A dream of nearly every young lad and lass is to become an adventurer. The ultimate goal is to become a hero, to be praised and beloved by those that your actions have assisted. However, not everyone can simply become a hero. A great deal of those that try often have their efforts result in failure. You know the trials and tribulations all too well. Taking on tyrants, fighting liches in their tombs, rescuing sacrifices from the alter of cults, or whatever grand heroics you attempted...
You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?
Work with your DM to come up with your past adventures.
Luckily for you, your story doesn't end there. Although you failed your first attempt at heroism, you survived to fight another day. While that much is true, carrying the failure is a heavy burden. Does it haunt your dreams at night? Perhaps it causes you to exercise extreme caution when attempting something dangerous? Or perhaps it gives you a passionate drive to prove yourself worthy?
- Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies: Any one musical instrument or gaming set of your choice
- Languages: Any one of your choice
- Equipment: One set of traveler’s clothes, any one musical instrument or gaming set you are proficient with, a common magical item from the list below, and a pouch containing 5 gp
You were once a hero or at least were attempting to be one. No good hero is without a set of useful magical items. Perhaps that is why you failed? Regardless, this item has been with you a very long time.
| d6 | Item From Early Adventures |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cleansing Stone |
| 2 | Clothes of Mending |
| 3 | Ersatz Eye |
| 4 | Mystery Key |
| 5 | Orb of Direction |
| 6 | Pole of Collapsing |
You've been through enough to fill a storybook - a small one. The tales of your past exploits often delight those that hold heroes in high esteem. Lords, merchants, and even other adventurers could be befriended or have their lips loosened of protected information. It could even get you and your party into places that you otherwise couldn't by leveraging those stories to those willing to listen.
Suggested Characteristics
These are the suggested characteristics for a failed hero.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I find time to gossip about adventuring stories wherever I go. |
| 2 | I have my own ideas about what is and is not hero, and I find the traits used by others to define them often infuriating. |
| 3 | I have a strong code of honor or sense of propriety that others don’t comprehend. |
| 4 | I express myself bluntly without regard for the feelings of others. |
| 5 | I revere the heroes of old almost as if they were deities. |
| 6 | I begin or end my day with meditation and get upset when it is missed. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open. I have much to learn from the adventurers I meet along my way. (Good) |
| 2 | Reserved. I can't step outside the rules even if I believe it is for the greater good. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Adventure. I don't care if I failed once. A mistake is only a new story. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Cunning. I've learned that by playing things close to the chest, I can manipulate situations to my liking. (Evil) |
| 5 | Inquisitive. I love to question any adventurer on what their goals are and how they hope to achieve them. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Suspicious. I must be careful, for I have no way of telling friend from foe. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | This item from my past is all I have to remember my last party with. I'll never forget what they did for me. |
| 2 | The real treasure are the friends we make along the way. |
| 3 | I hold no greater cause than to assist the common man. |
| 4 | My freedom is my most precious possession. I’ll never let anyone take it from me again. |
| 5 | I idolize a hero of the old tales and measure my deeds against that person’s. |
| 6 | The common folk must see me as a hero of the people. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am secretly (or not so secretly) convinced my last party caused me to fail. I blame others for my shortcomings. |
| 2 | I must always one up another's glory in pursuit of being the best hero. |
| 3 | Once someone questions my courage, I never back down no matter how dangerous the situation. |
| 4 | I’m always changing my mind—well, almost always. |
| 5 | I drink to dull the pain in the back of my head. |
| 6 | I must be the captain of any group I join. |
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