Falsely Accused Royal Guard

You were once a prestigious Royal Guard, rubbing elbows with the highest echelons of society and surrounded by the most elite fighters of your homeland. Maybe you had lived the life of a regular soldier before being recognised for your prowess, maybe you were given the role due to your family's connections, or maybe you were plucked out of obscurity and thrust into the role suspiciously quickly… maybe it reeks of a set up? Either way, you wore your station with honor, protecting the royal family and their guests from all harm.

But one day, everything you ever knew crumbled around you when you were framed in a crime. Barely managing to escape with what little you had on your person, and perhaps a piece of evidence pointing you toward the real criminals, you fled into the night. You have been on the run for a while now, and this new identity you have adopted is starting to feel more familiar to you than the person you once were - the one you left behind. But hiding yourself is not the only skill this time on the run has taught you, you have also learned to always keep your guard up and keep your eyes peeled. 

 

If you choose this background, work with your GM to decide on the nature of the crime, how they knew it was you, and how you made your escape or feel free to use the rolling table and/or the following example description: 

One day on the training grounds, you noticed your sword missing from its scabbard, so you had to run back to the barracks to fetch it. You were barely out of sight when the guards on duty descended upon the training grounds to arrest you for your alleged crime. It takes you a few moments to recover from the shock and then you are off, flying across the castle grounds, ducking behind corners and cutting through buildings. Eventually you make it out, having even managed to grab a few things as you raced through your barracks - perhaps even including a piece of evidence - but having failed to find your sword. You would later learn why your sword was missing - it was what had been used in the assassination. Even if the weapon hadn’t been left at the scene, the magical signature the weapon left on the dead proved as much. When they searched your barracks many incriminating letters were also found in a false bottom to your desk drawers - something you never even knew existed.

Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from: Athletics, Stealth, Deception, Perception, and Survival

Tool Proficiencies: A disguise kit and a gaming set of your choice

Equipment: A set of unassuming traveler's clothes, a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a disguise kit, a signet ring representing your previous station, and a pouch containing 5gp. 

 With your GM’s permission you may also be carrying a piece of evidence from the crime for which you are falsely accused and/or a copy of your own wanted poster. 

If your GM is worried about the power of the disguise kit you may lower it by changing it to ‘a disguise’ which works mechanically like the disguise kit, with the same proficiency, but only works to create one disguise - the one that your character has been using since they fled the castle.

Suggested Characteristics

You have lived a varied life, from the rigid discipline and comparative luxury of a Royal Guard, to the fear and squalor of an accused criminal on the run. These experiences have undoubtably left their mark. How has your life so far shaped your personality and the way you see and interact with the world?

d8	Personality Trait
1	I’m always polite and respectful.
2	I do not do well with emotions, in myself or in others, and am more likely to leave or break the tension with a joke than deal with them.
3	I was betrayed by my old friends so I’m slow to make new ones.
4	I like to give orders, but I am better at following them - especially if they come from person I believe to have authority.
5	I can stare down a hell hound without flinching.
6	I enjoy being strong and like breaking things.
7	I have a crude sense of humor.
8	I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success.

d6	Ideal
1	Greater Good. Our lot is to lay down our lives in defense of others. (Good)
2	Responsibility. I do what I must and obey just authority. (Lawful)
3	Vengeance. I have been wrongly accused, framed, and betrayed by those who I trusted and I will have my revenge. (Evil)
4	Freedom. Even though I am on the run, I have found more joy in this life than I ever did stifled under rigid rules and decorum in the castle. (Chaotic)
5	Live and Let Live. Ideals aren’t worth killing over or going to war for. (Neutral)
6	Nation. My ruler, city, nation, or people are all that matter. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	I will lay down my life for those I deem more important, either personally or due to an internal calculation (greater good, class etc.)
2	I was often mistreated and overlooked by the visiting nobles and people of import in the castle, as such I do not take kindly to being made to feel unimportant.
3	My honor is my life.
4	I’ll never forgive or forget those who betrayed me, or those who framed me, until the day I die.
5	I will do anything to prove my innocence
6	Though I am on the run, I hold my oath as a guard very close, and I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

d6	Flaw
1	I hold myself and those around me to unattainable standards.
2	Since I am already being hunted as a criminal, what are a few more crimes? I am willing to do pretty much anything for a price and have made a habit of being on the wrong side of the law.
3	I don't trust anyone with my real identity for fear they would turn me in and as such keep people at arms length.
4	My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning.
5	I obey the law, even if the law causes misery.
6	I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.