Accursed

You were born under a bad sign. Your recent ancestry may contain traitors, heretics, fiends, or villains. People in ordinary lands shun you, and even the gods seem to have forsaken you. Whether you deserve this fate is irrelevant, for it is the path you walk, and the burden you must bear.

It is far from an easy path, and your friends and allies are few and far between, and only if you’re lucky are they the type who will not stab you in the back the moment they have the chance.

Skill Proficiencies: Sleight of Hand, Deception

Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools

Languages: One of your choice

Equipment: A symbol of mysterious origin on a piece of parchment, a shiv, a charm you believe brings you luck, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 1d6 gold pieces.

Nature of The Curse

There are a number of reasons people are born cursed.

Whether they angered a god in their previous lives, or their parents committed an atrocity that can never be forgiven, the nature of a curse can vary greatly from one individual to the next.

Skill Proficiencies:

d8	The Curse
1	Accidentally cursed yourself
2	A god is angry with you
3	Foul bloodline
4	Born under unholy sign/the stars were wrong
5	Ancestor committed an unforgettable atrocity
6	Last of your bloodline
7	Inherited your curse from a parent
8	Evil spirit rendered powerless and trapped within your being

Feature: Pass in The Shadows

Being cursed can be a difficult burden to bear, but not every aspect of it is a disadvantage. You exude a supernatural aura that causes ordinary people to avoid you. They don’t like to look at you, speak to you, or give you any thought whatsoever. They acknowledge you when you go out of your way to get their attention, but they otherwise would prefer to simply ignore your presence. This aversion toward you makes you practically socially invisible.

If you wish to gain entry to a lightly restricted area, guards and other authorities typically pay you little notice. If the locals are searching for an enemy at large, a wrongdoer, or a fugitive from justice, they tend to overlook you rather than stop you and question you. You gain advantage on all Dexterity (stealth) and Charisma (deception) checks that are made to avoid being noticed or get out of trouble with authorities (at the GM’s discretion).

Other Accursed

The Accursed background is primarily useful for characters whose curse plays a significant role in their lives. It is possible to take on a curse and simply pay it little mind except for when it creates consequences. In such a case, it might be useful to return to the original character concept and choose a background more suited the characters core motivations or purposes.

Suggested Characteristics

Some individuals who are cursed have done little or nothing to earn their curse. Such individuals are usually aware they are cursed in some manner, but they feel it is the result of some great unfairness that has been leveled against them. They might seek to appease the powers that cursed them and lead a normal life. Others are fully aware of why they are cursed and they may have brought it upon themselves. In such cases, their motivations may not be rooted in innocence and altruism.

d8	Personality Trait
1	Hopelessness and misery shadows my every step, yet I live.
2	Step out of my path, or you’ll be wishing it was you the curse is on.
3	I shall atone for my misdeeds by living a life of good conscience.
4	I’ll not let something so trivial as a curse interfere with leading a life of meaning.
5	Nobody said the world was fair, and I do what I have to do to live within it.
6	I must always be more cautious than others to avoid a grim fate.
7	I lack the tolerance for this world or the fools who inhabit it!
8	So long as the world has forsaken me, so shall l plunder it!

d6	Ideal
1	Aspiration. I hope to prove my worth to the powers that cursed me and lead a better life.
2	Fairness. Even though the world has been unfair to me, I seek to be fair toward others.
3	Greed. Forget your high-minded principals. I’ll use my talents to enrich myself.
4	Destiny. My struggles bring me closer to the purpose intended for me.
5	Rebellion. I didn’t ask to be cursed and I’ll not accept your disrespect.
6	Retribution. There is nothing I want more in life than to even the score with the one responsible for my curse.

d6	Bond
1	My father, in a drunken prowl through the city at night, desecrated the temple of a prominent god. His dishonor followed him to his grave, and will follow me, my children, and my grandchildren.
2	When I saw the artifact lying on the table, I really should have just left it alone.
3	There are some subjects one should never study. I have learned the hard way.
4	There is someone, no more than three days behind me who means to kill me.
5	I once had a friend. Someone I could trust. I fear to put them in danger again.
6	My only family are the street urchins others take for granted. Those I am descended from have been gone from me since before I can remember.

d6	Flaw
1	I’ve stopped caring for people other than myself.
2	I sometimes feel that self-pity gives way to despair.
3	I would do anything to be free of this curse, even betray those who trust me.
4	I believe I deserve the curse I carry with me.
5	This curse has taught me how fleeting life can be, so I only live for the pleasures of the day.
6	The world seems out to destroy me, so I’ve decided I don’t need to do anything important.