The Oceans of Contest are mostly civilised, despite the lawlessness of its oceans. Its people can choose from a variety of respectable jobs and live comfortable lives. However, due to travel being generally unsafe, even the mildest of citizens must learn to defend themselves.
This means most people are exposed to the thrill of fighting off a hungry monster or villainous bandit. An experience that terrifies some but sparks wanderlust in others. These folk that find unexpected excitement in fighting for their lives may very well turn to the life of an adventurer after this experience, proving that anyone, from any walk of life, really can become a hero.
In this blog, I’ll detail 4 new backgrounds available to a native of the Oceans of Contest.
Scholar
In the many universities and institutions of Mount Olympus, scholars research, experiment and innovate in their field of expertise. While not directly intended for such purposes, these efforts often instil an adventurous spirit in some scholars, tempting them out into the wild in search of knowledge.
As a person that leads with their mind and strives for answers, you have played your part in the uncovering of many of the Realm’s secrets. Your desire for knowledge might be what led you to take up the mantle of an adventurer or, perhaps, your trips into the field have allowed you to witness events you can no longer ignore. Whatever the reason, you have left the comfort of your labs and lessons, for the treacherous jungles and rolling oceans of an adventurer’s life.
When your life was consumed by scrolls and seminars, you had to place your focus on a specific topic. It’s your choice as to what you focused on and how much it influenced your decision to become an adventurer. It might be the primary reason, as you seek to expand your knowledge with direct interactions or it may be entirely unrelated. To help you decide what your academic focus was on, you may roll a D8 on the below table, or simply choose the option you like the most for your character:
| 1. The culture and customs of the other Realms of Veneon. | 5. The gods, their servants and all things divine. |
| 2. The history of your own or another Realm. | 6. Natural and unnatural creatures from your Realm or another. |
| 3. The geography of your Realm and archaeology projects within the Realm. | 7. Scientific experiments and research. Either your own or someone else’s. |
| 4. The mysteries of a Realm that are magical in nature. | 8. The psychology of humanoid creatures and their variance from one Realm to another. |
Feature: You excel at research and critical thinking. It takes significantly less time to gather information from written sources and you gain advantage on any checks to achieve such information.
Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A pot of ink and a stack of paper, A qualification on your topic of expertise, Academic robes from your previous school, Pouch containing 15gp
Suggested Characteristics:
With the popularity of being a scholar, all kinds of people take up the role. Some might feel they are simply doing their duty to expand their society’s knowledge, while some may feel entitled to some level of celebrity after a significant discovery. Whichever path you choose, you are a person that understands the power of logical thinking and research.
Personality Trait:
| 1. I find myself explaining how to perform even the simplest task to others. | 5. My excitement and eagerness to learn can be off-putting to others. |
| 2. I always back up my points with hard facts. | 6. I get frustrated when I’m ignored. |
| 3. I speak in facts, rarely ever stating an opinion. | 7. I prefer not to involve myself in recreational activities. |
| 4. Once I begin reading it’s very difficult to get my attention. | 8. I will never judge someone for not knowing something, knowledge is learned. |
Ideal:
| 1. Diligence: Any task worth doing, deserves proper care and attention. | 4. Education: A lack of knowledge is no excuse. Learn and succeed. |
| 2. Analysis: For the best chance of success, gather intel and make a plan. | 5. Progress: Push forward, for the risks are often worth the result. |
| 3. Innovation: Using the standard method is fine but new ideas should always be considered. | 6. Reiterate: The greatest problems require many attempts to solve. There is no harm in retreating and learning. |
Bond:
| 1. My student’s successes are my successes. | 4. I owe my striving nature to my teacher. |
| 2. My companions give me safety and I give them knowledge in return. | 5. I lost someone dear to me. If only I had the knowledge to save them. |
| 3. My parent’s passions are what inspired my own. I am deeply thankful to them. | 6. I have lost more than a few pets during my risky experiments. Unfortunate. |
Flaw:
| 1. I can be too analytical and make choices that others would see as morally wrong. | 4. I’m not experienced with the wilderness and my bookish nature can get me in trouble. |
| 2. I think my own goals are more important than the goals of others. | 5. I ask too many questions, some of which can seem rude or offensive. |
| 3. I’m a researcher, not a fighter. As such, I can be overly cautious in combat. | 6. I find relaxing activities an awful waste of time and shame others for doing them. |
Shamed Soldier
Whether you were a Spartan in the royal army, a mercenary hired to protect travellers, or a warrior in the service of a rich noble, your days as a soldier gave you the combat prowess and reactive mind perfectly suited to the life of an adventurer. The transition from soldier to hero was not a planned one, however. For reasons justified or otherwise, you shamed yourself as a soldier and were discharged from service.
After this dishonourable event in your life, for whatever reason, you took up the life of an adventurer. For some, this may have been a step towards regaining their honour, while others simply needed the money and acknowledged to overlap in skills. Your motivations for leading the life of an adventurer are your own.
Even after becoming a heroic adventurer, a key event in your life was the actions that resulted in your dismissal. This will have defined your future motivations and attitude. To help you decide why you were dishonourably discharged from service, you may roll a D6 on the below table, or simply choose the option you like the most for your character:
| 1. You fled from a battle that you deemed unwinnable and were accused of being a coward. | 4. You didn’t agree with a conflict you were ordered to participate in. Your refusal to fight led to your removal. |
| 2. You made the wrong call in the heat of battle and people died due to your mistake. | 5. You stole an item or piece of information from your superiors. |
| 3. You disobeyed a direct order and invoked the wrath of your superiors. | 6. You were severely injured and deemed unable to fight. |
Feature: The bonds you shared with your unit are hard to break. When dealing with military personnel, they may be willing to offer you subtle, if begrudging, help. This could be allowing you access to private locations or disregarding minor crimes they catch you doing.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Deception
Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (Land)
Languages: One of your choice.
Equipment: A badge or medal of military rank, The badge or medal of a fallen comrade, A set of traveler’s clothes, Pouch containing 10gp
Suggested Characteristics:
A common theme in the personality of a shamed soldier is, of course, shame. Some hide this well under a forced act of bravado, while for others it is plain to see their regrets. However they feel about their past, they are aware of their talent for violence and fast thinking and will use these skills to find great success in their future role as an adventurer.
Personality Trait:
| 1. I find myself eagerly looking for orders to follow. | 5. I refuse to talk about my past and will deflect attempts to discuss it. |
| 2. I always address people by their formal titles. | 6. I don’t handle embarrassment well. |
| 3. I always stand to attention and struggle to relax around others. | 7. I try to avoid making choices that affect other people’s lives. |
| 4. First and foremost, I am a protector and will take action to keep others out of harm. | 8. In combat my training takes over and I become difficult to speak to. |
Ideal:
| 1. Redemption: I will redeem myself for the wrongs of my past. | 4. Acceptance: The past cannot be changed and my worth comes from my future actions. |
| 2. Protector: Providing aid to those that need it is the true sign of a hero. | 5. Principles: To stand by what you believe in takes true courage. |
| 3. Strength: There is no situation I cannot overcome with my martial skills. | 6. Foresight: Analysis and preparation lead to success. |
Bond:
| 1. The memory of my fallen comrades shall not be insulted. | 4. I deeply regret letting down my superior officers. |
| 2. The men in my unit were the closest friends I’ve ever known. | 5. I joined the army to defend my family from any potential harm. |
| 3. My kingdom is my pride and I will uphold my patriotic nature always. | 6. I met the love of my life while I was a soldier but never got the chance to tell them how I feel. |
Flaw:
| 1. I can be overly protective of the people I care about and might overstep my place. | 4. I’m too strict with myself and don’t allow myself to have fun. |
| 2. I will never shame myself by retreating again. I would rather die fighting. | 5. I’m naturally defensive and become confrontational easily. |
| 3. I’m nervous about failure and tend to overthink dangerous situations. | 6. I am desperate to prove myself and might push others too far in the process. |
Pirate
Within the Oceans of Contest, pirates may well be the most common occupation. The three Pirate Lords rule over tens of thousands of pirates each, and many people from Athens or Scotos turn to piracy when their fortunes seem low.
As a pirate, adventure is simply part of the job. You travel the Realm visiting strange locations, you battle for your treasures, and you work well as part of a team. The change from pirate to adventurer really only means a change in objective or purpose. While before you explored and fought in the name of your Pirate Lord, now you do so for personal glory or to help those in need.
Your time on a ship has given you invaluable skills, yet your role on the ship might further define what these skills are. A navigator might become an excellent tracker, while a deckhand might be able to analyse how to best help the collective group. To help you decide what role you performed on your ship, you may roll a D6 on the below table, or simply choose the option you like the most for your character:
| 1. First Mate | 4. Navigator |
| 2. Deck Hand | 5. Chef |
| 3. Powder Monkey | 6. Quartermaster |
Feature: Your crew’s name holds weight in the oceans. While at sea or in a coastal town, people that know of your crew might be easier to intimidate.
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Acrobatics
Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (Aquatic), Dice games
Equipment: A piece of ‘cursed’ or ‘lucky’ treasure, An old treasure map, 50 feet of silk rope, A set of common clothes, Pouch containing 20gp
Suggested Characteristics:
More so than most, pirates can be highly diverse in their personalities and motivations. Some can be cruel, selfish and greedy, while others are inclusive, accepting and considerate. The skills they gain while committing these acts of piracy leave them well-suited to succeed in the life of an adventurer.
Personality Trait:
| 1. I joyfully indulge myself in alcohol and can get pretty sloppy. | 5. I always have an exaggerated tale of my time at sea when things are quiet. |
| 2. I work hard so that I can play hard when the work is done. | 6. I like a job well done, especially if I can convince someone else to do it. |
| 3. I never pass up a friendly wager. | 7. My language is as foul as an otyugh nest. |
| 4. My friends know they can rely on me, no matter what. | 8. I’m not particularly reliable when distracted by the promise of treasure. |
Ideal:
| 1. Respect. The thing that keeps a ship together is mutual respect between the captain and crew. | 4. Fairness. We all do the work, so we all share in the rewards. |
| 2. Freedom. The sea is freedom—the freedom to go anywhere and do anything. | 5. Mastery. I’m a predator, and the other ships on the sea are my prey. |
| 3. People. I’m committed to my party members, not to ideals. | 6. Aspiration. Someday I’ll own my own ship and chart my own destiny. |
Bond:
| 1. I’m loyal to my captain first, everything else second. | 4. In a harbour town, I have a paramour whose eyes nearly stole me from the sea. |
| 2. The ship is most important—crewmates and captains come and go. | 5. I was cheated out of my fair share of the profits, and I want to get my due. |
| 3. I’ll always remember my first ship. | 6. Ruthless pirates murdered my captain and crewmates, plundered our ship, and left me to die. Vengeance will be mine. |
Flaw:
| 1. I follow a plan, even if I think it’s morally wrong. | 4. Once I start drinking, it’s hard for me to stop. |
| 2. I’ll say anything to avoid having to do extra work. | 5. I can’t help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets I come across. |
| 3. Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. | 6. My pride will probably lead to my destruction. |
Athlete
Honoured throughout the Veneon as celebrities and the ultimate entertainers, athletes that compete in the world-famous Megáloi Agónes are doted on and revered by their fans. Many competitors die in the games so those that survive often live the remainder of their lives in ultimate comfort.
Some athletes, however, desire to use their well-trained body and competitive spirit for something more and after retiring from the games, turn to an adventurer’s life. The physical and mental training it takes to become a famous athlete perfectly lends itself to succeeding in this dangerous, new lifestyle. Their bodies are honed to become proficient fighters and their minds can handle highly stressful situations calmly.
The sport you competed in when you were an athlete will determine which skills you best utilise in your new life. To help you decide which sport you focused your training on, you may roll a D6 on the below table, or simply choose the option you like the most for your character:
| 1. Chariot Races | 4. Rock Throwing |
| 2. The Pankration | 5. Gladiators Arena |
| 3. Cliff Climbing | 6. Long Distance Running |
Feature: You are a household name to the people of your Realm but most people don’t know what you look like. If you convince people you’re who you say you are, they are more susceptible to giving favours in exchange for trivial requests.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Performance
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A bronze discus or leather ball, A lucky charm or past trophy, A set of traveler’s clothes, Pouch containing 15pg
Suggested Characteristics:
Competition can forge strong bonds between teammates and rivals or ignite bitter feuds that burn outside the arena. Athletes often apply lessons from their training to their lives in general.
Personality Trait:
| 1. I feel most at peace during physical exertion, be it exercise or battle. | 5. I love to trade banter and gibes. |
| 2. I don’t like to sit idle. | 6. Obstacles exist to be overcome. |
| 3. I have a daily exercise routine that I refuse to break. | 7. I get irritated if people praise someone else and not me. |
| 4. When I see others struggling, I offer to help. | 8. Anything worth doing is worth doing best. |
Ideal:
| 1. Competition. I strive to test myself in all things. | 4. Camaraderie. The strongest bonds are forged through struggle. |
| 2. Triumph. The best part of winning is seeing my rivals brought low. | 5. Tradition. Every game has rules, and the playing field must be level. |
| 3. People. I strive to inspire my spectators. | 6. Growth. Lessons hide in victory and defeat. |
Bond:
| 1. My teammates are my family. | 4. I strive to live up to a specific hero’s example. |
| 2. I will overcome a rival and prove myself their better. | 5. I will be the best for the honor and glory of my home. |
| 3. My mistake got someone hurt. I’ll never make that mistake again. | 6. The person who trained me is the most important person in my world. |
Flaw:
| 1. I indulge in a habit that threatens my reputation or my health. | 4. I ignore anyone who doesn’t compete and anyone who loses to me. |
| 2. Any defeat or failure on my part is because my opponent cheated. | 5. I must be the captain of any group I join. |
| 3. I’ll do absolutely anything to win. | 6. I have lingering pain from old injuries. |
Final Thoughts
Thanks for reading! I hope these 4 new background options help inspire some exciting new character ideas! Each one proves that anyone from any walk of life can become a hero if their life leads them down that path!
Veneon Reforged 
Leave a comment