Exiled

Powerful social forces pervade the mundane societies of fairy tales. These societies are often shaped by superstition, social constructs, and classist bias that can make life hell for those who don’t conform. To that end, the nonconformists are often ostracized, or decide to withdraw from society.

Exile can be a royal decree, a banishment from a family tree, or even a magical force that keeps you out of a certain region. It can also be self-imposed sabbatical, but usually a strong enough one that you are unwilling to break it lightly. While exile can be deleterious, it can also positively shape your world view. The exiled tend to be independent, suspicious, and given to wandering.

Skill Proficiencies: Perception, Survival

Languages: One common and one exotic language of your choice.

Equipment: A souvenir, four days worth of rations, a set of traveling clothes, 10 gp

Feature: An Eye for Shelter

You have a knack for finding shelter in the strangest places. Once per week, you can locate a shelter in any location, whether it is the wilderness, a barren wasteland in a different plane, or a crowded and cruel city. While the shelter may not be ideal, it will at least allow for safe rest. At the DM’s discretion, your shelter may even help you hide from trouble in case you are being sought.

Suggested Characteristics

An exiled person is often forsaken from their homelands, and have been forced to give up a great deal of their birthright, whether a meager hovel or a title of nobility. Those in exile may be viewed with suspicion, or co-opted by rival kingdoms as unlikely allies. Regardless, the exiled are usually viewed according to their exile status and not for who they are, which further complicates their situation.

d8	Personality Trait
1	If I never depend on anyone, I ll never get hurt.
2	I try to keep as much food on me as possible.
3	I m bombastic when in public.
4	I spend a lot of time writing letters or in a journal.
5	I like to discuss my exile with everyone I meet.
6	When given the choice, I will go left as often as possible.
7	I’ve been exposed to many cultures, and I enjoy sharing my knowledge of them.
8	I use a lot of expressions and idioms that are unique to my homeland.

d6	Ideal
1	Freedom. My freedom is more important than anything. (Chaotic)
2	Charity. The wind takes me to where my help is needed. (Good)
3	Home. I will return to my home someday and on my terms. (Neutral)
4	Revenge. I hate the person who exiled me, and I intend to take my revenge. (Evil)
5	Exploration. If I can’t go back home, I intend to explore every other place I can. (Neutral)
6	Greed. If I can find fortune and fame, I might be allowed to return. (Chaotic)

d6	Bond
1	I love my family back home dearly and communicate with them regularly.
2	I am working to prove everyone wrong about me.
3	I became exiled for the love of my life, and I regret nothing.
4	I refuse to let anyone tie me down.
5	I consider my current friend group to be my true family.
6	I have a single possession from my homeland, and I won’t let it out of my sight.

d6	Flaw
1	I resent those who take their freedom for granted.
2	I respect no laws, for laws are what made me leave my home.
3	A lifetime of travel has made me slovenly to a fault.
4	I greatly dislike sleeping indoors.
5	I m overly friendly with all people, and I hate being alone.
6	I treat the rich with contempt.

Variant Exiled: Sequestered

Instead of being exiled, you have instead been kept somewhere for a long time. Perhaps it was a tall tower, or a deep dungeon.

You might have been kept from a birthright or a destiny, or you might have just made an enemy of royalty. Regardless of the cause and means, you are now free but have been indelibly marked by your time in relative solitude.

Feel free to customize the skill selection based on your seclusion. If you had access to books or held on thanks to your faith, perhaps History or Religion could be appropriate, for instance.

Below are some suggested characteristics for a sequestered character.

d8	Personality Trait
1	I am incurably cheerful, and am eager to make friends!
2	My personality hasn’t yet taken shape, and I am still learning how to socialize.
3	I prefer to talk very little and see diminishing value in words.
4	The natural world is fascinating, and I want to learn everything about it.
5	I wish to explore every
6	I only know how to act around one social group (royalty, rebels, etc.), and I have a hard time understanding others.
7	My fame grew as I was sequestered, and I revel in it.
8	I like to personify animals and objects, as they were my only friends while I was isolated.

d6	Ideal
1	Freedom. Now that I have my freedom, I value it over all else! (Chaotic)
2	Desire. I was denied something (comfort, a childhood, an education) and I’ll stop at nothing to get it. (Neutral)
3	Selflessness. There are others who are still sequestered, and I want to free them. (Good)
4	Exploration. I intend to explore anywhere I can. (Neutral)
5	Power. Now that I have my freedom, I’ll gain power as well, so that none may lord over me ever again. (Evil)
6	Justice. If the law confined me, I will work within the law, and change it to make it more equitable. (Lawful)

d6	Bond
1	I don’t have my family, but I have treasured keepsakes and memories of them.
2	I have a symbol of my freedom (a key, a broken chain link) that remind me of what was.
3	I value my health, since it helped me escape once, and will help me escape again, if the need arises.
4	I value luxury, as I never had it while sequestered.
5	The friends I have made since gaining freedom are my true family, and I will never abandon them.
6	The freedom of others is my utmost concern.

d6	Flaw
1	I have a flawed perception of the world, and may not understand seemingly simple concepts, like what a horse is, or how money works.
2	I hoard things, fearing I will never get any more of them.
3	The idea of being isolated scares me and makes me anxious.
4	I have a fear of confined spaces and fight to avoid them.
5	I am a spendthrift because I don’t want anyone to go without.
6	I am gullible, never having been taught to doubt others.