Compendium

Description

You have spent years practicing your writing and oration in the hope of becoming a student of Silverquill College. Your studies focus on language, literature, and the power of words, both magical and otherwise. The metaphorical power of words to illuminate or conceal is joined with the literal ability of magic to do the same in your academic pursuits.

• Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Persuasion

• Languages: Two of your choice

• Equipment: A bottle of black ink, an ink pen, a book of poetry, a school uniform, and a pouch containing 15 gp

Source: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos p. 35

Description

You gain the Strixhaven Initiate feat and must choose Silverquill within it.

In addition, if you have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature, the spells on the Silverquill Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)

1st — Dissonant Whispers, Silvery Barbs

2nd — Calm Emotions, Darkness

3rd — Beacon of Hope, Daylight

4th — Compulsion, Confusion

5th — Dominate Person, Rary's Telepathic Bond

Consider customizing how your spells look when you cast them. Your Silverquill spells might be accompanied by visual effects resembling splotches of ink or radiating ripples of golden light. Any auditory effects of your spells often sound like amplified echoes of your own voice speaking the spells' verbal components—even amid the crash of lightning or a fiery eruption.

Description

Many bards find a home in Silverquill, putting the power of their voices to use with Silverquill magic. Wizards (especially those who study the Schools of Illusion and Enchantment) are common in Silverquill, as are warlocks. Clerics with the Divine Domains of Light and Trickery also fit in well among the mages of Silverquill.

A number of both paladins and rogues attend Silverquill College as well, highlighting the diversity of the student body.

Description

With the college's intense standards looming over them, Silverquill students range from cocky and cutthroat to overwhelmed perfectionists. The Silverquill Personality Traits table suggests a variety of traits you might adopt for your character.

d6 | Personality Trait

1 | I'll say whatever I need to in order to maintain my high social status.

2 | I prefer saying the blunt truth over a pretty lie, and I don't particularly care whose feelings I hurt.

3 | I believe that uplifting my peers is the best way to succeed.

4 | I've mastered the art of using humor as a defense, and I always have a charming joke ready.

5 | I always wait before speaking, analyzing the situation for whichever angle is most advantageous to my goals.

6 | No one knows about the all-nighters I've pulled to keep my magic looking effortless, and I'm going to keep it that way.

Description

When you make your character, you may roll once on the Silverquill Trinkets table, instead of on the Trinkets table in the Player's Handbook, for your starting trinket.

d6 | Trinket

1 | A black leather notebook filled with half-finished poems

2 | A set of flashcards detailing different colloquialisms and their meanings

3 | A canteen that makes any liquid drunk from it taste sweet

4 | A forged permission slip granting access to the special archives of Strixhaven's libraries

5 | A stylish silver pin that references a famous series of novels about warlocks

6 | A stack of small pieces of parchment, each enchanted to stick to whatever surface it's pressed against and peel off easily

Description

Imagine a perfect world: one in which nature and civilization exist in harmony, adapted to each other; one in which life is shaped to match its environment and the environment is shaped to match life. That's the world you have been trying to grow in the laboratories of the Simic Combine. Nature is all about adaptation, evolution, and balance—but for it to keep up with the pace of advancing civilization, nature needs some help from biomancers and terraformers. If, along the way, you happen to create super-soldiers and mutant monsters that can bolster the combine's defenses against the schemes and ambitions of the other guilds, so much the better.

• Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Medicine

• Languages: Two of your choice

• Equipment: A Simic insignia, a set of common clothes, a book of research notes, an ink pen, a bottle of squid ink, a oil (flask) (made from blubber), a acid (vial) (derived from digestive juices), a vial of fish scales, a vial of seaweed, a vial of jellyfish stingers, a glass bottle of unidentified slime, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp (Azorius 1-zino coins)

Source: Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica p. 93

Description

As a Simic researcher, you are part of a clade—a diverse group of individuals combining disparate talents in pursuit of a common goal—or a researcher on a specialized, short-term project focused on addressing an immediate need. You can roll a d6 or choose from the options in the Research Options table to determine your area of research.

d6 | Clade/Project

1 | Hull Clade, focused on protection and durability

2 | Fin Clade, focused on movement

3 | Gyre Clade, focused on cyclical patterns and metamagic

4 | Guardian Project, focused on creating guard monsters and super soldiers

5 | Crypsis Project, focused on intelligence and counterintelligence

6 | Independent research in a new area

Description

When you attempt to learn or recall a magical or scientific fact, if you don't know that information, you know where and from whom you can obtain it. Usually, this information comes from a Simic laboratory, or sometimes from an Izzet facility, a library, a university, or an independent scholar or other learned person or creature. Knowing where the information can be found doesn't automatically enable you to learn it; you might need to offer bribes, favors, or other incentives to induce people to reveal their secrets.

Your DM might rule that the knowledge you seek is secreted away in an inaccessible place, or that it simply can't be found. Unearthing the deepest secrets of the multiverse can require an adventure or even a whole campaign.

Description

Prerequisite: Spellcasting or Pact Magic class feature

For you, the spells on the Simic Guild Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)

Cantrip — acid splash, druidcraft

1st — detect poison and disease, expeditious retreat, jump

2nd — alter self, enhance ability, enlarge/reduce

3rd — gaseous form, water breathing, wind wall

4th — freedom of movement, polymorph

5th — creation

When your magic causes physical alterations in yourself or others, the result often displays the characteristics of fish, amphibians, or other water-dwelling creatures. Blue-green eddies of magical energy sometimes accompany your spellcasting, forming spirals that reflect the mathematical perfection of nature.

Description

The bizarre science of the Simic Combine attracts a certain type of personality and encompasses a set of beliefs about the nature of life. Simic members' bonds and flaws derive from their scientific research—including their creation of new life forms, which they can become very attached to.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I can't wait to see what I become next!

2 | I am convinced that everything inclines toward constant improvement.

3 | I'm eager to explain every detail of my most intricate experiments and theories to anyone who shows the least bit of interest.

4 | I assume that everyone needs even the most basic concepts explained to them.

5 | I describe everything that happens as if it were going into my research notes (and it often is).

6 | I am insatiably curious about the seemingly infinite forms and adaptations of life.

7 | I can't resist prying into anything forbidden, since it must be terribly interesting.

8 | I employ a highly technical vocabulary to avoid imprecision and ambiguity in my communication.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Guild. My guild is all that really matters. (Any)

2 | Change. All life is meant to progress toward perfection, and our work is to hurry it along—no matter what must be upended along the way. (Chaotic)

3 | Knowledge. Understanding the world is more important than what you do with your knowledge. (Neutral)

4 | Greater Good. I want to reshape the world into higher forms of life so that all can enjoy evolution. (Good)

5 | Logic. It's foolish to let emotions and principles interfere with the conclusions of logic. (Lawful)

6 | Superiority. My vast intellect and strength are directed toward increasing my sway over others. (Evil)

d6 | Bond

1 | I helped create a krasis that I love like a pet and would carry with me everywhere... except it's the size of a building, and it might eat me.

2 | In my laboratory, I discovered something that I think could eliminate half the life on Ravnica.

3 | The other researchers in my clade are my family—a big, eccentric family including members and parts of many species.

4 | The laboratory where I did my research contains everything that is precious to me.

5 | I will get revenge on the shortsighted fool who killed my precious krasis creation.

6 | Everything I do is an attempt to impress someone I love.

d6 | Flaw

1 | I have a rather embarrassing mutation that I do everything I can to keep hidden.

2 | I'm more interested in taking notes on monstrous anatomy than in fighting monsters.

3 | Every social situation I'm in seems to lead to my asking rude personal questions.

4 | I'm supremely confident in my ability to adapt to any situation and handle any danger.

5 | I'll take any risk to earn recognition for my scientific brilliance.

6 | I have a tendency to take shortcuts in my research and any other tasks I have to complete.

Description

The fluid nature of clades, whose rosters span different laboratories and change as researchers discover new interests, creates abundant connections among the Simic. The guild members live in watery sinkholes called zonots, and their isolation shelters them from much contact with outsiders. Nonetheless, a fair number of Simic members are former members of other guilds.

Roll twice on the Simic Contacts table (for an ally and a rival) and once on the Non-Simic Contacts table.

Simic Contacts

d8 | Contact

1 | My research builds on my parents' work and takes it in interesting new directions.

2 | If a serious problem confounds me, I can count on my mentor to provide clarity of thought.

3 | A former laboratory colleague went on to work on the Guardian Project.

4 | A former colleague has ventured into fields of research that are possibly immoral and almost certainly illegal.

5 | A former lover is now the supervisor of a prominent clade.

6 | My sibling has become an almost unrecognizable mutant.

7 | An old friend has retreated into a secluded life as an ascetic deepsage, devoted to contemplating philosophical principles.

8 | My former clade supervisor is now engaged in field research studying some of the largest beasts and monsters on Ravnica.

Non-Simic Contacts

d10 | Contact

1 | My older sibling is upset that I didn't follow them into the Azorius.

2 | A Boros sergeant is always asking questions about my work, but I suspect they're genuinely curious.

3 | A friend in my clade thinks I don't know they're a Dimir agent.

4 | I helped a Golgari spore druid with the fertilization and growth of their fungus field.

5 | I can't fathom what could have made my childhood friend run off and join the Gruul.

6 | I love comparing notes with my friend in the Izzet, though our fields of research are very different.

7 | I borrowed a lot of money from an Orzhov syndic to help finance my research.

8 | A Rakdos ringmaster has taken an interest in my research which, come to think of it, might make a nice sideshow act.

9 | I left the Selesnya—and a lover—behind when I joined the Simic.

10 | Roll an additional Simic contact; you can decide if the contact is an ally or a rival.

Description

As a Simic adventurer, your mission likely aligns with the Adaptationist philosophy; the disagreements and tensions among the guilds will soon erupt into open conflict, and your guild needs your help to ensure that the Simic survive. That help might come in the form of defending against Golgari incursions into Simic zonots or shielding Simic research from Azorius intrusion. It could also involve more subtle, diplomatic work to maintain balance among the guilds, or subterfuge aimed at undermining another guild's grab for power.

Self-improvement is also an important part of your mission. Anything you can do to make yourself more capable—whether learning a new spell or adopting a new hybridizing mutation—gives the Simic a stronger weapon in its arsenal. The combine must change to survive, and that means individual members of the guild must grow and adapt as well.

Description

On a rickety barge, you carried a hundred longswords in fish barrels right past the dock master's oblivious lackeys. You have paddled a riverboat filled with stolen elven wine under the gaze of the moon and sold it for twice its value in the morning. In your more charitable times, you have transported innocents out of war zones or helped guide herd animals to safety on the banks of a burning river.

• Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Deception

• Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (water)

• Equipment: A fancy leather vest or a pair of leather boots, a set of common clothes, and a leather pouch with 15 gp

Source: Ghosts of Saltmarsh p. 34

Description

You are acquainted with a network of smugglers who are willing to help you out of tight situations. While in a particular town, city, or other similarly sized community (DM's discretion), you and your companions can stay for free in safe houses. Safe houses provide a poor lifestyle. While staying at a safe house, you can choose to keep your presence (and that of your companions) a secret.

Description

Every smuggler has that one tale that sets them apart from common criminals. By wits, sailing skill, or a silver tongue, you lived to tell the story — and you tell it often. You can roll on the following table to determine your claim or choose one that best fits your character.

d6 | Accomplishment

1 | Spirit of the Whale. You smuggled stolen dwarven spirits in the body of a dead whale being pulled behind a fishing boat. When you delivered the goods, the corpse suddenly exploded, sending whale meat and whiskey bottles for half a mile.

2 | Cart and Sword. You drove a cart filled with stolen art through the middle of a battlefield while singing sea shanties to confuse the combatants.

3 | The Recruit. You enlisted in another nation's navy for the purpose of smuggling stolen jewels to a distant port. You attained a minor rank before disappearing from the navy and making your way here.

4 | River of Shadows. Your riverboat accidentally slipped through the veil into the Shadowfell for several hours. While you were there, you sold some stolen dragonborn artifacts before returning to this plane and paddling home.

5 | Gold-Hearted. You agreed to transport a family escaping a war. The baby began to cry at a checkpoint, and you gave the guards all your gold to let you pass. The family never found out about this gesture.

6 | Playing Both Sides. You once smuggled crates of crossbow bolts and bundles of arrows, each destined for an opposing side in a regional war, at the same time. The buyers arrived within moments of each other but did not discover your trickery.

Description

In general, smugglers value survival, and then profit, above other things. One could be a part of a larger organization, or might run a small smuggling vessel of their own. Smugglers live the lies they have told, and they have a natural ability to recall all the falsehoods and half-truths they have ever spouted.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I love being on the water but hate fishing.

2 | I think of everything in terms of monetary value.

3 | I never stop smiling.

4 | Nothing rattles me; I have a lie for every occasion.

5 | I love gold but won't cheat a friend.

6 | I enjoy doing things others believe to be impossible.

7 | I become wistful when I see the sun rise over the ocean.

8 | I am no common criminal; I am a mastermind.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Wealth. Heaps of coins in a secure vault is all I dream of. (Any)

2 | Smuggler's Code. I uphold the unwritten rules of the smugglers, who do not cheat one another or directly harm innocents. (Lawful)

3 | All for a Coin. I'll do nearly anything if it means I turn a profit. (Evil)

4 | Peace and Prosperity. I smuggle only to achieve a greater goal that benefits my community. (Good)

5 | People. For all my many lies, I place a high value on friendship. (Any)

6 | Daring. I am most happy when risking everything. (Any)

d6 | Bond

1 | My vessel was stolen from me, and I burn with the desire to recover it.

2 | I intend to become the leader of the network of smugglers that I belong to.

3 | I owe a debt that cannot be repaid in gold.

4 | After one last job, I will retire from the business.

5 | I was tricked by a fellow smuggler who stole something precious from me. I will find that thief.

6 | I give most of my profits to a charitable cause, and I don't like to brag about it.

d6 | Flaw

1 | Lying is reflexive, and I sometimes engage in it without realizing.

2 | I tend to assess my relationships in terms of profit and loss.

3 | I believe everyone has a price and am cynical toward those who present themselves as virtuous.

4 | I struggle to trust the words of others.

5 | Few people know the real me.

6 | Though I act charming, I feel nothing for others and don't know what friendship is.

Description

It's an open secret, at least among the old-timers in town, that Gellan Primewater runs the biggest smuggling operation in this section of the coast. You have contacts with him and his organization, enabling you to request an audience with him as necessary.

Description

War has been your life for as long as you care to remember. You trained as a youth, studied the use of weapons and armor, learned basic survival techniques, including how to stay alive on the battlefield. You might have been part of a standing national army or a mercenary company, or perhaps a member of a local militia who rose to prominence during a recent war.

When you choose this background, work with your DM to determine which military organization you were a part of, how far through its ranks you progressed, and what kind of experiences you had during your military career. Was it a standing army, a town guard, or a village militia? Or it might have been a noble's or merchant's private army, or a mercenary company.

• Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation

• Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, vehicles (land)

• Equipment: An insignia of rank, a trophy taken from a fallen enemy (a dagger, broken blade, or piece of a banner), a set of bone dice or deck of cards, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Player's Handbook p. 140

Description

During your time as a soldier, you had a specific role to play in your unit or army. Roll a d8 or choose from the options in the table below to determine your role:

d8 | Specialty

1 | Officer

2 | Scout

3 | Infantry

4 | Cavalry

5 | Healer

6 | Quartermaster

7 | Standard bearer

8 | Support staff (cook, blacksmith, or the like)

Description

You have a military rank from your career as a soldier. Soldiers loyal to your former military organization still recognize your authority and influence, and they defer to you if they are of a lower rank. You can invoke your rank to exert influence over other soldiers and requisition simple equipment or horses for temporary use. You can also usually gain access to friendly military encampments and fortresses where your rank is recognized.

Description

The horrors of war combined with the rigid discipline of military service leave their mark on all soldiers, shaping their ideals, creating strong bonds, and often leaving them scarred and vulnerable to fear, shame, and hatred.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I'm always polite and respectful.

2 | I'm haunted by memories of war. I can't get the images of violence out of my mind.

3 | I've lost too many friends, and I'm slow to make new ones.

4 | I'm full of inspiring and cautionary tales from my military experience relevant to almost every combat situation.

5 | I can stare down a hell hound without flinching.

6 | I enjoy being strong and like breaking things.

7 | I have a crude sense of humor.

8 | I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Greater Good. Our lot is to lay down our lives in defense of others. (Good)

2 | Responsibility. I do what I must and obey just authority. (Lawful)

3 | Independence. When people follow orders blindly, they embrace a kind of tyranny. (Chaotic)

4 | Might. In life as in war, the stronger force wins. (Evil)

5 | Live and Let Live. Ideals aren't worth killing over or going to war for. (Neutral)

6 | Nation. My city, nation, or people are all that matter. (Any)

d6 | Bond

1 | I would still lay down my life for the people I served with.

2 | Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day, I will never leave a friend behind.

3 | My honor is my life.

4 | I'll never forget the crushing defeat my company suffered or the enemies who dealt it.

5 | Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.

6 | I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

d6 | Flaw

1 | The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves me quivering with fear.

2 | I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven warrior.

3 | I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives, and I would do anything to keep that mistake secret.

4 | My hatred of my enemies is blind and unreasoning.

5 | I obey the law, even if the law causes misery.

6 | I'd rather eat my armor than admit when I'm wrong.

Description

Although your capabilities are not much different from those of a burglar or smuggler, you learned and practiced them in a very different context: As an espionage agent. You might have been an officially sanctioned agent of the crown, or perhaps you sold the secrets you uncovered to the highest bidder.

• Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth

• Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, thieves' tools

• Equipment: A crowbar, a set of dark common clothes including a hood, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Source: Player's Handbook p. 130

Description

There are many kinds of spies, and within a thieves' guild or similar criminal organization, individual members have particular specialties. Even spies who operate outside of such organizations have strong preferences for certain kinds of crimes over others.

Choose the role you played in your criminal life, or roll on the table below.

d8 | Specialty

1 | Blackmailer

2 | Burglar

3 | Enforcer

4 | Fence

5 | Highway robber

6 | Hired killer

7 | Pickpocket

8 | Smuggler

Description

You have a reliable and trustworthy contact who acts as your liaison to a network of other spies. You know how to get messages to and from your contact, even over great distances; specifically, you know the local messengers, corrupt caravan masters, and seedy sailors who can deliver messages for you.

Description

Criminals might seem like villains on the surface, and many of them are villainous to the core. But some have an abundance of endearing, if not redeeming, characteristics. There might be honor among thieves, but spies rarely show any respect for law or authority.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.

2 | I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me.

3 | The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable — or where such things could be hidden.

4 | I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy.

5 | I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide.

6 | I don't pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds.

7 | The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't do it.

8 | I blow up at the slightest insult.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Honor. I don't steal from others in the trade. (Lawful)

2 | Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic)

3 | Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need. (Good)

4 | Greed. I will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. (Evil)

5 | People. I'm loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral)

6 | Redemption. There's a spark of good in everyone. (Good)

d6 | Bond

1 | I'm trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous benefactor.

2 | My ill-gotten gains go to support my family.

3 | Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back.

4 | I will become the greatest thief that ever lived.

5 | I'm guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it.

6 | Someone I loved died because of 1 mistake I made. That will never happen again.

d6 | Flaw

1 | When I see something valuable, I can't think about anything but how to steal it.

2 | When faced with a choice between money and my friends, I usually choose the money.

3 | If there's a plan, I'll forget it. If I don't forget it, I'll ignore it.

4 | I have a "tell" that reveals when I'm lying.

5 | I turn tail and run when things look bad.

6 | An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I'm okay with that.

Description

"We need to leave, now!"

Those words still haunt your dreams at night. When everyone was fleeing Phlan, you choose to stay. Whether out of an emotional attachment, or pursuit of riches, you made the decision that would affect the rest of your life.

Food became scarcer for those without connections. You became a beggar and to stay alive you bartered information to any interested party with food or gold to spare. You were good at what you did, and thought you were invincible. That changed when you were captured by the Tears of Virulence, the soldiers of Vorgansharax, the Maimed Virulence, for selling secrets to those bent on overthrowing the dragon. They locked you in the cells of Stojanow Gate. The first weeks you hoped to stay alive. As the weeks turned into months, and the interrogations continued you began to pray for death.

• Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Perception

• Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set, thieves' tools

• Equipment: A small knife, a set of common clothes, a trinket from the life you stayed behind to defend, a belt pouch with 10 gp

Source: Curse of Strahd: Optional Backgrounds p. 8

Description

The knowledge gained during your incarceration lets you gain insight into local guards and jailors. You know which will accept bribes, or look the other way for you. You can also seek shelter for yourself from authorities with other criminals in the area. [Note: This feature is a variant of the Courtier feature.]

Description

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I am a bully; others will suffer as I have.

2 | I always say yes even when I mean no; it's just easier.

3 | I aim to misbehave.

4 | I go out of my way to frustrate or anger those in power.

5 | I strive to obey the law. I will never again make the mistake of going against authority.

6 | I always plan everything out. The one time I let others plan things it did not end well for me.

7 | I take blame to protect others from pain.

8 | I hoard information, you never know what may come in handy.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Loss. I freely give those who offend me what was so brutally denied me, death. (Chaos)

2 | Dedication. I never betray those who trust me. (Law)

3 | Vengeance. I use any means to get information I need; I have been well taught. (Evil)

4 | Redemption. Everyone deserves a second chance. (Good)

5 | Resilience. I can survive any challenge (Any)

6 | Leadership. The best teams are made up of those that society has discarded.

d6 | Bond

1 | I take up arms to help establish a free Phlan.

2 | The horrors of my time in Stojanow haunt my dreams, only after a day of hard work can I find sleep.

3 | I am indebted to those who freed me from prison, I will repay this debt.

4 | My torturer survived the attack that set me free, I will find him/her.

5 | I will not rest while others suffer fates similar to mine.

6 | I am searching for a way to heal the scars of Stojanow, both physical and emotional.

d6 | Flaw

1 | During stressful times, I find myself crying for no reason.

2 | My nerve endings are shot from the interrogations; I am numb to all but the harshest touch.

3 | I am incapable of standing up for myself.

4 | I folded under the torture, and gave information that I promised would be kept secret. My life would be in jeopardy if others found out.

5 | Survival is worth more than friendship.

6 | The ghosts from my past hinder my actions.

Description

You were born into a nomadic tribe that called the Ticklebelly Hills home. You migrated from location to location, living off the land with your tribe. The tribe would seasonally travel south into the Grass Sea and the Giant's Cairn, north into the Dragonspine Mountains, and even occasionally east across the Stojanow River to the borders of the Quivering forest.

In your migrations, your people have come to know the stone giant tribes that populate the Giant's Cairn. The dragon cultists came to the hills one day — magic-users wearing purple and riding horrid beasts, black-clad warriors wearing wicked masks, and even soldiers from the nearby town of Phlan. Then the dragon called Vorgansharax arrived and laired in the hills, causing horrid thickets to grow and animals to act unusually. The cultists began raiding nomad camps for victims to offer to the wyrm. Eventually, the dragon moved on to attack Phlan, but life was never again the same for the nomads of the Ticklebelly Hills.

• Skill Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Nature

• Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit

• Languages: Giant

• Equipment: Herbalism kit, a small article of jewelry that is distinct to your tribe, a hunting trap, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp

Source: Curse of Strahd: Optional Backgrounds p. 9

Description

The wilderness is your home and you are comfortable dwelling in it. You can find a place to hide, rest, or recuperate when out in the wild. This place of rest is secure enough to conceal you from most natural threats. Threats that are supernatural, magical, or are actively seeking you out might do so with difficulty depending on the nature of the threat (as determined by the DM). However, this feature doesn't shield or conceal you from scrying, mental probing, nor from threats that don't necessarily require the five senses to find you. [Note: This feature is a variant of the Folk Hero feature.]

Description

Ticklebelly nomads only venture into civilization when necessary. You are social within your tribe, with tribes of other nomads, and even with the stone giant tribes that populate the Giant's Cairn. However, other communities tend to either put you on your guard or put you in a state of wonder. Was it this wonder that enticed you into a life of adventuring? On the other hand, you are fiercely protective of and dedicated to your tribe. Perhaps it was this dedication that led you to venture out; either of your own will or at the behest of your tribe's leaders.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I eagerly inject myself into the unknown.

2 | Villages, towns, and cities do not suit me. I'd rather be out in the wilderness any day.

3 | I accomplish my tasks efficiently, using as few resources as possible.

4 | It's difficult for me to remain in one place for long.

5 | I loudly brag about my tribe every chance I get.

6 | Having walked among giants, I am fearless in the face of bigger creatures.

7 | I am quiet and reserved, but observant. Nothing escapes my attention.

8 | My word is my bond. I see a promise to completion, even if it conflicts with my beliefs.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Kinship. Family is most important in life. Though I may be far from my own, the bonds of family must be protected in others' lives as well. (Good)

2 | Preservation. Nature must not be despoiled by encroaching civilization. (Any)

3 | Wanderlust. One must expand their horizons by seeing the world and exploring. (Chaos)

4 | Isolation. My tribe and its ways must be protected and shielded from outside influence. (Neutral)

5 | Protection. Threats to the land and to the people must be dealt with at any and all costs. (Law)

6 | Belonging. All creatures have a place in the world, so I strive to help others find theirs. (Good)

d6 | Bond

1 | I ache to return to my tribe and the family I left, but cannot until my obligations are fulfilled.

2 | The dragon cultists that invaded my homeland stole away one of my tribe's people. I will not know rest until I've found them.

3 | The dragon's presence in the hills destroyed valuable territory and resulted in deaths within my tribe. The creature must pay for what it has done.

4 | I carry a trinket that spiritually and emotionally ties me to my people and my home.

5 | I discovered a strange relic in the hills during my tribe's wanderings. I must discover what it is.

6 | One of the stone giant clans from the Giant's Cairn has graced me with a mark of kinship.

d6 | Flaw

1 | I throw myself and my friends into situations rarely ever thinking about consequences.

2 | Unfamiliar people and surroundings put me on edge.

3 | I have absolutely no patience for slowpokes and those who prove indecisive.

4 | My desire to experience new things causes me to make unsafe choices.

5 | I am overly protective of nature, sometimes to the detriment of my companions and myself.

6 | My lack of worldliness often proves my undoing in social, commercial, and hostile situations.

Description

You are one of the many people that make sure the trade routes are clear at ALL times. You assure that the Great Law of Trade is followed at all costs. You work by yourself or in groups to quell bandits and brigands who might stop trade routes from going through. You investigate potential ambushes and possible rumors as to someone wanting to rob or stop caravans. You are as much an investigator as you are law enforcement.

You are able to go into a town/village around the Hillsfar area and find a contact that is willing to give you information from rumor to fact. This sometimes comes at a cost of a minor bribe of 1-9 silver pieces.

• Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Persuasion

• Tool Proficiencies: Thieves' tools

• Languages: Elvish

• Equipment: Thieves' tools, a gray cloak, Sheriff's insignia (badge) a set of fine clothes, and 17 gp

Source: Hillsfar Character Backgrounds and Bonds p. 10

Description

You are part of a small force outside of Hillsfar. You have a special way of communicating with others and they seem to be at ease around you. You can invoke your rank to allow you access to a crime scene or to requisition equipment or horses on a temporary basis. When you enter a town or village around Hillsfar you can identify a contact who will give you information on the local rumors and would help you simply because of your desire to get answers and information for anyone wanting to disrupt trade. [Note: This feature is a variant of the soldier feature.]

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I am always polite and respectful

2 | I let my actions speak for themselves

3 | I am haunted by my past having seen the murder of a close friend or family member and it is the one case I always needed to solve but have not been able to.

4 | I am quick to judge and slow to vindicate

5 | I can be very persuasive and am able to ask questions where others might not be able to.

6 | I have a quirky personality that seems to take others off their guard.

7 | My sense of humor is considered by most to be awkward.

8 | Everyone has a choice, and they can always make the right choice, mine!

d6 | Ideal

1 | Hope. My job is to speak for the victim. (Good)

2 | Dedicated. Once I start an investigation, until told to do so, I do not quit, not matter where it leads. (Lawful)

3 | Nation. My city, nation, or people are all that matter. (Any)

4 | Mercenary. When I do investigations, I expect answers immediately. (Any)

5 | Eloquent. I use my words to sway others to give me answers. (Good)

6 | Might. It is through threats and force that I get my answers. (Lawful)

d6 | Bond

1 | To this day an unsolved case will always leave me haunted and bother me.

2 | Through the might of my personality I will solve an investigation or puzzle.

3 | It is my right to believe what I will, just try and stop me.

4 | I need to prove my worth to my fellow Sheriffs

5 | Someone I cared for died under suspicious circumstances. I will find out what happened to them and bring their killer to justice.

6 | I speak for those that cannot speak for themselves.

d6 | Flaw

1 | I always over exaggerate my abilities.

2 | I cannot bear to let those I care for out of my sight.

3 | I took a bribe to tank an investigation and I would do anything to keep it secret.

4 | I have little respect for those that are of "low" intelligence/race.

5 | I always enjoy a good mug of ale... or five to cover up my past.

6 | I speak for the First Lord of Hillsfar and make sure everyone knows it.

Description

Before you became an adventurer, your life was already full of conflict and excitement, because you made a living tracking down people for pay. Unlike some people who collect bounties, though, you aren't a savage who follows quarry into or through the wilderness. You're involved in a lucrative trade, in the place where you live, that routinely tests your skills and survival instincts. What's more, you aren't alone, as a bounty hunter in the wild would be: you routinely interact with both the criminal subculture and other bounty hunters, maintaining contacts in both areas to help you succeed.

You might be a cunning thief-catcher, prowling the rooftops to catch one of the myriad burglars of the city. Perhaps you are someone who has your ear to the street, aware of the doings of thieves' guilds and street gangs. You might be a "velvet mask" bounty hunter, one who blends in with high society and noble circles in order to catch the criminals that prey on the rich, whether pickpockets or con artists. The community where you plied your trade might have been one of Faerûn's great metropolises, such as Waterdeep or Baldur's Gate, or a less populous location, perhaps Luskan or Yartar — any place that's large enough to have a steady supply of potential quarries.

As a member of an adventuring party, you might find it more difficult to pursue a personal agenda that doesn't fit with the group's objectives — but on the other hand, you can take down much more formidable targets with the help of your companions.

• Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Stealth

• Tool Proficiencies: Choose two from among one type of gaming set, one musical instrument, and thieves' tools

• Equipment: A set of clothes appropriate to your duties and a pouch containing 20 gp

Source: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide p. 153

Description

You are in frequent contact with people in the segment of society that your chosen quarries move through. These people might be associated with the criminal underworld, the rough-and-tumble folk of the streets, or members of high society. This connection comes in the form of a contact in any city you visit, a person who provides information about the people and places of the local area.

Description

Use the tables for the criminal background in the Player's Handbook as the basis for your bounty hunter's traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a bounty hunter.

For instance, your bond might involve other bounty hunters or the organizations or individuals that employ you. Your ideal could be associated with your determination always to catch your quarry or your desire to maintain your reputation for being dependable.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.

2 | I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I never raise my voice or let my emotions control me.

3 | The first thing I do in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable — or where such things could be hidden.

4 | I would rather make a new friend than a new enemy.

5 | I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the fairest often have the most to hide.

6 | I don't pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never tell me the odds.

7 | The best way to get me to do something is to tell me I can't do it.

8 | I blow up at the slightest insult.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Honor. I don't steal from others in the trade. (Lawful)

2 | Freedom. Chains are meant to be broken, as are those who would forge them. (Chaotic)

3 | Charity. I steal from the wealthy so that I can help people in need. (Good)

4 | Greed. I will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. (Evil)

5 | People. I'm loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and everyone else can take a trip down the Styx for all I care. (Neutral)

6 | Redemption. There's a spark of good in everyone. (Good)

d6 | Bond

1 | I'm trying to pay off an old debt I owe to a generous benefactor.

2 | My ill-gotten gains go to support my family.

3 | Something important was taken from me, and I aim to steal it back.

4 | I will become the greatest thief that ever lived.

5 | I'm guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem myself for it.

6 | Someone I loved died because of 1 mistake I made. That will never happen again.

d6 | Flaw

1 | When I see something valuable, I can't think about anything but how to steal it.

2 | When faced with a choice between money and my friends, I usually choose the money.

3 | If there's a plan, I'll forget it. If I don't forget it, I'll ignore it.

4 | I have a "tell" that reveals when I'm lying.

5 | I turn tail and run when things look bad.

6 | An innocent person is in prison for a crime that I committed. I'm okay with that.

Description

You grew up on the streets alone, orphaned, and poor. You had no one to watch over you or to provide for you, so you learned to provide for yourself. You fought fiercely over food and kept a constant watch out for other desperate souls who might steal from you. You slept on rooftops and in alleyways, exposed to the elements, and endured sickness without the advantage of medicine or a place to recuperate. You've survived despite all odds, and did so through cunning, strength, speed, or some combination of each.

You begin your adventuring career with enough money to live modestly but securely for at least ten days. How did you come by that money? What allowed you to break free of your desperate circumstances and embark on a better life?

• Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Stealth

• Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit, thieves' tools

• Equipment: A small knife, a map of the city you grew up in, a pet mouse, a token to remember your parents by, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Player's Handbook p. 141

Description

You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.

Description

Urchins are shaped by lives of desperate poverty, for good and for ill. They tend to be driven either by a commitment to the people with whom they shared life on the street or by a burning desire to find a better life and maybe get some payback on all the rich people who treated them badly.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I hide scraps of food and trinkets away in my pockets.

2 | I ask a lot of questions.

3 | I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.

4 | I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms.

5 | I eat like a pig and have bad manners.

6 | I think anyone who's nice to me is hiding evil intent.

7 | I don't like to bathe.

8 | I bluntly say what other people are hinting at or hiding.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Respect. All people, rich or poor, deserve respect. (Good)

2 | Community. We have to take care of each other, because no one else is going to do it. (Lawful)

3 | Change. The low are lifted up, and the high and mighty are brought down. Change is the nature of things. (Chaotic)

4 | Retribution. The rich need to be shown what life and death are like in the gutters. (Evil)

5 | People. I help the people who help me — that's what keeps us alive. (Neutral)

6 | Aspiration. I'm going to prove that I'm worthy of a better life. (Any)

d6 | Bond

1 | My town or city is my home, and I'll fight to defend it.

2 | I sponsor an orphanage to keep others from enduring what I was forced to endure.

3 | I owe my survival to another urchin who taught me to live on the streets.

4 | I owe a debt I can never repay to the person who took pity on me.

5 | I escaped my life of poverty by robbing an important person, and I'm wanted for it.

6 | No one else should have to endure the hardships I've been through.

d6 | Flaw

1 | If I'm outnumbered, I will run away from a fight.

2 | Gold seems like a lot of money to me, and I'll do just about anything for more of it.

3 | I will never fully trust anyone other than myself.

4 | I'd rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair.

5 | It's not stealing if I need it more than someone else.

6 | People who can't take care of themselves get what they deserve.

Description

Though you might have only recently arrived in civilized lands, you are no stranger to the values of cooperation and group effort when striving for supremacy. You learned these principles, and much more, as a member of an Uthgardt tribe.

Your people have always tried to hold to the old ways. Tradition and taboo have kept the Uthgardt strong while the kingdoms of others have collapsed into chaos and ruin. But for the last few generations, some bands among the tribes were tempted to settle, make peace, trade, and even to build towns. Perhaps this is why Uthgar chose to raise up the totems among the people as living embodiments of his power. Perhaps they needed a reminder of who they were and from whence they came. The Chosen of Uthgar led bands back to the old ways, and most of your people abandoned the soft ways of civilization.

You might have grown up in one of the tribes that had decided to settle down, and now that they have abandoned that path, you find yourself adrift. Or you might come from a segment of the Uthgardt that adheres to tradition, but you seek to bring glory to your tribe by achieving great things as a formidable adventurer.

• Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival

• Tool Proficiencies: One type of musical instrument or artisan's tools

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: A hunting trap, a totemic token or set of tattoos marking your loyalty to Uthgar and your tribal totem, a set of traveler's clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide p. 153

Description

Though this section details the Uthgardt specifically, either it or the outlander background from the Player's Handbook can be used for a character whose origin lies with one of the other barbarian tribes in Faerûn.

You might be a fair-haired barbarian of the Reghed, dwelling in the shadow of the Reghed Glacier in the far North near Icewind Dale. You might also be of the nomadic Rashemi, noted for their savage berserkers and their masked witches. Perhaps you hail from one of the wood elf tribes in the Chondalwood, or the magic-hating human tribes of the sweltering jungles of Chult.

Description

You have an excellent knowledge of not only your tribe's territory, but also the terrain and natural resources of the rest of the North. You are familiar enough with any wilderness area that you can find twice as much food and water as you normally would when you forage there.

Additionally, you can call upon the hospitality of your people, and those allied with your tribe, often including members of the druid circles, tribes of nomadic elves, the Harpers, and the priesthoods devoted to the gods of the First Circle.

Description

Use the tables for the outlander background in the Player's Handbook as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a member of an Uthgardt tribe.

Even if you have left your tribe behind (at least for now), you hold to the traditions of your people. You will never cut down a still-living tree, and you may not countenance such an act being done in your presence. The Uthgardt ancestral mounds — great hills where the totem spirits were defeated by Uthgar and where the heroes of the tribes are interred — are sacred to you.

Your bond is undoubtedly associated with your tribe or some aspect of Uthgardt philosophy or culture (perhaps even Uthgar himself). Your ideal is a personal choice that probably hews closely to the ethos of your people and certainly doesn't contradict or compromise what being an Uthgardt stands for.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I'm driven by a wanderlust that led me away from home.

2 | I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups.

3 | I once ran twenty-five miles without stopping to warn to my clan of an approaching orc horde. I'd do it again if I had to.

4 | I have a lesson for every situation, drawn from observing nature.

5 | I place no stock in wealthy or well-mannered folk. Money and manners won't save you from a hungry owlbear.

6 | I'm always picking things up, absently fiddling with them, and sometimes accidentally breaking them.

7 | I feel far more comfortable around animals than people.

8 | I was, in fact, raised by wolves.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Change. Life is like the seasons, in constant change, and we must change with it. (Chaotic)

2 | Greater Good. It is each person's responsibility to make the most happiness for the whole tribe. (Good)

3 | Honor. If I dishonor myself, I dishonor my whole clan. (Lawful)

4 | Might. The strongest are meant to rule. (Evil)

5 | Nature. The natural world is more important than all the constructs of civilization. (Neutral)

6 | Glory. I must earn glory in battle, for myself and my clan. (Any)

d6 | Bond

1 | My family, clan, or tribe is the most important thing in my life, even when they are far from me.

2 | An injury to the unspoiled wilderness of my home is an injury to me.

3 | I will bring terrible wrath down on the evildoers who destroyed my homeland.

4 | I am the last of my tribe, and it is up to me to ensure their names enter legend.

5 | I suffer awful visions of a coming disaster and will do anything to prevent it.

6 | It is my duty to provide children to sustain my tribe.

d6 | Flaw

1 | I am too enamored of ale, wine, and other intoxicants.

2 | There's no room for caution in a life lived to the fullest.

3 | I remember every insult I've received and nurse a silent resentment toward anyone who's ever wronged me.

4 | I am slow to trust members of other races, tribes, and societies.

5 | Violence is my answer to almost any challenge.

6 | Don't expect me to save those who can't save themselves. It is nature's way that the strong thrive and the weak perish.

Description

The Volstrucker are a clandestine organization of arcane assassins and enforcers in the service of the Cerberus Assembly. Their operatives bear no official title, but are referred to in hushed tones as "scourgers" by residents of large Dwendalian cities such as Zadash and Rexxentrum.

You are a Volstrucker agent. Your duty is to silence dissidents who would undermine the will of King Dwendal — and more importantly, the will of the Assembly.

• Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth

• Tool Proficiencies: Poisoner's kit

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: A set of common clothes, a black cloak with a hood, a poisoner's kit, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Explorer's Guide to Wildemount p. 202

Description

Happy people aren't selected to join the Volstrucker. The Cerberus Assembly preys upon talented individuals who have been broken by tragedy — in some cases, tragedy that the Volstrucker has arranged for. A slightly broken mind is more easily reshaped and reeducated. Choose the tragedy that set you on this path, or roll on the Tragedies table.

d6 | Tragedy

1 | Familicide. Through deceit or manipulation, the Volstrucker convinced you to slaughter your own family.

2 | Amnesia. You were forced to study magic so potent that it strained your mind beyond mortal limits, stealing away the memories of your past.

3 | Capture. You were captured and tortured by agents of the Kryn Dynasty, and barely escaped.

4 | Starvation. A terrible blight afflicted your rural village, and many of your friends and family members starved to death. You survived, but only barely.

5 | Disfigurement. One of your arcane experiments went wrong and scarred or dismembered you so gravely that others now shun you. Only the Volstrucker showed you kindness after that day.

6 | Vicissitude. You were once the scion of a wealthy family who lost their entire fortune in the blink of an eye.

Description

You have access to the Volstrucker shadow network, which allows you to communicate with other members of the order over long distances. If you write a letter in a special arcane ink, address it to a member of the Volstrucker, and cast it into a fire, the letter will burn to cinders and materialize whole again on the person of the agent you addressed it to.

The ink used to send a letter across the shadow network is the same as that used by a wizard to scribe spells in a spellbook. Writing a letter in this ink costs 10 gp per page.

Description

Agents of the Volstrucker are groomed to follow orders without question and to kill without mercy. The trauma that brings one into the order can fester even more strongly against the darkness of a Volstrucker agent's assignments. Officially, no one ever leaves the order — but those desperate enough do whatever it takes to gain some measure of freedom.

d6 | Personality Trait

1 | I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself.

2 | I indulge vice in excess to quiet my conscience.

3 | I've left emotion behind me. I'm now perfectly placid.

4 | Some event from the past keeps worming its way into my mind, making me restless.

5 | I always keep my word—except when I'm commanded to break it.

6 | I laugh off insults and never take them personally.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Order. The will of the crown is absolute. (Law)

2 | True Loyalty. The Cerberus Assembly is greater than any power, even the crown. (Law)

3 | Death. The penalty for disloyalty is death. (Evil)

4 | Determination. I cannot fail. Not ever. (Neutral)

5 | Fear. People should not respect power. They should fear it. (Evil)

6 | Escape. The Volstrucker are pure evil! I can't atone for what I've done for them, but I can escape with my life. (Any)

d4 | Bond

1 | The job is all that matters. I will see it through.

2 | My orders are important, but my comrades are worth more than anything. I would die for them.

3 | Everything I've done, I've done to protect someone close to me.

4 | If the empire falls, all of civilization falls with it. I will hold back chaos and barbarism at any cost.

d4 | Flaw

1 | I drink to dull the pain in the back of my head.

2 | I go a bit mad when I see blood.

3 | I can hear the voices of everyone I've killed. I see their faces. I can't be free of these ghosts.

4 | Fear is a powerful motivator. I will do whatever it takes to prevent those who know what I am from seeing me fail, and from those I care about from knowing what I am.

Description

You are a scion of one of the great noble families of Waterdeep. Human families who jealously guard their privilege and place in the City of Splendors, Waterdhavian nobles have a reputation across Faerûn for being eccentric, spoiled, venal, and, above all else, rich.

Whether you are a shining example of the reason for this reputation or one who proves the rule by being an exception, people expect things of you when they know your surname and what it means. Your reasons for taking up adventuring likely involve your family in some way: Are you the family rebel, who prefers delving in filthy dungeons to sipping zzar at a ball? Or have you taken up sword or spell on your family's behalf, ensuring that they have someone of renown to see to their legacy?

Work with your DM to come up with the family you are part of — there are around seventy-five lineages in Waterdeep, each with its own financial interests, specialties, and schemes. You might be part of the main line of your family, possibly in line to become its leader one day. Or you might be one of any number of cousins, with less prestige but also less responsibility.

• Skill Proficiencies: History, Persuasion

• Tool Proficiencies: One type of gaming set or one musical instrument

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: A set of fine clothes, a signet ring or brooch, a scroll of pedigree, a skin of fine zzar or wine, and a purse containing 20 gp

Source: Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide p. 154

Description

While you are in Waterdeep or elsewhere in the North, your house sees to your everyday needs. Your name and signet are sufficient to cover most of your expenses; the inns, taverns, and festhalls you frequent are glad to record your debt and send an accounting to your family's estate in Waterdeep to settle what you owe.

This advantage enables you to live a comfortable lifestyle without having to pay 2 gp a day for it, or reduces the cost of a wealthy or aristocratic lifestyle by that amount. You may not maintain a less affluent lifestyle and use the difference as income—the benefit is a line of credit, not an actual monetary reward.

Description

Use the tables for the noble background in the Player's Handbook as the basis for your traits and motivations, modifying the entries when appropriate to suit your identity as a member of a Waterdhavian family.

Like other nobles, you were born and raised in a different world from the one that most folk know — one that grants you privilege but also calls you to fulfill a duty befitting your station. Your bond might be associated with your family alone, or it could be concerned with another noble house that sides with or opposes your own. Your ideal depends to some extent on how you view your role in the family, and how you intend to conduct yourself in the world at large as a representative of your house.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | My eloquent flattery makes everyone I talk to feel like the most wonderful and important person in the world.

2 | The common folk love me for my kindness and generosity.

3 | No one could doubt by looking at my regal bearing that I am a cut above the unwashed masses.

4 | I take great pains to always look my best and follow the latest fashions.

5 | I don't like to get my hands dirty, and I won't be caught dead in unsuitable accommodations.

6 | Despite my noble birth, I do not place myself above other folk. We all have the same blood.

7 | My favor, once lost, is lost forever.

8 | If you do me an injury, I will crush you, ruin your name, and salt your fields.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Respect. Respect is due to me because of my position, but all people regardless of station deserve to be treated with dignity. (Good)

2 | Responsibility. It is my duty to respect the authority of those above me, just as those below me must respect mine. (Lawful)

3 | Independence. I must prove that I can handle myself without the coddling of my family. (Chaotic)

4 | Power. If I can attain more power, no one will tell me what to do. (Evil)

5 | Family. Blood runs thicker than water. (Any)

6 | Noble Obligation. It is my duty to protect and care for the people beneath me. (Good)

d6 | Bond

1 | I will face any challenge to win the approval of my family.

2 | My house's alliance with another noble family must be sustained at all costs.

3 | Nothing is more important than the other members of my family.

4 | I am in love with the heir of a family that my family despises.

5 | My loyalty to my sovereign is unwavering.

6 | The common folk must see me as a hero of the people.

d6 | Flaw

1 | I secretly believe that everyone is beneath me.

2 | I hide a truly scandalous secret that could ruin my family forever.

3 | I too often hear veiled insults and threats in every word addressed to me, and I'm quick to anger.

4 | I have an insatiable desire for carnal pleasures.

5 | In fact, the world does revolve around me.

6 | By my words and actions, I often bring shame to my family.

Description

You trained with the elite forces charged with the defense and protection of the isolated city-state of Whitestone, with much of that training focused on how to care for, protect, and safeguard the firearms that are the weapons of the Whitestone Rifle Corps. You are also entrusted with a solemn duty—to never let the secrets of your liege-lord's deadly creations fall into the wrong hands.

You might have come to Whitestone to prove yourself worthy of wielding the secretive and highly coveted firearms created there, and to seek instruction from warriors who have mastered those weapons. Or you might have grown up in Whitestone, perhaps even remembering the brutal days when Lord and Lady Briarwood ruled your homeland — a reign that began some thirty years ago and lasted for six harrowing years.

Alternatively, you or your parents might have come to Whitestone as refugees fleeing the destruction of the Chroma Conclave's attack on Tal'Dorei. If so, your life in the city-state might have been a relatively peaceful one, dwelling among the engineers, artisans, and merchants seeking to capitalize upon Whitestone's reputation as an up-and-coming center of trade, culture, and invention.

When you choose this background, decide whether you were a member of the Rifle Corps, the Pale Guard, or the Whitestone Hunters. The "Whitestone" section in chapter 3 has more information about the Pale Guard, as well as the armaments and militia in the city-state. See below for more information on the Whitestone Hunters.

• Skill Proficiencies: Your choice of two of the following: Athletics, Perception, or Survival

• Weapon Proficiencies: Firearms

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: Your choice of a musket or a pistol, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting: Reborn p. 187

Description

You have been entrusted with the use and care of a weapon both powerful and terrifying. The rifle you wield might transform the face of warfare and life in Tal'Dorei. It is a weapon that haunts the mind of its creator, Percival de Rolo, manifesting as a pain that lives always behind his kind eyes.

You were granted a musket or a pistol (as described in the fifth edition core rules) by your commander in the Whitestone Rifle Corps. This weapon is a symbol of your status, and when you display it, other folk around you—particularly adventurers, mercenaries, guards, engineers, and weapons enthusiasts—treat you differently. You might be seen as a noble defender of the people, a selfish hoarder of power, or anything in between, at the GM's discretion.

Description

You are—or were—a member of an elite and trusted band of Whitestone's staunchest defenders. Work with your GM to determine your current relationship with the Rifle Corps. If your campaign starts in Whitestone, you might be an active member of that unit. Otherwise, you can use the Rifle Corps Relationships table for suggestions.

d6 | Current Relationship

1 | I retired honorably from the Rifle Corps— and now it's time for me to pursue my own adventures.

2 | I'm on an important mission to protect Whitestone or guard one of our allies.

3 | Whitestone is in trouble, and I was sent away to seek help.

4 | I don't think firearms technology should be kept secret, so I escaped from the Rifle Corps with my weapon and am on the run.

5 | I was on a mission with my company when I got separated from them. Now I need to find my way back home.

6 | My weapon was stolen. I built a new one, but I can't return home until I've tracked down the thief and recovered the original. (Whitestone Hunter variant only)

Description

Those who join the Whitestone Rifle Corps become members of an elite and trusted band known as the city-state's staunchest defenders. But this means working with your GM to determine why you're not at home protecting Whitestone. Perhaps you took on a mission to guard someone on behalf of the de Rolo family, or you might have been separated from your company while on an assignment. Either way, you find yourself embroiled now in a series of new adventures as you try to make your way back home.

Your bond is likely associated with your comrades-in-arms or with Whitestone itself. Your ideal could be tied to justice or protection, but could also be a secretive, selfish perversion of those virtues.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I want to make a good impression at all times. That means keeping my clothes and gear clean and in top condition.

2 | I don't like being the center of attention. I'd rather let someone else do the talking while I watch their back.

3 | I feel safe only if I'm carrying my trusty rifle. And my dagger. And my concealed pistol. Oh, and of course my….

4 | I don't trust people with my secrets easily, so it feels like a big deal when someone else shares a secret with me.

5 | I like coming up with solutions to problems using my esoteric knowledge of natural philosophy.

6 | Everyone around me takes things so seriously. Sometimes I just want to let loose and have fun!

7 | Knowing things that other people don't know makes me feel special and important.

8 | I'm most at home in woods and mountains, where everything feels at once familiar, always growing and changing.

d6 | Ideal

1 | Responsibility. I have a duty to protect the people of Whitestone and to uphold the trust placed in me by the de Rolos. (Lawful)

2 | Militarization. Everyone should have access to the most powerful weapons available, so they can defend themselves effectively. (Evil)

3 | Cooperation. Any problem can be solved as long as people are willing to work together. (Good)

4 | Camaraderie. It's important to have people you can trust to help out in a fight—and to uncork a bottle together afterward. (Any)

5 | Context. There are no universal rights or wrongs. Every choice depends on the details of the situation. (Chaotic)

6 | Secrecy. Information is valuable, but it can also be dangerous. I'll keep my mouth shut and gather as much intel as I can. (Neutral)

d6 | Bond

1 | I never knew what to do with myself until I joined the Rifle Corps. Now I have a purpose and comrades to give me direction.

2 | One of my fellow Rifle Corps soldiers saved my life—and then I saved theirs. That kind of bond lasts forever.

3 | Whitestone is the best city in all of Tal'Dorei. Nowhere else has been blessed by the Dawnfather and has a clock that tracks the movement of the stars!

4 | My quick thinking saved a noble from assassination, and she showed me great kindness in return. I daren't say it, but I'm more loyal to her than I am to the de Rolos.

5 | My weapon is my life. I clean it, repair it, and care for it—and it serves me loyally in return.

6 | The people of Whitestone cared for my family when we had nothing. I promise to repay their compassion with my service.

d6 | Flaw

1 | Who cares about keeping this gun safe? "Don't let it fall into the wrong hands!" Ha! It's only a matter of time before someone slips up and these weapons are everywhere.

2 | I think being part of the Rifle Corps is so cool. I love telling people about my position so I can impress them.

3 | My weapon was stolen. I built a new one, but I can't return home until I've tracked down the thief and recovered the original.

4 | I'm tired of protecting spoiled people who don't know how to protect themselves.

5 | I shoot first and ask questions later.

6 | The first and only time I killed someone, it changed my life. I still dream about it, and I'll never be the carefree person I was before.

Description

As elite as they are, the members of the Whitestone Rifle Corps do not represent the apex of firearms skill in Whitestone. A clandestine group of elite soldiers and survivalists is drawn secretly from the Rifle Corps ranks. Called the Whitestone Hunters, these soldiers are special operatives of the de Rolo family, and loyally serve as spies, bodyguards, and even assassins when the job requires it. Though few officially know of them, rumors of the Whitestone Hunters' existence swirl constantly throughout the city-state, often in response to their activities after having been loaned out to protect Whitestone's allies.

You are one of these Whitestone Hunters, even if just a trainee (if you're starting your campaign at low levels). You have the ear of the lord and lady of Whitestone, though you must exercise this privilege graciously lest you lose it.

Description

You were raised in the void of Wildspace—home to asteroid miners, moon farmers, and other hardy folk. Perhaps you grew up in a far-flung settlement such as the Rock of Bral, or you spent your early years on the crew of a spelljamming ship, performing helpful chores such as swabbing the deck, loading and offloading cargo, and scraping barnacles off the hull.

Whatever your history, life in Wildspace has toughened you so well that you are as brave as a miniature giant space hamster when it comes to facing the terrors and other challenges of the airless night.

• Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Survival

• Tool Proficiencies: Navigator's tools, vehicles (space)

• Equipment: A belaying pin (club), a set of traveler's clothes, a grappling hook, 50 feet of hempen rope, and a pouch containing 10 gp

Source: Spelljammer: Adventures in Space - Astral Adventurer's Guide p. 8

Description

You had a harrowing encounter with one of Wildspace's many terrors. You escaped with your life, but the encounter left you with a scar or two, or perhaps a recurring nightmare. Roll on the Close Encounter table to determine which creature nearly got the best of you. Creatures marked with an asterisk appear in Boo's Astral Menagerie; the others are described in the Monster Manual.

d10 | Creature

1 | Beholder

2 | Cosmic horror*

3 | Feyr*

4 | Lunar dragon*

5 | Mind flayer

6 | Neh-thalggu*

7 | Neogi*

8 | Space clown*

9 | Vampirate*

10 | Void scavver*

Description

You gain the Tough feat from the Player's Handbook. In addition, you learned how to adapt to zero gravity. Being weightless doesn't give you disadvantage on any of your melee attack rolls (see "Weightlessness" in chapter 2).

Description

You crept into the Witchlight Carnival as a child or youth and never looked back, earning a place among those who work behind the scenes to keep the carnival in business. As a hand, you work hard and party hard. The carnival has borne you to many fantastic worlds, circling back around to your home world once every eight years, but you know almost nothing about these worlds because you spend all your time in the carnival. You know the other hands well, but the carnival's owners—Mister Witch and Mister Light—remain mysterious to you even after all these years.

Maybe you joined the carnival to escape a dismal life at home, or maybe you were enchanted by the idea of visiting new places or the dream of becoming one of the carnival's star attractions. Now that you're older, carnival life has lost some of its appeal. The daily routine has grown tedious, the cyclical nature of the carnival's journey monotonous. The carnival no longer fills your heart with a sense of wonder. Perhaps greater adventures await you beyond the carnival's gates.

• Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Sleight of Hand

• Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit or one type of musical instrument

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: A disguise kit or a musical instrument of your choice, a deck of cards, a carnival uniform or costume, one trinket (determined by rolling on the Feywild Trinkets table), and a pouch containing 8 gp

Source: The Wild Beyond the Witchlight p. 11

Description

Over the years, you have earned the friendship of another carnival fixture. Roll a d8 and consult the Carnival Companion table to determine whom or what you've befriended, or you can choose an option that you like. Work with your DM to flesh out this friendship. This companion hangs around you while you're in the carnival, but it won't voluntarily leave the carnival.

The DM can use the Witchlight hand stat block in chapter 1 to represent hands, performers, and animal trainers who serve as carnival companions. Statistics for the other companions appear in the Monster Manual.

d8 | Carnival Companion

1 | Old, cantankerous Witchlight hand

2 | Young, impressionable Witchlight hand

3 | Performer (such as an acrobat, a clown, or a musician)

4 | Retired performer

5 | Seasoned animal trainer

6 | Old blink dog

7 | Cheery sprite

8 | Harmless, magical wisp of light (no stat block required) that has a flying speed of 30 feet, can hover, and sheds bright light in a 5-foot radius and dim light for an additional 5 feet

Description

The Witchlight Carnival provides you with free, modest lodging and food. In addition, you may wander about the carnival and partake of its many wonders at no cost to you, provided you don't disrupt its shows or cause any other trouble.

Description

These tables, while optional, are well suited to Feywild-themed adventures and are ideal for any character who has the feylost or Witchlight hand background.

d8 | Personality Trait

1 | I'm haunted by fey laughter that only I can hear, though I know it's just my mind playing tricks on me.

2 | Like a nomad, I can't settle down in one place for very long.

3 | Good music makes me weep like a baby.

4 | Wherever I go, I try to bring a little of the warmth and tranquility of home with me.

5 | I have never lost my childlike sense of wonder.

6 | When I have a new idea, I get wildly excited about it until I come up with another, better idea.

7 | I live by my own set of weird and wonderful rules.

8 | I can't bring myself to trust most adults.

d8 | Ideal

1 | Friendship. I never leave a friend behind. (Good)

2 | Empathy. No creature should be made to suffer. (Good)

3 | Wanderlust. I prefer to take the less traveled path. (Chaotic)

4 | Changeability. Change is good, which is why I live by an ever-changing set of rules. (Chaotic)

5 | Honor. A deal is a deal, and I would never break one. (Lawful)

6 | Rule of Three. Everything in the multiverse happens in threes. I see the "rule of three" everywhere. (Lawful)

7 | Obsession. I won't let go of a grudge. (Evil)

8 | Greed. I will do whatever it takes to get what I want, regardless of the harm it might cause. (Evil)

d8 | Bond

1 | I would never break my word.

2 | I find magic in all its forms to be compelling. The more magical a place, the more I am drawn to it.

3 | I do what I can to protect the natural world.

4 | A trusted friend is the most important thing in the multiverse to me.

5 | I can't bring myself to harm a Fey creature, either because I consider myself one or because I fear the repercussions.

6 | The Witchlight Carnival feels like home to me.

7 | I'm drawn to the Feywild and long to return there, if only for a short while.

8 | I feel indebted to Mister Witch and Mister Light for giving me a home and a purpose.

d8 | Flaw

1 | I easily lose track of time. My poor sense of time means I'm always late.

2 | I think the whole multiverse is out to get me.

3 | I'm always operating under a tight timeline, and I'm obsessed with keeping everything on schedule.

4 | I'm a kleptomaniac who covets shiny, sparkling treasure.

5 | I'm forgetful. Sometimes I can't remember even the simplest things.

6 | I never give away anything for free and always expect something in return.

7 | I have many vices and tend to indulge them.

8 | I'm always changing my mind—well, almost always.

Description

You filled your childhood with rudimentary alchemical experiments, all in the hope of becoming a student of Witherbloom College. The life sciences are the focus of your reading, which include biology and necromancy. Brewing strange concoctions with medicinal properties, exploring the anatomies of monsters, and cataloging swamp flora are the kinds of studies you might pursue at Witherbloom College.

• Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival

• Tool Proficiencies: Herbalism kit

• Languages: One of your choice

• Equipment: A bottle of black ink, an ink pen, a book about plant identification, an iron pot, an herbalism kit, a school uniform, and a pouch containing 15 gp

Source: Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos p. 36

Description

You gain the Strixhaven Initiate feat and must choose Witherbloom within it.

In addition, if you have the Spellcasting or Pact Magic feature, the spells on the Witherbloom Spells table are added to the spell list of your spellcasting class. (If you are a multiclass character with multiple spell lists, these spells are added to all of them.)

1st — Cure Wounds, Inflict Wounds

2nd — Lesser Restoration, Wither and Bloom

3rd — Revivify, Vampiric Touch

4th — Blight, Death Ward

5th — Antilife Shell, Greater Restoration

Consider customizing how your spells look when you cast them. Your Witherbloom spells might rely on material components or a spellcasting focus drawn from the swamp environment of Witherbloom, and your spells might take on an appearance suggesting those natural elements. Spectral shapes of swamp animals or plants might form amid your spell effects.

Description

Druids and warlocks make up most of Witherbloom's student body. A few wizards (mostly those who study the School of Necromancy) and clerics (including those with the Divine Domains of Life or Nature) also find their home in Witherbloom.

A number of rangers and barbarians study at Witherbloom as well, and some rogues learn how to create and use poisons during their studies at this college.

Description

Students of Witherbloom College are equally likely to be found picking herbs for a healing tincture or riding zombified swamp beasts through the bayou. The Witherbloom Personality Traits table suggests a variety of traits you might adopt for your character.

d6 | Personality Trait

1 | I love brewing up a new recipe, even if some might be repulsed by my choice of ingredients. Or the final product. Or both.

2 | My fashion sense is like my garden: withered, black, and weird.

3 | I'm going to befriend every single monster in this swamp if it's the last thing I do.

4 | Everything in this world dies eventually. The question is, what will you do with the time you have left?

5 | I know we just met, but when you die, may I have your bones? For research.

6 | Don't interrupt me; I'm brooding.

Description

When you make your character, you may roll once on the Witherbloom Trinkets table, instead of on the Trinkets table in the Player's Handbook, for your starting trinket.

d6 | Trinket

1 | A black bird-shaped mask, trimmed with glowing green thread

2 | A set of rabbit bones

3 | A pair of thick knee-high waders, stained with muck and moss

4 | A slimy green tentacle, which occasionally wriggles

5 | A notebook containing waterproof paper

6 | A necklace of five small vials, each filled with luminescent white liquid