You have been, at one point in your life, a slave or indentured servant.
You were once bound in chains, subjected to the cruelty and oppression of a life of servitude. Whether you were born into slavery or captured later in life, you managed to escape and now live free—though the scars, both physical and emotional, remain. Your experience has made you resourceful, resilient, and deeply suspicious of those who hold power over others. Whether you seek vengeance, justice, or simply a new life, the memories of your enslavement shape your actions.
- Skill Proficiencies: Survival, stealth.
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools or thieves’ tools.
- Languages: One of your choice (typically the language of your captors or slaveholders)
- Equipment: A set of common clothes, a small token or symbol from your time in captivity (such as a broken shackle or a worn piece of cloth, a set of artisan's tools or thieves' tools (your choice) and a pouch containing 5 gp.
As a slave, you had some kind of job or role. Choose the role you played in your enslaved life, or roll on the table below.
| d8 | Indentured Role |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maid/butler |
| 2 | Field worker |
| 3 | Concubine |
| 4 | Guard |
| 5 | Healer |
| 6 | Gardener |
| 7 | Cook |
| 8 | Stablehand |
Your time as an escaped slave has connected you with secret networks of like-minded individuals—either other escaped slaves or those who sympathize with your plight. You can always find refuge among these hidden communities, whether in cities, small villages, or along trade routes. You can gain information, shelter, and discreet assistance from these groups, although they expect you to help others in return when possible.
Suggested Characteristics
The trauma of slavery leaves a lasting impact on those who endure it, but it can also forge iron wills, fierce independence, and unshakable loyalty to those who helped you escape. While some escaped slaves are driven by a burning desire for revenge, others seek to free those still bound in chains or live quietly in peace.
| d6 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am always wary of those in positions of power, expecting them to exploit or harm others. |
| 2 | I speak little of my past, preferring to leave it behind and focus on my future. |
| 3 | I never hesitate to help those who are oppressed or downtrodden. |
| 4 | I feel intense gratitude toward those who helped me escape and will go to great lengths to repay that debt. |
| 5 | I constantly plan for the worst, always thinking about how to escape from dangerous situations. |
| 6 | I am haunted by memories of my captivity and find it hard to trust others. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. Every person deserves to be free, no matter their station or past. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Justice. I seek to bring those who enslaved and oppressed others to justice. (Lawful) |
| 3 | Survival. My only goal is to ensure I am never captured again. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Compassion. I care for those who have suffered as I have, offering aid whenever possible. (Good) |
| 5 | Revenge. I will make my former masters and their ilk pay for what they did to me. (Evil) |
| 6 | Redemption. I want to help others escape from the same fate that once enslaved me. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I owe my freedom to the underground network that helped me escape, and I will defend them at any cost. |
| 2 | Someone I care about is still enslaved, and I will stop at nothing to free them. |
| 3 | I keep a token from my captivity that reminds me of what I’ve endured—and what I’ll never return to. |
| 4 | I seek revenge against the master or overseer who wronged me and will not rest until they pay. |
| 5 | I owe a great debt to the person or group that aided my escape, and I will honor that debt. |
| 6 | I will never let others fall into the same fate that befell me. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am deeply mistrustful of authority figures and often assume the worst of them. |
| 2 | I suffer from nightmares of my time in captivity and sometimes struggle to focus on the present. |
| 3 | I am quick to anger when I see others being mistreated or abused. |
| 4 | I am always looking over my shoulder, expecting to be caught or dragged back into slavery. |
| 5 | I find it difficult to form close relationships, fearing betrayal or loss. |
| 6 | I am obsessed with exacting revenge on those who enslaved me, to the detriment of other goals. |
You were forced to fight in brutal arenas for the amusement of your captors and the crowds. As a gladiatorial slave, you honed your combat skills under life-or-death conditions, becoming an unwilling participant in bloodsport. Your time in the arena made you a fierce fighter, and though you managed to escape, the memory of battle haunts you.
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