choosing a legacy, you may wish to choose or roll for one that becomes your character's mission. Pick or roll on the table to determine the nature of your legacy.
| d12 | Legacy of Tradition |
|---|---|
| 1 | A young child I passed into adulthood has since become a great leader among their people, and they see me as a maker of kings and queens. |
| 2 | A group of nomads I united have turned their settlement into a respectable town, and I am known through their stories as being part of its inception. |
| 3 | I once believed the rites I practiced would strengthen the bonds of my kind. Through my integrity, the same people I once served have since passed on my ideals. |
| 4 | I was once part of a ceremony the night before a great battle, and the people who took part in it were victorious. Wanderers and soldiers alike seek me out to read them the same rites so that they may return triumphant from their endeavors as well. |
| 5 | A ceremony I once held brought the attention of a greater entity, whose presence has since become a part of that people's history. |
| 6 | I once offered my services to two cultures or organizations, and in doing so it brokered peace between them. |
| 7 | I have lain many dead to rest, but with every funeral came with a sense of natural tranquility. People believe that I am one of the only few in the world to be able to give the dead true peace. |
| 8 | My notes contain the history of an ancient civilization and the rites they once practiced. I am known for passing this knowledge onto those I deem worthy. |
| 9 | The rites I practice are said to channel the powers of a deity or an entity, and people believe I am one of their chosen. |
| 10 | People believe that my rites benefit other adventurers like me, and that I am a definitive voice for those seeking a similar life. |
| 11 | The rites I know are of a dark nature, and those I read them for used them for self-gain. My name is known by a few, powerful, unsavory types. |
| 12 | An association, guild, or organization I once worked for is widely known for its services, and people believe it is because my rites protected them from failure. |
Years of study and practice memorizing your people's rites has made you wise about your people. When performing your services, such as in a ceremony, a ritual, or a sermon, the gravitas of your words and actions weigh much more heavily on people, and they take an immediate liking to you, finding you as an authoritative source of inspiration and insight. Also, due to the nature of your work, you are considered a role model among your people, and they will be more than willing to listen to you. Furthermore, you may be approached by other high-ranking members of societies (your own and others) such as politicians, clergymen, and researchers, all of whom might be seeking knowledge about the rites and ceremonies you perform.
Suggested Characteristics
Rites Readers come from various walks of life, but embody the traditions their rites were born from. Their study of the rites and the ceremonies they perform them in are important in their life, as is honouring them with the utmost respect.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I like to add flair to everything I do, especially during rituals and ceremonies, to make everything seem more official. |
| 2 | I always like to be sure that my culture's or society's customs are honoured, and I am offended if people do not take them as seriously as I do. |
| 3 | I always suggest that a social gathering or a ceremony end with a large party, so that we can celebrate and make merry. |
| 4 | The rites master I once studied under gave me valuable insight into the traditions of the rites I have memorized through stories, and I intend to pass on their knowledge. |
| 5 | I am always curious about other cultural, societal, or an organization's customs, and take the time to learn more about them. |
| 6 | I always make sure the people I work for are ready to accept the responsibility of what they ask for. |
| 7 | I believe the rites and ceremonies that I have knowledge of enter its participants into the eyes of their deities or another entity, and so I connect each service I officiate to a higher power. |
| 8 | There is one set of rites or a ceremony that I hold in high esteem - and everybody knows this one way or another. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tradition. The rites and ceremonies of my people must be preserved and respected, as they serve to define who they are. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Respect. We all come from different walks of life, but that is what makes us interesting. (Good) |
| 3 | Guidance. There are people in the world whom I hope to help guide in their times of need. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. The knowledge entrusted to me has granted me the power to change and shape people's ways of thinking to suit my beliefs. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. The rites and ceremonies I know of can unite and inspire people to perform great deeds. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Knowledge. I will preserve the knowledge of my people's traditions any way I can. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I once performed a ritual that caused harm to the people or entities I once served. I hope to someday make amends for my mistake. |
| 2 | There are people in the world who are destined for great things. I hope to find and inspire them so they can fulfill their calling. |
| 3 | I am one of the few survivors of a forgotten culture, society, or association, and I am looking for more like me to pass my knowledge onto. |
| 4 | The despot who now rules my people will stop at nothing to replace their traditions with new ones, and I am considered a sworn enemies for the knowledge I hold. |
| 5 | The rites I know are part of an ancient prophecy, and I must prepare my people for it. |
| 6 | A deity or entity approached me and imparted knowledge that I must now pass onto their worshippers. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I secretly do not believe that the rites I know are not fundamental to my people's culture or traditions. |
| 2 | I consider most of those who come to me unworthy of my talents. |
| 3 | I know about the terrible, but long forgotten history of my people's traditions, one that would cause a schism among them. |
| 4 | It is not enough that my own people respect our traditions - others should live by them too. |
| 5 | I was lazy in my studies, and secretly improvise parts of my rituals and ceremonies. |
| 6 | The rites I read come from an unwelcome minority among the society I live in. |
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