You ran a small shop, market stall, or similar business, buying from suppliers and selling on to others. You navigate markets and interactions, working to bring people closer together with what they need, or at least what they want.

Why did you step out from behind the shop counter? Is the business still going? Who tends to it while you’re away?

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

Skill Proficiencies: Insight and one other of your choice

Tool Proficiencies: One of your choice

Suggested Equipment (Cost 9 gold): common clothes, abacus, merchant’s scale, common clothes.

Feature: Let's Make a Deal. You gain an expertise die on ability checks made to barter, sell, or trade for goods.

Adventures and Advancement. Once you have found a way to effectively ply your trade while being an adventurer and gained a degree of prestige, you can choose to join a guild or do your own business. If you join a guild, you gain the Guild Business feature from the Guildmember background. If you continue on your own, you have an ongoing business that provides you with a poor or modest lifestyle, depending on how good business is. At the Narrator’s discretion, this business may eventually take the form of a shop-type Freelinking: Node title stronghold does not exist .

Connection and Memento. Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.

Shopkeeper Connections

1. Your best customer who you always looked forward to seeing.
2. One of your longest-standing workers.
3. The neighbor of your shop or stall in the market.
4. One of your suppliers who always treated you especially well.
5. A guild master who denied your application to join.
6. A local politician who you traded favors with under the table.
7. A particularly adroit rumormonger, always eager for gossip.
8. The mentor you took over the shop from.
9. The local eccentric you relied on for appraising odd finds.
10. The disreputable landlord who evicted you on false pretenses.

Shopkeeper Mementos

1. A small dog you used to guard your stand with its strident barking.
2. The piece of cheap jewelry you accepted in lieu of payment from the parent of a sick child.
3. A journal recording all the best finds that passed through your shop.
4. A reference book for the product your business specialized in.
5. A pipe that you would appreciate during long days.
6. An intricate puzzle box you would hold precious finds in.
7. A false purse filled with caltrops, to ward off pickpockets.
8. A set of fine cloth gloves for handling delicate materials.
9. The first coin you earned in your business.
10. An antique that you paid a pretty penny for, but cannot recall why.

Whether for an upstanding bank, a riotous tavern, or a criminal organization, you made a living by cracking skulls and looking menacing.

Why did you leave this life? Do you still owe anyone anything? Was there anyone who begrudges you for your past work?

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

Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation and either Athletics or Insight

Tool Proficiencies: one type of gaming set

Languages: One of your choice

Suggested Equipment (Cost 8 gold): traveler’s clothes, brass knuckles, club, dice set, 5 flasks of oil, signal whistle

Feature: Eye for Violence  You can make an Insight roll to determine whether a creature within 90 ft that you can see is armed or has what appear to be spellcasting components. You will not necessarily know what they, specifically, are armed with, but have a broad impression.

Adventures and Advancement. On account of your powerful physique, intimidating manner, or pitiless reputation (or all three!), you may be sought out by various criminal factions to help keep the peace, settle disputes, or supervise negotiations. Even some members of the guard may surreptitiously come to you about certain problems they can’t address legally. Eventually the status and wealth of those who seek your particular brand of problem solving will increase.

Connection and Memento. Roll 1d10, choose, or make up your own.

Local Muscle Connections

1. The fence you saved from an unruly customer.
2. A childhood friend who always urged you to put your strength towards more peaceful ends.
3. A member of the group of urchins you ran with when you were young.
4. The member of the city watch who tried to convince you to go straight.
5. The tavern keeper who gave you a discount on meals in exchange for dealing with brawls.
6. A religious figure who tried to teach you the good word.
7. An older criminal who taught you some tricks of the trade.
8. A crime boss who offered you a big break—before betraying you to the watch.
9. Corrupt city official who helped you get out of scrapes.
10. A rival that you always competed with for plum jobs.

Local Muscle Mementos

1. A mastiff or other intimidating beast.
2. A holy symbol given to you by a well-meaning priest.
3. A mask, scarf, or similar piece of clothing that served as your trademark on the job.
4. A flask or wineskin that you would take sips from on long nights.
5. An old, wrinkled, piece of parchment of your first wanted poster.
6. A brooch you were once bribed with to look the other way, but can’t find when you mean to sell it.
7. A ring, the only item left entirely untouched from a house fire you set.
8. Mark of membership in a gang or thieves guild that is long defunct.
9. A handmade bracelet of string from someone you made a promise to.
10. A good luck charm you took from someone you shook down. Can it really be that lucky?