A scientist, arcanist,or the like acquired you at some point in your life. Maybe they were your parent, maybe you were adopted, maybe you were kidnapped. Maybe it was voluntary. Either way, your body was warped in the experimentation, and nothing you do can revert you to your original state. You've learned to live with your... modifications, using them to your advantage, or hiding them from the world. Either way, you find it difficult to live a normal life.
- Skill Proficiencies: Your choice of two from among Intimidation, Stealth, Athletics, Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Survival, Perception, Deception. or Persuasion, based on the nature of your experimentation.
- Equipment: A set of dark common clothes including a hood, a trinket (choose one or roll on the Trinkets table), and a pouch containing 5 gold pieces.
You were created for a specific purpose, roll on this table or use it as inspiration. You are:
| d6 | Nature of Experimentation |
|---|---|
| 1 | An attempt at creating superior soldiers or spies. |
| 2 | An attempt at attaining immortality. |
| 3 | A reckless experiment with no end-goal. Just to see what happens. |
| 4 | An attempt at creating a new race. |
| 5 | An experiment to find a cure for the scientist's (or someone they love's) ailment. |
| 6 | Research in Celestials, Demons, Fey and Undead. |
You bear obvious modifications that cover your body, making integration into normal life impossible. You can work out your own modifications, but some examples include a single ram's horn, owl's eyes, patches of scales, a larger, clawed arm, plant or fungal growths, or malformed demonic wings. These modifications can either be cosmetic or play a role in which skill proficiencies your character has. Work with your DM to determine the effects of your modicifations.
Spell List
Pick a 1st-level spell and a cantrip from a spell list determined by your modifications at character creation. A list below will help decide. You can cast the 1st-level spell once, requiring no material components, and regain the ability to cast it this way when you finish a long rest. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Alternatively, pick a resistance, disease immunity, or a racial feature (for draconic modifications) based on your modifications.
Beast Modifications: Druid (Pick spells that help with communication with beasts or are a beast ability, like Jump if you have rabbit legs.) or a physical resistance (piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing).
Celestial Modifications: Cleric (Healing, buff spells, or radiant damage spells.) or radiant or necrotic damage resistance.
Demonic or Infernal Modifications: Wizard (evocation (preferably fire damage) or necromancy spells.) or fire damage resistance.
Fey Modifications: Bard (preferably spells related to the fey, such as charm spells or faerie fire.) or advantage on saving throws against being charmed.
Draconic Modifications: Wizard (spells that do the damage type of your dragon colour) or the Dragonborn's Draconic Ancestry/ Breath Weapon features.
Plant Modifications: Druid (spells that manipulate plants) or a physical resistance or poison resistance.
| Spell Level | Spells |
|---|
Suggested Characteristics
The experimentation on your body has left you changed, both physically and mentally. Use the tables for the haunted one background below as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as an experiment.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I like to read and memorize poetry. It keeps me calm and brings me fleeting moments of happiness. |
| 2 | I spend money freely and live life to the fullest, knowing that tomorrow I might die. |
| 3 | I live for the thrill of the hunt. |
| 4 | I don’t talk about the thing that torments me. I’d rather not burden others with my curse. |
| 5 | I expect danger around every corner. |
| 6 | I refuse to become a victim, and I will not allow others to be victimized. |
| 7 | I put no trust in divine beings. |
| 8 | I don’t run from evil. Evil runs from me. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | I try to help those in need, no matter what the personal cost. (Good) |
| 2 | I’ll stop the spirits that haunt me or die trying. (Any) |
| 3 | I kill monsters to make the world a safer place, and to exorcise my own demons. (Good) |
| 4 | I have a dark calling that puts me above the law. (Chaotic) |
| 5 | I like to know my enemy’s capabilities and weaknesses before rushing into battle. (Lawful) |
| 6 | I’m a monster that destroys other monsters, and anything else that gets in my way. (Evil) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I keep my thoughts and discoveries in a journal. My journal is my legacy. |
| 2 | I would sacrifice my life and my soul to protect the innocent. |
| 3 | My torment drove away the person I love. I strive to win back the love I’ve lost. |
| 4 | A terrible guilt consumes me. I hope that I can find redemption through my actions. |
| 5 | There’s evil in me, I can feel it. It must never be set free. |
| 6 | I have a child to protect. I must make the world a safer place for them. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have certain rituals that I must follow every day. I can never break them. |
| 2 | I assume the worst in people. |
| 3 | I feel no compassion for the dead. They’re the lucky ones. |
| 4 | I have an addiction. |
| 5 | I am a purveyor of doom and gloom who lives in a world without hope. |
| 6 | I talk to spirits that no one else can see. |
Contacts
These are quirks you can roll or pick from to give more personality to your character, based on what modifications your character has. (Mostly for characters with animalistic modifications.)
(Ignore the words "contacts" and "non-contacts" this is the only way I see that I can add a second table.)
| d10 | Non-contact |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am constantly eating, sometimes things I shouldn't be. |
| 2 | Small, fast moving objects catch my attention, and I find a need to catch them. |
| 3 | I am constantly scratching, or I love when people scratch me. Sometimes I thump my leg when scratched. |
| 4 | I get distracted easily, and long conversations tend to bore me. |
| 5 | I am easily spooked, and if not calmed down, I will bolt at the slightest provocation. |
| 6 | I am constantly hoarding shiny things I acquire, be it through legal means or otherwise. |
| 7 | I sleep better when at least a little damp. |
| 8 | Food always seems tastier when it's still moving. |
| 9 | I hate water and getting wet. |
| 10 | The smell of blood cand send me into a rage. |