Background: Philosopher
You have dedicated yourself to the pursuit of answers to life's most difficult questions, ones of existence, morality and meaning, and you have made a name for yourself doing so. Perhaps you were privileged and classically trained, inheriting your theories from the world's greatest minds and making them your own. Or maybe you started the quest for truth from nothing, forming your philosophy by debating with any friend or stranger who would entertain you, and your conclusions have only recently received wide attention and acclaim. After spending a lifetime in the realm of thought, it may be surprising to see you pursue the active and practical life of an adventurer.
Skill Proficiencies: Persuasion, Insight
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A book of your thoughts, a quill, a jar of black ink, an small trinket that once gave you a philisophical revelation, a set of common clothes, and a pouch of 10 gp.
Personal Philosophy
After spending a lifetime asking and pondering, you have developed a personal philosophical stance. Choose one from the Philosophies table or roll on it to determine what your character is mainly focused on.
Feature: Debate Ethics
Among those who study philosophy, including cultured nobles, academics and other philosophers, there is a chance that they have heard of your work. Those who respect philosophy will assume you to be a reasonably wise and intelligent person, and they will be more likely to listen to your advice. Using your reputation and experience in debate, you may be able to convince these people that an act which seems evil, wrong, or morally questionable at first glance is, in fact, perfectly fine. While they are not guaranteed to agree with you, they are more likely to give your arguments serious consideration.
Philosophies
| d20 | Philosophy |
|---|---|
| 1 | Solipsism. Knowledge of anything outside one’s own specific mind is unjustified. The external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist. |
| 2 | Determinism. Every event, including thoughts and behavior, decision and action, is determined by an unbroken chain of prior occurrences. |
| 3 | Utilitarianism. The moral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility, meaning whatever create the most net happiness. |
| 4 | Hedonism. Pleasure is the only intrinsic good. Actions can be evaluated in terms of how much pleasure they produce. |
| 5 | Positivism. Knowledge can only come from positive affirmation through a strict scientific method. |
| 6 | Absurdism. Any effort to find meaning in the universe will ultimately fail (and, hence, is absurd) because no such meaning exists. |
| 7 | Objectivism. Certain acts are objectively right or wrong. |
| 8 | Relativism. No belief can have absolute truth, having value only within a certain context or frame of reference. |
| 9 | Nihilism. Life is without objective meaning, purpose, value or truth. |
| 10 | Existentialism. All philosophical thought must begin with the experiences of the individual, and it is up to them to give meaning to their own existence. |
| 11 | Rationalism. The criterion of the truth is not sensory, but intellectual and deductive. |
| 12 | Stoicism. Emotional and physical self-control leads to inner peace and strength, allowing one to live a happier life. |
| 13 | Aestheticism. Our main efforts in life should be on creating and enjoying beauty, in all of its forms. |
| 14 | Collectivism. The greater good is more important than any individual. |
| 15 | Egalitarianism. All individuals should be treated as equals. |
| 16 | Constructivism. Reality, and the methods we use to understand it, are subjective constructions rather than an objective reading of events. |
| 17 | Naturalism. The supernatural and the natural are indistinguishable and can be studied with the same methods. |
| 18 | Finalism. Any event is defined by a pre-set final outcome, and all events leading up to the outcome are shaped by it. |
| 19 | Cynicism. Selfless qualities like altruism, honest and virtue do not exist. People are only driven by self-interest. |
| 20 | I haven't settled on a philosophy. |
Suggested Characteristics
Philosophers are highly concerned with thoughts, theories, and abstract concepts, and tend to view the world in a way that is tinted by this fixation. They may embrace the world around them as a fascinating manifestation of the universe's inner workings, or they may shun it in favor of their internal experience.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I never stop asking questions. Ever. |
| 2 | I am absentminded and easily distracted. |
| 3 | I spend several hours each day in quiet introspection. |
| 4 | I love seeing how other respond to paradoxes and strange thought experiments. |
| 5 | The philosophical conclusions of common people are just as valuable as those from established academics. |
| 6 | I enjoy the challenge of explaining complex philosophical concepts in terms that a layman can understand. |
| 7 | I am unflappable in the face of tragedy, analyzing the situation in a calm, academic manner. |
| 8 | Everything can be seen as a metaphor for the deeper meaning of life. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Truth. There are answers out there and I intend to find them. (Any) |
| 2 | Indoctrination. I won't be happy until everyone believes exactly what I believe. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Virtue. What good is a moral system if you don't put it into practice? (Good) |
| 4 | Justification. I use philosophy to excuse my cruel impulses. (Evil) |
| 5 | Rebellion. I like thinking and believing differently than everyone else. (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I want to be like the great philosophers that I look up to. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have written a book, paper or manifesto on my philosophy and I want to promote it. |
| 2 | I need to find meaning in my life. |
| 3 | There is a living philosopher that I look up to more than anyone, and I dream of meeting them. |
| 4 | My philosophy is just one way that I show my deep devotion to the god I worship. |
| 5 | I owe my theories and success to the school of philosophy that trained me. |
| 6 | I am always on the hunt for evidence that my philosophy is the correct one. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I get so caught up in thought experiments that I don't pay attention to the real world. |
| 2 | My philosophy comes with implications that trouble me deeply, and I fear accepting them. |
| 3 | I get personally offended when my views are challenged. |
| 4 | I'm a hypocrite who can't follow my own beliefs. |
| 5 | Practical problems always stump me. |
| 6 | I'm not wrong, I just think on such a high abstract level that no one else gets it. |
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