You never chose the blade. As a child, you were taken stolen from the streets or an orphanage and shaped into a weapon by a shadowy organization of killers. For years, you trained in silence and secrecy, your life a cycle of assignments, survival, and blood. A magical tattoo was etched into your skin, binding you to your masters. It brands you as theirs, and allows them to find you wherever you run.
Recently, you broke their rules, not for your own survival, but for someone you cared for. That person is now dead, and their blood is on your hands… though not by your blade. You are on the run, hunted by your former masters, desperately searching for a way to remove the tattoo and reclaim your life.
- Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Deception
- Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, Thieves’ tools
- Equipment: A set of dark common clothes with a hood, thieves’ tools, a small gaming set, a keepsake from the person you lost (locket, ribbon, or similar), and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
The magical tattoo on your body is both a curse and a lifeline. Anyone with knowledge of the organization can recognize it for what it is, and those from the underworld might fear or respect you because of it.
You can attempt to use your former reputation to intimidate or influence criminals, assassins, or black market dealers, who may still believe you are part of the organization, though doing so risks drawing your hunters closer. At the DM’s discretion, certain contacts in the criminal world may offer information, shelter, or minor aid in exchange for favors.
However, once per week, there is a small chance (determined by the DM) that your tattoo pulses with heat, signaling your location to your pursuers.
Suggested Characteristics
Your past has taught you to hide both your emotions and your intentions, but your desire for freedom - and perhaps redemption - burns deep.
| d10 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I keep my back to walls and my eyes on every exit. |
| 2 | I speak little, because words can be overheard. |
| 3 | I read every person like a potential target. |
| 4 | I keep my promises, even if they cost me dearly. |
| 5 | I memorize escape routes everywhere I go |
| 6 | I don’t trust easily, but when I do, I’m fiercely loyal. |
| 7 | I practice my weapon skills daily; old habits die hard. |
| 8 | I watch people’s hands more than their faces. |
| 9 | I keep a running list in my head of who might betray me first. |
| 10 | I never sleep in the same place twice if I can help it. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Freedom. No one should be owned. I’ll fight for my right to choose my own path. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Redemption. I must atone for what I’ve done, no matter the cost. (Good) |
| 3 | Survival. I’ll do whatever it takes to live another day. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Revenge. My former masters will pay for what they took from me. (Any) |
| 5 | Loyalty. Those who stand by me deserve the same in return. (Lawful) |
| 6 | Control. I will never again allow someone to dictate my fate. (Any) |
| d8 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The person I lost is my constant reminder to never go back. |
| 2 | I have a contact who might know how to remove the tattoo — if I can find them first. |
| 3 | I owe my life to someone who once helped me escape a mission gone wrong. |
| 4 | A former apprentice of mine may still be saved from the organization. |
| 5 | My tattoo is a curse, but I’ll turn it into a weapon against my pursuers. |
| 6 | There’s a hidden safehouse that I must reach before my enemies do. |
| 7 | I have a coded journal that contains everything I know about the organization. |
| 8 | I made a promise to someone dying on my last job — and I intend to keep it. |
| d8 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I see threats everywhere and sometimes strike first. |
| 2 | I can’t stay in one place for long, even when it’s safe |
| 3 | I push people away to keep them out of danger. |
| 4 | I still think like an assassin and find it hard to stop |
| 5 | I have nightmares that leave me shaken and irritable. |
| 6 | I hold grudges far longer than I should. |
| 7 | My paranoia sometimes borders on delusion. |
| 8 | I can be tempted back into old habits by the promise of gold or revenge. |