Plane Walker (5e Background)
Planes Walker
Whether by divine whim, powerful magic or freak occurrence, you were plucked from your home plane and dropped into another. After years spent wandering that plane, you found a portal into another. Over time, you found more and more portals, but never one that sent you back to your home. Until now.
Skill Proficiencies: Two of your choice from: Arcana, Nature, Stealth, or Survival.
Tool Proficiencies: Cartographer's Tools
Languages: One of your choice from: Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Primordial, or Sylvan and one other language.
Equipment: Traveler's clothes, a journal containing hand-drawn maps and handwritten notes describing the planar system, a trinket from your home plane, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp.
Inter-planar Incident
Whether you know it or not, there was a reason you were cast adrift from the Material Plane. Choose or randomly determine the inter-planar incident that began your travels.
| d8 | Incident |
|---|---|
| 1 | I was investigating teleportation magic until a spell went wrong... |
| 2 | As punishment for a misdeed, a deity sent me to a different plane. |
| 3 | All I remember is waking up on a different plane with no idea how I got there. |
| 4 | A magic-user I was fighting cast a spell, sending me to a different plane. |
| 5 | I was exploring a portal to another plane and got lost. |
| 6 | An inhabitant of another plane kidnapped me. |
| 7 | I was traveling the planes and got separated from my group. |
| 8 | I was born on another plane, and lived there before coming to the Material Plane. |
Feature: Planar Explorer
Your travels through the planes of existence have granted you first-hand knowledge of the planar system. There have been others to explore outside the Material Plane, but few have been so lost and yet returned. You have a deeper understanding of the planes you have visited, and how they are connected.
Alternate Feature: Alternate Self
At first, you believed you had finally returned home. But it's different. Your travels have taken you so far, you've stumbled into an alternate version of your home plane. And this plane has its own version of you, who could make for a perfect alibi... or scapegoat.
Suggested Characteristics
Perhaps you enjoy the adventure of exploring the planar system. Perhaps you just want to go home. Either way, you've become accustomed to a lost, nomadic life.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have endless tales of my adventures. |
| 2 | I map out everywhere I go. |
| 3 | I'm always on edge, watching out for the next fight. |
| 4 | I hate talking about my travels. It brings back bad memories. |
| 5 | I can barely remember my home. |
| 6 | I am incredibly slow to trust. Those who seem the most helpful are often the most devious. |
| 7 | I hate walking long distances. I will do anything to weasel my way out of it. |
| 8 | When travelling, I love meeting the locals. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Discovery. When I'm in a new place, I need to learn everything about it. (Lawful) |
| 2 | Destination. The destination is more important than the journey. (Any) |
| 3 | Fame. No matter where I go, I must leave my mark. (Chaotic) |
| 4 | Knowledge. I must record my travels so others don't make my mistakes. (Good) |
| 5 | Resilience. When the world pushes me, I push back harder. (Any) |
| 6 | Protection. I must stop anyone from travelling the planes, lest they follow my footsteps. (Good) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | A denizen of another plane helped me find my way; I must repay them. |
| 2 | I was separated from my travelling companion. They could still be wandering the planes, lost. |
| 3 | I want revenge against the one who sent me to another plane. |
| 4 | I've been away from my family so long. |
| 5 | While travelling, I made a powerful enemy. |
| 6 | When I first arrived on a new plane, I was duped out of my belongings. I want them back. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I'm struck with wanderlust, even when I should stay put. |
| 2 | I hate travel, even when it's necessary. |
| 3 | I've seen the beauty of the other planes and I'm dissatisfied with the Material Plane. |
| 4 | I believe that surviving the other planes makes me better than everyone else. |
| 5 | I am my first priority, even over my friends. |
| 6 | I'm easily distracted by the natural beauty of the planes. |
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