Ashtown: roles

roles

player roles

Each player picks a role that their character plays in the story, based mostly on the character's job. A character's role will dictate the types of contacts the character can rely on, the clues they receive, and how they fit into the society.

Players are free to pick any race or class as long as they can make it work. While the characters can be of any alignment, all characters are required to respect the lives and fate of Ashtown's citizens. Their shared history makes them citizens of Ashtown first, class/race/alignment second. Now, concerning those beyond the portals, that's a different matter.

"The Investigator"

Job: investigates crime

insightful
observant

Motivation: justice will be served

Within the Party: all other characters connect with this one

the game master plays a senior investigator
player characters might be more connected to the game master's character, so characters might treat this on like a proxy

"The Reporter"

Job: writes a gossip column

wants to let people know being imperfect isn't the same as being evil

Motivation: entertain the masses

embarrassing the nobility keeps people from getting mad at them

Within the Party: follows the investigator to find the scoop

also supplies tips and clues

Optional: is also a priest and works for the temple

it's the temple who publishes the news as a way of building community
so it's the temple that doesn't want to embarrass the nobles

"The Brawn"

Job: loads and unloads caravans

sometimes called upon by the city guard, who make a lot of fuss but aren't actually good in a fight (they mostly just point their crossbows at people)
since he works by the gates, he knows about people coming in and out of town

Motivation: find ways to get into fisticuffs

preferably without landing in jail

Within the Party: follows the investigator around because trouble follows him

"The Crook"

Job: Fence

not very bright and gets into trouble a lot
finds things out from cell-mates

Motivation: run the real thieves out of town

Within the Party: frequently used underworld contact used by the investigator

tries to get things going on the side with other characters, especially the wizard and the traveler

"The Mysterious Traveler"

Job: information broker

he sells business opportunities within the city (knows demand)
travels a lot, so people passing through town might know him (for better or worse)
snappy dresser and can speak eloquently to the wealthy or with slang to the less refined

Motivation: keep the money moving around

Within the Party: hangs out with the investigator because crime is often caused by demand

"The Wizard"

Job: runs a trinket shop

doesn't want for money, so it's almost always closed (running joke)

Motivation: find new and interesting aspects of the universe

Within the Party: used for his knowledge of weird and arcane things

magic and and the weird things wizards might be up to
monsters

Optional: might refer to his shop as his "lab"