1d20 Personality Trait
Deserter
The Last War mobilized huge numbers of soldiers, which the
nations hurled against each other in seemingly endless
waves. By the end of the war, Breland, Cyre, and Thrane had
passed laws requiring their able-bodied citizens to serve in
the military. Sometimes, though, soldiers were less than
willing to serve their countrybecause of pacifist principles,
a rejection of the reasons for the war, simple conflict with a
commanding officer, or sheer cowardice.
For whatever reason, you decided that being a soldier was
not your true calling, and you fled to some place where the
law of your home country couldn't reach youperhaps
Throneport, Q'barra, or even distant Stormreach.
You're a criminal, though your principal crime was refusing
to kill any more. You've spent years on the run, and you're
accustomed to keeping a low profile, avoiding attention, and
slipping away from trouble when it comes looking for you.
You're constantly looking over your shoulder, afraid of what
you might see there.
Skill Proficiencies: Athletics and your choice of either
Deception, Insight or Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Vehicles (land) or vehicles (water)
Languages: Choose one language
Equipment: A bedroll, signal whistle, whetstone, a set of
common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
Feature: Ears to the Ground
You are constantly aware of the possibilities of a bounty
hunter being on your tail. As such you always know where to
go in a city or town to remain inconspicuous. Most
importantly you know the kinds of people to talk to to gather
information, whether it be down by the docks, or in the
seedier areas of town, but you always manage to find those
that have the most rumors about who is in town and what
they are up to.
Suggested Characteristics
Like many veterans, you're haunted by whatever it is that
made you flee the army. Were you witness to one too many
battlefields choked with corpses? Were you subjected to
constant abuse, even torture, at the hands of your sergeant?
Were you pushed into military service by the theocratic
fanatics of Thrane, forced to serve a faith that wasn't your
own? Or were you just outside Cyre on the Day of Mourning?
Something bad must have happened to you to make you
choose a life on the run in favor of a military career.
1 I hum the same tune when nervous or unsure.
2 I don't pay attention to the risks in a situation. Never
tell me the odds.
3 I face problems head-on. A simple direct solution is
the best path to success.
4 I have a crude sense of humor.
5 I always have plan for when things go wrong.
6 I can stare down a hellhound without flinching.
7 I'm haunted by memories of war. I can't get the
images of violence out of my mind.
8 I've lost too many friends, and I'm slow to make new
ones.
9 I journey for the company of compatriots of my
choosing.
10 Combating monsters is all I know how to do after a
lifetime of military training.
11 Unfairness and injustice are intolerable. Whenever I
witness them, I feel compelled to act or speak out.
12 I hate to stay in one place for very long.
13 I keep my weapons and armor meticulously
maintained.
14 I like to have a contingency plan for every mission.
15 I can't help letting people know where I've been.
16 I am always calm, no matter what the situation. I
never raise my voice or let my emotions control me.
17 I speak mostly in cryptic phrases.
18 It is calming to live a simply with few possessions.
19 I do not lie and hate being lied to.
20 All I think about is saving lives, or lives that have
been lost.
d10 Ideal
1 Second Chance A new world of discovery and
adventure awaits. (Any)
2 Flexibility. Stay fluid and think on your feet. (Chaotic)
3 Survival. Fulfilling your destiny means living to see it at
all cost. (Evil)
4 Hope. The future holds much that is positive. (Good)
5 Community. Those you travel with are your family.
(Lawful)
6 Peace. Ideals aren't worth killing for or going to war
for. (Neutral)
7 People. I'm loyal to my friends, not to any ideals, and
everyone else can take a trip down to Khyber for all I
care. (Neutral)
8 Aspiration. I'm going to prove that I'm worthy of a
better life. (Any)
9 Freedom. Never let others dictate the terms of your
existence. (Chaotic)
10 Self-Sacrifice. My job is to save the lives of other
people, even at the expense of my own. (Good)
BACKGROUNDS | DESERTER
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 d12 Bonds
1 I fight for those who cannot fight for themselves,
unlike those that I fought with.
2 I'm guilty of a terrible crime. I hope I can redeem
myself for it.
3 I'll never forget the how my company massacred
those innoence civilians.
4 My honor is my life, that is why I had to flee the
service.
5 Someone saved my life on the battlefield. To this day,
I will never leave a friend behind.
6 Those who fight beside me are those worth dying for.
7 Someone I loved died because of a mistake I made.
That will never happen again.
8 I can never settle down in one place. The authorities
might find me if I do.
9 Though I had no choice, I lament having to leave my
loved one(s) behind. I hope to see them again one
day.
10 I am eternally grateful to someone who helped me get
away from the military and the war.
11 I am and always have been a pacifist lives are meant
to be saved not taken.
12 My freedom is my most precious possession. I'll
never let anyone take it from me again.

d12 Flaws
1 I have little respect for anyone who is not a proven
warrior.
2 I made a terrible mistake in battle that cost many lives
and I would do anything to keep that mistake
secret.
3 I'm obsessed with being seen as a new man, free from
my war torn past.
4 My hatred of unlawful authorities is blind and
unreasoning.
5 The monstrous enemy we faced in battle still leaves
me quivering with fear.
6 I am cautious and guardedwary of others who
might harm me, steal from me, or betray my trust.
7 I hate to admit it and will hate myself for it, but I'll run
and preserve my own hide if the going gets tough.
8 No one can know that I deserted my country during
the war.
9 I take foolish risks because I think I am going to be
caught by the authorities at any time.
10 No matter what I do, it's never good enough.
11 Nobody knows the hell Ive seen, so stop whining.
12 I'm actually really lazy and don't like doing work,
instead I exploit people at every turn.

BACKGROUNDS | DESERTER
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