You lived in seclusion — either in a sheltered community such as a monastery, or entirely alone — for a formative part of your life looking for manners to blow up the Cult of the Dragon entirely, through studying dragons deeply.
In your time apart from the clamor of society, you found quiet, solitude, and perhaps some of the answers you were looking for.
- Skill Proficiencies: Medicine, History
- Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A scroll case stuffed full of notes from your studies or prayers, a winter blanket, a set of common clothes, an herbalism kit, and 5 gp
What was the reason for your isolation, and what changed to allow you to end your solitude? Was it caused by any dragon? You can work with your DM to determine the exact nature of your seclusion, or you can choose or roll on the table below to determine the reason behind your seclusion.
| d8 | Life of Seclusion |
|---|---|
| 1 | I was searching for spiritual enlightenment. |
| 2 | I was partaking of communal living in accordance with the dictates of a religious order. |
| 3 | I was exiled for a crime I didn’t commit. |
| 4 | I retreated from society after a life-altering event. |
| 5 | I needed a quiet place to work on my art, literature, music, or manifesto. |
| 6 | I needed to commune with nature, far from civilization. |
| 7 | I was the caretaker of an ancient ruin or relic. |
| 8 | I was a pilgrim in search of a person, place, or relic of spiritual significance. |
Suggested Characteristics
Some hermits are well suited to a life of seclusion, whereas others chafe against it and long for company. Whether they embrace solitude or long to escape it, the solitary life shapes their attitudes and ideals. A few are driven slightly mad by their years apart from society.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I’ve been isolated for so long that I rarely speak, preferring gestures and the occasional grunt. |
| 2 | I am utterly serene, even in the face of disaster. |
| 3 | The leader of my community had something wise to say on every topic, and I am eager to share that wisdom. |
| 4 | I feel tremendous empathy for all who suffer. |
| 5 | I’m oblivious to etiquette and social expectations. |
| 6 | I connect everything that happens to me to a grand, cosmic plan. |
| 7 | I often get lost in my own thoughts and contemplation, becoming oblivious to my surroundings. |
| 8 | I am working on a grand philosophical theory and love sharing my ideas. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Greater Good. My gifts are meant to be shared with all, not used for my own benefit. (Good) |
| 2 | Logic. Emotions must not cloud our sense of what is right and true, or our logical thinking. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Free Thinking. Inquiry and curiosity are the pillars of progress. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. Solitude and contemplation are paths toward mystical or magical power. (Evil) |
| 5 | Live and Let Live. Meddling in the affairs of others only causes trouble. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Self-Knowledge. If you know yourself, there’s nothing left to know. (Any) |
| d10 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | Leosin Erlanthar, a wandering monk, once saved your life. He’s sent urgent word for you to meet him in a small town called Greenest. Looks like it’s time to pay off that debt. |
| 2 | When an orc raid drove your family from your home, the people of Greenest took you in. Anyone who threatens Greenest is your sworn enemy. |
| 3 | Every five nights, you have a strange sequence of apocalyptic dreams. The world is destroyed by cold, choking fumes, lightning storms, waves of acid, and horrible fire. Each time, the dream ends with ten evil eyes glaring at you from the darkness. You feel |
| 4 | Ontharr Frume, a crusading warrior and champion of good, is your friend and mentor. He has asked you to travel to Greenest in search of rumors of increasing dragon activity. |
| 5 | You have heard rumors that your close childhood friend, a half-elf named Talis, has been kidnapped by a strange group of dragon cultists. Your investigations into the cult have led you to the town of Greenest. You must save her! |
| 6 | Being the grandchild of a renowned dragon slayer is usually a good way to impress people, but just last week a gang of ruffians attacked you. You barely escaped with your life, but as you fled, the ruffians told you that the Cult of the Dragon never forget |
| 7 | On his deathbed, your father confessed that he had become involved with a group called the Cult of the Dragon. They paid him to smuggle goods across the Sword Coast. Wracked by guilt, he begged you to investigate the cult and undo the evil he may have help |
| 8 | The dragons destroyed everything you hold dear. They killed your family and destroyed your home. Now, with nothing but what you carry on your back and a horrid scar of the near fatal wounds you sustained in the attack, you seek revenge. |
| 9 | You and your family were members of the Cult of the Dragon, until your rivals in the cult arranged to wipe you out. Though they slaughtered your kin, you survived, but they think you’re dead. Now is your chance for vengeance! Your hit list consists of thre |
| 10 | You have a secret. You once were a gold dragon who served Bahamut. You were too proud and vain, to the point that Bahamut decided to teach you a lesson. You have been trapped in a weak, humanoid body, with your memories of your former life but a dim shadow |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Now that I’ve returned to the world, I enjoy its delights a little too much. |
| 2 | I harbor dark, bloodthirsty thoughts that my isolation and meditation failed to quell. |
| 3 | I am dogmatic in my thoughts and philosophy. |
| 4 | I let my need to win arguments overshadow friendships and harmony. |
| 5 | I’d risk too much to uncover a lost bit of knowledge. |
| 6 | I like keeping secrets and won’t share them with anyone. |
This hermit background assumes a contemplative sort of seclusion that allows room for study and prayer. If you want to play a rugged wilderness recluse who lives off the land while shunning the company of other people, look at the Outlander background. On the other hand, if you want to go in a more religious direction, the Acolyte might be what you’re looking for. Or you could even be a Charlatan, posing as a wise and holy person and letting pious fools support you.