Desert Nomad Background

You were born in the hot desert sun, leagues away from anything remotely resembling civilization.

There are other tribes like yours, and sometimes you came together to trade, but often you fought with them over scarce resources. Water was always in short supply, and if it weren’t for the few oases dotting the landscape, the desert might be too bleak to sustain life at all. Your people wandered around from one verdant spot to another, with miles and miles of empty sand in between, never calling one place home. You never knew if your next fight would be some wild desert creature that wanted to eat you, or another tribe that wanted to kill you and take your water and the few pieces of food you took with you, but there was always another fight.

What drove you out of the desert and into the civilized lands? Perhaps war came to the region as the ruler of a mighty kingdom sought to consolidate power under his name, and that included the mostly spaces in between them. Maybe you were brought there in chains and forced to serve a corrupt master who beat you and the other servants for his own amusement. Perhaps you left the desert in search of some great and legendary treasure that would bring peace and plenty to your people. Or, maybe in your travels you met somebody from the city, fell in love with them, and endeavored to provide for them, only to have them killed unnecessarily.

Perhaps today, you still spend time in the desert, acting as guide for travelers who must find their way safely across, but you have heard the call of the cities, and you have followed it. You’re certain that before you lies the gilded halls of a grand palace to call your own one day. In the meantime, you answer the call of adventure, crawl from one dungeon to the next, and you fight for all the right reasons, waiting for that one big treasure that will allow you to retire to a peaceful place and live like a king.

Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Survival

Tool Proficiencies: Artisan’s tools, climber’s kit

Equipment: Backpack, bedroll, shovel, waterskin, pot, a desert nomad’s outfit and hard, leather boots.

Feature: Sought-After Guide

You may not spend all of your time in deserts, but you have mastered surviving in them. Because of this, you are in high demand by anyone needing to cross these great, desolate areas. You can show people who come from elsewhere the skills necessary to rise to the challenges here; you can show them the signs that they are being tracked by a predator, lead them through areas that seem to the uninitiated as featureless wastelands, and you can guide them from one oasis to another simply by following the sun, the stars, and a crude map of the area. You never seem to be short on work, and your work frequently leads the foolish to buried sites with hidden treasures.

Suggested Characteristics

Outside of battle, some call you distant. Your eyes seek the horizon, your ears are open to the subtle sounds that might indicate that somebody or something might be coming toward you. You engage in whatever talk is necessary with you current companions, but it takes a great deal to break you out of your shell. You know the struggled and the risks of the desert, and you would much rather keep your guard up than fall victim to the dangers lurking behind every rock, sand dune, or even under your feet.

d8 Personality Trait
1 I don’t shy away from battle, even when I think I might be somewhat overmatched.
2 I constantly keep an eye on my valuables. I don’t trust even my closest friends
3 Why would I worry about the future when I have to survive today?
4 I’ve seen things out here that just shouldn’t exist… not in this realm, or any other.
5 You can’t survive the desert unless you know its inhabitants, and how to survive them.
6 I like to help people who seem lost or helpless.
7 The one thing that keeps me going is my faith in my god or pantheon.
8 Sometimes the best way to resolve differences with a stranger is to insult them well.
d6 Ideal
1 Respect: I respect those I meet, at least until they prove to me that I shouldn’t.
2 Community: My clan or tribe gave me life, and I shall protect them to my last breath.
3 Learning: One should never take for granted the mysteries of the universe, nor should one fail to learn more about it when given the chance.
4 Daring: Life is short, so do not be deterred from your goals by danger.
5 Kindness: Showing kindness to a stranger in need is its own reward.
6 Virtue: A virtuous life needs not for material possessions.
d6 Bond
1 My father taught me how to wield a sword, and how to locate water from miles away.
2 An opposing tribe slaughtered members of my tribe—including the person I loved—and I shall kill them for it.
3 A Grand Vizier from a faraway city owes me a large favor. It might be time to collect.
4 A warrior from a competing tribe showed me an unnecessary kindness once and we have become friends.
5 When the leader of a group of villains asked for my help, I led him into a trap. Now his people want me dead.
6 A warlord from far away seeks to destroy my tribe. I must find a way to destroy him.
d6 Flaw
1 I have little concern for the problems of others.
2 I will keep an eye on your valuables and help myself to them if I get the chance.
3 Generosity will only deprive me of that which I need to survive. Better to let them perish than waste my resources.
4 I am quick to anger, and I don’t care if I hurt your feelings.
5 I am opportunistic and will exploit your weaknesses in order to get ahead.
6 I distrust magic and those who practice the forbidden arts.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Fighters Unlimited 5E © 2019, Legendary Games; Author Darrin Drader.

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