Random Courtier Table or fops by other names

I like random tables. I always have. They are great for filling in the details and for taking things in a direction you might not have selected. 

Courtiers, clients, ladies-in-waiting, fops, gossips, dandies, and toadies whether male or female are the syncophants who fill the corridors of power and the halls of the great using flattery and gossip to advance their position and to thwart that of their rivals. In a previous post I talked about the Fop or Dandy. Rather than create a whole bunch of courtiers who might never see the light of 100 beeswax candles glowing at a royal ball I created a table. Each entry has a number for the D10 roll as well as a short descriptor or keyword like Experienced Courtier, Lady-in-Waiting, or Seducer. Following that are the stats including favored maneuvers and typical equipment. Of course all courtiers come with fashionable, expensive clothing often more expensive than they can afford. Gambling is incredibly popular in the time period so Courtiers of any sort may carry money for that purpose if no other. Equally, they may try to gamble on credit or using a note of hand, i.e. an IOU.

These are minor characters. What Honor+Intrigue calls Pawns or what some other games call mooks, albeit elegantly dressed mooks. The Honor+Intrigue rules as written do not give Pawns Lifeblood (or hit points). Any hit kills or defeats a Pawn. As a optional house rule, I give Pawns Lifeblood based on their competence and their Might. So a Pawn has 1 Lifeblood per level of competency plus their Might. The levels for Pawns are Rabble (0), Green (1), Average (2), Veteran (3), and Elite (4). For comparison a Retainer (the next toughest level of NPC) has a base of 8 Lifeblood, and Villains and Heroes have a base of 10 Lifeblood.

 

Note: In differentiating male and female fops I assume the historical gender rolls that the majority of people followed in the period. I'm aware of a number of exceptions so if you really want a female duelist you can, of course, have one without changing history. And if you are running some alternate or fantasy setting where the mores or expectations are more gender neutral then have fun with that.

 

Roll 1D10

1      Courtier (Average Pawn)

Flair 1 Courtier 1 Lifeblood 2
    Rapier: 1d6 Dmg; Parry +1
    Dagger: 1d3+1 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[1], Quick Cut+1
Male Courtiers are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Courtiers may have a knife.

2      Experienced Courtier (Veteran Pawn)

Might -1 Savvy 1 Flair 1 Courtier 2 Lifeblood 2
   Rapier: 1d6-1 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[1], Quick Cut+1
Male Courtiers are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Courtiers may have a knife.

3      Fop or Dandy (Green Pawn)

Might -1 Daring -1 Flair 1 Courtier 2 Lifeblood 0
   Rapier: 1d6-1 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[1], Quick Cut+1
Fops are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Fops are unarmed.

4      Gambler (Veteran Pawn)

Savvy 1 Flair 1 Courtier 0 Gambler 1 Lifeblood 3
   Rapier: 1d6 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3+1 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[0], Quick Cut+1
Male Gamblers are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Gamblers may have a knife.

5      Gentleman-in-Waiting (Veteran Pawn)

Daring 1 Flair 1 Courtier 1 Lifeblood 3
   Rapier: 1d6 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3+1 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[2], Taunt+1[2], Trick+1[2], Intimidate-1[0], Bladework+1, Quick Cut+1
Gentlemen-in-Waiting are armed with rapiers.

6      Hanger-On (Average Pawn)

Might -1 Flair 1 Courtier 2 Lifeblood 1
   Rapier: 1d6 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3+1 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[1], Quick Cut+1
Male Hangers-On are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Hangers-On are unarmed.

7      Lady-in-Waiting (Average Pawn)

Might -1 Daring -1 Flair 1 Courtier 2 Temptress 1 Lifeblood 1
   Pummel with Fists: 1 Dmg;
Maneuver: Persuade+12], Taunt+1[2], Trick+1[2], Intimidate-1[0], Brawl+0
Ladies-in-Waiting are unarmed.

8      Schemer (Elite Pawn)

Might -1 Savvy 1 Flair 1 Courtier 2 Spy 1 Lifeblood 3
   Rapier: 1d6-1 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[0], Quick Cut+1
Male Schemers are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Schemers have a comb stiletto.

9      Seducer (Veteran Pawn)

Might -1 Flair 1 Courtier 1 Don Juan/Temptress 2 Lifeblood 2
   Rapier: 1d6-1 Dmg; Parry +1
   Dagger: 1d3 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[0], Quick Cut+1
Male Seducers are armed with rapiers or daggers. Female Seducers have a hidden knife.

10    Sportsman (Elite Pawn)

Flair 1 Ranged 1 Courtier 1 Hunter 1 Lifeblood 4
   Dagger: 1d3 Dmg; Range: 5’; Called Shot +1
   Musket: 2d6 Dmg; Range: 50’
Maneuver: Persuade+1[3], Taunt+1[3], Trick+1[3], Intimidate-1[0], Bladework+0, Ranged Attack+1[2]


Male and Female Sportsmen are armed with daggers. They love the outdoors and are usually found either riding, hunting, or shooting.