Backgrounds: Difference between revisions

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=== Athlete ===
=== Athlete ===
Whether through muscle or speed, an athlete takes on the energy of their life to dedicate to maintenance of their mortal machine. They might be laborers, performers, or simple survivors with nothing left to count on other than their own hide. The mark of an athlete is to occupy a state of synchronicity with their form: to find, challenge, and exceed their limits at will.
  - 75sp starting silver stipend.
  - 75sp starting silver stipend.
  - Acquires a cloth outfit.
  - Acquires a cloth outfit.
  - +1 to [[Attributes|Dexterity]] '''OR''' Strength.
  - +1 to [[Attributes|Dexterity]] '''OR''' Strength.
  - Acquires innate ability: ''ride adrenaline.'' The athlete may push themselves beyond normal limits, gaining 15% increased movement speed for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Dexterity, or +3 bludgeoning damage on hit for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Strength. 1/rest.
  - Acquires innate ability: ''ride adrenaline.'' The athlete may push themselves even further beyond, gaining 15% increased movement speed for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Dexterity, or +5 bludgeoning damage on hit for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Strength. 1/rest.


=== Bookkeeper ===
=== Bookkeeper ===

Revision as of 03:10, 16 January 2025

A player character's background is selected during character creation in The Domains of Dread, being a representation for a biographical aspect of that character's story prior to being Misted. Every character selects a single background and receives bonuses regarding that background as listed below. While a character is required to select a background from this list, a generic background is also made available for cases where none of the provided backgrounds are desirous or applicable.

A background does not need to be the sole point of interest in any given character's origin, but should factor in to at least a negligible degree. General backgrounds may be chosen by anyone (except for natives of domains with limited background selection, which are marked in the character creation process), and special backgrounds by characters who fulfill their requirements.

General Backgrounds in The Domains of Dread

Acolyte

An acolyte has always known faith. Even without the structure of a church, there are always those who place matters of soul and spirit ahead of any other earthly concern. For some, this path of enlightenment is a source of strength that follows them throughout their lives - in others, as they are now, must escape these shackles of tradition. For either case an acolyte has unmatched conviction.

- 75sp starting silver stipend.
- Acquires a cloth outfit, a censer, incense, a folio stack of papers, and an inkwell.
- +1 to Lore.
- Acquires innate ability: divine icon. At rest time the acolyte may choose to pray over or otherwise consecrate an item of their ideoligion or personal faith. They may then brandish this item in combat as a free action, provoking a DC 15 Will save on a broadcast target. If the target fails, they are shaken for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level. 1/rest.

Apprentice

Those that understand society know that waiting for a prodigy to come and solve their problems would bring the world to a crashing halt. People are people, and people are mortals, so too must their skills and knowledge be passed on to the next generation. Such is the role of an apprentice, chosen to carry on the legacy of their craft no matter the scale - be it weaving baskets or the Weave itself, such is their importance in the grand scheme.

- 150sp starting silver stipend.
- Acquires a cloth outfit, a folio stack of papers, an inkwell, and a small bag.
- +1 to Knowledge.
- Acquires innate ability: learning through seeing. The apprentice receives a 25% bonus to experience earned while performing the tasks of a profession while in the nearby company of another player character with a higher profession level.

Adventurer

It is rare that an individual may be called adventurer from their earliest days. Even if they have not yet seen a forgotten ruin or clashed with great and alien beasts, the adventurer forever seeks the unknown whether for glory, gain, or the simple joy of doing. Wanderlust suffuses the adventurer, and they live by their instincts; after all, if these instincts did not suffice, they would not be here today.

- 100sp starting silver stipend.
- Acquires a cloth outfit, a set of climbing equipment, a torch, a carving dagger and a small bag.
- +1 to Search and Survival.
- Acquires innate ability: travel ready. The adventurer takes 1.25x as long to become exhausted from mundane sources.

Artisan

Some see the world differently: in colors, shapes and patterns which others do not, and either with exhaustive pursuit or mad inspiration, bring these differences into the light of day through their work. Artisans are not necessarily the finest of craftspeople - but enough to live from it. Nor must they put on the airs of a sculptor or cathedral illuminator as an artisan may take as much pride from wood frames as they might true to life statues. Even as they might put this life behind them, their designs will lurk behind their eyes forever.

- 200sp starting silver stipend.
- Acquires a cloth outfit, a folio stack of papers, an inkwell, and a small bag.
- +5 to an applicable profession level of choice.
- Acquires innate ability: foresee masterwork. Once a week IRT the artisan may choose to guarantee their next profession project to reward the most profession experience available OR to be at the highest possible quality level.

Athlete

Whether through muscle or speed, an athlete takes on the energy of their life to dedicate to maintenance of their mortal machine. They might be laborers, performers, or simple survivors with nothing left to count on other than their own hide. The mark of an athlete is to occupy a state of synchronicity with their form: to find, challenge, and exceed their limits at will.

- 75sp starting silver stipend.
- Acquires a cloth outfit.
- +1 to Dexterity OR Strength.
- Acquires innate ability: ride adrenaline. The athlete may push themselves even further beyond, gaining 15% increased movement speed for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Dexterity, or +5 bludgeoning damage on hit for a duration equal to 1 round + 1 round/level if they selected Strength. 1/rest.

Bookkeeper

Charlatan

Courtier

Criminal

Deprived

Entertainer

Farmer

Fisher

Game Hunter

Hermit

Investigator

Merchant

Sage

Sailor

Scribe

Smuggler

Spy

Watch

Urchin