Dungeons & Dragons 5e Background: Desert Runner
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Desert Runner
You grew up in the desert. As a nomad, you moved from place to place, following the caravan trails. Your upbringing makes you more than just accustomed to desert living—you thrive there. Your family has lived in the desert for centuries, and you know more about desert survival than life in the towns and cities
Features
Feature: Nomad
Living in the open desert has allowed your body to
adapt to a range of environmental conditions. You
can survive on 1 gallon of water in hot conditions
(or 1⁄2 gallon in normal conditions) without being
forced to make Constitution saving throws, and you
are considered naturally adapted to hot climates.
While in a desert, you can read the environment to
predict natural weather patterns and temperatures for
the next 24 hours, allowing you to cross dangerous
terrain at the best times. The accuracy of your
predictions is up to the GM, but they should be
reliable unless affected by magic or unforeseeable
events, such as distant earthquakes or volcanic
eruptions.
Suggested Characteristics
Those raised in the desert can be the friendliest of humanoids—knowing allies are better than enemies in that harsh environment—or territorial and warlike, believing that protecting food and water sources by force is the only way to survive.
Traits
| d8 | Personality Trait | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I’m much happier sleeping under the stars than in a bed in a stuffy caravanserai. | |
| 2 | It’s always best to help a traveler in need; one day it might be you. | |
| 3 | I am slow to trust strangers, but I’m extremely loyal to my friends. | |
| 4 | If there’s a camel race, I’m the first to saddle up! | |
| 5 | I always have a tale or poem to share at the campfire. | |
| 6 | I don’t like sleeping in the same place for more than two nights in a row. | |
| 7 | I’ve been troubled by dreams for the last month. I am determined to uncover their meaning. | |
| 8 | I feel lonelier in a crowded city than I do out on the empty desert sands. |
Ideal
| d6 | Ideal | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater Good. The needs of the whole tribe outweigh those of the individuals who are part of it. (Good) | |
| 2 | Nature. I must do what I can to protect the beautiful wilderness from those who would do it harm. (Neutral) | |
| 3 | Tradition. I am duty-bound to follow my tribe’s age-old route through the desert. (Lawful) | |
| 4 | Change. Things seldom stay the same and we must always be prepared to go with the flow. (Chaotic) | |
| 5 | Honor. If I behave dishonorably, my actions will bring shame upon the entire tribe. (Lawful) | |
| 6 | Greed. Seize what you want if no one gives it to you freely. (Evil) |
Bond
| d6 | Bond | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I am the last living member of my tribe, and I cannot let their deaths go unavenged. | |
| 2 | I follow the spiritual path of my tribe; it will bring me to the best afterlife when the time comes. | |
| 3 | My best friend has been sold into slavery to devils, and I need to rescue them before it is too late. | |
| 4 | A nature spirit saved my life when I was dying of thirst in the desert. | |
| 5 | My takoba sword is my most prized possession; for over two centuries, it’s been handed down from generation to generation. | |
| 6 | I have sworn revenge on the sheikh who unjustly banished me from the tribe. |
Flaw
| d6 | Flaw | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I enjoy the company of camels more than people. | |
| 2 | I can be loud and boorish after a few wineskins. | |
| 3 | If I feel insulted, I’ll refuse to speak to anyone for several hours. | |
| 4 | I enjoy violence and mayhem a bit too much. | |
| 5 | You can’t rely on me in a crisis. | |
| 6 | I betrayed my brother to cultists to save my own skin. |
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