You have spent your life in the depths of the oceans or combing the shallows for the bounty of the ocean. Perhaps you were born into a family of fisher folk, working with your kin to feed your village. Maybe the job was a means to an end — a way out of an undesirable circumstance that forced you to take up a life of trapping sea creatures. Regardless of how you began, you soon fell in love with the sea, the art of fishing, and the promise of the eternal horizon.
- Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: Cook’s Utensils or one type of musical instrument
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A inexpensive but unusual weapon or a musical instrument (one of your choice), a fishing tackle, a net, a set of well worn traveler’s clothes, a pouch containing 15 gp, and either a favored fishing lure, a pair of oiled leather wading boots, or a trinket from your homeland (one of your choice)
You can tell a compelling tale, whether tall or true, to impress and entertain others. Once a day, you can tell your story to willing listeners. At the DM’s discretion, a number of those listeners become friendly toward you; this is not a magical effect, and continued amicability on their part depends on your actions. You can roll on the following table to help determine the theme of your tale or choose one that best fits your character. Alternatively, work with your DM to create your own fishing tale.
| d8 | Fishing Tale |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lobster Wrestling. You fought in hand-to-hand combat with an immense lobster. |
| 2 | It Dragged the Boat. You nearly caught a fish of monstrous size that pulled your boat for miles. |
| 3 | Fins of Pure Gold. You caught a sea animal whose fins were made of pure gold, but another fisher stole it. |
| 4 | Ghost Fish. You are haunted by a ghostly fish that only you can see. |
| 5 | Nemesis Serpent. A large serpent claimed one of your fingers before jetting away; one day, you’ll find that beast. |
| 6 | It Swallowed the Sun. You once saw a fish leap from the water and turn day into night. |
| 7 | Dive into the Abyss. You found yourself in an underwater cave leading to the Abyss, and your luck has been sour ever since. |
| 8 | Love Story. You fell in love with a creature of pure water, but your brief romance ended tragically. |
You gain advantage on ability checks made using fishing tackle. If you have access to a body of water that sustains marine life, you can maintain a moderate lifestyle while working as a fisher, and you can catch enough food to feed yourself and up to ten other people each day.
Suggested Characteristics
Fishers succeed only if they spend time at their jobs. As such, most fishers have a strong work ethic, and they admire others who earn their living honestly. Fishers tend to be superstitious, forming attachments to particular fishing lures or special fishing spots. They have a connection to the bodies of water in which they fish, and they think poorly of those whose actions adversely affect their livelihood.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am unmoved by the wrath of nature. |
| 2 | I have my own ideas about what is and is not food, and I find the eating habits of those around me fascinating, confusing, or revolting. |
| 3 | I love a good insult, even one directed at me. |
| 4 | I get bitter if I’m not the center of attention. |
| 5 | I laugh heartily, feel deeply, and fear nothing. |
| 6 | I work hard; nature offers no handouts. |
| 7 | I’ll settle for nothing less than perfection. |
| 8 | Luck favors me, and I take risks others might not. |
| d10 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than it was. (Good) |
| 2 | Luck. Our luck depends on respecting its rules — now throw this salt over your shoulder. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Daring. The richest bounty goes to those who risk everything. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Plunder. Take all that you can and leave nothing for the scavengers. (Evil) |
| 5 | Tradition. The stories, legends, and songs of the past must never be forgotten, for they teach us who we are. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Hard Work. No wave can move a soul hard at work. (Any) |
| 7 | Creativity. The world is in need of new ideas and bold action. (Chaotic) |
| 8 | People. I like seeing the smiles on people’s faces when I perform. That’s all that matters. (Neutral) |
| 9 | Open. I have much to learn from the kindly folk I meet along my way. (Good) |
| 10 | Inquisitive. Everything is new, but I have a thirst to learn. (Neutral) |
| d8 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My instrument is my most treasured possession, and it reminds me of someone I love. |
| 2 | The gods of my people are a comfort to me so far from home. |
| 3 | I will fish the many famous waters of this land. |
| 4 | The gods saved me during a terrible storm, and I will honor their gift. |
| 5 | My destiny awaits me at the bottom of a particular pond in the Feywild. |
| 6 | So long as I have this token from my homeland, I can face any adversity in this strange land. |
| 7 | My freedom is my most precious possession. I’ll never let anyone take it from me again. |
| 8 | I’m fascinated by the beauty and wonder of this new land. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am judgmental, especially of those I deem homebodies or otherwise lazy. |
| 2 | I become depressed and anxious if I’m away from the sea too long. |
| 3 | I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have. |
| 4 | I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this land. |
| 5 | I work hard, but I play harder. |
| 6 | I am obsessed with catching an elusive aquatic beast, often to the detriment of other pursuits. |
A gladiator is as much an entertainer as any minstrel or circus performer, trained to make the arts of combat into a spectacle the crowd can enjoy. This kind of flashy combat is your entertainer routine, though you might also have some skills as a tumbler or actor.
You can always find a place to perform in any place that features combat for entertainment — perhaps a gladiatorial arena or secret pit fighting club. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard (depending on the quality of the establishment), as long as you perform each night. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in a town where you have performed, they typically take a liking to you.
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