Backgrounds (d50)

Your background is what you did before you picked up a sword.

Roll or choose one. Your background replaces skills - when it reasonably applies, add your PB to non-combat checks.

d50	Background	Description
1	Farmer	Fields, planting, harvest cycles, handling livestock, reading weather.
2	Herdsman	Driving animals, finding pasture, simple vet care, long days on the move.
3	Fisher	Nets and lines, boats, tides and currents, knowledge of rivers and coasts.
4	Hunter	Tracking game, dressing carcasses, moving quietly in the wild.
5	Trapper	Setting snares, skinning furs, marking trails, winter survival.
6	Woodcutter	Felling trees, splitting logs, hauling timber, reading the forest.
7	Miner	Tunnels and shafts, spotting weak stone, working ore, dark places.
8	Laborer	Hard hauling, digging, building, endurance under harsh conditions.
9	Servant	Household tasks, etiquette, overhearing gossip, blending into the background.
10	Beggar	Street survival, reading crowds, pity and rumor, living on scraps.
11	Sailor	Rigging, weather signs, sea survival, life aboard ships.
12	Riverhand	Barges and ferries, currents, crossings, riverbank lore.
13	Caravan Guard	Long roads, spotting danger, travel logistics, camp routines.
14	Mercenary	Soldier-for-hire, camp life, bargaining pay, knowing the trade routes.
15	Militia	Village watch, drills, guard routines, local defenses.
16	Squire	Arms and armor upkeep, noble service, heraldry, equestrian care.
17	Archer	Range-finding, bowyer’s craft, fletching, spotting good ground.
18	Gladiator	Arena life, crowd-pleasing, reading people, knowing urban underworld.
19	Brawler	Taverns, intimidation, dirty tricks, seedy contacts.
20	Outlaw	Banditry, raiding, life outside the law, hiding in the wild.
21	Smuggler	Hidden compartments, shady deals, bribery, knowing the docks.
22	Poacher	Sneaking through woods, illegal hunts, avoiding wardens.
23	Scout	Recon, mapping, noticing signs of passage, moving unseen outdoors.
24	Nomad	Herding, tents, constant travel, survival on the move.
25	Pilgrim	Shrines, holy routes, living on alms, faith traditions.
26	Hermit	Secluded living, meditation, foraging, self-reliance.
27	Exile	Survival in strange lands, reading new cultures, finding allies.
28	Street Urchin	Alleys, markets, city survival, hiding in plain sight.
29	Artisan	Craft skills: wood, leather, clay, or another trade (pick one).
30	Blacksmith	Metalwork, tools, forge craft, practical construction.
31	Mason	Stonework, foundations, construction, spotting flaws.
32	Weaver	Cloth, rope, nets, loom-work, trade in textiles.
33	Tanner	Hides, leatherwork, foul smells, tough hands.
34	Cook	Kitchens, food prep, spice lore, hospitality.
35	Brewer	Beer, ale, fermentation, tavern connections.
36	Merchant	Bargaining, caravan routes, quality goods, coin counting.
37	Innkeeper	Hospitality, gossip, supplies, calming disputes.
38	Performer	Music, dance, theater, drawing a crowd, rumor networks.
39	Charlatan	Tricks, scams, false papers, impersonation.
40	Acolyte	Temple service, rituals, devotion, sacred lore.
41	Cult Initiate	Forbidden worship, strange rites, keeping secrets.
42	Scribe	Reading, writing, copying texts, simple bookkeeping.
43	Scholar	Book-learning, history, languages, old stories.
44	Alchemist’s Appr.	Powders, mixtures, smells, odd experiments.
45	Astrologer	Stars, omens, calendars, prophecies.
46	Wise Folk	Herbal charms, omens, folk medicine, local superstitions.
47	Noble Scion	Court manners, fine living, heraldry, noble gossip.
48	Courtier	Intrigue, etiquette, service, palace rumor.
49	Spy	Secrets, disguises, infiltration, hidden motives.
50	Gravedigger	Burial rites, graveyards, local dead, superstitions.