CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS

CHAPTER THREE:
CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS
T
The common adventurer as depicted in traditional fantasy settings, if noble, through the labor of others. Of those people, fate, circumstance,
those individuals driven to fight for the good, seek out lost caverns accident, and rarely dissatisfaction force them to leave their old lives behind,
or cities, slay dragons, or save the princesses, are uncommon in to become a mercenary, a soldier, a wizard, or a scholar, to become more
The Black Company Campaign Setting. In fact, they’re not likely to exist at than one of the faceless masses populating the world. These people are the
all. Characters rarely emerge from the morass of society to take arms for “adventurers” of The Black Company Campaign Setting, and they are just
some esoteric principle like honor, justice, love, or beauty. Moreover, most as likely to be thieves or murderers as they are to be honorable soldiers or
people are content to make a life through modest means, such as labor, or ambitious sorcerers.

BACKGROUNDS
I
nstead of selecting a race (as there are only humans in this world), Background Name: This is a description of the background.
a starting character selects a background to reflects his life prior to
becoming an adventurer. Backgrounds are the vestiges of former Skills: This section lists the skills in which the character may divide his
lives, reflecting the set of experiences and inclinations shaping the four bonus skill points. Skills listed here are always class skills for
characters future. Like racial selection in other games, backgrounds help this character.
to distinguish characters of identical classes, more so than feat or skill Bonus Feat: This section presents two starting bonus feat options from
selections. A fighter who was once a healer is fundamentally different either Chapter Six: Feats or those listed in the PHB. Select one.
from a fighter who was a noble or even a magician’s apprentice for that
matter. Background Trait: This section describes any special rules governing the
background and any other mechanical changes to the character.
Mechanically speaking, backgrounds narrow the focus of the bonus feat
and skill point selections, assisting you in defining Favored Class: This section describes the
your character’s history and natural inclinations, character’s favored class. A character’s favored
while encouraging a good foundation for class does not count against her when
roleplaying. When creating a new character, select
We all have our pasts. determining experience point penalties for
or roll randomly for one background from any —The Black Company multiclassing.
of those included in this chapter. A background Special: This section defines any special
always offers four skills in which you may place restrictions required for play.
your bonus skill points. For each level gained
above 1st, the background grants one additional skill point to put towards Iconic Characters: This last section lists example characters from the
one of your background skills. A background also provides a choice of two novels of the Black Company, some are obscure and some well
bonus feats. Select one at first level. Finally, each background provides a known. For more information on these characters consult Chapter
special advantage to offset your reduced options. The background format Thirteen: Characters and the Appendix: The Black Company
follows. Roster on page 233 and 302 respectively.

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 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS

RACES AND NATIONALITIES

The Black Company Campaign Setting assumes there are no physical or mental differences between the various races of humans. A Nyueng Bao
and a northern Imperial have identical physical characteristics. On the other hand, nationalities and ethnicities may affect religious attitudes
and social outlook. For more details on the subtle differences between ethnicity, race, and region see Chapter Seven: Description.
All characters in The Black Company Campaign Setting have the following racial traits.
• Medium Size
• Base land speed is 30 feet.
• Automatic Language: Native tongue (Speak only). Bonus Languages: Any (see Speak Language in Chapter Five: Skills for details).

ARISTOCRAT BEGGAR
You were a member of the elite social ranks of your society. You lived on the streets amongst the worst of humanity, relying on charity
or your thieving skills to survive.
Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Diplomacy,
Intimidate, Knowledge (nobility & royalty), and Sense Motive. Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Bluff,
Each level beyond 1st-level, you gain 1 additional skill point to Knowledge (local), Profession (beggar), and Survival. Each level
place in any one of these skills. These are always class skills for you. beyond 1st-level, you gain 1 additional skill point to place in any
Bonus Feat: You gain either Negotiator or Skill Focus (any one of your one of these skills. These are always class skills for you.
Background Skills) as a bonus feat. Bonus Feat: You gain either Deceitful or Toughness as a bonus feat.
Background Trait: You are wealthy. Gain 100 sp. You must spend at least Background Trait: You are street smart and hardy. You gain a +1 bonus to
50 sp during character generation. In addition, you may speak one Fortitude saves and a +1 competence bonus to Knowledge (local)
additional language fluently, and gain a +1 competence bonus on and Profession (beggar) skill checks.
Knowledge (nobility and royalty) skill checks. Favored Class: Thief.
Favored Class: Noble. Iconic Character: Asa, Wheezer.
Iconic Character: Lady, the Radisha Drah, Raven.

BUREAUCRAT
You were an official in your city or nation’s government.
Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Gather
TABLE 3-1: Information, Knowledge (local), and Knowledge (nobility &
royalty), and Speak Language. Each level beyond 1st-level, you gain
RANDOM BACKGROUNDS 1 additional skill point to place in any one of these skills. These are
always class skills for you.
Roll Background Bonus Feat: You gain either Investigator or Skill Focus (any of your
Background skills) as a bonus feat.
01-02 Aristocrat
Background Trait: You gain a well-placed contact in your home city’s
03-07 Beggar
government. This NPC is always Friendly. This contact can help you
08-10 Bureaucrat
with tasks, information, or even a loan if you improve his attitude to
11-22 Commoner
Helpful. Your GM may assign a higher DC, based on the nature of the
23-28 Criminal
requested favor. Once your contact assists you, her attitude returns to
29-30 Engineer
Friendly. Each additional time beyond the first that you call on your
31-35 Entertainer
contact for a favor within a month, the contact’s starting attitude drops
36-40 Fugitive
a step to Indifferent, Unfriendly, and finally Hostile. If your contact’s
41-45 Hermit
attitude becomes Unfriendly or worse, you must succeed a DC 25
46-50 Hunter
Diplomacy or Intimidate check to improve their attitude to Friendly,
51-53 Magician’s Apprentice
or you lose this background trait. You may not retry this last check. The
54-58 Merchant
contact gained from this background can be an Aristocrat, Commoner,
59-60 Officer
Expert, or Warrior, and her character level equals yours –2.
61-64 Physician
Favored Class: Noble.
65-68 Priest
Iconic Character: Hagradon, Smoke.
69-72 Prostitute
73-76
77-79
80-85
Sailor
Scholar
Soldier
COMMONER
86-90 Smuggler You were a farmer, artisan, or laborer.
91-95 Thug
Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Craft, Handle
96-97 Tomb Robber
Animal, Profession, and Ride. Each level beyond 1st-level, you gain
98-00 Tribesman
1 additional skill point to place in any one of these skills. These are
always class skills for you.

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 CHAPTER THREE: CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS
Bonus Feat: You gain either Endurance or Skill Focus (any Craft or
Profession) as a bonus feat.
Background Trait: You are more productive in your Craft or Profession.
ENTERTAINER
When making skill checks in Craft in which you have ranks, you You made a living entertaining others.
produce +25% in cp in a week. For example, a character makes a
Craft check once per week. If he succeeds, he multiplies the Craft Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Diplomacy,
check result by the DC. So, manufacturing a longbow has a Craft Knowledge (local), and Perform (any two). Each level beyond 1st-
DC of 12 and a longbow costs 20 sp. Your total craft check is 15. level, you gain 1 additional skill point to place in any one of these
Multiplying the result by the DC generates 180 cp. With this skills. These are always class skills for you.
ability, you generate 45 additional cp, for 225 cp total, or 22.5 sp. In Bonus Feat: You gain either Acrobatic or Skill Focus (any background
addition, when making a Profession check to practice your trade, skill) as a bonus feat.
you earn your Profession check in cp instead of half of the check. Background Trait: You are skilled at working the crowds. When making
Favored Class: Any class. a Perform skill check to impress an audience, you earn +50% of the
Iconic Characters: Murgen, Case, Pawnbroker. indicated amount of coin. The DC increases for previous failures
are reduced to 1 per previous failure. You also gain a +1 competence

CON ARTIST bonus to all background skills.

Favored Class: Jack-of-all-Trades.
You are a charlatan, profiting by defrauding and taking advantage of
others. FUGITIVE
Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Bluff, Disguise, The authorities want you for crimes you did or did not commit
Sense Motive, and Sleight of Hand. Each level beyond 1st-level,
you gain 1 additional skill point to place in any one of these skills. Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Disguise,
These are always class skills for you. Gather Information, Hide, and Move Silently. Each level beyond
Bonus Feat: You gain either Deceitful or Persuasive as a bonus feat. 1st-level, you gain 1 additional skill point to place in any one of
Background Trait: You are slick negotiator. When trying to sell these skills. These are always class skills for you.
something, and if you beat your opponent’s Sense Motive check Bonus Feat: You gain either Endurance or Run as a bonus feat.
with a Bluff check, you sell the item for 75% of normal price Background Trait: You are skilled at getting away from your pursuers. You
instead of 50%. Also, you gain a +1 competence bonus to all Bluff gain a +1 bonus to all Fortitude and Reflex saves.
and Sense Motive skill checks. Favored Class: Scout.
Favored Class: Thief. Iconic Characters: Sleepy.
Iconic Characters: One-Eye, Tom-Tom.

CRIMINAL
You were a smalltime criminal, perhaps a cutpurse, swindler, or burglar.
Skills: You gain 4 skill points to divide as you wish among Hide,
Intimidate, Move Silently, and Sleight of Hand. Each level beyond
1st-level, you gain 1 additional skill point to place in any one of
these skills. These are always class skills for you.
Bonus Feat: You gain either Deceitful or Stealthy as a bonus feat.
Background Trait: You are quick with your hands. Sleight of Hand checks
are move actions for you. In addition, if you try to use this skill as
a free action, you take a –10 penalty on the check instead of –20.
Finally, you gain a +2 bonus to Initiative checks.
Favored Class: Thief.
Iconic Characters: Smeds Stahl, Big Bucket.

ENGINEER
You know all there is to know about construction and invention.
Skills: You gain 4 bonus skill points to divide as you wish among Craft
(any one), Disable Device, Knowledge (architecture & engineering),
and Profession (siege engineer). Each level beyond 1st-level, you
gain 1 additional skill point to place in any one of these skills. These
are always class skills for you.
Bonus Feat: You gain either Nimble or Skill Focus (any background skill)
as a bonus feat.
Background Trait: You are adept at dismantling and rebuilding just about
anything you come across. You may make a Disable Device check
to disable a simple device as a standard action, and an intricate or
complex device in 1d3 rounds. In addition, you gain a +1 compe-
tence bonus to all Craft and Disable Devise skill checks.
Favored Class: Scout.
Iconic Character: Cletus, Loftus.

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