Perhaps you were enslaved in Zeland by the Lord of Sloth's forces or maybe you were a slave to Envy's dark might; perhaps you were taken and lived in bondage to bandits in one of the Freed Kingdoms. Either way, you know the bitter taste of forced service. For part of your life you were a slave, and a hard lot it was. You had to work or feel the lash, though you vowed that one day you would be free. Eventually that day did indeed come, and though you never expected it, a part of you benefited from your horrible experience: you learned patience, persistence, and the virtue of hope. And you found true iron in your own soul.
Credit: Farlandworld.com
- Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Insight
- Tool Proficiencies: Pick one artisan's tool kit that costs 20 gold pieces or less; you are proficient with that kit.
- Languages: One of your choice (the language of those who enslaved you)
- Equipment: The tool kit you have proficiency with, 10 feet of chain, traveler's clothes, sack, one sentimental item of personal value worth 10 gold pieces or less
Who enslaved you and how did you gain your freedom? You can work with the DM to determine these things, or you can choose or roll on the table below to decide these things.
| d8 | Finally Free |
|---|---|
| 1 | I was lawfully enslaved but managed to escape. |
| 2 | I was lawfully enslaved but was freed out of my owner's largess. |
| 3 | I was lawfully enslaved but purchased my own freedom. |
| 4 | I was lawfully enslaved but my owner died with no heirs. |
| 5 | I was unlawfully enslaved but managed to escape. |
| 6 | I was unlawfully enslaved but was rescued by others. |
| 7 | I was unlawfully enslaved and those who enslaved me died. |
| 8 | I don't know if my slavery was legal or not, and I am not sure how I was freed. |
You identify with those who find themselves in a position of service, and they identify with you. If you haven't threatened them, servants, slaves, former slaves, and those who are in a servile role will help you by providing you with information, limited mundane resources, places to sleep, and places to hide. They will shield you from people searching for you, though they will not endanger their lives for you.
Suggested Characteristics
Former slaves are as diverse as any group. For some, the taste of slavery has broken their spirit; for others, it has renewed the fire inside them and made them more determined.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I blaze with anger any time I am confronted with forced service or slavery of myself or others. |
| 2 | I very rarely show fear, having been through some very horrible things and survived. |
| 3 | When in a tough situation, I flashback to some of the suffering I endured. |
| 4 | I feel tremendous empathy for all those who suffer. |
| 5 | I feel I need to act extra tough in order to prove that my spirit has not been broken. |
| 6 | I sometimes automatically show deference to a person who presents himself forcefully. I still have moments of servility. |
| 7 | I found meaning in my enslavement, and I try to find meaning in all hardships. |
| 8 | I never give up, and I never lose hope. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. I value personal freedom above all things. I will try to help others achieve freedom. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Strength. I need to become as powerful as possible so that no one can ever victimize me again. (Any) |
| 3 | Serenity. If I can cultivate inner peace of mind, events in the outside world will never bother me again. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Helpfulness. If I can help others, it will make up for some of the hurt that was done to me. (Good) |
| 5 | Viciousness. I will never again give others a chance to victimize me, because I will victimize them first. (Evil) |
| 6 | Canniness. If I stay alert and pay attention to events, I can head danger off at the pass. (Neutral) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I retain one sentimental token from my past, and it is the most valuable thing in the world to me. |
| 2 | A caring person showed me kindness in my darkest hour, and that person is now dearest to me. |
| 3 | I don't know where my family is, but I cherish their memory and hope to find them. |
| 4 | I always have a soft spot for people or animals in servitude or captivity. |
| 5 | I somehow managed to identify with my captors, and I value nobility and those in power. |
| 6 | The person, people, or group to whom I was in service still exists, and I will enact revenge upon them. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | There is one thing (like an item, a place, or a person) that reminds me of my past pain, and I have great trouble facing it. |
| 2 | I become fanatically single-minded in trying to achieve my goals, even if it means neglecting immediate concerns. |
| 3 | The emotion was stripped from me, and sometimes I am inappropriately callous when feelings are called for. |
| 4 | I have a great deal of difficulty controlling my temper. |
| 5 | When I am captured, I freeze and have trouble formulating my thoughts. |
| 6 | I spend money as fast as I get it because I am afraid it will be taken from me. |
Former prisoners are similar to former slaves, except they were primarily confined instead of being made to serve. This difference tends to lead to different skills and a different mentality in former prisoners. Instead of insight, former prisoners are proficient in athletics, having had time to build up their bodies. Instead of being proficient in artisans tools, they are proficient in a gaming set and a (usually small) musical instrument. They possess this gaming set and instrument instead of an artisans kit. For their feature, they have rapport with criminals and former prisoners. They are rarely servile in their attitude but tend to be tougher.
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