Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Umberwell Backgrounds

Umberwell Backgrounds
Since Umberwell breaks with some of the assumptions of baseline 5e D&D--the urban struggle rather than wilderness adventure or the trappings of village-life, modern themes like immigration--I felt like it needed some bespoke background options available for the player characters. It turned out that these were great places to insert some small acts of worldbuilding in addition to a place to provide more variety. Below are some of my favorites (but there's more in the book). Note: I considered writing bespoke features for each background, but reskinning the existing ones actually proved more popular with my players.

Exile
You were cast out of your homeland—possibly because of your political or religious beliefs.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Athletics, Insight.
    • Tool Proficiencies. One type of artisan’s tools.
    • Languages. One of your choice.
    • Equipment. A set of artisan’s tools with which you are proficient, a token from your homeland, a set of traveler’s clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
    • Feature. As the Folk Hero’s feature.

Forester
Umberwell has public parks so vast that sanctioned foresters are employed to patrol them, keeping an eye out for lost citizens.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Animal Handling, Survival.
    • Tool Proficiencies. Vehicles (land).
    • Languages. One of your choice.
    • Equipment. A tent, a park map, a set of traveling clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.
    • Feature. As the Outlander’s feature.

Hex-Marked Partisan
You were a fanatical supporter of one of the city’s hex-marked houses of aristocratic tieflings.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Deception, Intimidation.
    • Tool Proficiencies. Forgery kit.
    • Languages. One of your choice.
    • Equipment. A forgery kit, a signet ring, a set of fine clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
    • Feature. As the faction agent’s feature.

Parish Beadle
You were employed by a church or temple to deal with petty offenses in a neighborhood parish.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Investigation, Persuasion.
    • Tool Proficiencies. Thieves’ tools.
    • Languages. One of your choice.
    • Equipment. Thieves’ tools, a distinctive cloak, a parish insignia, a set of fine clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.
    • Feature. As the Acolyte’s feature.

Prisoner
You were convicted of a crime—rightfully or wrongfully—and sentenced to serve time in one of Umberwell’s gaols.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Deception, Perception.
    • Tool Proficiencies. One type of gaming set, thieves’ tools.
    • Equipment. A small knife, a set of common clothes, a reminder of your life before your conviction, thieves’ tools, a gaming set, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.
    • Feature. As the Criminal’s feature.

Undercity Miner
You worked in the mines located beneath the city in the Slumgullian Warrens.
    • Skill Proficiencies. Athletics, Survival.
    • Languages. Dwarven and Undercommon.
    • Equipment. A shovel or a miner’s pick, a block and tackle, a climber’s kit, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.
    • Feature. As the Outlander’s feature.

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If you like the content above (or any of the content here), consider checking out Umberwell: Blackened Be Thy Name, system agnostic New Weird city setting, now available in print and pdf from DriveThruRPG.