Because of your innate gifts and natural aptitude at a very young age a well known, yet highly secretive and reclusive, master artisan invited you to come and live with them and be their apprentice. Due to their secretive nature you were dropped off and entered the premises on your own. You first meet your master in the only form you’ve ever known them in, spectral. Being young and naive you don’t realize that this is not a normal thing and proceed to live the apprentice life you’ve been told you were destined for. Learning even quicker than a normal apprenticeship because you are, literally, your master’s hands. Doing everything they ask. Learning vast amounts of knowledge and craftsmanship in your chosen field.
It’s not until years have passed that someone brings news of a family emergency and discovers you there, seemingly by yourself. Assuming, quite correctly, that the master has died, and having no evidence that you did or did not kill them you are told you must leave this place. Despite your futile protestations that your master is present. No one else can see or hear your master. So you pack your tools and few belongings and journey out into the world. And though you are leaving your apprenticeship days behind the spirit of your master is always with you, quite literally.
- Skill Proficiencies: From your years of work as a detailed oriented craftsperson you gain proficiency in sleight of hand. And since you are accompanied by the very old and wise spirit of your master you have proficiency on all arcana or history checks.
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools
- Languages: One language of your choice based off of your guild/master’s language.
- Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools with which you are proficient, a maker’s mark chisel used to mark your handiwork with the symbol of the guild of crafters you learned your skill from, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing a gem worth 15 gp
Famous Mentor: You might not be as well known as your mentor, but by using your mentor's name, you can sometimes get what you want. Many common folk will be impressed with you or acquiesce to certain requests if you tell them the name of your mentor, especially if you demonstrate your own ability. Other artisans may grant you an audience as well, if they know and respect your mentor. You may have a piece of gear bearing the symbol of your mentor, be it your tools, your garb, or a sigil, amulet, or ring you wear, and may be use that to demonstrate your association to your mentor.
Specialist’s Eye: It costs you half the materials required to craft your work. Additionally when you finish crafting the item, make a percentile dice roll - depending on the outcome your item gains either a flaw (odd number) or a trait (even number).
Suggested Characteristics
Use the tables below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a spectre’s apprentice.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm full of witty aphorisms and have a proverb for every occasion. |
| 2 | I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I can’t help it—I’m a perfectionist. |
| 3 | I’m a snob who looks down on those who can’t appreciate fine art. |
| 4 | I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick. |
| 5 | I’m rude to people who lack my commitment to hard work and fair play. |
| 6 | I like to talk at length about my profession. |
| 7 | I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations. |
| 8 | I often get lost in my own thoughts and artistic inspiration, becoming oblivious to my surroundings. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Aspiration: I work hard to be the best there is at my craft. (Any) |
| 2 | Community. It is the duty of all civilized people to strengthen the bonds of community and the security of civilization. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Generosity. My talents were given to me so that I could use them to benefit the world. (Good) |
| 4 | No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in creating. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Greed. I’m only in it for the money. (Evil) |
| 6 | People. I’m committed to the people I care about, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The workshop where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me. |
| 2 | I created a great work for someone, and then found them unworthy to receive it. I’m still looking for someone worthy. |
| 3 | I owe my mentor a great debt for forging me into the person I am today. |
| 4 | I pursue wealth to secure someone’s love. |
| 5 | One day I will return to my guild and prove that I am the greatest artisan of them all. |
| 6 | Should my discovery come to light, it could bring ruin to the world. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Now that I’ve returned to the world, I enjoy its delights a little too much. |
| 2 | I talk to spirits that no one else can see. |
| 3 | I’m quick to assume that someone is trying to cheat me. |
| 4 | I’d risk too much to uncover a lost bit of knowledge. |
| 5 | I have certain rituals that I must follow every day. I can never break them. |
| 6 | I’m horribly jealous of anyone who can outshine my handiwork. Everywhere I go, I’m surrounded by rivals. |
Comments