You have a keen interest in seeking out the ruins of long-lost civilizations that have lain abandoned among the scattered isles for thousands of years.
You’ll do anything to find clues to long-lost ruins, even venturing into dangerous dockside haunts in the hope of finding a treasure map without being slipped a tainted drink or a rusty knife.
- Skill Proficiencies: Please pick two of the following Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, Religion, Survival.
- Tool Proficiencies: In order to explore one requires to chart their discoveries. You'll gain proficiency in Cartographers Tools.
- Languages: From your exploration you have seen multiple different languages. A few of them have stuck with you. You understand Common, one standard language and one exotic language of your choice.
- Equipment: What good would an explorer be without their tools. A treasure map of a location you don't recognise, a set of cartographer's tools, a miner’s pick, a map case, bullseye lantern, waterskin, 50 feet of hempen rope, a set of traveller's clothes, a shovel, a two-person tent, a trinket found while exploring, and a pouch containing 25 gp.
You had a life before exploring the worlds around you. What made you set out with a need to experience anew?
| d10 | Defining Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | I completed my studies and exploring is my reward after my studious years. |
| 2 | Someone told me I wouldn't be good at it, so I had to prove them wrong. |
| 3 | I found something that cannot be explained by mundane means and now explore to figure out where it came from. |
| 4 | Someone of high power set me on a quest to search for answers of an ancient prophecy that they have fallen into. |
| 5 | In my family home there has been a trinket on display for my whole life. Nobody knew where it was from so I decided to seek answers. |
| 6 | My family before were down on their money so I decided to explore for fortune. |
| 7 | Humanity has lost its way to massive kingdoms and loss of culture. I explore to find who we used to be. |
| 8 | I found a map on the road and it led me to a deadly but interesting cave. |
| 9 | I've been roaming from place to place for years and one day when looking for shelter I found a hidden cache of antiquities. |
| 10 | I kept hearing noises in the wind, beckoning me to explore the unknown. |
You gain advantage on any Wisdom checks related to locating or excavating historical sites, and on Intelligence checks related to the lore of a historical site you are currently at. As well as advantage on avoiding and understanding simple traps.
Suggested Characteristics
Few explorers can resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, particularly if such a site is the source of legends or is rumoured to contain the treasures and relics of wizards, warlords, or royalty. Some explorers wander around seeking discovery, some wander seeking enlightenment, some wander seeking loot.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I love a good puzzle or mystery |
| 2 | I’m a pack rat who never throws anything away. |
| 3 | Fame is more important to me than money. |
| 4 | I have no qualms about stealing from the dead. |
| 5 | I’m happier in a dusty old tomb than I am in the centres of busy cities. |
| 6 | Traps don’t make me nervous. Idiots who trigger traps make me nervous. |
| 7 | I might fail, but I will never give up. |
| 8 | You might think I’m a scholar, but I love a good brawl. These fists were made for punching. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Preservation. That artefact belongs in a museum. (Good) |
| 2 | Greed. Of course I'll sacrifice someone for an ancient blood ritual. I need the discovery more than the person. (Evil) |
| 3 | Death Wish. Nothing is more exhilarating than a narrow escape from the jaws of death. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Dignity. The dead and their belongings deserve to be treated with respect. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Immortality. All my exploring is part of a plan to find the secret of everlasting life. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Danger. With every great discovery comes grave danger. The two walk hand in hand. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ever since I was a child, I’ve heard stories about a lost city. I aim to find it, learn its secrets, and earn my place in the history books. |
| 2 | I want to find my mentor, who disappeared on an expedition some time ago. |
| 3 | I have a friendly rival. Only one of us can be the best, and I aim to prove it’s me. |
| 4 | I won’t sell an art object or other treasure that has historical significance or is one of a kind. |
| 5 | I’m secretly in love with the wealthy patron who sponsors my archaeological exploits. |
| 6 | I hope to bring prestige to a library, a museum, or a university. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have a secret fear of some common wild animal—and in my work, I see them everywhere. |
| 2 | I found a secret door once in my career and now I can’t leave a room without searching it for secret doors. |
| 3 | When I’m not exploring dungeons or ruins, I get jittery and impatient. |
| 4 | I have no time for friends or family. I spend every waking moment thinking about and preparing for my next expedition. |
| 5 | I must always obey the rule of lefts. When given the choice of going left or right, I always go left. |
| 6 | I can’t sleep except under the night sky with the sounds of the wilderness. |
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