Animism is a belief that spirits embody all animate things. Animist Animators are driven to harness, control, or create life due to a theological belief that all sentient, living things are merely bodies brought to life by individual spirits. This belief leads some to try and build homes for spirits they believe to be trapped between realms, others to try and trap spirits within inanimate objects, and still others to try and create new life from nothing.

You are either a budding Artificer or Wizard whose life's work is to animate a great construct or merely a lacky to one such as this who assists with the stitching and retrieval of parts. In any event, you've spent your life doing dirty work in the name of trying to breathe life into inanimate objects.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Arcana, Religion, or Medicine

Tool Proficiencies: Choose two of the following types of artisan’s tools:  Weaver's Tools, Mason's Tools, Smith's Tools, and Tinker's Tools

Languages: None

Equipment: A set of artisan’s tools you gained proficiency with via this background, set of traveler’s clothes, a book on basic humanoid anatomy, a stone/finger/claw/or other remnant from your first failed creation, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Suggested Characteristics

Animist Animators often pretend to be the most ordinary people in the world so as to go unnoticed. They are often quiet and keep to themselves, attempting to go undetected in crowds. They understand the value of hard work and are often perfectionists and recluses.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing right. I can’t help it — I’m a perfectionist.
2	I’m a snob who looks down on those who can’t appreciate fine art.
3	I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick.
4	I have a disturbingly dark sense of humor.
5	I’m rude to people who lack my commitment to hard work.
6	I am cagey and shift uncomfortably when the topic of work comes up in conversation.
7	I tip generously and am constantly greasing the palms of all those I interact with.
8	I don't understand or appreciate when people speak to me. Don't they have better things to be doing with their time?

d6	Ideal
1	Protection. We have the power to build great weapons for peace and protection. To not do so would be negligent. (Lawful)
2	Generosity. My talents were given to me so that I could use them to benefit the world. (Good)
3	Freedom. All of the world's trapped spirits should be set free! (Chaotic)
4	Greed. I’m only in it for the money. (Evil)
5	People. I want to find a way to bring back a loved one I lost, or find a home for a trapped spirit I am acquainted with. (Neutral)
6	Aspiration. I work hard to create something new that the world has never seen before. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	The workshop where I learned my trade is the most important place in the world to me.
2	I created a great work for someone, but they rejected it and had it destroyed. I still seek to revenge this wrong.
3	I owe a great debt or am being blackmailed by a patron who supported my early work.
4	I pursue fame through radical innovation - even if most don't understand my aims!
5	One day the world will accept my art for the miracle that it truly is.
6	One of my creations came close to perfection only to fail to animate at the last moment. I long to perfect my craft and complete this work.

d6	Flaw
1	I’ll do anything to get my hands on an ideal piece for my next construct.
2	I am quite confident the world would reject me if they knew my secret, but that doesn't bother me. I have mastered the art of not caring.
3	No one must ever learn that I have stolen corpses from fresh graves. More than once.
4	I’m never satisfied with what I have — I always want more.
5	I am paranoid and live in a constant state of anxiety that I will be discovered and found to be a monster, even though what I do is for the greater good!
6	I’m horribly jealous of those who live normal lives, but my obsession won't let me give it up.