You were born and/or grew up in the forest town of Winterwood. The town and woods surrounding it are all you've ever known.
GM'S NOTE: This is a homebrew background made specifically for my campaign, Welcome to Winterwood. It will most likely not fit into any other campaign.
- Skill Proficiencies: You have proficiency in Nature and Survival.
- Tool Proficiencies: You have proficiency in being unarmored, simply wearing thick, layered clothing is armor enough for you. Your AC is your CON + 3.
- Languages: You speak Common. Choose 1 more language that is either Elvish, Gnomish, Halfling, and Aquan.
- Equipment: You carry a set of warm clothing including a thick fur cloak; choose between gloves or mittens depending on what you use your hands for. You also carry one trinket (roll or choose from trinket table) from the outside world. Depending on your occupation, you may also carry a game set and/or a tool/kit befitting of your role in the village.
You've grown up in the town and see it change, see people come and go, and know it like the back of your hand. You know everyone, and everyone knows you. You can always depend on someone else from the town to come to your side if you need a favor, or if you need help. You also know the layout of the town and can direct new faces to where they want to go.
You have grown accustomed to Winterwood's harsh weather. It still stings your skin, but you don't react to it as much. You have advantage on Thermoregulation saving throws.
Suggested Characteristics
All sorts of people live in Winterwood, of all sorts of alignments and backgrounds. Who do you look up to the most? Do you feel different from others due to not having any experience outside of the town? Do you yearn for the outside world, or are you content to stay within the safety of what you know? Think about these things as you choose from the suggested characteristics below or create your own.
| d10 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | Nothing can shake my optimistic/pessimistic attitude. |
| 2 | I am incredibly slow to trust. People who I haven't known my whole life scare me. |
| 3 | I'm bored with living in this town, and I talk about how bored I am constantly. I'm so bored! |
| 4 | I know a story about the townspeople I known relevant to almost every situation. |
| 5 | I'm a hopeless romantic, always waiting for that 'special someone' to enter the town. |
| 6 | I'm oblivious to the etiquette and social expectations outside of the town I've grown up in. |
| 7 | I often get lost in my own thoughts and contemplations about my situation, becoming oblivious to my surroundings. |
| 8 | Despite the wide variety of races in my town, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood. |
| 9 | I am horribly, horribly awkward in social situations with people who haven't been in the town for long. |
| 10 | I'm terrified of the woods outside of the town, and content to stay within the town. It's far safer this way. |
| d10 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Escape. One day, I'll escape the borders of this town, no matter what. (Any) |
| 2 | Friendship. I don't mind being stuck in this town, as long as I'm surrounded by friends. (Good) |
| 3 | Control. I'm going to figure out how everyone is trapped here, then make them give me whatever I want to free them. But I may or may not let them go. (Evil) |
| 4 | Destiny. Nothing and no one can steer me away from my higher calling, and I'm going to escape this town to find it. (Neutral) |
| 5 | Nature. The forest is more important than all the constructs of the town. (Any) |
| 6 | Self-improvement. If I can't get out of this town, then I'm going to live my best life here, and be the best I can be. (Good) |
| 7 | People. I'm committed to the townsfolk around me, not to ideals. (Neutral) |
| 8 | Respect. All people, regardless of race, background, or class, deserve respect. (Good) |
| 9 | Independence. I am a free spirit who runs between the town and the woods. No one tells me what to do. (Chaotic) |
| 10 | Tradition. The stories, legends, and songs of the people who have lived here in the past must never be forgotten. (Lawful) |
| d10 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I owe me life to the person who took me in when my parents died in the woods. |
| 2 | I will do anything to protect the town I've grown up in. |
| 3 | I've been told I have blood family outside the town. I hope to meet them some day. |
| 4 | My birth family was horrible. My real family is right here in Winterwood. |
| 5 | I'm sick and tired of seeing the same people every single day. |
| 6 | I love the forest, and I will protect the forest. The town isn't for me. |
| 7 | The place where I learned my trade from one of the townsfolk is the most important place in the world to me. |
| 8 | My family came to this town when I was a child to hide from the ones who were hunting them. I hope they never find this place. |
| 9 | I suffer awful visions of a coming disaster and will do anything to prevent it. |
| 10 | I will face any challenge to win the approval of my town/family. |
| d10 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am suspicious of new members of the town and suspect the worst of them. |
| 2 | I occasionally go stir-crazy and snap harshly at those around me. |
| 3 | I feel like I'm losing my mind being trapped here. I'm going to snap one day. |
| 4 | I feel an odd draw to the forest, and frequently go out for walks beyond the village, not caring about my own safety. |
| 5 | I know the secret this town is hiding, but they'll kill me if I tell anyone. So I suffer in silence. |
| 6 | There's a body hidden somewhere out there in the woods. No one can find out I did it. |
| 7 | Secretly, I believe that things would be better if I were a tyrant lording over this town. |
| 8 | I'd risk too much to uncover the secrets of this town and the woods surrounding it. |
| 9 | I don't trust anyone in town, even if I act like I do. The eyes of the people who chased me here as a child could be anywhere. |
| 10 | I've stolen from my fellow townsfolk before, and they haven't found out. I hope they never do. |