Denizen (5e Background)
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Denizen[edit]
You are a spirit, a soul that has come into possession of a body that did not originally belong to you; whether the original occupant gave up their body willingly, you deceived or tricked them out of it, or some other way entirely. Who were you before? Perhaps you were once a terrible human warlock, trapped in an amulet and hidden away. A dwarven hero who gave in to selfish desire and escaped death. An ancient halfling wizard who desired to see the future, and so contained your soul for a thousand years. You see with new eyes, and feel with new hands. What is your desire for your new life?
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Deception
Tool Proficiencies: One of your choice
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A small trinket, a pouch of 8 gp, a set of common clothes
Feature: Soul Whisper[edit]
Your time spent as a soul without a body, whether for a millennium or a mere moment, granted you valuable insight into spirits and other paranormal beings. As a result, you have the ability to converse with the souls of the recently deceased, ghosts, as well as those souls that may be magically contained.
Feature: Phantom Body[edit]
Adjusting to a new body can be an odd sensation, and something that many never get used to. You may catch yourself ducking under a doorway as a dwarf, or breaking a door when you simply meant to open it as an orc.
Suggested Characteristics[edit]
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | I am very secretive. No one can find out about my past life. |
| 2 | I am somewhat absentminded and will sometimes ramble about my past life |
| 3 | Preoccupied with death, I constantly seek a way to escape it |
| 4 | I am extremely cheerful, even a terrible day can’t bring me down |
| 5 | The living don't matter so much as the secrets of the dead |
| 6 | The memories of my host body co-exist with my own, making me appear at times to have two personalities |
| 7 | Despite the many who view me as an abomination, I am very open about my past life |
| 8 | I fear paladins and priests, and will avoid them at all costs |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Opportunity. This new body offers me another chance to prove myself, I’ll make the most of it (Any) |
| 2 | Immortality. I must escape death, no matter the cost (Evil) |
| 3 | Knowledge. With another lifetime, I can learn so much more. (Neutral) |
| 4 | Redemption. My new body came at great cost, I must repay my debt to the people, and help them wherever they may need it. (Good) |
| 5 | Chance. Death is just the roll of the dice, and I plan to gamble with it (Chaotic) |
| 6 | Balance. Death is a delicate thing, no one must be allowed to cheat it again (Lawful) |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | I have family who believe me dead, I must find them |
| 2 | The ancient trinket my soul was contained in was stolen, I wish to find it |
| 3 | The gods would see me returned to the grave, I will not allow it |
| 4 | I wish to find, and win back, my lover from my past life |
| 5 | I have a very strong bond with the people from my past life, but they must never know I still live |
| 6 | I owe a great debt to the family of my host, and I will repay them in kind |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | Others are more often a burden than not, I like to do things alone |
| 2 | If I come too close to death, I will abandon the field out of cowardice |
| 3 | Ambition blinds me, I sometimes ignore everything else in pursuit of what I want |
| 4 | My new body is simply a shell, losing life and limb doesn't matter to me |
| 5 | I am above everyone, even the most powerful of mortal authorities |
| 6 | I am a pathological liar, even in the smallest of things |
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