3.9 Backgrounds

Each character has a history from before the current campaign. This can include their childhood, family, previous occupations, and more. Backgrounds generally do not have direct effects on a character’s statistics. Narratively, a background explains a character’s statistics, not defines them. However, a character’s background can still have a significant influence on how they interact with the world.

Backgrounds can be summarized as a set of benefits and flaws. If you choose a background benefit, you must also choose a flaw. Some backgrounds internally provide both benefits and flaws. These are called mixed backgrounds, and taking them does not change how many benefit or flaw backgrounds you can choose. You generally shouldn’t have more than one benefit and one flaw, or a single mixed background.

Not every character should have a specific background with effects listed here. These backgrounds can significantly change how a character relates to the world. It’s fine to have a simpler background to put more focus on other aspects of your character’s narrative journey.

At the GM’s discretion, backgrounds can also be acquired during a campaign. For example, successfully performing a heroic and extremely public feat might give the whole party the benefits of the Folk Hero background. Conversely, a party who is defeated in battle may find themselves with the Indebted background, as the victors decide to spare them - with a price.

Many backgrounds, especially background benefits, are only relevant in some area where your reputation could plausibly be known. If you’re deep in the Astral Plane, nobody will care that you were a folk hero back home. The GM should ensure that backgrounds are usually relevant, and your reputation may become more broadly known through the course of a campaign.

3.9.1 Background Benefits

Criminal Connections: You have a reputation in criminal circles as a trustworthy partner in crime. This reputation is not generally known outside of that domain, so law enforcement will not generally cause you problems. You know how to reliably identify and contact other criminals, at least in a significant local area. They will generally be helpful, though they may still charge a fair price for any direct assistance.

Folk Hero: You are known generally by most common folk as a heroic and benevolent figure, at least in a significant local area. This reputation could be well-earned or built on deception. In either case, it is widely believed. Common people will generally try to be helpful whenever you need it, as long as you act appropriately to match the tales.

Guild Member: You are a member of a major trade guild. This could be based on your abilities with a particular Craft skill, your class, or some other abilities you have that are common enough in the world to merit a trade guild. The GM can provide more guidance about what guilds exist. In general, the more advanced and civilized the world is, the more niche guilds exist. Your guild will have a presence in any major city and some minor ones. People will generally be more willing to believe that you can perform tasks relevant to your guild membership. In addition, fellow guild members will be more helpful when you need it.

Mysterious Heirloom: You have a family heirloom that you must keep safe. In the right hands, it would probably have great value or importance, but most people would dismiss it as a simple trinket or oddity.

Landed: You have a family estate that you can live in comfortably, including people who work the land and maintain the house. It is well equipped for most types of training, research, or other long-term work you and your allies might need to do. You do not have sole ownership of the estate, so selling it or otherwise attempting to directly gain value from it would be complicated and risky. However, it is a safe refuge when you need it.

Noble: Your family is at least minor nobility. This can change people’s reactions to you and allow you to more easily access events and important people in high society.

3.9.2 Background Flaws

Escapee: You have escaped from some private individual or institution who is very interested in your return. This could be because you were a slave, because of something unique about your heritage, or any other reason. The people who want your return will invest time and resources into pursuing you wherever it is feasible, including hiring bounty hunters to track you down and bring you back.

Indebted: Thanks to your own past mistakes or your family’s actions, you owe a significant debt. Directly paying off the debt would require at least a rank 3 wealth item (1,000 gp). The creditor may require you to make smaller recurring payments, or may compel you to perform tasks for them to pay down your debt over time. They can generally be negotiated with to a limited degree, but if the relationship turns sour, this flaw may switch to the Escapee flaw.

Nemesis: Someone specifically wants you to suffer due to your shared history. They and their allies are initially stronger than you in a direct conflict, and directly attacking them is almost certainly illegal. You will have to avoid directly confronting them, at least at first. Unlike the Escapee and Wanted flaws, your nemesis will not generally try to kill you or physically harm you. Instead, they will act to subvert your goals, either directly or through agents. Anything you seem to want, they will do their best to thwart.

Repulsive: You are personally noxious, odorous, grotesque, or otherwise unpleasant to see and spend time with. The cause could be injury, disease, a powerful curse, or some other reason. This negatively affects almost everyone’s reactions to you, which makes social interactions more difficult. In addition, any living creature who can see, hear, or smell you is unable to benefit from a short rest or long rest. Even if you can find loyal travelling companions, they still have their limits, forcing you to camp alone.

Wanted: You are wanted for serious crimes in some major area. This flaw does not require that there are posters with your name in every city, but the area where you are wanted must be important to the campaign. You will have to avoid identification by both law enforcement and even common people while in that area, and in other areas that may be aware of those details. In addition, bounty hunters may pursue you wherever you go. You may be innocent of the charges, but if so, it would be hard to prove your innocence.

3.9.3 Mixed Backgrounds

Scion: You are in the line of inheritance for an important throne or noble house. You are not the designated heir, but some small distance removed, such as a third child. If the obstacles to your inheritance were cleared, you could become powerful and wealthy. However, you may also be a target for people trying to ensure their own inheritance, or simply using you to manipulate your family. As an important figure, your family or related people may try to place restrictions on your actions to ensure your safety.