For some significant portion of your life, you have been someone else's property. This part of your life happened either by abduction, as punishment for a crime, sworn to a debt of life, or you were born into it. How did you become a slave? Are you still a slave, or are you now a free person? Who was your master and where are they?
- Skill Proficiencies: Insight or Survival
- Tool Proficiencies: You have proficiency with any item on the tools list with a value no greater than 15gp.
- Equipment: One tool you are proficient with or one simple melee weapon, a set of clothes appropriate to your master's status and your slave purpose, and a small pouch containing 1gp (most likely in copper pieces and maybe a silver piece).
Purpose
A slave is set to a task by their master for a reason– their purpose for even being alive.
| d8 |
Purpose |
| 1 |
I existed to do hard labor, such as mining or construction. |
| 2 |
I existed for someone else's amusement, entertainment, or recreation. |
| 3 |
I existed to serve some dedicated menial task, such as cooking or cleaning. |
| 4 |
I existed as the personal servant of a given person, family, or group. |
| 5 |
I existed to fulfill the tasks of some professional assistant, such as a furnace operator for a smithy. |
| 6 |
I existed to serve the function of an inanimate object, such as a signpost or furniture, or to operate such things, like opening and closing a specific door all day long. |
| 7 |
I existed to fight and die in the place of someone else, as a soldier or bodyguard. |
| 8 |
I existed to serve all, as an untouchable– a slave to even other slaves. |
| d8 |
Purpose |
|
1
|
Hard labor, such as mining or construction
|
|
2
|
Amusement, recreation, or entertainment
|
|
3
|
Menial tasks, such as cooking or cleaning
|
|
4
|
Personal servant for a person, family, or group
|
|
5
|
Skilled assistant, such as furnace operator for a smithy
|
|
6
|
Utterly degrading task, such as serving as a signpost or furniture, or opening and closing a specific door
|
|
7
|
Gladiator, soldier, or bodyguard
|
|
8
|
The lowest of the low, existing to serve all as an untouchable--a slave even to other slaves
|
Feature: The Hard Road
Slaves face great difficulty everywhere they go. Escaped slaves are often on the run if not from their former owners, then certainly from the law. Few are educated or have any practical experience to make a way for themselves. Most have limited social skills which give away their social status. Slavers may notice freemen as "unclaimed property" and try to "claim" them as slaves. People sense a sort of "inferiority" about slaves and freemen, and they will likely either ignore you or boss you around. Many freemen turn to crime to make ends meet and so anyone who doesn't assume you a slave immediately, will likely assume that you are a criminal. If you can ever really leave the slavery mindset knowing what it's like to be a slave, then you can pose as a slave with little difficulty and without raising much suspicion. People seem to do things in front of you that they would normally only do when they are alone.
Suggested Characteristics
| 8 |
I am haunted by confusing memories and dreams about my life before slavery. |
| d6 |
Ideal |
| 1 |
Equality. We all bleed red, we all suffer together. (Good) |
| 2 |
Apathy. I only think about what is within my power. Anything else is just circumstance. (Neutral) |
| 3 |
Spite. Those who would own others shall belong to me. (Evil) |
| 4 |
Status Quo. Status is defined by clear rules which are the foundation of civilization. (Lawful) |
| 5 |
Indifference. People are just people– who they are matters more than what they are. (Neutral) |
| 6 |
Freedom Fighter. All slaves must be freed- by law, by coin, by shadow, or by blade. (Chaotic) |
| d6 |
Bond |
| 1 |
I dream of returning to my homeland or family. |
| 2 |
All I have left of my former life is this trinket. |
| 3 |
My identity as a slave is marked on my body permanently as scars or tattoos. |
| 4 |
I am in love with someone who is not a slave, possibly in my master's house. |
| 5 |
I know many secrets thanks to my innocuous presence in intimate social environments. |
| 6 |
I heard a story about some grand place, and deeply want to go there. |
| d8 |
Flaw |
| 1 |
I secretly liked being a slave. |
| 2 |
My former master, or the law, will stop at nothing to have me executed. |
| 3 |
I do not share my things with friends, and I will fight to keep personal belongings within my full control. |
| 4 |
As a defense mechanism, I lie and misdirect everyone around me, and steal and hide anything I can. |
| 5 |
I always say the truth when asked, even by an enemy. |
| 6 |
When I am told to do something by an enemy, I might do it. |
| 7 |
I cannot stop myself from reveling in material pleasures. |
| 8 |
I am a coward. |
| d8 |
Personality Trait |
|
1
|
I rarely complain--I've seen worse.
|
|
2
|
I don't speak unless spoken to first.
|
|
3
|
I call everyone "master" without thinking about it.
|
|
4
|
I try to hide as much of my body as possible.
|
|
5
|
I tend to disappear in a crowded room, becoming part of the backdrop with ease.
|
|
6
|
I am terrified of ropes, chains, and whips.
|
|
7
|
I do all kinds of basic chores and errands for those around me out of habit.
|
|
8
|
I am haunted by confusing memories and dreams about my life before slavery.
|
| d6 |
Ideal |
|
1
|
Equality. We all bleed red, we all suffer together. (Good)
|
|
2
|
Apathy. I only think about what is within my power. Anything else is just circumstance. (Neutral)
|
|
3
|
Spite. Those who would own others shall belong to me. (Evil)
|
|
4
|
Status quo. Status is defined by clear rules which are the foundation of civilization. (Lawful)
|
|
5
|
Indifference. People are just people--who they are matters more than what they are. (Neutral)
|
|
6
|
Freedom fighter. All slaves must be freed--by law, by coin, by shadow, or by blade. (Chaotic)
|
| d6 |
Bond |
|
1
|
I dream of returning to my homeland or family
|
|
2
|
All I have left of my former bond is this trinket.
|
|
3
|
My identity as a slave is marked on my body permanently as scars or tattoos.
|
|
4
|
I am in love with someone who is not a slave, possibly in my master's house.
|
|
5
|
I know many secrets thanks to my innocuous presence in intimate social environments.
|
|
6
|
I heard a story about some grand place, and deeply want to go there.
|
| d6 |
Flaw |
|
1
|
I secretly preferred being a slave.
|
|
2
|
I cannot stop myself from reveling in material pleasures.
|
|
3
|
As a defense mechanism, I lie and misdirect everyone around me, and steal anything I can.
|
|
4
|
I always say the truth when asked, even by an enemy.
|
|
5
|
I am a coward.
|
|
6
|
My former master, or the law, will stop at nothing to have me executed.
|
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