You have spent your life walking up and down the highways of the realm guarding the wagons of various merchants.  Sometimes you got to ride on the wagons but most of the time you walked.  You got good at walking over the years and are not easily tired.  You can fight a bit and you have learnt how to keep your eyes open and spot trouble ahead.  You also know how the major roads connect the towns and cities and can generally work out the shortest between two places by road.  You knowledge is limited to the roads alone, though.  You have never left the beaten track and can only wonder at what lies deep in the forests and high upon all the mountains you have past.    

Skill Proficiencies: Long hours on the open road have taught you how to drive pack animals and taught you the value of keeping your eyes open.  You gain the 'animal handling' and 'perception' skills.

Animal Handling, Perception

Tool Proficiencies: You know how to drive a wagon and change a wheel when necessary.  You gain the 'land vehicle' tool proficiency.

 

Languages: You have met many people from different lands and races in your travels and have picked up a smattering of some of their languages.

Equipment: A set of traveller's clothes, an oiled leather cloak that counts as a  set of cold weather clothing, a spear, a map of the local trade routes and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.

Suggested Characteristics

Your time on the road has opened your eyes to new ideas and experiences.  Your home town/village now seems incredibly small and parochial and you doubt that you will ever be ale to settle there again.

d6	Personality Trait
1	Experience has taught me to keep my eyes open and my mouth shut.
2	I like to work hard and play hard.
3	I love meeting new people on the road and learning about their homelands, gods and customs.
4	It is my job to be suspicious of everyone. Bandits hire spies and I assume that everyone is one until they have proven otherwise.
5	I don't have to like the people I work for and I don't ask questions about why they want things done. I don't care what they do, as long as they pay me.
6	My language is utterly foul. I am proud of the fact that I can swear in three different languages and I am always on the hunt for new swear words in different tongues.

d6	Ideal
1	My word is my bond. Once I've agreed to protect something I will everything in power to do so (lawful).
2	All life is precious and mine is more precious than most.
3	No matter what my contract says, there is no way I am dying just to protect a richer man's property (chaotic).
4	Bandits and thieves are the scum of the earth. They deserve to hunted down and hung (lawful).
5	Ultimately, the lot of a guard is to lay down their life defending others (good).
6	I'm only in this for the money (evil).

d6	Bond
1	I will lay down my life for the people I've sworn to protect.
2	An experienced guard taught me everything I know and I keen to pass the favour and his knowledge onto the next generation.
3	My first loyalty is to my comrades in arms. If I have fought alongside someone they are my friend for life.
4	I have a family back home and I send what little money I can save back to them.
5	I was indentured to work for a merchant due to a large debt I owed him. One night I sneaked away and haven't looked back since. I still owe him the money and I am now wanted in my home town.
6	A merchant of different race took me on when I was orphaned as a child. He taught me his language and his customs. I now feel more like one of his race than my own.

d6	Flaw
1	I once got drunk and bragged about how much wealth my merchant caravan was carrying and the next day he got robbed. No one must ever know it was me that blabbed.
2	I squander every penny I earn on drinking and gambling and such like as soon as I get into town
3	On my first caravan run we were attacked by goblins. I was terrified and ran off. Everyone else got killed.
4	I am puffed up with my own importance and act like I am the law rather than a simple guard.
5	I am stickler for things being done the right (ie my) way and get very annoyed if they not.
6	I am convinced that my current work is beneath me and that I ma destined for greatness.