Common Folk: Merchant (Advanced) (TP)

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 10 gp.

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.

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.

You work as a bookkeeper for a local merchant. You keep records of sales and the purchase of new inventory, balance the merchant's ledger, and make sure they are maintaining a modest profit margin. You aspire to become the proprietor of your own store selling rare and desirable items.

Holdings:

• A small back room in a shop, which serves as an office and doubles as your sleeping quarters.
• A leather-bound ledger book containing the accounting methods of your mentor and teacher.

Progression: Acquire a loan, or save up funds, and find a suitable shop or storefront to start your own business.

You have struck out on your own to seek your fortune, opening your own shop in the marketplace. You begin to cultivate a reputation as a keen appraiser, providing fair prices to customers both buying and selling. You balance the books yourself, taking care to ensure that you do not fall into debt through risky investments.

Holdings:

• A quaint store or shop front, in which you sell your specialized goods.
• A clerk who maintains your store and runs it on a day-to-day basis in your absence.

Progression: Own and maintain multiple successful businesses simultaneously.

You have become a business mogul, opening a chain of successful stores. You are wise or exceptionally lucky in your investments, and your risks have proven profitable, while maintaining an amicable relationship with both customers and fellow Merchants. Your fortune is more secure now that it comes from several different kinds of businesses.

Holdings:

• A series of successful businesses spanning multiple industries, and a network of suppliers.
• A senior position in the regional Merchants Guild, including networks and guild benefits.
• Teams of skilled and unskilled hirelings who work to keep the day-to-day operations of your businesses running smoothly.

Progression: Defeat your largest competitor by driving them out of business, buying them out, or merging your businesses.

You have been appointed Guild Chancellor of your Merchant's Guild. You oversee the membership of new merchants, approve regulation prices and supply, and provide protection for caravans, goods, and stockpiles for guild members under your chancellorship.

Holdings:

• A Trade Certificate signed by your Monarch, granting you an exclusive right to sell certain specialist goods in your area.
• No other business within may trade in this commodity without your consent.
• Complete control of the regional Merchant Guild you originally joined.
• A trade empire containing many businesses and subsidiaries, each serving your interests.

Profession Dice are the in-game advantages provided to characters by their background profession. Characters can add their Profession Die to skill or ability checks according to any Talents they have selected. In addition, a character always adds their Profession Die when rolling for Profession Abilities. A character's Profession Die is determined by their rank, and shown in the table below:

Profession Die Table:

Talents are unique dispositions, experiences, or characteristics your character has picked up due to their time working in their profession. This is represented by allowing characters to add their Profession Die in unique situations that highlight the skills gained through their profession. A character may select a Talent from their corresponding Talent list when they select their profession, and select an additional Talent whenever they rank up within a profession.

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check to train or direct orders to a beast, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) check to determine the properties of animals, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make an Intelligence (Nature) check to determine the properties of plants, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Strength (Athletics) check to lift, drag, or shove a heavy object, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Charisma (Intimidation) check while issuing a command to an individual of lower rank within your background, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Constitution check to determine if you will throw up, pass out, or how severe a hangover is, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide or blend into a crowd of humanoids that share your background, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Charisma (Performance) check to entertain Aristocrats, Common Folk, or Seafarers, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival) check to determine the weather for the next 48 hours, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) or Wisdom (Perception) check to cheat at a game or catch someone else cheating, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Insight) check to detect if an Aristocrat or Criminal is lying, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Constitution check for a repetitive task such as marching or laboring for hours without rest, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a vehicle check, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

Whenever you make a Wisdom (Survival) check to find a path or avoid getting lost, you can add your Profession Die to the roll.

When you make a Strength (Athletics) check to force open a door or container, you may add your profession die to the roll.

When you make a Wisdom (Survival) check to construct a temporary shelter, you may add your profession die to the roll.

When you make a Charisma (Performance) check to fake an illness, injury, or other condition, you may add your profession die to the roll.

When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince an Aristocrat, Criminal, Militarist, or Clergy that you are not a threat or beneath their notice, you may add your profession die to the roll.

When you make a Charisma (Persuasion) check and you are interacting with members of your background, you may add your profession die to the roll.

When you make a Charisma (Deception) check to feign ignorance and you are interacting with an Academic, Aristocrat, Clergy, or Militarist, you may add your profession die to the roll.