Disillusioned Deserter

You have wanted to be a soldier for as long as you can remember. As a youth, you transformed every mundane chore into an imaginary battle of good versus evil; each scene set to the hearthside tales of chivalry and righteous battles that you could never hear enough of. Whether you were trained with the local militia, conscripted into an army , or answered a call to arms - when sword and spear were thrust into your hands, you took them proudly and with purpose, eager to join the cause.

Only, your experiences as a soldier were nothing like the old stories. You did not meet foes on the open field amongst banners and war horns in the splendor of battle. Instead, you  foraged for supplies, often at the expense of travelers and villages. You guarded captives who were often tortured or executed for the remaining faithful to their cause, or had no value as prisoners. Rather than driving evil men and monstrous races from your homeland in defeat, you had instead become an aggressor in a foreign land, where you drove the smallfolk from their villages and farmsteads in terror.

You have witnessed wonton killing, cruelty, and plunder. You have marched with soldiers who more closely resembled the monsters in the tales you once so cherished, and you have shared your cookfires with many more who have responded to atorocities with callous indifference.

As you bore witness to events which dishonored your core beliefs and tore at your conscience, you came to the conclusion that the penaly for desertion was preferable to the harm you have either directly or indirectly been a party to. 

When you choose this background, work with your DM to determine which military organization you were a part of and what kind of experiences drove you to desert your company. 

Skill Proficiencies: Athletics and History

Tool Proficiencies: Weaver's tools or Woodcarver's tools

Equipment: Knife and whetstone,  an ironic token of your military service (such as a shred of your sovereign's banner to be used as a handkerchief), a set of commoner's clothes, and a pouch containing 5 gp

Suggested Characteristics

The horrors of war combined with the rigid discipline of military service leave their mark on all soldiers, shaping their ideals, creating strong bonds, and often leaving them scarred and vulnerable to fear, shame, and hatred.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am cautious and quiet
2	I am haunted by my memories of war. I can't get the images of violence out of my head.
3	I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.
4	I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide
5	I judge people by their actions, not their words.
6	If someone is in trouble, I am always ready to lend help.
7	I have a strong sense of fair play and always try to find the most equitable solution to arguments.
8	I feel tremendous empathy for all who suffer.

d6	Ideal
1	Repect. All people, rich or poor, deserve respect. (Good)
2	Independence. When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)
3	Live and let live. Ideals aren't worth killing over or going to war for. (Neutral)
4	Moral Obedience. I will obey any law which does not bring dishonor upon me or assail my conscience. (Lawful)
5	Hearth and Home. The place that I call home, and the people who inhabit it, are all that matter to me (Any)
6	Redemption. It will be my penance to stand against unrepentant evil. (Good)

d6	Bond
1	No one should have to endure the horrors I have seen.
2	When the Gods are indifferent to the suffering of the weak, I must be their shield. An injury to the innocent is an injury to me.
3	The heroes will always be remembered. The best. The best and the worst. And a few who were a bit of both.
4	Those who ask for quarter shall have it.
5	I will not kill without just cause or without my life being placed into mortal peril.
6	Someone suffered as I stood silently by. That will never happen again.

d6	Flaw
1	I am suspicious of strangers and expect the worst of them.
2	I have a "tell" that reveals when I am lying.
3	I have trouble trusting in my allies.
4	Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter dangerous the situation.
5	I'm a sucker for a pretty face.
6	Once I pick a goal, I become obsessed with it to the detriment of everything else in my life.