Astralost (5e Background)

Astralost

You grew up in the Astral Sea after disappearing from your home plane as a child. Perhaps you were taken away by kodragons who wanted a friend in the Astral Plane. Perhaps some githyanki and astral streakers took you away while trying to expand their ranks. Perhaps an astral searcher took over your parent's body and raised you in the Astral Plane. Perhaps an unaligned astral dreadnought decided to not destroy you and instead raise you as an underling. Whatever the manner of your disappearance, you gradually fell under the Astral Sea's influence and learned a little about the nature of the mysterious beings that dwell there.

When you finally returned to your home plane, you did not come back unchanged. You are haunted by the fact the Astral Sea-a vast void closely linked to the heavens-is reachable anytime through projecting, but not in the way you remember it. Although your memories of the Astral Sea slowly grow fainter with each passing day, your heart swells with a mixture of sorrow and joy at the prospect of one day venturing back to your home away from home—but constantly wondering if you'll experience the Astral Plane the same way.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana and Insight

Tool Proficiencies: One type of Artisan’s tools

Language Proficiencies: One of your choice of Gith, Celestial, Infernal, Supernal, or Dark Speech

Equipment: An Artisan’s tool (one of your choice), a set of traveler's clothes, three trinkets (each determined by rolling on the Astral Sea Trinkets table), and a pouch containing 8gp.

Feature

Astral Sea Connection

Your mannerisms and knowledge of astral customs are recognized by natives of the Astral Sea, who see you as one of their own. Because of this, friendly astral creatures are inclined to come to your aid if you are lost or need help in the Astral Sea.

Astral Mark

You were transformed in some small way by your stay in the Astral Sea and gained a astral mark, determined by rolling on the astral Mark table.

d8	Astral Mark
1	Your body is dotted with white spots, akin to stars.
2	Your eyes glow so radiantly that your pupils aren't visible anymore.
3	You exude a ethereal aura around you.
4	The plane of thought has covered your head in runes, sigils and other magical symbols under your hair (if you have any).
5	Your body glows brightly when you astral project.
6	Small patches of light erupt from where you step.
7	You are bigger and heavier for growing up in less gravity.
8	Your cranial features are larger than average (i.e you eyes, ears, nose, teeth, etc)

Astral Sea Visitor

Whenever you're sound asleep or in a deep trance during a long rest, a spirit of the Astral Sea might pay you a visit, if the DM wishes it. Determine the spirit's form by rolling on the Astral Sea Visitor table. No harm ever comes to you as a result of such visits, which can last for minutes or hours, and you remember each visit when you wake up. Conversations that occur with a visitor can contain any number of things, from messages and insights to nonsense and red herrings, at the DM's discretion. Such conversations are always conducted in a language you can understand, even if the Astral Sea visitor can't speak that language normally.

d8	Visitor
1	Awakened creature (a Beast or an ordinary plant that has had the Awaken spell cast on it)
2	Kodragon
3	Astral Dragon
4	Astral Whale
5	Astral Searcher
6	Astral Streaker
7	Astral Dreadnought
8	Astral Deva

Suggested Characteristics

These tables, while optional, are well suited to Astral Sea-themed adventurers and are ideal for any character who has the Astralost background.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I'm haunted by astral searchers always hunting down my body.
2	The existence of astral dreadnoughts has always compelled me to be on my best behavior out of fear.
3
4
5
6
7
8

d8	Ideal
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

d8	Bond
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

d8	Flaw
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

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