
You have chosen the life of a mercenary, and your reputation is your guarantee. Swearing no fealty to a sovereign or nation, your skills as a warrior are not bound by duty, but bought with coin. You have studied the use of weapons and armor, and learned basic survival techniques, including how to stay alive in deadly situations. Like many mercenaries, you may have focused on martial talents, but you also may not be a warrior--perhaps you honed your arcane abilities on the battlefield, are a reliable scout hired to protect travelers, or renowned for your digression in handling delicate jobs. These skills, the people you've worked with, and the contracts you've honored have brought you a reputation which now precedes you.
When you choose this background, consult the Career Specialty to determine what sort of mercenary you are, and work with your DM to determine the specifics of your career. Consider if you have progressed through the ranks of a mercenary army, belong to a mercenary guild, worked as part of an elite team, or work as a lone warrior. Determine your role, and what kind of experiences you had during your career, and why you may have left that life behind. Most importantly, what is your reputation?
- Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, and Intimidation or Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set and Navigator's Tools or Cartographer's Tools or Cook's Utensils
- Equipment: An incomplete contract that you need to either break or fulfill and a scroll case to carry contracts and maps; a gaming set of your choice; set of traveler’s clothes and a pouch containing 10 gp.
You have spent many years honing your skills as a mercenary. Roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below to determine the focus of your career:
d8 | Career Specialty |
---|---|
1 | Unit Commander |
2 | Party Scout |
3 | Infantry Soldier |
4 | Cavalry Rider |
5 | Field Medic |
6 | Guard for Hire |
7 | Lone Mercenary |
8 | Bounty Hunter |
Your reputation precedes you. Other mercenaries will recognize you or the company you worked for. Their reaction to your reputation may be positive or negative based on alignment. Regardless, you command either fear or respect and they will defer to you if they are of a lesser reputation or rank. You have influence with other soldiers and requisition simple equipment or horses for temporary use. You can also usually gain access to friendly military encampments and fortresses where your rank is recognized.
Suggested Characteristics
A life of freedom and violence has shaped your worldview. Many mercenaries have committed bloodthirsty and heartless acts in the name of coin or reputation, while others uphold honor and justice as central to their reputation. Either way, a life of violence has left its mark on the way you see the world.
d8 | Personality Trait |
---|---|
1 | I am cold and calculating, and like to keep people guessing about my motives. |
2 | I have killed for a cause that conflited with my values, and the shame haunts me. |
3 | I’ve lost too many friends, and I’m slow to make new ones. |
4 | I’m full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation. |
5 | I can stare down a hell hound without flinching. |
6 | I like to win, and seek out worthy opponts for games of chance and displays of combat prowess. |
7 | I am a stratigist. Planning for as many outcomes as possible keeps me alive. |
8 | I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success. |
d6 | Ideal |
---|---|
1 | Greater Good. My company seeks out contracts that will help make the world a safer place. (Good) |
2 | Responsibility. Following orders and defering to authority honors my company and my comrades. (Lawful) |
3 | Independence. I go where the wind takes me, and take only jobs that catch my interest. (Chaotic) |
4 | Might. In life as in war, the stronger force wins. (Evil) |
5 | The Bottom Line. I'll do anything so long as the coin is good. (Neutral) |
6 | Reputation. Keeping my word on a contract is all that matters. (Neutral) |
d6 | Bond |
---|---|
1 | I would still lay down my life for the people I served with. |
2 | Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind. |
3 | I wear my reputation the way knights wear their shield. |
4 | I’ll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it. |
5 | Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for. |
6 | An employer that respects me and pays me well will always have my loyalty. |
d6 | Flaw |
---|---|
1 | The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering with fear. |
2 | I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior. |
3 | I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives—and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret. |
4 | I am tempted to abandon a contract if I find a better oppertunity. |
5 | I obey the contract, even if the contract causes misery. |
6 | I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong. |
Contacts
You have experience working for a particular employer who esteems your reputation. You have one contact from the chosen organization type who will aid you in gathering information, finding work, and spreading your reputation to other locations in the world.
d6 | Contact |
---|---|
1 | Corrupt Officals |
2 | Merchant's Guild |
3 | Spy Network |
4 | Army Officers |
5 | Smuggler Organzation |
6 | Adventurer's Guild |
Previous Versions
Name | Date Modified | Views | Adds | Version | Actions |
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2/21/2020 8:13:42 PM
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Coming Soon
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Nice job, really like it!
I think this will be fun to play.
Thanks, glad you like it! Let me know if you ever use it and have any feedback :)