# 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.