Now I need a list of origins!

[dropbear8mybaby]

What I mean by origins is something that isn't a person's chosen profession or motivations, but rather their social class, upbringing, sub-cultures that they identify with, etc.

A modern day equivalent in Britain would be the chav, a.k.a. bogan in Australia. Or the American redneck, or hillbilly. Or hipster, or yuppie, etc. Basically some sort of identifier for a character's origin.

My list so far is pretty paltry because most of the things I can think of are professions or aren't suitable for a character's origins. For instance, a knight isn't an origin as that's something you gain by deed, not inheritance or upbringing.

Serf
Noble
Freeman
Landholder

[RazorChain]

It seems that you are looking at the medieval period.


Most professions were hereditary in Europe, this came about around 300 A.D in the time of Constantine. So being a merchant, farmer or an artisan was your social class so to speak.

Also sub cultures were very much tied to your place of birth, very few people would travel much outside their home area. Then you have stigmatized groups like the jews or gypsies.

Knights were very much a social class, they were the warrior class of Europe and was very much hereditery. If a soldier was knighted then he was taken into the lower nobility and might become a household knight or given a small parcel of land as fief. If a knight couldn't support his standard of living (arms, armour, horse) he might resort to robbery and become a robber knight.

What I use in my game which happens in Europe is to describe people as Swabians (from Swabia south germany), Greeks, Jews, Gypsies and then more locally. The PC's are from Taranto, Italy, and they have their home base there so people from Naples are napoletano, Sicily are Sicilianos, Bari are Baresi and have different accents and often the npc's have in their names where they are form like Ricardo di Ancerra...which is Ricardo of Ancerra

[Freed]

-Peasant
-Slave
-Noble
-Prophesied One
-Sacred-born (Born on the day of a god and people thought that it was an omen that the child was under that god's blessing, etc)

[KnightOfV]

Less inspired by real history than useful fantasy tropes:

Wanderer- You come from a far away land, an exile from your tribe or the lone survivor of a village wiped out by war. The culture you knew is gone, you cannot go back and must make your way however you can.

Villager- Raised in a village far from the King and his armies, your people pay their taxes but otherwise are left to govern themselves. Your first loyalty is to your small community. At home you are a beloved citizen, 20 miles out, and you are no one.

Pirate/Bandit- stolen from your family at a young age, you were forced to do menial tasks for an outlaw band. Over the years, they put a sword in your hand and raised you to be one of them. You know how criminals work, and you must hide your origins or risk the Law's wrath.

Devout- At a young age, you were abandoned or orphaned, and raised by the church. You are well educated and a follower of (religion). You didn't choose this calling- it chose you. The holy symbol on your robes gives you a home and respect anywhere in the community

[eru001]

What I mean by origins is something that isn't a person's chosen profession or motivations, but rather their social class, upbringing, sub-cultures that they identify with, etc.

A modern day equivalent in Britain would be the chav, a.k.a. bogan in Australia. Or the American redneck, or hillbilly. Or hipster, or yuppie, etc. Basically some sort of identifier for a character's origin.

My list so far is pretty paltry because most of the things I can think of are professions or aren't suitable for a character's origins. For instance, a knight isn't an origin as that's something you gain by deed, not inheritance or upbringing.

Serf
Noble
Freeman
Landholder

traveler (usually mercantile related travels in medieval times)
pilgrim
refugee

also worth specifying landscape that they are from

Fielder (Rural, farmland)
Plainsman (Rural, herdland)
Forrester (Rural, densly forrested)
Mountainier (Rural, mountains)
Burgher (Urban, can be specified further as port or inland)

cardinal directions can also be applied.

[Berenger]

http://arcana.wikidot.com/list-of-me...an-professions