Confederacy of Feuding Houses (5e Background)

Confederacy of Feuding Houses

You understand the value of family and bloodline above all else. You grew up in a realm splintered into dozens of factions, each one vying for power and wealth. You learned to watch for hidden daggers and poisoned food at an early age, and your first lessons taught you how to read people and manipulate them for your family’s benefit. Perhaps you belonged to a lesser house, forced to serve a larger and more infamous family. Or you could have belonged to one of the great houses, living a life surrounded by both luxury and the constant threat of betrayal. Regardless, you understand the complexities and allure of courtly intrigue.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Persuasion

Tool Proficiencies: Forgery kit, poisoner’s kit

Equipment: A steel mirror, a signet ring (with hidden compartment), a set of fine clothes, a dagger, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp

Feature: The Black Market

When you enter a town or city, you only need a few conversations with locals to find the best dealers in illegal goods and services. Whether you want to buy poisons, hire an assassin, or purchase classified information, you can uncover whom to talk to, where to go, and how best to approach them.

Suggested Characteristics

A citizen who lived his life among the feuding houses may prove slow to trust and difficult to decipher. When they speak, they seem incapable of giving a straightforward answer. Although these folk appreciate the value of allies and friends, they understand the dangers of lowering one’s defenses. They guard their words and actions, even around friends.

d4	Personality Trait
1	I don’t like leaving my back exposed in public places.
2	Until I know someone, I watch them for signs of betrayal.
3	I try to uncover the secrets of both friends and enemies. Such information always proves invaluable.
4	I’m constantly searching for an angle or leverage over everyone I meet.

d4	Ideal
1	Respect. Never forget your place, and make certain your inferiors remember theirs. (Lawful)
2	Family. Nothing is more important than family. I would die for them, and I would kill for them. (Any)
3	Knowledge. Never enter a fight or negotiation without proper information, and always have an escape plan. (Neutral)
4	Vengeance. If you hurt my friends or family, your parents will wish you were never born. (Evil)

d4	Bond
1	I escaped an arranged marriage, so now two furious families and one determined betrothed hunt for me.
2	I’ve lived my life serving others. Now I seek the freedom to make my own choices.
3	I will return my family to its rightful position of power, and punish those who forced our downfall.
4	I must atone for the crimes I committed in my family’s name.

d4	Flaw
1	Lying comes naturally to me. I struggle to tell the truth, even when I want to.
2	When someone slights me, I always repay the favor.
3	I failed my family in every possible way, and now they seek my destruction.
4	I don’t mind using my allies as bait, with or without their approval.

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