Mundus Custom Backgrounds V2

These are all of the custom backgrounds available to you for the Mundus campaign setting, besides the Viventus Aes Stroga in this seperate document. You can use most of the vanilla backgrounds, but these are available for a more custom role in the world. If you would like to combine or modify a background, please ask as I'm open to changes on these if they can be justified in the world. As for the vanilla ones, stick to ones that make sense. There wouldn't be an outlander, as there is nowhere else to come from, but if you want a survivalist background like the outlander, choose the scavenger from this document.

Butan-Curagg Graduate

You've graduated from the famed college in the gnomish city of Milrennic. The city is one of the best places to live in Mundus thanks to the mages and engineers who graduate from Butan-Curagg, the college forms the center of the intellectual realm and it's reputation is respected throughout Mundus.

You don't have to be a gnome or a mage to have attended, but your family is likely rich and you will be taught about the arcane along side your other courses. Many of the roboticists of the realm come from the college, where the study of merging of mechanical and arcane components first started.

Graduates sometimes go into the adventuring life, often due to the want to explore or experiment. Some topics in present day, such as ecology and zoology require researchers to be experienced in combatting monsters.

Proficiencies:
(a) Arcana and two others of your choice from: nature, medicine, investigiation, persuasion, insight, or deception.
(b) Arcana, one skill proficiency from the list above, and an artisan's toolset of your choice.
Language Proficiencies: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of academic robes, memorabilia from college, a cretificate of merit, and a pouch containing 10gp.

Feature: Mentors' Guidence

You have become friendly with one or more of the teaching faculty at Butan-Curagg. They are likely one of the people who taught you whatever specialized topics you chose to persue and you worked with them for several years as both a student and undergraduate. If you visit, write a letter, or contact your former teacher(s) in some other form, they can answer questions you have about advanced topics. However, their answers will not be perfect, they may not be willing to share a secret and may not react well to questions concerning illegal or immoral subjects and will respond appropriately. Talk with the DM to determine specifics about your contact and what they may know.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who attend Butan Curagg come from many walks of life, but they leave learned and often proud. Use the Guild Artisan or Sage background for character traits of a Butan Curagg Graduate.

Depths Explorer

You have made a living by exploring what lies below. You have traversed into the depths of the earth, braving it's horrors and gathering knowledge and valuables. The world below is full of danger and unknown, but your skills of mapping and recollection have gained Mundus knowledge of their surrounding and given you a hefty stack of coin. Some view your career as heroic, trailblazers for a world in recovery. Some see rats, scurrying in shadow while hunting for anything they can flog for cash. Which ever camp you belong in, if either, you've aquire good general survival tactics and knowledge of the world below.

With the Underdark's natural ecosystem consisting of giant spiders, volcanic ash, toxic fungi, carnivorous ooze, devolved savages, magical anomalies, mysterious portals, and many more, adventuring suits explorers quite well. Often, the two professions overlap considerably.

Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Perception
Tool Proficiencies: Cartography Tools
Equipment: Cartohraphy Tools, a personal journal, an oxygen mask and 5 days of filters, a trinket you found during your exporations, a map of unmarked portals known to you, and a pouch containing 10gp

Feature: Portal Lore

There are inumerable drow portals within the Underdark, a few have been encorperated into Dwarven trade routes. But these are for the layman, you know of many more. The drow portals that haunt the Underdark are the primary means of your transportation off of the main roads. Not only do you know of a handful of unmarked or hidden portals in Mundus, but you also know where to sell the information and samples from your explorations that you collect to gain the most reward for them. Talk with the DM to determine who and what you do to sell your information.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who explore the depths are often wild or very defiant in their attitude. Use the Outlander background for character traits of a Depths Explorers.

Portals and Travel

The drow have used specialized portals to traverse the Underdark easily. Many places can be accessed only through teleportation and, most concerningly, without any sort of framing or denotation. Portals are completely undetectable without Detect Magic or See Invisibility. It is common to hide them by only telling specific individuals about their location. Now that the Drow are gone, this information is invaluable and can lead to treasure or disaster in equal measure. Having knowledge like this can shorten travel time by weeks and can be reliably sold to specific people.

Arcane Technician

You are a specialist in modern arcane science, a practical enchanter as it's called. You have learned how to make intricate 'programs' with spell-like effects that can form complex systems when layered together. This is one of the newest advancements in technology and is responsible for robotics, living spells, and similar contraptions that make Mundus' living situation bearable.

Arcane technicians spent must of their time maintaining and creating arcane sigilry, which requires a decerning eye, a keen mind, and specialized knowledge of spellcraft. Practical Enchanters main job it to ensure that arcane scrpit is undamaged and formatted properly, as even small amounts of damage will result in malfunction. These enchantments are primarily made in Draconic or Primordial languages, due to their magical connection. Unlike their mechanical counterparts, arcane technicians are often formally trained and usually work for other organizations as internal technicians, companies who sell arcanomechanical creations, or in theoratical fields that experiment on new uses for practical enchanting.

Given the unintuitive and expensive nature of their work, arcane technicians are not very common outside of high-profile companies and various institutions who teach such courses. One that goes into adventuring is rare indeed, given how their skills can guarentee a steady salary otherwise. However, the industries these specialists work in are closely linked to such a lifestyle and they may find their way through a personal interest in firearms, robotics, living spellcraft, or otherwise.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Investigation
Tool Proficiencies: Caligraphy Tools
Language Proficiencies: Draconic, Primordial,
Equipment: Caligraphy Tools, a reference book for your enchanting work, a technician's uniform, and a pouch containing 15gp

Feature: Arcane Programmer

You are familiar with the arcane innerworkings of the most advanced creations in Mundus. By spending time analyzing a arcanomechanical system or practical enchantment, (the time taken and the presence of skill checks depend on the system you are analyzing), you can determine if the system is malfunctioning. As part of this, you determine what the problem with the system is, if the problem is arcane. If the problem is mechanical in nature, you simply learn such.

Additionally, you are aware of how numerous fields that use your skills from your time as a technician and you are knowledgable of the ins-and-outs of your trade. You are aware of many places where you can find businesses where your talents are of use and where expensive or unique goods that use practical enchanting are available throughout Mundus.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who program and enspell are knowledgable and sometimes aloof or pretentious. They are a cross between a wizard and an artificer in nature. Use the Guild Artisan or Sage background for character traits of an Arcane Technician.

Mechanical Technician

You have become familiar with the inner workings of the mechanical devices that pervade Mundus and it's cities. Whether it's clocks, robots, firearms, levies, locks, or whatever else, you have knowledge that applies to all of it.

Mechanical technicians spend their time fixing and maintaining machinery for private citizens and the cities themselves. They are more common than arcane technicians and are the first called whenever a problem arises, often including when theres an arcane issues. Like their counterparts, they typically work in companies or teams and learn through apprenticeships. But, mechanical technicians are more knowledgable about inter-field subjects and often similar trades to maintanence so they can be more versitile in their work. Learning to smith or create simple chemical reactions means these workers are easily replace broken parts or clean them, making their work easier and cheaper. You have followed this path and become the equivalent of a journeyman in your trade.

Mechanical Technicians are found in every part of society and some turning to adventuring work is not uncommon. Some journey to test new devices on dangerous creatures, others learned their trade in dangerous situations and are used to combat and repairwork mixing. Some started as adventurers and took up technical work simply because they practiced it from maintaining their equipment for so long.

Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion
Tool Proficiencies: Tinkering tools and one of your choice: (a) alchemist's supplies, (b) smithing tools, (c) carpenter's tools, or (d) mason's tools.
Vehicle Proficiencies: Land vehicles
Equipment: Tinkering Tools, another toolset you are proficient in, a technician's uniform, and a pouch containing 5gp

Feature: Mechanical Repairman

You have enough experience to apply your knowledge to almost any mechanical system. By spending time analyzing a mechanical or arcanomachanical device (the time taken and the presence of skill checks depend on the system you are analyzing), you can determine if the system is malfunctioning. As part of this, you determine what the problem with the system is, if the problem is mechanical. If the problem is arcane in nature, you simply learn such.

Additionally, you are connected to many small markets that sell the supplies you need. you are able to find a way to purchase or create simple supplies for repairwork (such as scrap metal, adhesive, sheet metal, etc.) in any permanent settlement. These supplies will not be free, but will be available.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who repair and maintain are often practical and informal in nature. Use the Guild Artisan background for character traits of a Mechanical Technician.

Scavenger

You have a knack for survival, through cold and hungry days you've scrapped by and managed to live by taking what others have forgotten or left behind. Through trial and error you've determined whether a lot of flora is edible, through perseverance you have made a niche for yourself in Mundus's unforgiving ecosystem. You have become extremely knowledgable on how and where to get food outside the cities, giving you a stable job of collecting food for selling and consuming yourself.

It's obvious to say that those who live their life as scavengers are poor. They sometimes have been ostrisized by their community or family, or became lost for months or even years in the depths below. They are hardened, but often withered for it, just because something is edible doesn't mean it's safe and won't effect a person negatively in more sinister forms. The growths found in the Underdark are not meant for consumption, many safe species of fungi are only truly safe when cooked properly. Some strains have intense hallucinogenic and psychedelic effects, leading to maddening experiences while wandering the depths alone, potenitally unaware of their own mental state.

Scavengers often go into adventuring once they run into some coin for equipment. Many offer their skills as guides or teachers to travelers and other paupers who wish to make a living. Some live as hermits or in gangs of bandits outside the walls of civilization. Regardless, survival skills are imparitive to survival for any who wish to journey off of the roads and out of the cities. People who can share or teach those skills will be valuable for a very long time.

Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Nature
Tool Proficiencies: Cooking Utensils or Herbalism Kit
Equipment: Cooking utensils or an Herbalism Kit, a self-written guide about the ecosystem, 5 self-made rations, and some evidence of a treasure.

Feature: Treasure Map

In your time scavenging, you've come across some valuable information, the location of some form of treasure or cache that you cannot currently reach. Talk with the DM to determine the specifics, it could be a treasure map, journal of a dead explorer, coordinates in a foreign language, encoded message, old legend, or otherwise. The treasure should be valuable and hard to access, as you have known of it without actually aquiring it yet. It could contain valuables, information, or something unknown.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who scavenge and gather are often poor or enjoy isolation. Use the Urchin or Hermit background for character traits of a Scavenger.

Surface Explorer

You have have braved the harsh environments above, in a place that is completely inhospitable. The surface used to be the land of humans, now it stands empty of life. In the lands that haven't seen the sun's warm rays in over a century, only the hardiest individuals are able to explore the wastes.

As a surface explorer. you have traversed the lightless tundra that is now the surface. While there are a few landmarks, the most reliable navigation method is starlight, which has remained mstly unchanged from the collapse and the disappearance of the sun. Many surface explorers hunt for the treasures of lost ages, private collectors and the Sideral Cabal pay well for books, coins, artwork, and the like. Most of this lies in the Capital of Altus, the old human kingdom. Some venture out with the intention of preservation of knowledge, hoping to discover the notes of a long dead archmage or a priest's scriptures. Whatever the intention is, miles of frost and darkness stand between you and what you seek.

The surface has accumulated patches of a mysteriously sickly snow. Fimbullung is a disabling disease that developed in those who've come into contact with the otherwise normal snow. Those who perish from the disease don't stay down for long, reanimating as undead with a semblence of intelligence and the drive to kill warm blooded beings. On top of that, some expeditions end in more mysterious manners; lone explorers sometimes return raving mad about unknowable happenings, entire camps of people drained of all bodily fluid, and some teams return in dreadful silence, never talking about the expedition and what they found.

Surface exploration leads naturally into adventuring work, both are dangerous and requires one to be both self sufficient and used to travel. Your experiences and skills are valuable to exploration underground as well as above.

Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Investigation,
Tool Proficiencies: Stellar navigation tools
Equipment: Stellar navigation tools, extremely thick overclothes, a mess kit, a trinket you found in your journies, and a pouch containing 10gp.

Feature: Weathered

You have endured the most intense cold in the realm, your training and experience with the extreme environment on the surface has made you a capable survivor. You are proficient in any checks made to endure cold weather, recognize landmarks on the surface, or identify the symptoms of Fimbullung.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who endure the surface's cold and danger are often proud or imured with wanderlust. Use the Outlander background for character traits of a Surface Explorer.

The Old Fort Employee

In the second level of Mundus, between the Wormwrithings and Gracklstugh, sits a massive resort called The Old Fort. A bastion of luxury that attracts the richest and most influencial in Mundus. Here, secrets and gold flow freely like wine, the best performers give shows daily, an exclusive casino tempts visitors, and many darker dealings that are only talked about in hushed tones. Nobles and wealthy merchants stay here to get away from their daily lives and make dealings in neutral ground. Obscene amounts of money flow through The Fort every day, spending a commoner's monthly wages for one nights stay in the best hotel in all of Mundus, watch an exclusive fighting pit, and live in absolute luxury outside the jurisdiction of the dwarven states.

You have spent some time working here, among the staff that serve guest and secure the dangerous locale. You were exposed to the lap of luxury (but only as a servant) and the plethora of business dealings that were made in the social hall. You might have been a security guard, cook, bartender, stableworker, performer, janitor, or otherwise. Giving those from this background a variety of potential skillsets.

Someone who worked at The Old Fort typically doesn't go into adventuring. But, the extreme location, demands of the pretentious patrons, stressful work, and suprisingly meager pay are all reason enough to look for a change in career.

Skill Proficiencies: Your choice of: (a) Persuasion & Deception, (b) Insight & Investigation, (c) Performance & Persuasion, or (d) Persuasion & Slight of Hand.
Tool Proficiencies: An instrument or game set of your choice
Equipment: One instrument or gaming set that you are proficient with, your Old Fort uniform, employee identification, & monogrammed hankerchief, and a pouch containing 15gp.

Feature: Experienced Server

Your face and name are known to the workers at The Fort. You can choose to take up your old position there once again. If you do so, you can work each evening and get a meal and boarding for the night for you and one other person. This also gives a cobalt pass to each individual (see The Fort's world anvil page for more information). Additionally, your name also grants you (and only you) a 25% discount on purchasing passes of any level beyond cobalt.

Alternate Feature: Spilled Secrets

Whether or not you intended to, you have caught wind of a whispered secret that was spoken by a Fort guest's loose tongue. Talk with the DM to determine the nature of this revalation. It is likely related to a business's under-handed practices or dealings, the dark secret of a noble family, the alterior motive of an organization or similar information.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who serve the rich or entertain them might wish to join them, undermine them, or rise above them. Use the Criminal or Entertainer background for character traits of an Old Fort Employee.

Stygian Knight

One of the last remaining pillars of traditional dwarven values is the Order of Stygian Knights. These dwarves work to maintain the 'Rightful Death' as seen by the dwarves, the honoring and preservation of the dead. They combat 'evil' magic and graverobbery of any sort. The Knights are known for their use of necromantic magics to combat other necromancy and preserve the dead. They are the one source of such magic that isn't historically frowned upon, they are, in fact, well liked before and after the collapse.

Nowadays, there are few 'knights' in the Stygian Knights, the ones who wear obsidian armor and slay necromancers or warlocks in childrens stories. Most are priestly individuals (called Gravemen) who maintain graveyards and perform funerals for the community, helping them come to terms with death in a world without gods. There are few, however, who still hunt down necromancy, eldritch forces, and sarkics with a religious fervor. The true Knights spend their efforts rooting out the plague of evil magics in Mundus, killing their users and burning their research wherever its found.

Whichever description best fits you, you're still a respected member of your community. More priestly members have little reason to go adventuring beyond having your position filled by another of the Order. The knightly members are left to their own devices when not ordered by their superiors, combat heavy careers like adventuring suit them well.

Skill Proficiencies: Your choice of: (a) Insight & Investigation or (b) Persuasion & Religion
Language Proficiencies: Dwarvish or Celestial.
Equipment: A symbol of the Stygian Order, a book of funeral rites, and a pouch containing 10gp.

Feature: Stygian Knight

You are a knight of the Stygian Order, responsible for rooting out evil magic and those who would use it. If others know you are of the Stygian Knights and agree with their views, they will generally be willing to help you and may be more willing to divulge information if they believe they are helping get rid of malicious magic. Additionally, other members of The Stygian Knights view you will respect and you may sleep in the barracks of the Stygian Knight Headquarters without paying, receiving a modest lifestyle while doing so.

Alternative Feature: Graveman

You are a priest of the Stygian Order, responsible for maintaining the graves of the dead, as well as consoling the living. To do this, you have been taught special rites to give during a funeral or on it's own. You have little trouble gaining access to morgues, graveyards, or other areas where dead bodies are kept. Additionally, consoling the recently bereaved can lead to them trusting you and your companions more.

Additionally, your position is well regarded by most folk. You can expect commonfolk to treat you will respect and be more willing to help you if they know you are a stygian priest.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who serve tradition and the dead are often aloof or stringent. Use the soldier, mercenary veteran, or hermit background for character traits of a Stygian Knight.

Miner or Quarryman

The dwarves use massive amounts of stone and metal, fortunately The High Peaks are host to a bounty of valuable minerals. Unfortunately, the work is hard and there are inumerable beasts who wish to hunt and kill those who stray too far. You are a brave soul who ventures out with a team or company to collect earth for manufacturing, refining, and crafting. You are integral to society and are rewarded for it with a good salary. You were skilled enough to live this lifestyle for a long period of time, collecting an income that those who work inside city walls would kill for.

Miners changing careers isn't uncommon, especially when they become adventurers. Mining is commonly seen as work that is similar to adventuring, in both risk and reward. Additionally, both imply that you will eventually fight some of the many danger that lurk outside the walls of cities. Of course, most miners are young and poor, so they don't often have much choice in the matter and the money likely went to their family. Many make the change due to an injury or traumatic experience down in the depths.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Investigation
Vehicle Proficiencies: Land vehicles
Equipment: Mining Equipment, a hard hat, and the majority of your last paycheck (10gp)

Feature: Mine-Dweller

You are used to navigating mineshafts and the like, as well as dealing with what you may encounter there. You cannot become lost in a mineshaft by non-magical means and you roll with advantage when trying to determine if a section of mineshaft is structurally sound or not.

Additionally, a pickaxe and shovel count as simple melee weapons for you. You are proficient in both, they have the two-handed and heavy properties, dealing 1d8 + your strength modifier in damage. Piercing damage for the pickaxe and bludgeoning damage for the shovel.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who endure hardship and toil in the mines are often routy and violent. Use the criminal or sailor background for character traits of a Miner.

Mining Equipment

Mining equipment is a tool kit that consists of items for mining, excavating, and traversing underground environments. It includes:

• A pickaxe and a shovel
• 10 pitons and 50 feet of hempen rope
• 5 torches
• A stick of chalk (for navigation)
• A backpack designed for carrying ore and this equipment.

Physician

In the great decline of healing magic and godly temples of healers, more mundane methods of treatment have become common. Physicians and doctors take care of physical wounds, illnesses, and non-magical diseases. Many roam Mundus or set up in a clinic with other doctors and assistants. Those who fit into this background could have aquired their skills in a great number of ways. Education from Butan Curagg or another institute, military training or mercenary work as a combat medic, from personal apprenticeships, carrying a family tradition, or even self teaching in a period of great desperation. Physicians are very well liked, but like alchemists, it's a matter of certification that guarentees good business. Only the truly desperate and those who need 'no questions asked' treatment will take help from just anyone.

Many physicians see their career in different lights. Some see it as an honor to care and help so many people, while others might have become jaded by the gross and overwhelming work. Some see it as a testament to the adaptability of mortal beings since the collapse and practice with the hope that every case will be the last.

Those with medical knowledge are often found adventuring in Mundus. Violence and danger are more certain than reward in the profession, so having a healer is common sense. As such, a healer can always find work among warriors and explorers. Naturally, they must also be trained to combat the dangers they face on their journey.

As a general note, all characters with medicine proficiency are treated to also have the Healer feat.

Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, Persuasion
Tools: Healer's Kit
Equipment: A healer's kit, a dose of universal antidote, a medical training license or certificate, and a pouch containing 10gp.

Feature: Life Saver

You have served many people and your ilk have done the same, as such your profession is viewed very highly. If others are aware of your talents, they are more likely to help you. Additionally, your talents are in great demand. The use of your skills and equipment are a bargaining chip for you and yours. You can treat the ill members of a group to earn a favor with them, such as boarding or safe passage.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who treat the injured and sick are often nuturing or aloof. Use the noble or guild artisan background for character traits of a Physician.

Writer or Researcher

Be it as an author, scribe, journalist, or researcher, many people earn a living through their writing skill, almost all of them fall under this background. Since the invention of the printing press, books and paper have become common. Newspapers became normal, as did reading books as a pass time, inducing the need for more and more media. You, in one form or another, fill this role. You have used your talent at wordcrafting to add to the world. Authors write entertaining and informative fiction and nonfiction, journalists bring knowledge to the commonfolk, researchers document the strange and dangerous aspects of the environment, and scholars experiment with magic and science to change the world. You spend your time with a pen in your hand and numerous rough drafts crumpled in your wake. Some writers live to see the impact their work has on its readers, others want the fame or the money, and for some it is simply a time consuming hobby.

All of these professions have one more thing in common: all of them put their work through an organization for publishing. News outlets, research teams, an archive, or a group simply dedicated to selling books. You most likely see this group as a boss or client, depending on whether or not you are part of it yourself.

A writer venturing out to do dangerous work as an adventurer isn't the most far fetched claim. An author may look for inspiration in the excitement of our dangerous reality, a field researcher naturally encounters the hostile environment and must be ready for it, and a journalist might not find the story they seek behind a desk.

Skill Proficiencies: History and your choice of:
(a) Investigation, (b) Insight, (c) Nature, or (d) Performance.
Tools: Calligrapher's Tools
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: Calligraphers tools, an all-weather notebook, a bottle of ink, an inkwell pen, common clothes, and a pouch containing 10gp

Feature: Publisher

You've made connections with an organization that will publish your material and give you a portion of the sales, you must submit work for any profit to come your way. They could be a private organization for publishing books, a newspaper company, a specific group you submit reports to exclusively, or Butan Curagg's academic publishing system. Regardless, you create and submit your works to them and receive payments over time.

The exact amounts and frequency you must submit work (if at all) and the money and notoriety you gain from it will depend on the organization you submit to, which will be worked out on an individual basis. Additionally, you may be required to make skill checks to write or record your work.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who write and report are often eccentric or very creative. Use the folk hero or entertainer background for character traits of a Writer.

Private Investigator

There is little law outside the cities of Mundus and even within their walls, much escapes the view of authority. Missing persons, lost or stolen valuables, murders, and lies are all as common as stone. Investigators are the ones who work to make the lawless fringes of society just and uproot the liars and swindlers throughout the land. They are often looked to in times of turmoil, collectively responsible for a good deal of justice in modern times. Private Investigators make a living both in and out of city walls, tracking and searching for something or someone that is wanted by their clients. Some of these investigators are freelance, while others are employed solely by a specific group.

Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, and your choice of

(a) Survival, (b) Persuasion, or (c) Insight.
Languages: One of your choice.
Equipment: A magnifying glass, a personal journal, traveling clothes, and a pouch containing 15gp.

Feature: Deductive Expert

You are exceptionally experienced with people, how they think and what causes them to act. This gives you an edge when analyzing someone's actions. Whenever you succeed on an insight check to determine if a humanoid is lying, you receive a one-word reason for why they lied (such as 'fear' 'distrust' or 'protection').

Additionally, when analyzing the physical evidence of a humanoid's actions they took with severe intent (such as deep footprints, signs of a brawl, remains of someone's research, or a hastily abandoned campsite), you learn a one-word summary of their intent (such as 'flee' 'capture' 'detain' or 'retaliate'). If there are multiple individuals involved, then you learn the intent of one person of your choice.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who deduce and investigate are often doubtful and value truth. Use the criminal background for character traits of an Investigator.

Schism Denizen

In an unnaturally large ravine under the earth, thousands of goblinoids live in a secular society, away from those who previously, and often still, descriminate against them. Most are descendants of a collection of once mountain dwelling tribes who fled like the others during the Collapse of The Surface. Banding together, they have formed a coalition to survive and adapt underground. Unless one has approval from one of the ruling council, no non-goblinoid may enter The Schism under any circumstances.

Today, those who live in The Schism operate on a loosely democratic basis, with an upper council that makes all decisions that influence their nation as a whole. They and the rest of the folk who live under them live together in a community; working, living, and teaching without restrictions based on bloodline or family. Most adults take up an artisianal trade of some kind to help keep The Schism as a whole functioning, many hunt or scavenge for food and supplies, and some leave in trade caravans for the nearby settlements to trade.

The demographics of The Schism is dominated by goblinoids, but a few others live here as well. While goblins are the most common; hobgoblins, bugbears, orcs, and even a small collection of demigiants live in The Schism, not all were born there, but all are welcome. There is even a considerable presence of kobolds here, mostly ones who had fled the Empire to the east. To find a human, dwarf, or gnome in The Schism, especially one living there, is a rare thing indeed.

Many denizens of The Schism leave for long periods of time and having no real repuation amongst the dwarven states leaves freelance adventuring work one of few options. Many are already accustom to combat from hunting experience, working as guides in the deeper caverns. Some leave because they find interest in the new technology being created, which has a very scarce presence in The Schism. Others simply want a change of pace, to see new faces and experience new opportunities.

Skill Proficiencies: Survival, and your choice of

(a) Nature, (b) Persuasion, or (c) Athletics.
Tool Proficiencies: One artisan toolset of your choice.
Languages: Goblin.
Equipment: A hide rucksack, a toolset with which you are proficient that is composed of primative and scavenged components, a small dagger, and a pouch containing 5gp

Feature: Community Living

You have lived in The Schism for some time and you face is known there. Unless you have commited a major crime they are aware of, you may enter and live in The Schism if you journey there. Within, you can perform simple labor or artisan work and gain a poor lifestyle in return for the duration.

Additionally, community means everything to those who live in The Schism. If you go to your former home and ask for help with your plights, the members of the Schism will be willing to help you so long as it doesn't bring great personal danger or put The Schism into turmoil.

Background Ideas (in order of likeliness)

• Schism Denizen - DONE
• Kobold Empire Citizen/state guard
• Apprentice (generic)
• Milrennic Citizen
• Hopeful/Collapse Survivor
• Sideral Cabalite/Archivist
• Green Chalice assassin
• Darklake Fisherman/Smuggler?
• Alchemist (specific from guild artisan due to setting specific changes)?
• Gunsmith (see above)?
• Lost Wanderer/Isolationist
• Biome specific explorer
• Brawler/Boxer?
• OoTDS initiate?
• Sarkite?
• Clansdwarf of Major Clan