Common (Greyhawk)

"Common" is not a culture or people, it is a language and a melange of culture and blood. A mixture of Flan, Oerdian, and Suel with influences from other human and nonhuman cultures. The Oerdian are the outwardly dominant, but the other cultures have many subtle but important influences. The common tounge is basically a debased form of Old Oerdian with Baklunish gramatical influences and a very large vocabulary from many different sources.

Common culture has picked up many good traits from its component peoples and has shown itself to be incredibly successful and hardy, dominating the Flaness, in particular the more urban and progressive central part.

Real-World Models

European renaissance.

Ethics

The common man of today is a pragmatic neutral with a tendency towards law and good. Acting in concert, the culture seems to be lawful good, but individuals are unlikely to give up their freedoms or jump over a chance for some quick personal gain, even at the expense of another. Law and chaos is seen as less important than good and evil.

Cultural Traits

Accepting, Pragmatic, Ambitious, Honest, Outgoing.

Practices

Prostitution, Gender equality, Monogamy, Birth control, Relationships outside culture/race.

Taboos

Incest, Masturbation, Nudity.

Family

Monogamous. Liaisons tolerated. Lineage is by social standing; children inherit the name and identity of either parent. Core family is very strong; extended family is weak.

Magic

A hearty mix of divine and arcane magic. Chaotic evil religions are generally illegal, and the arts of enchantment and necromancy are frowned upon. Magic items tend to be practical, enchanted versions of everyday gear. Many prefer spells with few complications and direct effect, such as evocation.

Pantheon

The common pantheon is a mix of imported deities and recently ascended mortals. As there is no common mythology, the pantheon has no leader per se, but Pelor and Istus are generally recognized as the most important gods (though Istus has only a small church). The ascended mortals Trithereon and St Cuthbert are among the most popular, and their churches are often rivals.

Name	Rank	Alignment	Sphere	Domains
Berei	Lesser	NG	Family, Agriculture	Good, Plant, Protection, Family	Common, Flan
Bleredd	Lesser	N	Metal, Mines, Smiths	Earth, Fire, Strength, Metal	Common, Oerdian, Flan
Boccob	Greater	N	Magic	Knowledge, Magic, Trickery, Oracle, Spell	Common, Baklunish, Elder
Celestian	Intermediate	N (NG)	Space, Stars, Wanderers	Knowledge, Travel, Protection, Oracle	Common, Oerdian
Daern	Demigod	LN	Defense, Fortification	Law, Protection, Craft	Common
Ehlonna (Ehlenestra)	Intermediate	NG	Forests, Flora and fauna, Fertility	Animal, Good, Plant, Sun, Celertity, Renewal	Flan, Elf, Common
Eruthnul	Intermediate	CE (CN)	Hate, Panic, Slaughter	Chaos, Evil, Trickery, War, Madness	Common, Oerdian, Humanoid
Fharlanghn	Intermediate	N (NG)	Distance, Travel, Roads	Luck, Protection, Travel, Celerity	Common, Oerdian
Incablous (Sevelkhar the Waster)	Greater	NE	Nightmares, Disasters	Death, Evil, Destruction, Pestilence, Hunger	Common, Flan, Baklunish, Elder
Istus	Greater	N	Fate, Divination, Honesty	Chaos, Knowledge, Law, Luck, Fate	Common, Baklunish, Elder
Iuz	Demigiod	CE	Deceit, Pain, Oppression	Chaos, Evil, Trickery, Deathbound	Common
Kord	Intermediate	CG	Athletics, Sport, Courage	Chaos, Good, Strength, Competition, Courage	Common, Suel
Mayaheine	Demigod	LG	Protection, Justice, Valor	Good, Law, Protection, War	Common
Myhriss	Lesser	NG	Love, Romance, Beauty	Good, Healing, Protection, Charm	Common, Flan
Nerull	Greater	NE	Death, Darkness, Death, Murder, Underworld	Death, Evil, Trickery, Darkness, Pestilence	Common, Flan, Elder
Obad-Hai	Intermediary	N	Nature, Freedom, Hunting, Beasts	Air, Animal, Earth, Fire, Plant, Water, Windstorm	Common, Flan
Olidarma	Intermediate	CN	Revels, Wine, Rogues, Humor, Tricks	Chaos, Luck, Trickery, Celerity, Mind	Common, Flan
Pelor	Greater	NG	Sun, Light, Strength, Healing	Good, Healing, Strength, Sun, Community, Glory	Common, Flan, Elder
Rao	Greater	LG	Peace, Reason, Serenity	Law, Good, Knowledge, Community, Purification	Common, Flan
Rudd	Demigod	CN (CG)	Chance, Good luck, Skill	Celerity, Liberation, Luck	Common, Oerdian
St Cuthbert	Intermediate	LN (LG)	Common sense, Wisdom, Zeal, Honesty, Discipline	Destruction, Good, Law, Protection, Strength, Domination	Common
Tharizdun	Intermediate	NE	Eternal darkness, Decay, Entropy, Malign knowledge, Insanity	Destruction, Evil, Knowledge, Force, Madness	Common, Elder, Suel
Trithereon	Intermediate	CG	Individuality, Liberty, Retribution, Self-defense	Chaos, Good, Protection, Strength, Liberation, Summoner	Oerdian, Flan, Common
Wastri	Demigod	LN (LE)	Amphibians, Bigotry, Self-Deception	Animal, Law, War, Purification, Scalykind	Common
Wee Jas	Intermediate	LN (LE)	Magic, Death, Vanity, Law	Death, Law, Magic, Domination, Mind	Common, Suel
Xan Yae	Lesser	N	Twlight, Shadows, Stealth, Mental power	Knowledge, Trickery, War, Celerity, Balance	Common, Baklunish
Zagyg	Demigod	CN (CG)	Humor, Eccentricity, Occult, Unpredictability	Chaos, Knowledge, Magic	Common
Zodal	Lesser	NG	Mercy, Hope, Benevolence	Good, Healing, Protection	Common, Flan
Zilchus	Intermediate	LN	Prestige, Money, Business, Influence	Knowledge, Law, Trickery	Common, Oerdian

Traits

Eye for Business

You always have an eye out for a good deal or valuable find.

Benefit: Appraise is a class skill for you. When rolling for the items available for purchase in a community, you can make one additional roll for any one category of item that is already available in the locale.

Exploit Opportunity

You have learned to exploit opportunities in combat.

Benefit: When you score a critical hit in melee you can move 5 ft. without triggering attacks of opportunity and irrespective of other movement made in the round. If you downed your foe, you can use this to move into his space.

Industrious

You can specialize your craft skill and work very effectively one one particular kind of item.

Benefit: Craft is a class skill for you. Select one kind of item, such as long swords or full plate. When crafting (making or repairing) this particular item with the relevant skill, you get a +5 trait bonus to the relevant Craft skill

Mercenary

You are good at ferreting out the best possible payment from your clients.

Benefit: Sense Motive is a class skill for you. When negotiation the price of your services you can make a Sense Motive check against 10 + the clients Bluff skill bonus as a standard action during negotiations to learn learn how high the client can be bargained in price. You can only try this once per negotiation.

Quick-Witted

You are used to outwitting opponents. Failing that, you can usually outrun them.

Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on initiative checks.