1. One Ally, of moderate influence and power
2. Two Allies, or one more powerful Ally
3. Three Allies,or fewer Allies of correspondingly greater power.
4. Four Allies,or fewer Allies of correspondingly greater power.
5. Five Allies, or fewer Allies of correspondingly greater power.

Arcane
Some people, for reasons unknown, often have a mystic ability to avoid the limelight. This frustrating quality can sometimes interfere with your friends, who often have a difficult time finding you. In large part this Trait relects the inscrutable connection to the universal unconsciousness. Characters with high Arcane ratings tend, for example, not to show up to clairvoyance or similar effects. They are not invisible - the spell just seems to slide across the character's mentality. The character leaves little leave little to no paper trail, so they may not be on tax files, even though they have paid their taxes on the dot for years. Each point of Arcane renders it more difficult for enemies of the character to make sure they are talking about the same person. Assassination attempts meant for the character may be misdirected toward the wrong person, sometimes to the chagrin of the character's companions. Whenever another being attempts to locate the character, or information about them, subtract the Arcane rating from the opponent's Perception to judge the extent of the opponents confusion. A result of less than one means the opponent has no hope of finding the chracter. Characters may also add her rating in Arcane to their Stealth dice pool. Note that this Background is not synonymous with invisibility; it is more akin to "clouding minds" and does not, for example, protect the character in combat. Arcane may be consciously dampened by the character, allowing people to find her more easily.

1. Easy to overlook
2. Where did he go?
3. Very difficult to follow
4. A needle in a haystack
5. Which grain of sand?

Contacts
You know people from many different walks of life, and the comprise a system of information and help that could come in handy some day. Your Contacts are not only the people you can manipulate or bribe to get information, but friends whom you can really count on (Major Contacts) to provide with accurate information (in their area of expertise). You should describe your Major Contacts as complete characters, either as the chronicle progresses or beforehand. You also have a number of Minor Contacts spread throughout the area. When you wish to get in touch with a Minor Contact, make a roll using your Contacts rating against a difficulty of 7. Each success means you have got in touch with your Minor Contacts; of course, you will need to bribe or charm them into giving you needed information.

1. One Major Contact
2. Two Major Contacts
3. Three Major Contacts
4. Four Major Contacts
5. Five Major Contacts

Destiny
This Trait delineates the fate that lies in store for the character. A character with a high Destiny rating is obviously fated for great things. Though even the gods have been wrong on occasion, these characters rarely die early, ignominious deaths. Destiny has been known to lead a character through trials and tribulations to her ultimate fate. Once per game session, the character may roll a number of dice equal to their Destiny rating (difficulty 8). Each success scored on this roll enables the character to regain one Willpower point - the surety of the character's Destiny has reaffirmed her faith and will to live. Remember, though, that the Destiny rating means just that - the character is destined to accomplish some great feat, or save countless souls, or die facing overwhelming odds in valiant battle, or even turn to the forces of evil. One day, the ST should call the Destiny due.

1. Character of merit
2. A creditable fate
3. Life of promise
4. Respected by those who can sense fate's course
5. Revered destiny

Dream
Some characters seem to posess the ability to access many secrets of the universe, to plumb the depth of the Universal Unconscious. In game play, this means that a character may be able to access information or gain answers she cannot possibly know. A character's Dream rating may be used to enhance any Ability, or even substitute for an Ability in which the character has no ranking. The player may elect to use the character's Dream Background rating in lieu of the character's normal Ability rating. For example, the character is diagnosing an injured friend and must roll Intelligence + Medicine. The character has no rating in Medicine, so instead she connects with the Universal Unconscious, allowing the player to roll Intelligence + Dream. Dream may substitute for only one Ability per day, so once Medicine is chosen, the character may only use Dream as a substitute for that ability until the end of the day. Dream may allow the use of Abilities in completely alien situations where no other Ability would be useful, such as Int + Dream (for Linguistics) to understand the language of a creature from another Realm.

1. Hazy bits of information can be gleaned
2. Respectable lessons can be learned
3. Worthwhile lore is available
4. Remarkable knowledge can be accessed
5. Astounding insights are possible

Familiar
Characters with this Background have a familiar, an intelligent creature of spirit-made-flesh which is magically bonded to them. But just as the familiar is bonded to the character, so is the character bonded to the familiar. The relationship between a character (usually a mage) and her familiar varies wildly, but the relationship itself is an extremely powerful tie. Regardless of their forms, familiars can provide their bondee with information and even abilities beyond those the mage can attain alone. The exact nature of these powers varies with the familiar. In return, familiars require a number of bizarre favours as part of their contract. One familiar may want a rabbit's heart stewed in red wine once a week, while another may demand goat's milk once per day. These requirements are established when the familiar bond is created, and the character may bargain with the familiar. Once established, they do not often change. If a familiar breaks its bond, the character loses all the benefits the familiar conferred. A character whose familiar dies, immediately loses an amount of Willpower equal to twice the level of their familiar, and if this is more Willpower than the character posesses, then they take the excess in aggravated wounds.

1. Familiar may provide one Willpower of Luck point per week. Familiar has access to a few pieces of information.
2. Familiar may provide one Willpower or Luck point per other day. Familiar has access to noteworthy pieces of information.
3. Familiar can provide one Willpower or Luck point per day. Familiar knows a great deal about esoteric subjects and is considered a one dot Mentor
4. Familiar can provide two Willpower or Luck points per day, and is considered a two dot Mentor for study purposes.
5. Familiar can provide two Willpower or Luck points per day, may posess some Spellcasting or Faith score of its own and is equivilent to a three dot Mentor

Influence
Influence reflects your ability to produce results when attempting to sway or control the political and social processes of the community. It is the ability to compel someone to take action on your behalf, perhaps because of some hold you have over him. This could mean that you have a prestigious family, control the police chief, or simply that you have gained political office. In short, Influence is how much political power you exert upon society, particularily among the police and bureaucrats. Some rolls might use Influence in place of an Ability, especially when you start to interact with any sort of minor bureaucrat.

1. Moderately influential; a factor in the town.
2. Well-connected; a factor in the Magistratry.
3. Position of influence; a factor in SouthEastern Darokin
4. Broad personal power; a factor in Darokin Politics
5. Vastly influential; a factor in international politics

Library
The Library background is mostly appropriate to mages and clerics, but is not entirely limited to them. Some characters have the immediate benefit of a library of tomes full of knowledge. Such tomes could have been gifts from the character's Mentor or they belonged to the character via an inheritance. Such tomes are rated in study points and may be used to learn knowledges, Spellcasting or Faith. The total number of study points the character has in their library depends on their rating in this trait.

1. 5 study points
2. 10 study points
3. 15 study points
4. 20 study points
5. 25 study points

Magic Item
Magic items are specially enchanted creations, almost always unique, and often made with a special purpose in mind. This Background trait allows the characters to begin the game with a Magic Item in their posession. This item could be a gift from a Mentor, an incredibly lucky find at a market stall or a family heirloom. The rating in this Trait determines the power of the item. The examples below are provided with an aim to giving an idea for the appropriate strengths of an item.

1. A very minor or one use item eg an automatic bootshiner or a potion of cure light wounds
2. A slightly more useful item, or a limited-use item. eg: A belt that prevents you from drowning or a broach that allows you to Dimension Door once a month
3. An item of day to day usage, eg a magic sensitive stone that goes cold when touched to magic
4. An item of power, eg a bow that enchants arrows fired from it such that they catch on fire.
5. An item of legend

Mentor
This Trait describes one or more people who look after you. Each rating point in Mentor describes how powerful your Mentor is in the community. Your Mentor can advise you, protect you, speak for you in the arenas of power, caution you or inform you of opportunities for power and advancement. Often a Mentor is related to you, although it can be anyone who has taken an interest in you. If your Mentor is powerful, it may not be a single person, but a group. Thus a council could be a Mentor, as could a particular House. Mages and Clerics often have the Mentor Background Trait because of the help they receive from their trainers. A Mentor may expect to receive something in return for the aid she provides. Though she may simply enjoy your presence, in times of need she may call upon her "apprentice". This may begin a number of excellent stories. In general, however, you receive more than you need to give out.

1. Mentor is young and still increasing their power
2. Mentor is an elder, and well respected
3. Mentor is on of the Magistrates counsellors.
4. Mentor is the Magistrate and has much power over the area
5. Mentor is a senior member of a Major house or a senior DDC member

Rank
The Rank Background reflects your official standing in society. It is usually based on family associations - ie your father is a Baron - rather than on something the character has achieved personally. A rating in Rank may permit you access to items, people and resources that others would not normally be able to access, and in some ways is similar and complementary to Influence; Influence reflects your true standing in society, and Rank reflects your official standing in society. A mercenary captain may, for instance, have much Influence over the area due to his reputation for skill and honesty, without having any Rank at all, whilst the local Baron, who posesses Rank, may be thought of as a complete idiot by most of the populace, and thus have little Influence. (We hate Prince George, we hate Prince George).

1. Baronet, Sucessful House, well-off family
2. Knight, Magistrate's family, Minor House
3. Landed Knight, Central to Minor House family
4. Baron, Major House member
5. Count/Earl, Greate House member, Central family of Major House

Resources
This Trait describes your financial resources, or your access to such resources. Your Resources are not completely liquid, but you can often sell them to gain money. It could take weeks or even months to do so, depending on how much needs to be sold.

1. Upto 75 daros worth of equipment, 10 daros cash
2. Upto 150 daros worth of equipment, 20 daros cash.
3. Upto 300 daros worth of equipment, 50 daros in cash.
4. 500 daros worth of equipment, 100 daros in cash, income of 10 daros/month
5. 1000 daros worth of equipment, 500 daros in cash, income of 50 daros/month

Retainers
You have one or more servants and assistants who are your loyal and steadfast companions. Retainers may be family guardians, individuals overwhelmed by your amazing charisma or just straight out paid. Retainers must usually be paid, most often straight out in cash. They may not always be loyal, though typically they are. If given then chance, they may betray you, depending on how well they have been treated. Retainers should not be supermen, even if they have some special abilites. Each should have a weakness. For instance, one Retainer might be very loyal, but not very skilled. Another might be very powerful, but have a very independant mind. No retainer should ever be the perfect bodyguard; nothing is that easy. Retainers are characters in and of themselves - something to add flavour to the chronicle. Do not let them be abused.

1. One Retainer
2. Two Retainers.
3. Three Retainers.
4. Four Retainers
5. Five Retainers

Spells
The Spells background reflects the learning which you have undertaken to become a spellcaster. Characters without spellcasting may take this background, but there is little use in doing so. The spells that this background provides are the basic rotes which your Mentor has provided for you to learn, or a parting gift from your Mentor, a lucky find amongst some old papers, or even spells that you yourself have developed. Whatever the source of the spells, these are the spells that you own and may have learnt. You may not be able to cast them all - some of the spells which you posess may still be just beyond your skill. Any spell that you choose should be checked with your ST to make sure that they are allowable in the chronicle that they wish to run.

1. One 1st level spell
2. One 2nd level spell, or two 1st level spells
3. One 3rd level spell, or combinations adding to 3
4. One 4th level spell, or combinations adding to 4
5. One 5th level spell, or combinations adding to 5