Cowboy ✦

The cowboy is a symbol of freedom, adventure, and grit in the vast frontiers and prairies. These livestock herders, also called vaqueros, buckaroos, or wranglers, guide their animals across huge ranches with skill and care. You have lived under the open skies, in harmony with the land and the creatures you tend.

The cowboy's legacy is a blend of myth and reality, a unique legend. Some cowboys use their lasso and gun to defend the herd and uphold justice, while others become outlaws and gunslingers on the edge of the law. Some cowboys join the thrilling competition of rodeos, while others work diligently on ranches. The cowboy's life is diverse and challenging.

Your path has been varied too. You may have excelled at the rodeo, or focused on the horses as a wrangler. You may have switched from lawman to outlaw, or from ranch hand to rebel. But no matter what road you took, your skills, experiences, and stories are as distinctive as the places you've seen.

To have the spirit of the cowboy is to live where freedom and duty meet, where the horizon invites and limits you. With your lasso ready and your faithful horse beside you, you face your adventures with the resilience of those who became legends in their own right.

Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Survival

 

Tool Proficiencies: Harmonica, vehicles (land)

 

Equipment: Wrangler's pack (see below), a lucky charm such as a rabbit foot or a small stone with a hole in the center (or you may roll for a random trinket on the Trinkets table in the Player's Handbook), a set of traveler’s clothes with chaps, "10-gallon" hat, a kerchief, a harmonica, and a pouch containing 15 gp

Wrangler's Pack:

• saddlebags
• bedroll
• tinderbox
• hooded lantern
• two flasks of oil
• cast iron skillet
• 10 days of rations
• a canteen
• whip
• a lasso

Suggested Characteristics

Cowboys are as much a part of the frontier's soul as the endless skies and sprawling plains that define it. Shaped by a life of hard work, constant exposure to the elements, and the camaraderie and conflicts that arise when taming the wild, they possess qualities forged in the fires of challenge and adventure. A cowboy's personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws often reflect the complex interplay between independence and loyalty, freedom and responsibility, and the wild heart versus the civilizing hand.

Personality Traits: Cowboys range from stoic and silent types who speak volumes with their actions, to boisterous and friendly souls who fill the night with songs and stories around the campfire. Despite their varied demeanors, many share a common respect for the natural world, a deep-seated resilience, and a straightforward approach to life's problems.

Ideals: The cowboy's ideals are as vast as the frontier itself. Some may be driven by a sense of justice, seeking to impose order on a lawless land, while others prioritize personal freedom and the pursuit of adventure. For some, loyalty to their companions and the land they work is paramount, whereas others might be motivated by greed or a desire for redemption.

Bonds: The bonds a cowboy forms are as enduring as the mountains. They may be tied to a beloved horse, a piece of land, a family legacy, or companions they've stood shoulder to shoulder with. These bonds often guide their actions and decisions, pulling them back home or driving them onward into the unknown.

Flaws: Even the toughest cowboy has weaknesses. Some may be prone to vice, unable to resist the allure of gambling or the bottle. Others might have a quick temper that lands them in trouble, or a pride that refuses to back down from a challenge, no matter the odds. And then there are those haunted by past deeds, struggling to find peace in a land that offers no quarter.

Incorporating these characteristics into your cowboy character can provide depth and authenticity, bringing to life a figure that embodies the spirit of the frontier. Whether your cowboy is a noble hero, a troubled loner, or something in between, their journey is one of discovery, both of the world around them and of their own inner landscapes.

d8	Personality Trait
1	The open range feels more like home than any town or city.
2	I'm known for my reliability and strong sense of honor.
3	I have a natural calmness in dangerous situations.
4	Animals and I share an unspoken bond.
5	I embrace my uniqueness in a world that tries to fit me into a mold.
6	I seek peace after a life filled with conflict.
7	I view life as a journey, always looking forward to the horizon.
8	I protect those who cannot protect themselves.

d6	Ideal
1	Mercenary Ethos: My loyalty is to gold and the freedom it buys; I follow the coin, not the cause. (Neutral)
2	Vigilante Justice: The lawless will face justice, by my hand if necessary; I am the judge and executioner on this untamed frontier. (Chaotic Good)
3	Guardian of Peace: Having witnessed enough conflict, I now seek a life of peace, whether in solitude or in a quiet community. (Neutral)
4	Prospector's Ambition: Driven by necessity and ambition, I'm out to forge my own destiny and accumulate wealth, no matter what it takes. (Lawful Neutral)
5	Crusader for Order: I stand as a beacon of law and order in a land overrun by chaos, striving to bring stability one town at a time. (Lawful Good)
6	Ruthless Opportunist: In the pursuit of power and wealth, I'll cross any moral line, exploiting and betraying without remorse. (Evil)

d6	Bond
1	My devotion to my friends and family knows no bounds; I would lay down my life for them without a second thought.
2	I am determined to leave my mark on the frontier, taming the wilds and carving out a place of my own.
3	I cannot abide the suffering of innocent creatures and will go to great lengths to protect them.
4	I am committed to the cause of freedom, vowing to break the chains of every person held in bondage.
5	I believe that the world is tainted with corruption and evil; only through drastic measures can it be cleansed.
6	My heart yearns for true love, and I believe that somewhere across the vast expanse, it waits for me.

d8	Flaw
1	I can't turn down a challenge to a duel, even if it's to my detriment.
2	My obsession with acquiring gold and jewels often blinds me to the dangers of such pursuits.
3	I follow my faith blindly, without question, even when it leads me into trouble.
4	I hold a deep-seated intolerance for certain races, viewing them as lesser.
5	My love for drinking and gambling knows no bounds, often landing me in debt or jail.
6	I act on impulse, thinking about the consequences of my actions only after the fact.
7	My life is governed by omens and superstitions, to the point where it can interfere with my decisions.
8	I'm known to frequent the local brothel in whatever town I find myself, often leading to trouble or distraction.