You understand wealth, power, and privilege. You carry a powerful title, and your family owns patches of land, is part of the army, and wields (more or less) significant political influence. You might be a pampered aristocrat familiar with work but not disconfort, a former merchant just elevated to the near nobility. Or you could be an honest, hard-working landowner who wokra for the good of many without even noticing. You are also used to commanding, having been of high status in the local army.
Work with your DM to come up with an appropriate title and determine how much authority that title carries.
Does your family have a coat of arms? An insignia you might wear on a signet ring? Anything passed on by distant parents (if you have them) ? Are you a lone child?
- Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set
- Languages: Common and three more of your choice
- Equipment: A set of [Tooltip Not Found], a signet ring, a scroll of enlistment which says you are or were part of the army, and a purse containing 25 GP.
Thanks to your noble birth, people are inclined to think the best of you. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be mostly wherever you are. The common folk make nearly every effort to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure, and other people of high birth treat you as a member of the same (maybe a bit inferior) social sphere. You can secure an audience with a local noble if you need to.
Suggested Characteristics
Nobles are born and raised to a very different lifestyle than most people ever experience, and their personalities reflect that upbringing. A noble title comes with a plethora of bonds—responsibilities to family, to other nobles (including the sovereign), to the people entrusted to the family’s care, or even to the title itself. But this responsibility is often a good way to undermine a noble.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | My eloquent flattery makes everyone I talk to feel like the most wonderful and important person in the world. |
| 2 | The common folk love me for my kindness and generosity. |
| 3 | No one could doubt by looking at my regal bearing that I am a cut above the unwashed masses. |
| 4 | I take great pains to always look my near best and mix with common folk. |
| 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 | If you do me an injury, I will crush you, ruin your name, and salt your fields. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Respect. Respect is due to me because of my position, but all people regardless of station deserve to be treated with dignity. (Good) |
| 2 | Responsibility. It is my duty to respect the authority of those above me, just as those below me must respect mine. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Independence. I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of my family. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. If I can attain more power, I will take and stop at no cost, no matter what. (Evil) |
| 5 | Family. Blood runs thicker than water. (Any) |
| 6 | Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me nearly always. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I will face any challenge to win the approval of my family. |
| 2 | My house’s alliance with another noble family must be sustained at all costs. |
| 3 | Nothing is more important than the other members of my family. |
| 4 | I am in love with the heir of a family that my family despises. |
| 5 | My loyalty to my sovereign is unwavering. |
| 6 | The common folk must see me as a hero of the people. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I secretly believe that everyone is beneath me. |
| 2 | I hide a truly scandalous secret that could ruin my family forever. |
| 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 | In fact, the world does revolve around me. |
| 6 | By my words and actions, I often bring shame to my family. |
A commandership is among the highest noble titles in most societies, but it can be a path to lower status. If you wish to be a commander, choose the Retainers feature instead of the Position of Privilege feature. One of your commoner retainers is replaced by a noble who serves as your squire, aiding you in exchange for training on his or her own path to command. Your two remaining retainers might include a groom to care for your horse and a servant who polishes your armor (and even helps you put it on).
As an emblem of chivalry and the ideals of courtly love, you might include among your equipment a banner or other token from a noble lord or lady to whom you have given your heart — in a chaste sort of devotion. (This person could be your bond.)
If your character has a noble background, you may select this background feature instead of Position of Privilege.
You have the service of three retainers loyal to your family. These retainers can be attendants or messengers, and one might be a majordomo. Your retainers are commoners who can perform mundane tasks for you, but they do not fight for you, will not follow you into obviously dangerous areas (such as dungeons), and will leave if they are frequently endangered or abused.
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