Player Character Social Class

Social class is extremely important in the Tablelands of Athas. Was your character born in the sandy wastes, a slave-tribe village, or a city-state? These optional rules allow a player to roll randomly for the social class that they were born into, or lived most of their youth in. It is possible for a character to be born into a free-citizen family, but raised in slavery to pay a debt. If that is the case, the character has a slave social class.
Some of the social classes may not be appropriate for certain races, such as a thri-kreen noble. The decision about what is appropriate for a character is ultimately determined by the DM.

Roll 1D10 to randomly determine a characters social class.
1. Noble
2. Templar
3. Merchant - Large Merchant House
4. Merchant - Small Merchant House
5. Merchant - Independent Merchant
6. Free-Citizen
7. Criminal
8. Nomad
9. Villager
10. Slave

1. Your character lived in the lap of luxury as a city-state noble. Your parents are nobles, or you were adopted into a noble family, which is very rare. In the beginning of the game, your character may not understand the struggles of normal, everyday people. You have more rights in a city-state of your choosing, such as the legal right to read and write.
You may start the game with double the normal starting money, or the free non-weapon proficiency, reading and writing.

2. Your character was raised in and around the templarate. Your parents were likely templars and you were raised with strict adherence to the sorcerer monarch. In the beginning of the game, your character likely believes the sorcerer monarch of a city-state, of your choosing, is god-like and infallible. You are generally known by the templars of a single city, for good or ill.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency, either etiquette or bureaucracy.

3. Your character was raised in the company of a large and well-known merchant house. Your parents might be guards, merchants, or any other of the myriad of positions in the large company. In the beginning of the game, your character likely believes that profit should drive all decisions.
You may start the game with contacts in a major trading house, or the free non-weapon proficiency, modern languages.

4. Your character was raised in the cut-throat company of an up and coming or declining merchant house. Your parents likely fill multiple roles in the company, as they scramble to overcome the obstacles put in their way by the larger merchant houses. In the beginning of the game, you are likely slow to trust and a bit paranoid about people's intentions.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency, orienteering or appraising.

5. Your character was raised in the company of an independent merchant. Your parents likely traveled well-known routes and traded in specific goods. In the beginning of the game, your character is something of a loner and has a difficult time looking for help from outsiders. Due to the prevalence of elven and thri-kreen raiders, your character may have a innate distrust of those species.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency, animal handling, bargain, or land riding.

6. Your character was raised as a free-citizen of a city-state. Your parents could have a large number of careers available to them. Your outlook on life will directly correspond to the employment chosen by your parents, but almost all free-citizens know to keep their head down and avoid templars.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency based up your parent's career choice. If your parent is a potter, your character will begin the game with the pottery non-weapon proficiency for free. DMs and players should work together to determine the appropriate non-weapon proficiency for the character.

7. Your character was raised in and around criminals. Your parents are likely pick-pockets or burglars, that steal in order to survive. Fleeing from guards or paying off law-enforcement is a common way to get out of trouble. In the beginning of the game, your character is likely to be selfish and expect everyone else to be the same.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency in bribery etiquette or running.

8. Your character was raised among nomads, who travel the wastes of the Tablelands. From single family units to small groups, nomads believe that the best way to stay safe, and free, is to always be on the move. Nomad characters may have escaped-slave, or adventurer parents. In the beginning of the game, your character is likely to get agitated when staying in a single location for more than one or two days.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency in a survival terrain of your choice, or water find.

9. Your character was raised in a village that is free of sorcerer-monarch control. Independent villages may be run by tyrants, or by committee. Villagers must be hardy and self-sufficient in order to survive. In the beginning of the game, your character is likely to distrust all city dwellers.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency, according to your job in the village. Choices include animal handling, bonecraft, carpentry, cooking, gardening, leather-working, pottery, stonemasonry, or weaving.

10. Your character was raised as a slave. Your parents are likely slaves as well, but you may not have known them. Your life has been hard and you haven't know autonomy for most of your life. Depending on your outlook, once freed, your character may begin the game being agreeable with everyone, or argumentative. Agreeable is likely if your character is still trying to learn what it is like to be independent. Argumentative is likely if your character is bitter and refuses to allow anyone to tell them what to do.
You may start the game with a free non-weapon proficiency according to the job you were assigned as a slave.
Roll a D12 to determine your slave station and your choice of non-weapon proficiency.
1. Artist: Painting, pottery, sculpting, weaving. 
2-3. Artisan: Bonecraft, brewing, carpentry, cobbling, leather working, pottery, stonemasonry, tailoring, weaving.
4. Concubine: Dancing, massage, musical instrument, singing.
5. Domestic: Cooking, etiquette, gardening.
6-7. Farmer: Agriculture, animal handling, gardening, weather knowledge.
8. Gladiator: Intimidation, massage.
9-10. Laborer: Mining, endurance.
11. Scholar: Ancient history, local history, modern languages, reading/writing.
12. Soldier: Charioteering, heraldry, or land riding.