Descendant (5e Background)

Descendant

The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors. You have an important lineage behind you. You carry the blood of your ancestor, who started it all, and through the next generations, their lineage followed their steps for many years, centuries, or even millenniums up to you. Or it was obscure enough so their lineage forgot their existence, and even you don't know what they did to be recognized in the first place. How did you manage to discover your ancestor? Will you be able to follow their steps? Will the entire world expect to see you make a move? ...Or they had managed a dangerous crime against the world, the history recording all events and now that the living look at you with despicable eyes? If that's the case, will you fix this mess to clean your lineage's name? Or will you resort to chaos to bring joy to your ancestor?

Skill Proficiencies: History, Investigation.

Tool Proficiencies: Forgery Kit, optionally Artisan’s Tools that your ancestor used to have.

Languages: Common and the language your ancestor used to know.

Equipment: Fine Clothes, one amulet your ancestor used to wear, a belt pouch containing 25gp.

Feature: An Important Bloodline

Since you are trying to follow your ancestor's steps, you have the privilege of people who know through history or are even followers of your ancestor to help you at all costs. Convincing most of them will be a hard task, but your experience will bring to test your knowledge to prove them.

Alternate Feature: Forbidden Ancestor

You don't want the entire world to know you are related to the cataclysm the one certain person made. You try to cover up the damage done at all costs with sweet and charmful lies, or else the people will look at you with unwelcomed eyes, guards will pursue you to end your lineage at any cost.

Suggested Characteristics

Those who don't keep a memento of the past will be condemned to either forget it or repeat it.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I bring happiness to people who need it the most, just like my ancestor used to do.
2	I lead and command my people for the best, as my ancestor did.
3	I am not confident of my powers, did my ancestor go through this exact same moment of life?
4	I see people who think differently than me as inferior beings, my ancestor surely used to keep them away.
5	I would rather not talk about my lineage, my ancestor is something that people must not recognize.
6	I hate carrying the blood of what I call my ancestor, they caused a horrible incident in the past.
7	I don’t remember much about who my ancestor was, so I am willing to learn more by asking anything.
8	I have a direct connection with my ancestor, I am able to speak to them telepathically if they are alive or as a spirit if they are already deceased.

d6	Ideal
1	Steps. I'm willing to follow my ancestor's steps and do what they used to do when they were on Earth. (Any)
2	Blood. I will try to find any other descendant of my ancestor and have at least a quick talk with them. (Neutral)
3	Justice. I am going to clean the name of my ancestor in order to make history texts be written with a bright future. (Good)
4	Power. Not even the people of today will even handle the supremacy of my ancestor's power under my body. (Chaotic)
5	Order. My orders and my commands are clear as water, and said laws must be obeyed to please my ancestor. (Lawful)
6	Destruction. Those who oppose my ancestor's wish will get a fate worse than death. (Evil)

d6	Bond
1	My family is what is left of the representation of my ancestor.
2	Strangers who are followers of my ancestor are welcome.
3	Those who want to destroy any of my ancestor’s tracks will be aided.
4	A deadly enemy was the one who killed my ancestor. Generations later, I am getting revenge on them or all their lineage.
5	One group of clandestine hunters are hunting me because of my connection with my ancestor, I’m trying to avoid any conflict with them.
6	I got worldwide known for being the direct heir of one thing my ancestor was known for.

d6	Flaw
1	I will make a war if somebody insults my ancestor.
2	I'm not confident enough of my powers or occupation, I don't think I can honor my ancestor.
3	My orders are hard and strict, but that is the way my ancestor did the instructions.
4	I lose track of my ancestor’s duties due to boredom.
5	I am good/not good at hiding my ancestor’s lineage, and also/neither good at lying about it.
6	I often hallucinate with my ancestor guiding me to do something, even if it is a bad signal that would harm my friends.

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