You are an unfortunate soul who was ripped away from what you knew, or was the pure life result of rigorous testing of various dark sciences or religious rites. As a result of these invasive practices, your mind, body, and perception have been altered to a massive degree; Your body suffused with arcane power. You could have been the subject of magical experimentation by a group of shadowy wizards, or your corpse could have been shocked back to life by the machinations of a mad scientist.
You are an enigma with little to no past. Whatever memories of your life before are but shades to whatever grim purpose befalls you. You now ask yourself one question; Can you call yourself a person, or are you an abomination endeared to the powers that changed you? Do you work with or against them? Did you go rogue and escape, now on the run from them? Work with your Dungeon Master to find out the specifics of what you and your character knows about their situation and the path ahead.
- Skill Proficiencies: Arcana; and choose one from Perception, Deception, Acrobatics or Athletics
- Tool Proficiencies: None
- Languages: Choose any one language, plus one Exotic Language tied to the humanoid(s) or type of creature(s) you are associated with.
- Equipment: Choice of pack (Scholar, Priest, Explorer), a cloak with a hood, A pouch containing 2 gp
Roll a d6 and consult the table to determine the secretive cabal
| d6 | Cabal Table |
|---|---|
| 1 | A secret sect of Wizardly researchers birthed you from strands of pure magical essence. |
| 2 | A Drow matron and her hired help created you in a test tube to become a weapon against the surface-dwellers |
| 3 | A fiendish cult saw you as just another sacrifice, until their leader decided that they had different plans for you |
| 4 | Mind Flayers poked and prodded at your exposed brain, deciding that you'd be a perfect candidate for their increasingly sinister trials |
| 5 | A failed or disgraced Artificer, their radical ideas getting them expelled from their profession, has dug your corpse from the earth to be reanimated. |
| 6 | A fanatically faithful priest, believing you to be a catalyst to bring about the force of their god, offered your body to receive the divine essence |
Your roiling potential manifests as a divining rod for magical energies.
Second Nature: A number of times a day equal to half your proficiency modifier, you can treat an Arcana check as if you had Expertise in the skill.
Aura of the Arcane: You can deduce what kind of creature cast a certain lingering spell or had a hand in creating some magical effect. Choose a person, point in space, or a spell effect that you can see within 30 feet. You can tell if the magic is Arcane, Divine, Innate or Artifice. For example, you can tell that the wall of flame blocking your path was conjured by a Fiend's hells-given power, or the man who just cast a healing spell is being gifted with divine might. After using this ability, you must finish a short or long rest.
Suggested Characteristics
Experiments are varied, as are the cults, groups, and individuals that are tied with them. As such, their paths can go in many different ways. They could stay to fulfill their destined purpose, or rebel against the chains that bind them. They can hide from their captor, or rise up to strike them down.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I usually prefer to keep to the shadows. Direct sunlight is very uncomfortable. |
| 2 | The alterations to my mind and body have left me socially awkward, and I no longer understand social cues and norms. |
| 3 | The disconnect between my hazy past and wretched present has left me emotionally detached, and I find it difficult to form connections with others I meet. |
| 4 | I was taught to suppress my emotions and can maintain a composed demeanor, even in the face of adversity. |
| 5 | The infusions of arcane power still bubble in my brain, making my moods shift noticeably. |
| 6 | My trust or free will was violated by those who experimented on me. I now approach meeting strangers with caution. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. I want to be free of the influence of the ones who created what I am. I desire to assert my independence and forge my own path, whatever it may look like (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Control. I want to change the world to suit my whim, but the power I was given is simply not enough. I will get more (Evil) |
| 3 | Justice. Many people suffer under the heels of the ones who made me, or ones who they remind me of. I can help make amends (Lawful) |
| 4 | Redemption. Whatever I am now, I do not have to be what they wanted. I will live to right their wrongs (Good) |
| 5 | Loyalty. The ones who worked on me made me strong, and I would be nothing without them. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Knowledge. The reason for my creation interests me greatly. What was it for? What is the endgame and what can I do to help/hinder it? (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I forged an unexpected connection with a fellow subject or cabal member. I wonder how they're doing, if they are alive. |
| 2 | Memories from my past life press on my psyche like ghosts of hazy memories. |
| 3 | I feel a strange connection to the place where I was tested on or the items/relics associated with the event. |
| 4 | I harbor a burning desire to enact revenge on the cabal for what they did to you and/or others. |
| 5 | You are drawn to the words and teachings of the enigmatic leader of the cabal, be they human, monster, or god. |
| 6 | I have one possession from my past life that I was able to keep on me; A piece of paper with my true name scrawled on it. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I often assume that there are people out there conspiring to capture me, whether or not they can be seen is irrelevant. |
| 2 | I struggle with feelings of inadequacy, wondering if I am but a tool to be used by higher powers. |
| 3 | I have hyper vivid nightmares about my past and sometimes suffer from sleep paralysis. |
| 4 | The vengeful mask I wear sometimes blinds me to the needs of others. |
| 5 | I am impulsive and find myself in life-threatening situations without considering the consequences. |
| 6 | When faced with a difficult choice for too long, I crumble under the pressure. |
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