BBaacckkgrogrouunnddss ooff FFaaeerrûûnn Sample file EEEvvveeerrryyyttthhhiiinnnggg aaa ppplllaaayyyeeerrr nnneeeeeedddsss tttooo ppprrrooovivividddeee nnneeewww bbbaaaccckkkgggrrrooouuunnnddd oooppptttiiiooonnnsss fffooorrr ccchhhaaarrraaacccttteeerrrsss fffrrrooommm ttthhheee FFFooorrrgggoootttttteeennn RRReeeaaalllmmmsss aaannnddd bbbeeeyyyooonnnddd!!! Sources for this book come from a derth of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th edition books as well as from communicating with the wonderous Ed Greenwood but nothing here should be taken as official content. Thank you to Wizards of the Coast for the creation of 5th edition as well as supporting content creators via the DMs Guild. Thank you to Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb for creating a universe I never want to leave. While they are not the sole owners of the realms anymore, without their spark (as well as many others), Thank you to my family and friends for supporting me during my crazy few months writing this document. Between running two D&D games as well as other RPGs, writing this document and work as well as other hobbies, I'm sure I drove someone nuts. Thank you to the artists who helped ensure this document is as polished as I could possibly make it. That goes double for the Homebrewery Legal (http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/) DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, for providing the tools used to create it. the dragon ampersand, Player’s Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Extra thank you to Quentin de Warren Master’s Guide, D&D Adventurers League, all other Wizards of the Coast (https://www.artstation.com/uei) product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected Credits under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction Author: Bryan Holmes or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited Cover: Famous Swordsman - Quentin de Warren without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. Credits: Bridge in a Fantasy City - David Revoy ©2016 Wizards of the Coast LLC, PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707, Page 1: The Flying Carpet - Viktor Vasnetsov USA. Manufactured by Hasbro SA, Rue Emile-Boéchat 31, 2800 Delémont, Page3 : Satrap - Quentin de Warren CH. Represented by Hasbro Europe, 4 The Square, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, Regional Backgrounds: Necromancer - Quentin de Warren Middlesex, UB11 1ET, UK. Organizational Backgrounds: Valkyrie - Quentin de Warren Trinkets: Tobacco Pipes and a Brazier - Pieter Claesz Back Cover: View of Constantinople - Amédée Rosier Disclaimer: There are a great many people who walk the realms, and all of them hold different values, ideals and opinions. You can walk the breadth of the world and find many people of similar mindset to yourself but you're eventually going to come aSamplecross someone who doesn't. It's the job of your DM to inform you that such an individual is probfileably a dragon. And it'll probably eat you. With ketchup. Backgrounds of Faerûn he various regions of Faerûn are diverse. The Forgotten Realms spans dozens of countries and kingdoms with as diverse a population in each. While most of the backgrounds available to players cover a wide amount of choices, the options provided here add to that. T Regional Backgrounds Each background here functions like the ones provided in books like Hoard of the Dragon Queen or Out of the Abyss. You may substitute the feature normally granted by your background with the one from a background provided here. Likewise, you may substitute one or both personallity traits, a bond, an ideal or a flaw. The ideals presented here are limited to the alignments of the region for that background. Organizational Backgrounds Some backgrounds aren't tied to a region, but rather a group. Instead of mixing and matching, as with the regional backgrounds, you should use these backgrounds as you would in any of the other books. Existing Backgrounds Below are some of the already existing backgrounds players can choose from. The codes are as follows: PHB - Players Handbook, SCAG - Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, CoS - Curse of Strahd, HotDQ - Hoard of the Dragon Queen, OotA - Out of the Abyss, and ToH - Tomb of Annihilation. Existing Background Book Existing Background Book Acolyte PHB Charlatan PHB Criminal PHB Entertainer PHB Folk Hero PHB Guild Artisan PHB Hermit PHB Noble PHB Outlander PHB Sage PHB Sailor PHB Soldier PHB Urchin PHB City Watch SCAG Clan Crafter SCAG Cloistered Scholar SCAG Courtier SCAG Faction Agent SCAG Far Traveler SCAG Inheritor SCAG Knight of the Order SCAG Mercenary Veteran SCAG Urban Bounty Hunter SCAG Uthgardt Tribe SCAG Member Waterdhavian Noble SCAG Haunted One CoS The Story Thus Far... HotDQ Underdark Experience OotA (Template) (Template) AnthrSampleopologist ToH Archaeologist ToH file Backgrounds of Faer n û 1 Regional Backgrounds Political Political Region Background Description Region Background Description Aglarond Red Hunter Bordering Thay, those of Aglarond Narfell Rider of the The Nar are forged in the are always vigilant when it comes Plains cruicible of their harsh lands. to those who use magic. Rashemen Dajemma Young Rashemi are expected to Amn Amnian You've spent your life learning the defend their lands from the Merchant ins and outs of business. outside world by travelling it. Calimshan Calishite Nothing matters in Calimshan Sembia Sembian Having shaken off the shadow of Social more than status. Friends are as Refugee Netheril, all of Sembia looks Seeker valuable as gold. forward to a bright new dawn. Chessenta Philosopher Where gods walk the lands of men, Tethyr Land Owner In the lands of Tethyr, owning philosophers ask the unanswerable land is power, even if that's just questions left in their wake. a shack on a hill. Cormyr Cormyrian Farmer, Rancher, Forester, Thay Crimson Red Wizard enclaves give homes Artisan Craftsfolk or Horse-Breeder, the Divided to those not allied with Szass goods of Cormyr are second to Tam none. The Crucible of Some of the greatest heroes Chult Scale Friend In other places, Yuan-ti are feared Dalelands Heroes come from the Dales, inspiring but nowhere like their home of adventurers everywhere. Chult. The Costal The political landscape of the Damara Chartered Damara has a long history with a Dragon Alliance Dragon Coast is tricky, but Adventurer deep love for those who would Coast useful for those who know how battle evil afar. to use it. Dambrath Crinti Half-Drow blood used to be a high The Great Child of the The solitude and protection of Blooded honour in Dambrath Dale Wild Lands the Great Dale, a wild place to most but a teacher to you. Elfharrow Survivor Wild Elves hunt what little food they can both to feed their families The Yaïmunnahar The memory of the Tuigan and keep travellers away. Hordelands horde will never be lost, an important part of your history. Estagund Trader of The Golden South is known for the Golden high quality goods of the East and The Friend of the You grew up around the Ffolk, South vast amounts of wealth. Moonshae Land learning respect for the world Islands around you. Halruaa Magefriend Magic touches all aspects of life in Halruaa, to the point that the Art is The Sword Reforged The Silver Marches are gone, yet loved by all. Coast Alliance the Sword Coast North is born North again, with it's heroes. Impiltur Follower of Long histories of demonic assaults the Triad have left Impiltur wary of demonic The Westlander The heart of civilization, the city- forces. Western states of the Western Heartlands Heartlands will always be your home. Lake of Wandering The Border Kingdoms are not Steam Hero collected, but they are united in Thesk Defender The world owes a debt to Thesk taming their harsh lands. Against the for being a shield against the Horde Tuigan Horde Lantan Reclaimer The ruination of Lantan makes you of Lantan yearn to see the great islands Turmish Assemblyman Every Turmishan has the honour returned to their glory. of service as guidance for the Republic. Luiren Luiren The cataclysm may have spread Islander out the people of Luiren, but it did Unther Agent of All serve Gilgeam in one way or nothing to their sprit. Gilgeam another. Moonsea Shadow of The Zhentarim and their allies Vaasa Bogland The wild savage swamps and the Black intend to rebuild their former Hermit bogs of the north are your home Network lands, if they can liberate it from and your shield. current occupants. Mulhorand Free People Broken from the bonds of gods Missing Regions of and men, the future of Mulhorand Not all regions are represented here. The elven kingdoms of Mulhorand is shaped by will of its people. Evermeet, Cormanthyr as well as the Pirate Isles, the Silver SampleMarches, the Anouroch de sert, anfiled others. These areas either fit well with the default backgrounds or are too focused to work on. A book that featured every region of the Forgotten Realms would be immense indeed! Backgrounds of Faer n 2 û Organizational Backgrounds Background Description Background Description Bardic Growing up with bards, one picks up a skill or Enlightened Education is considered a high point for Tutelage two. Student many. Magical education is an even rarer privilege. Bastard of The bloodline of Azoun is a long and wide Azoun spread one. Harper Grow up with parents in the Harpers, and Protege their values are likely to rub off on you. Celestial- Watched over by the heavens within the Attended womb, you are destined for greatness. Knight Dozens of knighthoods keep watch over the Birth Squire realms, the chance to support them is an honor itself. Child of the Other children left in the wild are unfortunate Unicorn to be raised by wolves instead of the mythical Monastery Monastaries everywhere take in children and parentage you enjoyed.