Mysterious Origins

Your origins are a mystery even to you. You might recall fragments of your previous life, or you might dream of events that could be memories, but you can’t be sure of what is remembered and what is imagined. You recall practical information and facts about the world and perhaps even your name, but your upbringing and life before you lost your memories now exist only in dreams or sudden flashes of familiarity.

You can leave the details of your character’s past up to your GM or give the GM a specific backstory that your character can’t remember. Were you the victim of a spell gone awry, or did you voluntarily sacrifice your memories in exchange for power? Is your amnesia the result of a natural accident, or did you purposefully have your mind wiped in order to forget a memory you couldn’t live with? Perhaps you have family or friends that are searching for you or enemies you can’t even remember.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Survival

Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools or one type of musical instrument

Languages: One of your choice

Equipment: A mysterious trinket from your past life, a set of artisan’s tools or a musical instrument (one of your choice), a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 5 gp

Feature: Unexpected Acquaintance

Even though you can’t recall them, someone from your past will recognize you and offer to aid you—or to impede you. The person and their relationship to you depend on the truth of your backstory. They might be a childhood friend, a former rival, or even your child who’s grown up with dreams of finding their missing parent. They may want you to return to your former life even if it means abandoning your current goals and companions. Work with your GM to determine the details of this character and your history with them.

Suggested Characteristics

You may be bothered by your lack of memories and driven to recover them or reclaim the secrets of your past, or you can use your anonymity to your advantage.

d8 Personality Trait
1 I’m always humming a song, but I can’t remember the words.
2 I love learning new things and meeting new people.
3 I want to prove my worth and have people know my name.
4 I don’t like places that are crowded or noisy.
5 I’m mistrustful of mages and magic in general.
6 I like to keep everything tidy and organized so that I can find things easily.
7 Every night I record my day in a detailed journal.
8 I live in the present. The future will come as it may.
d6 Ideal
1 Redemption. Whatever I did in the past, I’m determined to make the world a better place. (Good)
2 Independence. I’m beholden to no one, so I can do whatever I want. (Chaotic)
3 Cunning. Since I have no past, no one can use it to thwart my rise to power. (Evil)
4 Community. I believe in a just society that takes care of people in need. (Lawful)
5 Fairness. I judge others by who they are now, not by what they’ve done in the past. (Neutral)
6 Friendship. The people in my life now are more important than any ideal. (Any)
d6 Bond
1 I have dreams where I see a loved one’s face, but I can’t remember their name or who they are.
2 I wear a wedding ring, so I must have been married before I lost my memories.
3 My mentor raised me; they told me that I lost my memories in a terrible accident that killed my family.
4 I have an enemy who wants to kill me, but I don’t know what I did to earn their hatred.
5 I know there’s an important memory attached to the scar I bear on my body.
6 I can never repay the debt I owe to the person who cared for me after I lost my memories.
d6 Flaw
1 I am jealous of those who have memories of a happy childhood.
2 I’m desperate for knowledge about my past, and I’ll do anything to obtain that information.
3 I’m terrified of meeting someone from my past, so I avoid strangers as much as possible.
4 Only the present matters. I can’t bring myself to care about the future.
5 I’m convinced that I was powerful and rich before I lost my memories—and I expect everyone to treat me accordingly.
6 Anyone who shows me pity is subjected to my biting scorn.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Heroes ©2022 Open Design LLC; Authors: Celeste Conowitch, Jeff Lee, Sarah Madsen, Ben McFarland, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind

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