At a young age, you discovered you possessed a predilection for the magical arts. Deciding that this talent could not be squandered on an ordinary life, you left home and began to teach yourself the secrets of the arcane while surviving the best you could on the streets and alleys of a great city. The magical skill you learned from dusty old tomes in libraries made stealing that next loaf of bread just a little easier, and the languages you picked up on the bustling streets let you decipher even the most obscure scrolls.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Stealth

Languages: Two of your choice

Equipment: A bottle of black ink, an Ink Pen, a small knife, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Suggested Characteristics

Arcane prodigies are defined not only by their study of magic, but also their rough upbringing, and their characteristics reflect the struggles involved in this double life. Unlike someone schooled in the traditional way, an arcane prodigy likely sees knowledge as a means to an end and not an end unto itself.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide.
2	I care very little for whether a method is "proper," only if it is effective.
3	The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't do it.
4	I am constantly looking for a better way to do things.
5	As a defense mechanism, I am aloof and coy in social situations.
6	I’m convinced that people are always trying to steal my secrets.
7	I believe that what you learn on the streets is just as valuable as what you read in books.
8	I tend to look down on others who didn't work as hard as I did or had more advantages than me.

d6	Ideal
1	Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge. (Neutral)
2	Beauty. What is beautiful points us beyond itself toward what is true. (Good)
3	Logic. Emotions must not cloud our logical thinking. (Lawful)
4	No Limits. Nothing should fetter the infinite possibility inherent in all existence. (Chaotic)
5	Power. Knowledge is the path to power and domination. (Evil)
6	Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself. (Any)

d6	Bond
1	I yearn for the home I left as a child.
2	I have an ancient text that holds terrible secrets that must not fall into the wrong hands.
3	I feel deeply attached to the library in which I spent my youth.
4	I keep my thoughts and discoveries in a journal. My journal is my legacy.
5	I’ve been searching my whole life for the answer to a certain question.
6	I sold my soul for knowledge. I hope to do great deeds and win it back.

d6	Flaw
1	I would sacrifice the world if it meant being smarter and more powerful than those around me.
2	People who can't take care of themselves get what they deserve.
3	Unlocking an ancient mystery is worth the price of a civilization.
4	I am convinced that my way is the best and only way of doing something.
5	I speak without really thinking through my words, invariably insulting others.
6	I hoard knowledge and secrets, often to the detriment of those who might need that knowledge.