Kept

Background — Homebrew for Heretics of the Old Gods

You were owned. By a gang, a faction, a household, a creditor — the specifics vary but the structure doesn’t. Your labor, your body, or both were someone else’s property, and you learned everything you know about surviving inside that arrangement. How to make yourself useful. How to make yourself invisible. How to read the room before the room read you.

You’re out now, or you’re telling yourself you are. The papers say one thing. The habits say another.

Ability Scores: Wisdom, Charisma, Dexterity

Feat: Alert

Skill Proficiencies: Insight, Deception

Tool Proficiency: One Gaming Set or Musical Instrument of your choice

Equipment: Choose A or B: (A) Common Clothes, a small personal token (the one thing you kept), forged or genuine release papers, 10 gp; or (B) 50 gp

Feature: Tell

Once per Short or Long Rest, after observing a creature or situation for at least 1 minute, you may ask the DM one of the following questions. The DM answers honestly based on current circumstances.

• Is this creature lying to me?
• Who holds the most authority in this group or room?
• Does this creature intend me harm?
• What does this creature want from me right now?
• Is this creature acting under duress or coercion?
• Where is the fastest escape route?