Mercenary Recruit

Every year, the hopeful strive to earn a place in one of the great mercenary companies. Some of these would-be heroes received training from a mercenary company but needed more training before gaining membership. Others are full members but were selected to venture abroad to gain more experience before gaining a rank. You are one of these hopeful warriors, just beginning to carve your place in the world with blade, spell, or skill.

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Persuasion

Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set

Equipment: A letter of introduction from an old teacher, a gaming set of your choice, traveling clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Feature: Theoretical Experience

You have an encyclopedic knowledge of stories, myths, and legends of famous soldiers, mercenaries, and generals. Telling these stories can earn you a bed and food for the evening in taverns, inns, and alehouses. Your age or inexperience is endearing, making commoners more comfortable with sharing local rumors, news, and information with you.

Suggested Characteristics

Recruits are eager to earn their place in the world of mercenaries. Sometimes humble, other times filled with false bravado, they are still untested by the joys and horrors awaiting them. Meaning well and driven to learn, recruits are generally plagued by their own fears, ignorance, and inexperience.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am thrilled by the thought of an upcoming fight.
2	Why wait until I’m famous to have songs written about me? I can write my own right now!
3	I know many stories and legends of famous adventurers and compare everything to these tales.
4	Humor is how I deal with fear.
5	I always seek to learn new ways to use my weapons and love sharing my knowledge.
6	The only way I can prove myself is to work hard and take risks.
7	When you stop training, you sign your own death notice.
8	I try to act braver than I actually am.

d6	Ideal
1	Respect. To be treated with honor and trust, I must honor and trust people first. (Good)
2	Discipline. A good soldier obeys orders. (Lawful)
3	Courage. Sometimes doing the right thing means breaking the law. (Chaotic)
4	Excitement. I live for the thrill of battle, the rush of the duel, and the glory of victory. (Neutral)
5	Power. When I achieve fame and power, no one will give me orders anymore! (Evil)
6	Ambition. I will make something of myself no matter what. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	My first mentor was murdered, and I seek the skills to avenge that crime.
2	I will become the greatest mercenary warrior ever.
3	I value the lessons from my teachers and trust them implicitly.
4	My family has sacrificed much to get me this far. I must repay their faith in me.
5	I will face any danger to win the respect of my companions.
6	I have hidden a map to an amazing and powerful magical treasure until I grow strong enough to follow it.

d6	Flaw
1	I do not trust easily and question anyone who attempts to give me orders.
2	I ridicule others to hide my insecurities.
3	To seem brave and competent, I refuse to allow anyone to doubt my courage.
4	I survived an attack by a monster as a child, and I have feared that creature ever since.
5	I have a hard time thinking before I act.
6	I hide my laziness by tricking others into doing my work for me