Almost all of the common people and other folk that one might encounter along the Sword Coast or in the North have one thing in common: they live out their lives without ever traveling more than a few miles from where they were born. You aren't one of those folk. You are from a distant place, one so remote that few of the common folk in the North realize that it exists, and chances are good that even if some people you meet have heard of your homeland, they know merely the name and perhaps a few outrageous stories.
You have come to this part of Faerun for your own reasons, which you might or might not choose to share. Although you will undoubtedly find some of this land's ways to be strange and discomfiting, you can also be sure that some things its people take for granted will be to you new wonders that you've never laid eyes on before. By the same token, you're a person of interest, for good or ill, to those around you almost anywhere you go.
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Perception
- Tool Proficiencies: Any one musical instrument or gaming set of your choice, likely something native to your homeland.
- Languages: Any one of your choice.
- Equipment: One set of traveler's clothes, any one musical instrument or gaming set you are proficient with, poorly wrought maps from your homeland that depict where you are in Faerun, a small piece of jewelry worth 10 gp in the style of your homeland's craftsmanship, and a pouch containing 5 gp
A far traveler might have set out on a journey for one of a number of reasons, and the departure from their homeland could have been voluntary or involuntary. To determine why you are so far from home, roll on the table below or choose from the options provided. The following section, discussing possible homelands, includes some suggested reasons that are appropriate for each location.
| d6 | Why Are You Here? |
|---|---|
| 1 | Emissary |
| 2 | Exile |
| 3 | Wanderer |
| 4 | Pilgrim |
| 5 | Sightseer |
| 6 | Fugitive |
Your accent, mannerisms, figures of speech, and perhaps even your appearance all mark you as foreign. Curious glances are directed your way wherever you go, which can be a nuisance, but you also gain the friendly interest of scholars and others intrigued by far-off lands, to say nothing of everyday folk who are eager to hear stories of your homeland. You can parley this attention into access to people and places you might not otherwise have, for you and your traveling companions. Noble lords, scholars, and merchant princes, to name a few, might be interested in hearing about your distant homeland and people.
Suggested Characteristics
Folk travel for a variety of different reasons some are overcome by wanderlust, others seek some hidden thing, while others still seek to hide.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have different assumptions from those around me concerning personal space. |
| 2 | I have my own ideas about what is and is not food, and I find the eating habits of those around me fascinating, confusing, or revolting. |
| 3 | I have a strong code of honor or sense of propriety that others don't comprehend. |
| 4 | I express affection or contempt in ways that are unfamiliar to others. |
| 5 | I honor my deities through practices that are foreign to this land. |
| 6 | I begin or end my day with small traditional rituals that are unfamiliar to those around me. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open. I have much to learn from the kindly folk I meet along my way. (Good) |
| 2 | Reserved. As someone new to these strange lands, I am cautious and respectful in my dealings. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Adventure. I'm far from home, and everything is strange and wonderful! (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Cunning. Though I may not know their ways, neither do they know mine, which can be to my advantage. (Evil) |
| 5 | Inquisitive. Everything is new, but I have a thirst to learn. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Suspicious. I must be careful, for I have no way of telling friend from foe here. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | So long as I have this token from my homeland, I can face any adversity in this strange land. |
| 2 | The gods of my people are a comfort to me so far from home. |
| 3 | I hold no greater cause than my service to my people. |
| 4 | My freedom is my most precious possession. I'll never let anyone take it from me again. |
| 5 | I'm fascinated by the beauty and wonder of this new land. |
| 6 | Though I had no choice, I lament having to leave my loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one day. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am secretly (or not so secretly) convinced of the superiority of my own culture over that of this foreign land. |
| 2 | I pretend not to understand the local language in order to avoid interactions I would rather not have. |
| 3 | I have a weakness for the new intoxicants and other pleasures of this land. |
| 4 | I don't take kindly to some actions and motivations of the people of this land, because these folk are different from me. |
| 5 | I consider the adherents of other gods to be deluded innocents at best, or ignorant fools at worst. |
| 6 | I have a weakness for the exotic beauty of the people of these lands. |
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