You understand wealth, power, and privilege. You forfeited your noble title, but your family owns land, collects taxes, and wields significant political influence. You might have been a pampered aristocrat unfamiliar with work or discomfort, a former merchant just elevated to the nobility, or a disinherited scoundrel with a disproportionate sense of entitlement. Or you could have been 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.
Is your family old and established, or was your title only recently bestowed? How much influence do they wield, and over what area? What kind of reputation does your family have among the other aristocrats of the region? How do the common people regard them? What was your position in the family? Are you the heir to the head of the family? How does the head of your family feel about you running away ? Are you in your family’s good graces, or shunned by the rest of your family? Does your family 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 of your line or even a spiritual member of the family?
You have been sailing on a seagoing vessel for years. In that time, you faced down mighty storms, monsters of the deep, and those who wanted to sink your craft to the bottomless depths. Your first love is the distant line of the horizon, but the time has come to try your hand at something new.
Discuss the nature of the ship you previously sailed with your DM. Are you a lawful, respecting and respected pirate, or are you a criminal even feared by those in your profession ? How famous (or infamous) are you ? What were your duties on board – boatswain, captain, navigator, cook, or some other position? Who were the captain and first mate? Did you leave your ship on good terms with your fellows, or on the run?
- Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, Athletics
- Tool Proficiencies: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (water)
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a scimitar, a scroll of pedigree, a lucky charm, an inherited trinket from your noble past, and a purse containing 25 gp
All nobles know you left your high-ranking family. If you seek help from them, it will be to no avail; they will consider you as lesser, and will reject any title you present to them. Your name holds no more importance then a commoner's to them. But, to commoners, you might pass off still as a noble. Show your scroll of pedigree, and attempt to trick people into thinking you still are a very important person.
No matter where you go, people are afraid of you due to your reputation. When you are in a civilized settlement, you can get away with minor criminal offenses, such as refusing to pay for food at a tavern or breaking down doors at a local shop, since most people will not report your activity to the authorities.
Suggested Characteristics
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done. |
| 2 | The common folk love me for my kindness and generosity. |
| 3 | I enjoy sailing into new ports and making new friends over a flagon of ale. |
| 4 | To me, a tavern brawl is a nice way to get to know a new city. |
| 5 | I don’t like to get my hands dirty, and I won’t be caught dead in unsuitable accommodations. |
| 6 | Despite my noble birth, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood. |
| 7 | My favor, once lost, is lost forever. |
| 8 | I like a job well done, especially if I can convince someone else to do it. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. The thing that keeps a ship together is mutual respect between captain and crew. (Good) |
| 2 | Fairness. We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Independence. I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of my family. (Any) |
| 4 | Power. I'm a predator, and the other ships on the sea are my prey. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I'm committed to my crewmates, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Freedom. The sea is freedom-the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. (Chaotic) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm loyal to my captain first, everything else second. |
| 2 | The ship is most important – crewmates and captains come and go. |
| 3 | Nothing is more important than the other members of my crew. |
| 4 | In a harbor town, I have a paramour whose eyes nearly stole me from the sea. |
| 5 | I was cheated out of my fair share of the profits, and I want to get my due. |
| 6 | Ruthless pirates murdered my captain and crewmates, plundered our ship, and left me to die. Vengeance will be mine. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I secretly believe that everyone is beneath me. |
| 2 | My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
| 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 decadent pleasures. |
| 5 | Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. |
| 6 | By my words and actions, I often bring shame to my family. |
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