You come from a humble social rank but already the people of your home village regard you as their champion and have showered you with wealth, fame, power, and privilege. You carry a noble-like title, you own land, and wield some political influence. You might now be a pampered aristocrat free of work or discomfort, a scoundrel with a disproportionate sense of entitlement, or you could be an honest, hard-working landowner who cares deeply about the people who live and work on your land, keenly aware of your responsibility to them.
Work with your DM to come up with an appropriate title and determine how much authority that title carries. A noble-like title stands on its own—it’s not connected to an entire family and wouldn't be passed down.
Have you been famous for many years or was your title only recently bestowed? How much influence do you wield, and over what area? What kind of reputation do you have among the aristocrats and other celebrities of the region? How do the common people regard you?
How do you feel about that responsibility? Are you in your family’s good graces, or shunned by the rest of your family?
Do you have a coat of arms? An insignia you might wear on a signet ring? Particular colors you wear all the time? An animal you regard as a symbol?
These details help establish you and your title as features of the world of the campaign.
- Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set or artisan's tools, vehicles(land)
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A set of artisan's tools or gaming set (one of your choice), A set of fine clothes, a signet ring, and a coin pouch containing 25 gp.
The City where your celebrity status is known, and thus the strongest.
| d12 | Celebrity Status Region |
|---|---|
| 1 | Waterdeep |
| 2 | Neverwinter |
| 3 | Luskan |
| 4 | Baldur's Gate |
| 5 | Candledeep |
| 6 | Mirabar |
| 7 | Sundabar |
| 8 | Silverymoon |
| 9 | Evereska |
| 10 | Darkhold |
| 11 | Daggerford |
| 12 | Mithral Hall |
Since you come from the ranks of the common folk, you fit in among them with ease. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate among other commoners, unless you have shown yourself to be a danger to them. They will shield you from the law or anyone else searching for you, though they will not risk their lives for you.
Thanks to your fame and popularity, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be wherever you are. The common folk make every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other celebrities and people of high birth treat you as a member of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to.
You have the service of three retainers loyal to you. These retainers can be attendants or messengers, and one might be a majordomo. Your retainers are commoners who can perform mundane tasks for you, but they do not fight for you, will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons), and will leave if they are frequently endangered or abused.
Suggested Characteristics
Local celebrities, unlike nobles, started as one of the common folk and look on their humble origins as a virtue, not a shortcoming. Their home communities remain very important to them. Now they have a very different lifestyle than most people ever experience, and their personalities reflect that change. A celebrity status comes with a plethora of bonds—responsibilities to their home community, to other celebrities and nobles (including the sovereign), to the people entrusted to their care, or even to the status itself.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My eloquent flattery makes everyone I talk to feel like the most wonderful and important person in the world. |
| 2 | The common folk love me for my kindness and generosity. |
| 3 | I’m confident in my own abilities and do what I can to instill confidence in others. |
| 4 | I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions. |
| 5 | I get bored easily. When am I going to get on with my destiny? |
| 6 | Despite my celebrity status, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood. |
| 7 | My favor, once lost, is lost forever. |
| 8 | I judge people by their actions, not their words. |
| 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 | Freedom. Tyrants must not be allowed to oppress the people. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. If I can attain more power, no one will tell me what to do. (Evil) |
| 5 | Sincerity. There’s no good in pretending to be something I’m not. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Celebrity Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I worked the land, I love the land, and I will protect the land. |
| 2 | My tools are symbols of my past life, and I carry them so that I will never forget my roots. |
| 3 | I protect those who cannot protect themselves. |
| 4 | I wish my childhood sweetheart had come with me to pursue my destiny. |
| 5 | My loyalty to my sovereign is unwavering. |
| 6 | The common folk must see me as a hero of the people. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I secretly believe that everyone is beneath me. |
| 2 | I have a weakness for the vices of the city, especially hard drink. |
| 3 | I too often hear veiled insults and threats in every word addressed to me, and I’m quick to anger. |
| 4 | I have an insatiable desire for carnal pleasures. |
| 5 | In fact, the world does revolve around me. |
| 6 | Secretly, I believe that things would be better if I were a tyrant lording over the land. |
Contacts
Your celebrity status allows you access to local politicians (mayor, town council, sheriff, etc.) as well as any local nobles.
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Posted Oct 3, 2022This background combines the wealth and influence from the Noble background with the fame and popularity from the Folk Hero background.