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Character Backgrounds

All bonuses and penalties from character backgrounds are Innate bonuses and penalties. The starting wealth and starting gear respectively refer to what the character has at the start of the campaign in addition to what all characters start with  (clothes and appropriate residence ƒ see Starting Conditions for more information below). If a character starts with a ranged weapon, it comes with three full reloads (for firearms) or a quiver of twenty arrows or bolts (for more primitive weapons). Characters must meet all the requirements for any free, optional techniques (such as, “one free Weapon Proficiencies” from the military background) from character backgrounds, but not specifically mentioned free techniques, such as Flat of the Blade (granted by Law Enforcement).

If the background has a separate listing for modern starting gear and wealth, use that in a modern or futuristic setting. If it has only one listing, use that in both.

“Starting Conditions” refer broadly to the state of a character‚s wealth at the beginning of play. This includes residence, on-hand clothing, and social status. These conditions are relative to the setting, and can be voluntarily lowered by the player (for example, a player may wish to play a destitute, out of work performer instead of a successful one). For example, in a modern setting, an upper class character might have a fancy downtown suite or a large suburban residence and a luxury car, a middle class character might have a small house or apartment and a decent car, a lower class character might have no car or an old beaten up one and a small apartment in a bad district, and a destitute character would have no car and probably be homeless. In a fantasy setting, an upper class character has a manor and possibly a title, a middle class character has a small house, a lower class character might have a tiny cottage, and a destitute character would probably be homeless.

Athlete

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 Athletics
  3.   +1 Fortitude
  4.   +1 Acrobatics
  5.   Weapon Proficiency: Martial Arts Family
  6.   Starting Wealth: 50 mk
  7.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $5,000
  8.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Religious

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   Access to Humanities (Religion)
  3.   Any one technique in Faith
  4.   Choose One:
  5.   +1 Contacts (religious organizations tend to be very well-connected)
  6.   +1 Charisma
  7.   +1 Discipline
  8.   Starting Wealth:  75 mk
  9.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $7,500
  10.   Starting Gear: One holy symbol and/or holy book (if appropriate)
  11.   Starting Conditions: Middle Class

Performer

  1.   Access to Humanities (Arts and Culture) or Perform: Fame for free
  2.   Choose One:
  3.   +1 Charisma
  4.   +1 Perform
  5.   +1 Acrobatics
  6.   +1 Contacts
  7.   Starting Wealth: 75 mk
  8.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $7,500
  9.   Starting Gear: one musical instrument
  10.   Starting Conditions: Middle Class

Dealmaker

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   Access to Humanities (Business and Economics)
  3.   Access to Humanities (Current Events and Politics)
  4.   Access to Humanities (Psychology)
  5.   Choose one:
  6.   +1 Charisma
  7.   +1 Perception
  8.   +1 Contacts
  9.   Starting Wealth:  100 mk
  10.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $10,000
  11.   Starting Conditions: Upper Class

Military

  1.   One free Discipline technique in the Teamwork tree
  2.   Choose One:
  3.   Armour: Light and Medium armour proficiency
  4.   Any one Weapon Proficiencies technique
  5.   Combat Expertise: Learn Combo
  6.   Any one technique in Drive/Pilot
  7.   Choose One:
  8.   +1 Ride/Drive/Pilot
  9.   +1 Fortitude
  10.   +1 Perception
  11.   Starting Wealth: 25 mk
  12.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $3,000
  13.   Starting Gear: One  weapon which you are proficient with from the default listing, uniform.
  14.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Sidearm, uniform
  15.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Medical

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   Access to Science (Biology)
  3.   Access to Science (Chemistry)
  4.   +1 Medicine
  5.   Starting Wealth: 75 mk
  6.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $7,500
  7.   Starting Gear: Medical kit
  8.   Starting Conditions: Upper Class

Academic

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 to Science and access to one branch of Science
  3.   +1 to Humanities and access to one branch of Humanities
  4.   Starting Wealth:  50 mk
  5.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $5,000
  6.   Starting Gear: Quill, inkwell, and a 100-page blank book
  7.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Laptop
  8.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Magical Education

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   Spell Repertoire: Learn Spell
  3.   One technique in Arcana
  4.   Access to Science (Alchemy)
  5.   Access to Science (Elemental Physics)
  6.   Access to Humanities (History)
  7.   Choose One:
  8.   +1 Arcana
  9.   +1 Science
  10.   +1 Humanities
  11.   Starting Wealth: 75 mk
  12.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $7,500
  13.   Starting Gear: one first level scroll
  14.   Starting Conditions: Middle Class

Mechanic

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 Engineering and access to one branch of Engineering
  3.   +1 Science and access to one branch of Science
  4.   Starting Wealth: 30 mk
  5.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $3,000
  6.   Starting Gear: Mechanical toolkit
  7.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Wilderness

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 Perception
  3.   +1 Stealth
  4.   +1 Medicine
  5.   Choose One:
  6.   Weapon Proficiencies: Bow family
  7.   Weapon Proficiencies: Firearms family  [Modern only]
  8.   Perception: Track
  9.   Any one technique in Animal Backup
  10.   Starting Wealth: 10 mk
  11.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $1,000
  12.   Starting Gear: any bow
  13.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Hunting rifle or hunting shotgun
  14.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Drifter

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 Fortitude
  3.   +1 Stealth
  4.   +1 Perception
  5.   +1 Ride
  6.   Choose One:
  7.   Perception: Track
  8.   Stealth: Sleight of Hand
  9.   Access to Humanities (Geography)
  10.   Fortitude: Immunity
  11.   Starting Wealth: 5 mk
  12.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $500
  13.   Starting Conditions: Destitute

Wealthy

  1.   +1 Contacts
  2.   Starting Wealth:1,000 mk
  3.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $200,000
  4.   Starting Conditions: Upper Class

Criminal

  1.   Choose one:
  2.   +1 Stealth
  3.   +1 Engineering
  4.   +1 Contacts
  5.   +1 Charisma
  6.   Engineering: Pick Lock
  7.   Starting Wealth:  15 mk
  8.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $2,000
  9.   Starting Gear: Lockpicks, Dagger
  10.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Sidearm, Lockpicks, Knife
  11.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Law Enforcement

  1.   Armour: Light Armour Proficiency
  2.   Choose One:
  3.   Weapon Skill: Flat of the Blade
  4.   Any one Weapon Proficiencies technique
  5.   Access to Humanities (Law)
  6.   Choose One:
  7.   +1 to Perception
  8.   +1 Athletics
  9.   Starting Wealth: 30 mk
  10.   Starting Wealth: $3,500
  11.   Starting Gear: one simple weapon
  12.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Sidearm, club or tonfa, handcuffs
  13.   Starting Conditions: Lower Class

Covert

  1.   Choose One:
  2.   +1 Stealth
  3.   +1 Charisma
  4.   +1 Contacts
  5.   +1 Perception
  6.   Choose One:
  7.   Access to Humanities (Politics and Current Events)
  8.   Access to Humanities (Psychology)
  9.   Weapon Proficiencies: Any one technique
  10.   Starting Wealth: 75 mk
  11.   Starting Wealth [Modern]: $7,500
  12.   Starting Gear: Dagger
  13.   Starting Gear [Modern]: Compact pistol, Silencer
  14.   Starting Conditions: Middle Class


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