Step 3: Backgrounds
In the Empire of the Crescent Moon, few ever pick
their own life path, Often, a citizen's career is set
before him, laid out by his family and station in life.
Your Hero is probably no different. Your Backgrounds
represent what your Hero did before the game begins.
‘Was he trained to be an artist or a soldier? Did her
parents send her to sea to learn the life ofa sailor?
Perhaps he was raised with a wandering troupe of
‘actors, jugglers and other performers. Or, maybe she
was born into a life of luxury as one of the Crescent
Empires many nobles. This is not where your Hero
‘ends up, but iis where he started.
Backgrounds represent your Hero’ past. Perhaps
she was a sailor, performer, or even an Assassin. A
Hero is not defined by her past, but it does help shape
who she becomes.
Backgrounds give you a few things that make your
Hero distinct from others.
Restrictions: Some Backgrounds have restrictions.
‘Make sure you follow these; they are a part of your
Hero’ story.
‘Quirk: Backgrounds come with a Quick, a person-
ality traic common among people ofthat Background.
IF you act in accordance with a Quirk from your
Background, you gain a Hero Point. You may only
gain a Hero Point from a particular Quirk once
per session.
‘Advantages: Backgrounds give you Advantages.
Advantages are abilities most Alwarithh never get. If
your Background lists an Advantage, you may add
that Advantage to your Hero Sheet at no cost.
Skills: Each Background also gives you a set of
Skills, which begin with 1 Rank. Skills are specific
bonuses for specific tasks. Like Traits, Skills have
Ranks that tell you how many dice they give you. A
Skills Rank can only go as high as 5.
Two Backgrounds
ick two Backgrounds from the following lst.
You get all of your Backgrounds’ Advantages.
If you have duplicate Advantages, take another
Advantage of the same point cost, your choice.
‘You get 1 Rank in all your Backgrounds Skills. If
you have duplicate Skills,add 1 more point (fora total
‘of 2 points) to the duplicate Skil,
Caner
Cony
Once you were lost and alone. Nobody should ever go
through sucha tal
om
am a Hero Point when you go out of your way to save
another character fom Wolton,
Advantages Skills
{Cast ron Stomach Aim
Handy Athletics
Reckless Takedown Hide
Notice
Saling
‘You know how to wield your words a ably as any Duelist
swings a sword.
Quirke
Ear a Hero Point when your insistence on protecting or
expanding your reputation gets you into trouble.
@
Reputation Empathy
Rhyme and Verse Intimidate
Perform
Scholarship
TACTICIAN
For you, chessis chil’ play.
Quirks
Ear a Hero Point when you successfully disarm the threat
cof awar (large or small without resoring to battle
_ Advantages _ — Skills _
Experienced Commander Aim
Reputation (Tactical) Convince
Empathy
Ride
Warfare
een
Gold and gtering prizes await Best go find them
Quirks,
Ear a Hero Point when your hunger for are trinkets, lost
artifacts ora siilar treasure gets you into trouble
_ Advantages _ Skills
ot Ie ‘Athletics
Nerves of Stee!" Hide
Notice
Scholarship
Theft
(eof Sc fod in Para NATIONS
‘7THSEA:THECRESCENTEMPIRE 155al
nea
“There is magic inthe beauty ofthe world, and you seek to
reflect in your own work
eu
Earn a Hero Point when you use your Sorcery to bring
‘comfort to the disenfranchised or the downtrodden,
ores
EE ane
You have climbed the mountain, ret the Guardian and
visited the Garden to become an Assn
oan
Eam Hero Point when a problem could be easly soled
by murder, but you finda less Bloody solution,
‘Advantages “Skills Advantages
“The Old Traditions ‘Convince ‘Cover Name
Sorcery (Art ofthe Empathy tve Been Walting for This
Second Prophet) Hide Sorcery Naware)
Sorcery (Art ofthe intimidate
Second Prophet) Scholarship
Diplomacy is weakness. Show the world the might of your
people in the only way possible—batte
Quirk
Ean a Hero Point when your insistence on a martial
solution to a problem backfires and causes you trouble.
Advantages Skills
Never Say Die Athletics
Well Read Intimidate
Notice
Warfare
‘Weaponry
Pere)
‘While you have distanced yourself from the savagery of.
four kin, the thirst for glory stil sings in your heart.
Quirk
Earn a Hero Point when you involve yourslfin a confit
solely forthe gory it wil bring
tage Skills
Remember My Name ‘Athletics
‘Skirmisher Brawl
Hide
Scholarship
Warfare
Seiad
‘The path to enlightenment isnot the same for everyone,
butitis road you walk everyday.
Earn a Hero Point when you help another character
achieve a moment of enlightenment, clarty ora
Similar breakthrough,
Advantages Skills _
‘The Old Traditions Convince
Osda Empathy
Reputation Invimidate
Scholarship
Tempt
156 CHAPTER? | ADVENTURING IN THE CRESCENT EMPIRE
Ee
To destroy nature i an affront to Theus, whose greatest
and most beautiful arti the world itself
Quirk
Eam a Hero Point when you defend a natural wonder or
protect the natural world from destruction.
Advantages _ Skills
Direction Sense Iehletics
Masterpiece Crafter Empathy
Survival Hide
Notice
Ride
a)
You have experienced a hundred deaths. You seek to
prevent others from having the same experience
Quirk,
Earn a Hero Point when your commitment saving
someone else from witnessing the horror and pain of
death causes you trouble.
Sorcery (Nawaru)
Ec
inorder to tive, all must work together. tis your task to
persuade others to the truth of ths,
Quirk
Eam a Hero Point when you successfully persuade a group
of people to aid their neighbors with a problem that does
fol rectly affect them
MisunderstandingPoaceae
Es
For the honor of the immortals! For the honor of Persil
Q
Earn a Hero Point when your commitment to protecting
the reputation ofthe Immortals gets you into trouble.
Staredown Notice
Ride
Warfare
Weaponry
You have a great responsiblity to the word, entrusted to
‘you by the Auras.
Earn a Hero Point when your connection to the Ahuras
becomes known and complicates a problem, rather than
solves:
Z ages
Sorcery (Khahesh-ahura) ‘onvince
Sorcery (Khahesh-ahura} Empathy
Well Read Intimidate
Scholarship
‘Weaponry
Pe
‘Down with the Shaht
‘Quirk
Earn Hero Point when you tll someone in authority
cexacly what you think oF him, even when you rely
Shouldn't
= ages,
Delay che Inevitable Brawl
Slip Free Empathy
Team Player Hide
Intimidate
Theft
Brea
You have studied atthe feet of Fuzeh, one ofthe
greatest Kavi of modern times.
arma Hero Point when you turn a rival into an ally,
student or friend.
_Advantages_ Skills
Kwa Dama Convince
Linguist Intimidate
Rhyme and Verse (Dama) Perform
Scholarship
Tempt
Bina
CNN
‘You are one ofthe elite ofthe Sarmion military. There are
some problems so dangerous that only you should face
them=alone
Quite
ama Her Point when you choose to take ona problem alone,
inoréerto protect others fom the tas’ potential ange”.
Advantages Skills _
Reputation ‘im
Student of Combat* Athletics
Hide |
Notice
Weaponry
CHAYALIM
You were trained in Sarmion as light infantry, skied in
sword and bow alike.
Q
Earn a Hero Point when you defy your superiors, refuse
‘obey orders or similarly buck authority in order to do what
you thinks right
‘Advantages
Perfect Balance ‘ims
Quick Reflexes (Weapon) Achleties
Brawl
Ride
Weaponry
PMs
Elohah made 12 promises to the world Part of your task is
to ensure they are kept.
Q
Earn a Hero Point when you keep a promise that it would
be to your advantage to break
Convince
Sorcery (Chozeh) Empathy
Sorcery (Chozeh) Notice
Scholarship
Tempt
Patients are stubborn lat, but not as stubborn as you
Quirk
Earn a Hero Point when you coerce, persuade, threaten,