As a strolling minstrel, you move from town to town gathering stories and songs then often piecing them together to tell an even more extravagant tale. You have a knack for reading your audience and will venture to another city once your shows attendance has reached maximum capacity, or realize your stories cannot out perform a recent local trauma (such as an pillaging or massacre). Because not every town has a generous audience you have developed a few urban survival skills and instincts such as picking locks and pockets.
- Skill Proficiencies: Any two of Performance, Deception, or Sleight of Hand
- Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' Tools and a tool of your choice.
- Equipment: A pouch with 15gp, a skill tool of choice, a musical instrument of choice, a trinket reminding you of home (such as a pebble, sketch, or feather).
You can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern but possibly with a circus, at a theater, or even in a noble’s court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
Suggested Characteristics
Successful troubadours have to be able to capture and hold an audience’s attention, so they tend to have flamboyant or forceful personalities. They often weave tales of terror and excitement and are not above inserting themselves into the story in an attempt to make the story more believable.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I know a story relevant to almost every situation. |
| 2 | Whenever I come to a new place, I collect local rumors and spread gossip. |
| 3 | I am always looking for leverage in any situation, even benign. |
| 4 | Nobody stays angry at me or around me for long, since I can defuse any amount of tension. |
| 5 | I love a good insult, even one directed at me. |
| 6 | I like to hold my tongue until the perfect opportunity to "perform" presents itself. |
| 7 | I get angry or defensive when holes are punched into my stories. |
| 8 | I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change key in a song. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good) |
| 2 | Tradition. The stories, legends, and songs of the past must never be forgotten, for they teach us who we are. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Creativity. The world is in need of new ideas and bold action. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Greed. I’m only in it for the money and fame. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Honesty. Art should reflect the soul; it should come from within and reveal who we really are. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My instrument is my most prized possession since it reflects my growth of skill and perseverance. |
| 2 | Someone removed me from my home and one day I will figure out where it is and return. |
| 3 | I want to be powerful, whatever it takes. |
| 4 | I have always felt that my luck was bad and one day I will find a way to change it. |
| 5 | I will do anything to prove myself superior to my hated rival. |
| 6 | One day I will have an experience that will tell a tale that no one will ever forget. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’ll do anything to win fame and renown. |
| 2 | I often take unnecessary chances to test my luck. |
| 3 | I often show compassion for the less fortunate and contention towards those that live a stable lifestyle. |
| 4 | I once satirized a noble who still wants my head. It was a mistake that I will likely repeat |
| 5 | I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden or keeping silent in general. My tongue lands me in trouble. |
| 6 | Despite my best efforts, I am unreliable to my friends. |
A magician is versed in story telling enhanced with visual mysticism. You use your bardic skills of illusion or slight of hand to ensure that even those lacking in imagination feel their coin was well spent. Using your By Popular Demand feature, you can find a place to perform in any place that would benefit from drawing in patrons (such as tavern, inns or noble courts) — You can choose to have a component pouch used for casting spells which always contains every component that has no gold value allowing for casting many cantrips and spells without a focus. Other materials with gold value can be added but must be consumed if indicated for the spell.
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Posted Jan 21, 2019I created this as a transient bard background swapping out the typical background instrument proficiency for rogue like tool skills. This background is intended to have a heavy hand in manipulation and deception but not necessarily with nefarious intent. The Magician variant should suit Illusionist or Mesmer type builds.