Chaque mercenaire possède un background, background qui indique ce que le personnage faisait avant d'intégrer la compagnie. Untel pouvait être mendiant, qui traînait ses guêtres de ruelle en ruelle, ou untel pouvait être chevalier errant, qui ne pliait le genou devant rien ni personne.
Il existe en tout 51 backgrounds. Le background influence les attributs et traits de départ du mercenaire, et détermine son coût de recrutement (auquel il faut ajouter le prix de l'équipement allant avec) et son coût d'entretien de départ.
Enfin, certains backgrounds conditionnent certains évènements.
Liste des Backgrounds
Background
Traduction
Description
Daily Wage
Spécial
Adventurous Noble
Noble aventureux
Adventurous nobles tend to have high resolve and melee skills, but often neglect ranged defense.
26
Apprentice
Apprenti
Apprentices tend to be eager for knowledge and learn faster than others.
9
+10% Experience Gain
Bastard
Bâtard
Bastards often have profited from some training in melee fighting.
15
Beggar
Mendiant
Beggars aren't the most determined persons, and living on the street tends to be detrimental to their health.
4
Bowyer
Facteur d'arc
Bowyers tend to have some knowledge about how to use the ranged weaponry they used to craft.
9
Brawler
Bagarreur
Brawlers are unmatched in unarmed combat, and physical exercise tends to leave them in good shape.
11
+100% Damage when unarmed
Butcher
Boucher
Butchers are used to bloodshed.
8
Caravan Hand
Caravanier
Caravan hands are used to long and exhausting travels.
9
Cripple
Infirme
The only thing swift about a cripple is his expected demise in a real battle.
4
Is always content with being in reserve
Cultist
Cultiste
Cultists have a resolve to spread further their cult that is second to few.
5
Daytaler
Journalier
Daytalers are used to all kinds of physical work, but don't excel in any.
7
Deserter
Déserteur
Deserters have received some martial training, but usually aren't eager to put it to use.
15
Is always content with being in reserve
Disowned Noble
Noble renié
Disowned nobles often have profited from some training in melee fighting at court.
21
Eunuch
Eunuque
The fact that eunuchs can't sire children is probably a secondary concern for a mercenary company.
7
Farmhand
Fermier
Farmhands are used to hard physical labor.
9
Fisherman
Pêcheur
Fishermen are used to physical labor.
8
Flagellant
Flagellant
Flagellants have a high resolve in what they do, and a high tolerance for pain, but their work has often left their bodies scarred for life.
6
Gambler
Joueur
Gamblers tend to have quick reflexes and a higher resolve than their opponents at the card table.
7
Gravedigger
Fossoyeur
Gravediggers are used to physical labor and handling the dead.
6
Graverobber
Pilleur de tombes
Graverobbers are not faint of heart.
7
Hedge Knight
Chevalier errant
Hedge knights are competitive individuals that excel in fighting man against man with brute strength and heavy armor, but less so in cooperating with others or in swiftness.
41
Historian
Historien
Historians are studious individuals with vast amounts of knowledge, none of it any use on the battlefield.
9
+15% Experience Gain
Houndmaster
Maître-chien
Houndmasters are used to handle dogs of war.
8
Wardogs unleashed by this character will start at confident morale
Hunter
Chasseur
Hunters are used to expertly hunt animals with bow and arrow, and traverse the woods on their own.
16
Juggler
Jongleur
Jugglers need to have good reflexes and hand-eye-coordination for their profession.
8
Higher chance to hit head (+5%)
Killer on the Run
Tueur en cavale
A killer on the run may kill again, and he knows where to aim.
7
Higher chance to hit head (+10%)
Lumberjack
Bûcheron
Lumberjacks are used to hard physical labor. And axes.
14
Mason
Maçon
A good mason is used to physical labor and studying to improve his craft.
9
+5% Experience Gain
Messenger
Messager
Messengers are used to long and tiring travels.
7
Militia
Milicien
Anyone that's been in the militia will have received at least some basic training in matters of combat.
9
Miller
Meunier
A miller is used to physical labor.
8
Miner
Mineur
A miner will be used to physical labor, but breathing in the dusty air of the mine may have taken a toll on his health over the years.
8
Minstrel
Ménestrel
A good minstrel will sing a saga to inspire the men, play the flute to calm them, or entertain them with poetry around the camp fire. A lute is not a weapon, however, and minstrels are often not used to physical labor or bloodshed.
7
Monk
Moine
Monks tend to have a high resolve in what they do, but are not used to hard physical labor or warfare.
6
Peddler
Colporteur
Peddlers are not used to hard physical labor or warfare, but they do excel at haggling for good prices.
7
Poacher
Braconnier
Poachers tend to have some skill in using bow and arrow to hunt down rabbits and the like.
9
Raider
Pillard
Any raider that survived so far will have some expertise in fighting.
31
Ratcatcher
Ratier
Ratcatchers need to have quick reflexes to catch their prey.
5
Refugee
Réfugié
Refugees lack the conviction to fight for their homes, but they are used to long and exhausting travel by now.
5
Retired Soldier
Soldat retraité
Retired soldiers tend to have decent experience in warfare, and their resolve is not easily broken. However, their age may have taken a toll on their physical attributes.
16
Sellsword
Épée à louer
Sellswords are expensive, but a life of warfare has forged them into skilled fighters.
41
Servant
Serviteur
Servants are often not used to hard physical labor.
5
Shepherd
Berger
Shepherds are used to physical labor.
7
Squire
Écuyer
Squires usually have received some training in warfare, and often have a high resolve to excel in what they do.
21
Swordmaster
Maître d'armes
A swordmaster excels in melee combat like no other, but may be vulnerable at range. Age may have taken a toll on his physical attributes and may continue to do so.
51
Tailor
Tailleur
Tailors are not used to hard physical labor.
6
Thief
Voleur
A good thief will have quick reflexes and the ability to evade any captors.
11
Vagabond
Vagabond
Vagabonds are used to long travels, but don't excel in anything in particular.
7
Wildman
Sauvage
Wildmen are used to the hard life of the wild where only the strong prevail. They are less used to the life of cities, where the astute and deceitful rule.
11
-15% Experience Gain
Witchhunter
Chasseur de sorcières
Witchhunters tend to have some martial experience, and their resolve often remains unbroken even in the face of unspeakable horror.
14
+20 Resolve at morale checks against fear, panic or mind control effects
Compagnon
Compagnon est un background à part disponible uniquement pour les trois mercenaires de départ. Chacun est généré semi-aléatoirement.
L'un possède toujours :
une lance et un bouclier
une bonne résolution, attaque mêlée, défense mêlée et défense à distance de base
deux étoiles pour les points de vie, une étoile pour la fatigue et la résolution
L'autre :
une hache à deux mains
beaucoup de points de vie, une bonne résolution et attaque mêlée de base
deux étoiles pour l'attaque mêlée, une étoile pour la résolution et la défense mêlée
Et le dernier :
une arbalète
une bonne résolution et attaque à distance de base
deux étoiles pour l'attaque à distance, une étoile pour l'initiative et la défense à distance
Il est impossible de recruter d'autres compagnons et chacun possède un coût d'entretien de départ de 11.
Daily Wage
Le daily wage, ou coût d'entretien, est la somme d'argent que demande quotidiennement le mercenaire pour ses bons et loyaux services. Il est déterminé initialement par le background puis par le niveau, à raison d'une augmentation de deux couronnes par augmentation de niveau.
Le non-paiement de ladite somme entraîne une baisse de l'humeur voire à terme une désertion en bonne et due forme. Certains traits(disloyal, greedy) sont plus sensibles au non-paiement que d'autres (loyal).
Pour aller plus loin
Pour aller plus loin, voici le lien d'un tableur qui indique les attributs moyens de chaque background : backgrounds et attributs.