You spent prior years studying, training, and perhaps practicing, law. You are well acquainted with the laws of the kingdom or territory where you practiced, and relatively familiar with the neighboring kingdom's laws as well. You have advantage on History checks to recall details regarding such laws, and if you have access to a library, you are able to make an Investigation check with advantage once per day to find the legal facts you are looking for.
- Skill Proficiencies: History, and Investigation
- Equipment: The barrister's robes of your kingdom, a writing kit (small pouch with a quill, ink, folded parchment, and a small penknife), a book with the laws of your kingdom, a scroll case, an official sealed scroll with the official recognition of your office, a signet ring with the seal of the university or school where you graduated with the local symbology for barrister, and a pouch containing 20 gp.
Prerequisite: Intelligence 12+
Due to your practice in law you are able to impress others who are aware of your status. The form this comes in will vary on the individual's experience with the law.
Benefits:
- Granted professional courtesies by other barristers
- Granted access to the law section of libraries so long as the books remain there.
- Granted some leeway by law enforcement in civilized parts of the word to visit with a specific prisoner you are or may represent
- Granted a certain level of standing and respect within the community
- If the person you are interacting with has been in some way defended by a barrister successfully in the past they will have a positive view of you
- If the person you are interacting with has been let down by a barrister in some way, he or she will assume you are the same type of low-life who "did them wrong"
Consult with the GM to ensure the world within which you will be adventuring includes a respect for law and order. If not, this feature would be rendered almost useless. Your GM may be able to help direct you to an equivalent role for his or her world and modify this feature accordingly.
Suggested Characteristics
Use the tables for the barrister background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a barrister.
Your ideal is no doubt related to how you view the quest for knowledge and truth—perhaps as a worthy goal in itself, or maybe as a means to a desirable end.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I use polysyllabic words that convey the impression of great erudition. |
| 2 | I’ve read every book in the world’s greatest libraries—or I like to boast that I have. |
| 3 | I’m used to helping out those who aren’t as smart as I am, and I patiently explain anything and everything to others. |
| 4 | There’s nothing I like more than solving an unsolved crime. |
| 5 | I’m willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make my own judgment. |
| 6 | I . . . speak . . . slowly . . . when talking . . . to idiots, . . . which . . . almost . . . everyone . . . is . . . compared . . .to me. |
| 7 | I am arrogant and literally look down my nose at others of lower social status (unless they are taller than me, in which case, is there something I can stand on?) |
| 8 | I believe my barrister rivals are always trying to outmaneuver me. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge. (Neutral) |
| 2 | Law. Upholding the law is paramount. Without law there would be chaos. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Power. Knowledge is the path to power and wealth (Evil) |
| 4 | Justice. The law should serve the people, just as I must stand against injustice. (Good) |
| 5 | Precision. Words and actions have meaning. I employ mine with precision and am meticulously careful. (Any) |
| 6 | Wealth. Time to get paid. Crooks and the innocent need lawyers, and they both pay gold. (Chaotic) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | It is my duty to defend the weak |
| 2 | My life's work is a series of books on law that I hope are used as a replacement to what's taught in the university now |
| 3 | I am seeking answers to a great case I believe was decided unjustly. |
| 4 | I stand with the government. Laws must be upheld, even if doing so is unpleasant. |
| 5 | I need to investigate my own cases, it's the only way to ensure I know the truth. |
| 6 | I stand for people. I will look for injustices and stand against them. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I don't really care if my client is guilty or not, only the win matters. |
| 2 | I believe that others are as interested in the minutia of the law as I am, and will speak at length to them about it |
| 3 | Knowing the law is really more about knowing how to get away with breaking it. |
| 4 | I threaten law suits (or equivalent) when I want something I can't have or don't get the service I expected. |
| 5 | I care only for justice. I will go out of my way to get it for myself or others. If I'm defending a criminal I know to be guilty, at best I'll suggest he cop a plea. |
| 6 | I'm in law for the power and the money, "justice" is a means to both. |
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