You are a Scrimshander, an Artisan skilled in the creation of Scrimshaw carvings, tools, small weapons and decorative pieces. This ancient art entails carving intricate patterns and images into bone, ivory or antlers using delicate tools and ink. You learned your skills while just a child as a way to help pass the time during the long harsh winter nights. Now, your artistry is at a level that you are able to make a livable wage from selling your work at markets across the Ten-Towns.
Living in Icewind Dale, your main medium for creating Scrimshaw with is harvested from the heads of knucklehead trout found in the lakes around Ten-Towns. This ivory makes a beautiful and plentiful base material, although you do sometimes also work with reindeer antlers or scavenged animal bones instead.
- Skill Proficiencies: Your years of working with bone and ivory have gained you proficiency in Nature checks as you can quickly and easily assess the origin and quality of raw materials. You have also gained proficiency in Persuasion through your time honing interactions with buyers and sellers of many races and homelands.
- Tool Proficiencies: You are proficient in the use of 'Scrimshander's Artisan Tools'. For the purpose of streamlining, these are essentially adapted Woodcarver's Tools
- Languages: One of your choice from those commonly spoken by the main races found across Icewind Dale.
- Equipment: A set of Woodcarver's Tools, a small scrimshaw carving that you are currently working on, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp
Your skills as an artisan grant you the respect and admiration of the folk of Ten Towns. Some especially kind townsfolk might supply you with accommodations such as room and board, or information of other types. Your skills also might draw the interest of high society folk in the cities of the Sword Coast who are educated in the art of scrimshaw.
Suggested Characteristics
Artisans are often simply ordinary people of the world who have dedicated large amounts of time to learning a specific skill. That is until they set down their tools and take up an adventuring career! They understand the value of hard work and the importance of community, but they are often underestimated, can struggle with being perfectionists and may not be widely travelled.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I can’t help it—I’m a perfectionist. |
| 2 | I’m a snob who looks down on those who can’t appreciate fine art. |
| 3 | I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick. |
| 4 | I’m rude to people who lack my commitment to hard work and long hours. |
| 5 | I like to talk at length about my profession. |
| 6 | I don’t part with my money easily and will haggle tirelessly to get the best deal possible. |
| 7 | I’m well known for my work, and I want to make sure everyone appreciates it. I’m always taken aback when people haven’t heard of Scrimshaw. |
| 8 | My talent at Scrimshaw is unmatched and people should respect me for that alone. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Community. It is the duty of all people to strengthen the bonds and security of communities. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Generosity. My talents were given to me so that I could use them to benefit the world. (Good) |
| 3 | Freedom. Everyone should be free to pursue his or her own livelihood. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Greed. I’m only in it for the money. (Evil) |
| 5 | People. I’m committed to the people I care about, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I work hard to be the best there is at my craft. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The workshop where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me. |
| 2 | I created a great work for someone, and then found them unworthy to receive it. I’m still looking for someone worthy. |
| 3 | I owe my mentor a great debt for forging me into the person I am today. |
| 4 | I craft only to grow my wealth in order to secure someone’s love. |
| 5 | There is a specific and very rare material that I long to have a chance to work with. I work as hard as I do so that one day I may possess it. |
| 6 | I will get revenge on the evil forces that destroyed my place of business and ruined my livelihood. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’ll do anything to get my hands on my dream crafting material. |
| 2 | I’m quick to assume that hagglers are trying to cheat me. |
| 3 | No one must ever learn that I once stole design ideas from another artist. |
| 4 | I’m never satisfied with my skill level — I always want to be learning and improving. |
| 5 | I would backstab a rival artisan if it meant I could become more successful. |
| 6 | I’m horribly jealous of anyone who can outshine my handiwork. Everywhere I go, I’m surrounded by rivals. |
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