Once a warrior of honor, you were branded as a traitor and cast out by your own people. Whether guilty or framed, your exile has forged you into something stronger, more dangerous—and more feared. Tribes and nomadic clans may recognize the mark burned into your skin, a symbol known as the Bloodcast. This brand defines your past, but your future is yours to reclaim.
When you choose this background, work with your DM to determine the tribal society, warband, or cultural group that exiled you, the reasons for your branding, and what role you held before your fall from grace. Were you a raider, a defender, a champion, or a leader? What traditions, oaths, or betrayals led to your cast-out status?
- Skill Proficiencies: Survival and one more of your choice - based on your specialty
- Languages: One extra language
- Equipment: A worn tribal token or relic (a fang necklace, scorched tattoo map), a weapon of your choice - a relic of your survival—either stolen during your escape, granted by a former ally, or forged in solitude during your exile, a set of Traveler’s Clothes, a winter blanket, and a pouch containing 10 gp
During your time within your tribe, warband, or outlaw clan, you held a specific role before your exile. This specialty shaped your skills, relationships, and reputation. Roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below to determine your role:
| d8 | Specialty |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chieftain’s Heir – Child of your tribe’s leader; your exile echoes through your bloodline. |
| 2 | Warblade – A celebrated warrior and battle-leader, you earned glory and loyalty through victories in trials, raids, and duels. Your blade spoke for you, and others followed. |
| 3 | Shieldbrother/Sister – A loyal frontline defender, trusted to protect kin in battle. |
| 4 | Silent Blade – A scout or shadow-killer, trained in ambush, secrecy, and swift death. |
| 5 | Skald – A warrior-poet or storyteller who shaped your people’s legacy. |
| 6 | Runeseer – Master of runes, inscriptions, or magical symbols—magic etched in skin, stone, or steel. |
| 7 | Ritualist – Keeper of rites, omens, or sacred relics. |
| 8 | Support Staff – A cook, blacksmith, tanner, healer, or the like. |
You bear the Bloodcast Mark, a visible brand of exile seared into your flesh by your former clan or warband. This mark carries a powerful stigma—those familiar with tribal culture or nomadic warbands may recognize it and respond with fear, hatred, or grudging respect.
You can use this recognition to influence social interactions. You might gain access to outlaw havens, intimidate tribal NPCs, or even draw unwanted attention from enemies or rival exiles. This mark is both a curse and a tool.
Your Dungeon Master may decide how individuals react to the mark based on the culture, faction, or area you're in.
Suggested Characteristics
The sting of exile and the brutal lessons of tribal warfare leave lasting marks on the soul. Whether shaped by honor, vengeance, or a desperate will to survive, Exile Warlings carry their past in every scar, oath, and memory—forming unbreakable bonds, bitter ideals, and wounds that never fully close.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I assess threats the moment I enter a room. |
| 2 | The wild taught me more than people ever did. |
| 3 | I speak plainly; pretense is a lie. |
| 4 | I keep my back to walls and my eye on exits. |
| 5 | I crave redemption, but don’t know what that looks like. |
| 6 | I mock those who fear blood. |
| 7 | I'm slow to trust, but fiercely loyal once earned. |
| 8 | I take pride in surviving what others couldn’t. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Survival. I endure because I must. (Neutral) |
| 2 | Redemption. My past is a shadow I seek to escape or clense. (Good) |
| 3 | Strength. Weakness should be culled. (Evil) |
| 4 | Freedom. No one will own or brand me again. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | Honor. My exile does not erase my code. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Vengeance. Those who cast me out will pay. (Any) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I keep a relic of my tribe—burned, broken, but treasured. |
| 2 | A sibling or friend still believes in me. |
| 3 | I swore an oath that still binds me. |
| 4 | I seek a new tribe or purpose. |
| 5 | My brand burns when I sleep—I dream of the past. |
| 6 | I will not die until my name is remembered. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I push others away before they can hurt me. |
| 2 | My pride gets in the way of second chances. |
| 3 | I trust violence more than words. |
| 4 | I secretly believe I deserved my exile. |
| 5 | I lash out when I feel vulnerable. |
| 6 | I sabotage peace—I only know how to fight. |
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