LibraryOgre
2019-10-04, 04:11 PM
At this time, this is not a developed post; it's a bit of a notebook for something I'm playing around with.
A couple years ago, I wrote up "More Priors and Quite Particular (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2018/01/more-priors-and-quite-particular.html)", reorganizing how that section of the PH was rolled. I won't go into my full logic here; read the post (https://www.kenzerco.com/forums/showthread.php?65458-More-Priors-and-Quite-Particular&p=1306517&viewfull=1#post1306517), if you like. However, I also did not like that solution; it was better, but not great.
To that end, I'm working on a new version, based on the Social Class table and options from the GMG. Consulting the GMG, p. 138-139, on what social classes mean will help understand these tables.
A few backgrounds; they're somewhat broad, but if you can think of more that I missed, let me know. Briefly, each of these is supposed to be about 5 BPs worth of "bonus"; skills and proficiencies are worth their cost in BPs, Honor is 1 per 3 BPs (usually as a penalty), and silver is 1 per 5 BP. A couple go over or under that 5 BP mark, however.
This iteration of the Priors and Particulars section hinges upon the Social Class rules in the GMG (p. 138-140, 144). In considering these rules, it is important to note the definitions of the social class; by these rules, the vast majority of people are Lower Class; they live solely based on their own labor. Those who are Middle Class live on a mixture of their own labor and the labor of others; they still have day-to-day work that must be done, but increasing amounts, as one climbs the social ladder, are done by other people. This version also hinges less upon the precise nature of the character’s family, and more upon who their family was in society.
Backgrounds:
Agricultural (Slave, LLC, MLC): The family might not own the land they farmed, but they did farm. From an early age, the character learned to work the land, tend the animals, and pray for rain. Their Upper Lower Class and Middle Class counterparts are Farmers, who own the land. The character begins with one purchase in Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Weather Sense, and the Laborer proficiency.
Crafts (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): The family were crafts-folk; guilded or unguilded, they made things with their hands. While only an apprentice before leaving, the character does understand the basics of the art; they begin with one free purchase of Blacksmithing/Metalworking, Carpentry/Woodworking, Craft, Leatherworking, or Pottery, and an additional 15 silver pieces in starting money and equipment.
Exiled Noble (Slave): Your family was once rich and powerful; Lower or Middle Upper Class, perhaps even Upper Upper Class. But that was before. Sometime before the character became an adult, the character’s family had a political or military disaster which resulted in their being stripped of lands, titles, rank, and possibly even names. The character begins with one purchase of Diplomacy, History, Ancient (relating to their own family), Literacy (own language), and Oration. The stain on their family name, however, means that they begin with a 3 point penalty to Honor, and only 25+2d12 silver pieces.
Farmer (ULC, Middle Class): The character’s family owned the land they worked, and worked it well. Most often, these characters were expected to learn not just farming, but also how to administer the properties that they held; they may work harvest or planting, when every hand was needed, but their main responsibility was to see that everyone else did the work. As a result, they have one purchase of the Administration and Agriculture skills.
Feral (LLC): While perhaps not literally raised by wolves, the character is not far from it. In a rural or wilderness area, the character fended for themselves from the time they were able to do so. The character begins with a free mastery die in Animal Empathy, Animal Mimicry, Hiding, Hunting, Listening, Sneaking, and Survival. However, they have a penalty of 5 points of honor, have no native language (all language skills must be purchased) and suffer a -3 mastery die penalty to Literacy and all skills which require it as a prerequisite. The character begins with only 20+1d6p silver pieces in money and equipment.
Learned (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC, Middle Class): The character’s family was part of the learned class. They may have been tutors to powerful people, scribes, letter-writers, mages, clerics, or other such individuals. The character has learned their letters, receiving one purchase of Literacy, and one of History, Ancient.
Maritime (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): The character’s family made their living from the water; they may have been fisherfolk or sailors, or even pirates. The character begins with a purchase of Boating, Swimming, and Rope Use.
Martial (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC, Middle Class): Born, Raised, and Trained, the character grew up around the military, and received the rudiments of training. They begin with one purchase of Appraisal: Arms and Armor, and the Maintenance/Upkeep proficiency.
Merchant (MLC, ULC, Middle Class): A mercantile family, the character had begun to learn the value of items, but not yet the fine points of negotiation. They begin with two purchases of Appraisal (for the same or different commodities; their choice), and 10 additional silver.
Monastery (LLC, MLC): Raised in a strict monastic order, the character was relatively well-cared for, but had a more narrow view of the world. Begins with one mastery die in Religion, Literacy (Native Language), and Musician. However, they have only 15+2d12 silver pieces in starting equipment.
Orphanage (LLC, MLC): Raised in a group orphanage, the character had a rough life, but usually enough food and shelter, and the rudiments of education. Begin with one free purchase of the Religion, Musician, and a Craft skill, but only 30+2d12 silver pieces in starting money and equipment.
Pastoral (Slave, LLC, MLC): The pastoral family has enough of their herd animals to live, but seldom enough to really enrich themselves; some may also be animal handlers, drovers, or mule wranglers on merchant caravans, or stable keepers for inns. Their Upper Lower Class and Middle Class counterparts are Ranchers, who own the land and significant herds. The character begins with one purchase each of Animal Empathy, Animal Herding, Animal Husbandry, and Weather Sense.
Rancher (ULC, Middle Class): The character comes not from drovers, but from ranch owners. Their family owned a sizable herd (or several herds) of some beast, and made good money selling meat, hides, and animals. The character begins with one purchase of Administration, Animal Herding, and Animal Husbandry.
Service (Slave, LLC, MLC): The character’s family was involved in services; they didn’t serve nobles, and did not own the establishment, but they were waiters, inn staff, or prostitutes. As younger helpers, the character received one purchase of Cooking/Baking, Fire Building, and two purchases of Language (either one or two different languages, neither in their native language).
Street (LLC): Bounced from gang to protector to living on their own, the character was raised without any formal parent or singular mentor. As a result, the character has a free purchase in Glean Information, Hiding, and Urban Survival, but a two-point penalty in starting Honor and only 30+2d12 silver pieces in starting money and equipment
Tribal (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): Perhaps it was among the Dejy who travel from the Hadaf Highlands to the Padiras River Valley each year, with Kalamarans in the Obaskek Jungle, or even among the grel or the orcs, but the character grew up in a tribal society. They receive one free purchase of Survival, as well as Weather Sense and a single Craft. However, they also only have 25+2d12p silver pieces with which to purchase equipment.
A couple years ago, I wrote up "More Priors and Quite Particular (https://rpgcrank.blogspot.com/2018/01/more-priors-and-quite-particular.html)", reorganizing how that section of the PH was rolled. I won't go into my full logic here; read the post (https://www.kenzerco.com/forums/showthread.php?65458-More-Priors-and-Quite-Particular&p=1306517&viewfull=1#post1306517), if you like. However, I also did not like that solution; it was better, but not great.
To that end, I'm working on a new version, based on the Social Class table and options from the GMG. Consulting the GMG, p. 138-139, on what social classes mean will help understand these tables.
A few backgrounds; they're somewhat broad, but if you can think of more that I missed, let me know. Briefly, each of these is supposed to be about 5 BPs worth of "bonus"; skills and proficiencies are worth their cost in BPs, Honor is 1 per 3 BPs (usually as a penalty), and silver is 1 per 5 BP. A couple go over or under that 5 BP mark, however.
This iteration of the Priors and Particulars section hinges upon the Social Class rules in the GMG (p. 138-140, 144). In considering these rules, it is important to note the definitions of the social class; by these rules, the vast majority of people are Lower Class; they live solely based on their own labor. Those who are Middle Class live on a mixture of their own labor and the labor of others; they still have day-to-day work that must be done, but increasing amounts, as one climbs the social ladder, are done by other people. This version also hinges less upon the precise nature of the character’s family, and more upon who their family was in society.
Backgrounds:
Agricultural (Slave, LLC, MLC): The family might not own the land they farmed, but they did farm. From an early age, the character learned to work the land, tend the animals, and pray for rain. Their Upper Lower Class and Middle Class counterparts are Farmers, who own the land. The character begins with one purchase in Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Weather Sense, and the Laborer proficiency.
Crafts (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): The family were crafts-folk; guilded or unguilded, they made things with their hands. While only an apprentice before leaving, the character does understand the basics of the art; they begin with one free purchase of Blacksmithing/Metalworking, Carpentry/Woodworking, Craft, Leatherworking, or Pottery, and an additional 15 silver pieces in starting money and equipment.
Exiled Noble (Slave): Your family was once rich and powerful; Lower or Middle Upper Class, perhaps even Upper Upper Class. But that was before. Sometime before the character became an adult, the character’s family had a political or military disaster which resulted in their being stripped of lands, titles, rank, and possibly even names. The character begins with one purchase of Diplomacy, History, Ancient (relating to their own family), Literacy (own language), and Oration. The stain on their family name, however, means that they begin with a 3 point penalty to Honor, and only 25+2d12 silver pieces.
Farmer (ULC, Middle Class): The character’s family owned the land they worked, and worked it well. Most often, these characters were expected to learn not just farming, but also how to administer the properties that they held; they may work harvest or planting, when every hand was needed, but their main responsibility was to see that everyone else did the work. As a result, they have one purchase of the Administration and Agriculture skills.
Feral (LLC): While perhaps not literally raised by wolves, the character is not far from it. In a rural or wilderness area, the character fended for themselves from the time they were able to do so. The character begins with a free mastery die in Animal Empathy, Animal Mimicry, Hiding, Hunting, Listening, Sneaking, and Survival. However, they have a penalty of 5 points of honor, have no native language (all language skills must be purchased) and suffer a -3 mastery die penalty to Literacy and all skills which require it as a prerequisite. The character begins with only 20+1d6p silver pieces in money and equipment.
Learned (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC, Middle Class): The character’s family was part of the learned class. They may have been tutors to powerful people, scribes, letter-writers, mages, clerics, or other such individuals. The character has learned their letters, receiving one purchase of Literacy, and one of History, Ancient.
Maritime (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): The character’s family made their living from the water; they may have been fisherfolk or sailors, or even pirates. The character begins with a purchase of Boating, Swimming, and Rope Use.
Martial (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC, Middle Class): Born, Raised, and Trained, the character grew up around the military, and received the rudiments of training. They begin with one purchase of Appraisal: Arms and Armor, and the Maintenance/Upkeep proficiency.
Merchant (MLC, ULC, Middle Class): A mercantile family, the character had begun to learn the value of items, but not yet the fine points of negotiation. They begin with two purchases of Appraisal (for the same or different commodities; their choice), and 10 additional silver.
Monastery (LLC, MLC): Raised in a strict monastic order, the character was relatively well-cared for, but had a more narrow view of the world. Begins with one mastery die in Religion, Literacy (Native Language), and Musician. However, they have only 15+2d12 silver pieces in starting equipment.
Orphanage (LLC, MLC): Raised in a group orphanage, the character had a rough life, but usually enough food and shelter, and the rudiments of education. Begin with one free purchase of the Religion, Musician, and a Craft skill, but only 30+2d12 silver pieces in starting money and equipment.
Pastoral (Slave, LLC, MLC): The pastoral family has enough of their herd animals to live, but seldom enough to really enrich themselves; some may also be animal handlers, drovers, or mule wranglers on merchant caravans, or stable keepers for inns. Their Upper Lower Class and Middle Class counterparts are Ranchers, who own the land and significant herds. The character begins with one purchase each of Animal Empathy, Animal Herding, Animal Husbandry, and Weather Sense.
Rancher (ULC, Middle Class): The character comes not from drovers, but from ranch owners. Their family owned a sizable herd (or several herds) of some beast, and made good money selling meat, hides, and animals. The character begins with one purchase of Administration, Animal Herding, and Animal Husbandry.
Service (Slave, LLC, MLC): The character’s family was involved in services; they didn’t serve nobles, and did not own the establishment, but they were waiters, inn staff, or prostitutes. As younger helpers, the character received one purchase of Cooking/Baking, Fire Building, and two purchases of Language (either one or two different languages, neither in their native language).
Street (LLC): Bounced from gang to protector to living on their own, the character was raised without any formal parent or singular mentor. As a result, the character has a free purchase in Glean Information, Hiding, and Urban Survival, but a two-point penalty in starting Honor and only 30+2d12 silver pieces in starting money and equipment
Tribal (Slave, LLC, MLC, ULC): Perhaps it was among the Dejy who travel from the Hadaf Highlands to the Padiras River Valley each year, with Kalamarans in the Obaskek Jungle, or even among the grel or the orcs, but the character grew up in a tribal society. They receive one free purchase of Survival, as well as Weather Sense and a single Craft. However, they also only have 25+2d12p silver pieces with which to purchase equipment.