Wildling

You grew up in the wilderness, alone, or raised by animals. Whether adopted as part of a wolf pack, hiding in watery caverns deep underground, or swinging through the trees as the king of the jungle, your true home will always be the great outdoors, your best friends the animals and creatures which populate it. Part of you always yearns to return to that simple existence.

Skill Proficiencies

Animal Handling, Survival, Athletics

Tool Proficiencies

You have no tool proficiences; instead you gain a third skill proficiency (above).

Languages

You have no bonus languages; instead you gain a third skill proficiency (above).

Equipment

Ragged clothing, 50' rope (vine), dagger (stone), sling, spear. You may not start with any other equipment or with any money.

Customization

Choose or roll on the following table to determine an animal affinity and favored terrain. You were brought up by these animals, and your behavior often resembles them.

1. Plains; wolves.

2. Jungle; apes.

3. Aquatic; dolphins.

4. Mountains; yeti.

5. Underground; myconids.

6. Arctic; polar bears.

7. Desert; hyenas.

8. Plains; lions.

9. Hills; eagles.

10. Swamp; frogs.

Feature

Your favored animal type will never attack you; indeed, you can rely upon them for assistance and aid. In addition, you gain advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made in your favored terrain type, enabling you to easily follow tracks, hunt, guide and more in that environment.

Suggested Characteristics

Wildlings can be basic and feral in nature, struggling to understand the ways of civilized society. Often their behaviors and values resemble those of their adopted animal type, and can appear alien or amusing to more educated people.

Personality Trait

1. I do not trust civilized folk; I only trust my animal friends. While I will work with and travel with them, I will always be suspicious of their motives.

2. I'll believe pretty much anything I'm told; all this worldy stuff is new to me.

3. I am fearful of technology and architecture, and it can take a lot of work to persuade me to interact with it.

4. This brave new world excites me; I am cheerful, open, and enthusiastic!

5. My curiosity is my strongest trait. I am fascinated by new things, and seek to learn more of them.

6. I am hostile and aggressive, especially towards civilized people.

Ideal

1. Company. I grew up with a pack or herd, and I feel uncomfortable when not with others. (Law)

2. Nature. I feel I need to protect nature from the artifice of civilization. (Chaos)

3. Instinct. The most important things are food, sleep, and safety. My fight or flight impulse is finely tuned. (Any)

4. Protection. I was the protector of my pack or herd, and that has stayed with me. I range about the perimeter, stand guard, and look after my companions as best I can. (Good)

5. Ferocity. I learned young that only the strongest survive. There is no room for weakness; any potential threat must be destroyed. (Evil)

6. Property. I love the new shiny, and I must have it! I may not understand its value, but it is exotic and desirable to me. (Any)

Bond

1. I seek my real parents, wishing to know why they abandoned me.

2. I have a constant companion, a member of my former pack or herd. I will do anything to protect them.

3. I yearn to return to my home, and vow to do so once my mission is done.

4. I seek revenge on those who killed my family, leaving me to grow up alone in the wild.

5. I am looking for a new, safe home for my former pack or herd.

6. I fell in love with the first civilized person I saw; a love that goes unrequited.

Flaw

1. My speech is basic, guttural, and consists of few words. Sometimes I find it hard to make myself understood.

2. I stink. I smell so bad that others avoid my company.

3. I have an unpleasant habit brought from my upbringing - perhaps I eat meat raw, or kill others' pets.

4. I can explode into violence at any moment, often unproved; civilized folks do not understand the animal ways and body language which tell me when to attack.

5. I will not enter a building or structure without at least an hour's persuasion.

6. I walk in an unusual way - perhaps like an ape, or on all fours like a wolf.

Read more: http://www.enworld.org/forum/5ebackgrounds/showentry.php?e=12&catid=1#ixzz3eyjzkEhl