Fighter, Noble

Having been surrounded  by fawning lackeys who see their every whim taken care of, many young nobles yearn for a life of danger and adventure and so begin learning the arts of combat  and battle.

The Quintessential Fighter

Author Matthew Sprange

Publisher Mongoose Publishing

Publish date 2002

Far from being the pampered heir to a noble title, such men and women seek to make their own name in the world, far away from the higher society they have come to detest. A few leave their previous life with the blessing of their parents who may themselves have joined an adventuring party when they were younger, but most do so in disgrace. Turning their backs on money and title, these young nobles quest to forge their own destiny in the world, through nothing more rewarding than hard work and facing the greatest of dangers.

Adventuring: Some nobles will begin their adventuring life through sheer boredom. Having sampled every delight to be offered by high society, they become jaded to the point where only the thrill of deadly combat serves to simulate their senses. Many such men and women will take the most foolhardy of risks, endangering themselves and others, just to retain the sense that they are truly alive. Other young nobles, rejecting the strident prejudices of their own society, will develop a strong code of honour that forces them to leave their title in order to protect those below them from the dangers of the world.

Role-Playing: Whether a thrill-seeker, or working to some lofty code of ethics, all nobles tend to be somewhat removed from the realities and day-to-day life of any other class. They simply have no frame of reference that allows them to truly understand what it is like to go hungry or to be forced to work for a living. This can lead them to make the most inappropriate of comments that can endanger themselves and their allies. Others in the adventuring party may well come to suspect that the noble does such things on purpose, merely to inject a little further excitement into the day.

Bonuses: Even an outcast from high society will retain many of the trappings and possessions that he has become accustomed to. The noble begins the game with 8d4 x 10 gp to spend upon starting equipment. This starting equipment is not subject to the penalty below.

Penalties: Having been born to a lifestyle many of a nation’s population have no idea truly exists, the noble must work hard to break the habits of a lifetime. Until he reaches 5th level, everything the noble purchases for himself must be of the highest quality. All equipment will cost him 20% more than its listed price, because he will simply not accept the basic items used by all others  he will insist his sword and scabbard are highly decorated, his clothes are of the finest material and that his horse if of strong breed. Once at 5th level, the noble becomes attuned enough with the ways of the world that he can accept the standard of living most endure, though many who have made their own fortunes still refuse to do so.