[Rq-rules] *** JUNK MAIL ***Re: Background Experience

[postmaster at runequest.za.org]

> >
> Which makes sense as having adults begin at 15 or 16 is a modern idea.
> Children were apprenticed out in the Middle Ages at an early age and
> taught a profession. In the past, when life expectancy was very low,
> people mated in their very early teens when puberty started, which is when
> they effectively became adults.
>
> I'm not so sure about being in a randomly rolled profession. That might be
> OK if you are using the "give me any character and I'll play it" mode, but
> doesn't really fit the "my character has a detailed backstory" mode.
>
> See Ya
>
I concur, although one could also see the exp your gain in "your parents"
profession as being apprenticed. So maybe your characters parents were
farmers, but you were lucky to be prenticed off to the smith, so you would
gain smith skills until 15... However, at the ame time, if the scenaruio
fit where the character was cast off into the world or such much earlier,
then yes, once should also be allowed to give him the more general type
learning which may come his way. Thinking this way, the way I have written
up my campaign worlds orcs would pretty much fit becasue they do tend to
leave home (be kicked out) and go "adventuring" (try find something to eat
while getting enough rep to return home) at a much earlier age.
Ciao
Tony