Gladius et Aegis: Background Traits

This page gives several examples of Background Traits. This is far from an exhaustive list, but rather intended to give some guidelines as to how they might work.

Buried Identity

In the mortal world, your presented identity is either fake or non-existent.

• Benefits: Its harder for others to research you. Also, your true name is hidden, which is important protection from sympathetic magic.
• Drawbacks: A fake or absent identity presents some problems in modern society, and if you come under scrutiny you could land in legal trouble.
• Other Notes: Its very unlikely that the true identity is unknown to anyone. For Mages, for example, their true identity is normally known by their mentor.

Concordat Diligent

You have an excellent reputation for being strong adherent to the Shadow Concordat. (See A Secret World for more about this).

• Benefits: You can invoke the Concordat, and others will take you seriously, and will be likely to believe that you will hold to the Concordat. For example, if you invite an enemy to visit your home, and promise him hospitality under the laws of the Concordat, then they'll be more likely to accept that invitation, as they know that you'll hold to your word.
• Drawbacks: The Concordat can be used against you: for example, if a hated enemy comes to you and says that he is acting as an emissary, you'll have to hear his message, and offer him no violence or obstruction.
• Other Notes: There's no mystical prohibition against breaking the Concordat, but if word gets out that you have broken the Concordat )and you can't subsequently quash or refute that rumour) you'll lose this trait permanently. Also, several factions actively enforce the Concordat and consider themselves signatory to it as a whole, though Gladius et Aegis isn't one of them.

Faith Connections

You have connections and perhaps even status within a religious organisation.

• Benefits: You gain respect and contacts, especially within your own religion.
• Drawbacks: Your sense of connection and belonging means you feel morally responsible for protecting your connections.
• Other Notes: This trait might represent being an ordained priest, or just being a respected member of a congregation. It can also vary in scale, from being a noted member of your local church to being part of the Pope's inner circle.

Fame

You are famous in the mortal world.

• Benefits: Fame can open doors for you, or allow you influence beyond your social skills might normally allow. If you're a billboard-topping rock star, you can likely jump the queues at a nightclub, or get a restaurant reservation at short notice.
• Drawbacks: People are likely to know you (or think they know you) without you knowing them. Also, if you are famous enough, you may be under media scrutiny and hounded by papparazzi, which makes secretive action quite difficult.

Good friends

You have good friends that you trust and like, and who trust and like you.

• Benefits: Friends help you move, good friends help you move bodies.
• Drawbacks: Good friends are people you care about. This can be used against you. Also, when a good friend asks you to help, you help.
• Other Notes: You should define who at least some of these friends are when you take this trait.

Library of Lore

You have collected information (which may or may not take the form of actual library, or could be a password secured electronic folder of documents) regarding supernatural matters that goes far beyond your own personal knowledge.

• Benefits: You can carry out reference and research work in the library. Others might be willing to trade you services or resources for access to your lore.
• Drawbacks: Others likely covet your library, and may demand access to it or even attempt to break in or steal it. If you are not especially powerful or with powerful allies, you might find that others try to take control of the library as a whole, either with social pressure or physical violence.

Old Money

You have either inherited a fortune, or have a fortune that you made yourself before the modern era.

• Benefits: You have all the comforts an benefits that wealth bring.
• Drawbacks: With old money comes old obligations and old feuds. The GM can help you define these, which might be as simple as being an inherited debt to a demon or as complex as historical dirty secrets about how your family inherited the money, and the considerable embarrassment and inconvenience of these secrets being revealed.

Professional Role

You are an accredited professional in mortal society. For example, you might be a practicing medical doctor, a policeman or a lawyer.

• Benefits: Your professional status is recognised by mortal society.
• Drawbacks: Most professional bodies require active use of your profession and re-assessments to maintain your qualifications. Also, most have certain codes of conduct and disciplinary bodies.

New Fortune

You are rich, and the money has come to you through recent actions.

• Benefits: You have all the comforts an benefits that wealth bring.
• Drawbacks: New Fortunes likely require active work to maintain, or are associated with assets that you must protect. Perhaps you are the CEO of a major company, and you have to spend time dealing with the company's success. Perhaps you own a Michelin-star city restaurant which must be protected and maintained.

Web of Intrigue

You are immersed in the politics of the supernatural, both a player and a pawn in the power games of craft and influence.

• Benefits: You have connections to supernatural society, and there's a good chance that if you meet a supernatural NPC who also engages in intrigues, you'll know who they are and something of their (apparent) agendas. You might also be able to call in favours when needed, or recall tidbits of information that will let you manipulate others.
• Drawbacks: Engaging in the social world of the supernatural means that you too may owe favours, or have your secrets known to or hoarded by others. Sometimes, these favours will get called in. Of course, you can disregard these owed boons, but at your peril, as word can quickly get out that you can't be relied upon, and you'll find it much harder to gain or call in favours in future.
• Other Notes: On first encountering an NPC in story, the GM will decide whether the Intriguer knows them or not, and what the relationship is. A competed Socialisation test can retrospectively establish who is in whose debt overall.