Character Backgrounds

Below you will find many of the selectable character backgrounds for your character in game. Each has benefits received from the training your character received when growing up in their original home location. Other character backgrounds may become available in the future.

High Reaches, Tradesman

Like most others in High Reaches, you served your one year in the militia, then went straight into the workforce. While your chosen occupation might not be as glamorous as others, it is still a contribution to the city's well being and few would think any less of you for it.

Silver Palm (+2 to Appraise, Bluff and Diplomacy checks)
Weapon Proficiency (simple weapons)
Armor Proficiency (light)
Cosmopolitan (Profession [all]): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

High Reaches, Field Force Recruit

Like most others in High Reaches, you served your one year in the militia. Unlike many others, you took a liking to the military lifestyle and decided to stay with it. You enlisted in the Field Force, and have taken on the duty of protecting High Reaches' borders - scouting the environs for enemies and protecting its farms and merchant caravans.

Blooded (+2 to Initiative and Spot checks)
Weapon Proficiency (simple, martial weapons)
Armor Proficiency (light, medium)
Shield Proficiency (light, heavy)
Cosmopolitan (Climb, Swim): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

NOTE: Please contact a DM for forum access to the Militia as a recruit!

High Reaches, City Force Recruit

Like most others in High Reaches, you served your one year in the militia. Unlike many others, you took a liking to the military lifestyle and decided to stay with it. You enlisted in the City Force, and have taken on the duty of protecting High Reaches' walls and its citizens, enforcing the law and keeping the peace.

Negotiator (+2 to Diplomacy and Bluff checks)
Weapon Proficiency (simple, martial weapons)
Armor Proficiency (light, medium)
Shield Proficiency (light, heavy)
Cosmopolitan (Climb, Sense Motive): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

NOTE: Please contact a DM for forum access to the Militia as a recruit!

High Reaches, Academic

Like most others in High Reaches, you served your one year in the militia. After your tour of duty, you decided to return to the Arcane University of High Reaches for more advanced studies. Even if you may not be an actual practitioner of the Arcane, the University provides opportunities in academia to all.

Courteous Magocracy (+2 to Lore and Spellcraft checks)
Able Learner
Weapon Proficiency (simple weapons)
Armor Proficiency (light)
Cosmopolitan (Knowledge [all]): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

NOTE: Please contact a DM for forum access to the University as a student!

High Reaches, Temple

Like most others in High Reaches, you served your one year in the militia. After your tour of duty, you found that your faith and the Temple of the Hymn called to you to return to the Temple. You have begun to serve along side other priests, priestesses, bards, warriors, and shamans as an initiate.

Strong Soul (+1 to Fortitude and Will saving throws, +1 to saving throws against death effects)
Iron Will (+2 to Will saving throws)
Weapon Proficiency (simple weapons)
Armor Proficiency (light)
Cosmopolitan (Heal, Knowledge [religion]): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

NOTE: Please contact a DM for forum access to the Temple as an initiate!

Frontiersman

Either by birth or by choice, you lived in one of the many sparsely-populated settlements scattered around Eramere. Survival in your village required constant vigilance, both for food and against roving bands of bandits, monsters or worse. While this has left you unaware of some of the finer points of cityfolk life, some may consider this a good thing. And even then, you still pride yourself on your independence and self-reliance.

Self Sufficient (+2 to Survival and Heal checks)
Alertness (+2 to Listen and Spot checks)
Skill Focus [survival] (+3 to Survival checks)
Uninformed (-2 to Appraise, Gather Information, Knowledge and Lore checks)
Track
Cosmopolitan (Listen, Spot, Survival): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

Torican Mariner

Life in Torica can be tough at the best of times, but you have eked out an honest living as a dockworker or ship's crewman. Years of labor under the Torican sun and at the mercy of Niomae's seas has left you weathered, but resilient. However, nowhere in Torica is safe from petty crime, and as a result you have taken some measures to protect yourself. But few outside Santina Bay can match your mastery of all things nautical.

Lightning Reflexes (+2 to Reflex saving throws)
Nimble Fingers (+2 to Disable Device and Open Lock checks)
Skill Focus [Swim, Use Rope] (+3 to Swim and Use Rope checks)
Weapon Proficiency (simple weapons)
Cosmopolitan (Swim, Use Rope, Profession [all]): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.

Torican Thug

You grew up in Torica, and fell in with one of the many bands of roving children that learned to fend for themselves among the rougher elements of the island. You may have studied at the Torican school at times, but you always knew who really had your back, and how to get what you wanted, when you wanted it. Little has changed now that you're an adult.

Lightning Reflexes (+2 to Reflex saving throws)
Thug (+2 to Appraise, Intimidate and Initiative checks)
Skill Focus [Open Lock] (+3 to Open Lock checks)
Weapon Proficiency (simple)
Armor Proficiency (light)
Cosmopolitan (Intimidate): All of the listed skills are considered class skills for the character, regardless of class choice.