Warning: Very Long Post
I have created a set of lifepaths with some new traits and skills for my setting, and was hoping for feedback. This is a lot to ask, so thank you in advance to anybody who makes it through this.
These are a subset of humans, but feel distinct enough from the standard in Burning Wheel that I felt that burning up a new set of lifepaths was justified, at least for me.
I have already referred heavily to existing LPs, and reviewed the Anthology for any distinct new LPs. I am trying my best to ensure this reflects the spirit of Burning Wheel, but I’m really not confident in my ability to do that, as this is my first time trying.
Quick disclaimer: The Muraji are loosely based on and inspired by the real-world Bedouin, but these LPs don’t represent any real-world group. There are intentional departures from the Bedouin, and whole cloth inventions that have no relation to the real world (this is a fantasy game, after all!).
In my setting, the Muraji are capable, violent, tough warriors, but there are exceedingly few of them and they are fragmented, hence the Raider Cultural Trait. However, you could pretty easily turn them into superwarriors by just removing this trait, if you want to play some kind of Fremen-alike on a jihad.
The Lore (Skip Down to Cultural Traits if Uninterested)
The Muraji are nomadic desert people that live in tribes as small as one family and as large as several hundred people. Their society is spartan, and all members of their society rely on one another, resulting in a complex honor code designed to protect their society as a whole, maintain peace, and enforce social norms.
The Muraji trade with foreigners for supplies necessary to survive but difficult or impossible to make in the desert. Their primary exports are mined stones used to make pigments and collected resins, which are used as binders for paint and ink or by itself as incense.
Muraji society is exceedingly violent. Children are used as guards around the camp, teaching them how to use a weapon before they are even teenagers. The Blood Feud, which demands harm against one’s family be paid for in blood, teaches young Muraji that violence is a way of life, and a strong culture of raiding, both against other tribes and foreigners, trains these young warriors to become hardened warriors by their teens.
Muraji are governed by a system of elders, judges and descendants of Hita, the mythical First Muraji, who rule as tribal leaders.
However, the Blood Feud is not subject to their rulings, it is dictated solely by tradition.
Cultural Traits:
Code of Honor
Muraji maintain a code of honor that enforces strict social protocols on all members of society depending on their place in society. Failure to maintain these can result in ostracization, exile to the desert, and even death. The different aspects are expressed distinctly as shata, miru, ku, hutanu, akka.
Shata
A man must show patience and longsuffering, dedication to his family and the tribe, and subservience to the firstborn.
It is Shata that begets Akka, the Blood Feud.
Miru
A woman must protect and provide for her children, and remain loyal to her husband and subservient to the Firstborn.
Ku
All must offer hospitality, even to enemies and slaves—even to the fugitive you are seeking. Those who take hospitality are obligated to give their hosts news from their travels.
Hutanu
A man must protect his family and the tribe. He will do so bravely, showing no fear.
Akka
Harm to my family or tribe must be avenged in blood.
Nomads
The Muraji are almost all at least semi-nomadic. Even the dwellers are ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Because of this, the muraji cannot buy any resources, except a herd of animals, worth more than 10 rps.
Raiders
Raiding is traditional to Muraji society, most boys and even a few girls will engage in it by the time they are adults. However, the Muraji do not raise armies, and raiding parties are small, between 3 and 15 people usually. Even a Raider King might control just 50-100 souls.
Raids are usually conducted against other tribes, but occasionally some daring group will raid foreign towns and cities.
Sunbaked
Muraji spend their days in the blistering sun, something they have long become accustomed to. Despite the protective clothing they wear, they tan thoroughly and markedly more than any of their neighbors who do not live in the desert, making them easy to distinguish.
They also suffer no penalty or additional obstacle for regular life in the desert with their tribe—however, they are not superhuman, and will suffer penalties like anyone else if they are caught without water or in a haboob, or some other unusual circumstance.
Settings and Subsettings:
Note: New skills and traits are marked with an asterisk (*).
Dweller Setting
Born of the Desert, 8yrs, 4 rps
3 pts: General
Traits: 2 pts: —
Goatherder, 3yrs, 4rps +1P
Skills: 4 Pts: Animal Husbandry, Sing, Climbing, Throwing
Traits: 1pt: —
Leads: Trader
Hunter, 5 yrs, 6rps, +1M, P
Skills: 5 pts: Hunting, Tracking, Stealthy, Survival, Bow
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Raider, Trader
Breeder, 5 yrs, 7rps
Skills: 3 pts: Animal Husbandry, Sheep-wise, Goat-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Smells Like a Goat
Leads: Trader
Herdkeeper, 5 yrs, 7rps
Skills: 4 pts: Animal Husbandry, Horse-wise, Donkey-wise, Almanac
Traits: 1 pt: Love of the Horse
Leads: Raider, Trader, Caravanserai
Weaver, 3 yrs, 6rps
Skills: 3pts: Weaving, Sewing, Mending, Clothing-wise
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Caravanserai
Miner, 3 yrs, 7rps, +1P
Mining, Stone-wise
Traits: Superstitious, Nimble
Leads: Caravanserai
Pigment Maker, 5 yrs, 10 rps
Skills: 3pts: Dye Manufacture, Mineral-wise, Grinding-Stone-wise
Traits: Blue Hands
Leads: Trader, Caravanserai
Requires: Miner
Wife, 10 yrs, 5+ rps, +1M, P
Skills: 2pts: Child-rearing, Cooking; also, see note below
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Holy, Caravanserai
Note: A player who takes the Wife lifepath may also choose her husband’s lifepath from the Dweller, Trader or Raider settings and may choose from his skills: She gets half of his skill points, rounded down. She also receives half of her husband’s resource points.
Concubine, 8 yrs, 4+ rps, +1M, P
Skills: 3pts: Child-rearing, Cooking, Seduction; also, see note below
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Outcast, Caravanserai
Note: A player who takes the Concubine lifepath may also choose her master’s lifepath from the Dweller, Trader or Raider settings and may choose from his skills: She gets a third of his skill points, rounded down. She also receives a third of her master’s resource points.
Camp Guard 2 yrs, 3 rps, +1P
Skills: 2 pts: Appropriate Weapons, Topography-wise
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Raider, Caravanserai
Restriction: Can only be taken as second or third lifepath
Weapon Seeker 1 yr, 3 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Survival, Foraging, Mirage-wise, Visions-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Desert-wise, Ironblessed*, Deserter*, Spurned*
Leads: Raider, Outcast
Restriction: Camp guard, can only be taken as third or fourth lifepath
Waterfinder, 10 years, 10 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Waterfinding*, Topography-wise, Water-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Holier, Weather Sense
Leads: Trader
Poet, 5 yrs, 7rps
Skills: 4 pts: Recitation*, Dance, Poetry, Acting, Sing
Traits: 1 pt: Honored
Leads: Trader and Caravanserai
Eminent Poet, 7 yrs, 10rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Conspicuous, Persuasion, Falsehood, History, Rhyme-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Passionate, Lesser Muse
Leads: Leaders, Holy
Requires: Poet
Poet Laureate, 10 yrs, 20rps, +1M
Skills: 6 pts: Etiquette, Oratory, Aura Reading, Rhythm-wise, Verse-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Graceful, Greater Muse
Leads: Leaders, Holy
Requires: Eminent Poet
Leader of Prayer, 5 yrs, 8rps
Skills: 3 pts: Oratory, Suasion, Doctrine
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Holy
Mother of the Tribe, 10 yrs, 15rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Etiquette, Oratory, Persuasion, Family History-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Domineering Presence
Requires: Character must be female and either married to or mother of the Firstborn
Leads: Dweller, Outcast and Holy
Elder, 7 yrs, 11 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Intimidation, Doctrine, Rule of Law, Conspicuous
Traits: 2 pts: Loyal to the Tribe Above All*, Callous
Requires: At least 5 prior lifepaths
Leads: Any
Arbiter, 10 years, 15 rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Rule of Law, Amercement, Command, Tribal Politics-wise
Traits: 2 Pts: Authoritative, Decisive, Hard Hearted
Requires: Firstborn or Elder lifepath; at least 3 previous lifepaths
Leads: Any
Caravanserai Setting
Master of the Post, 10 yrs, 13 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Etiquette, Intimidation, Bargaining, Administration, Trader-wise, Bandit-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Gossip
Leads: Trader, Raider, Dweller
Restrictions: May not be character’s second lifepath
Porter, 3 yrs, 5 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Etiquette, Sleight of Hand, Traveler-wise
Traits: —
Leads: Dweller
Groom, 3 yrs, 4 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Animal Husbandry, Riding, Mending, Horse-wise
Traits: —
Leads: Trader, Dweller
Guard, 5 yrs, 6 rps +1P
Skills: 4 pts: Appropriate Weapons, Intimidation, Brawling, Graft-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Thug
Leads: Trader, Raider, Dweller
Farrier, 5 yrs, 7 rps, +1P
Skills: 4 pts: Blacksmith, Animal Husbandry, Horse-wise, Haggling
Traits: 1 pt: A Bit Deaf
Requires: A previous lifepath handling horses, such as Herdkeeper or Mounted Raider
Trader, 5 yrs, 9 rps
Trader-wise, Mending, Haggling, Persuasion
Traits: —
Leads: Trader, Dweller
Slave and Captive Setting
Muraji Slave, 3 yrs, 3 rps
Skills: 1 pt: Obligations-wise; also, see note below
Traits: 2 pts: Homesick, Humility
Leads: Dweller, Raider, Trader
Note: A player who takes the Muraji Slave may also choose his master’s lifepath from the Dweller, Trader or Raider setting. The Muraji Slave may purchase from master’s skills with half of that path’s skill points (minimum of 1).
Foreign Slave, 6 yrs, 4rps
Skills: 4 pts: Animal Husbandry, Appropriate Weapons, Slavery-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Tasting the Lash, Emaciated, Resigned to Fate
Leads: Raider, Outcast
Note: A player who takes the Foreign Slave may also choose his master’s lifepath from the Dweller, Trader or Raider setting. The Foreign Slave may purchase from master’s skills with a quarter of that path’s skill points (minimum of 1).
Slave Concubine, 5 yrs, 4rps
Skills: 5 pts: Child-rearing, Dance, Seduction, Cooking, Wife-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Numb, Obedient, Ambitious
Leads: Dweller, Outcast
Adopted Slave, 3 yrs, 4 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Etiquette, Tribe-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Honored
Leads: Dweller, Raider, Trader
Requires: A prior slave lifepath
Raider Subsetting
Warrior Poet: 3yrs, 7rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Falsehood, Soothing Platitudes, Conspicuous, Poetry, Vainglory-wise
Traits: 1 pts: Booming Voice
Leads: Dweller, Caravanserai
Slave Raider, 5 yrs, 5rps, +1P
Skills: 4 pts: Foraging, Firebuilding, Shield Training, Appropriate Weapons
Traits: 1 pt: Scarred, Maimed
Leads: Slave, Dweller, Outcast
Scout, 5 yrs, 7rps, +1P
Skills: 5 pts: Stealthy, Foraging, Orienteering, Appropriate Weapons, Observation
Traits: 1 pt: —
Sandreader, 5 yrs, 13rps, +1M
Skills: 4 pts: Tracking, Orienteering, Desert-wise, Terrain-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Sense of Direction, Sense of Distance, Touch of the Devil
Leads: Dweller
Armed Raider, 5 yrs, 9 rps, +1P
Skills: 5 pts: Survival, Stealthy, Scavenging, Shield Training, Appropriate Weapons
Traits: 1 pt: Prominent Scar, Quiet
Leads: Dweller, Trader
Mounted Raider, 5 yrs, 10rps, +1P
Skills: 5 pts: Riding, Mounted Combat Training, Appropriate Weapons, Horse-wise
Traits: 1 pt: —
Leads: Dweller, Trader
Requires: Armed Raider
Veteran Raider, 5 yrs, 13rps, +1P
Skills: 5 pts: Raider-wise, Raiding History, Field Dressing, Tactics, Armor Training
Traits: 2 pts: Merciless, Maimed, Tough as Nails
Leads: Dweller
Requires: 2 previous Raider lifepaths
Commander, 10 yrs, 17rps, +1M,P
Skills: 6 pts: Command, Intimidation, Strategy, Battle-wise, Loot-wise
Traits: 2 pts: —
Leads: Dweller, Caravanserai
Requires: Veteran Raider
Raider King, 5 yrs, 9 rps, +1M
Skills: 8 pts: Intimidation, Appropriate Weapons, Countryside-wise, Fortress-wise, Foreign Languages, War-wise, Extortion-wise
Traits: 2 pts: False King*, Cold Blooded
Leads: Dweller
Requires: Commander
Trader Subsetting
Pack Tender, 3 yrs, 4rps
Skills: 3 pts: Driving, Knots, Hoof-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Earnest
Leads: Dweller, Caravanserai
Restrictions: May only be taken once.
Guard, 5 yrs, 7rps, +1P
Skills: 4 pts: Riding, Extortion, Mounted Combat Training, Appropriate Weapons, Bandit-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Flee from Battle
Leads: Dweller, Raider, Caravanserai
Trader, 6 yrs, 10rps, +1M
Skills: 6pts: Haggling, Appraisal, Persuasion, Falsehood, Inconspicuous, Bribe-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Nervous, Cautious
Leads: Dweller, Caravanserai
Pilgrim, 2 yrs, 2 rps
Skills: 4 pts: History, Doctrine, Religious Rumor-wise, Caravan-wise, Relic-wise
Traits: 1 Pt: Road-weary
Leads: Dweller
Slaver, 6 yrs, 12rps
Skills: 4 pts: Intimidation, Haggling, Persuasion, Falsehood, Slave-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Merciless, Cold-Blooded
Leads: Dweller, Raider
Wandering Poet, 3 yrs, 7 rps
Skill: 4 pts: Poetry, Acting, Conspicuous, Falsehood
Traits: 1 pts: Dramatic
Leads: Dweller, Caravanserai
Blood Feud Subsetting
Note: Blood Feud subsetting may be entered from any lifepath.
Cousin of the Dead, 1-5 yrs, 5rps
Skills: 3pts: Tracking, Intimidation, Interrogation, Fugitive-wise
Traits: 2 pt: Naked Hatred, Driven
Leads: Dweller, Raider, Trader
Restrictions: may not be the character’s second lifepath
Fugitive, 1-5 yrs, 4rps
Skills: 2 pts: Inconspicuous, Extortion, Persuasion
Traits: 2 pt: Desperate, Cold Hearted
Leads: Outcast, Raider
Descendants of Hita Setting
Born a Descendant of Hita, 8 yrs, 10 rps
4 pts, General
Traits: 1 pt: Descendant of Hita*,
Requires: Father has Firstborn or Son of the Firstborn lifepath
Leads: Any
Firstborn, 2-20 yrs, 30rps
2 pts, General
2 pts: Traits: Father of the Tribe*, Regal Bearing, Doctrine, Callous
Requires: Son of the Firstborn, express permission from the GM and all players in the current game
Leads: Dweller, Raider
Son of the Firstborn 3 yrs, 12 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Command, Rule of Law, Family-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Noblesse Oblige, Pompous, Callous
Requires: Cannot be second lifepath
Leads: Dweller, Raider
Last Son of the Firstborn 3 yrs, 12 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Command, Rule of Law, Family-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Inheritance*, Noblesse Oblige, Pompous, Callous
Leads: Dweller, Raider
Holy Subsetting
Intercessor, 8 yrs, 11rps
Skills: 3 pts: Oratory, Suasion, Doctrine, Symbology
Traits: 1 pt: Devout, Strong-willed
Leads: Dweller
Firespeaker, 5 yrs, 8 rps
Skills: 3 pts: Smokereading*, Symbology, Astrology
Traits: 2 pts: Odd, Hacking Cough
Mediator, 8 yrs, 10rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Ugly Truth, Persuasion, Soothing Platitudes, Obligations-wise
Traits: 1 pt: Peacemaker*, Amenable to Other Options
Requires: At least 4 previous lifepaths
Leads: Dweller, Trader
Keeper of Histories: 12 yrs, 15 rps, +1M
Skills: 5 pts: Recitation*, History, Ancient History, Obscure History
Traits: 2 pts: Eidetic Memory
Leads: Dweller
Requires: Eminent Poet or Poet Laureate
Ancient, 5 yrs, 6 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Tribal History, Obscure History, Ugly Truth, Dweller-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Wisdom of Experience*, Dusty
Leads: Dweller
Requires: Character must have at least 6 previous lifepaths
She Who Dreams, 4 yrs, 4rps
Skills: 3 pts: Ugly Truth, Folklore, Omen-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Dreamer, Disturbed
Leads: Dweller, Outcast
Requires: Character must be female
She Who Understands the Signs, 4 yrs, 7rps, +1M
Skills: 4 pts: Astrology, Aura Reading, Folklore, Omen-wise
Traits: 3 pts: Second Sight, Touch of Ages
Leads: Dweller, Holy, Outcast
Requires: She Who Dreams
Outcast Subsetting
Idler
Skills: 3 pts: Lazy-wise, Work-wise, Inconspicuous
Traits: 1pt: —
Leads: Dweller
Cripple
Skills: 5 pts: Beggardry, Persuasion, Falsehood, Bargaining, Mending
Traits: 1 pt: Lame, Downtrodden, Problems
Leads: Dweller
He Who Has Been Given Unto the Desert, 5 yrs, 4rps, -1P
Skills: 2 pts: Survival, Desert-wise, Orienteering
Traits: 2pts: Extremely Bitter
Leads: Slave, Raider
Hermit, 10 yrs, 8 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Survival, Inconspicuous, Astrology, Desert-wise, Haboob-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Eccentric, Linguist, Faithful
Leads: Dweller
False Prophet, 7 yrs, 4 rps
Skills: 4 pts: Oratory, Conspicuous, Heretical Doctrine, Demonology
Traits: 3 pts: Zealot, Rabble Rouser, Faith in Dead Gods
Leads: Slave
Demon Binder, 8 yrs, 10 rps +1M
Skills: 4 pts: Spirit Binding, Circination, Spirit-wise, Domain-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Lunatic, Inscrutable
Leads: Dweller
Requires: Hermit or She Who Understands the Signs
She Who Calls Forth Demons, 8 yrs, 15rps, +1M/P
Skills: 6 pts: Summoning, Bargaining, Inane Request-wise, Promise-wise
Traits: 2 pts: Arrogant, Feared, Faust
Leads: Dweller
Requires: Demon Binder, character must be female
* New Skills and Traits
Traits
Descendant of Hita: Dt: You are descended of the first muraji, Hita. This trait is required to lead a tribe—at least legitimately. Characters with this trait have a permanent lead to Descendants of Hita.
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Deserter: Dt: A deserter is someone who leaves the sojourn to the Smith, giving up on the difficult expedition and returning to the tribe as a coward. This trait grants you a 1D infamous reputation with either your Tribe or, if you move to the Raider setting immediately after gaining this trait, the Raiders you travel with.
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
False King: Dt: A Raider King is expressly forbidden in Muraji law, as all tribal leaders must be descendants of Hita. But if you are this prosperous, who can tell you no? This trait grants a free a hateful relationship with the Firstborn of a major tribe (Powerful, hateful).
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Inheritance: Dt, : You were the last son of the Firstborn when they died and have inherited their tribe, making you a valuable target to your brothers after many years under your father’s tutelage and protection. Add +1D to intrigue-wise and family-wise tests.
You must take at least 1 hateful, immediate family relationship when taking this trait. But feel free to take more!
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Ironblessed: Dt: After sojourning through the desert to bring iron to the Forge, you met the Smith and were blessed with a weapon. This trait allows you to purchase a single Superior Quality Dagger, Longsword or Spear enchanted as a Spirit Weapon for 10 rps.
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Loyal to the Tribe Above All: Dt, 4pts: This character will always prioritize the tribe. +3D to the character’s body of argument in a Dual of Wits that they believe will harm their tribe.
Peacemaker: C-O: This skill acts as a call-on for Persuasion or Ugly Truth when trying to settle a dispute between two characters.
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Spurned: Dt: Despite completing your pilgrimage to the Smith and presenting your gift, he refused to give you a weapon. He did not explain; he never does, but you know why. This trait grants you a 1D infamous reputation with all muraji, and opens Summoning as a lifepath skills for you.
Restrictions: Muraji lifepath trait
Wisdom of Experience: C-O, 2pts: This character has lived far longer than those around them, and they have experienced many things that even the Histories do not recall. This is a call-on for Tribal History and Obscure History.
Restrictions: Must be Methuselah
Skills
Recitation, Perception
Poetry is not just beauty, it is also our history. A truly skilled poet can recite the stories of the muraji unto time immemorial.
Obstacles: Your family and tribe, blood feuds within your lifetime, Ob 1. The Firstborn’s family Ob 2. The history of the great sons of Hita, blood feuds within the Firstborn’s lifetime, Ob 3. The first or greatest blood feuds, Ob 4. The routes of the first muraji when they came into the desert, Ob 5. The lineage of all descendants of Hita up to the Firstborn, Ob 6. The tales of Ammes’s founding, Ob 7. The story of the Smith, Ob 10.
FoRKs: Poetry, History, Ancient History, Obscure History
Skill Type: Academic
Tools: No
Smokereading, Will
The unusual ability to divine martial matters specifically by studying the patterns of smoke from sheep and goat’s blood poured onto a fire, this skill is highly regarded among the muraji. Smokereading does not provide specific predictions, but general ones, e.g. “The raid will go well,” rather than “We will lose half of our number, but this is good because they will lose all of theirs.”
Obstacles: Divining whether a child will make a good warrior, Ob 1. Predicting whether it is an auspicious time or place for an attack, Ob 2. Predicting the general results of a raid, Ob 3. Foreknowing the appearance of a Demon, Ob 4. Accurately predicting the general location of enemies, divining the number of an unseen enemy force within a reasonable margin of error, Ob 5.
FoRKs: Symbology, Doctrine
Skill Type: Academic
Tools: A fire and goat or sheep blood
Waterfinding, Perception
A waterfinder is blessed by the gods with the ability to locate hidden water, and as long as you acknowledge their holiness (and perhaps pay them generously), they are happy to share their talent.
Obstacles: Finding a small pond after a rain, Ob 1. Finding a trickle of a stream suitable for one person to drink reliably from, or a small group to quench their thirst, Ob 2. Locating a small spring suitable for a few people to drink reliably from, or a large group to quench their thirst, Ob 4. Locating a suitable place for a well, Ob 7. Finding an underground spring or oasis to reliably provide water for a large group, Ob 9.
FoRKs: Topography-wise
Skill Type: Peasant
Tools: Traveling Gear
), and put Desert Dweller—no penalties for ordinary life in the desert—in the list for Born to the Desert: Traits: 2pts: Desert Dweller.