NPC / PC "background" generator
Jul 23, 2015 17:50:58 GMT -5
Admin Pete, magremore, and 1 more like this
Post by tetramorph on Jul 23, 2015 17:50:58 GMT -5
merctime used the social class tables from the Ready Ref to determine PC background. Very cool. I studied the charts. They are not rules-lite enough for me! So, here I go:
NPC and PC Background Generator
For NPC Encounters
In the case of NPC encounters, there is a chance the NPC is of a playing class. After determining chance and meeting it:
There may be various ways to determine the possibility of a given PC level per dungeon level, settlement size, etc. Or, random PC lvl:
For NPC Social Status, Occupations and PC Backgrounds
If not PC or if seeking PC background, continue:
Serfs are land-bound without rights. Peasants are land-bound but possess rights and serve on their baron's court by lot; these are more often than not farmers but may also be bee-keepers, vintners, etc. "Slave," is in the ancient, non-race-based sense. "Villiaine," is a freeman but without a guilded trade, and thus more than likely a wage-slave (wage laborer); some occupations include cook, porter, valet, etc. A "thief," is a petty criminal, a pick-pocket. A "huckster," is a charlatan, a medicine-man. An "outlaw," indicates the original sense: someone outside of the protection of the law, banished (whether for true or false reasons). For "trader," make a list of common trade-route items sold in the middle ages (e.g., silk, spices, etc.) and roll. A "broker" has settled down and manages his own traders, perhaps in his on bazaar, or he may be a "taverner," running his own inn and serving up his own ale as a "brewer," a "banker," protecting and earning interest from loaning other's treasures, etc.
Sub-tables for Estate-bound
*Trapper may be "hunter." Also, if a settlement is by the sea, any or all "Pastoral" roles may be various kinds of fishermen.
**Here "prince," means one's own independent monarch. In the since of a child of a monarch these would be "heir-apparent," and "child-not-heir," respectively.
Sub-tables for Burgers
*If navy, chief-petty-officer (grant percent chance Navy by proximity to sea).
**Other manorial roles include: Warden (park), Grover (grove), Gardener, etc. Clerks may also bind-books and compound ink, etc.
Guild-crafts
For guild-crafters, use a list of relevant medieval crafts. The below are listed roughly in terms of relative likelihood-to-be-found by settlement size; roll d3, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 or d20, respectively:
*Wainwright usually, but chance of shipwright if in a seaside settlement.
**These may be distinguished from one another, or rolled into the same guild-craft.
***Jewelers may also be skilled in locksmithing, clock-work, other fine detailed mechanisms, etc.
Social Ranking
For rough relative social ranking, refer to the original table: add the lowest number above the types columns to the number rolled for particular type below, e.g., a royal would be 4+6 = social class 10, a thief would be 1+1 = social class 2. For further granularity, add or subtract due to sub-tables to taste, e.g., add again for the following sub-tables: noble, royal, military. This would yield a range between 2-16. For further abstraction, roll d10 for social class and then choose a background that matches that ranking as per the context.
Enjoy!
NPC and PC Background Generator
For NPC Encounters
In the case of NPC encounters, there is a chance the NPC is of a playing class. After determining chance and meeting it:
| d6 | Class |
| 1 | FM |
| 2 | FM |
| 3 | FM |
| 4 | CL |
| 5 | CL |
| 6 | MU |
There may be various ways to determine the possibility of a given PC level per dungeon level, settlement size, etc. Or, random PC lvl:
| d20 | PC lvl |
| 1-4 | 1 |
| 5-7 | 2 |
| 8-9 | 3 |
| 10-11 | 4 |
| 12-13 | 5 |
| 14 | 6 |
| 15 | 7 |
| 16 | 8 |
| 17 | 9 |
| 18 | 10 |
| 19 | 11 |
| 20 | 12 |
For NPC Social Status, Occupations and PC Backgrounds
If not PC or if seeking PC background, continue:
| d6 | 6-4 | 3-2 | 1 |
| Type | Estate-bound | Burger | Merchant |
| 1 | Serf | Slave | Thief |
| 2 | Peasant | Villiaine | Huckster |
| 3 | Pastoral | Military | Outlaw |
| 4 | Noble | Guild | Trader |
| 5 | Noble | Guild | Trader |
| 6 | Royal | Elder | Broker |
Serfs are land-bound without rights. Peasants are land-bound but possess rights and serve on their baron's court by lot; these are more often than not farmers but may also be bee-keepers, vintners, etc. "Slave," is in the ancient, non-race-based sense. "Villiaine," is a freeman but without a guilded trade, and thus more than likely a wage-slave (wage laborer); some occupations include cook, porter, valet, etc. A "thief," is a petty criminal, a pick-pocket. A "huckster," is a charlatan, a medicine-man. An "outlaw," indicates the original sense: someone outside of the protection of the law, banished (whether for true or false reasons). For "trader," make a list of common trade-route items sold in the middle ages (e.g., silk, spices, etc.) and roll. A "broker" has settled down and manages his own traders, perhaps in his on bazaar, or he may be a "taverner," running his own inn and serving up his own ale as a "brewer," a "banker," protecting and earning interest from loaning other's treasures, etc.
Sub-tables for Estate-bound
| d6 | Pastoral* | Noble | Royal | High Noble | Relative |
| 1 | Trainer | Knight | Relative | Earl/Count | Nephew/Niece |
| 2 | Miner | Knight | Heir-apparent | Earl/Count | Cousin |
| 3 | Trapper* | Knight | Grandduke | Earl/Count | Aunt/Uncle |
| 4 | Forester | Baron | Prince** | Marquis | Sibling |
| 5 | Rancher | Baron | King | Marquis | Child-not-heir |
| 6 | Shepherd | High | Emperor | Duke | Child-not-heir |
*Trapper may be "hunter." Also, if a settlement is by the sea, any or all "Pastoral" roles may be various kinds of fishermen.
**Here "prince," means one's own independent monarch. In the since of a child of a monarch these would be "heir-apparent," and "child-not-heir," respectively.
Sub-tables for Burgers
| d6 | Military | Guild | Elder** | Officer Army | Officer Navy |
| 1 | Old Veteran | Apprentice | Clerk** | Lieutenant | Ensign |
| 2 | Conscript | Apprentice | Bailiff | Lieutenant | Ensign |
| 3 | Recruit | Apprentice | Sheriff | Captain | Lieutenant |
| 4 | Levy | Journey-man | Alderman | Major | Commander |
| 5 | Sergeant* | Journey-man | Alderman | Colonel | Captain |
| 6 | Officer | Master | Mayor | General | Admiral |
*If navy, chief-petty-officer (grant percent chance Navy by proximity to sea).
**Other manorial roles include: Warden (park), Grover (grove), Gardener, etc. Clerks may also bind-books and compound ink, etc.
Guild-crafts
For guild-crafters, use a list of relevant medieval crafts. The below are listed roughly in terms of relative likelihood-to-be-found by settlement size; roll d3, d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 or d20, respectively:
- Blacksmith
- Carpenter
- Potter
- Tanner
- Miller
- Wainwright/Shipwright*
- Roper
- Mason
- Armorer/Sword-smith**
- Bower/Fletcher**
- Cooper
- Cobbler
- Weaver
- Glass-blower
- Tinker
- Butcher
- Baker
- Jeweler***
- Tailor/Seamstress
- Haberdasher/Milliner
*Wainwright usually, but chance of shipwright if in a seaside settlement.
**These may be distinguished from one another, or rolled into the same guild-craft.
***Jewelers may also be skilled in locksmithing, clock-work, other fine detailed mechanisms, etc.
Social Ranking
For rough relative social ranking, refer to the original table: add the lowest number above the types columns to the number rolled for particular type below, e.g., a royal would be 4+6 = social class 10, a thief would be 1+1 = social class 2. For further granularity, add or subtract due to sub-tables to taste, e.g., add again for the following sub-tables: noble, royal, military. This would yield a range between 2-16. For further abstraction, roll d10 for social class and then choose a background that matches that ranking as per the context.
Enjoy!