Two medieval backgrounds for Markwald

My previous post proposed (mostly) disassociating stat modifiers with race, and linking them (more tightly) with background. To that end, I presented a list of backgrounds I use in the Markwald campaign I just kicked off and the stat adjustments that would accompany each one. Two of the backgrounds I referenced do not appear in any official WotC publications, or in the Players' Guide to Lukomorye (my other project), so I present them here.

The first - Plague Doctor, is a background I designed shortly after the appearance of 5e rules, but in the last year, it has suddenly become highly topical (for obvious reasons). Of the new party of six in the Markwald campaign, there are two plague doctors, so it's a variant that should attract wide player interest.

The second - the Augur - seemed like an interesting background with good role-playing potential for a medieval setting. It's not exactly "new", and I am highly cognizant of the recent controversy concerning the Vistani in the Ravenloft setting - one that gives a designer a certain amount of pause. But I thought it was worth a try, especially since, as I have pointed out elsewhere, Ravenloft has far deeper problems with perpetuating racial and political stereotypes that simply its take on the Romani people, but that people will continue to play and enjoy the setting anyway.

So with this in mind...

Plague Doctor Background

You received some training as a physician, but were thrust into the front lines of fighting a deadly plague epidemic that struck at your city with some regularity. Every day, you went forth to do battle against the pox, armed with your scalpel, your leeches, and your caduceus, and protected by your full-length dark robe, brimmed hat, and a waxed mask with glass eyes and a beak containing spices that is supposed to serve as a filter against the “bad air” generated by the disease. As you were employed by your city, you had to take an oath of service that required you to follow a physician’s code, and you had to treat everyone – the rich as well as the poor. But you also had to learn how to navigate the city’s bureaucracy, how to stay (relatively) safe and sane, and how to make sure you got paid. Since you knew the majority of your patients were going to die regardless of what you do, you and your fellow plague doctors developed a unique outlook on life that combined self-interest, altruism, fatalism, and a quaint egalitarianism born of the fact that the plague recognized no social distinctions.

Optional: Background Ability Modifiers: +1 CON, +1 INT

Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Nature 

Tool Proficiencies: Chirurgeon’s tools 

Equipment: A set chirurgeon’s tools, a plague doctor’s leather outfit (including mask), a vial of live leeches (or frogs), a caduceus (usable as a spell focus), and a pouch containing 10 gp.

Feature: The Grim Reaper’s Herald

 If you are sighted on the streets of a city dressed in your plague doctor’s regalia, people are likely to assume the worst. You may be able to clear the streets, and perhaps to enter restricted places if you make a believable claim you are there to treat a plague victim. You are also one of the few people who can legally handle corpses and perform autopsies.

d8 Personality Trait 

1. You take your work and oath seriously, and would like to be treated as an authoritative professional
2. You know that your profession is a mere fraud, and this colors your outlook on life in general 
3. You are not above lifting a few valuables here and there – their owners are probably not long for this world, and won’t need them anyway 
4. You use your position to befriend rich people you treat – it might come in handy 
5. You know a few secrets and scandals involving your city’s administration 
6. Your patients have an unusually high healing rate (and you’re not sure why) 
7. You believe yourself invulnerable to the Plague, and other things as well 
8. You think you have insight into the meaning of the Plague, and invent various apocalyptic theories on this score 

 d6 Ideal 

1. Bon Vivant. Enjoy yourself – it’s later than you think (Chaotic) 
2. Salvation. I work to save people, and by doing so, perhaps make myself worthy of being saved as well. (Good) 
3. Rules. If you don’t follow proper protocol, things would be even worse (Lawful) 
4. Judgment. I have the power to decide who lives and dies – as I should (Evil) 
5. Fate. We have no control over the forces that govern life and death (but we might glimpse signs of Destiny if we look) (Neutral) 
6. Aspiration. I work hard to make a difference (and a name for myself) (Any) 

 d6 Bond 

1. I have lost my whole family to the plague, and don’t know why I was spared 
2. I saved the life of a patient with very little influence, and this person now follows me around and showers me with attention 
3. I have recently learned of a miraculous cure (but it is hard to get) 
4. I don’t like it when the powerful put on airs – the great and the lowly stand equal before Death 
5. My master had high expectations for me as a physician, but in becoming a mere plague doctor, I have failed him 
6. If you want to get results, take your oath seriously, and do everything by the book 

 d6 Flaw 

1. Sometimes it is better to put people out of their misery 
2. I have a compulsion to use my position to enrich myself and my family 
3. I have become a thrill seeker, and like to tempt Death 
4. There are definitely scapegoats to blame for the Plague and other things going wrong 
5. I’m jealous of others’ skill and accomplishments, and look for ways to make them mine 
6. I dabble in divination, perhaps a little too much

Augur Background

You belong to a nomadic nation that has recently arrived from the East. Your people are usually on the move from town to town, moving about in carts or wagons, and occasionally, setting up an encampment known as a tabor. Belonging to the nation is a question of possessing the ‘augur spirit’ which is made manifest in following Augur customs – purity laws, respect for elders, and the worship of the Godhead through the feminine principle. Those who violate these customs or demonstrate no capacity to live in accordance to them are regarded as gadjo – outsiders; having two Augur parents is no guarantee of membership. Conversely, outsiders may be easily integrated into a group if they are regarded as having an Augur spirit. 

 Most people belonging to settled society are gadjo, and they regard the Augurs with a mixture of disgust and wonderment. They are perceived as godless, larcenous, and libertine, but at the same time, many gadjo secretly admire the freedom that accompanies the itinerant Augur lifestyle, enjoy Augur musical performance, dance, and outfits (especially at weddings and fairs), and consult Augur fortunetellers (hence, the origin of the group’s designation for outsiders). Not infrequently, the Augurs’ distinct lifestyle serves as a pretext for scapegoating: they are blamed for a variety of sins, from child theft to spreading the Plague, and expelled from towns, or sometimes murdered. They also have a reputation for pronouncing frightful curses against anyone they don’t like. 

The Augurs speak a distinct language called Val, which is made up of many loan words picked up from people they have encountered on their travels. They are encouraged to display their talents – whether musical, magical, or martial – freely, to the outside world, if they truly possess them. Some Augurs find the tight social regulation within their bands, or heavy-handed rule by self-styled Augur ‘barons’ or ‘kings’ onerous, and they break away to seek their own way in the world.

Optional: Background Ability Modifiers: +1 DEX, +1 CHA

Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Performance 

Language Proficiencies: Val, plus an extra language of your choice 

Tool Proficiencies: Gaming Set or Musical Instrument (choose) 

Equipment: Travelers’ clothes, travel bag, bedroll, mess kit, a charm (roll on the Trinkets table), and a belt pouch containing 10 g.p.

Feature: Tabor Refuge 

You are aware of the names and rough locations of various Augur bands, and can solicit hospitality for you and your companions as long as you have not been branded a gadjo. You will also be sheltered by them if you have fallen afoul of local magnates or officials.

d8 Personality Trait 

1. I have no compunction about lying to a gadjo 
2. I meticulously follow all Augur customs and purity laws 
3. Wherever I am, I always take note of all valuables, as well as exits 
4. I am drawn to the open road, and don’t like staying in the same place for too long 
5. I spout off people’s fortunes off the top of my head (whether I have any real talent for fortunetelling or not) 
6.  I never forgive a slight – anyone disrespecting me will pay, sooner or later 
7. I have one or more superstitions and objects or rituals I use to ward off bad luck 
8. When I want something (or someone), I pursue the object of my desire at all costs 

d6 Ideal 

1. Tradition. Following the laws and customs of our people is the only thing that keeps us safe. (Lawful) 
2. Devotion. Regardless of the formal religion I follow, I strive to connect to the cosmic feminine energy. (Good) 
3. Independence. I strive to follow my heart in all matters. (Chaotic) 
4.  Change. The world is in flux, and we must change with it. (Chaotic) 
5. Fate. Whatever happens, we cannot escape our destiny. (Neutral) 
6. Aspiration. I owe it to myself and my intimates to develop my talents to the fullest. (Any) 

d6 Bond 

1. I have been expelled by my band of Augurs, and will do anything to get taken back 
2. I’m in love with a gadjo, and will pursue them to the ends of the earth 
3. I’m accused of a crime (which I may or may not have committed) against my band, my baron, or gadjo authorities 
4. I’m bound to my instrument – it has a soul, and must express itself through me 
5. I have a vendetta against someone, and must get my revenge 
6. Somewhere I have a child, and I must ensure that they have a good life 

d6 Flaw 

1. I have a problem with authority 
2. I’m inordinately drawn to pleasures of the flesh 
3. I’m a thrill seeker who likes to tempt Death 
4. I like to collect “souvenirs” from people I meet and places I visit 
5. I’m rather liberal in uttering curses 
6. My temper won’t allow me to let an offense go unanswered

Post Scriptum

The Sage can be kept more or less as is (per PHB), but the name should be changed to Learned Doctor, and instead of common clothes, the equipment list would include a scholars' gown, hat and hood, all of which would mark him/her as a member of the ecclesiastical estate. The speciality could include law, medicine, theology, as well as philosophy and its various magical branches (Theurgy, Alchemy, Angelology, Astrology, Goetia, Evocation, and Cabbalism). Necromantia is outlawed, but one might have received training in it if they knew where to look. 

Race modifiers disaggregation and Background

As I return to blogging (and playing), I want to offer a proposal in light of the forthcoming Tasha's Cauldron of Everything volume (due out from Wizards in November).

I admit I haven't delved into the discussion very deeply, though I have read through the sneak preview. But one of the main changes in the new book is a variant for disaggregating racial ability modifiers to allow more flexibility of character design (which is also a reaffirmation of WotC's new stated commitment to combating racial stereotypes). The point is to allow every elf, dwarf and orc to be different - choose whatever adjustments best suit your character needs.

The affirmation that people are different no matter what race or species they belong to is laudable enough, but it's not the key issue I want to address here. There is, however, the question of minimaxers seizing on the new openness to give their dwarf wizard an intelligence modifier (and an armor proficiency to boot), which gives pause to some GMs on account of likely abuse. This is also a serious matter, though to me, the more important issue is not one of power maximization as such, but buffet-style character builds that are increasingly disconnected from the setting in which they are to operate.

The other day, I had a brief conversation about this with a friend, who speculated that the retreat from racial bonuses will give greater weight to Backgrounds. I found that appealing, because arguably the main function of Backgrounds is to imbricate characters more tightly to a social structure (and ultimately, to a setting). For that reason, I thought that the idea of giving stat modifiers to specific Backgrounds would reinforce its importance as a game feature. This is not to say that all hermits, for example, are the same, any more than all orcs are the same. But Backgrounds are at least somewhat closer to occupations, which shape how a person turns out (or, in mechanical terms, shape a character's stats).

What I settled on trying out is to give two out of three positive stat modifiers over to Backgrounds, and leave the third with races (to allow for a modicum of physiological or social differences to remain - if all you want are the bonuses, why worry about races at all?).

So I came up with a system of Background stat adjustments that give +1 to two different abilities. In a later post, I will present a proposal for race design where each race will have only +1 to an individual attribute, so as to fit with the Background adjustment here without breaking the game. I am proposing these adjustments for character design in my Markwald setting (see the previous post), which I just inaugurated for play last week. So my list will not contain every single officially published 5e background, but it will the ones I find suitable for our own game (i.e. most of them).

List of Backgrounds by official name (with Markwald or Lukomorye variant names in parentheses):

Players' Handbook

Acolyte (Attendant): +1 WIS, +1 CHA
Charlatan (Mountebank): +1 INT, +1 CHA
Criminal (Ruffian): +1 STR, +1 DEX
Entertainer (Trouper): +1 DEX, +1 CHA
Guild Artisan (Artificer): +1 DEX, +1 WIS (for most), or, +1 STR, +1 WIS (for smiths,                 masons, carpenters, shipwrights, etc. Also for Clan Crafters from the Sword Coast Guide).
Hermit (Ascetic): +1 WIS, +1 CON
Noble (Boyar): +1 INT, +1 CHA (+1 STR, +1 CHA for warrior types, Knights of the Order           from the Sword Coast Guide, etc.)
Outlander (Heathen): +1 CON, +1 WIS
Sage (Learned Doctor; Scribe): +1 INT, +1 WIS (also for Cloistered Scholar from the                     Sword Coast Guide).
Sailor (Mariner); +1 STR, +1 WIS (also for Fishers from Ghosts of Saltmarsh).
Soldier (Person-at-arms): +1 STR, +1 DEX (also for City Watch, Mercenary veteran from             Sword Coast Guide).

Sword Coast Guide

Far Traveler (Foreigner): +1 WIS, +1 INT

Ghosts of Saltmarsh

Smuggler: +1 DEX, +1 WIS

Lukomorye

Courtier: +1 INT, +1 CHA
Healer: +1 INT, +1 WIS
Merchant: +1 INT, +1 CHA
Nomad: +1 CON, +1 WIS
Peasant: +1 CON, +1 WIS
Urban Laborer: +1 STR, +1 CON 

Vagabond: +1 WIS, +1 CHA

Markwald

Augur: +1 DEX, +1 CHA
Plague Doctor: +1 CON, +1 INT

I plan to follow this post by a detailed writeup of the two unique Markwald backgrounds, and the (partly reconceptualized) player races that are supposed to balance character design in conjunction with the above Background adjustments.

Background Check

Although it has recently been promoted into an official category, with rudimentary mechanics, the character background has been part of RPGs since the beginning. Sometimes, it was made up as a character gimmick to set your fighter apart from other fighters with the same general capabilities and equipment (my fighter happens to be a drunk, or the son of an important werewolf); other times, it was ad-libbed on the spot, and over time, became a character's calling card (that guy who always gets distracted by minutiae, and wants to go see the tiger at the local menagerie instead of getting on with  the adventure).

Formalizing the background as a key character feature speaks to the emergence of role-playing as a central aspect of the game. Role-playing always happened, as some grognards will hurry to inform anyone who will care to listen. But in the classic dungeon-crawl, it was generally incidental, a frill on the serious business of killing monsters and taking their stuff. Additionally, it tended to reinforce hierarchies within the gaming group. Good players roleplayed; average players sat quietly, paid attention to the group's stars, and were ready to roll dice when it was their turn. Today, the purpose of the dungeon crawl, the hexcrawl, or the urban escapade is not (or is not simply) power, wealth, and fame; it is also a product of the character's biography - a tough childhood, a family quest, a tragic flaw, a mission from a god or a patron, and so on. Moreover, a disengaged player is not simply shy or bored - they are the player of a character who has not been incorporated into the adventure, because the GM has ignored their backstory, or because their goals are not aligned with those of the rest of the party. In the modern gaming mindset, each character should get to roleplay and be the star at least once in a while, by having their background or backstory take center stage.

But to fully benefit from the narrative turn in gaming, backgrounds and backstories need to be selected with some care. Sometimes, a background which seems like it would be cool to play, and makes a character stand out, actually marginalizes the character, and breeds tension in the group. This doesn't mean that any background can't be made to work by the right player in the right environment. It simply means that some backgrounds are much more difficult to pull off in most cases. The key thing to remember when building a character is that a good background is not just for you - the player. It is something that helps embed the character in the world, and in the party. It provides hooks that the other game participants can easily latch onto, so they can develop the game into a truly collective enterprise.

Butcher, baker, mother, crone...

In what follows, I detail some typical backgrounds and backstories that are problematic, and a few that I believe increase both player and group enjoyment.

The Lone Wolf. Little more needs to be said about this type that hasn't been said already. Loner characters that march to their own drummer, never compromise their principles, and are always ready to strike out on their own might work well in novels or films, but they don't work well in media in which the Party, rather than the Hero, take center stage. In RPGs, the Lone Wolf typically refuses to accept party decisions, splits the party (creating a headache for the GM), and generally acts like the sociopath that most Lone Wolves are in reality. The Lone Wolf may be a model for the Adventurer Type (which accounts for the type's social marginality nearly everywhere). But even adventurers, as I have argued elsewhere, belong to and form social bonds if they expect to succeed. If you want a wolf, remember that most wolves are pack animals.

The Enforcer. This is a fairly common adventurer type that typically solves problems through force.  Subtypes may include soldiers or gang members. There is an important difference between the Enforcer and the Lone Wolf, however. Enforcers are a part of a power structure. They recognize someone's authority, and, when they can, replicate that authority over others when they can get away with it. This creates the potential for long-term relationships with NPCs, as well as long-term tensions that may yield role-playing gold. Attempting to force a PC party to bend to the will of an NPC will create problems, however, and becoming the henchman of the party leader will create even more.

The Guy Whose Family Was Killed. This is really a variant of the Lone Wolf. At first sight, it appears that the dead family creates both a motive for adventuring, and opportunities to solve the mystery of who did it. It can also prompt the GM to create a villain who will serve as the character's foil for the duration of the campaign. In reality, this backstory is a bit of a trap for all involved. If the character seeking the family's killers does not immediately find them, frustration can set in, as that player will not feature heavily in the narratives that are being spun around the party and its other members. It is possible to give clues here and there, but this only works if the character with the dead family is local to the area in which the adventure is set. If that character has come from far away, the suspension of disbelief begins to be stretched for the killers to suddenly turn up in the distant region as well. Then, even if they do, they will have to have some sort of relationship to other characters, or to the situation the party as a whole is dealing with. A creative GM can make such connections, but the background of the family-less character certainly limits her options. Assuming these pitfalls can be negotiated, and the killers are found, and dispatched, what then? The main part of the character's backstory goes up in smoke. On the whole, this trope tends to force the GM to focus attention on this character, or perhaps, after a few failed attempts, to increasingly push them to the margins of the main story. In many cases, I find that the trope is really just a placeholder instead of a real backstory: even when culprits turn up, the character whose family they wronged isn't even that interested in them. This character really needs to have an additional shtick, like a coming of age story (and letting go of revenge), or descent into tragic hero-dom, in order to make this background work.

The Quester. The Quester is a better option than than the person hunting for the family's killer. The thing the quester is looking for is probably an item (or occurrence) of importance to a wide range of people, not just to himself. Asking around for word of an artifact, or signs of the apocalypse is a credible course of action in any given session, whereas saying "hey, I lost my family, have you seen the person who killed them?" is not. A quester is likely to be pleased with any information, no matter how vague; and the quester implicitly recognizes that the Holy Grail lies at the very end of the adventuring life, and seeking it is as important, if not more important, than finding it. A person looking for a killer, or revenge, will not be happy with anything but concrete information leading in a particular direction.

The Frustrated Aspirant. The Frustrated Aspirant can be every bit as antisocial as the character looking for vengeance. This character turned away from society because of a personal tragedy (such as participating in a disastrous military operation), or because they were passed over for promotion or recognition. In either case, the Frustrated Aspirant is likely to develop a grudge against whole categories of NPCs, rather than specific people. From a role-playing standpoint, however, that's a plus, because it can apply in a variety of different situations, involving NPCs that the character dislikes. It also presents opportunities for growth - perhaps over time, the character can meet a variety of people that he once disliked, and to realize that these NPCs are not at all what he imagined.

The Emo. Artiste character types are not too common in standard fantasy, though they are more prevalent in urban gothic and other genres. Though they seem unique on the surface, they are really Lone Wolves, even if they may not always be as violent. Emos have a rich inner world, but narrating it often detracts from the collective character of the game. Their fallback perspective pits them against the rest of the world. They can form strong emotional attachments with other characters, though this does nothing to diminish their anti-social attitude toward all others - in fact, quite the reverse. They can work in a party if other members come to tolerate or enjoy their antics, but again, this places the onus to change on other characters (and players).

The Credit to the Family. The character with an extant family, with which she is in good standing, is a good option. Maybe she is working to save the family from a disaster, or possibly to find it a new home. Maybe she just has an aged mother on whom she drops in, and to whom she delivers a share of the treasure, or a wayward brother, whom she is trying to rescue from the gutter. Whatever the case, being on a family-related mission is usually a long-term enterprise that keeps the character engaged and committed to activities other than slaughter and looting. Having a family member near adventuring sites is also a good trope - other party members will be introduced to the aged matriarch, may receive favors and shelter from her, and in time, might even start to feel like a member of the clan. One caveat, though: families must not be allowed to completely dominate the game. The character who has an unlimited number of NPC cousins in a game with liberal levels of player agency can start to annoy other party members, and the GM, very, very quickly.

The Scion. I'm not one to dissuade people from writing multi-page family sagas instead of backstories. Whatever floats your boat. But aside from your own personal edification, there is little reason to compose family histories. There is simply too much material in a long saga to meaningfully incorporate into the game, and feeling that the GM is beholden to you to do so just because you invested the energy in writing it is to set yourself up for disappointment or conflict. As with cousins, be reasonable.

The Diplomat. Diplomat characters are useful. If your raison d'être is peacemaking, there will always be a call for you, no matter the situation. Problem-solving through innovative (i.e. non-confrontational) means is usually refreshing, and can put interesting twists on plots. Diplomats also tend to be skilled at languages, which opens more space to communicate with different kinds of creatures (that one might otherwise end up fighting due to communication problems). The drawback with diplomats is that they are often wishy-washy and indecisive. Their comrades typically pine for simpler decisions, and want to just pick a side, and then fight those on the other side. Diplomats seek peace and balance where they might simply be unattainable. Particularly stubborn diplomats will go against the grain of party consensus, and sometimes, they will slow an adventure's progress down to a crawl.

The Exile. This can be a variant of the character who has lost his family, but usually, it's a better variant. The exile can be sent away because of a crime, a misunderstanding, or being on the wrong side politically. This character is also focused on the past (as well as on a distant land), but his nostalgia exists in the interstices of past and present, here and there, and it is the contrast that makes the character interesting. He might be pursuing personal growth, atoning for the crime, or looking for an item or proof that will exonerate him, and perhaps allow him to eventually return. Waxing eloquent about the old country (or complaining about its barbarism) can be entertaining role-playing, if it is not overdone. The exile's player should also develop some of the details about the exile, and figure out how they might fit in with the developing campaign arc. Otherwise, the character risks becoming just another desperado.

The Specialist. The Specialist is commonly a craftsperson, trader, or perhaps a guard or a guide. She has a unique skillset, at least as far as the rest of the party is concerned (if not, the Specialist may become a bore, so make sure your merchant has something to trade, and your armorer - something to make or fix). Often, this leads to the character being curmudgeonly, which can be entertaining, but should be used in moderation. To be especially interesting, the character should have a shtick - sayings, superstitions, a particularly engaging approach to customers, a particularly grumpy attitude toward bosses, etc. A Specialist may develop a general appreciation of specialization, which would make her interdependent with other character, who can do things she can't. The specialist is therefore a good "buddy" character.

The Drunk. The Drunk is a gimmicky character who can provide comic relief to a party - for a time. The Drunk is the instant life of the party - at least until he gets his companions in trouble, whether through commission or through omission. When Drunks start being as much of a burden as real-life drunks, it's time to change things up a bit. The Drunk should have periods of sobriety and contrition, and perhaps try (seriously or not) to change their life - perhaps even by changing their class or alignment. Related character types - the Lech, the Lovable Rogue - usually evince similar trajectories. Following such characters on their benders, and watching them take over a session with their shenanigans one too many times is a common pathway to the dissolution of an adventuring party (or a gaming group).

The Preacher. The Preacher is another Drunk, though less entertaining. In the old days, when most clerics tended toward fundamentalism, Preachers abounded, always spouting off about their divine patron, and demanding some some level of obeisance in return for their ministrations. Today, they tend toward a more New Age-y spirituality, and are less likely to preach, though one still finds examples of the type from time to time, e.g. in the form of Evelyn Marthain (of the popular Dice Camera Action stream), who rarely goes more than two minutes without informing her companions and enemies about the Light of her deity Lathander. Given the character's wide-eyed innocence and her player's acting skill, the performance is a success, but for most players, the watchword should probably be: don't try this at home.

* * *

This seems a reasonable overview of backgrounds and backstories, although other types can obviously be added to the list as well. In a nutshell, the main concern when considering backgrounds should be: how will this play with the other group members, and with the GM's setting. Ask specific questions about others before writing your own story. In most cases, they will only thank you, because it will allow them to refine their own narratives, making them more interesting and lifelike. Also, try to have escape hatches that allow the character to change somewhere down the road. Going up levels is a progression, but the best characters grow as people, too.

Classes as Backgrounds

Xanathar's Guide to Everything arrived this week at the start of Thanksgiving break, and I have been going through it pretty intensively. In general, I like this format for non-core rulebooks: it sounds better than Players' Handbook II, and substantively, it has a more experimental feel to it. Rather than saying "rush out and buy your copy so that you can incorporate all the new official rules into your game", the conceit of a monster's thoughts on different character types and aspects of the world frames the offerings in a more playful way, presenting different ideas and variants that you could take or leave, and that stimulate thinking about changes you can introduce into your own games.

Xanathar's Guide isn't perfect. Without getting into the DM's section (which I haven't read yet), I feel that several questionable decisions were made when the player's section was put together. Four archetypes from the Sword Coast's Adventurer's Guide were included in the new book with virtually no changes. This was not done to ensure that all of the archetypes not in the Players' Handbook could be found in one place, because there are eight specializations that are not included (so if you are being accepting of all published variants, you still have to lug the SCAG with you). The reason for reprinting four variants in the new book has more to do with the fact that not a sufficiently large number of variants published in freely available Unearthed Arcanas over the last two years received a sufficiently high fan rating, and their place was taken by the more popular SCAG subclasses.  Some of the offerings seem overpowered - especially the Rogue Inquisitive, which is popular precisely because it allows you to play a constantly backstabbing Sherlock Holmes. Some, like the Monster Slayer Ranger, seem redundant - isn't slaying monsters already what the Hunter Ranger does?

But on the whole, most of the class options are well done, and those that went through two iterations before making it onto the pages of this new book definitely benefited from playtesting, criticism, and editing - a lot of the rewritten features are much crisper, clearer, and more flavorful than the early prototypes. However, what stood out most for me were the flavor tables that introduced each class. These tables allow players to generate (or choose) backstory options relating to the person who trained or patronized them, icons that symbolize them, places that serve as their base prior to the start of their adventuring life, and so on. In a later section, a series of tables list options for why a character chose to enter a particular class. These are all very much optional offerings, and are unnecessary for good players who are motivated to come up with detailed backstories. But they do kindle the imagination and make it easy even for middling players to come up with interesting histories for their characters. They also help situate characters in the world, and provide more evidence that classes are not just bags of mechanics, but real social entities in game settings.

Since I have engaged in numerous discussions about the last point over the last several years, I thought it only right that I should rewrite these "class as background" options for my Lukomorye setting, since it differs somewhat from the standard fantasy setting assumed in D&D splatbooks. I have certainly borrowed heavily from the options in Xanathar's in some instances, but largely ignored them in others to emphasize the social over the purely personal. I'll probably rework some of these and make them a bit more descriptive before putting them into my own Players' Guide, but I like these as a first pass.

Lukomorye Class Backgrounds

Bards:


Typical Performance Spaces:

1. Churches
2. Boyar/merchant feast circuit
3. Princely palaces
4. The street/markets
5. Taverns/hostels
6. Villages/the road

Main Instrument:

1. Gusli (zither)
2. Gudok (viol)
3. Flute/horn/kuvykly (pan pipes)
4. Domra (mandolin)
5. Percussion (drum, tambourine, rattle, etc.)
6. Vocals

Biggest Failure/humiliation

1. Whistled down by people for poor performance
2. Performance disaster (fire, animal attack, etc.)
3. Beaten down by authorities for lewdness/profanity
4. Chased away by notable for insult
5. Defeated in a musical contest by rival
6. Lost a public bet/failed to live up to a boast

Muse:

1. Saint/pagan deity
2. Hero/companions
3. Rival/enemy
4. Paramour (generally high-born, dead, or otherwise unattainable)
5. Common people
6. Nechist' ('unclean' nature spirit)/other monster

Bogatyrs:

Origin of might:

1. Visit of holy people to home
2. Inherited at birth from superhuman ancestor
3. Fell into vat of a potion of superhuman strength
4. Awakened from magical sleep without memory of past life
5. Granted power from consuming a magical draught/food
6. Granted powers by monstrous/wondrous creature

Prominent physical feature:

1. Booming voice
2. Thunderous gait
3. Very long hair/beard/hirsuite
4. Pronounced feature (very large hands, very blue eyes, etc.)
5. Very strong smell
6. Intense gaze/radiant smile

Mission:

1. Glory
2. Defense of the Realm/people
3. Justice
4. Specific duty (slaying a monster, finding an item, etc.)
5. Service of God/gods
6. Revenge

Heroic Flaw:

1. Boasting
2. Bloodlust
3. Envy
4. Gluttony/drunkenness/lust
5. Stubborn/narrow-minded
6. Issues with authority

Druids (volkhvy):

Temple:

1. Bathhouse
2. Barn/granary
3. Thunderstone
4. Cave/grotto
5. Enclosure with standing stones in woods
6. Covered wooden shrine (usually hidden)

Cover (to remain hidden from authorities):

1. Hermit
2. Healer
3. Shepherd/animal whisperer
4. Communal elder
5. Artificer (smith, potter, weaver, etc.)
6. None - openly challenging authorities

Secret:

1. An astrological sign betokening a god's return/disaster
2. Compromising knowledge about an authority figure
3. Knowledge of birth of a great hero/prince
4. Location of mystical item/landscape feature
5. Location of portal to Otherworld
6. Vision of own doom

Circle contact/mentor:

1. Voice in a dream (maybe spirit of dead ancestor)
2. An ancient crone or hermit
3. A family member
4. A local notable
5. A nechist' creature
6. A shapeshifter

Fighters:

Training Company:

1. Peasant self-defense force
2. Town militia
3. Company of princely or boyar servitors
4. Local fighting society
5. Guard for travelers/caravans
6. Raider/brigand/criminal enforcer

Company Tradition:

1. Marching song
2. Clothing article or other marking (headband, face paint, etc.)
3. Honor code
4. Unit legend
5. Slang
6. Hazing ritual

Unit type/position in unit:

1. Point/anchor
2. Tactician
3. Support/specialist (archer, siege engineer, etc.)
4. Quartermaster (in charge of supplies)
5. Heart of the unit (mediator/peacemaker)
6. Auxiliary/skirmisher

Fools:

Foolish conceit:

1. Easily distracted
2. Talks to self/disembodied voices
3. Credulous/apparently credulous
4. Tells long, pointless stories
5. Lazy malingerer
6. Disgusting or weird personal habit (nosepicking, incessant laughter, etc.)

Cravings:

1. Sweets/food
2. Drink
3. Nice clothes
4. Cute animals
5. Praise
6. Fast movement (on vehicle, horseback, etc.)

Special possessions:

1. Garish outfit
2. Cheap object you are convinced is magical
3. Bag of useless items
4. Toy (doll, rattle, etc.)
5. Book or text fool can't read
6. Improvised weapon/armor (pot, broom, etc.)

Priests:

Reason for entering the Church:

1. Family business
2. Best career option
3. Heard a voice
4. Promised God to do so after near-death experience
5. Atonement for past sins
6. Witnessed a miracle

Service:

1. Rural parish (White clergy)
2. Urban neighborhood church or monastery (either)
3. Wilderness monastery (Black clergy)
4. Ecclesiastical administrator (Black clergy)
5. Confessor attached to noble (either)
6. Diplomat/missionary (Black clergy)

Habits:

1. Expounding prophecy
2. Proselytism
3. Self-flagellation
4. Berating others/threatening fire-and-brimstone
5. Must always work (the devil makes work for idle hands)
6. Seeks the devil everywhere

Crises of Faith:

1. When faith conflicts with reason
2. When bad things happen to good people
3. When you are passed over for advancement/hurt
4. When you get away with sinning/succumb to temptation
5. When people who don't share your faith act righteously
6. Never (completely dogmatic)

Rangers:

Reason for becoming a ranger:

1. Desire for wealth, fame, and advancement
2. Service of boyar or prince
3. Called on as bringer/protector of civilization
4. Exile
5. Raised on the frontier
6. Seeking knowledge (possibly about own origins)

Views of the world:

1. You yearn for the sweet smoke of your fatherland
2. Your duty is to protect people from the terrors of the frontier
3. Settled lands must continue to expand to tame the frontier
4. Towns and villages are fine places to rest and carouse
5. The world beyond the frontier is soft, and no place for a hero
6. The frontier is honest, settled regions - corrupt

Attitudes toward favored enemies:

1. Respect - we are all just struggling to survive
2. Hatred - they must be crushed, so they can never threaten the world again
3. Disdain - they are worthy of humiliation whenever possible
4. Sympathy - kill only those that directly threaten you, protect the rest
5. Disinterest - it's a job - deal with them, and move on
6. Obligation - they will always be our enemies - it's part of the natural order

Rogues:

Reasons for becoming a rogue:

1. Village wiped out by plague, fire, famine, or raiders
2. Escaped slave, peon, or indebted scofflaw
3. Heathen whose home has been destroyed and people scattered
4. Demobilized soldier with no employ
5. Impoverished, non-inheriting noble
6. Second (or third, etc.) generation rogue

Lifestyle:

1. Beggar
2. Goon
3. Hustler
4. Gambler
5. Tavern regular
6. Libertine

Organization:

1. Goon in the employ of noble/VIP
2. Neighborhood/locale self-defense force
3. Unskilled worker 'craft guild'
4. Gang-member led by criminal ataman
5. Thief-in-law
6. Lone wolf

Secrets:

1. Ways to buy stolen/contraband goods
2. Compromising information on noble/VIP
3. Location of a treasure hoard
4. Location of rival gang hideout
5. Presence of (hidden?) monsters in locale
6. Way to sneak into town/citadel/stronghold

Sorcerers:

Physical Marks:

1. Extra digit/webbed hands/feet
2. Clubfoot/cloven hoof on one foot
3. Conspicuous birthmark
4. Vestigial tail/horns
5. Enlarged teeth/elongated maw
6. None (but born with a caul)

Awakening:

1. After adolescent illness
2. After bout of madness
3. During a sexual encounter
4. During violent/injurious incident
5. After drinking from mysterious pond/stream
6. Power imparted by other sorcerer (on deathbed)

Community response:

1. Shunned (unless services are needed)
2. Driven out (perhaps more than once)
3. Oblivious (you are good at hiding your gifts)
4. Accepted (community is in crisis/Church is far away)
5. Prophecy has made some powerful people seek you
6. You have a protector (for reasons that may not be clear)

Main activity:

1. Selling your services to villagers/townspeople
2. Living alone in the woods and keeping curious visitors away
3. Trying to avoid unlife by performing righteous and pious deeds
4. Seeking gain by working with criminals/bandits
5. Looking for others belonging to your bloodline
6. Battling a rival sorcerer/authorities

Warlocks:

Reason for making pact:

1. Ideological (hatred of Church/priests)
2. Revenge/jealousy (power to act against rivals)
3. Necessity (to avoid death/other serious problem)
4. Curiosity (knowledge of secrets)
5. Solicited by coven members
6. Solicited by patron

Terms of Pact:

1. Service of labor
2. Blood sacrifice
3. Retrieving an item
4. Takeover of settlement/organization
5. Siring/bearing and granting offspring
6. Unclear/immortal soul

Patron Relationship:

1. Patron treats warlock as family member (and will become furious if betrayed)
2. Patron is completely unpredictable at each encounter
3. Patron is a stern taskmaster
4. Patron is an abusive sadist
5. Patron likes to make deals/renegotiate
6. Patron is inscrutable/incomprehensible

Coven size:

1. You have no coven
2. d4 plus yourself
3. d6 plus yourself
4. d8 plus yourself
5. d10 plus yourself
6. d12 plus yourself

Lukomorye Character Types

Even though it's not the main focus of the blog, I planned to have some 'game mechanic' posts from time to time. I've mentioned some specific character types for the Lukomorye setting in passing, but here, I'm going to lay out the races, classes, and backgrounds I've conceptualized for this game. I've also made a parallel Russian text, partly for flavor, partly as an exercise, partly because I know there is now some Russian readership here, so perhaps someone with limited RPG exposure may find the universe of fantastic characters outlined here stimulating. I'm pretty happy with the flavor conjured up by the names of some of the class archetypes and backgrounds, though I'm well aware that a few of them are way out there. The names for the Changelings are rather blah, but... you can't win 'em all...

Races/Расы

A race is the kind of creature you are identified as. There are three broad categories, and each is divided into multiple subtypes.

Раса – это тот род существ, к которым вас относят. Есть три широкие категории, которые разделены на множество конкретных видов.

1. Humans/ Люди

You are a human being. You can belong to one of the following groups:

Вы – человек. Вы можете принадлежать к следующим группам:

Name/                            Real world cognate/

Наименование            Когнат в настоящем мире

Noriki/Норики                 Eastern Slavs/восточные славяне

Labdy/Лабды                   Other Slavs/все остальные славяне

Galindy/Галинды            Balts/балты

Garipy/Гарипы                Germans, Scandinavians, other northern Europeans/немцы, скандинавы, остальные

                                          североевропейцы

Irii/Ирии                          Graeco-Byzantines/грековизантийцы

Friaziny/Фрязины           Italians and other southern Europeans/итальянцы и остальные южноевропейцы

Fogarma/Фогарма            Jews and Khazars/евреи и хазары

Rakhmany/Рахманы        Arabs, Persians, and Hindus/арабы, персы, и индусы

Kochmaki/Кочмаки         Tatar-Mongols and other steppe peoples/татаромонголы и другие степные народы

Kuz’/Кузь                         Finno-ugric peoples/финноугорские народы

Narty/Нарты                     Caucasus people/Кавказцы

Норики (Noriki)

2. Changlings/Обменыши

You are half-human, half-nature spirit (or goblin). Most beings born of such mixed unions die in childhood, or are sickly, but you survived. Some live among people, others are stolen away by their non-human family. Types of changelings are:

Вы являятесь  смесью между человеком и нечистью. Большинство детей, которые рождаются от таких союзов рано умирают, или очень болезнены, но Вы выжили. Некоторые обменыши живут с людьми, а другие украдываются нечистью и вырастают с ними. Обменыши группируются в следующие сорта:

Name/                                               Brief Description/

Наименование                               Краткое описание

Half-domovoi/Полу-домовой            Child of a 'house-goblin' who lives under the rafters or behind the stove

                                                             Дитя нечисти которая живет под крышей или за печью

Half-dvorovoi/ Полу-дворовой         Child of a 'yard-goblin that lives in the enclosure of a human household

                                                             Дитя нечисти которая живет во дворе людского дома или избы

Half-ovinnik/Полу-овинник              Child of a 'barn-goblin' that lives in an animal-shed or granary

                                                             Дитя нечисти которая живет в овне, амбаре, или хлеву

Half-bannik/Полу-банник                  Child of a goblin that lives in a bathhouse

                                                            Дитя нечисти которая живет в бане

Half-polevik/Полу-полевик               Child of a goblin that lives in a field or meadow

                                                            Дитя нечисти которая живет в поле или на лугу

Half-leshy/Полу-леший                     Child of a forest goblin

                                                            Дитя нечисти которая живет в лесу

Half-letun/Полу-летун                       Child of a ‘fire-serpent’ that seduces lonely people

                                                            Дитя огненного змкя, который соблазняет одиноких людей

Half-rusalka/ Полу-русалка              Child of a maiden spirit that lives in a river or stream

                                                            Дитя девушки-утоплленцыб которая жевет в реке или ручье

Half-vodyanoi/Полу-водяной           Child of a ‘water-goblin’ that lives in a river, lake, or swamp

                                                            Дитя нечисти которая живет в реке, в озере или в болоте

Обменыш (Changeling)

3. Skinshifters/Оборотни

You are an intelligent animal who has spent the early part of her life in human form. With adolescence, your shapeshifting abilities have become manifest, and you can take the form of a bipedal animal with humanoid limbs. Later you can assume full animal form. Subtypes of skinshifters are:

Вы – зверь одаренный разумом. Первую часть своей жизни Вы прожили в человеческом облике, но в подростковом возрасте, Вы обнаружили способность менять форму. Вы можете превратиться в двуногого зверя в человеческими конечностями. Позже, Вы сможете превратится в обычного зверя. Вот породы оборотней:

Name/                                   

Наименование

Bears/Медведи           

Cats/Коты

Falcons/Соколы

Foxes/Лисы

Frogs/Лягушки

Hares/Зайцы

Ravens/Вороны

Roosters/Петухи

Wolves/Волки

Оборотень (Skinshifter)

Classes/Классы

Your class represents what kind of hero you are, and it determines the bulk of your heroic abilities. As you mature as a hero, your class becomes much more important than your race or your background. The classes and specializations you may pursue in Lukomorye are:

Ваш класс – это отражение конкретного героического типа. Он определяет большинство Ваших необычайных способностей. По мере Вашего развития, класс становится гораздо более важным, чем раса или происхождение. Ваш персонаж может выбирать между следуюшими классами и специальностями: 

Name/                                            Specialities/                                    Cognates in standard 5e

Наименование                            Специальности                                Когнаты в стандартном 5е

Bogatyr'/Богатырь                        Стезя (Path)                                     None/Отсутствует

A knight-errant who performs          Оратай (Oratai)                                  None/Отсутствует

feats of superhuman strength            Казак (Cossack)                                 None/Отсутствует

Boyan/Боян                                     Распев (Chantry)                               Bard

A performer and jack-of-trades        Гусляр (Gusliar)                                 College of Valor

whose music invokes old magics      Скоморох (Skomorokh)                     College of Lore

Vedun/Ved'ma/Ведун/Ведьма        Завет (Pact)                                      Warlock

A spellcaster who gains power          Навий Завет (Netherworldly Pact)    None/Отсутствует

by making pacts with dangerous        Дикий Завет (Beast Tsar Pact)          None/Отсутствует

beings                                                 Бесов Завет (Devil's Pact)                 Infernal Pact

                                                           Чудий Завет (Chudo Pact)                 Great Old Ones Pact

Voin/Воин                                         Дружина (Company)                        Fighter

A skilled warrior who excels             Витязь                                                Champion

in armed combat                                Воевода                                              Battlemaster

                                                           Вещий воин                                       Eldritch Knight

Volkhv/Волхв                                   Круг (Circle)                                      Druid

A pagan priest who serves the            Круг Мокоши (Circle of Mokosh)   None/Отсутствует

Old Gods and learns from the wild     Круг Велеса (Circle of Veles)          None/Отсутствует

Durak/Дурак                                     Гомон (Babel)                                  None/Отсутствует

A lucky good-for-nothing Fool           Простофиля (Simpleton)                 None/Отсутствует

with wondrous powers                        Юродивый (Holy Fool)                    None/Отсутствует

Koldun/Колдун                                 Род (Bloodline)                                 Sorcerer

A spellcaster whose power is in          Змеевич (Zmeevich)                        Draconic Bloodline

the blood                                              Ягишна (Yagishna)                          None/Отсутствует

                                                             Навий (Netherworldly)                    None/Отсутствует

Plut/Плут                                           Кодла (Den)                                      Rogue

A street-smart trickster, often              Тать (Tat')                                         Thief

involved in shady business                  Лукавец (Lukavets)                          Arcane Trickster

                                                             Жулик (Zhulik)                                 Mastermind (Sword Coast Guide)

                                                             Разбойник (Bandit)                           None/Отсутствует

Sviashchennik/Священник             Предание (Tradition)                        None/Отсутствует

A Priest who serves God and              Анахорет (Anchoritic)                      None/Отсутствует                       

an ecclesiastical hierarchy                   Кенозист (Kenotic)                           None/Отсутствует

                                              Сенобит (Cenobitic)                          None/Отсутствует

                                                            Изихаст (Hesychastic)                        None/Отсутствует

                                                            Пантократ (Pantocratic)                     None/Отсутствует

Storozh/Сторож                                Застава (Lodge)                                Ranger

A tough skirmisher who                      Стрелок (Strelok)                               Hunter

roams the frontier                                Ловчий            (Lovchii)                    Beastmaster

                                                             Ушкуйник (Ushkuinik)                     None/Отсутствует

(Rare or foreign classes/Редкие или заморские классы)

Podvizhnik/Подвижник                   A holy defender of the Faith               Paladin (Oath of Devotion only)

Mag/Маг                                            Школа (School)                                 Wizard

A sage who learns magic by               Хранильник                                        Abjurer

perusing ancient tomes                        Духовидец                                          Conjurer

                                                             Звездочет                                            Diviner

                                                            Чародей                                               Enchanter

                                                             Взыватель                                           Evoker

                                                            Хитросплетник                                   Illusionist

                                                            Чернокнижник                                    Necromancer

                                                            Потворник                                           Transmuter

Shaman/Шаман                                                                                             None/Отсутствует

A spellcaster who trafficks with                                               

spirits and travels to other planes

 

Скоморохи (Skomorokhs)

Backgrounds/ Происхождение

Your background is your initial social station or job.

Происхождение – это ваше место в обществе – ремесло или сословие.

 

Name/                                    Russian Name/                            Standard 5e cognate, if any/

Наименование                    Русское Наименование            Когнат в стандарном 5е

Ascetic                                       Инок (Inok)                                      Hermit           

Artificer                                     Ремесленник (Remeslennik)          Guild Artisan

Attendant                                  Служитель (Sluzhitel')                     Acolyte

Boyar                                        Боярин (Boyarin)                               Noble

Courtier                                    Дворянин (Dvorianin)                      None/Отсутствует           

Foreigner                                  Чужеземец (Chuzhezemets)            Far Traveler (Sword Coast Guide)           

Healer                                       Знахарь (Znakar')                             None/Отсутствует

Heathen                                    Язычник (Iazychnik)                        Outlander

Mariner                                     Моряк (Moriak)                               Sailor

Merchant                                   Гость (Gost')                                     None/Отсутствует

Mountebank                             Мошенник (Moshennik)                   Charlatan

Nomad                                      Кочевник (Kochevnik)                     None/Отсутствует

Peasant                                      Смерд (Smerd)                                 None/Отсутствует

Person-at-arms                          Ратник (Ratnik)                                Soldier

Ruffian                                      Буян (Buyan)                                    Criminal

Scribe                                        Дьяк (D'iak)                                      None/Отсутствует

Slave                                         Холоп (Kholop)                                None/Отсутствует

Urban Laborer                         Работник (Rabotnik)                        None/Отсутствует

Trouper                                    Балагур (Balagur)                              Entertainer

Vagabond                              Бродяга                                             None/Отсутствует