Backgrounds

Every story has a beginning. Your character’s background reveals where you came from, how you became an adventurer, and your place in the world. Your armsman might have been a courageous knight or a grizzled soldier. Your arcanist could have been a sage or an artisan. Your rogue might have gotten by as a guild thief or commanded audiences as a jester. Or none of these—an armsman may have trained in secret on her father’s farm and an arcanist might have come to his power while hauling nets full of fish.

Choosing a background provides you with important story cues about your character’s identity. The most important question to ask about your background is what changed? Why did you stop doing whatever your background describes and start adventuring? Where did you get the money to purchase your starting gear, or, if you come from a wealthy background, why don’t you have more money? How did you learn the skills of your class? What sets you apart from ordinary people who share your background?

The sample backgrounds in this chapter provide both concrete benefits (features, proficiencies, and languages) and roleplaying suggestions.

Proficiencies

Each background gives a character proficiency in two skills. In addition, most backgrounds give a character proficiency with one or more tools.

If a character would gain the same proficiency from two different sources, he or she can choose a different proficiency of the same kind (skill or tool) instead.

Languages

Some backgrounds also allow characters to learn additional languages beyond those given by your lineage. See Languages at the end of this document.

Equipment

Each background provides a package of starting equipment. This is in addition to the starting equipment listed for your class.

Questions to Consider

Each sample background presents a list of questions you can use as a springboard to guide you in creating your character’s history before they started adventuring. These are the sort of thing to discuss with your GM so that your story can be woven into the world and the ongoing campaign’s story.

Skill Trick

A background gives access to a single skill trick (see Skill Tricks later in this document for more details and the complete list). As you customize your background, you can substitute the listed skill trick for any other that uses one of the proficiencies granted by the background.

Customizing a Background

You might want to tweak some of the features of a background so it better fits your character or the campaign setting. To customize a background, you can replace the granted skill trick with any other that uses one or more of the proficiencies granted by the background, choose any two skills, and choose a total of three tool proficiencies or languages from the sample backgrounds.

Personality Traits

Personality traits are small tics and mannerisms—things that your character does naturally—or other neutral facets other people can observe. These may be verbal tics, mannerisms, habits, etc. Generally these are small and neutral, just reminders for you to play off of. Unlike the bond, ideal, and flaw, they’re less about being sources of plot hooks and more about characterization.

Ideas:

Ideal

Your ideal is something that you hold to deeply, something that you want to bring about. Different ideals can be interpreted many different ways: for one person, freedom might be being free from external restraints and going with the wind. For another, it might be about having enough power that no one tells you what to do. Choose something that your character will attempt to follow through on and seek for, but be careful about choosing things that strongly conflict with the ideals of fellow party members. Conflict of ideals isn’t necessarily wrong, but it should be discussed openly out of character before the campaign begins so all the players are ok with it.

Examples:

Bond

While ideals are abstract, bonds are concrete. A person, organization, or place that you strongly want to protect, defend, regain, or help. Work with your GM to flesh out the details. A bond is supposed to act as a plot eyebolt–a place you’ve agreed with the GM that he or she can attach plot hooks and you’ll bite.

Examples:

Flaw

A flaw is something that gets you in trouble. Like the bond, this is a plot eyebolt. Flaws should be noticeable and make you do things that aren’t optimal, but shouldn’t make the game un-fun for others by putting the campaign in jeopardy senselessly. “I attack my fellows in blind rage”is not, generally, an appropriate flaw. Neither is“I never back down”.

Examples:

Regional Origin

Every character comes from somewhere. And that origin makes a big difference. Who you know, what you know, who knows you, and what things you’re good at are all part of your regional origin. Some regions have peculiarities that make some backgrounds inapposite or at least require significantly more explanation. For example, the entirely land-locked Uulan Confederacy doesn’t exactly have many sailors. And the kritocracy of Byssia doesn’t have nobility, but a similar background can be framed around one of the more influential (in practice, if not in law) merchant or religious families.

In the default setting (Dreams of Hope’s Federated Nations area), the regions of origin are:

Byssia. Byssia lies in the southern portion of the Nocthian Caldera and parts south, including a large portion of Gap Tooth Bay. The Byssians are mostly human and ihmisi, with a very few others mingled in. The nation is a highly-decentralized state governed by judges elected from the towns and villages, although their powers are mostly executive and judicial rather than legislative. The Church of Night Reborn (worshiping the Ascendant Nocthis) and the Home of the Elements (a monastic order of elementalists and sages) both have significant de facto influence. There are no nobility, and the nation does not have a standing army. It has many militias; some of them (such as the Caldera Militia), are more organized and perpetual than others. Byssians traditionally use little metal (the costal part has no significant sources of workable metal) and venerate ascendant ancestors, Nocthis, and the kami rather than the true gods. There are very few true priests in the area, and almost no organized religion other than the Church of Night Reborn. They do not have a strong academic tradition.

Giant Spine and Barrier Mountains. The mountain folk of Shinevog, Zhapai Karmap, the Tuura Adam, and the Uulan Confederacy are hardy and self-sufficient. Shinevog and Zhapai Karmap are known for their anything goes pursuit of knowledge and money, respectively, and are home to many peoples. The Tuura Adam and the Uulan Confederacy are both traditionalist states, the former the home of most jazuu and the later home to most of the dwarven clans. Neither of the latter has any water access, and neither really has nobility per se. But similar backgrounds can be constructed. All three are heavily craft oriented, but much more guild and individual-oriented than the industrialized forces of Wyrmhold. None of them have standing militaries.

Jungle of Fangs. The Jungle lies mostly isolated from the south end of the Sea of Grass down to the Moon Sea. There are 3 nations here (Sha’slar, Asai’ka, and the Serpent Dominion), but they share most of the culture. Humans, half-elves (scaled), and ophidians are the dominant lineages, although dwarves are not uncommon. Aristocracy, merchant castes, and (in the far south), sailing are the big features. The area is uniformly religious, with heavy worship of the Queen Ascendant. Criminal organizations are quite common.

Sea of Grass. The Sea of Grass is a wide plain encompassing most of the largest cities. It borders Lake Coy’in heavily, with significant water traffic. The merchant nation of Rauviz, the gwerin-influenced Crisial Kingdom, the rugged Duarchy of Kotimaa, and the theocratic Holy Kaelthian Republic, the latter 3 of which are the most expansive nations in the area, are the dominant powers. Humans, halflings, gwerin, and dwarves are the dominant lineages. Any background is appropriate here.

Wyrmhold. Wyrmhold is a highly militarized and industrial neighbor occupying the eastern flank of the Nocthian Caldera and the adjoining Kairen Mountains, as well as the southern part of the Fiach Wood and western part of the Lupaus Plains. Populated primarily by dragonborn, orcs, and goblins, there are jazuu in the high mountains as well. Other lineages only occur as migrants in the last decade or so. A clan-based aristocracy ruled by a queen, the nation has a strong and proud military tradition. They are also the second-most technologically advanced nation of the area, with only Shinevog more advanced. But they have a much deeper industrial base (albeit mostly military focused until very recently). They have little water access and are not generally known for their trading or merchant prowess.

Sample Backgrounds

Aristocrat

  • Proficiencies. History, Persuasion, one gambling set, land OR water vehicles
  • Languages. Any language of your choice
  • Equipment. A set of fine clothes, a signet ring with your house’s seal, a pouch containing 15 gp
  • Skill Trick. Diplomat OR Scholar: History

True nobles are rare in the Federated Nations—the noble houses are few and far between and mostly very small—and not generally suited for adventuring. But aristocrats (formal or informal), the scions of landed gentry, rich merchant princes, influential families, etc? Those are many, even in the more egalitarian nations. And second and third children often make a name for themselves as adventurers.

Questions to consider

Crafter

  • Proficiencies. Investigation, Perception, two crafting tools of your choice
  • Languages. Tumnii (Dwarven)
  • Equipment. A set of crafting tools you are proficient in, 10gp of materials for that work, and a pouch containing 15 gp
  • Skill Trick. Craft Apprentice

Most of the Federated Nations works on a guild apprenticeship basis, with individual crafters learning under masters and striking out on their own to provide services. You were one of those crafters.

Questions to Consider

Criminal

  • Proficiencies. Intimidation OR Deception, Stealth, Thieves tools
  • Languages. One common language of your choice
  • Equipment. Thieves tools, a set of dark clothing, and a pouch containing 15 gp
  • Skill Trick. Misdirect OR Feint

Criminal organizations, as well as individuals who live and operate outside the law, are common throughout the lands of the Federated Nations. The city state of Rauviz and the oligarchy of Asai’ka are most notorious for harboring criminal organizations, but guilds are present in most areas. Before you were an adventurer, you lived such a life.

Questions to Consider

Entertainer

  • Proficiencies. Acrobatics, Performance, Disguise Kit, one musical instrument of your choice
  • Languages. One common language of your choice
  • Equipment. A disguise kit, a set of performers clothes, a musical instrument you are proficient in, and a pouch containing 10 gp
  • Skill Trick. Tumble

Entertainers are minstrels, traveling players, actors, actresses, temple dancers, street performers, etc. They often move from place to place in search of work and new audiences.

Questions to Consider

Farmer

  • Proficiencies. Animal Handling, Nature OR Survival, one crafting tool of your choice, and land vehicles
  • Languages. One common language of your choice
  • Equipment. A pet (offensive CR 0) such as a dog, cat, or squirrel that will do simple tricks, a pouch containing 5 gp
  • Skill Trick. Soothe Domesticated Animal OR Craft Apprentice

The majority of the population of the Federated Nations is involved in farming or livestock handling to one degree or another. Without the rural folks, no one eats. Not even the greatest. You were part of that agricultural backbone until you took up the adventuring life.

Questions to Consider

Merchant

  • Proficiencies. Deception OR Persuasion, Insight, land vehicles, one gambling set of your choice
  • Languages. One common language of your choice
  • Equipment. A book, a quill pen, and ink. A pouch containing 20 gp
  • Skill Trick. Diplomat OR Haggler

Merchants run the gamut from the great merchant princes of Rauviz or Asai’ka to the humble traveling peddlers wandering among the settlements on the fringes of the known world. Before taking up adventuring, you were living this life, trading goods produced by others for coin.

Questions to Consider

Sailor

  • Proficiencies. Perception, Survival, water vehicles and cartographer’s tools
  • Languages. One common language of your choice or Primordial
  • Equipment. A compass, a dagger, a pouch containing 10gp
  • Skill Trick. Alert OR Lung Capacity

The Federated Nations is mostly landlocked. Four major bodies of water, plus a selection of riverine routes are the major outlets for the sailing dreams of mortal-kind. The cold and misty Sea of Dreams to the north, the placid, deep freshwater Lake Coy’in (more the size of an inland sea), the shallow and stormy Gap-tooth Bay near Byssia, and the pirate-infested, island-dotted tropical Serpent Sea south of the Jungle of Fangs. Each one has their own maritime tradition. You were crew aboard a ship, or maybe a solo fisherman.

Questions to Consider

Scholar

Many of the nations have a scholarly tradition, although not all have an academic tradition. Some scholars are bound up in a library, such as the Four Towers just outside Crisial City, others wander. Many, if not most, scholars have some association with the Sages Guild, the international union of civilized scholars. For some, however, that association is negative; they reject the hidebound and conservative traditions of the Sages.

Questions to Consider

Shrine-keeper

  • Proficiencies. Religion, Persuasion, Wood-carver’s tools
  • Languages. Sylvan OR Lucian
  • Equipment. A set of vestments, a holy symbol, and a pouch containing 10 gp
  • Skill Trick. Diplomat OR Scholar: Religion

Shrine-keeper, priest, cleric, wise one, witch. Those that tend to the shrines of the Ascendants and kami that dot the landscape have many names. Most have no particular gifts of power; those that do often take up a calling like that of the priest or shaman class. But the number of those that simply tend the shrines, participating in the veneration and worship while not having an official standing with the Power in question, is legion. You were among that latter number whether by birth or choice.

Questions to Consider

Soldier

  • Proficiencies. Athletics, Intimidation OR Medicine, one game set, smiths’ tools
  • Languages. One common language of your choice
  • Equipment. One weapon you are proficient in, a rank insignia, and a pouch containing 10 gp
  • Skill Trick. Frighten OR Medic

Most of the Federated Nations don’t have large standing armies. It’s been a time of peace for quite a while (although this is changing with the advent of the Time of Troubles). Wyrmhold is the key exception. But they all have militias of one sort or another, and every nation has specialist forces such as Crisial’s Scout Corps or the Caldera Wardens of Byssia. There are also many private guard companies (mercenary companies by another name) doing caravan and local security, as well as private armies of the various wealthy and/or aristocratic families, as well as the clan guards common in the more tribal areas. You served in one of these groups.

Questions to Consider

Street Kid

  • Proficiencies. Perception, Stealth OR Intimidation, thieves tools, one gambling set of your choice
  • Languages. Thieves’ Cant
  • Equipment. A gambling set, thieves tools, a pouch containing 5 gp
  • Skill Trick. Alert OR Frighten

Every city and substantial town has those who fall through the cracks. Kids, especially, who grow up among the poor and lack stable homes. Not all of them are orphans, but all of them share the desperate struggle for day-to-day survival. Working odd jobs, stealing food, joining a street gang, begging; these are the occupations of such children. You were part of that life, but unlike most, you broke out and gained enough training to adventure.

Questions to Consider

Converting Lineages, Cultures, and Backgrounds to 5e D&D

Most of the material presented here should be fully compatible with normal 5e (2014) Dungeons & Dragons. Characters gain all of Lineage (instead of race and subrace), Culture, and Background (replacing the regular background options). They are not, however, balanced for use alongside normal 5e races and backgrounds. A few specific alterations needed: