Backgrounds

A M N E S I A C
Some portion of your past has been swallowed by
nothingness. The missing time could be a short
interval—mere days or weeks gone from your memory—
or you might have only vague hints at best of who
you are and where you are from. Flashes of déjà vu
are common, taunting you with recollection, but they
almost always slip away, as ungraspable as the mists of
Druskenvald. An injury, some traumatic experience, or
the magical workings of a spell or curse could be the
culprit behind your amnesia.
Feat: Memory Starved (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two (see below)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one (see below)
Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) book (personal notes),
ink, ink pen, traveler’s clothes, 11 gp; or (B) 50 gp
SCATTERED MEMORIES
You don’t choose skill proficiencies or a tool proficiency
when you select this background, and you don’t choose
any languages other than Common during character
creation—these are parts of your past that you are
missing. Instead, you can pick one of those proficiencies
or languages during play at any time. The knowledge
might return in a spontaneous flash, even as you make
a roll that relies on the proficiency, or slowly emerge as
you struggle to solve a problem. Once you choose one
of these features, you can’t choose another one until you
gain a level.
The GM might rule that you can choose a new
recalled feature early if something reminds you of your
past, such as finding a piece of evidence from your
missing memories or experiencing an event similar
to one you have forgotten. Of particular value is an
event relating to one of the story threads or trinkets
presented below.
BUILDING AN AMNESIAC
Any character can face misfortune or a choice that steals
their memory. Consider how your character came to
lose their memory. Was it lost through injury or illness,
or did something more sinister steal it with a toxin or
curse? You might decide to leave this choice up to the
GM, letting you as a player discover the cause alongside
your character.
Suggested Story Threads. This background presents
a paradox when considering threads to weave through
a campaign, since the character may not remember
them. Work with the GM to create some leading events
or people that can serve as constants to trace a path
through the void of the character’s past, especially if the
GM can insert existing nonplayer characters into the
thread to strengthen these connections. The Amnesiac
Story Threads table suggests events and people who can
be the start of these threads.
Amnesiac Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You have recurring dreams of someone you might
recognize on your adventures.
2 You absent-mindedly doodle the same design or
symbol over and over.
3 A friend has been traveling the provinces of
Druskenvald with a caravan, searching for any hint
of your past as they do.
4 A rhyme or song you’ve never heard before comes
to mind when your thoughts wander.
5 Rainbow colors, such as those on a soap bubble or
oil slick, fill you with unexplained terror.
6 You have a fragmented recollection of traveling to a
remote place in the mountains.
Amnesiac Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Amnesiac Trinkets table instead
of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Amnesiac Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 Half of a tarnished silver ring with a partial
inscription in a language you don’t understand
2 A music box that plays a sad tune you recognize
but can’t identify
3 A short note addressed to you signed with a name
you don’t recognize
4 A thin silk scarf with a fading scent that stirs
familiarity
5 A toy horse with unfamiliar initials inked on it
6 A locket whose portrait is burnt and unrecognizable

C R I M S O N A S P I R A N T
You have delved into the forces that animate all life—
even those that counterfeit life, such as Constructs
and Undead. Many of these studies concentrate on the
nature of blood and its power to sustain life and transmit
vital essence, binding the soul to the flesh. You might
have apprenticed under a sly-hearted mentor or a secret
cabal focused on understanding or even manipulating
life and death. You may have learned from a detailed
treatise that you’ve put into practice, daring to become
versed in the forbidden arts.
Feat: Crimson Ritualist (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Medicine
Tool Proficiency: Herbalism kit
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Herbalism kit, dagger,
fine clothes, healer’s kit, 3 vials, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A CRIMSON ASPIRANT
Characters who value study and learning, as well as
those with a capacity to heal the injuries and illnesses
of others, readily become crimson aspirants. More
physically inclined characters can be drawn to the
teachings of blood to tap into their increased vital
energies, as can those who are sickly or weak in hopes of
overcoming that adversity.
Suggested Story Threads. The Crimson Aspirant
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Crimson Aspirant Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Sometimes when you bleed, you hear whispers
from your fallen blood that tease with meaning.
2 You were trained by a remote monastery, but your
mentor ushered you out one morning in a panic
and sent you away.
3 A plague carried in the blood defies cures, and you
must find its origin.
4 Your mentor, who inducted you into the secrets
held within life and blood, vanished suddenly.
5 Your studies reveal a spate of anemia cases,
some ending in death, as the predations of
blood-drinking monsters.
6 A loved one, such as a paramour or sibling, has
died, and your studies hint at a way to bring
them back.
Crimson Aspirant Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Crimson Aspirant
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Crimson Aspirant Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A glass pendant with a single drop of blood
suspended within
2 A long scroll with an anatomical study and
description of how life energy flows through
the body
3 A handkerchief with a blood drop pressed into
the center
4 A polished bloodstone for balancing vital energy
5 A vial of blood that never coagulates or dries
6 A small box of ashes said to be from a martyr who
was falsely accused of vampirism and burned at
the stake

C R O S S R O A D S G A M B L E R
You’ve made your bones on games of chance, and one
day your games crossed the line into something far
more serious. You might have played for your soul
against a Fiend, matched wits with ancient forest
Fey in a riddle contest, or rolled dice with the fabled
Mister Crossroads.
Feat: Fate Gambler (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Insight
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of gaming set
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Gaming set (same as
above), caltrops, fine clothes, fine wine (bottle), 23 gp;
or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A CROSSROADS GAMBLER
Characters who live by their wits, such as rogues and
bards, find the call of a crossroads gambler appealing,
though anyone could find themselves in the position of
playing for stakes higher than they could ever imagine...
or pay. A spellcaster who conjured the wrong entity
may find themself a gambler. The desperate who sought
out a mysterious figure to throw dice and match wits
for power or salvation can find their fates bound to
the crossroads.
Suggested Story Threads. The Crossroads Gambler
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Crossroads Gambler Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Someone you thought was a friend tricked you into
making your bargain.
2 You’ve found that if you go too long without
making a wager, your luck starts to turn sour.
3 You only feel alive in the midst of a contest.
4 You lost your bet, and you’re on the run from the
thing surely coming to collect.
5 Someone close to you made a wager and lost. You
made your deal to try and find them.
6 You’ve been gambling for a long time, and you’re
tired. Now all you want is a way out.
Crossroads Gambler Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Crossroads
Gambler Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Crossroads Gambler Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A lucky coin made of a strange material, such as
green steel or bone
2 A battered, blood-stained six of hearts playing card
3 A torn journal page of a long-missing gambler who
was hopeful to win their fortune from a being they
describe but fail to name
4 The preserved foot of a rabbit, owl, or weasel
5 A six-sided die that somehow seems to have too
many 2s when closely examined
6 A silver-plated ivory chess rook

C U L T I S T
You have been inducted into a secret society that
venerates or pursues power from some otherworldly
source. The cultists might serve as minions of an entity
they worship, or they may seek to understand and claim
its might for their own. Depending on the malevolence
of the cult’s patron or the malefic purposes they may
serve, cultists could be a force of wickedness or a group
of closely bonded and dedicated people who pursue a
common, if esoteric, goal.
Feat: Cult Initiate (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, choose one (Cultist
Affinity table skill recommended)
Language: Choose one (Cultist Affinity table language
recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Calligrapher’s supplies,
costume (cult garb), holy symbol (amulet: cult
insignia), traveler’s clothes, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
Cultist Affinities
Cult Patron Skill Language
Aberration Perception Deep Speech
Celestial Religion Celestial
Fiend (Demon) Religion Abyssal
Fiend (Devil) Religion Infernal
Fey Nature Sylvan
CULT VENERATION
Cults propitiate beings of otherworldly power in hopes
of sharing in that potency. Choose what type of cult you
joined, such as the following.
Aberration. Alien creatures with inscrutable
mindsets and motivations. Many originate from outside
the known multiverse.
Celestial. Beings of the Upper Planes, and paragons
of order or benevolence. Many can be overbearing
and uncompromising.
Fiend (Demon). Creatures of utter evil and
destruction that want to see all worlds and planes burn.
Fiend (Devil). Beings of cunning wickedness who
prize structure and obedience. They seek to subjugate
others and condemn souls.
Fey. Capricious beings often associated with nature
and emotional extremes. They can be beautiful, terrible,
intoxicating, and horrific.
BUILDING A CULTIST
Cultists are often lost souls—individuals severed from
the fabric of society whose cult became a manipulative,
surrogate family. Consider if your character agrees with
the aims of the cult, if they fled the group, or if they
remain for infiltration purposes.
Suggested Story Threads. The Cultist Story Threads
table suggests events and people who can be the start
of story threads for your character that weave through
the campaign.
Cultist Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You learned that the cult that took you in
manipulated you throughout your life.
2 A member of your cult betrayed and killed your
leader and mentor.
3 Your cult’s activities aroused the ire and
superstition of locals, deserved or not.
4 You followed a loved one into joining the cult,
trying to find out what happened to them.
5 You met someone who forced you to see the cult
you always venerated in a different light.
6 You joined the cult to save yourself from an
incurable illness or other certain doom.
Cultist Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Cultist Trinkets table instead of
on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Cultist Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A sealed scroll of esoteric knowledge
2 A steel ball bearing etched over its entire surface
with your cult’s sacred text
3 A crystal that feels strange to the touch
4 A ritual knife stained with blood, sap, or oils
5 A set of copper tattoo needles
6 An embroidered cloth half mask

D RUS K E N VA L D DW EL L E R
You hail from one of the thirteen baneful provinces of
Druskenvald. You might be a member of the unique
species known to originate from those diverse biomes,
or you may be of a different heritage altogether. The
skills and culture of your home (summarized below)
shape your knowledge and early experiences.
Feat: Choose one Crooked Moon feat (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Survival, choose one (Province
Affinity table skill recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one (Province Affinity table
tool recommended)
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Artisan’s tools (same
as above), map (Druskenvald’s provinces), traveler’s
clothes, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp
Province Affinities
Province Skill Tool
Ardengloom History Herbalism kit
Astramar Arcana Navigator’s tools
Bubonia Medicine Poisoner’s kit
Chernabos Deception Calligrapher’s supplies
Edwardia Investigation Tinker’s tools
Enoch Nature Leatherworker’s tools
Kalero Performance Musical instrument
Olmarsh Arcana Cartographer’s supplies
Nerukhet Persuasion Weaver’s tools
Pholsense Religion Mason’s tools
Picco Performance Woodworker’s tools
Syndramas Athletics Cook’s utensils
Zulrogg Survival Herbalism kit
BUILDING A DRUSKENVALD DWELLER
Any sort of character can be a Druskenvald dweller.
When you make your character, decide if you belong
to the species associated with your home province,
or if you are of another kind who was raised outside
the home of most of your species. This decision itself
may determine truths about your character to be
experienced throughout your journeys in Druskenvald.
Suggested Story Threads. The Druskenvald Dweller
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Druskenvald Dweller Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You were left on a church doorstep as an infant.
The only clue to your origin is the torn cloak used
as a blanket.
2 You fled your home province after being accused of
a crime, whether justly or not.
3 After hearing stories of other provinces, you struck
out to see more of Druskenvald.
4 Members of a trade caravan stole something or
harmed someone dear to you.
5 You made a desperate pact with an ashborn and
now seek to nullify the contract.
6 A vicious bogborn bounty hunter trails you.
Druskenvald Dweller Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Druskenvald
Dweller Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Druskenvald Dweller Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A brass needle with a dangling bit of broken thread
2 A dull, rusty sickle with a bone handle
3 A star chart etched onto a crystal plate
4 A wicker doll with bloodstained bead eyes
5 A length of chain that sometimes rattles when
left unattended
6 A mummified hand preserved in bog peat

E X P E R I ME N T
You are forever altered in some drastic, physical way,
perhaps even made monstrous. A blasphemous fusion
of science, alchemy, and magic changed you, possibly to
mend some unrecoverable malady, or to test the limits
of your biology. The process was a success, at least to a
point, but the change left its mark on you. The indelible
warping of your form can be a source of fear for those
who do not understand what they see.
Feat: Altered (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Intimidation, Medicine
Tool Proficiency: Alchemist’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Alchemist’s supplies,
manacles, perfume (to cover chemical smell), traveler’s
clothes (with hooded cloak), 5 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING AN EXPERIMENT
An experiment can come from any class or walk of life.
Were you kidnapped and altered against your will, or
did you volunteer for a heinous procedure? Was the
experimenting done purely for discovery, to overcome
a worse fate, or for someone to play at being a god?
Whatever the reason, the process is never pleasant, and
it always leaves scars—both those you can see and those
that have marked your very soul.
Suggested Story Threads. The Experiment Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Experiment Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A particular song stirs feelings of sadness and
overwhelming anger in you, reminding you of the
process that changed you.
2 A portion of your altered body is very clearly
grafted from a different person, and they might
want it back.
3 Another person was changed alongside you. They
fled before you left, urging you to do the same.
4 You have recurring nightmares of the procedure
you endured, sometimes seeing glimpses of faces
in the dream that you don’t recognize.
5 Your physical difference invites curiosity and
attention, which for some reason is more
disturbing than disdain or fear.
6 A peculiar symbol is branded on or near
your alteration.
Experiment Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Experiment Trinkets
table instead of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Experiment Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A syringe with a faintly glowing purple residue
2 A wrench that is the only one that fits a bit of
simple machinery built into your body
3 A sheaf of chemical-stained parchments covered in
incomprehensible notes and schematics
4 A spool of silver thread that matches stitches in
your altered body part
5 A metal hip flask with strange runes scratched into
one side
6 A smooth stone that comforts and soothes you
when you hold it tightly

G HO S T L I G H T PA S S E N G E R
Once, even before your most recent travel to
Druskenvald, you rode the deathly train known as the
Ghostlight Express. Your memories of that journey might
be hazy and dreamlike, or they could be sharp and
jarring in their clarity. You learned some of the workings
of the ghostly engine and formed a connection with the
conductor and fellow travelers that has stayed with you.
At times, you are even more comfortable with the dead
than the living.
Feat: Ghostlight Medium (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Persuasion
Tool Proficiency: Smith’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Smith’s tools, bullseye
lantern, fine clothes, oil (3 flasks), 5 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A GHOSTLIGHT PASSENGER
Every person in Druskenvald travels the Ghostlight
Express at least once, but very few form the deep and
lasting connection that you have. Your first trip on the
train might have been a near death experience from
which you were saved, or perhaps you did die in earnest
but were resurrected later.
Characters attuned to spirits or the lands of the
dead, such as clerics, paladins, or those who had brushes
with death, are the most common to exhibit this
deep connection.
Suggested Story Threads. The Ghostlight Passenger
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Ghostlight Passenger Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Sometimes when you dream, you find yourself
back on the Ghostlight Express in more than just a
dream image.
2 Your first journey to the lands of the dead was
confusing, but you realized you now may be able
to find the departed spirit of a loved one once
thought lost forever.
3 A specific spirit returns to speak to and through
you repeatedly.
4 People sometimes speak to you as if they know you
but later have no recollection of the conversation.
During those moments of recognition, they know
details from your visits on the Ghostlight Express.
5 You sometimes see people in your travels who you
recognize from your time on the Ghostlight Express.
6 Someone greeted you with knowledge of your first
journey on the Ghostlight Express, but you don’t
remember them.
Ghostlight Passenger Trinkets. When you make
your character, you can roll once on the Ghostlight
Passenger Trinkets table instead of on the normal
starting Trinkets table.
Ghostlight Passenger Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A slate board smeared with erased chalk, where
you sometimes find words scratched
2 A lump of coal that never burns away and gives off
wispy smoke
3 A torn ticket stub that is slightly translucent
4 A dented train conductor’s whistle that only the
dead can hearN I G H T S T A L K E R
Once you were prey, stalked by a monster through the
dark of night. Now, you are the hunter, and the things
which you once feared will learn the true meaning of
dread. You have become far deadlier, hungrier, and
crueler than the monster that once hunted you. You are,
yourself, the monster now—a fearsome creature once
thought to slake its hunger on you or those close to you.
You survived, and your would-be killer will have its own
destruction in turn.
Feat: Hunter of Hunters (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, and one other of
your choice from the following list: Arcana, History,
Religion, Nature
Tool Proficiency: Leatherworker’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Leatherworker’s tools,
book (one creature type), hooded lantern, hunting
trap, oil (3 flasks), traveler’s clothes, 8 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A NIGHT STALKER
Consider how you joined the hunt against the creatures
of the night. Did you lose someone close to you or
survive an attack? Perhaps you were raised in a family
line of dedicated hunters. Rangers, rogues, and barbarians
make fearsome night stalkers, as does any character with a
passion to oppose these deadly creatures.
Suggested Story Threads. The Night Stalker Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Night Stalker Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 You’re hunting the creature that slew your
loved ones.
2 You started your hunt with zeal but quickly find
that you’re losing your stomach for it.
3 As you learn more about the creatures of the night,
you discover that some of your initial thoughts
about them were wrong.
4 You failed to stand up to a creature and saved
yourself instead of someone else. Now you try to
make up for that shame.
5 The monsters you hunt terrify you to your soul,
and you lash out to deny your fear.
6 Your fervent hunt is a cover for your desire to
become something more than mortal.
Night Stalker Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Night Stalker Trinkets
table instead of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Night Stalker Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A necklace of yellowed fangs
2 A series of letters showing a person’s personality
sharply eroding into incoherence and raving
3 A knife made from a massive creature’s claw
4 A casting of a monstrous footprint
5 A hide or pelt from a vicious beast
6 A glass eye that normal animals shy away from

R E F L E C T E D W A N D E R E R
You were once whole, but part of you has been
separated from your being and now also wanders the
world. This aspect of you took your reflection and
shadow with it, and it travels about as a mirage that
looks identical to you. You know this other self is out
there—you can feel it—but what it wants and why is lost
on you. Sometimes you encounter a stranger that knows
you—for good or ill—though you’ve never met them
before, and you can’t help but wonder if they met the
other you.
Feat: Unreflected (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Investigation
Tool Proficiency: Disguise kit
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Disguise kit, mirror,
traveler’s clothes, 16 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REFLECTED WANDERER
Any character can be a reflected wanderer. How was it
that your being came to be divided? How much do you
understand about your situation? Are you truly who
you think you are, or are you, in reality, the very castoff
reflection of your other self ?
Suggested Story Threads. The Reflected Wanderer
Story Threads table suggests events and people who
can be the start of story threads for your character that
weave through the campaign.
Reflected Wanderer Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A close, long-term relationship went suddenly sour
as if you wronged the other person.
2 Your other self leaves you messages and signs
as it travels, sometimes seeming fond and other
times resentful.
3 Animals are unsettled by you, becoming skittish
and restless in your presence.
4 You’re wanted for several minor crimes you never
committed, though eyewitnesses named you. Over
time, more crimes of increasing severity occur.
5 Someone you’ve been at odds with begins treating
you with more respect and kindness.
6 Mirrors sometimes crack when you touch them.
Reflected Wanderer Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Reflected Wanderer
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Reflected Wanderer Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A shattered hand mirror
2 An invitation to a powerful person’s home whom
you’ve never met
3 A locket with your silhouette painted in it on both
sides, facing each other
4 A short, derisive letter from yourself that you don’t
remember writing
5 A brooch delivered to you that you didn’t purchase
6 A piece of chalk that writes in a different color than
it appears to be

R E S T W A R D E N
In a place closer to the lands of the dead than the
living, those who tend the eternal rest and disposition
of the deceased are held in a mixture of high esteem
and apprehension. You have plied the trade of the
gravedigger, the mortician, and the embalmer. There are
times when you have been the only one to say a kind
word in honor of those who passed. The depredations of
the Undead are well-known to you, and you don’t suffer
their meddling in the rest of your charges.
Feat: Grave Keeper (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Religion, Survival
Tool Proficiency: Mason’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Mason’s tools, hooded
lantern, oil (3 flasks), shovel, soap, traveler’s clothes
(with thick gloves and dark-colored hood), 10 gp; or
(B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REST WARDEN
Rest wardens tend to be either a dour and somber
lot or—in contrast to their trade—are filled with the
vibrance and joy of life. Those who understand the
thin thread between life and death or who possess the
strength to dig graves beneath moonlit skies and tend
the bone orchards where the dead sleep are called to
serve as rest wardens.
Suggested Story Threads. The Rest Warden Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Rest Warden Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A strange figure commissioned you to carve a
headstone for someone who is very much in the
prime of life.
2 In a time of desperation, you once accepted a
sizeable bribe to look the other way when someone
robbed a grave.
3 You spent time learning from Yorgrim, gravedigger
and caretaker of the Maidenmist Cemetery.
4 Someone violated graves under your watch and
stole away with the corpses.
5 You comforted a child at their parent’s funeral and
have taken a protective shine to them.
6 A loved one once rose from the grave as an
Undead creature. You vowed to bring them to their
final rest.
Rest Warden Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Rest Warden
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Rest Warden Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A prayer slip and seal covered in verses to protect
the departed
2 A charcoal rubbing of a gravestone epitaph
3 A coffin nail that always ends up bent, no matter
how many times you straighten it
4 A dried flower cleaned from one of the first graves
you tended
5 A length of rusty iron chain and padlock
6 A sealed bottle containing a final breath

R E V E L E R
For a time, you traveled with the Lord of Fools’ strange
and unsettling revelry. Whether you are still welcome
in that company, or you’ve struck off on your own, your
time with the troupe revealed some of its nature to
you—that the Lord of Fools serves some great entity
who prizes humor and merriment, often at the expense
of the mighty. But he is no mere jester. Beneath the
mask of mockery and merriment is a mad creature who
demands sacrifice.
Feat: Reveling Fool (see page 115)
Skill Proficiencies: Performance, Stealth
Language: Choose one (Abyssal recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Choose one kind of musical
instrument
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Musical instrument
(same as above), ball bearings, costume (jovial
character with a laughing mask), hunting trap,
manacles, 3 torches (for juggling), traveler’s clothes, 10
gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A REVELER
The simultaneous beauty and uncomfortable truth of
the revelers is that they can be anyone. Hidden by their
masks and costumes, one’s friends, family, servants, or
lords could be capering about the ribbon-twined pole
and leading impressionable folk away when the revel
withdraws. How might a reveler behave differently in
each guise?
Suggested Story Threads. The Reveler Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Reveler Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 Posters depicting drawings of your reveler guise
have started showing up in towns after the fool’s
revel leaves.
2 Once you learned the truth of the revels—that
some of the people who vanish ostensibly to join
the revel are sacrificed—you seized the first chance
to slip away.
3 Recently, more people than usual have gone
missing from towns in the revel’s wake.
4 Crows, owls, and other birds seem to cackle and
laugh in your presence.
5 You have grown suspicious that another
reveler has a sinister motive concealed by their
jester’s guise.
6 You left the revel when you caught a glimpse of
the wickedness lurking beneath the Lord of Fool’s
jovial veneer.
Reveler Trinkets. When you make your character,
you can roll once on the Reveler Trinkets table instead
of on the normal starting Trinkets table.
Reveler Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A small wind-up bell that you can conceal in the
palm of your hand with a button to activate it
2 A dented metal spray bottle
3 A string of colorful handkerchiefs tied together
4 A tarnished silver bell that sometimes refuses
to jingle
5 A pair of boots or slippers that squeak comically
with each step
6 A short scepter or baton with a horn on the cap

S C HO L A R O F T H E F O R B I D D E N
Delving into the brittle pages of ancient tomes and
weathered tablets carved with blasphemy, you have
unearthed secrets of eldritch beings of unfathomable
might. Most of their meaning slips like whispers out
of your grasp, but you have seized both forbidden
knowledge and cursed power from them. The deeper
you plunge into depravity, the more certainty you feel
that you are not there alone.
Feat: Dread Speech (see page 114)
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Intimidation
Language: Choose one (Deep Speech recommended)
Tool Proficiency: Calligrapher’s supplies
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Calligrapher’s supplies,
book (a topic of arcana), ink, ink pen, lamp, oil (3
flasks), paper (10 sheets), 2 gp; or (B) 50 gp
BUILDING A SCHOLAR OF
THE FORBIDDEN
Wizards and warlocks make the most common scholars
of the forbidden, but any character who stumbles onto
the dread truths waiting beneath the surface of reality
can find themselves walking the path. The secrets you
unveil could threaten to destabilize any number of
powerful beliefs and organizations, which makes you
dangerous to them.
Suggested Story Threads. The Scholar of the
Forbidden Story Threads table suggests events and
people who can be the start of story threads for your
character that weave through the campaign.
Scholar of the Forbidden Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 A wealthy patron paid you handsomely to research
what led to your discoveries, and they want what
you found.
2 When you spoke aloud the first secret word you
deciphered, you passed out and woke hours later
to find your lips cracked and blackened.
3 Something has been following you since you
uncovered the illicit secrets. You sense it always
behind you, drawing closer.
4 Your shadow converses with you when you’re
alone, acting as a debate partner and sounding
board in your studies.
5 The reflections of your eyes are black voids, but no
one else seems to notice.
6 An order of inquisitors or witch hunters hound you
wherever you travel, seeking to silence you and
your discoveries forever.
Scholar of the Forbidden Trinkets. When you
make your character, you can roll once on the Scholar of
the Forbidden Trinkets table instead of on the normal
starting Trinkets table.
Scholar of the Forbidden Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A broken fragment of a stone table carved with
symbols that seem to slither and writhe
2 A desiccated bit of tentacle
3 A small soapstone idol that always seems to
end up in your pocket, bag, or otherwise on
your person
4 A book bound in Humanoid skin with blank pages
that absorb ink or other pigments
5 An alien eyeball floating in a jar of
preservative fluid
6 An antique amulet with indecipherable symbols,
that whispers at the edge of consciousness
when worn

WI C K E R W E AV E R
You know the ancient rites kept alive by secretive druids
and hedge practitioners in the shadowed groves of the
primordial forests. Remedies and hexes woven into
wicker charms can stave off misfortune and ward away
evil. They could just as likely invite gloom and the ire of
the old spirits.
Feat: Charm Twister (see page 113)
Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Nature
Language: Sylvan
Tool Proficiency: Weaver’s tools
Equipm ent: Choose A or B: (A) Quarterstaff, weaver’s
tools, basket (with dry reeds ready to weave), book
(druidic lore), iron pot, traveler’s clothes, 19 gp; or (B)
50 gp
BUILDING A WICKER WEAVER
Compassionate characters driven by a deep connection
to the land and a passion to protect it become wicker
weavers. Druids of other circles might trade knowledge
with the Circle of Wicker. Healers and guardians alike
may seek out the Old Ways for remedies and protective
charms to ward off evil. Not all who come to the wicker
craft do so with noble intent—some, broken by spite and
twisted by their pain, wield the power of the wicker into
malicious revenge, lashing out with curses bound in twig
and bone and inflicting the wrath of the forest upon
those who wronged them.
Suggested Story Threads. The Wicker Weaver Story
Threads table suggests events and people who can be
the start of story threads for your character that weave
through the campaign.
Wicker Weaver Story Threads
1d6 Thread
1 One of the charms you created ensured a baby was
born healthy, and their family sends you small but
heartfelt gifts.
2 Your mentor who taught you the craft
has become increasingly withdrawn and
uncharacteristically agitated.
3 An order of druids, the Circle of Wicker, taught you
their ways. You aren’t certain why.
4 Someone offered you a shocking sum of coin to
twist a wicker charm for them. You’re tempted but
unsettled by the unwarranted generosity.
5 You traded a wicker charm for a child’s toy that
bound misfortune to its owner. You must keep it
until you can sell it, it’s stolen, or you lose it.
6 You wove a hex into a wicker charm to punish a
criminal, and they nurse that grudge still.
Wicker Weaver Trinkets. When you make your
character, you can roll once on the Wicker Weaver
Trinkets table instead of on the normal starting
Trinkets table.
Wicker Weaver Trinkets
1d6 Trinket
1 A crescent woven from wicker and laced with
silver wire
2 A glass bauble that was the first payment you
received for your hedge wisdom
3 A Tiny figure made of acorn caps from the oldest
oak in the woods
4 A rough-forged knife with an etched blade
5 A snake skull in a wicker cage
6 A battered stuffed animal missing one eye
5 A pocket watch that runs backwards
6 A battered train conductor’s hat

Cultist
It is common knowledge that the wildlands of Rodozem
are full of all manner of perils. Less well known, however,
are the menaces that dwell under the denizens’ noses.
From sprawling, bustling cities to small villages, every
settlement could bear the seed of corruption beneath even
the most immaculate of veneers. Spread across the wide
lands of Rodozem, secret societies and religious cults follow
their own unique doctrines, worshiping evil entities,
following vile dogma, and practicing forbidden rituals.
For example, many such cults are dedicated to
spreading Chernobog’s corrupting gospel. Their
members irrationally follow the destructive agenda
of the Lord of Darkness, even though eventually it
will spell their own inevitable ruin. People also flock
to charismatic leaders who dare to oppose the gods,
criticizing their vision and principles, revealing them
as immortal beings with cosmic powers ruled by fickle
tempers akin to mortal adolescents. There are also
factions who have forsaken the Starborn in favor of
mysterious ancient vestiges, beings described as primordial
powers that existed long before the gods were born.
Other obscure entities are godly beings whose names lay
almost forsaken under the patina of countless summers,
yet their spirits still haunt the world.
Whatever the type of cult, your character was raised
in a secretive environment where their parents, family,
and peers practiced unconventional, taboo, and, in most
cases, illegal religious activities. Many such groups are
religious in nature and are dedicated worshippers of
evil gods or entities, which is widely forbidden across
Rodozem. They are forced to establish their underground
churches in hidden locations and have secret
meetings while appearing as a regular member of society
to the public eye. Alternatively, the cult could be
a secluded commune isolated from society completely,
or only interacting for essentials to survive.
Importantly, cults don’t always have malevolent agendas.
Your character’s cult could be a more esoteric sect
of a conventional religion that follows unconventional
doctrines or practices obscure and hermetic rituals.
But no matter the cult’s purpose, your character grew
up in a small, secluded community on the fringes of
society or in a secretive league living a double life.
Rank and Role
Your character’s role and place in this secluded community
defines them. They might have been brainwashed by
their family or the cult leader, believing that the rest of
the world is living in a lie and only their tightly knit sect
sees the truth. Alternatively, they may not have fallen
victim to the gaslighting, keeping their more rational
and realistic worldview—such a character might have
Appendix E
Character Backgrounds
Appendix E 139
escaped the clutches of their cult, constantly hunted by
the other members. Your character could be haunted by
the horrors they have seen or done and is now looking
for redemption, absolution, or simply survival. They
could still be an active cult agent with a secret agenda,
as well. If so, work with your GM to weave a backstory
that prevents your character’s possibly evil alignment
from interfering with and sabotaging the gameplay of
the party. A character still active in a cult could be an
important, high-ranking member—or even the leader—
of a small local sect.
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Arcana,
Deception, Insight, Persuasion, or Religion.
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools
Languages: Choose one among Abyssal, Celestial,
Deep Speech, Draconic, Infernal, Primordial, or Sylvan.
Equipment: Three scented ritual candles, a tinderbox,
a symbol representing the entity of your cult, a hooded
lantern, a flask of oil, a set of traveler’s clothes, and
a ritual robe
Feature:
Mark of the Fanatic
As a past or current member of a secret cult, you are
well versed in the covert nature of such organizations.
You can immediately spot the secret messages and signs
hidden in plain sight left by other cultists. You may
not always understand their meaning, but a local cult’s
activity is always apparent to you. In addition, you can
recognize people who belong to a cult that worships the
same entity as yours by a specific and unique trait, mark,
or mannerism. You possess intimate knowledge of the
cult’s practices, rites, and goals.
Suggested
Characteristics
Whether your character is an active member of a secret
society or a runaway from a fanatical cult, they had
a unique upbringing. Their devotion to or defiance
against their secretive community is a driving force
in their life and played an important role in shaping
their personality.
Personality Trait
The friction between my public and private lives
sometimes makes social interactions confusing
for me, so I prefer to avoid them when I can.
I am used to a life of obedience. I don’t look people
in the eyes when I speak to them.
I rarely talk about my past, my family, or my
upbringing.
I am very keen on spreading the teachings
of my sect. I try to always promote it, especially
to people who follow the traditional doctrines
of the same deity.
I’ve lived in relatively simple conditions, so even
the most basic commodities seem luxurious or
unnecessary to me.
I have a relevant tale or parable about almost
any situation...or at least I think I do. I gladly offer
an inspiring and insightful story, even if no one
asked for it.
I always think I’m being followed. I find it hard
to trust people out of fear that they might be
agents or hirlings of the cult I barely escaped from.
I practice little rituals and superstitious rites in
my day-to-day life. I try to perform them in private
to avoid awkward social situations.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Ideal
Conviction. I am the mouth and arms of my
patron entity (or leader) in this world, and I must
continue their work in any way possible. (Lawful)
Defiance. I will not stand by the lies and deceit of
any cult leaders and I’ll do anything to drag people
off that path. (Chaotic)
Determination. My faith in my cult and its
purpose is so strong that I’ll defy any societal laws
that obstruct my actions. (Chaotic or Lawful)
Apocalypse. The patron entity or the leader of our
sect proclaims that the end of the world is nigh.
I wholeheartedly believe them and think that the
world deserves it. I would do anything to witness
and be a part of the end-times. (Evil)
Truth. I have doubts about the beliefs of my
religious community. I am willing to sacrifice
a lot to uncover hidden knowledge about the
mysterious entity that we worship. (Neutral)
Destiny. There is no force powerful enough to
direct me on a different course than the destiny
bestowed to me by the entity we follow or by our
leader. (Any)
Bond
I would go a long way to protect the secret of my
cult’s existence.
I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to receive the
enlightenment that will define my destined path.
I owe my life to one of the members of my former
cult who helped me escape its fanatical clutches.
I admire our cult leader and constantly refer to
their actions as an example. I’ll do anything to
earn their praise.
My meaning in life is to maintain and boost my
cult’s reach.
I perform a common vocation or craft—such as
dancing, painting, or athletics—as part of my
double life. This activity means a lot to me—it is
the only thing that keeps me connected to a more
simple and normal lifestyle.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
There is only one true way, and it is revealed in
the doctrines of my sect. I dismiss other religious
beliefs and philosophies as hoaxes or misguided
at best.
I am obsessed with the main goal of my cult.
All other aspects of my life can be sacrificed to
manifest it.
5
6
Flaw
I am dangerously gullible. It is easy to convince
me to believe almost any story or teaching, even
the most ridiculous ones. Especially the most
ridiculous ones.
I am extremely cautious and suspicious of people
who don’t belong to my sect. I’m quick to assume
the worst of them.
I always hide behind a mask and present myself as
someone that I’m not. I’m afraid to expose my true
identity and self to the world.
Blind believers are beyond redemption. I offer
them nothing but swift justice and no mercy if
they have done gruesome deeds for their leader
or patron entity.

Bogatyr
Apprentice
“Bogatyr” is as much a title as it is a calling. Bogatyrs are
the unsung heroes in the world, guardians devoted to protecting
the natural from the dark and evil supernatural. It
takes years of training, devotion, research, and practice for
one to earn the honor of the title. These guardians don’t
belong to any kingdom or creed, but are an independent
order with their own laws, traditions, and goals. Those
who wish to become a bogatyr must first be accepted by
a distinguished member. The most outstanding of those
hopefuls are assigned a mentor that best suits their skillset.
An apprentice begins their training with hours of dry
reading, combing through heavy tomes on simple and
dangerous monsters alike, as well as ancient techniques and
secrets for fighting the endless forces of evil. Once the apprentice
passes their first test of knowledge, martial combat
training begins, by which time most apprentices break
under the pressure—which is what the training is designed
to do. Those who persevere and complete their preparations
earn themselves the title of Bogatyr Apprentice.
Commonly, the apprentice’s first few missions are
supervised by their mentor. Once the mentor deems the
student ready, the apprentice is sent on a solo mission
where their skills and knowledge are put to the final
test—the real and unforgiving world. To become an apprentice
of such esteemed, renowned masters of monster
slaying, one must see past one’s own self and understand
the bigger picture of how monsters form and survive
within the Great Cycle. Then, and only then—with time,
devotion, and experience—can one even be considered
to become a full-fledged bogatyr.
When choosing this background, speak to your GM
to determine where your base of operations is. Have
you arrived from a small, local faction of bogatyrs, or a
larger settlement with a more concentrated force? Is this
your first solo mission? What missions have you done
with your mentor, if any? What type of creatures (such
as werewolves, fiends, vampires, or other supernatural
creatures) have you encountered before, and which do
you specialize in fighting?
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Acrobatics,
Arcana, Athletics, Perception, or Survival.
Languages: Two of your choice
Equipment: A Bogatyr Apprentice badge, a book of
monster lore (GM determines the contents), a hunting
trap, a set of manacles, a flask of holy water, a set of
common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Feature:
Prepared Hunter
When you need to recall a piece of information about
a specific type of monster (or any other type of
creature, at the GM’s discretion), if you don’t already
know the information, you know where to look for it
or who to speak with to obtain it. Depending on the
type of knowledge and information you seek, the GM
may rule that the piece of knowledge is obscure, hidden,
or even destroyed.
Suggested
Characteristics
Bogatyr Apprentices are defined by their devotion
to eradicating the forces of evil. An apprentice values
the knowledge stored and guarded throughout the ages
about the monsters lurking in the dark corners of the
world, as it is invaluable for any good monster slayer.
Personality Trait
I am ready to face any challenge to become a
bogatyr of legends.
I believe the forces of evil are a broad category, and
people can fall into it as easily as monsters do.
I find interactions with monsters easier to resolve
than social ones.
I have read every book about monsters and the
forces of evil that I can get my hands on, and I
freely offer my knowledge about such matters.
I allow nothing and no one to stand between me
and my target.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
Ideal
Greater Good. No matter the cost, somebody
always needs to fight the forces of evil. (Good)
Hunter. There is no time for emotions in the
monster-slaying business. (Neutral)
Glory. I wish to one day be the greatest bogatyr
that ever lived. (Chaotic)
Knowledge. The way to obtain power and selfdiscipline
is through knowledge. (Neutral)
Aspiration. One day I will be someone’s mentor.
(Any)
Determination. Sometimes, to hunt better, you
become what you hunt. (Evil)
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Bond
I owe my life to my mentor, who taught me how to
fend for myself.
Ever since I was ordained as a bogatyr apprentice,
I find it is my duty to fight the forces of evil.
I respect and trust my mentor. Their teachings show
me how to survive and protect others from evil.
I have spent my entire life searching for the answer
to an important question: what makes something
evil?
A friend was murdered in front of me, so I’ve
dedicated my life to punishing those who prey on
the weak.
I’m fully committed to my role as a bogatyr
apprentice. Anything that goes against the order
must be eradicated.
Flaw
Obtaining hidden or secret knowledge is worth
the trouble I might get into.
Most run away in the face of evil. I run toward it.
I speak without thinking about how my words will
affect others.
I have dark and bloodthirsty thoughts that I bottle
deep inside.
I always assume the worst of people.
I trust in my cause more than I trust people.

Hajduk
Hajduk kinships are tight, family-like independent
groups who live off the wild and protect those who can’t
defend themselves. Instead of living under a particular
banner or faction, they have found ways to live in harmony
with the denizens of the forests and understand
the unspoken rules of the wild. While anyone can become
a hajduk, they survive as one large, insular family
(called a kinship), so it’s difficult to earn their trust,
let alone become one of their number.
The hajduk cause is usually a noble one, but at times
it requires sacrifice and bloodshed when fighting against
oppression and tyranny. They take from those who
greedily acquire too much and give to those who’ve
been unjustly left too little. The hajduk kinships live in
harmony with nature and respect its cycle, preferring
to escape the artificial chains that are the laws of urban
society. They leave their verdant camps to fight for justice
in civilized places where corruption and oppression
grip the hearts of mortals, striving to bring the ancient
natural balance back to places where civility has festered
into tyranny. Most folk see them as heroes willing to
fight establishments for the people—not for themselves,
but for the good of all.
Hajduks usually operate in small guerrilla groups,
ambushing supply convoys, freeing wrongfully imprisoned
captives, and even planning and executing major
coups against tyrannical leaders. What makes them
so dangerous is their ability to infiltrate political and
social organizations with cunning and ease. They don’t
wage wars or go into military battles, instead relying on
stealth, careful planning, and strategic positioning.
Specialty
As a hajduk, you spent your time learning how to
survive in the wild. In addition, you’ve been taught how
to operate stealthily, employing strategy and tactics in
a fight rather than brute strength. Instead of charging
in, you bide your time, waiting for the perfect moment
to strike, then disappear without a trace. You know how
to infiltrate organizations, act as an informant for your
kinship, and relay important details to the leader of your
guerrilla group.
As someone who has made the wild your home, you’re
familiar with magical creatures and beasts. Your experience
in the wilds lets you act as something more than a
freedom fighter—you are the bridge between cities and
the magical wilderness, and you can enlighten others
about the unspoken guidelines of the forest and the
creatures that abide by them.
Skill Proficiencies: Choose two among Animal
Handling, Deception, Nature, Perception, Stealth,
or Survival.
Tool Proficiencies: Choose one from cartographer’s
tools, disguise kit, forgery kit, or woodcarver’s tools.
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A grappling hook, chain (10 feet), hempen
rope (50 feet), a signal whistle, a two-person tent, a sling,
a net, a set of travelers clothes, and a pouch containing
5 gp
Feature:
Call of the Hajduk
As a hajduk, you know a special verbal signal that
you’ve learned to use in times of need. Creatures friendly
toward you or your cause recognize the sound and can
heed the call. To use the signal, you must spend 1 hour
traversing the wilderness while making the sign—which
can be a word, an imitation of an animal, or another
sound that best suits your hajduk style. A friendly
creature that recognizes the sound and chooses to help
does so to the best of its abilities by guiding you,
providing useful information, or sheltering you from
danger. The GM determines whether a creature answers
your call, if it’s willing to help you, or if it can help in
the capacity you require. Examples of creatures that
could answer the signal include wood elves, awakened
beasts or plants, another hajduk, or a fey creature.
Suggested
Characteristics
Hajduks are led by their devotion to fight injustice.
They respect the natural cycle and denizens of the wild,
utilizing their knowledge of nature to continue their
secret fight against usurpers and tyrants.
Personality Trait
I protect those who can’t do so themselves as
if they’re my own siblings, and I don’t expect
anything in return.
I believe nature is the wisest teacher if you listen
and observe its teachings.
I always like to have a trick up my sleeve.
I live by my deeds, and I use my actions to inspire
those around me.
Fighting for what is right sometimes comes at a
great cost—a cost I’m prepared to pay.
I’ve lost too many friends in the fight against
corruption, so I cherish and keep the few I have
close to me.
When an opportunity presents itself, I don’t
pounce on it. I wait for the most advantageous
moment for maximum effect.
I trust no authority except that of the forest and
that of my kinship.
D8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Bond
I will always remember the faces of the people
I first helped as a hajduk. Everything I steal goes
toward something bigger than myself.
What I am today I owe to my kinship.
I was taken away from my family when I was
young, so I became a hajduk to give those like
myself the opportunity to have a family.
I will do anything to protect the hajduk kinship
and my friends.
I fell in love with a member of an organization that
my hajduk kinship is trying to sabotage.
My hajduk kinship was brutally murdered and
I was left to watch them die. Vengeance will be
mine.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Flaw
I am slow to trust and quick to assume everyone
is out to con me.
There is no such thing as a fair fight. I either kill
or get killed.
I can’t help but take things I like, even if they don’t
belong to me.
Sometimes I let my friendship sabotage my work.
I allow emotions to cloud my judgment.
I am jealous of those who surpass me in my work.
D6
1
2
3
4
5
6
Ideal
Mercy. Everybody has redeemable qualities.
Even the tyrants I stand against deserve a second
chance. (Good)
Anarchy. Order is an illusion created by those with
power to control those without. (Chaotic)
Altruism. The happiness on the face of the people
I help is the greatest payment I can ever receive.
(Good)
Devotion. Lives given for a greater cause are not
lost, but required. (Lawful)
Freedom. I will not allow tyrants to subdue the
people. (Chaotic)
6 Balance. I take it upon myself to relieve people
of their spare change—only when they have too
much—and spread it amongst the poor. (Any)

BANDIT DEFECTOR
You were once a member of the Bandit Coalition,
moving from place to place, ambushing and robbing passing
merchants. Something made you decide that path was no
longer worth pursuing, and you left that life behind. But quitting
the Bandit Coalition isn’t so easy.
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit, one type of Gaming Set
or Musical Instrument
Equipment: a knife, a cooking pot, a winter blanket, an
object you received as your cut from a successful robbery, a set
of common clothes, and a pouch containing 10 gp
Bandit Specialty
The Bandit Coalition is a rather loose organization of
rogues and brigands, but there is still a degree of specialization
within the ranks. This ensures that everyone knows what their
job is and lessens confusion in the heat of a robbery. You can
select your bandit specialty from the Bandit Specialty table, or
roll randomly.
d6 Bandit Specialty
1 Lookout
2 Lifter
3 Thug
4 Runner
5 Hustler
6 Captain
Lookouts typically watch the roads for any signs of Perch
Guard patrols, signalling the team to bail if a heist looks too
risky. They also keep an eye out for potential marks.
Lifters are the specialist thieves of an operation. They are
usually as adept at pick-pocketing as they are at sneaking up
behind a cart to liberate its valuables.
Thugs are the muscle of a bandit group, and use their
size and strength to intimidate merchants into giving up
without a fight. They also keep other bandits in line, at the
captain’s discretion.
Runners are the messengers and scouts of the Coalition,
serving to smuggle pilfered goods to fences. Additionally, they
pass information throughout the different camps of the organization.
Their job often finds them working alone which makes
them particularly vulnerable.
Hustlers are inveterate con-artists. Through careful
planning and execution, their diversions can keep cart drivers
occupied just long enough for the lifters to do their work, or
create a seamless opening for an ambush.
Captains are the glue that holds each bandit team together,
providing leadership, and stamping out dissention where
necessary, often with force. They are figures that inspire with
their skill and bravado.
Feature: Bandit Routes
As someone who once assisted in countless highway
robberies, you are familiar with the roads of the Wood and
escape paths used by bandits. When you are not in combat,
you (and companions you lead) can travel between locations
that cut through forested areas twice as fast as your speed
would normally allow.
Suggested Characteristics
Those who have chosen to leave the Coalition behind have
not made the choice lightly. Some wrestle with their doubts,
still caring deeply about the friends they left behind, while
others have forsaken their former lives entirely.
d8 Personality Trait
1 I am plucky and confident in my abilities,
at least, that’s what I want others to think.
2 I often crack jokes to lighten the mood.
3 I like to keep my secrets, and those who try to
pry into my life irritate me.
4 I have trouble sleeping unless I’m on the ground
(or floor) in my bedroll.
5 I picked up many stories during my time on the
road, and I have one for every occasion.
6 You mess with my friends, you mess with me.
7 I never really had a plan in life, I tend to just go
with the flow.
8 I’m as cautious as they come.
Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood 43
d6 Ideal
1 Repentance. I’ve done terrible things in the past,
and I want to try and make up for them. (Good)
2
Nature. I’ve seen what’s happening to the forest,
and it’s bigger than all of us. We’re all doomed
unless we do something about it. (Neutral)
3
Friendship. My friends are like family to me,
and I’ll keep trying to do right by them until the
end. (Good)
4
Self-Preservation. Any good rat knows when it’s
time to flee a sinking ship. I want to be clear of the
Bandit Coalition when it goes down. (Evil)
5
Compassion. The struggle between humblefolk
and birdfolk will only lead to more bloodshed. It
needs to stop somewhere. (Good)
6 Freedom. I just want to be free to live my own life,
and make my own way in the world. (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1
I did some hard time in Alderheart’s prison,
and the perch guard who arrested me still has it
out for me.
2 I stole something valuable from the Captain of my
unit. I’m in big trouble if they ever find me.
3 I harbor a terrible secret that might change how
people think of me if it got out.
4 I still sympathize with the Coalition’s aims, I just
believe there’s a better way.
5 My friends in the Coalition didn’t understand why
I had to leave. They’ve branded me a traitor.
6
I had people in the Coalition who looked up to me
as a leader. They might still follow me, if I could
only reach them.
d6 Flaw
1 I’m always ready to bail when something
goes wrong.
2 Whenever I see something valuable, I can’t help
but think of a way to steal it.
3 It’s hard for me to trust people. I’ve been
burned before.
4 I have a problem with authority. Nobody tells
me what to do.
5 There’s a warrant out for my arrest.
6 I have a bad habit that I picked up on the road.

GROUNDED
Despite the inherent vertical aspects of birdfolk culture,
you have always felt safer and more at peace with your feet
firmly planted on the soil. You are practical and level-headed,
but due to your different perspective on the world, other birdfolk
see you as quirky or unsettling. Your unique insight allows
you to connect with the humblefolk who live under the forest
canopy in ways perch-dwelling birdfolk cannot.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics, Insight
Tool Proficiencies: one type of Artisan’s Tools
Languages: one of your choice
Equipment: a set of Artisan’s Tools (one of your choice), a
walking stick, a trinket from another culture, traveling clothes,
and a belt pouch with 5 gp
An Odd Bird
Among birdfolk you are somewhere between an oddity and
an outcast. Some consider your aversion to heights a rejection
of birdfolk culture, leading many to find you off-putting.
Choose how your community regards you or roll on the table
below to determine how you fit in.
d6 Community Place
1 I am considered weak or unskilled and many
treat me like a fledgling.
2 I am looked upon as a traitor to my people.
3 My family wants me to return to the perch, but I
just can’t.
4 I am not welcome back in my home perch.
5 I am viewed as an oddity, someone for others to
laugh at and tease.
6 I have found a new community on the forest floor.
Feature: Find Another Path
Since you have lived your life close to the ground, you are
familiar with the undergrowth in the same way other birdfolk
are familiar with the canopy. You can always recall the general
layout of the terrain around you while traveling along the
forest floor. If your path is ever blocked by an obstacle that
requires you to climb or otherwise gain height to circumvent
it, you can always find a way around, so long as such a path
exists. Additionally, you are adept at finding shelter in the
Wood while traveling, and can usually locate a suitable safe
shelter (a cave, a tree hollow, or bramble thicket) somewhere
on the forest floor for you and up to five other creatures.
Suggested Characteristics
Birdfolk who are grounded often find ways to cope with
their aversion to canopy life. Some have completely forsaken
their old lives in favor of new ones in undergrowth communities,
while others keep ties with family and friends in the
perches where they were born.
44 Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood
d8 Personality Trait
1 I always second guess my choices.
2 I have learned to not let the comments of
others affect me.
3 I’m eager to show the benefits of my
unique perspective.
4 I’m slow to trust someone new, but open up
over shared hardships.
5 I manufacture difficult situations to prove
my abilities.
6 I get embarrassed easily, even when someone
tries to compliment me.
7 I will deny my fears to everyone.
8 I want to see how others handle situations
I’m afraid of.
d6 Ideal
1
Adversity. Others think of me as weak, but I
will prove my worth with hard work and
determination. (Lawful)
2 Encouragement. I try to seek out and support
others like me who are seen as outcasts. (Good)
3 Exploration. I yearn to experience unique cultures
and discover new places. (Chaotic)
4 Safety. In this dangerous world, it’s best to keep
your head down and stay cautious. (Neutral)
5
Rebellion. Who cares what others think of me,
so long as my actions reflect how I feel in my
heart? (Chaotic)
6
Compromise. The best way to respect each other’s
differences is to find a solution that
doesn’t exclude anyone. (Good)
d6 Bond
1 My family has been the subject of ridicule ever
since I left my home perch.
2 A bully from my childhood now holds a position
of power in my home perch.
3 I follow the teachings of a wise outcast I met in
my travels.
4 I feel kinship to a culture outside my own.
5 I won’t tolerate anyone who insults me or
my friends.
6 I have found a new family on the forest floor,
and they mean more to me than anything.
d6 Flaw
1 I am incapable of action when I’m at great heights.
2 I lash out at the slightest insult.
3 I keep a distance from others so they won’t learn
of my fears.
4 I project my insecurities onto others.
5 I am uncouth and mannerless.
6 I find hard to trust other birdfolk.

WIND-TOUCHED
There are legends within the Wood, of birdfolk blessed
by the wind who are destined to soar over any and all obstacles.
When a chick is born with special markings or unique
feather patterns, or when they survive a dramatic childhood
event, some folks brand them “Wind-Touched”. Though a
few dismiss the notion of the Wind-Touched as superstition,
others heap reverence upon those believed chosen. According
to legend, one who is touched by the wind will never feel at
ease anywhere but high in the forest canopy, with the wind in
their feathers.
Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Performance
Tool Proficiencies: one type of wind Musical Instrument
Languages: you can speak as well as understand Auran
Equipment: a wind Musical Instrument (one of your
choice), an ornate cloak, a symbol of the wind, common
clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Title and Blessing
For some birdfolk, the moniker of Wind-Touched
is merely a title, a symbol of their devotion to the wind
and the natural world. Others have been told since birth that
they were blessed by the wind, much in the way the Amaranthine
Reya was in the old tales. Decide what your character
believes, or roll on the table below to understand how
they feel.
d6 Acceptance
1 I am truly blessed and have power over the
wind itself.
2 I am devoted to the wind spirits, in action
and title.
3 I believe in nature and goodness.
4 I will work tirelessly to earn the respect of
those who give me this title.
5 I accept this honor but have my doubts.
6 I feel nothing for this title, and carry it
against my will.
Chapter 1 | Welcome to the Wood 45
Feature: Supernatural Presence
Whether or not you are truly Wind-Touched, there are
folk all across Everden that believe that you have been divinely
blessed. If you make a show of power or skill that can be
attributed to the wind or air, such as feats of acrobatics or
commanding unseen forces, those believers will be bolstered
by your supernatural presence. They will support you and,
depending on how well you have convinced them of your
powers, treat you with reverence and possibly even worship.
Suggested Characteristics
The wind-touched are revered by believers and scrutinized
by skeptics. For better or worse, they find themselves in a
world of expectations they struggle to live up to.
d8 Personality Trait
1 I never back down from a challenge.
2 I always end up being the center of attention.
3 I am gifted by the wind and destined
for greatness.
4 I have no time for those who doubt me.
5 I seek out challenges to test myself.
6 I am better than everyone else.
7 I avoid showing my power at all costs.
8 I remain humble despite my blessing.
d6 Ideal
1 Responsibility. The powers I have been gifted with
are meant to serve the common good. (Good)
2 Heroism. The wind chose me to be a brave warrior
and leader, so shall it be. (Lawful)
3 Egotism. My powers situate me above others. The
masses should know their place. (Evil)
4 Mysticism. Connected to nature, I speak for the
wind and divine its will for others. (Neutral)
5
Cynicism. What matters isn’t whether or not my
powers are genuine, but what advantages I can reap
because of that belief. (Evil)
6 Naturalism. The wind speaks to my soul, and I am
bound to go wherever it directs me. (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1 I am guided by a wise elder who prepares me for
my destiny.
2 I am estranged from my parents who don’t
believe in my blessing.
3 I seek to discredit the person who burdened me
with this moniker.
4 I live in the shadow of my mentor, seeking
their approval.
5 I have a sibling who is not blessed, which
causes tension
6 I am one with the wind. Personal relationships
are fleeting.
d6 Flaw
1 I can’t accept another’s suggestion once I’ve
set my path.
2 I expect nothing less than reverence from
common people.
3 I blindly trust in the power of my blessing.
4 I am overly concerned about how others see me.
5 I will prove my worth, even if it means putting
myself and my friends in danger.
6 I am burdened with responsibility, and find it hard
to make even the simplest decisions.
Coupled with Power
While this background primarily focuses on the beliefs
and perceptions of yourself and your community, pairing
this background with a character who actually can manipulate
the wind through magic could potentially set them
up to become a holy figure, a prophet, or a fabled hero.