Whether because of your appearance or your upbringing, or perhaps something else entirely, you've been shunned or ostracized for much of your recent life. You try to fit in with society as much as possible without drawing attention to yourself, but your differences always seem to creep up on you, making it difficult for you to find a home in any one place. You've found friends here and there, but for the most part you spend your time in solitude, not speaking much to anyone outside of what's necessary.
- Skill Proficiencies: You're no stranger to going through life the hard way, and you're accustomed to life at the bottom of the societal totem pole, even if you might resent it. In fact, this way of life has taught you some skills that you may not have had if things were different. You are proficient in Survival skill checks, and may choose one of the following skill proficiencies as well: Animal Handling, Deception, Investigation, Medicine, or Stealth.
- Tool Proficiencies: You've learned to make do with what you're given, and you gain proficiency with two things from the following list: Cook's Utensils, Potter's Tools, Tinker's Tools, Woodcarver's Tools, Disguise Kit, Herbalism Kit, or Thieves' Tools.
Reason for Rejection
No one is shunned for no reason - or, heck, maybe you were. Every societal reject has a sob story that they carry behind their hardened mask.
| d6 | Reason for Rejection |
|---|---|
| 1 | You messed up some critically important task or responsibility, and because of it, many people regard you with distaste. |
| 2 | You look or act differently than the majority of people you grew up around, and you are/were shunned for it. |
| 3 | Even at a young age, you manifested strange talents and/or abilities that made most folk uncomfortable around you. |
| 4 | You've never been good at keeping yourself out of trouble, and as a result you've always been seen as a stain on the canvas of civilized society. |
| 5 | Something about you or your actions has put you on the bad side of someone in a prominent position of power - and no one wants to affiliate themselves with that. |
| 6 | You don't know why you're treated with such disdain. As far as you can remember, it's just always been this way. |
Feature: Waste Not, Want Not
You have no trouble finding ways to survive in an urban environment, from the most crowded city street to a long-abandoned ghost town. You can make a meal out of almost nothing (though it may not always taste great) and you're used to sleeping wherever is available - even if it means sleeping on the cold, hard ground.
Suggested Characteristics
These are the suggested characteristics for the Outcast background:
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | You're very sensitive about whatever issue cause you to be shunned in the first place, and will grow emotional if provoked. |
| 2 | You treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. |
| 3 | You have no qualms about eating spoiled food or living in unsanitary conditions - in fact, you might even prefer it that way. |
| 4 | You're incredibly persistent when asking for help or favors, and once you see an opportunity, you won't let it go untaken. |
| 5 | You love feeling like you belong, and will usually go along with whatever is suggested to you as long as you feel included. |
| 6 | You'll hardly ever pass up an opportunity to help someone, especially if it takes little effort or time on your part. |
| 7 | You prefer not to dwell on the past, and become distant when asked about it. No point thinking about something if it only reminds you of hard times. |
| 8 | You tend to treat others as they treat you, repaying kindness with kindness and disrespect with disrespect. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Equality - You believe that no one should be treated as you have been, and anyone who thinks they're above anyone else needs to be put in their place. |
| 2 | Compassion - You know what it's like to feel unwanted, and you want to help everyone feel accepted and loved no matter who they are. |
| 3 | Resolve - You believe that a person's circumstances are mainly determined by their own actions, and you're not going to let anyone get in between you and your goals any longer. |
| 4 | Inclusion - You know that decisions made by others can often affect innocent bystanders, and you want to make sure that no person or group is overlooked when you or your party is taking action. |
| 5 | Revolution - You believe that your impoverishment was the result of a mismanaged hierarchy, and there needs to be a big government reform before any change can happen. |
| 6 | Strength - Life can be cruel, and the only way to get ahead is to take what's yours. In the real world, only the strong survive. |
| d4 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | One or two people (maybe more) have always shown kindness to you when others wouldn't, and you could never fully repay them for what they've done for you. |
| 2 | Your family or friends have stuck with you through everything, and you'd sooner die than willingly abandon them. |
| 3 | You were part of a gang or crew during your time as an outcast, and you owe a certain responsibility toward the members of that group. They're the closest thing to family that you've ever had. |
| 4 | You often find comfort and companionship in the presence of animals or even vermin, sometimes. |
| d4 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | You believe that people are born with an inherent worth, and some people are simply more important than others. You feel you deserve whatever treatment you are given, and you view others based on their prior accomplishments. |
| 2 | You resent people who don't know the struggles you had to go through to survive, especially citizens of the upper class. Anyone who is better off than you is probably just waiting for the chance to gloat about their riches. |
| 3 | People might be nice to you on the surface, but deep down you know that they're just faking it until they find an opportunity to get rid of you. |
| 4 | You've been mocked for much of your life, and therefore you assert dominance by mocking others before they can do the same to you. |
Comments