Wednesday, August 23, 2017

5e Backgrounds for The City

I've been thinking about running some games set in Trey Causey's The City from his Weird Adventures book next time I get a chance to run some in-person games. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out; Weird Adventures is still my favorite thing to come out of neo-old-school publishing. But...I've also been thinking of running it with 5e D&D because I think the setting is an even better fit for a modern system with rules for skills, faction renown, etc. Most everything in 5e fits The City just fine (with a little tinkering), and there are a number of backgrounds that seem well-suited to the idea, but I figured that the different milieu warranted some City-specific backgrounds as well:

Gumshoe
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Investigation
Tool Proficiencies: thieves' tools, vehicles (Land)
Languages: None
Equipment: Trenchcoat, battered old hat, thieves' tools, half-empty bottle of bourbon, $5
Feature: City Secrets (as per the Urchin)

Fatale
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: Any one musical instrument or gaming set
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Slinky outfit, silver cigarette case, $5
Feature: Position of Privilege (as per the Noble)


Night Club Singer
Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: Any one musical instrument
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Get-noticed outfit, stylish hat, $10
Feature: By Popular Demand (as per the Entertainer)

Crooked Cop
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Intimidation
Tool Proficiencies: forgery kit, vehicles (land)
Languages: None
Equipment: Uniform or plain clothes garb, badge, baton, $5
Feature: Criminal Contact (as per the Criminal)

Sleazy Politician
Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, Intimidation
Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Fine clothing, fine cigars, gaudy jewelry, $10
Feature: Guild Membership (as per the Guild Artisan, but your guild is the political machine)

Secret Agent
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: disguise kit or forgery kit
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Evening wear, disguise kit or forgery kit, book of codes and ciphers, $10
Feature: False Identity (as per the Charlatan)


Bruiser
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation
Tool Proficiencies: Any one gaming set, vehicles (land)
Languages: None
Equipment: Common clothes, dad's old hat, pack of toothpicks, brass knuckles, $5
Feature: Rustic Hospitality (as per the Folk Hero, but applies to working class people in the City)

Journalist
Skill Proficiencies: History, Insight
Tool Proficiencies: Artisan's tools (camera)
Languages: Any one of your choice
Equipment: Common clothes, notepad, pens, press pass, $5
Feature: Researcher (as per the sage)