Backgrounds

Common Backgrounds

These are present in all lands, or are not region-specific in any way. They can be found in all nations of Azgaarnoth.

  • Blacksmith: no matter where in Azgaarnoth, everyone needs smiths.
  • City Watch: the ever-present guards of cities, towns, villages, even the smallest hamlets.
  • Courtier: where there is a court, there are courtiers.
  • Criminal: where there is law, there are those who see value in circumventing it.
  • Dailan Scholar: though secretive, Dailan scholars are everywhere in Azgaarnoth.
  • Entertainer: there's always that one person who has to be the center of attention....
  • Faceless: always there are those who "pass" as something else in order to pursue their dreams.
  • Faction Agent: details about the Faction will vary with the Nation, Organization, or Religion to which the Agent belongs.
  • Far Traveler: from every nation, a select few travel the world for their own reasons and purposes.
  • Inheritor
  • Knight: every nation has its army, and mercenary companies provide even more opportunities for the militant-minded.
  • Marine: those who sail the seas to carry the fight to the enemy.
  • Noble: a member (however distant) of a Noble House.
  • Outlander: those who grow up far from the comforts of civilization and city life.
  • Pirate: those who prey upon the merchants (and other naval vessels) on the high seas.
  • Sage
  • Sailor: those who sail the seas for trade.
  • Smuggler: where there is trade, there are those who seek to bypass legal restrictions on it.
  • Soldier
  • Spy
  • Urchin: not all children have happy childhoods.

Al'Uman Backgrounds

These backgrounds are those specifically of Al'Uman background: Alalihat, Zabalasa, and Almalz.

  • Acolyte: Al'Uman acolytes are almost always of their tribe's established religion (Alalihatian or Zalabasan).
  • Artisan: one thing, regardless of religious dispute, that all Al'Umans agree upon is a love of beauty--whether expressed in stone, glass, paint, or jewelry, artisans are revered and sometimes even coveted among the Courts of the Grasslands.
  • Athlete: Al'Uman tribes frequently hold physical contests of skill during festivals, and more than one tribal rivalry has been born of a lost wager on an athletic competition.
  • Charlatan: tales of notorious tricksters and con-men litter the Al'Uman legends, and many seek to emulate those who came before them.
  • City Watch
  • Cloistered Scholar: much knowledge is stored and curated by the Guardians of the Prophet's Temple in Merevets, or its offshoots in various Al'Uman cities.
  • Courtier: Al'Uman court ceremony is the source of legends, and courtiers are often revered for their ability to navigate the courts, even if they serve no other useful purpose.
  • Criminal: it is said that in the Land of Fate, if you cannot make your way, you take your way. Romantic tales of criminals stir even the most cynical Al'Uman heart.
  • Dailan Scholar: though secretive, Dailan scholars are everywhere in Azgaarnoth.
  • Duelist: though less fond of the dueling colleges than the Gozdoran nations, Al'Umans still appreciate the fine art of woven steel between two competitors.
  • Entertainer
  • Far Traveler:
  • Folk Hero:
  • Guild Artisan: many Al'Uma find the allure of a comfortable Merchant Guild-backed life a fine way to spend their lives.
  • Guild Merchant: Merchant Guilds have less pull in Al'Uma than they do in the Gozdoran lands, but still they are present, and many Al'Umans find Merchant Guilds to be an effective counterweight to the pull of tribe or Court.
  • Hermit: among the Al'Uma, hermits are often homeless vagabonds who earn nothing but scorn.
  • Mercenary Veteran: some went to fight their religious rivals over the border, some went to fight the accursed Hordes to their east and south, some even joined a mercenary company and fought the world over; all came home with scars, both body and soul.
  • Nomad: nearly half of the population of Al'Uma come from nomadic tribes who roam the grasslands.
  • Smuggler: the nobility of Al'Uma despise them, but the citizenry often romanticize them, and more than one tribe has been known to sponsor their activities to the tribe's benefit (and/or to a rival tribe's detriment).

Bedian Backgrounds

These backgrounds are commonly found amongst the hardy folk of Bedia and Northern Bedia.

  • Acolyte
  • Artisan: Like any nation, skilled crafters in Bedia are often prized for their ability to make others' lives more pleasant.
  • City Watch: Particularly in Northern Bedia, cities are often on their own, and their guards must be tough, practical, and ready to take on challenges both internal and external.
  • Courtier
  • Criminal: Where civilization is scarce, so is law, and where law is scarce, criminals often gather.
  • Failed Merchant: it is said, when you need to start a new life, start it in Bedia.
  • Far Traveler
  • Folk Hero
  • Guild Artisan: Bedian artisans are often recruited into a Merchant Guild and enjoy a life of luxury compared to home.
  • Guild Merchant: Merchant Guilds have not penetrated deeply into Bedia the way they have other nations, but some see the nation and the continents as opportunities for growth.
  • House Agent
  • Hermit
  • Investigator
  • Knight of the Order
  • Mercenary Veteran
  • Outlander
  • Pirate
  • Sage
  • Sailor
  • Soldier
  • Spy
  • Urchin

Dradehalian Backgrounds

These backgrounds come specifically from the Dread Empire.

Gozdoran Backgrounds

This includes Liria, Travenia, Travesimia, and the minor nations of Mighalia, Whavesimia, and Bagonbia.

  • Artisan
  • Acolyte
  • Charlatan
  • City Watch
  • Cloistered Scholar
  • Courtier
  • Criminal
  • Duelist
  • Eldritch Legacy: many Gozdorans find they have magic much closer to their lives than they realized.
  • Faction Agent
  • Far Traveler
  • Folk Hero: though not quite as widespread in Liria as in other nations of the West, still villages and towns find themselves rallying around an individual of humble origins, particularly when the Crown cannot.
  • Guild Artisan
  • Guild Merchant
  • House Agent
  • Inheritor
  • Investigator: many of the Courts employ one or more individuals who specialize in the careful examination of evidence when pursuing a crime.
  • Knight of the Order: many Courts have fashioned their own militant orders, though none as well-respected or popular or effective as the Order of the Dragon.
  • Marine: many men and women have joined national (or mercenary) service as warriors on board ship.
  • Mercenary Veteran: numerous men and women have marched off to battle as part of a mercenary company, and many returned with more than just their merc's pay.
  • Pirate
  • Sage
  • Sailor
  • Soldier
  • Spy
  • Urban Bounty Hunter
  • Urchin

Horde Backgrounds

These backgrounds can be found amongst the Horde nations (Tragekia and Ulm).

  • BattleBorn: life in a Hordish tribe is often one battle after another.
  • Bounty Hunter
  • City Watch
  • Clan Crafter (that is, an Artisan): Hordish tribes often revere those who can create something out of nothing, particularly if it relates to helping the tribe grow stronger (Tragekia) or mightier (Ulm).
  • Cloistered Scholar
  • Conscript: many of those who fight for the Hordes were not asked their opinion of the idea.
  • Courtier
  • Criminal
  • Faction Agent
  • Far Traveler
  • Folk Hero
  • Gladiator
  • Guild Artisan: while the Ulmhorde has little use for Merchant Guilds, they still respect the skill of their artisans; Tragekia, however, has welcomed the Merchant Guilds with open arms and delights in seeing Hordish artisans deepening their relationships within the Merchant Guilds.
  • Guild Merchant:
  • Haunted One
  • House Agent
  • Hermit
  • Inheritor
  • Investigator
  • Knight
  • Knight of the Order
  • Mercenary Veteran
  • Noble
  • Outlander
  • Pirate
  • Sage
  • Sailor
  • Soldier
  • Spy
  • Urban Bounty Hunter
  • Urchin
  • Ulmhordes Tribe Member
  • United Hordes Tribe Member

Yithian Backgrounds

These backgrounds are appropriate for characters from Yithia (Yithi and Zhi).