Common Folk

Common Folk are, unsurprisingly, the most common station in life. These are the masses of people who are not distinguished by noble blood, inherited wealth, or a special calling that sets them apart.

Varying as much as the professions with which they occupy themselves, common folk are typically identified by the work they do. Often finding themselves pawns in the machinations of those who consider themselves their betters, commoners generally look after one another in tight circles of trust. Commoners are a great background for most professions and character concepts that do not fall within another background.
Skill Proficiencies: Choose one from Animal Handling, Athletics, Insight, Nature, Perception
Languages: Choose one standard language.
Tool Proficiencies: One tool or instrument proficiency.
Equipment: Common clothes, a tool kit or instrument of your choice, a small drawstring pouch, and 10gp.

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Villager

You hail from a small settlement like many others, populated mainly by subsistence farmers and local craftsmen. Common villagers look out for their own, typically because few would be willing to represent them. While lesser nobility regard you with disdain, fellow commoners recognizegenerous with their hospitality, provided there is enough to go around. They may request a few hours of light labor in exchange for short stays, if the host is a landholder. Commoners are also willing to share information with their peers that they would withhold from people of higher stations.
Skill Proficiency: Insight
Additional Equipment: An iron pot, a shovel, a tinderbox.

Local Gossip

Upon spending an hour speaking to other commoners, and completing a medium-DC Wisdom (Insight) check, you can learn of rumors, political intrigue, or other gossip related to a subject of your choice. This includes jobs and information people tend to hide from the authorities.

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Entertainer

Entertainers thrive in the spotlight, relishing applause and delighting in the fanciful. Entertainers are expert performers able to enthrall, inspire, and delight their audiences with a range of artistic displays. Their poetry captivates, speaking to the depth of human emotion in portraying sadness, love, or joy. Their music likewise enlivens or stirs sorrow. Their dance steps are nimble and cheering, and their humor is often tailored to their audience, whether low-born or noble.
Skill Proficiency: Performance
Additional Equipment: An instrument of your choice, colorful performer's clothes, and a tuning fork.

Find Fandom

Upon spending an hour performing and speaking to locals, and completing a medium-DC Charisma (Performance) check, you can find a contact among the local community leaders, such as village elders, tavern owners, and other well respected common folk. This contact begins as friendly to you and will answer questions you have regarding life within the town, local news, and public opinion.

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Merchant

Merchants are the lifeblood of trade, and can be found anywhere from hawking goods in local marketplaces, to having established their own stores selling artisan wares. Merchants typically belong to a Merchant’s Guild, and pay a yearly sum to register for protection by local law enforcement, though this varies by province. Merchants buy, sell, and trade wares of all sorts, knowing not just the price of everything but how to haggle that price up or down at will.
Skill Proficiency: Investigation
Additional Equipment: An abacus, a quill and ink pot, an empty inventory record, fine clothes.

Appraisal

Upon spending an hour examining a subject, and succeeding on a medium-DC Intelligence (Investigation) check, you can accurately appraise the value of a particular item or good such as art, or a natural resource. If you do so within a settlement, you can also find the most profitable location to sell the item or goods.

The information regarding the ranks of these professions as well as your holdings and how to progress are in the book and can be requested from the GM.