Noble

You come from a family with hereditary power. Since you’re taking up a life of adventuring, it’s quite likely that you’re a second child or more distant heir with no vast inheritance to look forward to. You’ve got to make your own way in the world with only your years of training from armsmasters and private tutors, your many rich relatives and friends, and your not inconsiderable personal wealth.

How rich and powerful is your noble family? Will the titled head of the family help you out of trouble? What is your family’s coat of arms or heraldic symbol?

Ability Score Increases: +1 to Strength and one other ability score.

Skill Proficiencies: Culture, History, and either Animal Handling or Persuasion.

Tool Proficiencies: One gaming set.

Languages: One of your choice.

Suggested Equipment (Cost 16 gold): Fine clothes, signet ring, writ detailing your family tree.

Feature: High Society. You know of—or personally know—most of the noble families for hundreds of miles. In most settled areas you (and possibly your companions, if well-behaved) can find a noble host who will feed you, shelter you, and offer you a rich lifestyle.

Adventures and Advancement. Your family may ask you for one or two little favors: convince this relative to marry a family-approved spouse, slay that family foe in a duel, serve under a liege lord in a battle. If you advance your family’s fortunes, you may earn a knighthood along with the free service of a retinue of servants and up to 8 guards .

Noble Connections

1. Your perfect elder sibling to whom you never seem to measure up.
2. The treacherous noble who slaughtered or scattered your family and is now living in your ancestral home.
3. Your family servant, a retired adventurer who taught you more about battle than any fancy dueling master.
4. The foppish friend you carouse with.
5. The common-born sweetheart that your family forbid you from seeing again.
6. The fugitive head of your family whose rebellion caused your family’s lands to be seized and titles to be redistributed.
7. Your foe, the heir of a rival house, with whom you have dueled twice.
8. The crime boss to whom your family is in massive debt.
9. The scion of an allied family to whom you were betrothed from birth.
10. The eccentric knight for whom you trained as a squire or page.

Noble Mementos

1. A shield or tabard bearing your coat of arms.
2. A keepsake or love letter from a high-born sweetheart.
3. An heirloom weapon—though it’s not magical, it has a name and was used for mighty deeds.
4. A letter of recommendation to a royal court.
5. Perfumed handkerchiefs suitable for blocking the smell of commoners.
6. An extremely fashionable and excessively large hat.
7. A visible scar earned in battle or in a duel.
8. A set of common clothes and a secret commoner identity.
9. IOUs of dubious value that were earned in games of chance against other nobles.
10. A letter from a friend begging for help.