"Truth, like gold, is to be found by washing away from it all that is not gold.”
Delver’s Tome, Volume I, Chapter 87, Entry 12
As a child you were endlessly inquisitive, tirelessly seeking out the tales of fallen empires and lost kingdoms, of legendary items and treasures now gone and all but forgotten. As you grew you gained admission to a delver's guild. This organization of intrepid individuals - in equal parts professional treasure hunters, fearless explorers, preservers of historical records and seekers of the truth behind all legends - guided your formative training and helped you to understand that knowledge can be just as valuable as gold.
You spent years learning different versions of the tales you had chased in childhood, trying to sort the flourishes of a tale well told from the factual account it was built on. You pored over the journals, notes and scribblings of delvers long gone so as to gather the benefits of their experience to you. You determined there were questions still without answer, treasures still lost and legends that remain shrouded in mystery. You have decided to go forth and see those answers found, the treasures of antiquity recovered and the true record of those ancient legends unveiled.
- Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, plus your choice of one from among Stealth, Arcana, History, Religion or Perception.
- Languages: Two languages of your choice
- Equipment: A leather-bound journal containing notes and rumors, a wooden case containing a map to a ruin or dungeon, a writing kit (small pouch with a quill, ink, folded parchment, and a small penknife), a piece of chalk, a bullseye lantern, a set of traveler's clothes, a trinket from a memorable delve, and a pouch containing 15gp
To determine if your delver's guild or organization has a focused area of active interest roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below.
| d8 | Guild Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | No particular focus |
| 2 | Keepers of lore related to a specific race, people or region |
| 3 | Preservers of a forgotten religion, cult or ancient belief |
| 4 | Wardens against a hidden or defeated enemy that may yet return |
| 5 | Seekers of lost artifacts and legendary treasures |
| 6 | Researchers of long extinct empires and civilisations |
| 7 | Watchers who keep the darkest of secrets |
| 8 | Scribes collecting and archiving ancient histories and records |
“Truth comes to us from the past, like gold washed down from the mountains.”
Delver’s Tome, Volume III, Chapter 9, Entry 100
“The man who treasures his friends is usually solid gold himself.”
Delver’s Tome, Volume IX, Chapter 63, Entry 6
Once after entering a ruin or dungeon, you can spend time during a long rest to study the surrounding structures and compare them against your notes and memory. Doing so allows you to correctly recall particularly obscure pieces of lore in relation to the site. This may include its purpose, who its builders were and a sense of what threats might lie ahead. Should they exist, you can also remember the name, type and/or properties of any unique items or treasures which might be found in the caverns, halls or depths of the location.
In addition to these talents, when you attempt to learn or recall a piece of lore, if you do not know that information, you will often know where and from whom you can obtain it. The accessibility of this information and whether it can be obtained at all is, of course, at the discretion of the DM.
Suggested Characteristics
Deep delvers are an equal mix of explorer, researcher, treasure hunter and keeper of knowledge - sometimes knowledge best left forgotten. They value preparation and readiness but are always willing to leap into action when needed. They are driven to dig beneath the surface of things, beyond the tales everyone knows - or thinks they know - to seek out the truth of things. Their motives for doing so can be as varied as their approaches and their characteristics when combined with their Guild Focus should reflect this.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I might fail, but I will never give up. |
| 2 | I’m extremely competent due to my comprehensive knowledge, superb grasp of tactics and flawless planning - or at least that's what I like to tell people. |
| 3 | Fame is more important to me than riches. |
| 4 | There’s nothing I like more than a good puzzle or mystery. |
| 5 | I’m willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make my own judgment. |
| 6 | Traps don't make me nervous. It's the folk who blunder in and trigger traps that I get worried about. |
| 7 | I am most at home in an old tomb or dusty ruin. I become horribly uncomfortable in the centers of civilization. |
| 8 | I’m convinced that people are always trying to steal my secrets. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Preservation. We enjoy great knowledge because those who came before passed it down. We must follow their example. (Any) |
| 2 | Generosity. I have honed my skills and shaped my talents so that I can use them to benefit the world. (Good) |
| 3 | Dignity. The dead and their belongings deserve to be remembered and treated with eternal respect. (Lawful) |
| 4 | Free Information. Secrets are destructive; knowledge is the birthright of all. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Forbidden Knowledge. Proscribed lore hides the key to true power. (Evil) |
| 6 | Danger. With every great discovery comes grave danger. The two walk hand in hand. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I owe my mentor(s) a great debt for forging me into the person I am today. |
| 2 | I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands. |
| 3 | I work to preserve and advance the interests of a library, scriptorium, or other repository of knowledge. |
| 4 | I won’t sell an art object or other treasure that has historical significance or is one of a kind. |
| 5 | I have learned of a terrible darkness and I’m searching for a way to defeat it before it’s too late. |
| 6 | I have a friendly rival. Only one of us can be the best, and I aim to prove it's me. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am easily distracted by the promise of information. |
| 2 | I can’t leave a room without searching it for concealed doors or other hidden secrets. |
| 3 | Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization. |
| 4 | When given the choice of going left or right, I always go left. |
| 5 | I speak without really thinking through my words, invariably insulting others. |
| 6 | My curiosity quashes my fear. One day that’ll be the death of me. |
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