Your trade is the healing arts—but different cultures each have their own medical traditions. You might be a scholar of medicine (“doctor”), a medical alchemist, a nurse at a religious institution, a combat medic, or even a “witch” whose services are poorly understood. You might even be one who has turned their back on healing, using your medical knowledge to undermine mortal lives.
What is your medical tradition, and who was your teacher? Does your role garner you the respect or ire of your community? Are you called to adventure by your compassion, dire circumstance, or the chance for glory?
Ability Score Increases: +1 to Wisdom and one other ability score.
Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, and either Insight, Nature, or Religion.
Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit, and either alchemist’s supplies or poisoner’s kit.
Suggested Equipment (Cost 47 gold): Traveler’s clothes, healer’s satchel (10 uses), herbalism kit, laudanum
Feature: Housecalls. When you wear the uniform of your office (such as a doctor’s jacket, medic insignia, or a witch’s hat), people familiar with your medical tradition recognize you as a member on sight, oftentimes making requests for your healing expertise. Strangers who trust your medical tradition and receive your care will support you with a modest lifestyle.
Adventures and Advancement. Oftentimes your clients’ medical difficulties emerge from even deeper social and economic problems. An apothecary with power to make change is often quested to cure difficult illnesses and ameliorate dangerous life circumstances.
After enough life-changing interventions, the people will request you to take on students. You gain the service of 4 apprentices (2 inexperienced healers and 2 inexperienced apothecaries), who serve you freely but do expect you to train them.
Table: Apothecary Connections. Choose or roll randomly.
| 1d10 | Apothecary Connections |
|---|---|
|
1 |
The teacher who taught you your medical tradition. |
|
2 |
The noble who owes you big for your discreet services. |
|
3 |
The rival apothecary—from your tradition or another—who is always rude to you. |
|
4 |
The scholar who bothers you with strange questions, scribbling the answers in their book. |
|
5 |
The neighboring alchemist with whom you’ve frequently collaborated. |
|
6 |
The local politician who spreads rumors of your malpractice, devil worship, etc. |
|
7 |
The dryad whose ire you provoked whilst gathering herbs. |
|
8 |
The fey who came to your practice once and was pleased at your assistance. |
|
9 |
The leader of the marauder or military group preventing access to much needed herbs. |
|
10 |
The diviner, dragon, or celestial who interferes with—or helps—you for reasons of “the prophecy.” |
Table: Apothecary Momentos. Choose or roll randomly.
| 1d10 | Apothecary Momentos |
|---|---|
|
1 |
The alchemist’s supplies passed to you by a beloved teacher. |
|
2 |
The poisoner’s kit you took from an unworthy practitioner. |
|
3 |
A Tiny-sized wrapped package labeled, “Do not open until the next full moon.” |
|
4 |
A dragonbone knife for preparing herbs. (And other useful tasks…) |
|
5 |
A bag of assorted and menacing medical equipment. |
|
6 |
The doctor’s coat, medic insignia, witch's hat, etc. custom crafted for you. |
|
7 |
A thick, dusty tome of medical lore. |
|
8 |
A jar of yellowish preservative, filled with what appears to be human organs. |
|
9 |
A vat of ointment (purpose unknown). |
|
10 |
A pet poisonous snake (it is friendly toward you). |