Through either talent, dedication, or a mix of the two, your work as a soldier has impressed the royal family enough to be hand-picked as a member of the Royal Guard. You've gone through rigorous training, studied different fighting styles and languages, and have devoted yourself to protecting the royal family, even at the cost of your own life.
When you choose this background, work with your DM to determine which noble family you served for, what led to you being chosen, and what kind of experiences you had during your career as a Royal Guard. Was it a full-fledged kingdom with a monarchy, or perhaps just a small noble family? And why are you on this adventure? Did you fail in your duty, leading to the death of your liege? Or were you sent on a mission to find a way to cure a terrible disease that has swept over the royal family?
- Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from Intimidation, Insight, Perception, or Investigation
- Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (land)
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A signet ring as proof of your position, a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 20 gp.
As a member of the Royal Guard, soldiers loyal to your kingdom's military organization will recognize your position and authority, and they defer to you if they are of a lower rank. You can invoke your position to request simple equipment or horses for temporary use from other soldiers. You may also be able to gain access to military encampments and fortresses from other kingdoms friendly to your own.
Additionally, you can elect to place yourself in the line of fire in order to protect your liege. If your liege is the target of an attack and you are within 5 ft. of them, you may use your reaction to immediately switch places with your liege and receive the attack in their place. You must declare this before the attack roll is made.
Suggested Characteristics
The rigid training and discipline of being a royal guard have shaped you into a new individual, creating strong bonds with fellow guardsmen or the ones you protect. Perhaps the horrors of war have scarred you, taking people or things away from you. You may also have different reasons for being in service. Perhaps you idolize your liege, have fallen in love with them, or you simply just need the money.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’m always polite and respectful. |
| 2 | I’m always alert to my surroundings, no matter the situation. |
| 3 | I’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones. |
| 4 | I’m full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. |
| 5 | I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. |
| 6 | I enjoy being strong and like breaking things. |
| 7 | I have a crude sense of humor. |
| 8 | I often struggle between duty and ideals. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. Respect is due to me because of my position, but all people regardless of station deserve to be treated with dignity. (Good) |
| 2 | Responsibility. It is my duty to respect the authority of those above me, just as those below me must respect mine. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Independence. When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Might. In life as in war, the stronger force wins. (Evil) |
| 5 | Live and Let Live. Ideals aren’t worth killing over or going to war for. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Nation. My city, nation, or people are all that matter. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am willing to lay down my life for my liege. |
| 2 | My loyalty to my sovereign is unwavering. |
| 3 | My honor is my life. |
| 4 | I seek money in order to support my family. |
| 5 | Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. |
| 6 | I protect those who cannot protect themselves. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have trouble trusting others and am often very skeptical of their actions and words. |
| 2 | I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior. |
| 3 | I'm stuck in my ways and will rarely change my mind on things. |
| 4 | My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning. |
| 5 | I obey orders without question, even if they cause misery. |
| 6 | I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong. |
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