You spent a period your life abroad in the service of a specific god or pantheon of gods. You received your calling, or assignment, from higher-ups in your religion who sought guidance from your god or gods regarding where you should serve. You may have spent this time in another country/kingdom, or perhaps you were assigned to work in a different part of your homeland. On your mission, you acted as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world, performing sacred rites and preaching from the holy writings in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine, as well as introduce new prospective members to your faith. You are not necessarily a cleric—performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power.
During your mission, you were expected to follow a strict code of rules, which set parameters for everything from your behavior to your dress to what time you got up in the morning. You may have been assigned to collaborate or even live with other missionaries. Has any of this lifestyle stuck with you?
Choose a god, a pantheon of gods, or some other quasi-divine being, and work with your DM to detail the nature of your religious service. The Gods of the Multiverse section contains a sample pantheon, from the Forgotten Realms setting.
Was your mission a positive experience? If you were to run into someone you knew during your mission, would your reaction be a happy one, or would you punch them? Did you learn a language? How much of it have you maintained?
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Religion
- Languages: One of your choice
- Equipment: A copy of your religion's scriptures, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp.
As a returned missionary, you have the respect of those who share your faith, and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple, shrine, or other established presence of your faith, though you must provide any material components needed for spells.
With the ties you established on your mission, you have particular connection to the place and the people you interacted with on a daily basis. Other missionaries who served there when you did will feel a special connection with you and will be willing to help you in your endeavors; at least, if you left things on good terms. While near your old missionary area, you can call upon the priests for assistance, provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and you remain in good standing.
Suggested Characteristics
Missionaries are shaped by their experience in temples or other religious communities. Their study of the history and tenets of their faith and their relationships to temples, shrines, or hierarchies affect their mannerisms and ideals. Their flaws might be some hidden hypocrisy or heretical idea, or an ideal or bond taken to an extreme.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I idolize a particular hero of my faith, and constantly refer to that person’s deeds and example. |
| 2 | I can find common ground between the fiercest enemies, empathizing with them and always working toward peace. |
| 3 | I see omens in every event and action. The gods try to speak to us, we just need to listen. |
| 4 | Nothing can shake my optimistic attitude. |
| 5 | I quote (or misquote) sacred texts and proverbs in almost every situation. |
| 6 | I am tolerant (or intolerant) of other faiths and respect (or condemn) the worship of other gods. |
| 7 | I experienced a wide variety of food, drink, and society on my mission. Rough living or weird food doesn't bother me. |
| 8 | I’ve spent so long with the strictures involved with missionary service that I have lost some of my prowess at making my own choices. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tradition. The ancient traditions of worship are divinely directed, and as such must be preserved and upheld. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Charity. I always try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) |
| 3 | Change. We must help bring about the changes the gods are constantly working in the world. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Power. I aspire to one day rise to the top of my faith’s religious hierarchy. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Faith. I trust that my deity will guide my actions. I have faith that if I work hard, things will go well. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Aspiration. I seek to prove myself worthy of my god’s favor by matching my actions against his or her teachings. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I would die to recover an ancient relic of my faith that was lost long ago. |
| 2 | I hold an eternal grudge against the people who rejected me during my missionary service |
| 3 | I owe a lot of my religious testimony to the missionary who trained me. |
| 4 | Everything I do is for the common people. |
| 5 | I will do anything to protect the temple where I served. |
| 6 | I keep tabs on anyone I may have taught, especially those whose conversion I was apart of. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I judge others harshly, and myself even more severely. |
| 2 | I put too much trust in those who wield power within my faith's hierarchy. |
| 3 | My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god. |
| 4 | I am inflexible in my thinking. |
| 5 | I am suspicious of strangers and expect the worst of them. |
| 6 | Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the detriment of everything else in my life. |