Mercenary

"The battlefield is my forge, and coin is my anvil. Loyalty lasts as long as the contract."
— Taron “Ironhand” Vrek, Veteran Mercenary

Description

As a mercenary, your life has been shaped by the pursuit of coin and survival. Whether as a bodyguard, soldier, or freelance operative, you have honed your craft in the fires of conflict. Mercenaries are adaptable, pragmatic, and resourceful individuals who thrive on the battlefield and in negotiations, walking the fine line between honor and greed.

Mercenaries come from all walks of life. Some are seasoned veterans who left formal military service for personal reasons, while others forged their skills through necessity and strife. Whether you see your work as a profession, a calling, or a means to an end, your reputation as a skilled and reliable fighter ensures that your services are always in demand.

Attribute Bonuses:

• Strength (+1) and Charisma (+1), or Strength (+2).

Trinkets Table

Roll a d8 or choose one:

d8	Trinket
1	A silvered coin marked with your mercenary company’s insignia.
2	A fragment of a battlefield map with hastily drawn notes.
3	A medal awarded for a particularly dangerous contract.
4	A dagger engraved with the initials of a comrade who saved your life.
5	A worn leather bracelet taken as a trophy from an adversary.
6	A pouch of dice with faint scorch marks from a battlefield game.
7	A piece of chainmail with a dent from a near-fatal blow.
8	A folded contract detailing an unfulfilled mission.

Using the Mercenary Background

This background is ideal for Fighters, Barbarians, Rogues, or charismatic Bards who thrive in combat and negotiation. It emphasizes adaptability, battlefield expertise, and the mercenary's constant struggle between honor and self-interest. This background provides narrative depth for characters shaped by war and survival, offering opportunities to explore themes of loyalty, redemption, and personal ambition.

Skill Proficiencies:

• Athletics: Reflecting your physical prowess and battlefield experience.
• Intimidation: To instill fear or enforce your demands when necessary.

Tool Proficiencies:

• One type of gaming set and land vehicles.

Languages:

• Common
• One additional language of your choice, representing exposure to diverse cultures or employers.

Equipment: Equipment

• A set of common clothes marked with the insignia of your former employer or mercenary company.
• A token of your mercenary days (a medal, contract stub, or a map of past campaigns).
• A gaming set of your choice or a pouch of dice.
• A pouch containing 15 gp, your initial savings.

Suggested Characteristics

d8	Personality Trait
1	I’m always ready for a fight and never shy away from confrontation.
2	I calculate risk and reward before making any move.
3	Loyalty is a commodity; I never give it freely.
4	I take pride in my skills and won’t tolerate being underestimated.
5	I have a favorite story from the battlefield that I share whenever possible.
6	I keep my weapons and gear in pristine condition—it’s the key to survival.
7	I mistrust authority, as I’ve seen how power can be abused.
8	I enjoy the finer things in life when I can afford them.

d6	Ideal
1	Honor: I live by a code of honor, even as a mercenary. Loyalty and fairness matter to me. (Lawful)
2	Greed: Wealth is the only thing that matters; everything else is secondary. (Neutral)
3	Survival: Do whatever it takes to come out alive. The strong survive, and the weak fall. (Neutral)
4	Freedom: No one controls me; I fight for myself and my own freedom. (Chaotic)
5	Justice: My blade serves a greater purpose: protecting the innocent and punishing the wicked. (Good)
6	Revenge: I’m in this for payback against those who wronged me. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	My former mercenary company is like family to me, and I’d do anything for them.
2	I fight to provide for someone I care about who depends on me.
3	I have an old debt to repay to someone who saved my life.
4	I carry a token from my first contract and take it everywhere I go.
5	I am haunted by a betrayal I suffered in my mercenary days.
6	A rival mercenary group caused me to lose everything, and I’ll stop at nothing to bring them down.

d6	Flaw
1	I prioritize coin over morals and often make selfish decisions.
2	I struggle to trust others, expecting betrayal at every turn.
3	My temper often gets the better of me in stressful situations.
4	I rely too heavily on brute force rather than diplomacy.
5	I’ll take dangerous risks to prove my strength or courage.
6	My loyalty is for sale, and I’ve switched sides in the past when offered more gold.

Contacts

Mercenary Contacts

Your work as a mercenary has built a network of allies and former colleagues:

• A former captain who still oversees a band of sellswords.
• A merchant who hires you for protection during dangerous journeys.
• A rival mercenary who respects your skill but views you as competition.
• A healer who tends to wounded fighters and knows you well.