# Humble Careers ___ A fan supplement for The Old World Roleplaying Game by Cubicle 7. Simple careers for honest, hard-working folk. Last updated: 2025-08-23. Check out [Glorious Portents](https://gloriousportents.blogspot.com/) for more The Old World RPG fan material.

## Introduction The Old World RPG gives us a wide selection of careers for players to choose from (or randomly select from). But some groups may prefer a more focused campaign, in which case you may end up with too few options. This document is the first in a planned series of fan supplements providing careers themed towards a specific style of campaign. The Humble Careers contain careers perfect for playing honest, hard-working rural folk in the Empire. There are two ways of using this document: - It can be used as a supplement to the game, with all the original origins and careers available. In that case, all the careers in this document can be selected freely (as long as you adher to the origins requirements), and anyone rolling a *boathand* or *labourer* on the table in the Players Guide should re-roll on the careers table in this document. - It can be used as an alternative to the Players Guide for selecting origins and careers. If that is the case, roll on the origin and careers tables in this document instead of the ones in the Players Guide. All other rules for character creation apply as normal. ``` ``` ___ Note: ChatGPT was used to generate some of the career descriptions, though they have all been tuned by a human afterward. ### Humble Origins |D10 |Origin|Notes | |:--:|:-----|:-----| | 1-2| Imperial dwarf | Your clan has lived in the empire for centuries, if not longer. Origin options are as per the Players Guide, but you must choose the lore appropriate to an Imperial dwarf. | | 3-4| Halfling | You are part of one of the halfling clans living throughout the Empire. Origin options are as per the Players Guide, but you may replace Lore: Provincial (Mootland) with the Provincial lore for the imperial province in which you live. | | 5 | Wood elf | You are either an outcast, or have some other exceptional reason for choosing to live in a predominantly human rural community. Origin options as per the Players Guide. | | 6-10 | Imperial human | As Empire Human from the Players Guide, but you must choose a provincial lore (you cannot choose a city lore). |

### Humble Careers All origins roll on the same career table for humble careers. If you get one that does not match your origin, you must re-roll.

| D100 | Career | Source | Required Origins | |:------:|:------------------------|:---------------|:--------------------------| | 1-2 | Bailiff | This doc | Dwarf or Human | | 3-5 | Boathand | *Players G. * | Any | | 6-9 | Charcoal-burner | This doc | Any | | 10-13 | Farmer | This doc | Any | | 14-17 | Ferryman | This doc | Any | | 18-21 | Fieldwarden | This doc | Any | | 22-24 | Fisher | This doc | Any | | 25-27 | Friar | This doc | Human | | 28-31 | Gamekeeper | This doc | Any | | 32-34 | Handcrafter | This doc | Any | | 35-38 | Herbalist | This doc | Any | | 39-42 | Herder | This doc | Any | | 43-45 | Horse coper | This doc | Human or W.Elf | | 46-49 | Hunter | This doc | Any | | 50-51 | Innkeeper | This doc | Any | | D100 | Career | Source | Required Origins | |:------:|:------------------------|:---------------|:--------------------------| | 52-55 | Labourer | *Players G.* | Any | | 56-59 | Lumberjack | This doc | Dwarf or Human | | 60-62 | Messenger | This doc | Any | | 63-65 | Militiaman | This doc | Any | | 66-67 | Miller | This doc | Any | | 68-70 | Miner | This doc | Dwarf or Human | | 71-73 | Muleskinner | This doc | Any | | 74-77 | Ostler | This doc | Any | | 78-81 | Pedlar | This doc | Any | | 82-85 | Prospector | This doc | Dwarf, Halfling or Human | | 86-88 | Scribe | This doc | Any | | 89-90 | Seer | This doc | Human or W.Elf | | 91-94 | Trapper | This doc | Any | | 95-98 | Vicar | This doc | Human | | 99-100 | Yarnspinner | This doc | Any |

\page ## New assets ##### Endlessly Sniffing Hound (Hunting Hound) A hunting hound is mid-sized dog trained tracking and flushing prey. Its owner gets +1d on tests to track or pursue, as well as on tests to spot ambushes or locate hidden creatures. Higher tier dogs might be trained for other purposes as well, such as assisting in combat, guarding, fetching or passing messages. ##### Ferry A ferry is an asset in the *animals and vehicles category*. It is a large raft or small barge specialized for taking vehicles and passengers across a river or lake. Brass Tier denotes you are paid to captain the ferry on its owner’s behalf, Silver and Gold that you own your own it yourself (of varying quality). Gold tier means you have staff to run it and have the rights to exact tolls from travellers in addition to payment for transport. ##### Herb garden You cultivate a patch of land for growing useful plants: kitchen herbs, medicinal simples, or rarer, more esoteric flora. Such gardens provide flavor for the pot, remedies for illness, and ingredients for trade or craft. A Brass garden is limited to a few pots or window-boxes of common herbs — sage for flavor, mint for the belly, and comfrey for cuts. Little more than a household aid, though a neighbor may sometimes seek your simples. A Silver garden is a tended plot or small enclosed garden, with a wider range of useful plants such as feverfew for fevers, monkshood for poison, and dreamleaf for strange visions. Travelers and townsfolk alike may come to you in hope of healing, or to bargain for remedies. At Gold tier, it is a well-established garden of many beds, walled and warded against pests. Exotic and magical herbs grow here — mandrake for wards and to clear the mind, belladonna for love spells and levitation, moonwort that breaks iron, and other plants said to draw their virtue from the stars or even whispered to bear Chaos taint. Apothecaries, wizards, and nobles alike covet its yield. ##### Quick but Cunning Dog (Herding dog) A sharp-eyed and tireless worker, bred to keep livestock in line and drive them where commanded. Its master gains +1d on tests to manage or move herds, whether cattle, sheep, or swine, and the dog’s presence can calm beasts or scatter them at a whistle. In combat, the dog may range into any zone you choose within long range, as long as it is possible to run there. You may move it to another zone within long range whenever it is your turn, as a *free incidental action*. If one of your enemies *give ground* into that zone, they are *Broken* as if you or one of your allies were in that zone. Higher tier dogs may be trained to guard their charges from predators, retrieve stray animals, or even harry foes in battle. ``` ``` ##### Chancery A record-keeping office, complete with a scriptorium suitable for a scribe to ply their trade. Brass tier chanceries keep records of local marriages, births and deaths. Silver tier chanceries include important business contracts, debts and guild charters. Gold tier chanceries keep records of noble lineages, international treaties and secrets that could topple provinces. ##### Horse Yard A muddy paddock or small stable where beasts are kept before being sold on. A trader in horses rarely keeps animals for long, preferring to turn a profit through quick bargains, sharp eyes, and a silver tongue. Brass yards, if they exist at all, are no more than rope and hitching-post outside an alehouse, where you keep one or two nags until you can offload them. At silver tier you have a fenced yard or rented stable where you can keep a handful of horses at once. You may curry them up for show, or hide their faults for a quick sale. A gold tier horse yard is well-established with covered stalls, tack and gear for show, and space enough to parade your wares before a buyer in privacy. ##### Mill A place where grain is ground into flour, powered by water, wind, or patient beasts of burden. Mills are vital to village life, and those who control them often command influence as well as income. At Brass tier, the mill is owned by the local lord, and you receive only a modest fee for maintaining and working it. A silver mill is owned by you, and it is fairly profitable. Gold mills are rare, representing large and technologically advanced mills that serve a particularily rich area, and as the owner you are a very significant person in the community. ##### Powder House You have access to a secure store for blasting powder, fuses, and other volatile charges used in mining, quarrying, or rare feats of war. Powder is precious and perilous, and any wise miner knows to keep it safe, dry, and well away from open flames. Such places are often watched, warded, and whispered about — for a single spark can doom an entire village. Brass characters have access conditionally — when their lord permits it, or to get specific items at specific times. Silver characters are trusted to access the store as they please, but their comings and goings are logged. Gold armouries denote ownership or unconditional access. ##### Mule Team A string of sturdy, ill-tempered beasts trained to haul burdens through rough country where wagons dare not go. Mules are prized for their endurance, sure-footedness, and stubborn survival instinct, making them ideal for mines, mountain passes, and river crossings. A skilled muleskinner can move goods where carts would bog down, carrying tools, ore, contraband, or supplies others cannot reach. A brass mule team probably only consists of a pair of mules you must handle yourselves, silver and gold teams have several beasts, handlers and perhaps even guards. Getting into *Close* range of an enemy mule in combat requires testing Athletics to avoid a Hazard(2) as the nasty creatures kick and bite. \page ## Bailiff _“A kind word keeps the peace; a strong arm collects the taxes.”_ -- Otto Kranzler, Bailiff of Aufrühdorf ___ A bailiff serves as the long arm of a noble’s law in rural towns and scattered hamlets. He collects taxes, keeps order, and makes certain the lord’s word is obeyed, whether by coaxing, warning, or dragging folk before the manor court. Few love the bailiff, and despite many of his duties being important to the community, he is often cursed when people are in their cups. Bailiffs often keep to the road, travelling from farmstead to village with a small escort — or alone, if coin is tight. A clever bailiff learns to balance sternness with mercy, for too heavy a hand can drive a community to rebellion. The work breeds sharp eyes, a quick temper, and an even quicker memory for who owes what to whom.

##### The Turnip Law Every bailiff in Middenland has heard of the Turnip Law of 2214 IC, passed after a noble’s carriage overturned in a muddy field. It grants the right to levy fines on any farmer who lets their root crop spill into a public road. The law’s rarely enforced now, but some bailiffs keep it in their back pocket for a quick bribe — or to remind uppity peasants that the law can be made to mean whatever the one holding the seal says it does.

### Bailiff (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Dwarf or Empire human. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Defence, Awareness, Recall, Willpower, Leadership * **Lore:** Literacy, Accountancy *or* Law *or* Provicincial Lore (any one) * **Trappings:** Staff *or* Sword, Dagger, Burgher´s Attire *or* Uniform, Lighting kit, Writing kit, Travellers pack * **Assets:** Symbol of Office, Horse & Stables *or* Trustworthy Banker * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Muster the Posse:*** Once per Session, when you call on nearby non-hostile commoners for aid, a number of NPCs equal to your Leadership skill (or as many as are present) will step forward to help you, regardless of whether they’d normally be inclined to. Their loyalty lasts only for one task, but they’ll fight, carry, or enforce orders in your name. ``` ``` ## Charcoal-burner _“The trick is keeping the smoke low. Too much, and folk come thinking there’s a fire. Too little, and there is one.”_ -- Rikke Wald, Talabeclander charcoal-burner ___ Charcoal-burners work deep in the woods, tending their smouldering pits for days at a time. Their craft turns common wood into the pure black fuel prized by smiths and foundries. It’s slow, smoky work, demanding patience and a knack for reading heat and wind. One careless moment and the whole mound goes up in flames, wasting a week’s labour in minutes. Most folk think charcoal-burners half-wild themselves, living in huts of sod and smoke, speaking little to strangers. But their trade ties them to both forest and forge, giving them friends among hunters and artisans alike. In times of trouble, they’re often the first to spot brigands, orcs or beastmen passing through the woods — and their friends will get the warning first.

##### Ash of the Black Sow In the deep forest east of Talabheim, there’s a patch of forest where the ground is soft and black, and the trees grow twisted. Burners say it’s the site of the Black Sow’s mound — a coal-burn gone wrong that killed the whole crew in their sleep, leaving only hoofprints in the ash. Tradition holds that if you scatter a pinch of ash from that ground into your fire, it will burn twice as long — but you must never take it home, lest the Sow come rooting for you.

### Charcoal-burner (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Endurance, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Willpower * **Lore:** Woodcraft, Beastmen Brayherds *or* Orc & Goblin Tribes * **Trappings:** Axe, Shortbow *or* Sling, Peasants garb, Workers leathers, Travellers pack * **Assets:** Hand Cart, Secret Hideout * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Smoke-hardened:*** You gain +1d on Tests to resist conditions or negative effects caused by smoke, fog, mist, fumes, or noxious vapors. In addition, for one round per encounter you may ignore Concealment caused by darkness, fog, smoke or similar effects, including automatically spotting creatures using such concealment to hide. Finally, you get +1d on tests to end the Ablaze condition. \page ## Farmer _“The gods give, the crows take, and I get the rest.”_ -- Berta Hannig, Hochland farmer ___ Farmers feed the Empire, though the poorer among them often go hungry themselves. The lucky ones are free yeomen, owning their own land, while the vast majority work a small plot of land they lease from a landowner, or are serfs in service to a noble. Their days are dictated by the seasons: planting, tending, harvesting, and repairing the fences and ditches that protect crops and livestock. Work is unending and rarely gentle, but it rewards those who can coax food from stubborn soil and guard it from beasts, monsters and thieves. Farming breeds patience and cunning, for pestilence, weather, and bandits are never far off. Farmers know their neighbours and animals intimately, and they develop an intuition for when trouble is approaching. In times of war or civil strife, they are the backbone of survival, supplying armies and towns alike with grain, meat, and knowledge of the land.

##### The First Furrow Old farm law in Stirland says the first furrow of spring must be ploughed facing east, so the sun can “see the seed wake.” Breaking the rule is said to risk any ancient dead buried on your land rising as ghosts or wights, and the neighbours will remember who turned the wrong way for years.

### Farmer (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Toughness, Initiative * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Brawn, Toil, Endurance, Survival, Awareness, Athletics * **Lore:** Farming, Accountancy *or* Music *or* Waterways * **Trappings:** Staff *or* Axe, Sling, Peasants Garb, Travellers pack, Farming tools * **Assets:** Farm and grazing herd, Hand Cart * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Salt of the Earth:*** Folk may look down on you, but they trust your kind more readily than most, and you are fierce when provoked. You gain +1d on tests to *persuade* Peasants, Villagers, Workers and other common folk. Furthermore, when using a weapon derived from a farming tool (or using a farming tool as an improvised weapon) you get +1d for the first melee attack of an encounter. Weapons derived from farming tools are the Staff, Axe, Flail and Billhook. > ##### Social tier > *Silver* farmers are yeomen and freemen, who own a small plot of land that they work. They aren't quite gentry, but stand apart from serfs and land-leasing peasantry. Reducing your social status to *Brass* gives you an XP, but means you do not own your own land, but are beholden to a noble lord or wealthy landowner who takes most of your profits. ``` ``` > ##### Improvised weapons > You can use a tool that could obviously do damage as a weapon, taking -1d to Melee and Defence tests when using it, and using the rules for whatever weapon seems the closest. Improvised weapons do not have the *traits* of the associated weapon. Examples of farming tools could be the sickle (dagger), shovel (staff), fork (foot spear) and scythe (billhook). ## Ferryman _“You don’t pay for the crossing. You pay for me not to tip you in.”_ -- Jakob Riese, Ferryman on the Pramet crossing ___ Ferrymen guide passengers, livestock, and cargo across rivers and lakes, often in treacherous waters where a single misjudged current can capsize a boat. They command the respect of those who rely on safe passage, though their lives are shaped by the whims of weather and water rather than any lordly decree. A ferryman’s skill with rope, oar, and tide can turn a dangerous river into a trusted highway. They also serve as the quiet keepers of news and gossip, hearing secrets from merchants and travellers that others would pay a good deal to know. Ferrymen are employed by a local township or noble, and often acts as tollkeepers as well as boatmen. Ferrymen hold symbolic, almost religious status, in some communities. Where there are no priests of Morr nearby, ferrymen will often preside over burial rites, ferrying the dead into Morrs realm.

##### Coins for the Flow On the Talabec and its tributaries, it’s tradition to throw a single pfennig into the river before the first crossing of the day. Ferrymen claim it “keeps the water sweet” — but they also mutter that failing to pay the river will see your boat smashed by driftwood or overturned by a sudden squall.

### Ferryman (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Agility, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Toil, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics, Leadership * **Lore:** Waterways, Blackpowder *or* Literacy * **Trappings:** Staff, Crossbow *or* Blunderbuss, Travelling clothes *or* Uniform, Blackpowder kit or Writing kit * **Assets:** Ferry * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***The Last Crossing:*** Something about your presence reminds people of the river beyond life, which might be comforting - or unnerving. You get +1d on Leadership tests made to intimidate or frighten. When you speak kind or reassuring words to someone suffering fear, despair or grief, it automatically removes the Broken and/or Distracted condition from them. \page ## Fieldwarden _“The wild doesn’t care whose banner you fly — it’ll eat you just the same.”_ -- Thalric Lomm, Fieldwarden ___ Fieldwardens are the unofficial rangers of the Empire’s farmlands and marches, patrolling the borders between tilled field and wild country. They watch for hungry beasts, creeping fires, and monsters or men with ill intent, carrying warnings back to those who can act — or, if pressed, dealing with the matter themselves. The work is lonely and often dangerous, calling for keen sight, steady nerve, and a bowstring that never slackens. Though some fieldwardens hold a lord’s writ, many answer only to their neighbours or to the loose custom of “keeping the land.” They know the hedgerows, ditches, and game trails better than most soldiers know the walls of their own barracks. In wartime, they make fine scouts, though their habit of speaking plainly to their betters often earns them little thanks.

##### The Empty Post There’s a watch post in the woods near Krugenheim that no one wants to take, even in high summer. The last three wardens posted there vanished without a trace, leaving the lanterns still burning. The official story says Beastmen took them, but every warden knows that lantern oil doesn’t stay lit three nights without tending.

### Fieldwarden (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Ballistic Skill, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth * **Lore:** Provincial Lore (any one) *or* Waterways *or* Woodcraft *or* Mountaineering *or* Farming, Beastman Brayherds *or* Orc&Goblin Tribes *or* The Undead * **Trappings:** Staff, Sling *or* Shortbow, Light armour, Travelling clothes, Traveller's pack, Hunting kit, Trade tools for your trade lores (if applicable) * **Assets:** Secret Hideout *or* Symbol of Office *or* Endlessly Sniffing Hound * **Contacts:** Comrades in Arms, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***The Warden’s Oath:*** While fighting or seeking to warn someone of a great threat, such as a natural disaster, Monstrosity or an enemy force that outnumbes local forces, you gain +1d to Strength and Agility tests. ``` ``` ## Fisher _“You can’t rush a fish or a drunk man’s story.”_ -- Darin Koos, Westerland fisherman ___ Fisher-folk spend their days on rivers, lakes, or the coast, living by patience, skill, and a careful reading of water and wind. Their nets, lines, and traps must be tended with steady hands, and a single careless moment can ruin a day’s catch. Despite the labor, there is a rhythm to the work that teaches observation, timing, and endurance. Many fishers know the hidden spots where fish gather, how the tides and seasons affect them, and how to read weather signs before storms arrive. They often share a strong bond with other waterfolk, exchanging warnings, tips, and old tales.

##### The Drowning Bell Old hands on the Talabec tell of the Drowning Bell, a sunken temple bell somewhere near the stretch called Priest’s Bend. On still mornings, the bell tolls from under the water — a sure sign the current will shift and drag your boat toward the bank. Some say it rings for the soul of a drowned priest; others swear it warns of worse things that move beneath the brown water.

### Fisher (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Throwing, Toil, Survival, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics * **Lore:** Waterways *or* Sailing, Cooking *or* Music * **Trappings:** Dagger, Weighted net, Travelling clothes, Hunters kit, Trade tools to match yor trade lore * **Assets:** Rowboat * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Water-sense:*** You gain +1d on Awareness and Survival Tests near rivers, lakes, or the sea. Once per Session, you may declare you foresaw a change in weather or current or other water-borne threat (sea monster, pirates, etc) and prepared accordingly (moved camp, tied boats, avoided a storm, woke up the crew, etc.). You also get +1d the first time you use a weighted net in an encounter. \page ## Friar _“I preach better after a pint, and best after two.”_ -- Friar Malko ___ Friars dedicate themselves to a life of poverty and piety, wandering between villages and towns to preach, assist the poor, and enforce spiritual guidance. They live with meagre possessions, relying on the generosity of others for food and shelter, but they gain influence through counsel, prayer, and being willing to offer a hand where it is needed. Though many view friars as gentle, some wield sharp tongues and keen minds to root out corruption, laziness, or vice. They are skilled at reading both hearts and intentions, and their presence can sway mobs or temper disputes. In times of unrest, friars can become mediators, agitators, or guides, depending on the cause and the needs of their flock.

##### The River’s Prayer Taalite friars say you should never cross a river without tossing a green-leafed branch into the water and whispering the River’s Prayer. They say it tells Manann that you pass with his father's grace, and in return, the river spirits will not pull them under. Friars of Manann say that their god considers the offering of a branch to the river as meaning you acknowledge the superiority of water over land.

### Friar (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Empire human. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Endurance, Awareness, Willpower, Leadership, Charm * **Lore:** Cult Lore (your gods cult), your gods favoured lore * **Trappings:** Staff, Peasant's garb * **Assets:** Symbol of Office (mendicant robes), Secret Identity *or* Secret Hideout *or* Religious Shrine * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Mendicant’s Grace***: You gain a rank of the Faith Talent (page 75). This means you gain the Favour of your god (see page 138). You reduce the XP Cost of acquiring the Faith Talent again by 1. Furthermore, if when a downtime ends you did not use any silver or gold tier trappings between the previous downtime and this one, you may choose to set your wealth to only one coin instead of the normal 3. If you do, you gain one fate point that may be spent or burned as normal between now and the next downtime. Your maximum fate goes back to normal at the start of that downtime. ###

##### The Lord’s Doe It’s said every estate in Talabecland has its Lord’s Doe — a white hind that roams the woods and never ages. Killing her is forbidden by ancient hunting law, punishable by hanging. Some gamekeepers claim they’ve seen the same hind after thirty winters, standing just out of arrow-shot, as if she knows the law better than the keepers themselves.

> ##### Friars in 2276? > Some Warhammer sources claim that only the faith of Sigmar has friars, and that they date from the time of Magnus the Pious, so around 2300. > > Closer investigation contradicts this. Johann Helstrum, who founded the church of Sigmar, was himself a mendicant friar according to most sources - most likely of the cult of Ulric, since it was dominant at the time and he claimed Ulric had crowned Sigmar as a god. There is also mentions of Ulrician friars in Kislev (Realm of the Ice Queen, p124), and Myrmidian friars in Tilea in various sources, the latter dated to 1772 (Tome of Salvation, p160). > > This makes it reasonable to assume that friars in the warhammer world is a many centuries old tradition, and not unique to a particular cult. ## Gamekeeper _“A lord’s forest is like a lord’s daughter — best admired from afar unless you’ve leave to touch.”_ -- Old Jann, Gamekeeper ___ A gamekeeper guards a noble’s hunting lands, ensuring that deer, boar, and gamebirds remain plentiful for the lord’s sport. This means warding off poachers, setting traps for predators, and tending the land in ways that make it both beautiful and bountiful. Some lords want their forests wild and dangerous, others manicured and tame; a wise gamekeeper adapts to both. In many places, gamekeepers also serve as the lord’s eyes and ears in the countryside, reporting trespassers and suspicious activity. They often walk a fine line between protecting the lord’s game and maintaining peace with local peasants, for a hungry family may see no crime in snaring a rabbit that “belongs” to someone else. Life in the forest teaches the gamekeeper to read every broken branch, pawprint, and birdsong for signs of trouble. In lawless times, gamekeepers may turn their skills to tracking fugitives or guiding armed bands, though always with an eye to their master’s favour. ### Gamekeeper (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Ballistic Skill, Initiative, Athletics * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Survival, Awareness, Stealth, Athletics, Leadership * **Lore:** Woodcraft, Law *or* Zoology * **Trappings:** Sword, Longbow *or* Crossbow, Travelling clothes, Travellers pack, * **Assets:** Symbol of Office, Horse and stables *or* Secret hideout * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***My lords authority:*** You have authority over your woods — and your bearing shows it. You gain +1d on Leadership Tests to influence brass tier NPCs. Once per Session, you may declare a brass tier NPC intimidated enough to withdraw without a fight, unless backed by strong leadership. \page ## Handcrafter _“Every mistake leaves a mark. Some you can sand out, some you can’t.”_ -- Rika Vollmer, Woodworker ___ Handcrafters produce goods requiring more specialised skills than those of an average peasant — carved wood, worked leather, painted signs, or tools. Unlike artisans, they are often self-taught and have some skill in more than one trade. Though a few operate out of permanent workshops, most travel between fairs and markets, farms and towns, selling their wares to anyone with coin and taking on local contracts. A good handcrafter’s reputation often preceds them, and the best are remembered not only for their craft, but for the stories, songs, or conversations that came with each piece.

##### The Fault Mark In Talabecland tradition, a craftsperson hides a single deliberate flaw in their work, usually somewhere no one will see. Supposedly, it tricks jealous spirits into thinking the item is worthless, so they won’t spoil it. Those who forget the flaw often find their work mysteriously split, warped, or stolen before delivery.

### Handcrafter (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics, Recall, Charm * **Lore:** Two out of Farming, Smithing, Textiles, Custom trade lore * **Trappings:** Dagger, Peasant's garb, Worker's leathers, Trade tools to match trade lores. * **Assets:** Workshop * **Contacts:** Comrades in Arms, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Many Irons in the Fire:*** When taking the Craft Trapping endeavour using one trade lore, you get +1d to the test for every other lore you have that is in some way relevant to the task. For instance, using *textiles* to create an outfit would get a bonus if you also had *smithing* as the clothing could have metal buttons and buckles. Furthermore, if you offer to help make or repair something simple for a *brass tier* NPCs, it always counts as a *credible reason* they might agree with you when you want to *Persuade* them. ``` ``` ## Herbalist _“Every leaf cures something — curiosity, if nothing else.”_ -- Anka Meissner, Herbalist ___ Herbalists are students of plants—how they heal, harm, or nourish — and they make their living gathering, preparing, and selling herbs and remedies. Whether in deep forest, rolling meadow, or crowded garden, they carry an encyclopaedia of scents and leaves in their minds. While many apothecaries have their own herb gardens, more rare ingredients will often be sourced from a herbalist. Conversely, whereas many guild-trained apotecharies have a fairly scientific approach to medicine, herbalists usually rely as much on tradition and superstition as on observed effects when deciding on a remedy. Their work earns them a strange reputation: half healer, half hedge - witch, sometimes accused of sorcery and sometimes begged for aid. In the wilds, they are invaluable to travellers and soldiers alike, for they can find food, medicine, and shelter in the most unlikely places. And a village will count itself lucky to have a skilled herbalist for a healer.

##### Wolfsbane Night Herbalists in the north speak of a single night each decade when wolfsbane flowers in the dead of winter. Gathering it is said to grant its bearer protection from all beasts — but only if picked barehanded under moonlight. The same folk who tell the tale always add that no one who’s gone to look for it has ever come back the same.

### Herbalist (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Endurance, Awareness, Dexterity, Stealth, Recall, Charm * **Lore:** Concoction, Cooking *or* Farming *or* Woodcraft * **Trappings:** Staff, Dagger, Peasant's garb, Trade tools to match your trade lores * **Assets:** Laboratory *or* Brewery *or* Herb garden *or* Secret hideout * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Hedge Remedies:*** As long as you have a few moments to gather fresh herbs and access to a source of them - such as being out in the wild or in the countryside, or being able to access a herb garden - you count as having the *Anatomy* lore for purposes related to treating injuries, sickness or disease, and preventing infection. If you also have access to a knife and fabric for bandages, you count as having access to a Physicker’s Kit. You also get +1d on any test to identify or examine a plant or mushroom, as well as concoctions made from herbal ingredients. \page ## Herder _“Sheep are stupid. Wolves aren’t. Guess which keeps me up.”_ -- Rudi Brenn, Shepherd ___ Herders tend flocks of sheep, goats, cattle, or other livestock, leading them to grazing lands and protecting them from predators and thieves. The work demands vigilance and a familiarity with the rhythms of both animals and land. In the most remote areas, they also need to find ways of dealing with goblins, orcs, beastmen and the occasional monster. Often alone for long stretches, herders develop sharp senses and a knack for reading signs in the wind, weather, and animal behaviour. In times of trouble, they can move their flocks swiftly and discreetly, making them valuable allies — or elusive prey — for anyone seeking supplies.

##### The Bell of Stenndorf Shepherds in the Reikwald pass down the tale of a lost sheep-bell, once hung around the neck of a prize ram. The bell was said to ring whenever wolves were near, no matter the wind or distance. Some claim the ram still roams the high pastures, fat and unshorn, luring shepherds to follow the sound into the mist.

### Herder (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Toil, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth * **Lore:** Farming, Mountaineering *or* Woodcraft *or* Cooking *or* Music * **Trappings:** Staff, Sling, Travelling clothes * **Assets:** Quick but Cunning Dog Dog *or* Secret Hideout * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Predators bane:*** You’ve fought off wolves and worse with nothing but a stick by knowing how to hit where it hurts. When your attacks *stagger* an enemy with a *Reason* score of 2 or less, they must test Willpower. If they are not minions, their test is glorious. If they do not score at least one success, they are *Broken* as well. This does not apply to *monstrosities* with low Reason, who instead trigger their *reaction* if they fail their (glorious) willpower test. ``` ``` ## Horse coper _“If I say it’s a fine beast, it’s a fine beast. For something.”_ -- Keller Mohr, Horse Coper ___ Horse copers buy, sell, and trade horses, and while the best of them are expert judges of an animal’s health and temperament, others are known for trickery — painting over sores, hiding lameness, and exaggerating pedigree. They thrive in markets, fairs, and crossroads, where the rich, desperate or unwary can be persuaded to part with good coin. Among themselves, horse copers take pride in their quick wit and silver tongues, though customers often remember them less fondly once the coin has changed hands.

##### The Painted Mare Every horse trader knows of the Painted Mare, a piebald with a knack for escaping any stable. She changes hands every few years, always for a bargain, and is always gone by the next new moon. Old copers whisper that she returns to a ghostly caravan that roams the roads after dark, though no one admits to following her.

### Horse coper (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Empire human, Bretonnian or Wood Elf. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Brawn, Toil, Awareness, Recall, Willpower, Charm * **Lore:** Accountancy, Literacy *or* Law *or* Criminal Underworld *or* Provincial lore (any one) * **Trappings:** *Staff* or *Knuckledusters*, Burgher's apparel, Writing Kit *or* Grooming Kit * **Assets:** Horse yard * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Horse trader:*** You get +1d on Charm tests made to Barter, and to Persuade when offering something to sweeten the deal as part of the persuasion attempt. You also know where to get your hands on horses quickly, although it won't be profitable. Given a few days, for a *silver* expense per horse, you can get your hands on servicable horses with basic tack. This does not include the stabling, feed etc (that would be included in having access to a Horse as an asset), which will include some Brass tier expenses, and the horses will have to be sold on during the next downtime - if they are lost by that time, you end the next downtime with one coin less for each horse lost - if you lost more than three horses, you are also in serious debt with some rather unsavory people. \page ## Hunter _“Follow the tracks and you’ll find your prey — or what ate it.”_ -- Gretchen Jäger, Hunter ___ Hunters pursue game for food, trade, or sport, using bow or crossbow to bring down quarry. They know the habits of deer, boar, and even more dangerous beasts, and can follow a trail that others would miss entirely. Many hunters live on the edges of civilisation, supplying meat, pelts, and information about the wilds to those in towns and villages. In troubled times, their skills make them valuable scouts or guides, for they can move unseen and survive where others would perish.

##### The Beast’s Debt Veteran hunters claim that if you miss your shot at an animal and let it go, it will return one day to save your life — but only once. A few insist they’ve been rescued by wolves or stags in dire moments, though most agree it’s just an excuse for poor aim.

### Hunter (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Ballistic Skill, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Toil, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth * **Lore:** Mountaineering *or* Woodcraft, Provincial Lore (any one) * **Trappings:** Dagger, Longbow *or* Crossbow, Travelling clothes, Concealing clothing, Hunting kit * **Assets:** Endlessly Sniffing Hound *or* Secret hideout * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Silent Death:*** When you make an *unopposed* ranged attack (such as one made from stealth after taking the Move Quietly action in combat, or against an enemy who is surprised or don't see the attack coming), your attack roll is Glorious. If such an attack deals more damage than two times the victims Resilience, the attack is instantly fatal to Minions, while Brutes and Monstrosities suffer 2 wounds instead of one, and Champions must roll one more die than they otherwise would on the wounds table. ``` ``` ## Innkeeper _“If you can’t pay, you can always clean the privy.”_ -- Jorren Hask, Innkeeper ___ An innkeeper is more than the keeper of ale and beds; they are the keeper of news, gossip, and the purse-strings of travellers. Their livelihood depends on hospitality, but also on knowing when to turn away trouble before it spills blood on the rushes. They weigh every guest by their boots and coats, their coin, and how they are armed. A well-run inn becomes the heart of its town — a place where merchants bargain, lovers meet, and outlaws listen at the shutters for talk of their hunters. In times of strife, the innkeeper’s role grows sharper; they must choose what rumours to spread and which to bury, whose silver to take and whose company to refuse. For every smiling host, there’s a shrewd judge of men behind the eyes.

##### The Spill Rule Many innkeepers in the Reikland keep to the “Spill Rule”: if a drink is spilled during an argument, both parties must buy a round for the whole common room before continuing the quarrel. Most grudges dry up when faced with the cost of wetting every throat in the house.

### Innkeeper (Silver) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Brawn, Toil, Awareness, Recall, Leadership, Charm * **Lore:** Cooking, Accountancy *or* Literacy *or* City or Provincial lore (any one) * **Trappings:** Dagger, Crossbow, Burgher's apparel, Worker's leathers, Trade tools to match trade lores (if applicable) * **Assets:** Tavern * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Listening to the customer:*** Years of hearing patrons’ whispers and demands have made you discreet… and shrewd. You get +1d on tests to Scrutinise, as well as when taking the Gather Information endeavour. \page ## Lumberjack _“The tree falls faster if you swear at it.”_ -- Rolf Grahn, Lumberjack ___ Lumberjacks fell trees, split logs, and haul or float timber to mills and markets. Their work is exhausting and often perilous, for a moment’s misjudgment can send a trunk crashing down in the wrong place — or on the wrong person. They are most at home deep in the forest, where their axes echo through the mist and sawdust hangs in the air. Lumberjacks often double as woodsmen and guides, for few know the terrain as well as those who’ve worked it tree by tree. And many a beastman or goblin have found that a woodsmans axe can hew more things than wood.

##### The Widow’s Tree In the Reikwald, it’s bad luck to cut a tree with black fungus on its bark — the so-called “Widow’s Tree.” Lumberjacks say the fungus marks it as claimed by Morr, and anyone who fells it will lose a loved one before year’s end. Some bosses fine cutters who ignore the warning, if only to keep the crews from mutinying.

### Lumberjack (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Dwarf or any Human. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Toughness, Initiative * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Brawn, Toil, Survival, Awareness, Athletics * **Lore:** Woodcraft, Cooking *or* Music *or* Beastman Brayherds *or* Orc & Goblin Tribes * **Trappings:** Woodsmans axe, Travelling clothes, Worker's leathers, Trade tools to match trade lores if applicable. * **Assets:** Hand cart *or* Secret hideout * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Axe for All Seasons:*** Years of work have made you frighteningly efficient with two-handed axes of all sorts. You gain +1 damage with Woodsmans axes, Halberds and Greataxes. > ##### Woodsmans axe > The woodsmans axe has exactly the same rules as a Pickaxe, and gives the same bonuses to gathering resources - though the resources it is suitable for gathering is obviously slightly different. ``` ``` ## Messenger _“If I’m out of breath, it’s bad news.”_ -- Lenka Hoff, Messenger ___ Messengers carry words across the land, whether in a noble’s sealed letter, a merchant’s ledger, or word of an invasion force. Memory and trustworthiness are their greatest tools, for even the fastest runner or rider is useless if they cannot be relied upon. Some work regular routes, while others are hired for dangerous or urgent errands, risking ambush, foul weather, or worse. The best messengers can vanish into a crowd or cut across country in ways no map could show.

##### The Dead Seal Every messenger knows to dread the “Dead Seal” — a letter marked with a cracked wax stamp showing no sigil, but in the vague shape of a skull. Such missives are said to come from those already dead, sent by necromancers or worse. Delivering one may lead you straight into the lair of the undead… or have something following you until it’s opened.

### Messenger (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Agility, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth, Recall, Charm * **Lore:** Literacy *or* Criminal Underworld *or* Military, Mountaineering *or* Waterways *or* Woodcraft * **Trappings:** Staff, Travelling clothes *or* Uniform, Concealing clothing * **Assets:** Rowboat *or* Secret identity *or* Map of the underground *or* Symbol of office * **Contacts:** The Common Folk and one of: The Great and the Good (if Literacy chosen), Comrades in Arms (if Military chosen), Wanderers and Wastrels (if Criminal Underworld chosen) * **Career talent:** ***Fleet of Foot:*** You are trained to run until your lungs burn and your legs ache, and then keep going. You gain +1d on Athletics tests made to Sprint, Flee, or Chase, Toil tests made to keep rowing for a long time, or Survival tests made to cross long distances. The bonus also applies to any test to control a boat, vehicle or mount. \page ## Militiaman _“We’re not soldiers. We just hold the line until soldiers get here.”_ -- Harn Bressiger, Militiaman ___ Militiamen are part-time soldiers — tradesmen, farmers, or labourers who take up spear and shield when their lord or town calls. Drilled just enough to stand in formation and hold a line, they rely on numbers and discipline rather than skill with a blade. Though often dismissed as little more than rabble, militiamen are the first defence against raiders, beastmen, and worse. In times of war, their ranks swell with anyone who can lift a weapon, whether they wish to or not.

##### The Lantern Muster The tradition began during the Month of the Beast in Wissenland, when a roving militia hunted a mutant werebeast that invaded homes and feasted on the families who lived there. Townsfolk and homesteaders alike were told to keep a lantern burning outside so the hunters could tell if they'd fallen victim to the beast from a distance. Ever since, a darkened door in muster-time is taken as proof the occupants have fled or turned renegade, and militia patrols will break in to make sure no danger festers inside. More than one “precautionary search” has ended in the occupants being marched off to the pyre for the good of the town.

### Militiaman (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Weapon Skill, Strength, Initiative * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Defence, Shooting, Toil, Athletics, Willpower * **Lore:** Military, Farming *or* Cooking *or* Smithing *or* Textiles *or* Custom trade lore * **Trappings:** Spear, Shield, Peasant's garb, Trade tools to match trade lore * **Assets:** Farm with grazing herd *or* Shop * **Contacts:** Comrades in Arms, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Mob Tactics:*** Alone, you’re just a villager. Together, you’re a wall of spears. When within Close Range of at least one ally, you gain +1d on Defence tests. Once per combat, you may grant the same bonus to all allies within Close Range for one round. ``` ``` ## Miller _“Flour’s white, but the trade’s dirty.”_ -- Viktor Graaf, Miller ___ Millers grind grain into flour, but that is often just the public face of their trade. Their mills — often set apart from the main village, near running water or on wind-swept hills — make excellent meeting places for those who value privacy. With carts and sacks moving in and out daily, it is easy enough to hide a parcel of stolen goods among the grain, or send a quiet message to someone far away. The most successful millers are shrewd and well-connected, knowing who owes what, who is hiding something, and who can be trusted to keep their mouth shut. They can arrange deals, move contraband, or make awkward problems disappear, all under the respectable cover of honest work. In most towns, the miller is someone to greet politely, deal with fairly, and never cross.

##### The Whispering Wheel There’s a watermill outside Kutenholz whose wheel creaks in time with speech, though no two folk hear the same words. Millers say you can ask it a question by tossing in a coin and listening as the wheel turn thrice - but if you listen for a fourth turn, you'll learn something you wish you hadn't.

### Miller (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Brawn, Toil, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics, Charm * **Lore:** Farming, Accountancy *or* Criminal Underworld *or* Waterways * **Trappings:** Knuckledusters *or* Staff, Peasant's garb, Worker's leathers * **Assets:** Mill, Hand cart * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Under the Millstone:*** People come to the mill not just to grind their grain, but to gossip, trade, and deal. You’ve learned how to listen without drawing attention. You gain +1d on tests to Scrutinise. Once per downtime, if you work your trade through the Prolonged Labours endeavour, you may automatically learn one useful piece of information — where the right goods are moving, who owes whom, or which hand’s in whose pocket. > ##### Millers are... criminals? > Inspiration was taken from the Kingdom Come: Deliverance game, where millers double as fences and information brokers. There seems to be at least vague historical basis of this, at the very least millers were reputed to have "golden thumbs" - cheating when weighing the flour. \page ## Miner _“The mountain gives, then takes, then takes again.”_ -- Dwalin Brokkson, Dwarf miner ___ Miners and quarrymen delve into the earth in search of coal, ore, gems, stone, and other treasures. The work is brutal, dangerous, and often poorly paid, with hazards ranging from cave-ins to gas pockets to the creatures that sometimes dwell in the dark. A miner’s strength lies not just in muscle, but in their knowledge of stone and soil, their ear for the groan of a shifting wall, and their nose for hidden seams. Among dwarfs, mining is an honoured craft; among men, it is a hard way to earn a living.

##### The Hollow Knock In the Grey Mountains, miners rap the tunnel wall three times before starting their shift. If the echo comes back hollow, they pack up and leave — even if it means losing a day’s wages. No foreman has ever convinced a crew to work through a hollow knock, and the few who tried are remembered only in whispered curses.

### Miner (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Dwarf or any Human. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Toughness, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Melee, Brawn, Toil, Endurance, Athletics, Willpower * **Lore:** Mountaineering, Subterranean, Blackpowder * **Trappings:** Pickaxe, Blasting charge, Worker's leathers, Climbing kit, Lighting kit * **Assets:** Powder house * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Blacklung Grit:*** A life breathing dust, smoke, and worse has hardened your lungs and body alike. You gain +1d on Toughness tests to resist fatigue, suffocation, or poison gas. Once per Session, when you would gain the Drained condition, you may ignore it instead. ``` ``` ## Muleskinner _“The mule knows more than you. That’s why it won’t move.”_ -- Rika Dorn, Muleskinner ___ Muleskinners drive and care for mule trains, guiding loads through rough terrain where wagons cannot go. They are patient, stubborn folk — much like their animals — able to coax a laden beast up a narrow mountain path or across a rushing ford. They are often found on the long, lonely roads between settlements, carrying goods across country which may sometimes be too dangerous for casual travel. They are often preyed upon by bandits, goblins and beastmen, and must learn to defend their caravans with steely eyed resolve - and to know when to flee.

##### The Stubborn March It’s said a mule will always balk three times before crossing into cursed ground. Muleskinners pay close attention to these stops, claiming they’ve avoided landslides, ambushes, and worse by turning back on the third refusal. Of course, some say a truly stubborn mule just wants to head home.

### Muleskinner (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Shooting, Toil, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Willpower * **Lore:** The Empire (or Kingdom of Bretonnia instead for a campaign set there), any two Provincial lores * **Trappings:** Dagger, Crossbow, Traveling clothes, Travellers pack * **Assets:** Mule Team * **Contacts:** Comrades in Arms, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Caravan Warden:*** You get +1d on any Survival or Awareness tests to spot or avoid ambushes and other danger on the road or in the wild, and you get +1d to Willpower tests to resist intimidation and other fear-based effects. As long as you are able to give it your full attention, you can always calm, control or drive a beast of burden without rolling a test. \page ## Ostler _“Feed the beast before the man. The man won’t throw you.”_ -- Lutz Pahl, Ostler ___ Ostlers care for horses and other riding beasts at inns, stables, and coaching houses. They feed, water, groom, and sometimes shoe the animals, making sure travellers’ mounts are ready when the road calls again. A good ostler can size up a beast’s health in a glance and spot a lameness before the rider feels it. They often hear more than they should, for many a traveller speaks freely when they think only the stable hands are listening.

##### The Night Shoe Stablehands in Stirland leave one horseshoe nailed upside-down on the stable door to “catch” any evil spirits before they get to the horses. The tradition says you must take it down before dawn or the luck will run out — and the next horse to leave the stable will throw its rider.

### Ostler (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Strength, Initiative, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Throwing, Toil, Endurance, Awareness, Athletics, Charm * **Lore:** Custom trade lore: Tackmaking * **Trappings:** Dagger, Peasant's garb, Tackmakers tools * **Assets:** Horse and Stables (brass version), Workshop * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Horse-Whisperer:*** You automatically succeed at controlling any mount you know well and gain +1d when handling unfamiliar mounts or animal-drawn vehicles. In combat, you may use the Improvise action to test Charm against an enemy rider’s Leadership to command their mount. On a success, you may force it to flee, buck its rider, or move to a zone of your choice for a number of rounds equal to your successes. > ##### Tackmaking > Tackmaking is the craft of creating, maintaining, and fitting saddles, harnesses, and other gear for riding and pack animals, mainly using leather and textiles. You also know how to shoe and care for horses, including treating common ailments. A rider of a mount cared for by someone with this trade lore gets +1d on their first test to control their mount each day. Tests using this Trade Lore are made with Toil. > ##### Horse and stables (Brass version) > The rulebook only details Silver and Gold tier Horses and Stables. At Brass tier, you may sometimes use a horse with your employer’s permission — or ‘borrow’ one in dire need. If discovered, you may lose access temporarily or even permanently. ``` ``` ## Pedlar _“One man’s junk is another man’s breakfast.”_ -- Olaf Kern, Pedlar ___ Pedlars travel from village to village with packs or carts full of goods, selling everything from pins to pots to simple spices. They bring rare items to remote places, often in exchange for food, coin, or barter. They often go into the cities for more specialized goods that they then peddle across the countryside, others have some trade skills that they use to repair goods for them that can't afford to buy new. Yet others trade in stolen goods. They are also bearers of news, songs, and rumours, for the road gives them a keen ear for local stories. Some are beloved for their bright chatter and bargains; others are less welcome, known for overcharging or passing off shoddy wares.

##### The Road’s Tongue Pedlars talk about certain crossroads where if you whisper your destination to the wind, you’ll meet someone there willing to buy what you have for twice the price. They never agree on which crossroads are lucky, and some claim the “buyers” aren’t quite human.

### Pedlar (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Survival, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics, Charm * **Lore:** Provincial lore (any one), City lore (any one) *or* Criminal underworld *or* Smithing *or* Concoction *or* Textiles *or* Custom trade lore: Tackmaking *or* Custom trade lore: Woodworking * **Trappings:** Dagger, Travelling clothes, Trade tools to match trade lores (if applicable) * **Assets:** Trade cart * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***The Open Road:*** Life on the road teaches you to survive, improvise, and avoid trouble, and that sometimes people are willing to part with valuables for the timely arrival of some scarce resource. You gain +1d on Survival tests while traveling, as well as tests to control Carriages. When you succeed at the Prolonged Labours downtime endeavour, you may choose to obtain a Silver trapping instead of starting the next session with extra coin. > ##### Woodworking > Woodworking is the art of creating and maintaining weapons, tools and objects predominantly made of wood, such as wooden shields, spears and staffs, furniture. While not truly specialized for it, it could also be used to maintain wheels and wagons and the like, though wooden buildings are outside its scope. Some engraving is also included in the skill, though the *Art* trade lore is required for anything very detailed or artistic. \page ## Prospector _“The gold’s never where you’re standing. That’s why I’m not standing.”_ -- Jannik Trollson, Prospector ___ Prospectors search for new seams of ore, veins of gold, or deposits of valuable stone. Their skill lies in reading the lay of the land and the signs in the rock, though luck often plays as much a part as knowledge. They are restless folk, driven by the promise of striking it rich. Many spend their lives chasing rumours, living rough in the wilds, and defending their claims from rivals and worse.

##### The Golden Goose Stone Prospectors along the upper Soll say that if you find a stone shaped like a goose’s egg in your pan, you’ll soon strike a vein rich enough to make you a lord. But the stone must be kept in your boot until you cash your first nugget — take it out too soon, and the gold will turn to worthless yellow slate before your eyes. A few old hands swear they’ve seen it happen.

### Prospector (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Dwarf, Halfling or any Human. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Initiative, Reason * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Toil, Endurance, Survival, Awareness, Athletics, Recall * **Lore:** Mountaineering, Custom Academic Lore: Geology * **Trappings:** Pickaxe, Sling, Travelling clothes, Hunting kit, Climbing kit * **Assets:** Mule Team *or* Secret Hideout *or* Map of the Underground * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Promising find:*** When you take the Prolonged Labours endeavour during downtime, in addition to the normal effects, replace one of the Brass coins you would start the next adventure with, with a Silver coin on a failure, og a Gold coin on success. Furthermore, once per session you can make an Awareness test you make *glorious.* > ##### Geology > The geology lore allows a character to distinguish common ores from precious veins, identify fault lines, and recognize which hills are rich in iron, coal, or copper. Their knowledge extends to the age and nature of rocks, the way rivers carve valleys, and the hidden dangers of caves and mines, such as unstable strata or the telltale signs of a coming collapse. ``` ``` ## Scribe _“If you can’t read it, I can make it say anything you pay me to have it say.”_ -- Gertrud Nohl, Scribe ___ Scribes make their living through reading, writing, and copying documents, from legal contracts to holy texts. In a largely illiterate world, their skills are rare and valuable, and those who possess them often work closely with local clergy, nobles, and guilds. The work may seem quiet, but a scribe can hold dangerous secrets. A misplaced word or a “lost” record can change fortunes or doom reputations, and the shrewdest scribes know exactly how much that knowledge is worth. In a rural village, a scribe may be the only person who can read or write, and their duties often go far beyond neat lettering. They record births, marriages, and debts for the local bailiff; copy letters for farmers with kin in distant towns - or read the replies; and draw up contracts for the sale of land or livestock. When disputes arise, the scribe’s word can carry surprising weight, for in a world where most folk cannot read the law, the one who holds the inkpot often shapes it.

##### The Quiet Ink Some scribes swear by an ink recipe that leaves words invisible until warmed by a candle flame. It’s technically banned by most guild charters after it was used to forge a will in Altdorf, but a few rural scribes keep the recipe for “private commissions.”

### Scribe (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Endurance, Dexterity, Awareness, Recall, Willpower, Charm * **Lore:** Literacy, Accountancy *or* Law *or* History *or* Arts * **Trappings:** Dagger, Burgher's apparel, Writing kit, Lighting kit, Trade tools for chosen trade lores (if any) * **Assets:** Temple *or* Library *or* Chancery * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Marginalia:*** When you present official documents, writs, or letters — genuine or forged — that pertain to the conversation, you gain +1d on tests to Persuade or Distract. Once per session, you may declare that you have a relevant document “on file” in your chancery or personal archives, provided it’s at all plausible. You get +1d on any tests to glean Insights from written texts. > ##### Brass tier Temple or Library > A brass character with the Temple asset simply works there. He has access to it, but no real say. The same is true for a library. In both cases the temple or library are likely small, or if they are larger the character's access is limited in some way. \page ## Seer _“I read the stars. They laugh. And laugh. And laugh.”_ -- Isolde Fenn, Seer ___ Seers claim to read the future in cards, bones, stars, or dreams. Whether truly gifted or merely skilled in showmanship, they are sought by those desperate for answers — or by the curious willing to pay for a glimpse beyond the veil. In some lands, seers are respected; in others, they are feared as witches or frauds. Even those who doubt their powers often hesitate to cross them, for no one wishes to invite ill fortune. While most seers earn their meagre income in a fortune-tellers tent, the more successful might become advisors to merchants or nobles, or even assist in criminal investigations. In lands where witch hunters are common, such as the Reikland, seers claim their visions come from the gods. While frowned upon by the clergy, the most successful "holy" seers might even become witch hunters themselves.

##### The Unblinking Hour Seers speak of the “Unblinking Hour” just before dawn, when even owls fall silent. They say any omen seen in that hour is certain to come true, though it will come in the worst way possible. More than one seer refuses to open their eyes before the sun is fully up.

### Seer (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Wood Elf or any human. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Initiative, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Endurance, Dexterity, Awareness, Willpower, Leadership, Charm * **Lore:** Visions, Criminal Underworld *or* High Society *or* Cult lore (any one) *or* Concoction * **Trappings:** Staff, Peasant's garb, Seer robes, Trade tools to match trade lores (if applicable) * **Assets:** Traveling stage *or* Market stall *or* Religious shrine *or* Secret identity *or* Symbol of office * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Read Fortune:*** When you Scrutinize someone while reading their fortune using cards, tea-leaves or a similar method in their presence, you may spend successes to ask these questions instead of the normal ones: What is their greatest crime? What is their darkest desire? What is their greatest weakness? What do they want me to say? > ##### Visions lore The visions lore represents strange visions, truthful dreams and omens gleaned from the flight of birds. You know how to perform card readings and other divinations, usually without any magical effect - but for a single round (or a few minutes outside combat) each session, you gain the benefit of any other lore of your choice, as you suddenly have strange insights you can't really explain. ``` ``` > ##### Seer robes > The seer robes are a Brass tier trapping that are made to attract attention and to let people know what you are. While wearing seer robes, people ignore your social status when setting expectations, instead expecting you to act mysterious, wise, inscrutable, and a little strange. ## Trapper _“The trap don’t care who steps in it.”_ -- Marek Foss, Trapper ___ Trappers set snares and pits to catch fur-bearing animals, supplying the trade in pelts, meat, and hides. They are skilled in moving quietly, masking scent, and reading the smallest signs of an animal’s passage. Much of their work is solitary, taking them deep into forests and swamps where few others go. In such places, trappers may be the first to see signs of trouble — raiders, beastmen, or worse — and the first to vanish if danger draws near.

##### Morr’s Knot In Talabecland, trappers sometimes tie a small loop of twine into the first snare they set, calling it “Morr’s Knot.” The knot is supposed to keep your trap from catching anything with a soul — though whether that means men, wolves, or worse depends on who you ask.

### Trapper (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Toughness, Initiative, Agility * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Brawn, Survival, Awareness, Dexterity, Athletics, Stealth * **Lore:** Mountaineering *or* Woodcraft, Provincial Lore (any one) * **Trappings:** Staff, Sling, Travelling clothes, Hunting kit * **Assets:** Secret hideout *or* Small but vicious dog *or* Market stall * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Rig traps:*** When you have a night’s respite or similar length of time to set traps in your vicinity in a wilderness or rural area, make a Dexterity Test. You rig a number of Zones equal to your number of successes. The traps are a Hazard (1) if lethal, or inflict the Prone and Burdened conditions if non-lethal. Creatures that enter the Zone can avoid the traps if warned beforehand, or if they pass an Awareness Test. Alternatively, you can rig a single zone with a more dangerous trap, representing a Hazard with a value equal to the number of successs you rolled - it inflicts a wound and the Defenceless condition. This trap will only go off once. The trapped individual can attempt to escape once per round with a Brawn test. > ##### What about the rat catcher? > The Rat Catchers traps are limited compared to those of the trapper, but they aren't limited to placing them in wilderness or rural areas. \page ## Vicar _“A vicar’s tongue saves more lives than a sword, and twice as many souls.”_ -- Vicar Beata of a temple of Shallya ___ Vicars tend to the spiritual needs of their flock, leading worship, offering counsel, and maintaining the rites of their faith. They are often the moral centre of a village or town, though not always above petty politics. Some are devoted shepherds of the soul, others more concerned with the wealth and influence of their position. A vicar with conviction can rally a community; one without it can ruin one. Vicars get an often meager stipend from their church to perform their work, but larger sums of money may pass through their hands as they are sometimes responsible for collecting the church tithe. For many such vicars, skimming the occasional coin for themselves can be too great a temptation.

##### The Empty Pulpit In some Sigmarite temples, one sermon a year left to an empty pulpit, with the congregation seated in silence. The custom is said to remind folk that Sigmar may speak in absence as well as in words. Cynics say it just gives the vicar a day off.

### Vicar (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Empire human. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Endurance, Awareness, Recall, Willpower, Leadership, Charm * **Lore:** Literacy, Cult Lore (your gods cult), Accountancy *or* Your gods favoured lore * **Trappings:** Staff *or* Dagger (if Ranald) *or* Warhammer (if Sigmar) *or* Axe (if Ulric) *or* Foot spear (if Myrmidia) *or* Sword (if Verena) *or* Longbow (if Taal), Peasant's garb *or* Burgher's attire, Trade tools to match trade lores (if applicable) * **Assets:** Symbol of Office (Priestly robes) (if not Ranald) *or* Secret identity (if Ranald) * **Contacts:** The Great and the Good, The Common Folk * **Career talent:** ***Voice of the Pulpit:*** You gain a rank of the Faith Talent (page 75). This means you gain the Favour of your god (see page 138). Furthermore, when you *Help* someone who respects your position as a holy leader, they get +1d to their task in addition to any you generate from the help action. ``` ``` ## Yarnspinner _“The tale’s free, the ending costs extra.”_ -- Greta Spinn, regular at the Horse & Ass tavern in Kemperbad ___ Yarnspinners are storytellers, entertainers, and keepers of tales, spinning fables for coin, food, or drink. They know how to hold a crowd, whether in a noble’s hall or a smoky tavern corner. They preserve history as much as invent it, weaving truth with embellishment until it is hard to tell one from the other. A good yarnspinner can make a hero from a scoundrel — or ruin a lord’s name with a single tale. Tall tales of local leaders and nobility are always especially popular, and any good yarnspinner knows how to make themselves scarce when their agents arrive.

##### The Tale That Eats Itself Storytellers warn of a cursed tale that begins and ends with the same line, trapping anyone who hears it in a loop until they go mad. No one agrees on the exact words, but everyone knows someone who’s “nearly” heard them.

### Yarnspinner (Brass) ___ * **Origins:** Any. * **Favored characteristics:** Initiative, Reason, Fellowship * **Skill bonuses:** +1 to four of the following: Throwing, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth, Recall, Charm * **Lore:** History *or* Cultural lore (any one), Arts: Storytelling * **Trappings:** Dagger, Peasant's garb * **Assets:** Travelling stage *or* Theatre *or* Mark of Honour * **Contacts:** The Common Folk, Wanderers and Wastrels * **Career talent:** ***Silver tongue:*** Your gift of gab lets you spin lies into truths and truths into legends. Gain +1d on Charm tests when embellishing, lying, or telling tales. When you successfully *distract* an individual or group using Charm, you also count as having Scrutinized them with one success - you know how to read your audience. > ##### Arts: Storytelling > The Arts trade lore requires a certain art form to be chosen. The art of Storytelling means you know how to weave a tale that holds an audience in rapt attention, through spoken word, song, and gesture. You can recall and recount myths, legends, and folktales from many lands, shaping them to suit your listeners. You are skilled at recognizing motifs, morals, and hidden meanings in the stories of others, and can critique their craft. You can adapt a tale to conceal or reveal truth, spin a convincing fiction, or embellish history with artful flourish. When retelling true stories, you know how to make the hero appear a villain, and the other way around. You do not need art supplies to ply this trade. \page # Changelog

- 2025-08-23: Initial release

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