Two Backgrounds

Agent

At one point you had given your loyalty to a powerful faction and work to advance their power and influence. As an agent, you have a variety of responsibilities, such as gathering sensitive information, investigating curious happenstances or observing events of political importance. This sort of work normally has you found in many a dangerous situation, secretly observing from a hidden vantage point, disguised in plain sight, or on the front lines of an official investigation. Whether a believer or an involuntary accomplice, there is no denying that the work you have done has allowed the faction to rise to great power.

Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Investigation

Deception, Investigation Tool Proficiencies: Disguise Kit

Disguise Kit Languages : One of your choice

: One of your choice Equipment: Disguise Kit, small hand mirror, notebook containing 50 pages, ink and quill, a set of common clothes including a cloak and hood, and a pouch containing 5 gp.

Faction

The nature of the faction of which you are a member of may take on a variety of different forms. Do you represent a local monarch and publicly collect information for its advisors? Perhaps you are under hire of a powerful wizard who wishes to observe the balance of power in the world. You may collect information to further the goals of a criminal organization or just sell to the highest bidder. Choose the nature of the faction or roll on the table below.

d8 Faction 1 Criminal Organization 2 Royalty or Imperial Order 3 Religious or Cult Order 4 Mercenary or Adventuring Guild 5 Information Broker 6 Monsterous Figure 7 Arcane Authority 8 Military Order

Feature: Insider Information

When investigating a curious event, observing a noteworthy political event, or attempting to recall such an event, you are able to roughly recall powerful players or factions involved and generally know the motives and agents of organizations familiar to you.

Suggested Characteristics

Agents are an interesting sort. The nature of the job has likely made some agents extremely paranoid and untrusting of others. Some may see information and knowledge as a form of currency to be sold. Others may have caught a glimpse of the true nature of the political world and like what they see. In all cases, they are all inquisitive and will not rest until the truth is uncovered.

d8 Personality Trait 1 Loose lips have gotten people killed. I normally don’t speak up unless absolutely necessary. 2 I constantly jot down notes about people and events in my journal, in a code of my own invention. 3 My true name has never been revealed, not even to my closest friends. 4 I meticulously plan out even the most trivial of encounters in excruciating detail. 5 I tend to take a special interest in people. At least until I know everything about them. 6 I occasionally like to flourish my reports with tales of my own expertise and bravery. 7 I never drink. It could blow my cover, or worse. 8 Nothing is simply explained. There is always a player running the show.

d6 Ideal 1 Loyalty: My faction has been a family to me. I, in turn, must be loyal to it. (Lawful) 2 Protection: My faction keeps the land safe, or at least is a lesser evil to what we keep at bay. (Good) 3 Power: True power doesn’t come from titles or crowns, but in controlling those around you. (Evil) 4 Knowledge: With every secret uncovered, another mystery is found. (Neutral) 5 Upheaval: Everyone has a secret that would ruin them, even those with the purest of hearts. (Chaotic) 6 Discovery: Secrets have lead to ruin and but also opportunity. No matter the cost, I will uncover it all. (Chaotic)