Backgrounds and Statuses

[Kaiseress Semisa I]

Backgrounds are one of two things: they are your job prior to the start of the game, or they are the job your parents had that you grew up around. These modify a number of Skills (and in some cases, Personal Attributes), but the finer points haven't been determined yet.

Statuses have a more immediate effect on your character. They stem from the same list as Backgrounds, but they do not affect currently held Skills. Instead, they affect social reactions.

Basically, a Background is where you come from; a Status is what you are.

This is what I've come up with so far:

Peasants
Peasants differ from other backgrounds in that they work to maintain themselves through the products of their labors. Peasants usually come from bartering communities, rather than from money-based ones.

• Peasant (Farmer)
• Peasant (Medic)
• Peasant (Innkeeper)
• Peasant (Smith)
• Peasant (Shepherd)

Merchants
Merchants make their living by selling something--food, clothes, weapons, themselves. If you sell something, you're a merchant.

• Merchant (General)
• Merchant (Marine)
• Merchant (Livestock)
• Merchant (Traveling)
• Merchant (Arms)
• Merchant (Fence)
• Merchant (Clothier)
• Merchant (Jeweler)
• Merchant (Trapper)
• Merchant (Gambler)
• Merchant (Cook)
• Merchant (Tailor)
• Merchant (Prostitute)

Outlaws
Outlaws make their livings by breaking laws, whether it be robbery, thievery, murder, or piracy.

• Outlaw (Pirate)
• Outlaw (Rebel)
• Outlaw (Thief)
• Outlaw (Bandit)
• Outlaw (Mercenary)

Priests and Paladins
Priests and Paladins make their livings serving a god or goddess. Note: Hunters of the Stag and Knights of the Burning Claw are listed as their own groups as they technically serve Cedrist principles but are different enough (and have their own isolated community) to warrant separation.

• Priest (Cedrist) (God)
• Priest (Soloralist) (God)
• Priest (Treesian Unorthodox) (God)
• Paladin (Cedrist) (God)
• Paladin (Soloralist) (God)
• Paladin (Treesian Unorthodox) (God)
• Hunter of the Stag
• Knight of the Burning Claw

Nobility
Nobility are those members of society who rule over fiefdoms or are granted Knightships by the Kaiser.

• Nobility (Count)
• Nobility (Baron)
• Nobility (Duke)
• Nobility (Bloodline)
• Nobility (Knightly Order)

State-Employ
Those of State-Employ are members of society given jobs within the government.

• Minister (Ministry)
• Director (Ministry)
• Praetor
• Steward

Traveler
Travelers are those who make their living roaming the lands of Shireroth.

• Traveler (Messenger)
• Traveler (Bard)
• Traveler (Wanderer)

Military
Members of the military receive training, and as such receive their own background. Military training supercedes other backgrounds, except in certain cases.

• Military (Army)
• Military (Navy)
• Military (Air Force)
• Military (Magic Divison)
• Military (SHINE)

Special Cases
The following are special cases, to be treated different from other backgrounds.

• Technomage (Guild)
• Elemental Mage (School)
• Artist (Performer)
• Artist (Studio)

This may be expanded should the need arise, or people point out I've missed something.

[AngelGuardian93]

Military doesn't HAVE a magic division...


But other then that, this sounds good. I am interested.

[Fax Celestis]

Going to edit in clarifications.

Yeah, I know the military doesn't have a magic division, but I figure it would if it could.

[Fax Celestis]

Peasants
Peasants differ from other backgrounds in that they work to maintain themselves through the products of their labors. Peasants usually come from bartering communities, rather than from money-based ones.

Peasant (Farmer)
A farmer works the land to provide a living for himself and his family. A farmer may have livestock, but the majority of his income comes from plants.

Peasant (Medic)
A medic is something of a village healer, making their living by providing medical services to villagers or their animals.

Peasant (Innkeeper)
Innkeepers maintain an establishment to provide entertainment for travelers and villagers. This includes bars, inns, pubs, brothels, theaters, et al.

Peasant (Smith)
Smiths create tools for the community to use, up to and including farming implements, tools, and in some cases clothes.

Peasant (Shepherd)
Shepherds differ from farmers in that they live off of primarily animals instead of plants.