zoroaster100
First Post
I came up with this as a new background option for my players. Please let me know what you think and feel free to suggest improvements or additions if you think they are needed.
Undead Hunter
Hunting the undead is more an obsession than a profession. You have spent your life until now learning how to hunt the undead. You have scoured oral traditions, legends and scholarly lore about these vile abominations to learn how to find them, how to defend against them, and most importantly, how to destroy them.
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Herbalism kit
Equipment: A holy symbol, a wooden stake, a vial of holy water, a garland of garlic, a small mirror, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Feature: Secrets of the Dead
You know all the common folklore about the abilities and weaknesses of common types of undead (what the typical village priest, shaman or elder would know about these creatures). Folk that know they are menaced by undead will give you any common supplies or equipment you need, as well as a place to stay, and information you need, in your pursuit of undead, so long as they don’t knowingly have to put their lives or that of their loved ones at risk. When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of information about an undead or type of undead, necromancy, or items, gods, or rituals or other magic or lore related to the undead, if you do not know that information, you often know where you can find it, though obtaining it may require significant effort in some cases, or even be difficult or impossible to obtain.
Suggested Characteristics
Undead hunters are generally a dark and brooding sort, shunned by normal people due to their obsession (some would say insane obsession), but sought after when there is need at hand due to the threat of the undead. Undead hunters sometimes let their obsessive hatred of the undead get the better of them, by getting themselves in over their heads, or by hardening themselves to the point of losing their own humanity and compassion in order to make themselves strong enough to wipe out the obscenity against life that undead represent.
d8 Personality Trait
1. I don’t like to get too close to people. If they are turned someday, I may have to kill my own loved ones (again).
2. I am very compassionate to the family of those who’ve become undead or been killed by undead.
3. I cherish life and joy when not hunting, to forget the darkness of the undead for a time.
4. I pity each undead, for once they were alive and now exist in a state of abomination. I weep for each one I put to rest, but only when my task is done.
5. I have little patience for the follies of the living. The undead have no weaknesses, so we must be just as hard.
6. I am prone to dark and sullen moods because of the horrors I have seen and done.
d6 Ideal
1. Duty. My work is essential and must be done at any cost. (Lawful)
2. Life. My work saves and protects and celebrates life, for undeath is its antithesis. (Good)
3. Death. Eternal rest is everyone’s right. I help those who have lost their way to find it. (Lawful)
4. Vengeance. My loved ones were victims of the undead. I shall not rest until none walk the earth. (Any)
5. Faith. My faith decrees these vile things are abominations and we must destroy them. (Any)
6. Compassion. I must help those who are in danger from the menace of the undead, and release those who have already succumbed. (Good)
d6 Bond
1. My village/town/neighborhood/region is afflicted by undead and I must cleanse it.
2. I am part of a network of other undead hunters, and whatever our differences, when it comes to hunting the undead, we are as one.
3. My loved one was turned by the undead, but I don’t know where he/she is. One day I will find him/her and free him/her from that curse.
4. I released one from the clutches of undeath. The family saw it differently and now hunts me as a murderer.
5. My mentor was killed by a powerful vampire (or other undead) that probably now seeks me out to kill me or turn me too.
6. My loved one(s) was turned by the undead, but I cannot bear to destroy him/her/them yet. Perhaps when I’ve destroyed many undead, I will grow numb enough to do what must be done.
d6 Flaw
1. I am stubborn and prone to taking risks when it comes to slaying the undead or those who create them.
2. I’m prone to drink, or other forms of intense entertainment when I’m not actively hunting, to forget the horrors I have seen and done.
3. I can be overzealous in spotting the signs of the undead, perhaps even sometimes when they are not involved.
4. My manners with the living are crude, since I spend so little time with them.
5. I am horrified of being turned undead, and will sometimes panic if it looks like that may happen.
6. I am unforgiving of those who fail to do what must be done against the undead.
Undead Hunter
Hunting the undead is more an obsession than a profession. You have spent your life until now learning how to hunt the undead. You have scoured oral traditions, legends and scholarly lore about these vile abominations to learn how to find them, how to defend against them, and most importantly, how to destroy them.
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation, Religion
Tool Proficiency: Herbalism kit
Equipment: A holy symbol, a wooden stake, a vial of holy water, a garland of garlic, a small mirror, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp
Feature: Secrets of the Dead
You know all the common folklore about the abilities and weaknesses of common types of undead (what the typical village priest, shaman or elder would know about these creatures). Folk that know they are menaced by undead will give you any common supplies or equipment you need, as well as a place to stay, and information you need, in your pursuit of undead, so long as they don’t knowingly have to put their lives or that of their loved ones at risk. When you attempt to learn or recall a piece of information about an undead or type of undead, necromancy, or items, gods, or rituals or other magic or lore related to the undead, if you do not know that information, you often know where you can find it, though obtaining it may require significant effort in some cases, or even be difficult or impossible to obtain.
Suggested Characteristics
Undead hunters are generally a dark and brooding sort, shunned by normal people due to their obsession (some would say insane obsession), but sought after when there is need at hand due to the threat of the undead. Undead hunters sometimes let their obsessive hatred of the undead get the better of them, by getting themselves in over their heads, or by hardening themselves to the point of losing their own humanity and compassion in order to make themselves strong enough to wipe out the obscenity against life that undead represent.
d8 Personality Trait
1. I don’t like to get too close to people. If they are turned someday, I may have to kill my own loved ones (again).
2. I am very compassionate to the family of those who’ve become undead or been killed by undead.
3. I cherish life and joy when not hunting, to forget the darkness of the undead for a time.
4. I pity each undead, for once they were alive and now exist in a state of abomination. I weep for each one I put to rest, but only when my task is done.
5. I have little patience for the follies of the living. The undead have no weaknesses, so we must be just as hard.
6. I am prone to dark and sullen moods because of the horrors I have seen and done.
d6 Ideal
1. Duty. My work is essential and must be done at any cost. (Lawful)
2. Life. My work saves and protects and celebrates life, for undeath is its antithesis. (Good)
3. Death. Eternal rest is everyone’s right. I help those who have lost their way to find it. (Lawful)
4. Vengeance. My loved ones were victims of the undead. I shall not rest until none walk the earth. (Any)
5. Faith. My faith decrees these vile things are abominations and we must destroy them. (Any)
6. Compassion. I must help those who are in danger from the menace of the undead, and release those who have already succumbed. (Good)
d6 Bond
1. My village/town/neighborhood/region is afflicted by undead and I must cleanse it.
2. I am part of a network of other undead hunters, and whatever our differences, when it comes to hunting the undead, we are as one.
3. My loved one was turned by the undead, but I don’t know where he/she is. One day I will find him/her and free him/her from that curse.
4. I released one from the clutches of undeath. The family saw it differently and now hunts me as a murderer.
5. My mentor was killed by a powerful vampire (or other undead) that probably now seeks me out to kill me or turn me too.
6. My loved one(s) was turned by the undead, but I cannot bear to destroy him/her/them yet. Perhaps when I’ve destroyed many undead, I will grow numb enough to do what must be done.
d6 Flaw
1. I am stubborn and prone to taking risks when it comes to slaying the undead or those who create them.
2. I’m prone to drink, or other forms of intense entertainment when I’m not actively hunting, to forget the horrors I have seen and done.
3. I can be overzealous in spotting the signs of the undead, perhaps even sometimes when they are not involved.
4. My manners with the living are crude, since I spend so little time with them.
5. I am horrified of being turned undead, and will sometimes panic if it looks like that may happen.
6. I am unforgiving of those who fail to do what must be done against the undead.
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Well written too 
