So Askar (Urban Bravo), I'm building the background off of the 'literate trustworthy local with potential' idea for the kit and the idea that any class could do it so long as they were willing to be called upon by the local community to work as a guard or in a similar post:
Skills: History, Perception
Tools: Artisan Tools of Choice
Language: Language of Choice
Equipment: Characteristic Local Weapon, token of appreciation from community, a scroll case packed with poems and fables, common clothes, and a regional map
Patron: all Askars learn their trade and their first bread in the house of a local pillar of the community, pick one from the following list:
- Ancient House
- Martial Academy
- Pleasure Garden
- Established Security Consortium
- Nouveau Riche Official
- Respected Association of Legitimate Men of Business
- Wandering Master
- Local Guards
So: Suggested characteristics - I see two potential avenues:
I. Back-end Customization: Where the DMG lists Good, Evil, Neutral, Chaotic, or Lawful in parenthesis at the end of the Ideals list - Al-Quadim lists Honor, Family, Purity, Hospitality, & Piety at the end of the bonds list.
II. Full Modification, of which I think there are a number of potential schemes here is one:
A. Pure Al-Quadim - Replace each list with one of the major AQ Motives:
Honor = A list of public points of honor for which the character is known, replaces personality trait #1
Purity = A list of private (to family and friends as well as the character) points of honor along which the character's personal sense of honor is aligned, replaces personality trait #2
Piety = A list of spiritual obligations to which the character may be dedicated, replaces Ideal
Hospitality/Obligations of Salt & Bread = A list of major bonds or debts of hospitality, feud, or fealty that bind the character, replaces (obviously) bonds
Family/Status = A list of scenarios that explain the character's status within the bounds defined by the background and, thus, the stakes in the character's career and behavior felt by his or her family, replaces (less obviously) flaws.
So:
d8 x2, Once for Public Honor and Once for Personal Purity
- I believe anything worth doing is worth doing right - I'm a Perfectionist
- My Guard is never down.
- True patriotism is returning home.
- I'm well known for my work and want everyone to appreciate that. If I'm known for anything else it's as dreadful as not being known at all.
- I am so confident in my good character that I do not mind sticklers.
- I am so concerned for my good character that I am a stickler.
- Good technique is a question of character and vice versa.
- I let no challenge go unanswered.
d6 for Piety
- Community. No man is alone with the law. Duty to others is faith itself. (Law, Old Kor)
- History. To be ignorant of the past is to never pray for your father(s). (Neutral, Zann)
- Steadfast. To stand aside from the demon's path is to follow it. (Good, Hajama)
- Challenge. One does not pray for glory, one is prayerful in glory. (Chaotic, Najim)
- Mastery. The fool sees in discipline a rope, the master sees in discipline a tapestry. (Selan)
- Ambition. The champion does not exist for the city, but the city exists for the champion. (Evil, Jisan)
etc.