“Every day is a chance to start over. Any day can be bad, surely, but any day can be good, can be great, and that promise, that potential, is a beautiful thing indeed.” ― The Stowaway

You’ve made your way through the world by going, literally, wherever the wind takes you. You may come from a well-to-do family, an unfortunate life as an urchin, or anywhere in between, but, for whatever reason, the call of the open sea and the rush of living the secret, dangerous life of a stowaway was too loud to ignore.

You’re adept at stealth and survival, able to slip unnoticed onto nearly any ship and sustain yourself by silently scavenging rations or, in a pinch, dispatching other stowaways like rats or gulls for a meal. You’ve also picked up on many of the ins and outs of seafaring without any formal education.

While choosing this background is beneficial because it gives you innate maritime knowledge, you must decide why you elected to become a career stowaway. Further, you must decide what made you give it up for the life of an adventurer. Did the near-constant uncertainty take its toll on you? Did the lack of purpose leave you feeling empty over time? Did the omnipresent fear of being caught finally drive you toward new pursuits?

Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival

Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s tools, Thieves’ tools

Equipment: Thieves' tools, a book (to pass the time – when you have light, that is), and a pouch containing 2 gp.

Suggested Characteristics

Although Stowaways can come from any walk of life, there are common traits that many seem to share. Years of stealth, solitude, and barely scrapping by have shaped them into who they are today.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I sometimes feel uneasy in wide open spaces.
2	I’m more comfortable when I don’t have a plan.
3	I’m not picky about food or lodgings.
4	I prefer small groups to large crowds.
5	I say and do before I bother to think.
6	I rarely pass up an opportunity to take a chance.
7	I drop in and out of peoples’ lives like a shadow.
8	I was a loner, a rebel, but now I’m ready to belong.

d6	Ideal
1	Honest. I always leave payment for whatever I may take. (Lawful)
2	Invisible. I take only memories, leave only footprints. (Neutral)
3	Helpful. I try to fix something during the journey so I leave the ship better than I found it. (Good)
4	Angst. I do what I want, to hell with how it affects others. (Evil)
5	Carefree. I prefer to let the wind do my thinking for me. (Chaotic)
6	Adrift. I’m along for the ride, ready for whatever comes next. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	I take orders from one person: me.
2	I find love at every port, but never settle down.
3	The sea is my mistress, and I love her.
4	I’ve found freedom, and I can never let go.
5	I find ships to be as good a companion as any living being.
6	I am addicted to the thrill of the unknown.

d6	Flaw
1	I feel compelled to leave even when I want to stay.
2	Sometimes I cause rations to spoil simply to see what happens.
3	I often waste what little money I acquire on ale.
4	I find it hard to make more than acquaintances.
5	I assume everyone has something to hide.
6	I’ve been known to steal random items from sailors just because I can.