PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next 5e Background: Servant



zeek0
2016-01-30, 02:11 PM
Would you follow your master across the land, protect him from giant spiders, and eventually himself?

Do you have a secret name, come from an ancient tradition of martial bodyguards, and are wary of the back end of dwarves?

Do you control great magics, have an Umbrella of Feather Fall, and like to sing with children?

[Please critique this background. Some specific questions are asked at the end of the post.]

Servant
You understand wealth, power, and privilege – you just never had any of it yourself. Those with noble titles, merchant empires, and large castles need people to take care of their day-to-day affairs that they are unable or unwilling to take on themselves.

You lived – or live – your life in service to a family of a higher class. You are more familiar than most with the ins, outs, and back roads of the upper crust of society. Interacting with the rich and powerful has taught you much about their world and given you some keen and humble insights into human nature.

Serving Job
The serving duties of most households are in a hierarchy based on merit and years served.

Serving Job – d8


1 - Butler
5 - Chauffer


2 - Housekeeper
6 - Child Rearer


3 - Cook
7 - Bodyguard


4 - Groundskeeper
8 - Major Domo



Skill Proficiencies: History, Insight
Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of serving clothes, a set of common clothes, a gaming set (your choice), a token of your service (e.g., embroidered napkin, contract of service, stolen silverware), and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.



Feature: Position of Service
Interacting with upper classes takes a certain amount of tact, understanding, and deft side-stepping. It also fuels a special kind of camaraderie with the serving class, no matter who they serve. If you interact with nobility, then you know how to give them shows of deference and respect that they expect from those of lower status. If you interact with the serving class, you can use your similar experience to ingratiate yourself to them and cause them to interact with you more favorably.

Suggested Characteristics
Life as a servant shapes you – some find a good place in their service, some are broken by it, and some chafe against that time in their lives.

d8 Personality Trait
1 – I’ve scraped **** from a wooden floor and eaten food that was unfit for my master’s table. I’m not afraid to stoop down a bit to get things done.
2 – Service to something greater than myself allows me a place and purpose in the world.
3 – I placed myself in service to a noble because I find the world of finery, status, and extravagance to be thrilling and I wanted to be closer to it.
4 – I’ve changed noble diapers and seen great men die to common illness– I know that nobles are no different than the rest of us.
5 – As a rule, I enjoy serving others and allowing my assistance to guide them in their pursuits.
6 – I’d been indentured to one family for most of my life, and now that I am released I will make the most of my new life.
7 – No matter the company I keep or the situation I find myself in, I will hold myself to the laws of propriety.
8 – When something needs to be done, hard work and diligence are better than doing a sloppy job.

d6 Ideal
1 – Respect. Respect is due to me because all people, regardless of station, deserve to be treated with dignity.
2 – Dignity. More than anything else, I will not abide a stain on my character or a question about my moral standing. (Any)
3 – Loyalty. I do not give my word, service, or friendship easily, but when I do it is for life. (Lawful)
4 – Excellence. In all things, I take a certain pride in a job well done and mastery of one’s work. (Neutral)
5 – Independence. I know that those I served are no better than those serving, and I seek to break down those barriers of thought and act. (Chaotic)
6 – Power. By being a cunning counselor and firm servant, I can gain power through those that I serve – by any means necessary. (Evil)

d6 Bond
1 – Nothing is more important than service to my master’s family.
2 – I am the last remaining person that knows my masters’ secret, and I must act upon it.
3 – I am in love with a noble in a house that I served, and I would do anything to keep their safety.
4 - I will get revenge on the evil forces that destroyed my master’s family line.
5 – No one in my family ever had their names inscribed in legend – it is up to me to start a tradition of greatness.
6 – I have a responsibility to support and fight for the common folk, not the nobles.

d6 Flaw
1 – Because of my years of service to difficult masters, I behave as though I am inferior to others around me.
2 – I hear veiled references to my inferior status in every word offered by nobles, and I am quick to anger towards them.
3 – Unless it is really important to me, I tend to allow others to make my decisions for me.
4 – I can’t help myself – sometimes I steal small, expensive items that I believe no one will miss.
5 – I expect others to hold themselves to high standards of code and propriety, and look down on those that fall short of my expectations.
6 – Most of the time, I want to only do the bare minimum to avoid the displeasure or ire of those more powerful than me.


Specific Questions:
1) Is History/Insight the best choice for this background?
2) Is there a better choice than an extra language?
3) Does anything look hinky, strange, or strike you as off?

Thanks!

An updated version of this homebrew lies in my signature (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20886261&postcount=285). Let me know if you have any questions!

Calen
2016-01-30, 06:04 PM
Overall looks great. (I don't get the second reference though...)

Your questions specifically.

1) Is History/Insight the best choice for this background? - Insight is right on. I would consider something other than history though. Maybe persuasion or perception.
2) Is there a better choice than an extra language? - A tool related to the service you do/did.
3) Does anything look hinky, strange, or strike you as off?

Crusadr
2016-02-01, 02:38 PM
I think it looks great, obviously with backgrounds there are many variables to take into consideration and should be worked over with the DM but I think Insight and History are as good general choices as any. I can see animal handling, perception, performance, and medicine being sensible options as well but as I said, it really ties into what your role within that household was.

Rather than the gaming set though maybe just a tool proficiency that was specific to your personal task, if no such tool exists then the gaming set is a fair fallback point. I would recommend keeping the language of choice because languages are tough enough to come by in 5E without your DM giving you the optional ability to learn more in your downtime or taking the feat for several and perhaps your master and household taught you their native tongue or some such.

Overall really well done, I like your descriptions for the personality, flaws, etc as well, will definitely use this as an option for my players in upcoming games.

zeek0
2016-02-02, 10:29 AM
Overall looks great. (I don't get the second reference though...)
Thanks! I was referencing the character Butler from the Artemis Fowl series.

Your feedback tells me that different servant types might have different skills (change out History) or tool types (change out the gaming set proficiency). I agree.

But I wasn't about the make a groundskeeper background (Nature), Bodyguard background (Athletics), or Maid Background (proficiency: feather duster). I can only hope that DMs that use this will be flexible to what their players want.


will definitely use this as an option for my players in upcoming games.

The best compliment I could get. Thanks for the feedback!

Oramac
2016-02-02, 02:07 PM
Specific Questions:
1) Is History/Insight the best choice for this background?
2) Is there a better choice than an extra language?
3) Does anything look hinky, strange, or strike you as off?

I'd agree with Calen.

For #1, I'd say Perception instead of history. You're good at noticing when your masters glass needs refilling, but you never were taught to read the volumes in his library (or something like that).

Crusadr
2016-02-02, 07:28 PM
I'd agree with Calen.

For #1, I'd say Perception instead of history. You're good at noticing when your masters glass needs refilling, but you never were taught to read the volumes in his library (or something like that).

History is actually pretty valid if you think about it though, again, depends on the role of the servant. If you're talking simple, uneducated laborer about the house type, maybe, maybe not. However.. if you're talking loyal longtime servant, butler, child raising types it makes perfect sense that they would be aware of the lineage of a noble house, their tales of valor. You don't need to be educated even to have overheard talk about the house of such deeds either, so this is why I think history is actually one of the most valid skills, food for thought

Oramac
2016-02-03, 10:57 AM
History is actually pretty valid if you think about it though, again, depends on the role of the servant. If you're talking simple, uneducated laborer about the house type, maybe, maybe not. However.. if you're talking loyal longtime servant, butler, child raising types it makes perfect sense that they would be aware of the lineage of a noble house, their tales of valor. You don't need to be educated even to have overheard talk about the house of such deeds either, so this is why I think history is actually one of the most valid skills, food for thought

True enough. I suppose Insight, Perception, and History would all fit.