```metadata title: Backgrounds for MiA description: Custom player backgrounds for a Made in Abyss Campaign tags: - background - backgrounds - MiA - Made in Abyss systems: - 5e renderer: V3 theme: 5ePHB ``` {{watercolor11,top:10px,left:30px,width:500px,background-color:#ADB7BD,opacity:50%}} ## Backgrounds : ### Abyss Born You were born deep in the poorest slums of Orth, the depths of which are built below surface level and enter into the first layer of the abyss. The depths have always been a comfort to you and feel more like home than the surface. That said, the slums are not much of a home for anyone. Life is hard and many of those around you lead short criminal lives, and many of your friends were orphans. You, however, were determined to escape the streets and make something of yourself, and the Delvers Guild held the key to a respected and legitimized profession, and of course, the potential for wealth, power, and magic {{note ##### For 5e **Skill Proficiencies:** Survival, Slight of Hand **Tool Proficiencies:** Thieves' Tools **Feature: Comfort in the Deep** As a native of the Abyss, you have a +1 to any Con save made in relation to the curse in the first and second levels. }} {{note ##### For 5.5e **Ability Scores:** Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence **Feat:** Tough **Skill Proficiencies:** Survival and Sleight of Hand **Tool Proficiency:** Thieves’ Tools **Equipment:** Choose A or B: (A) 2 Daggers, Thieves’ Tools, Crowbar, 2 Pouches, Traveler’s Clothes, 16 GP; or (B) 50 GP }} ##### Suggested Characteristics | d8 |--|Personality Trait | |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I hide scraps of food and trinkets away in my pockets. | | 2 | | I ask a lot of questions. | | 3 | | I like to squeeze into small places where no one else can get to me.| | 4 | | I sleep with my back to a wall or tree, with everything I own wrapped in a bundle in my arms. | | 5 | | I thirst for knowledge and always want to know more. | | 6 | | I'm grateful for people's help but I'm worried about what I might owe them. | | 7 | | I don’t like to bathe. | | 8 | | I bluntly say what other people are hinting at or hiding. | ::::::::::::::::: | d6 |--|Ideal| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Respect. All people, rich or poor, deserve respect. (Good)| | 2 | | Community. We have to take care of each other, because no one else is going to do it. (Lawful)| | 3 | | Change. The low are lifted up, and the high and mighty are brought down. Change is the nature of things. (Chaotic) | | 4 | | Retribution. The rich need to be shown what life and death are like in the gutters. (Evil) | | 5 | | People. I help the people who help me — that’s what keeps us alive. (Neutral) | | 6 | | Aspiration. I’m going to prove that I’m worthy of a better life.(Any) | :: | d6 |--|Bond| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | My town or city is my home, and I’ll fight to defend it.| | 2 | | I help at the orphanage to keep others from enduring what I was forced to endure.| | 3 | | I owe my survival to another orphan who taught me to live on the streets.| | 4 | | I owe a debt I can never repay to the person who took pity on me. | | 5 | | I escaped my life of poverty through the guild's programs and I want to give back how I can. | | 6 | | No one else should have to endure the hardships I’ve been through. | :: | d6 |--|Flaw| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | If I’m outnumbered, I will run away from a fight.| | 2 | | Gold seems like a lot of money to me, and I’ll do just about anything for more of it.| | 3 | | I will never fully trust anyone other than myself.| | 4 | |I’d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair.| | 5 | |It’s not stealing if I need it more than someone else. | | 6 | |People who can’t take care of themselves get what they deserve. | {{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:23%,--rotation:351 ![](https://i.imgur.com/AN24y2p.png){position:absolute;top:700px;left:0px;width:850px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page {{watercolor11,top:10px,left:30px,width:500px,background-color:#D7ECC7,opacity:55%}} ### Orth Orphan There isn't a soul in the city of Orth that doesn't feel the call of the deep. Sadly this leads to the untimely demise of many of it's citizens as they venture out on their own. This has led to one of the cities most pressing problems: orphans. As way to help deal with this issue, the Delver's guild has an extensive orphan outreach program. They run the city's orphanage and give vocational training in the hopes of creating productive citizens. The most promising students are accepted into the guild itself. You were lucky enough to prove yourself and were accepted in the guild's ranks. While you are grateful for your opportunities, you can't help but wonder if it was necessary for their methods to be so harsh. Still, it has been a big step up from life on the streets. {{note ##### For 5e **Skill Proficiencies:** Arcana or History, Nature or Medicine **Tool Proficiencies:** Cartographer's Tools, Cook's Utensils **Feature: City Secrets** You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow. }} {{note ##### For 5.5e **Ability Scores:** Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma **Feat:** Lucky **Skill Proficiencies:** History and Nature **Tool Proficiency:** Cartographer's Tools or Cook's Utensils **Equipment:** Choose A or B: (A) Dagger, Your Proficient Tools, Rope, Traveler’s Clothes, 20 GP; or (B) 50 GP }} ##### Suggested Characteristics | d8 |--|Personality Trait | |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I am weary of those in power and sometimes struggle with authority | | 2 | | I have a joke for every occasion, especially occasions where humor is inappropriate. | | 3 | | I'll do what ever I have to to get the job done. | | 4 | | I’m very uncomfortable after an extended time on the surface. The void is always calling me back home. | | 5 | | Lying is okay if it protects myself or my friends | | 6 | | I'm always weary of what other people are up to. | | 7 | | I have a hard time giving things up. You never know if you will see it again. | | 8 | | I pocket anything I see that might be useful. | : | d6 |--|Ideal| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Independence. I am a free spirit—no one tells me what to do. (Chaotic)| | 2 | | Fairness. Treasures should always be split evenly when possible. (Lawful)| | 3 | | Charity. I give back when I can to help the city's poor. (Good) | | 4 | | Creativity. There's always a plan or a tool to get things done. Even if it's not a very good plan. (Chaotic) | | 5 | | Friendship. Material goods come and go. Bonds of friendship last forever. (Good) | | 6 | | Aspiration. I’m determined to make something of myself. (Any) | :: | d6 |--|Bond| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I once hurt someone I cared about deeply to survive. I strive to make up for the pain I've caused.| | 2 | | I owe everything to my mentor—a horrible person who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere.| | 3 | | This city's children are in desperate need of help. I’m making the world better for them. | | 4 | | One day the noble families who control this city will have justice brought to them. | | 5 | | A powerful person killed someone I love. Some day soon, I’ll have my revenge | | 6 | | I will eventually have the money and power I once dreamed of. | :: | d6 |--|Flaw| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I can’t resist a pretty face.| | 2 | | I have a hard time following orders if I don't think it's the best course of action.| | 3 | | I’m convinced that most people are only out for themselves and find it hard to trust| | 4 | |I’m too greedy for my own good. I can’t resist taking a risk if there’s money involved. | | 5 | |I can’t resist swindling people who are more powerful than me. | | 6 | |I hate to admit it and will hate myself for it, but I’ll run and preserve my own hide if the going gets tough. | {{imageMaskEdge5,--offset:28%,--rotation:348 ![](https://i.imgur.com/EsQ6MS3.jpeg){position:absolute;top:690px;left:0px;width:820px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page {{watercolor11,top:10px,left:30px,width:500px,background-color:#D3C7EC,opacity:35%}} ### Orth Scientist Your entry into the Guild was academic. With a highly educated background, you've sought out to study the great mysteries of the Abyss. While your years in the lab and library were great, you have the itch to get out there and do some of the fieldwork yourself. **Field of Study** You focused your efforts on a particular area of research. Choose the research you conducted, or roll on the table below. | d6 ||**Field of Study**| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Alchemy or chemistry | | 2 | | Artifacts| | 3 | | Earth Science | | 4 | | Biology/Zoology | | 5 | | Engineering | | 6 | | Medicine | {{note ##### For 5e **Skill Proficiencies:** Arcana, Investigation **Tool Proficiencies:** Alchemist's Supplies **Feature: Natural Tinkerer** When you find a piece of magical equipment or a technological magic item, you can spend 5 minutes rather than 30 minutes to determine what the item does. You also have advantage on Investigation(INT) check against technological or magic based mechanisms. **Feature: Scientific Observation** After years of obsessive research, you have developed a keen eye. You are able to identify anything pertaining to your field of study if you happen to stumble upon it. Furthermore, any written material you discover, you are able to understand almost instantly, albeit only if you know the language it is written in. However, due to your extensive research, you are able to pick out key words which you understand when reading material in an unknown language relating to your field of study. }} {{note ##### For 5.5e **Ability Scores:** Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom **Feat:** Skilled **Skill Proficiencies:** Arcana and Investigation **Tool Proficiency:** Alchemist's Supplies **Equipment:** Choose A or B: (A) Alchemist's Supplies, Fine Clothes, Lamp, Oil (3 flasks), Parchment (12 sheets), 23 GP; or (B) 50 GP }} :: ##### Suggested Characteristics | d8 |--|Personality Trait | |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Great ideas are fine, but great results are what counts. | | 2 | | I’m a snob who looks down on those who can’t appreciate the facts. | | 3 | | I always want to know how things work and what makes people tick. | | 4 | | I’m full of witty aphorisms and have a proverb for every occasion. | | 5 | | I pride myself on my intelligence and take any opportunity I can to show it off. | | 6 | | I like to talk at length about my profession. | | 7 | | I am dismissive of magic. | | 8 | | Explosions, while not ideal, are very, very cool. | :: | d6 |--|Ideal| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Method. There is a right way to do things. (Lawful)| | 2 | | Progress. I want the world to move forward, towards being a better place. (Good)| | 3 | | Freedom. Discovery and invention should not be restricted. (Chaotic) | | 4 | | Legacy. Ethics don't matter as much as results. (Evil) | | 5 | | Causality. I am an observer, witnessing cause and effect. (Neutral) | | 6 | | Aspiration. My only goal is to learn everything there is to know about my field of study. (Any) | :: | d6 |--|Bond| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I will create wonderful inventions that I can take home to better the life of my people.| | 2 | | I once had a most trusted lab partner, but one day, they mysteriously disappeared...| | 3 | | I am in great debt due to the high material cost of my research. | | 4 | | I can't let how others see me get in the way. | | 5 | | Lately, my research has taken me in a challenging and dangerous direction. | | 6 | | My studies are my life. I don't have anything else. | :: | d6 |--|Flaw| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Good luck trying to shut me up once I get talking about my studies.| | 2 | | I scrutinize all information that I hear, out loud, and with no remorse.| | 3 | | I'm always trying to upgrade my party's gear, even when they don't ask me to. (Or want me to.)| | 4 | | I’m never satisfied with what I have — I always want more. | | 5 | | My intellectual curiosity often supersedes my survival instincts. | | 6 | | I have absolutely no remorse for the things I do for my research. | {{imageMaskEdge1,--offset:33%,--rotation:8 ![](https://i.imgur.com/3kWjAwA.png){position:absolute;top:600px;left:0px;width:820px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}} \page ### Herbalist Life on a far flug island such as Orth breeds resiliance and self sufficiency. Those who know the land and it's resources will always be at an advantage to those who rely on imported goods, and there is hardly a place more full of resources than the Abyss. You spent most of your life studying the flora of Orth and the Abyss. You know which herbs can soothe a fever and which oils can create different potions. Not all medicine is good for the body, though: you have also learned which toxins can stop the heart or drive a man to madness. You know how to manufacture and refine all of these things, dispensing tonics and tinctures to those in need. As a child you were tasked with cultivating your parents garden, you were able to study, identify, and sort thousands of species of plants. Fungi, herbs, fruits, vegetables, weeds, grasses, and other breeds of plants and you cataloged them all in your little book of plants, you have a list of what plants are safe, what plants are not, and what not to do with certain plants. {{note ##### For 5e **Skill Proficiencies:** You can select 2 of the following proficiencies: Investigation, Nature, Medicine, Perception **Tool Proficiencies:** Herbalism kit, poisoner's kit **Feature: Botanical Knowledge** You have advantage in finding plants for food or components and can do it in half the time. When you encounter an unknown or exotic plant, you can spend some time analysing it to correctly ascertain its beneficial or harmful properties, and how best to use it. }} {{note ##### For 5.5e **Ability Scores:** Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom **Feat:** Healer **Skill Proficiencies:** Nature and Medicine **Tool Proficiency:** Herbalism kit **Equipment:** Choose A or B: (A) Quarterstaff, Herbalism Kit, Healer’s Kit, Iron Pot, Shovel, Traveler’s Clothes, 20 GP; or (B) 50 GP }} ##### Suggested Characteristics Herbalists tend to seem wise due to their knowledge and herb abilities. They also tend to be down to earth. They tend towards cleanliness and organization, as they need to keep their tools sterile and their supplies ready at all times. | d8 |--|Personality Trait | |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I am curious about the magical and mind-altering properties of various plants. | | 2 | | I'm horribly, horribly awkward in social situations. | | 3 | | I am full of mis-remembered sayings and delight in saying them in a grave tone as if I am wise. | | 4 | | I appreciate the healing power of a laugh, even if it hardly solves everything. | : | d8 |--|Personality Trait | |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 5 | | I intersperse botanical jargon in everyday conversation. | | 6 | | I keep all of my possessions meticulously clean, and I hate any kind of filth. | | 7 | | I'm interested in the flora wherever I go, experimenting with the properties of herbs and flowers. | | 8 | |I notice the small details in my surroundings that others often overlook, finding beauty and serenity in the simplest things. | : | d6 |--|Ideal| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Competence. Anything worth doing is worth doing properly. (Any)| | 2 | | Tradition. Knowledge of how to keep things well might not be grand, but it needs to be passed down. (Neutral or Lawful)| | 3 | | Scientific Discovery. Uncovering something new is more important than myself. I will risk everything for a new discovery. (Chaotic) | | 4 | |Aid. Every sick or wounded person deserves my help, regardless of the life they lead. (Good) | | 5 | | Exploration: I believe that the world is full of hidden secrets and magical plants waiting to be discovered. (Any) | | 6 | | Function: Beauty has its benefits, but the true merit of anything is its usefulness. (Lawful) | :: | d6 |--|Bond| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | I have a creature as a pet that came to me injured and stayed with me after I nursed it back to health.| | 2 | | I keep my thoughts and discoveries in a journal. My journal is my legacy.| | 3 | | I have a deep respect for the ancient traditions and rituals associated with natural magic. | | 4 | | I am secretly taking care of a sentient carnivorous plant that always wants more. | | 5 | | I have been searching for a certain rare plant for years. | | 6 | | I seek a cure to a mysterious disease that afflicts one of my loved ones. | :: | d6 |--|Flaw| |:--------|:-----:|:----- | 1 | | Old women scare me and I try to avoid talking to them if possible.| | 2 | | I'm so used to being the sensible one that I sometimes forget that others may have good ideas, too..| | 3 | | I have a severe pollen allergy.| | 4 | |I use unproven treatments on my patients without their knowledge. | | 5 | |I blame myself if I'm not able to save someone, even if they were already gone. | | 6 | |Despite my profession, the sight of blood still makes me uncomfortable. | {{imageMaskEdge6,--offset:37%,--rotation:348 ![](https://i.imgur.com/7g7n3KA.png){position:absolute;top:650px;left:0px;width:820px} }} {{pageNumber,auto}}