Caravaneer (Character Kit)

Caravaneer
Description: The caravans of the great merchant houses are the lifeblood of Athas, carrying goods, news, messages, and slaves from one city to another. The caravaneer is a character who makes a living in these roving islands of civilization amid the desert wastes. He is a skilled guide and trader, and in many cases a smuggler and a fence. Each new village or town, each new oasis or desert tribe holds the promise of wealth and fortune. Caravaneers are infamous rogues who appear again and again in the legends of Athas as untrustworthy, avaricious characters who think nothing of cheating on a deal. This is only part of the truth about these wanderers.
Characters of any race may be caravaneers, but dwarven caravaneers find that a life of simple thievery does not make up a focus. Thieves and traders may take the caravaneer kit; if the optional thief ability rules of the Dragon Kings volume are used, the thief caravaneer has the abilities of Forge Document, Bribe Official, Pick Pockets, Open Locks, Move Silently, Hide in Shadows, Detect Noise, and Read Lan- guages. Caravaneers may be of any align- ment and have no special ability prerequisites.
Role: The caravaneer is an arranger. If he is a thief, then he is a thief who relies on cons, swindles, short-dealing, and smuggling. He rarely resorts to actual acts of theft like burglary or brigandage. In short, he is a very traderlike thief. If the character is a trader, then he is a dirty trader who prefers to avoid declaring all of his imports and who seems forgetful of bargains he makes in other words, a very thieflike trader.
The caravaneer is a character with his ears and eyes open for opportunity. He is at the heart of the action, on the front lines of the mercantile wars of Athas. The caravaneer can prove to be an excellent plot vehicle for a Dungeon Master, as he constantly hears interesting rumors and seeks out new ways to get rich quickly.
Weapon Proficiencies: Since he is often called upon to defend the caravan against raiders, the caravaneer is required to be proficient in at least one weapon that can be used in mounted combat and one weapon that can be used in missile combat.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus: Appraising, Land-based Riding, Bargaining.
* Recommended: Animal Handling, Cooking, Direction Sense, Etiquette, Fire- building, Weather Sense, Disguise, Local History, Reading Lips, Alertness, Information Gathering, Looting, Observation. 
Equipment: No special requirements. Special benefits: Caravaneers may sign on with a caravan of their choice, receiving an appropriate wage to accompany the caravan in some capacity scout, guard, purchasing agent, officer,
etc. Generally, the wage and the position is commensurate with the characters level. A wage of about 1 cp per week per character level is appropriate, but as the character reaches higher levels the DM should increase the characters financial share in the venture by appointing him as an offi- cer or senior agent in charge of the caravan. (Caravaneers of the trader class actually own some amount of goods and rent space on a caravan to transport their wares.)
The character is always guaranteed to receive shelter, food, water, and trans- portation to any common crossroads, trading stop, or city-state in addition to  his wages. The character can also arrange  for the hiring of one companion per two lev- els, although the companion may have to settle for a guards or laborers position.
Caravaneers are master smugglers and can conceal caravan goods of up to 50 lbs. per level so that they will not be discovered in the caravan during routine searches. Intensive searches require the rogue to make a roll against his Intelligence, with a modifier applied for the amount of preparation the character makes. Smuggling a small pouch of gems in an armored wagon is nearly fool proof; smuggling an escaped slave in the packs of a kank is much more difficult.
Caravaneers understand the life of trade and the people who can be found interacting with caravans. When dealing with merchants, other caravan persons, or innkeepers and stablemasters who deal with caravans, the caravaneer gains a +3 on his reaction checks.
Special Hindrances: Known as scoundrels and gossips, caravaneers are often perceived as untrustworthy and avaricious. The character suffers a -3 penalty on his reaction check when placed in a situation where he is trying to win the trust of an NPC other than those with whom he receives a positive reaction check. For example, an elven chieftain may be perfectly willing to buy and sell goods with a caravaneer, but he would never give the caravaneer a secret message or package to carry.
Wealth Options: Caravaneers begin play with the normal amount of money for their class. The accumulation of wealth is of great importance to the cara- vaneer character and he rarely, if ever, abandons riches or gives away money he has no use for.
Category:Character Kit
Category:Character Kit Dragon Magazine