You have lived a life of servitude bound to someone whom you have called "master" for the better part of your life. As an indentured servant, slave, or thrall, you may have been a manservant or handmaiden in a royal household, the captured slave of an evil warlord, or a laborer born into bondage. Perhaps you were a prostitute under the thumb of an unscrupulous pimp, a scullion toiling under the watch of a wrathful chef, a trophy of war or a merchandise your owner liked too display, or the lowly assistant of a cruel and powerful wizard. Whether you were treated with cruelty or relative kindness, you were still expected to "know your place" and were punished when you stepped out of line. Toiling for another, obeying orders, and debasing yourself have been your way of life.
You have since escaped servitude, having somehow won your freedom. Perhaps, it was against your will, e.g. you were dismissed after having disgraced your master, or your master died leaving you adrift in the world with no one to serve. Regardless, freedom is new to you. Your background as a slave has given you the patience to suffer the vagaries of powerful people and also insight into the dynamics of power, its uses and abuses.
- Skill Proficiencies: Choose two of Survival, Insight, Stealth and Performance.
- Tool Proficiencies: Choose one of your choice, representing your duties as a slave (if you had any, if not, choose a second instrument, vice versa.), and one musical instrument.
- Languages: One of your choice, perhaps the language of your "master".
- Equipment:
- Your choice of an Artisan's Tool or Thieves' Tools, a set of tattered common clothes, a pair of rusted manacles (a morbid keepsake from your previous life), a small knife, and a small but valuable item, stolen from, or gifted to you by your former master, worth 25gp,
Prior to becoming an adventurer, your path in life was defined by the place you were imprisoned in or the person that imprisoned you. This may come back to bite you at the worst of times, and it's rare for the outcome to be good.
| d8 | My "Home" |
|---|---|
| 1 | You were a slave that struck down your old master from behind and escaped. Whether you killed them or not, you do not know. |
| 2 | You were charmed by a wicked spellcaster for months, maybe even years. A prisoner of your own mind. |
| 3 | You were kept as some kind of bizarre humanoid "pet" by a cruel noble of a merciless race. |
| 4 | You were trapped in a different plane for what could be either seconds or years. You're not sure which. |
| 5 | You were kept in a cage (like some kind of a pet bird) where you'd spend the days and nights, when your "master" had no need of you, (ironically) singing the time away and soothing your pains with melodies. |
| 6 | You were locked in a dungeon by a tyrannical ruler. If you hadn't escaped, you'd have been put to death. |
| 7 | A monstrous beast mistook you for one of its young. You were trapped for a very long time in its den, unable to convince it otherwise. |
| 8 | You were trapped in a lab and experimented on by bizarre individuals like a lab rat. |
You have an unspoken kinship with all people who live in servitude, a shared understanding of what it means to serve a master, as you once did. Speaking socially coded language, you can gain the trust of other servants, find welcome in their company, shelter in their midst, and sometimes even gaining access to places of power through the back doors. Speaking with other slaves and servants you can easily glean from them rumors and information regarding their masters.
Suggested Characteristics
The greater part of a slave's life has revolved around the wants and needs of another person and they are not used to caring too much about themselves, except for how they will make it to the next day. Their newfound freedom offers broader horizons, which can be exhilarating, challenging or nerve-wracking. Serving a master for many years tends to make slaves cautious, patient, self effacing and observant. Many have waited years upon years for the chance to break free from their bondage. As such, these (ex)slaves tend to value freedom as the highest ideal. On the other hand, there are those who feel it is part of the natural order of life that some are slaves and some are masters.
| d20 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I still prefer to sleep on the floor, even when a soft bed is available. |
| 2 | I hoard everything I'm ever given, I'm not used to having possessions. |
| 3 | I am incredibly obedient (or disobedient) of authority figures, a legacy from when failure to comply would be met with the whip, or worse. |
| 4 | I still wince at the light and struggle going around outside, after so long being locked up underground. |
| 5 | I have poor social skills from not being allowed to talk to anybody for so long and when I do, I keep my head down and avoid eye contact as much as possible. |
| 6 | I am enamored with material wealth; I've gone so long with out it, I need to make up for lost time. |
| 7 | I still wear the broken shackles from my time as a captive. I feel strange without them. |
| 8 | I love being outside, under the open sky. I've been in enclosed spaces too long. |
| 9 | I hide my disdain for others, especially powerful people, beneath a mask of servility. |
| 10 | I have endured great suffering, but it only made me stronger. There is very little that can hurt me now. |
| 11 | I am grateful for every day that I am free and am determined to live life to the fullest. |
| 12 | Regardless of one's birth or station in life, good manners are essential. |
| 13 | As a slave, when I wasn't sleeping, I was toiling. Even now that I'm free, I must always be busy and cannot be idle. |
| 14 | I will never work for free again; I demand to be paid fairly for my labor. |
| 15 | I have exaggerated memories about the splendor of the homeland I was taken from as a child, and I share them with whoever will listen. |
| 16 | I accept that life is not fair, but I despise bullies and will not tolerate cruelty. |
| 17 | I--I...I don't remember everything that happened in my captivity, there's holes in my memories. |
| 18 | Even though my master kept me locked up, I can't help but miss them, they were all I had for such a long time and I sometimes regret leaving. |
| 19 | I do all kinds of basic chores and errands for those around me out of habit. |
| 20 | I call everyone "Master" and/or "Lord/Sire/Ma'am" without thinking about it. |
| d10 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Equality. All intelligent beings are equal in the eyes of the gods. No person has the right to own another person. (Good) |
| 2 | Duty. To serve is to have purpose. It is noble to serve your master well. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Independence. No one will tell me what to do ever again. I am my own master. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Revolution. The chains of bondage must be broken. The rich and powerful must be brought low like those they have enslaved. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Resilience. Persevere through the bad times; the gods reward those who suffer. (Any) |
| 6 | Power. I was once a slave, but I will become the master. (Evil) |
| 7 | Exploration. I have missed so much of the world and I want to make up for time lost. (Any) |
| 8 | Friendship. I have a friend I was enslaved with who I want to find, if they're still alive. (Good) |
| 9 | Disruption. I have seen the tyranny of laws and want to shake things up. (Chaotic) |
| 10 | Loyalty. I will not betray my master, I would gladly lay down my life if it meant they would live. I'd go crazy knowing that I could have saved them, but did nothing. |
| d12 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I've lost my birth family, but my friends are my new family. |
| 2 | I've finally found a real home and I will fight to my last breath to keep it. |
| 3 | My freedom is worth more to me than any coin. |
| 4 | I have escaped, but will only truly be free when my master no longer has a claim on me. I plan to get enough money to buy my freedom. |
| 5 | I owe my life to the person who helped me escape my cruel master. |
| 6 | I escaped from slavery but others were left behind. I am destined to lead my people to freedom. |
| 7 | I was stolen from my home many years ago and sold into slavery. I wish to return to my land and my people. |
| 8 | I am disgraced in the eyes of my master and I seek to make amends. |
| 9 | I swore an oath of vengeance against the one who kept me a slave and made my life a living hell. |
| 10 | I escaped from my captor, and I have no doubt in my mind that they will hunt me down. |
| 11 | When I escaped, I worked with an accomplice. I'm not sure where they are now, but I hope they're doing okay. |
| 12 | My new "captors" are a bit weird, but they seem nice enough, and they allow me to travel with them. I will not fail them. |
| d8 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I assume the worst in people and I'm terrified by everything. My paranoia knows no bounds. |
| 2 | I'm never good enough. I need to be absolutely perfect. |
| 3 | I am still considered someone's property. My master wants me returned. |
| 4 | I'm so accustomed to obeying a master I often look for someone to tell me what to do. |
| 5 | I'm distrustful of any kind of authority figure, it was authority that kept me in chains. |
| 6 | I don't trust anyone who I think has had an easy life. |
| 7 | Without a master and/or orders to follow, I am nothing, I live to serve my master and I will die in their name as well. |
| 8 | I bear the scars of my bondage and they mark me as a slave. |
When looking for something to pass the time you found out that you, surprisingly, are good at is inventing and tinkering. Taking things apart and putting them back together always fascinated you. You even managed to get your "master"'s praise when they discovered your talents, and started giving you material for your tinkering and inventing if you were good, but you spent most of your time in your "home" thinking of and creating new ideas. Your mind is always creating unique and creative ideas and your skill with your tools allows you to bring these daydreams into reality.
You have a keen eye and a natural intuition when it comes to scavenging materials for new inventions and coming up with inspiration for new ideas. When investigating and searching your surroundings you are very adept at locating materials that can be used to create new machines and may also become inspired with an idea for a new machine to try building.
Additionally, you can use your tinker’s tools to create larger, more complex inventions if you have the available time and resources to do so. The time and resources as well as the inventions that can be created should be discussed with the DM.
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