You come from a community that once practiced ancient rituals involving sacrificial offerings to appease powerful entities or deities. Whether out of necessity, tradition, or fear, your people regularly selected individuals to serve as sacrifices for the greater good, believing that it would bring prosperity, protection, or some other form of divine favor.
Whether due to a twist of fate, the disapproval of the deity, your own resourcefulness, or sheer luck, you managed to survive the sacrificial process. This harrowing experience has left an indelible mark on your life, shaping your character and worldview in profound ways.
- Skill Proficiencies: Survival, Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism Kit or Forgery Kit:
- Equipment: A herbalism kit or forgery kit, a memento from the sacrificial ritual (a scorched religious symbol, a torn piece of ceremonial clothing, or a shard from the ritual altar), set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp.
As a Sacrifice Survivor, you endured one of these harrowing rituals, narrowly escaping the fate that awaited you. This served as a defining moment in your past, shaping your character's resilience and leaving an indelible mark on their psyche. Choose the ritual you were in, or roll on the table below.
| d8 | Rituals of Fate |
|---|---|
| 1 | Celestial Ascension Ceremony: Sacrifices were made with the intent of ascending individuals to a higher celestial plane. The community believed that these ascensions would bring blessings and divine favor. (Sacrificed to: celestial beings, benevolent deities, or entities from the upper planes.) |
| 2 | Infernal Pact Ritual: The sacrificial ritual involved dark pacts with infernal entities, exchanging life force for power or protection. The community may have sought demonic assistance in times of desperation. (Sacrificed to: devils, demons, or malevolent entities from the Nine Hells.) |
| 3 | Ancient Dragon Tribute: The community believed in appeasing ancient dragons to prevent their wrath. Sacrifices were made to the dragon, who was seen as a powerful guardian or a force to be placated. (Sacrificed to: chromatic or metallic dragons, each associated with different elements and domains.) |
| 4 | Cursed Necromantic Ritual: The community engaged in dark necromantic rituals, sacrificing lives to either appease undead entities or to harness necrotic power for their own purposes. (Sacrificed to: undead lords, necromantic entities, or malevolent spirits.) |
| 5 | Abyssal Abyss Rite: The ritual was conducted near a dark, gaping abyss, and sacrifices were thrown into its depths. The community believed that appeasing the abyssal forces would prevent the emergence of darker, more malevolent entities. (Sacrificed to: Abyssal horrors and chaotic entities.) |
| 6 | Vampiric Pact Ritual: Sacrifices were made to appease vampiric entities, with the community entering into dark pacts for protection and favor. The ritual may have involved willingly offering blood to vampiric overlords. (Sacrificed to: vampires, vampiric lords, or entities associated with the undead.) |
| 7 | Seasonal Harvest Tribute: Sacrifices were made in a mystical garden to bolster the fertility of the land and ensure bountiful harvests. The community believed that the sacrifices granted them the favor of fey beings tied to nature and growth. (Sacrificed to: Green hags, plant monstrosity, or fey creatures associated with plant life.) |
| 8 | Eldritch Bloodletting: The ritual involved drawing the blood of sacrifices to empower eldritch artifacts or beings. The community believed that this blood magic would grant them arcane protection. (Sacrificed to: Eldritch entities, ancient wizards, or entities tied to forbidden knowledge.) |
Having faced the prospect of sacrifice and defied the odds, you have developed a remarkable resilience to adversity. You gain advantage on saving throws against fear effects, and you have advantage on saving throws to avoid being frightened.
Suggested Characteristics
Sacrifice Survivors are individuals who narrowly escaped the clutches of an ominous ritual meant to secure divine favor or protect their community. Marked by resilience and resourcefulness, they carry the weight of having defied the fate that awaited them. Driven by a commitment to survival, they navigate the world with a keen sense of justice, either seeking to protect others from exploitation or harboring a rebellious streak against oppressive authority. Their indomitable spirit, shaped by the haunting memories of the sacrificial ritual, fuels their determination to live life on their own terms, free from the chains of predetermined destinies
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am constantly alert and aware of my surroundings. |
| 2 | I'm a restless sleeper. I toss and turn at night, haunted by memories of the scarificial ritual. |
| 3 | I find solace in keeping watch during the night. |
| 4 | I have a tendency to collect unusual items, especially those with mystical or supernatural significance |
| 5 | Before sleep, I perform a series of calming rituals, whether it's a simple meditation or the repetition of a comforting mantra. |
| 6 | I find meaning in signs and omens, interpreting everyday occurrences as messages from the divine or mystical forces. |
| 7 | I meet new people with a scrutinizing and distrustful gaze, always assessing their intentions. |
| 8 | I have created a structured daily schedule to maintain a sense of order. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. You believe in the inherent right to personal freedom and autonomy. (Good) |
| 2 | Guardianship. The experience of narrowly escaping sacrifice has instilled a sense of duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Anarchy. Your escape has left you with a disdain for established systems and structures (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Retribution. Your escape has left you with a thirst for vengeance and a sadistic pleasure in causing suffering (Evil) |
| 5 | Cynicism. The experience of narrowly escaping a sacrificial ritual has left you with a cynical outlook on life (Neutral) |
| 6 | Curiosity. Your experiences have fueled a deep curiosity about the supernatural, magic, and the mysteries of the world |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I feel compelled to safeguard those who are vulnerable, seeing it as a way to counteract the darkness of your past. |
| 2 | The cult or community that once sought to sacrifice me still considers me a threat. |
| 3 | I owe my life to someone who helped me during my escape. |
| 4 | I'm on a quest to uncover the truth behind the sacrificial ritual and understand my place in the cosmic order |
| 5 | A family member or loved one was involved in the cult or ritual that sought to sacrifice me. |
| 6 | I made a solemn vow never to reveal the details of the sacrificial ritual to protect others from the same fate |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I suffer from vivid and disturbing nightmares related to the sacrificial ritual, making restful sleep rare. These dreams can leave me fatigued and emotionally drained. |
| 2 | The constant fear of being targeted again has left me paranoid. |
| 3 | To cope with the trauma, I've developed compulsive rituals that must be performed in specific situations. |
| 4 | The weight of surviving when others did not haunts me. |
| 5 | Certain symbols or religious imagery associated with the sacrificial ritual trigger intense fear or panic attacks |
| 6 | The trauma has left me with a reckless streak. I engage in impulsive actions or take unnecessary risks, seeking the adrenaline rush. |
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