Details
- Abilities: Strength, Constitution, Charisma
- Skills: Intimidation, Persuasion
- Tool: Smith's Tools
- Feat: Alert
Description
You manage the collection of fees and passage rights at crossroads, bridges, or city gates. Your keen awareness keeps you alert to potential threats or attempts to evade payment. Skilled in commanding respect and handling disputes, you often rely on your presence and voice to maintain order. Your experience with smithing tools aids in maintaining gates and locks under your care.
Equipment
Choose A or B: (A) Smith's Tools, Traveler's Clothes, 10 GP; or (B) 50 GP
At a glance
- Table role: Scout and early warning
- Family: Craft & Trade
- Primary pillar: Combat
- Secondary pillar: Downtime
- Themes: toll collection, gate security, dispute resolution, lock maintenance, public order
What this background is good for
Choose Tollkeeper if you want a character who turns toll collection, gate security, dispute resolution, lock maintenance, and public order into usable table momentum. Its skill package points toward Intimidation and Persuasion, so the background naturally rewards players who ask questions, notice patterns, and act on practical details. As a Craft & Trade background, it gives the character a clear place in the world instead of just a mechanical bonus. The Alert feat, Smith's Tools, and Strength, Constitution, and Charisma abilities help define how this character contributes before initiative is rolled.
Play this if...
- You want to play a Reluctant Enforcer rather than a generic adventurer.
- You want scenes built around toll collection, gate security, dispute resolution, lock maintenance, and public order.
- You are considering Fighter, Paladin, Rogue, and Cleric and want the background to support that identity.
How to play this background
You control the flow of people and goods, enforcing tolls while watching for threats and evasion attempts.
Table cues
- Watch for suspicious behavior near toll points.
- Note who tries to avoid or bribe tolls.
- Identify local power figures controlling access.
- Listen for disputes escalating at gates.
- Check locks and gates for tampering signs.
For Dungeon Masters
Use Tollkeeper when the campaign benefits from scenes about toll collection, gate security, dispute resolution, lock maintenance, and public order. The Craft & Trade angle gives you a quick way to attach NPCs, locations, favors, and complications to the character. Build scenes where Intimidation, Persuasion, and Smith's Tools can reveal information, open a route, or change how an NPC reacts. A simple recurring cue: watch for suspicious behavior near toll points.