It’s the Halloween season. There’s something about this holiday which delights the imagination of tabletop role players everywhere. It’s probably our active imaginations that make us think about the things that could go bump in the night and terrorize us. This season appeals to me for that reason. Ever since I was a kid I loved reading scary stories, even though they terrified the pants off of me. In honor of the season I’ve decided to write up a blog post about something scary.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who remembers these.
On a related note people really seemed to enjoy the backgrounds I’ve been posting lately. The Parent and Retired Adventurer backgrounds are among some of my most popular posts ever. To that end I wanted to give you something you’d love that went with the frightful holiday season. So I got to thinking and decided I wanted a background for someone who’s lived for years under the direct control of a ghost, fiend, vampire, mind flayer, aboleth, or some other horrific creature. The thrall is now broken, but that PC’s adventuring career is forged by the trials and cruelties suffered as a slave. With that in mind I present to you, the possessed background.
Possessed
You have spent a significant amount of time under the thrall of some malicious entity which controlled your every action. It could be that the mind controlling dominance of an aberration or vampire brought about your slavery or you may have been possessed by some undead spirit or fiend. Under the thrall of this being you might have been forced into heavy labor, gladiatorial combat, or some more unpleasant machinations that were part of the villain’s greater scheme. The being might have been practical and controlled you in a pragmatic way, or it could have been a right villain which delighted in cruelty and made you hurt the people who loved you. It is up to you whether you remember all the details and your actions during the possession or if you only have fragments of memory to piece together.
What was the end result of your possession? Did someone drive the evil presence out of you? Did the being leave of its own accord? Was it destroyed or it did it promise to return to take you again some day? How has the possession left you feeling? Sad and broken? Ready to take on the world again? Terrified it may happen again?
Skills: Deception, Perception
Tool Proficiencies: One type of artisan’s tools, gaming set, or musical instrument which reflects the hobbies and taste of the being who possessed you.
Languages: One of your choice
Equipment: A set of common clothes, a small knife, a wearable trinket like a ring or bracelet given to you by the being who possessed you which cannot be thrown away or destroyed, and belt pouch containing 15 gp
Feature: Living Conduit
As a creature who has previously been possessed for a long time, you share a connection with the specific type of creature which possessed you (e.g. ghosts). As a result you can tap into the minds of such creatures and seek information on a specific subject by meditating for a day during downtime. The quality of this information is up to the DM. It usually comes in fragments and flashes and if the creatures you seek know nothing about the subject, your meditation yields no information.
Suggested Characteristics
Possession isn’t a normal thing and the end of the ordeal almost never leaves the host alive. You are a rare creature to have been possessed for so long and lived. As a result it might be difficult for others to relate to you. Do you keep this part of your past to yourself in order to work with your party or constantly talk about the experience to help them understand what you went through? How does being so closed off or so open affect the rest of your life? It might be difficult for you to trust others and you’re a natural skeptic when it comes to other’s kindness. What’s their game? Are they trying to manipulate you? Remember that manipulation is just another form of possession and you won’t let that happen again.
| d8 | Personality Traits |
| 1 | I am naturally jumpy and usually react to surprises with a quick expression of fear. |
| 2 | I have a distaste for a certain food I ate all the time while I was possessed. |
| 3 | My trust can only be earned by people who prove themselves in life-threatening situations. |
| 4 | Any mention of the kind of creature who possessed me causes rage. |
| 5 | I must talk about my possession experience in order to cope with it. |
| 6 | I mumble when I speak. |
| 7 | I must exercise each day to keep my demons at bay. |
| 8 | I never ask directly for what I want and talk around my request until you figure it out. |
| d6 | Ideals |
| 1 | Freedom. No person should be beholden to another. (Chaotic) |
| 2 | Power. The only way to prevent domination is to dominate others. (Evil) |
| 3 | Protection. Those who commit evil against the innocent must be stopped. (Good) |
| 4 | Respect. People deserve to be treated like people. (Lawful) |
| 5 | Redemption. I must prove to myself and others that my life is my own again. (Neutral) |
| 6 | Creativity. The freedom to express oneself is of the utmost importance and beauty. (Chaotic) |
| d6 | Bonds |
| 1 | The being which possessed me left a mark upon my skin I cannot remove. |
| 2 | While possessed I hurt someone close to me and I have yet to repair the relationship. |
| 3 | I haven’t been back to my hometown since my possession was ended. |
| 4 | I composed a poem in my head when I was possessed and even now it brings me comfort. |
| 5 | I still do not know the identity of the person who cured me of my possession. |
| 6 | If I had not been possessed I never would have met the love of my life. |
| d6 | Flaws |
| 1 | When I drink, I forget my past so I drink a lot. |
| 2 | I am cold and short when dealing with new people even if they are kind to me. |
| 3 | No one will ever understand how I feel so I probably shouldn’t bother explaining. |
| 4 | I took on a bit of my possessor’s love of cruelty and display that when questioning enemies. |
| 5 | I become emotionally attached and over-invested to a new love interest right away. |
| 6 | Physical pain makes me forget emotional pain so I seek out physical pain. |
How about a PDF of this background to take with as well as a PDF of all the backgrounds I’ve created? Links are below.
All Backgrounds
Possessed
And if you don’t grab it now, but want to grab it later, these documents will live forever on the Free Game Resources section of this site along with magic items, monsters, D&D fifth edition rules modules, spells, adventures, and more created by yours truly.
If you like what you’re reading, please check out my podcasts on The Tome Show, follow me on Twitter, tell your friends and share this blog post, and/or leave me a comment and let me know you think. Thanks!
Very nice! I actually just pulled out my copies of these books for my daughters. Let’s see if they like them. Thanks for the cool background idea I will have to morph this over to https://fyxtrpg.com/. I like that there is a little more emphasis on character background and story now. It always seems to help players get into their characters and to make for a byut
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome! Let me know how it works in your system. Thanks for the kind words!
LikeLike
This is a fun background- I may have to use it in an upcoming one shot game!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! If you do use it, let me know how it goes!
LikeLike