The multiverse is full of peoples of all walks of life. Merchants and artisans ply their trades on the open markets, in their established places of business, or in the seedy background of society. Socialites thrive among the crowds, whether they be as unnoticed as an urchin pilfering pockets, or as flamboyant as the charlatans at the center of the crowd and the nobles who they convince to give patronage. All this while recluses hide away in the corners of the world; whether they are seeking answers or fleeing danger, they usually find themselves in a place of comfort, be it a chapel, a library, or the untamed wilderness. You may be one of these, or you may be none of them. Truth be told, you can't remember.
Whether you awoke countless years ago or mere minutes, your past is defined more by what is missing than by what remains. Many amnesiacs work tirelessly to find some way to regain what they've lost, taking up the adventurer's life in the hopes of running across some obscure vista, rare circumstance, or hidden sage that will spark in them the embers of remembrance. Still others follow in the footsteps of the champions of legend with vigour, no longer bound by the weight of a past or the direction which comes with it. Whether you seek your past or pursue your future, the fact remains that you once had a life, and that life will likely influence your fate in some regard.
- Equipment: A trinket which you remember as if seen through a haze; a set of common clothes that feel like home, wherever that is; and a pouch containing 15 gp.
One day you awoke to a brand new life, your old one entirely, or nearly so, expunged from your mind. Much as the circumstances of one's birth can greatly effect their outlook on life, so too did your reawakening. You should work with your DM to determine how and where you awoke. The options on the table below provide inspiration and direction for how your awakening may have occurred.
| d10 | Awakening |
|---|---|
| 1 | You awoke under the covers of a soft bed in a comfortable home. |
| 2 | You came to covered in blood and surrounded by the dead in the midst of a fresh battleground. |
| 3 | You clawed your way out of the grave. The headstone bore only your name and a death date of several centuries past. |
| 4 | You jolted awake among the ruins of a settlement destroyed by dragon's breath. |
| 5 | The heat of a fire woke you and you scrambled out of a plague pyre, completely healthy. |
| 6 | Your assistant woke you from a deep sleep just in time to teach your next class! |
| 7 | You woke up to a severe sunburn on your back and scorching sands on your cheek. |
| 8 | Screams greeted you as you awoke in some terrible oubliette. |
| 9 | You woke up in a home full of people claiming to be your family. |
| 10 | You came to as a passenger on a ship where no one knew your name or your destination. |
Your past self was skilled in some regard, but you can't quite remember how. In certain situations, aspects of your past life flash through your mind, reminding you of your past abilities. These flashes can call to mind specific memories, revealing fragments of who you were before, or they could operate similarly to muscle memory, with no added revelation. Work with your DM on how you would like these events to play out. These moments of self-discovery are as follows:
- Whenever you fail an ability check in a skill that you are not proficient in, you may choose to succeed instead. When you use this option, you become proficient in the rolled skill. This option can be used twice.
- When you encounter a situation where a certain set of artisan's tools, which you are not proficient in, may be useful, you find the relevant set hidden within your equipment pack. When you use this option, you become proficient with the artisan's tools you have chosen. This option can only be used once.
- When you see or hear a language that you do not know, you can choose to become proficient in that language. This option can only be used once.
Suggested Characteristics
A loss of memory is a terrible thing. Your entire self has been lost to some unknown event, and now you must reinvent yourself. Though perhaps this is the chance you've been wanting. Perhaps this is the answer to a prayer or the manifestation of a hope. However you feel about this new life, it is safe to say that there are countless ways that an amnesiac could face this new life.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm sure I've already tried this, but who can say that they've done it for the first time twice! |
| 2 | I'm not convinced that this isn't all a dream. Yes, that's why I keep touching sharp objects. |
| 3 | Of course I'm going to do something crazy! I want to make sure I remember this! |
| 4 | My journal is always very well-protected. Except for every hour or so when I update it. |
| 5 | I know my bag is full, but what if this stuff can help me if I forget everything again! |
| 6 | I will introduce myself to everyone I meet. They might know me, after all. |
| 7 | It's probably for the best I keep this scarf on. You never know how many enemies I made in my past life. |
| 8 | I'm sorry that you didn't hear me the first time, but I don't have time to repeat myself. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Spontaneity. If I'm going to have another chance at life, I'm gonna make the most of it! (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Wanderlust. I'm going to see the world. There's nothing to hold me back. (Any) |
| 3 | Prolixity. Everything I see and do must be recorded. Just in case. (Lawful) |
| 4 | Selflessness. I don't know who I am, so I may as well be whoever everyone else needs me to be. (Good) |
| 5 | Experientiality. If I'm to discover my past, I can't limit myself to only doing the "right" thing. (Evil) |
| 6 | Connection. The more people who I know and know me, the harder it will be to lose myself again. (Neutral) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | This doll is the only thing that I can remember. It brings me comfort. |
| 2 | I have a strong connection with the home I awoke in and will do anything to keep it safe. |
| 3 | I owe my life to the traveller who gave me direction. I must find them and repay the favour. |
| 4 | My only constant companion has been the road. Nothing can keep me from my freedom. |
| 5 | There's something familiar about the figure I see in my dreams. Perhaps they have answers. |
| 6 | The creature the destroyed my town is likely responsible for my memory loss. It will pay. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | My past is full of demons whose faces I can't remember. |
| 2 | I don't see any reason why I shouldn't trust everybody I meet. |
| 3 | I think I have a hard time forming new memories. I never learn from my mistakes. |
| 4 | I pursue clues about my past at the expense of everything and everyone else. |
| 5 | I am not the same person I was before. My past is of no consequence to me. |
| 6 | You know what they say: "If at first you don't succeed, move on." |
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