In your past, you were a part of a group, whether it be a family, a guild, a temple, an adventuring party, or another such congregation of people. You thought the members of that group cared for you, appreciated your involvement and enjoyed every second of your presence, that was until something happened that made you realize they never liked you at all. Whether that is your fault or not doesn't matter. What does matter is who this group is or was, and how you figured out their betrayal.

When you choose this background, work with your DM to determine which group you were a former member of, how respected you thought you were in said group, and the reasons why they betrayed you, as well as how so. Were you a soldier that was left to die by your squad? Or were you a cleric that realized your order was corrupt? Or maybe you were a thief who was sold out to the guard. Your former group might be well known, or unknown to the common man. They might be hunting you down by the second, or falsely believe you're dead meat.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Perception

Languages: Two of your choice

Equipment: An insignia of your former membership, a token from your former life (a dagger, holy symbol, or pouch of 5 gold), a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp

Suggested Characteristics

Those who are betrayed have a general paranoia towards those they are unfamiliar with, therefore making their trust harder to get. Their past experiences are tainted with hindsight, and the memory of their betrayal is something that they can have nightmares of constantly.

 

d8	Personality Trait
1	I never use my real name. I don't even think I have one.
2	If my closest friends abandoned me, why should I entertain the idea that you won't?
3	I don't care if there's evidence to suggest they weren't betraying me, I'm still too angsty to forgive them, ever!
4	Everything has a motive. There's always something to be gained.
5	The world hates me. Every person, creature, inanimate object, and speckle of existence and nonexistence each has an endless amount of anger towards my being.
6	I was the root cause of their betrayal. In all honesty, I betrayed them.
7	The betrayal in question was them making me do shameful things. I will bury that shame with me, until my time is long and far gone.
8	I was a part of that group for so long because I liked who I thought they were. I will keep those ideals with me, forever and always.

d6	Ideal
1	Loyalty. I was lied to, and I promise to never let my friends down like that, ever. (Lawful)
2	Change. With one door closed, another door opens. (Chaotic)
3	Forgiveness. I wish to forgive those that let me down. (Good)
4	Grudges. Burn me once, I rip your kneecaps out and use them to cut off your fingers. (Evil)
5	Freedom. I am no longer limited by the rules of my past life. (Any)
6	Improvement. Let the past stay in the past, and learn from our mistakes. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	The few people I can trust are worth my life.
2	I want nothing more than to make those who wronged me pay.
3	If I can't trust those in my reality, those above may be able to be trusted.
4	My past group is going to do something I don't like. I need to stop them.
5	They betrayed me for something bad I did. I hope to redeem myself someday.
6	No one can be trusted. Everyone is against me.

d6	Flaw
1	I feel no shame insulting you with my judgement.
2	I know you're against me! Just admit it! Admit what you are!
3	If I show weakness, I will be stabbed again. Weakness, of course, being visible emotion.
4	If you dare to touch me, I will kill you painfully and slowly.
5	I get extremely angry (or scared) when I see a member of my old group.
6	If my past life is found out, I will either run far away or kill whoever put two and two together.