Homebrew Backgrounds

These backgrounds are customized to suit the world of Chronan, although you are free to use any of the official backgrounds as well, or work with your DM to create your own.   For homebrew equipment marked with a *, see Steampunk Weapons, Armor & Common Items.  

Barkeep

You have worked as a bartender or a waiter at a cozy inn, a busy tavern or a seedy bar. You are an expert on mixing drinks as well as evaluating the customers for signs of troublemaking or extra large tips to earn. You make easy acquaintances with the staff of any bar in the world.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Sleight of Hand

Tool Proficiencies: Brewer's Kit, Herbalism Kit

Equipment: Brewer's Kit or Herbalism Kit, 5 Empty Bottles, Letter of Recommendation from a previous employer, Clothes, 10 gold

Feature: Tip or Tap (At any business establishment with a bar, you can persuade the staff to either let you take a work shift to earn some gold, or open a tap to buy drinks that you can pay for later.)

Bounty Hunter

You make a living hunting down specific animals, monsters or even people. You might have aspirations to become a member of The Falconers' Club, an exclusive club for monster hunters. You might also be a hireling for The Inquisitors, chasing after mutants and Agents of Chaos.

Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival

Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' Tools, one Gaming Set of your choice

Equipment: Ball Bearings, Binoculars*, 20 Caltrops, Hunting Trap, 50 ft of Silk Rope, Hooded Cloak, Clothes, 10 gold

Feature: Find Marks (You can easily gain information about a new mark that needs to be hunted in any larger settlement. You can also deduce the right people to ask more information about the mark. By hunting down this mark, you can gain a reward depending on the difficulty of the hunt and the rarity of the mark.)

Cabdriver

You drive a horse carriage or a steam wagon for a living, either within one of the great cities or between settlements. The work is dangerous due to the risk of crashing or getting robbed or ambushed by monsters, so it requires a gutsy personality. You luckily know how to fix your cab if it breaks down on the road.

Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Perception

Tool Proficiencies: Tinker's Tools, Vehicles (Land)

Equipment: Tinker's Tools, Pocket Watch*, a Trinket as a lucky charm, Cabdriver's License, Uniform with a Cap, 15 gold coins

Feature: Cab Ride (You can easily secure a passage in a carriage or a steam wagon within a city or between two locations, and get a discount for you and your companions. You also hear the latest rumors that the cabdriver has, even those they don't usually spread around to clients.)

Chimney Sweep

The rise of the steam-based technology gave rise to the number of chimneys around the cities of the Eight States, as well. A whole subculture of roof-climbing chimney sweeps was formed, dwelling high above the heads of the common citizens. As a chimney sweep, you have a dangerous job that requires agility and fearlessness. Some chimney sweeps have turned the rooftop access to the houses of the wealthy as an opportunity for burglary, which has harmed the reputation of the whole vocation.

Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Stealth

Language Proficiencies: Thieves' Cant

Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' Tools

Equipment: Grappling Hook, 50 ft. of Silk Rope, Sweeper (Quarterstaff), Suit, 5 gold coins

Feature: Rooftop Access (You know secret ways to move over the rooftops of any larger settlement. This enables you to use shortcuts and accesses to buildings that few other can. You can also learn rumors from other chimney sweeps that they've heard through the flues.)

Constructor

You do heavy physical work at construction sites, building or demolishing houses. You might also specialize in steam technology, working at a factory such as the Gadgetory in Magnapolis. You have intricate knowledge on how things are put together, and also how to break them apart.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Sleight of Hand

Tool Proficiencies: Alchemist's Supplies, Tinkers' Tools

Equipment: Alchemist's Supplies or Tinkers' Tools, Crowbar, Hammer, Shovel, Overalls, 10 gold coins

Feature: Build and Break (You know how to construct simple mechanisms such as latches, bridges and floating devices using supplies gathered from your environment. You also have insight on how to take things apart without damaging the components, and remove obstacles without a risk of them collapsing on you. You know how a building or a construct is made and what materials are used in it simply by observing it. You also have an inkling where to easily get any building materials required.)

Journalist

You are a star reporter working for either The Daily Orderly, official newspaper of The Order written by priests of Philomelo, or the independent publication, The Chronan Gazette. Or you can be a freelance author, selling your articles to the highest bidder. You travel the world in search of the next big scoop, interviewing people and taking pictures with your clockwork camera.

Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion

Languages: one of your choice

Tool Proficiencies: Forgery Kit

Equipment: Clockwork Camera*, 20 pieces of Photographic Paper*, Notebook, Fountain Pen, Journalist's License, Suit, 15 gold coins

Feature: Latest Scoop (You can write an article about something you've encountered on your travels, send it to your newspaper's office at any capital of a state, and earn a salary depending on the quality and uniqueness of the article.)

Lawyer

You know the intricacies of the Chronanese law by heart, and work in The Order to execute them. You are most likely a member of the clergy of Zaumaturge, god of justice, working as a lawyer monk or nun, or a judge priest. You might have aspirations to become one of the Inquisitors one day. With enough influence, you also have a chance to affect the laws as they are revised, in case you feel the need for a change.

Skill Proficiencies: History, Religion

Languages: two of your choice

Equipment: Book of Law, Notebook, Fountain Pen, Rod (can act as an arcane focus), Signet Ring, Robe, 25 gold coins

Feature: Legislator (You have legal authority everywhere in the Eight States, being an expert on the letter of law. Most lawful citizens will be likely to obey your commands, and you can even issue arrests and warrants. In case you find a loophole or a moral issue in the law, you can bring it to the authorities in any of the capitals of the states, and plea for a change. Abusing the law for your own benefit is likely to stir negative attention, though.)

Magician

You perform magic tricks for a living, utilizing your knowledge of the arcane. You aim to make your tricks as extravagant as you can. You have also come up with an awe-inducing stage name for yourself. You might work at a travelling circus, a theater, or at an amusement park. Or perhaps you only perform to a selected crowd in shady parlors to rake in as much money as you can.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Performance

Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit, one Musical Instrument of your choice

Equipment: Disguise Kit or one Musical Instrument of your choice, Clockwork Rabbit, Wand (can act as an arcane focus), Top Hat (with a pocket inside), Costume, 15 gold coins

Feature: Parlor Tricks (You have learned to make showy magic tricks that are sure to impress any crowd. With your legerdemain, you can earn tips, discounts, or even a free stay at an inn, or create a surefire distraction to get everyone's eyes on you. You will become famous - or notorious - everywhere you perform.)

Medic

You are a skilled healer and physician. You might belong to a clergy of one of the Gods of Time and Order. You might also work as a mundane practicioner of healing, or even a witch doctor of a secluded tribe. Or you might work in an apothecary, brewing potions and poultices. You might also have the somber job of a plague doctor, working among those ridden by pestilence.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Medicine

Languages: one of your choice

Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit

Equipment: Healer's Kit, Herbalism Kit, Microscope*, Notebook, Fountain Pen, Mask, Robe, 10 gold

Feature: Medical Knowledge (You can easily recognize common ailments and diseases, and you know how to tend to them. Within any settlement, you can quickly gain the trust of the locals by helping them out with their medical issues. You also have a sense of where to find curative items and ingredients in any location.)

Medium

You are a psychic born with a special connection to the Underworld. You are often hired to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, although your actual capabilities with that might be limited. You might have added a mystical-sounding title to your name to better convince your clients of your capabilities.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Performance

Languages: two of your choice

Equipment: 5 sticks of Incense, Orb (can act as an arcane focus), Robe, 25 gold coins

Feature: Séance (Once per day, you can spend 10 minutes to try to communicate with a spirit of a humanoid creature who has died within 30 ft of your current location. You must know at least the first name of this individual. If the spirit is responsive, you can ask one question from it. The spirit knows only what it knew in life, including the languages it knew. You can't use this feature again until you've finished a long rest.)

Pilot

You are trained as a pilot for an airship or other airborne vessel. You might be a part of the Air Brigade, work for a transporting company like the Artemes Aircourier Company, or even belong to the notorious Sky Pirates. Either way, you know the intricacies of airship technology by heart, and have little trouble piloting any air vessel.

Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Sleight of Hand

Tool Proficiencies: Navigator's Tools, Vehicles (Air)

Equipment: Navigator's Tools, Binoculars*, Compass*, a Trinket as a lucky charm, Pilot's License, Clothes, 10 gold coins

Feature: Airship Passage (You can easily secure passage on an airship and get a discount for you and your companions. You can't necessarily control the schedule or route that the airship takes. In return for the discount, you are expected to assist the crew during the voyage.)

Prizefighter

You participate in organized brawls for money. Prizefighting is often connected to gambling, which is considered morally dubious in Chronan, but for you, it is means to an end. You have most likely developed an alter-ego with a costume and an imposing stage name for your bouts.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Performance

Tool Proficiencies: one Gaming Set of your choice

Weapon Proficiencies: Improvised Weapons

Equipment: one Gaming Set of your choice, a Trinket as a lucky charm, Costume with a Mask, Clothes, 15 gold coins

Feature: Fighting Rink (You can easily find a fighting rink in any capital of a state, and convince the organizer to let you participate in a melee brawl. If you win, you earn a reward depending on how entertaining the bout was and how big the audience was.)

Prostitute

You are a practicioner of the "world's oldest profession". You might have been forced into selling yourself in street corners by poverty, only trying to make ends meets. Or perhaps you've worked at a brothel, where clients are more regulated and the workers more protected. Maybe you are a courtesan, only accepting the wealthiest and most influential clientele. No matter if your clients were highborn or low, you've come to accept the risks involved in the job, and have learned to always be prepared for anything.

Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, Sleight of Hand

Tool Proficiencies: one Gaming Set of your choice, one Musical Instrument of your choice

Equipment: Stiletto*, Perfume, Fancy Dress/Dandy Suit*, 10 gold coins

Feature: Work The Night (By practicing your profession, you are able to earn money, free lodgings or other favors. You might also gain valuable information if you choose your client well. You can also easily contact other prostitutes in any settlement and utilize their network, as long as you don't steal their clients.)

Servant

You work for the upper eschelons of the Chronanese society. You might be a butler, cook, housekeeper, maid or vallet, but whatever your title and position, you are committed to serve to your best ability. You have learned to be unseen and unheard until you are called for, and you are a part of a wide network of people who know more gossips, trade secrets and conspiracies than the upper crust would want them to.

Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Stealth

Tool Proficiencies: Brewer's Supplies, Cook's Utensils

Equipment: Brewer's Supplies or Cook's Utensils, Silver Tray (worth 10 gold), Letter of Recommendation from a previous employer, Uniform, 5 gold coins

Feature: Servants' Network (You know how to approach people working as servants, getting the most information and use out of them. You quickly learn the latest rumors concerning the upper class in any settlement, and the local servants can show you the fastest shortcuts through the settlement. You can also get low-standard accomodation for yourself and your companions from any servants' quarters.)