Old Scars

A past trauma has led to you being scarred by it. Whether it be loss of a major companion, mistreatment at the hands of others or a natural disaster destroying your homeland. You took up adventuring to meet others and hopefully recover from said trauma. Sometimes it bleeds through, unintentionally leading to conflict. You still love your old home despite both its and your flaws, any you're finding a way to help fix whatever needs to be fixed.

The bleed through can manifest in many ways, such as thorniness, overwhelming shyness or aggressive tendencies. Either way, the past has impacted you deeply.

for a bit of humour, some suggested characteristics are really good for edgy characters

Skill Proficiencies: You have proficiency in Insight, Investigation or Perception.

Tool Proficiencies: You are proficient in one musical instrument of your choosing, able to play a song you fondly remember.

Languages: You can speak two languages of your choice.

Equipment: You start with a simple melee weapon, a backpack containing a mess kit, 2 sets of common clothes, and a pouch containing coins equal to 20 gp in value

Suggested Characteristics

As your trauma manifests in your personality, it can display itself in many ways, such as motivations, bond with others, and problems you may face.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am very hard to approach, but also very clingy to those who I put my trust into. Betrayals hit hard.
2	Every move I take is cautiously planned to prevent bringing any sort of harm to myself.
3	I attach to items picked up during our adventure as a relic of our friendship.
4	When not in combat, I prefer some peace and quiet to reflect on myself, getting lost in thoughts all alone at times.
5	Loud teammates that require lots of looking after irritates me - reminds me of less savoury people I met.
6	I like hiding in small spaces or containers when overwhelmed by panic - it gives me space to recuperate.
7	I tend to be grouchy at all times - too many things reminds me of my past.
8	I often think about what I could've done better or said better after embarrassing situations.

d6	Ideal
1	Respect my boundaries and I'll respect yours. (Lawful)
2	Nobody should suffer like I did. (Good)
3	Life isn't forever. We must make the most of it. (Chaotic)
4	I shall bring pain to the lands. Those in power must understand how it feels to be weak. (Evil)
5	I'm here for the journey, not the results. (Neutral)
6	I seek to change the world by telling others my story, direct or not. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	I have a keepsake of those whom I loved which I always keep with me.
2	This may look like a a mundane, random pebble, but to me, it's a relic of my old home.
3	Who knows? Maybe this adventure will teach me skills that let me bring a change to my home.
4	A kindly tavern owner has gifted me my equipment before I embarked on my journey, and I shall cherish them.
5	I shall prove myself to those who paid me no notice, those who see me as weak, and those who won't accept me.
6	I rescued this injured wyrmling from bandits on my way here. Being rendered powerless by external means, it reminds me of myself. (Consult your DM on what type of dragon your wyrmling is)

d6	Flaw
1	I have trouble connecting with others. What if they don't understand what I've gone through?
2	I tend to be distracted by any stimulus. I constantly try to dull my pain, potentially to the detriment of others.
3	I tend to be overly aggressive for no reason, often initiating unneeded conflict.
4	Sometimes, I long for the release of death.
5	I focus too much on negative opinions my teammates have of me.
6	I tend to be overly suspicious of everyone I meet, even if it's not needed.