6Apr/14
To carry on from my “Professions” rules, I have some specific professions. Some are still a work in progress. I am also trying to make the world economy function on the silver coin as the common coinage and have read some interesting articles about Medieval Europe and how coin worked. You will notice some holes in the trappings sections as I am still deciding on what to give these professions as starting gear. Also, sorry about the formatting, WordPress does not seem to like my copy/pasting.
SpecificProfessions
Academic
“Somebody with a scholarly background or attitudes.”
-Encarta Dictionary
An academic is an individual who has study all they can about a specific area of knowledge. Because of their knowledge, they make great advisers and teachers. When a character chooses this profession, they must also choose a specific type of lore they are trained in. A list is provided of some of the examples of lore and areas of knowledge.
Trait
The academic gets to roll advantage on any profession check to their area of knowledge or lore. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
- 1d4 +1 books written about your characters area of knowledge or lore. Having these books adds a +2 to lore checks for your specialty.
- A scholar’s and scribe’s kit.
- 1d4 x 1000 silver piece salary/year. The character only earns this salary if they actively work.
Academic Examples
- Astrologer (Astrology)
- Astronomer (Astronomy)
- Archaeologist (Archaeology)
- Barrister (Law)
- Botanist (Botany)
- Cartographer (Cartography)
- Genealogist (Family History or Genealogy)
- Geologist (Geology)
- Historian (History)
- Necrologist (Necrology)
- Philosopher (Philosophy)
- Theologian (Theology)
Beekeeper
“Somebody who keeps bees for honey or to pollinate crops”
-Encarta Dictionary
Beekeepers know how to raise bees and have the knowledge of how to harvest wax and honey without destroying hives.
Traits
Beekeepers have resistance on all damage from stinging insects. The beekeeper gets to roll advantage on any profession check handle bees. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
Craftsman
“A craftsman or artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative.”
-Wikipedia
The craftsman builds and creates items, goods, or anything else that one can touch and use. He could be the blacksmith, the baker, or the shipwright. There are thousands of different crafts and people who have mastered such crafts. When a character chooses this profession, they must also choose a specific type of craft they are trained in. A list is provided of some of the examples of crafts.
Trait
The craftsman gets to roll advantage on any profession check to create an item. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
- Tools (basic) for the character’s specific craft.
- Protective clothing (basic) as needed to perform their craft.
- Craftsmen of journeyman or master rank have a small shop they rent. They also have an apprentice craftsman who assists them in the shop. Unless the character actively works in the shop, the shop only makes enough money to pay rent and the assistant craftsman. The shop can have a very small living space (one room) above it.
- 1d3 x 1000 silver pieces in salary/year. The character only earns this salary if they actively work.
Craftsman Examples
- Armorer
- Blacksmith
- Boatwright
- Bowyer/fletcher
- Brewer
- Carpenter
- Cartwright
- Chandler (Candle maker)
- Cheese Maker
- Cobbler
- Cooper (Barrel maker)
- Dyer
- Goldsmith
- Locksmith
- Mason
- Potter
- Seamstress/Tailor
- Shipwright
- Silversmith
- Smelter
- Vintner (Wine maker)
- Weaponsmith
- Weaver
- Wheelwright
- Bookbinder
- Engraver
- Furrier
- Glassblower
- Hatter
- Jeweler
- Joiner (Furniture maker)
- Leatherworker
Engineer
“To use professional engineering skill to design or create something.”
-Encarta Dictionary
An engineer is trained as a builder of both great and small things. Engineers can prepare plans for everything from simple machines to large buildings. A profession check is required only when designing something particularly complicated or unusual. An engineer must still find talented workmen to carry out his plan, but he is trained to supervise and manage their work. An engineer is also familiar with the principles of siege-craft and can detect flaws in the defenses of a castle or similar construction. He knows how to construct and use siege weapons and machines, such as catapults, rams, and screws.
Traits
The engineer gets to roll advantage on any profession check to design a machine. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
- Engineering Leathers
- Engineer’s Kit
- Schematics to 1d4+1 buildings or simple machines of the engineers choice
- 1d10 x 100 silver pieces/month if the engineer is employed. During sieges, it is not unheard of a good engineer making 10,000 silver pieces/90 days.
Entertainers
“A provider of entertainment, especially a professional one.”
-Encarta Dictionary
Entertainers are those who spend their lives doing various arts, normally physical, to entertain the population. Entertainers make their money by keeping people awed or laughing and are at the whims of the crowd’s mood and generosity. Some entertainers will have patrons who provide for them, but most must travel from town to village, providing their unique wares of song, dance, and comedy.
Trait
The entertainer gets to roll advantage on any profession check to their specific trained entertainment skill. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
- Tools (basic) for the character’s specific skill.
- Costume (gaudy) as needed to perform their skill.
- 15 (or 1d6/day) average silver pieces in salary/week. The character only earns this salary if they actively work.
Entertainer Examples
- Acrobat (Acrobatics)
- Actor (Oratory)
- Clown or jester (Comedy and Disguise)
- Dancer (Dancing)
- Fortune-teller
- Juggler (Juggling)
- Minstrel
- Prestidigitator – stage magician (Prestidigitation)
- Storyteller
Farmer
A farmer is able to evaluate soil quality for plant growth, and to identify the best methods of growing plants, particularly fruits, vegetables and spices. They are also able to identify edible plants in the wild, but the difficulty of any checks goes up by +5.
Traits
The farmer gets to roll advantage on any profession check related specifically to their farming skill. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
Merchant
“Somebody who buys and sells goods, especially as a wholesaler or internationally.”
-Encarta Dictionary
Buying low and selling high, merchants are the main movers and shakers of any economy. Merchants travel the land looking for the best deals that can be made. They run many of the shops in towns and take the risks to make sure goods get to the market.
Traits
Merchants are able to buy in bulk at a 1-20% price discount and sell bulk goods at a +1-12% profit.
Trappings
- Covered wagon with either one oxen or two donkeys
- Merchant’s Weights
- Bulk Good (roll 1d6)
- 1. Dry fish – base price: 1d2 x 25 silver pieces
- 2. Pots, jars, and jugs – base price: 1d3 x 75 silver pieces
- 3. Salt – base price: 1d4 x 100 silver pieces
- 4. Iron – base price: 1d6 x 100 silver pieces
- 5. Fancy linen – base price: 1d8 x 100 silver pieces
- 6. Rough jewels – base price: 1d10 x 100 silver pieces
Mortician
“A funeral director, also known as a mortician or undertaker, is a professional involved in the business of funeral rites. These tasks often entail the embalming of the dead.”
-Wikipedia
Morticians, also called undertakers, handle corpse’s treatment for potential presentation and proper disposal. A mortician will use various potions, poisons, herbs, and ointments to assist their work in keeping a body fresh for any presentation during a funeral. Morticians have a dual purpose as they also make sure a body is truly dead. They will perform this task in various ways, which varies from mortician to mortician. Needles and loud clanging of bells seems to be the most popular procedure for the waking of a comatose body. They take this second job very seriously as no one wants to bury a still living being. It is bad for business.
Traits
The mortician has advantage on all fear saves that are caused by death, the dead, or the undead. They also receive a +2 on disease saves. Finally, given 1d4+1 hours, a mortician can disguise themselves as an undead being. They will receive advantage on a bluff or disguise check to appear as undead. The disguise will last 2d4 hours unless destroyed in some ways (weather, dunking in a river, etc.).
Trappings
- Mortician’s Kit
- Wheelbarrow
- Random personal items from various clients (all small items, total under 10 silver pieces)
Navigator
“Somebody who navigates something, especially a ship or aircraft.”
-Encarta Dictionary
The character has learned the arts of navigating by the stars, studying currents, reefs, and hidden danger. This is not particularly useful on land, but no ship captain worth his weight in salt would leave port without a navigator.
Traits
At sea, a successful profession check by a navigator reduces the chance of getting lost by 20% (+5% per 5 over the DC). A navigator gets to roll advantage on any profession check specific to navigation. Other profession checks are at the standard roll. The navigator can increase this by having charts, various navigation tools, and even rituals.
Trappings
Redstone Engineer
“Once you learn to respect the power of the stone, the power you will wield is unstoppable”
-Redstone Engineer saying
“Mithril (noun) mith-ril. Mithril is the heated, pressurized, and solidified version of Mana. Also known as redstone, dwarven steel, or elven bones.”
-Dictionary of Arcana Mysterious
Redstone engineers are trained to use mithril, also known as redstone, to power gadgets, toys, and weapons. They understand the functions of various redstone machines, which can range from the incredibly complex machines used to power cities, to simple toys to entertain children. These engineers are the inventors and mad scientists who use a mixture of technology and magic to build gadgets only seen in your wildest dreams.
Redstone engineers are almost always trained in another craft. This helps them to build the gadgets that they rely on so much. Any of the metalworking crafts are popular, being that most of the engineers want their items to be sturdy enough to survive the stresses caused by the mithril.
Traits
You are able to use redstone items and gadgets without Disadvantage. You gain the skills Knowledge (Arcana – Redstone) and Knowledge (Engineering-Redstone) as if they were background skills (starts at +1).
Trappings
- One basic redstone gadget of your choice.
- Engineering Leathers
- Redstone Engineer’s Kit
- 1d6 + 1 doses of redstone.
Sailor
“Somebody who works aboard a boat or ship, especially a low-ranking member of the crew of a merchant or naval ship.”
-Encarta Dictionary
The sailors are familiar with boats and ships. They are qualified to work as a crewman, although they cannot actually navigate. Crews of trained sailors are necessary to manage any ship, and they improve the movement rates of inland boats by 50%.
Traits
The sailor gets to roll advantage on any profession check related specifically to their sailing skill. Other profession checks are at the standard roll.
Trappings
- Choose one
- Trained (talking) parrot
- Peg leg with secret compartment
- Treasure map
- Metal hook (can be used as off-hand weapon)
- Barrel of grog
- One lucky charm (+1 to luck rolls; if lost, -2 to luck rolls until found)
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