You are some kind of slave or indentured servant. You are or were controlled entirely by another person or group of people. You don’t have to be a slave in the traditional sense; an abused and isolated child, a tortured prisoner, or an underpaid servant or worker, all could also take this background.
You can choose whether you bought your freedom, were freed by someone else or even your master/mistress, escaped and are on the run, or if you still actually serve them but are travelling on your own for one reason or another.
- Skill Proficiencies: Performance or survival
- Tool Proficiencies: As a slave you used tools to work, slowly you gained proficiency with those tools.
- Languages: Any one of your choice, but you only speak it. You cannot read it or write it
- Equipment: A pair of manacles you at one point wore, a simple memento from your family or a fellow slave, something you used to do your job as a slave, and a pouch with 5 gp.
A slave is set to a task by their master for a reason– their purpose for even being alive.
| d6 | Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1 | I existed to do hard labor, such as mining or construction. |
| 2 | I existed to serve some dedicated menial task, such as cooking or cleaning. |
| 3 | I existed as the personal servant of a given person, family, or group. |
| 4 | I existed to fulfill the tasks of some professional assistant, such as a furnace operator for a smithy. |
| 5 | I existed to serve the function of an inanimate object, such as a signpost or furniture, or to operate such things, like opening and closing a specific door all day long. |
| 6 | I existed to fight and die in the place of someone else, as a soldier or bodyguard. |
Slaves face great difficulty everywhere they go. Escaped slaves are often on the run if not from their former owners, then certainly from the law. Few are educated or have any practical experience to make a way for themselves. Most have limited social skills which give away their social status. Slavers may notice freemen as "unclaimed property" and try to "claim" them as slaves. People sense a sort of "inferiority" about slaves and freemen, and they will likely either ignore you or boss you around. Many freemen turn to crime to make ends meet and so anyone who doesn't assume you a slave immediately, will likely assume that you are a criminal. If you can ever really leave the slavery mindset knowing what it's like to be a slave, then you can pose as a slave with little difficulty and without raising much suspicion. People seem to do things in front of you that they would normally only do when they are alone.
Suggested Characteristics
Slaves belong to their masters and cannot openly make the decisions that they want to, their destiny is defined by the wills of their masters. You may be a "star" slave and actually make a statement to your master, or your life may be nothing more than serving a pointless end. If you are an unlucky slave, then your life will be for nothing more than fighting a lost campaign or treating a person with no power as an exemplar. If you are a lucky slave then maybe you can see escape without slaughter, or even talk to your clients and perform some subterfuge. Escaped slaves exist in an awkward situation where they are lost/stolen property which they are guilty of stealing/kidnapping themselves. Life as an escaped slave is extremely difficult, and hiding your past may require intuitively practicing skills you would normally never have learned as a slave.
A freeman is a person who was a slave but has been freed by legitimate means. Most freemen are actually convicts who were put to slave labor in a work prison as their punishment. Alternatively, some slaves escape via criminal means and become legitimate exiles in another land, where their former status of slave is meaningless. Many freemen rise from old servile rebellions, or from counter-slavery laws passed by gentler rulers. A rare few are granted their freedom willingly by their masters. This is so extremely uncommon, most people don't even imagine it as an option. Freemen face almost as many challenges as escaped slaves, but have no reason to hide their past, aside from personal shame.
Being a slave actually makes things harder for you. It is an impediment to be overcome.
| d5 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am shy, rarely speak, and avoid eye contact. |
| 2 | My manners are spot on; I’m always polite and respectful. |
| 3 | I'm sick of biting my tongue, and am purposefully rude to those I dislike. |
| 4 | I am rather uncouth, with little understanding of social etiquette. |
| 5 | Sometimes I misinterpret requests as orders. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Subservient. Just follow the rules and do what you’re told, and everything will be alright. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Release. No one should suffer slavery as I have. (Good) |
| 3 | Freedom. Everyone should be allowed to do as they please. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Autonomy. I just want to live my life undisturbed. (Neutral) |
| 5 | Power. It would be nice to be the one holding the whip for once. (Evil) |
| 6 | Wander. I wish to see the world that I’ve never been able to see. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | My master treated me well, and I consider them to be my family. |
| 2 | I ran away from my old master; they’re still looking for me. |
| 3 | I am still in service to my master. |
| 4 | Slavery separated me from my family; perhaps I’ll find them again. |
| 5 | Someone I love is still a slave; I want to free them. |
| 6 | I owe my life, and my freedom, to the one who freed me. |
| d4 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am terrified of authority figures. |
| 2 | I often will just do whatever others tell me to. |
| 3 | My scars, both mental and physical, still cause me great pain. |
| 4 | I have an extreme fear of confinement and punishment. |
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