Courier

You are a courier who is no stranger to travel. Perhaps you are a messenger for a powerful organization in your home city, or perhaps you are an independent agent whom people call upon when they absolutely need an item to get from one place to another. In any case, you make your way in the world by transporting things, be they goods, information, news, or even people, from one place to another. You may ply your trade solely within the city walls of a sprawling urban center, or you may range across continents and oceans to fulfill your mission. Perhaps both. Whatever your expertise, you specialize in getting things where they need to be quickly and safely.

Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Athletics

Tool Proficiencies: One of your choice from: Navigator’s Tools, Land Vehicles, or Sea Vehicles

Languages: One of your choice

Equipment: A satchel, a set of traveler’s clothes, a trinket or souvenir from your travels, and a pouch containing 10 gp.

Feature: Shortcuts

As a courier, you are expected to deliver your charges swiftly and without fail. As this is your profession, you have developed a sense for how to get through familiar territory efficiently by putting your knowledge of both local shortcuts and obstacles to work. When traveling for an hour or more under your own power or via a vehicle with which you are proficient, you and anyone travelling with you may either travel 25% faster than normal or require 25% less distance traveled to reach your destination. The GM may choose either option as appropriate for the situation. You may only use this feature if you are personally familiar with the specific area through which you travel; secondhand knowledge of an area is insufficient to gain the benefits of this feature.

Fleshing Things Out

Some questions to consider when determining how this background applies to your character: How did you get started as a courier? Are you independent, or do you work for someone else, perhaps an organization of some type? If you do have an employer, what is the nature of your relationship with them? Do you specialize in moving a particular type of product? Do you have any rules as to what kind of missions you will consider? Which geographic areas are you most familiar with? How much of the world have you seen?

You should also consider what caused you to take up the role of an adventurer. Are you still a courier? If not, what happened to end your career? Did your current mission set you on the path to adventure? Are you between jobs looking to pick up a new contract?

d8	Personality Trait
1	I welcome a difficult task.
2	I collect a keepsake from every place I’ve been.
3	I look for the silver lining in every situation.
4	I love meeting new people.
5	I pity people who have lived in the same place all their lives.
6	I can’t resist telling or hearing a good story.
7	Being a staunch realist has kept me alive this long.
8	I hate nothing more than wasting time.

d6	Ideal
1	Duty. I am bound to fulfill my errand by any means necessary. (Lawful)
2	Freedom. Only when in motion am I truly free. (Chaotic)
3	Impartiality. I don’t care what the job is or whom it’s for. (Neutral)
4	Exploitation. Those who trust me to keep their secrets safe from prying eyes are foolish to have such trust. (Evil)
5	Reputation. One way or another, I will be known for what I do. (Any)
6	Service. I am honored by the trust people place in me. Service is its own reward. (Good)

d6	Bond
1	Nothing is more important to me than my current mission.
2	If I say I will do something, I’ll let nothing stop me.
3	My courier days will end as soon as I have enough money to settle down.
4	I have family at home waiting for me between trips.
5	The call of the road or the sea is irresistible to me. I can’t settle down anywhere for long.
6	The journey is its own reward. I don’t care where I’m going, as long as it is an adventure.

d6	Flaw
1	I frequently find myself committed to more tasks than I can handle.
2	I have a hard time prioritizing anything ahead of my own pleasure.
3	I can’t resist exploring somewhere I’ve never been when the opportunity arises.
4	The more secret my cargo, the more desperately I have to know what it is.
5	Boredom is my greatest enemy. I will do anything to avoid it.
6	Sometimes my packages don’t make it where they are supposed to go, especially if they are valuable or interesting.