Since the dawn of organized warfare, land-based armies have depended upon the service of camp followers. Camp followers are civilians who follow military units as part of the baggage train; they might be the spouses and families of soldiers, merchants who bolster supply lines or provide wares that the army does not, travelers who provide various services to the battalion in exchange for food, safety, and payment, or they may simply be enterprising, conniving folks looking to turn a quick profit off of the chaos and spoils of war. Military camps can be dangerous, but they can also be exciting, vibrant, multicultural places that are teeming with opportunity. For whatever reason, you spent time following a traveling regiment of soldiers as they made their way across the land.
- Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Perception
- Tool Proficiencies: One kit and one set of tools of your choice
- Languages: One language of your choice
- Equipment: A badge or signifier of the group you followed, an item taken from a battlefield (a martial weapon, military clothes, or a personal effect from a fallen soldier), a musical instrument or a set of playing cards, and a pouch containing 5 gp.
Camp Role
As a camp follower, your life intersected with military life in one way or another. Roll a d8 or choose from the table below to determine how you interacted with the military camp.
| d8 |
Camp Role |
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1
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I cooked for the soldiers and often cleaned the barracks
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2
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I served as a medic on the front lines. I saved lives pulling wounded soldiers away from the battlefield and tending to their wounds
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3
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I performed various odd jobs at the behest of the commanders ranging from retrieving wares from nearby settlements to gathering information behind enemy lines
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4
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I used my specific trade skills to forge and repair weapons, armor, and other necessary battlefield equipment
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5
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I was a performer. I kept morale high with songs, stories, and general merriment
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6
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I am a well-connected merchant who called in favors to supply the regiment with items that they could not provide on their own
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7
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My partner served in a regiment and I swore to follow them to the end of the earth
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8
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Where armies go, chaos follows. I pilfered goods from the remnants of battlefields and ransacked settlements to sell for a profit
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Feature: Make Yourself Useful
You are a regular, if not always welcome, presence at army outposts and mercenary encampments, and you have become skilled at meeting the ever-shifting needs of traveling soldiers. Members of these units will happily task you with errands and other odd jobs if you prove your worth, and they will often pay you in goods, gold, or information gathered in the course of their military pursuits. At your DM's discretion, they may also offer you payment in the form of favors such as lodging, escort services through dangerous territory, or other similar boons.
Suggested Characteristics
War is a trying environment, and camp followers must find a way to carve out a lifestyle amid the the chaos of constant travel and warfare.
| d8 |
Personality Trait |
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1
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I can fall asleep anywhere and at any time if I want to, regardless of what's going on around me.
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2
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I'm always on the lookout for an opportunity to be of help to those who might help me in return.
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3
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I'm secretive about my intentions, relationships, and other personal details. You never know who might use them against you.
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4
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I compulsively salute and inherently respect anyone in a uniform.
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5
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I pick up anything that I find lying around if I think I can sell it.
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6
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I'm most comfortable in large groups of people, and I don't do well in the wildernesss
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7
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I act like I'm looking for a fight, but I'm excellent at talking my way out of conflicts.
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8
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I have disdain for war and military personal, but I find them to be useful sources of income and information
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| d6 |
Ideal |
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1
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Loyalty. When I choose to follow someone I take it as a serious commitment (Any).
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2
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Bravery. War is a proving ground, and there are opportunities for those who are willing to take their chance (Any).
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3
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Self-Service. Chaos is a ladder (Chaotic).
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4
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Survival. I do what I have to in order to make sure I can eat and sleep peacefully (Any).
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5
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Obedience. I unquestioningly follow orders from people I perceive as superiors (Lawful).
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6
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People. I help the people who help me — that’s what keeps us alive. (Neutral)
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| d6 |
Bond |
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1
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I am beholden to a soldier who saved my life when I unexpectedly found myself on the battlefield.
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2
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I fell in love with another camp follower who I lost contact with when the unit was overrun.
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3
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An army ravaged my village, and I fell in with the camp looking to find the soldier who destroyed my home. I will not rest until I do.
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4
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Though I had no choice, I lament having to leave my loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one day.
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5
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Something was taken from me in the camp. I intend to take it back.
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6
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I am drawn to a life of travel, and to the stories I gain along the way.
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| d6 |
Flaw |
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1
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I act like my proximity to war makes me superior to other civilians.
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2
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I accidentally did something that cost a soldier their life, and I don't know if anyone knows about it.
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3
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I run away when things go south. It's best not to be around when the authorities show up.
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4
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I lie incredibly easily if I think it will serve me.
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5
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I have a weakness for the vices of the remnants of battle, especially pillaging.
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6
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I have trouble trusting anyone but myself.
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