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.

Dev Blog

1. #18: CHARACTER TRAITS AND BACKGROUNDS
2. #39: PROGRESS UPDATE – BACKGROUND AND TRAIT ICONS, ESCORTING CARAVANS, FINAL LET’S PLAY EPISODE
3. #49: PROGRESS UPDATE – CHARACTER BACKGROUNDS, GOBLIN PREVIEW, VISUAL MAKEOVER CONTINUED