Carpenter (5e Background)

Carpenter

A 16th Century Carpenter. (From Pfister Paul, Amb. 317b.2 ° Folio Mendel II)

You were a skilled craftsman, experienced in the cutting, shaping and building of wooden structures. You worked for a guild or company assembling large buildings, ships and bridges, or perhaps you were self-employed, specializing in smaller crafts like cabinetmaking or furniture building. Carpentry is a well respected and honest trade, and carpenters take pride in their craft, which is often some of the most grueling yet most rewarding work available to common folk. How did you become a carpenter, and how long did your career last? How did you acquire your skills? Did you undergo some sort of training or did you learn through experience? Did you have a mentor or did your enter the trade on your own? And what led you to abandon your craft? Were you enticed to leave the simple life behind by the allure of adventure? Has poor business forced you to seek a new profession? Did you simply grow bored of your life as a carpenter?

Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Investigation

Tool Proficiencies: Carpenter's tools and one type of gaming set or a simple muscial instrument

Equipment: A set of carpenter's tools, an ink pen, a bottle of ink, 10 sheets of vellum, a set of work clothes or common clothes, a wooden trinket, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.

Specialization

The trade of carpentry spans a wide array of disciplines. Be it building chairs or building war vessels, every carpenter answers to a specific calling.

d6	Specialization
1	Cabinetmaker. You did fine and detailed work specializing in the making of cabinets and other furniture.
2	Shipwright. You worked assembling seafaring vessels of all types and sizes.
3	Luthier. You made a living creating and repairing stringed instruments.
4	Framer. You designed and constructed the wooden framework of large buildings.
5	Log Builder. You built houses, churches, barns and other structures with intricately stacked wooden logs.
6	Cooper. You were trained to make wooden barrels, casks, buckets and other containers.

Feature: Artisan's Eye

Years of skilled work experience has given you an appreciation for the subtle complexities of everyday life. You are a good judge of quality when it comes to wooden objects and structures, and are quick to notice the use of specific materials, building styles and techniques. You have innate sense of size and scale, and are able to accurately estimate measurements with just a glance.

Alternate Feature: Laborer's Calluses

Your hands bear the clear signs of a working man. These are marks that show other working men you know of their plight and have bore your share of toil in this life. People of working class and blue-collar professions can see similarities between yourself and them, making them easier to befriend and talk to. They are not going to be fawning over you and offering you lodging, but they would be more willing to talk to you about local gossip and even their own daily misgivings as a fellow class comrade.

Suggested Characteristics

Carpenters, like any artisans, can be hardworking but prideful, dedicated but greedy. The best and worst of the common man's traits can be found among them.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I like to talk at length about the history of carpentry.
2	I won't take a break until things are just how I want them.
3	I believe a working song can always make a long day shorter.
4	Anyone who touches my tools without asking has got it coming.
5	I never work too far from my hometown, I don't want them to miss me.
6	It always makes me smile when my customers are satisfied.
7	I'm constantly forming new designs in my head.
8	I can't help but scoff at amateur craftsmanship.

d6	Ideal
1	Simplicity. The life of the common man is bliss. (Neutral)
2	Diligence. Hard work is its own reward. (Any)
3	Greed. I’m only in it for the money. (Evil)
4	Tradition. I know my purpose in society and serve it well. (Lawful)
5	Charity. I take pride in providing shelter and wares for those in need. (Good)
6	Artistry. Wherever the creative spirit leads, I follow. (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	I owe my mentor a great debt for forging me into the person I am today.
2	I will get revenge on the evil forces that destroyed my place of business and ruined my livelihood.
3	One day I'll prove my greatness to my colleagues.
4	I love my apprentice like my own child.
5	I come from a long line of carpenters and hold a deep respect for my family tradition.
6	The workshop where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me.

d6	Flaw
1	I’m horribly jealous of anyone who can outshine my handiwork. Everywhere I go, I’m surrounded by rivals.
2	I'm too proud to cooperate with people of lesser skill.
3	I'm very unwelcoming towards new members of my trade.
4	I'm obsessed with my craft, and my loved ones suffer for it.
5	The simple life will never satisfy me, I long for a life of wealth and power.
6	I have a history of shady business dealings.

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