The Farmer/Churl

The Farmer

Not everybody who gets involved in adventure is a specialist in combat or other area of training. Some are just ordinary people who get swept up in the flow of events or decide that it is time they make a change in their life.

Of the Land

Most farmers lack the formal education of the higher classes, but for how little they may know there is a great deal that they understand. They have a practical, working knowledge of astrology and meteorology, and can easily track the time and date as well as predict the weather within a few hours, or days if they are lucky. The understand the "secrets of life"; the needs of life (water, light, air, salt, etc.), the patterns of physical inheritance, and the connections between different plants and animals.

A farmer or Churl as they are sometimes called is usually someone with an ownership interest in crops or livestock, and who provides land or management in their production. Those who provide only labor are most often called farmhands. Alternatively, growers who manage farmland for an absentee landowner, sharing the harvest (or its profits) are known as sharecroppers (farmer of agriculture), or husbandman (farmer of livestock).

Agricultural Farming dates back as far as recorded time and further, being one of the first occupations after that of Hunter/Gatherer.

Animal husbandry, the practice of rearing animals specifically for farming purposes, has existed for thousands of years. Dogs were domesticated about 75,000 years ago. Goats and sheep were domesticated about 60,000 years ago. Swine or pigs were domesticated by 45,000 yrs ago. The earliest evidence of horse domestication dates back around 150,000 yrs

More distinct terms are commonly used to denote farmers of specific types.

Those who raise grazing livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats and horses, are known as Ranchers. Sheep, goat and cattle farmers might also be referred to, respectively, as Shepherds, Goatherds and Cowherds.
The term Dairy Farmer is applied to those engaged primarily in milk production, whether from cattle, goats, sheep, or other milk producing animals.
A poultry farmer is one who concentrates on raising chickens, turkeys, ducks or geese, for either meat, egg or feather production, or commonly, all three.
A person who raises a variety of Fruits, vegetables or other agricultural produce such as Mushrooms or Asparagus for market is simply called a Farmer.

Farmers are often independent, though can be members of local, regional, or national farmers' unions or agricultural producer's organizations and can exert significant political influence.

Farmed products might be sold either to a market, in a farmers' market, or directly from a farm, and farm products are to some extent be either consumed by the farmer's family or pooled by the community.

There are several occupational hazards for those in agriculture; farming is a particularly dangerous industry. Farmers can encounter and be stung or bitten by dangerous insects and other arthropods, including scorpions, fire ants, bees, wasps and hornets. Farmers also work around large animals, such as bulls or oxen, which can kill or injure them.

Farmers can also establish muscle and joints pains from repeated work.

Not every farm is alike; there are a vast range of goods produced by farmers of different sorts, and nearly all farms focus on just one product or a limited group of products.

Specialization:

d6	Specialization	Description
1	Rancher	You raised animals for slaughter most likely for food, but also for leather, furs, and other useful materials.
2	Grazier	You harvested goods produced by animals such as milk, eggs, feathers, or wool.
3	Stockman	You bred animals to sell for work or as pets such as guard dogs, racing horses, and griffons.
4	Churl	You harvested edible or useful plants such as wheat, corn crops, or apples at an orchard.
5	Forester	You grew trees for ornament or construction such as trees grown for bow staves, boat masts, or buildings.
6	Silk	You raised silk worms or another exotic animal, and harvested their silk.

Suggested Characteristics

d8	Personality Trait
1	I'm always early to bed and early to rise.
2	I keep my gear and supplies in careful check.
3	I speak with a distinctive drawl or accent common to my class.
4	I always save up as much as I can, spending and consuming only what I must.
5	When work needs doing, I do the work.
6	I keep constant track of the sun, moon, stars, seasons, and weather.
7	I like to sleep in the sun when I can.
8	I'm always chewing on a sprig of grass, a toothpick, tobacco, seeds, or preserved meat.

d6	Ideal
1	Fill the Need. There are a lot of hungry mouths in the world, with enough hands the world can feed them all. (Good)
2	It's a Living. I do what I'm good at because what I'm good at is good for me. (Neutral)
3	Brutal Practicality. Bury a fish or bury a man, just get the job done. (Evil)
4	Hard Work. A labor of love is a purpose and meaning. (Lawful)
5	A Simple Way of Life. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! (Neutral)
6	Amusement. Playing a hand in the growth and development of things delights me. (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	I want to find that special someone and raise a home full of children.
2	I'll never forget the family farm I grew up on.
3	Some day, I'll be the lord of my own land.
4	I want to become the biggest or best example of my profession to prove that I am the best!
5	My son was sent to war and never returned. I must find him!
6	I am out to start a homestead of my own in an unexplored fringe territory.

d6	Flaw
1	I can be lazy and sleepy, sneaking off to take naps when work can wait.
2	I am absurdly isolated, innocent, or pious.
3	I believe in and obey my nation's nobility blindly.
4	I abandoned my home to avoid taxation, conscription, or court and cannot return.
5	I am not used to being wealthy and tend to overindulge.
6	I show off to attractive people too much.

This O.C.C. represents player characters who don't have any impressive area of expertise or special powers. The character is a person from an ordinary walk of life, which, in this low tech, agricultural society. The unskilled character is a spirited individual who is full of life and dreams for a better future. Most are illiterate and lack any formal education. Consequently, they tend to live by the seat of their pants and rely on their wits.

Farmer O.C.C.

Attribute Requirements: None
Alignment: Any
Gender: Male or Female
Race: Any
O.C.C. Skills:

O.C.C. Related Skills: Select six other skills of choice at level one, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency.

Secondary Skills: Choose 4 at level 1, plus 1 per level starting at level 2. All new skills start at Lvl. one proficiency. These are additional areas of knowledge that don't get the O.C.C. bonus.

Starting Equipment: Two sets of clothing, boots, hat, belt, blanket backpack, one large sack, 1D4 small sacks, a water skin, dried meats and fruit equal to food rations for 1D4+1 weeks, and a tinder box.

Armour: Starts with a suit of hard leather (A.R. 11, S.D.C. 30).

Weapons: Starts with a dagger, small hand axe, and two other weapons of choice. All are basic S.D.C. weapons of fair to good quality. Magic weapons and other equipment must be acquired later.

Money: The character starts with 12 in gold, which can be used immediately to purchase more equipment or saved. Additional money will come from payment for jobs and/or booty.

Level	Experiance
1	0-2,200
2	2,201-4,400
3	4,401-8,800
4	8,801-16,500
5	16,501-25,000
6	25,001-35,000
7	35,001-50,000
8	50,001-71,000
9	71,001-96,500
10	96,501-135,500
11	135,501-180,500
12	180,501-230,500
13	230,5001-280,500
14	280,501-335,500
15	335,501-400,500

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