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Diceling
2019-11-26, 06:41 AM
So, due to a series of failed CHA saves, my beautiful Sariel Nalidon, a Bard 3/Sorc 2/Pala 2, died.

After talking it over with the rest of the party and the DM, it's been decided that he will be brought back: the other party members will travel to the realm of the dead and bring back his soul.
So far, so good.

When he comes back, he will be different. I will change up his level composition (remove the bard levels and add pala levels instead), change a stat or two and change his background (which is currently Criminal/Spy). All of this serves to make the death actually be felt: he's not just resurrected and comes back as the same old Sariel.

The level change-up is quite straight-forward, as is the stat changes, but where I'm struggling (and the reason for this post, is the change of background. I've looked around for a good resurrected/reborn background (either official or homebrew), but have yet to find one. I, thus, beseech you, fellow Giants, to help me design such a Background.

Some design notes and character info:
- Sariel is the great-grandson of the Angel Kára: an angel serving the Death Goddess in bringing fallen warriors and soldiers to the afterlife (Think Valkyrie and you come extremely close).
- Kára views Sariel as her chosen one, and wanted him to become her avatar/paragon on the mortal plane. He didn't.
- Now that Sariel died, Kára wants him to be resurrected, but can't just allow him to go back, not without a fight/battle.
- The resurrection process will be in two parts: the party's quest to the realm of the dead, and Káras involvement in bringing him back.
- Narrative-wise, I'm thinking that his return will be quite like when Gandalf is reintroduced in the LOTR movies: "I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide", "I've been brought back, to finish what's been started", etc etc.
- He'll still have most of his memories, but there wil lbe som confusion regarding his new abilities, and the loss of his previous one. Ex: *casts Find Steed* "Alright, let's go." *party looks at him with confusion* "What, why are you looki... I... I couldn't do that before, could I?"
- I'd love the Background to have some uniqueness to it, some speical ability or feature that is not seen elsewhere. Not just skills/languages/equipment.
- If you feel like it, please add suggested characteristics as you find appropriate.

Thank you in advance!

Guy Lombard-O
2019-11-26, 09:51 AM
Not exactly a Background feature, but maybe you could do something where he never actually sleeps anymore. Make a Cha save each long rest, on a success you stay awake like the warlock's Aspect of the Moon. On a failed save, you lapse back into a death-like state like an 8 hour Feign Death.

Tawmis
2019-11-26, 06:26 PM
And if you have a background and want to expand on it - or something. Just check out my signature! I love doing this type of stuff. :)

Anderlith
2019-11-26, 06:29 PM
Use Haunted One from Curse of Strahd. It’s perfect

Corpus
2019-11-26, 11:46 PM
Use Haunted One from Curse of Strahd. It’s perfect

Also the Far Traveler background with a bit of creative writing added in would work well.

Aussiehams
2019-11-27, 06:19 AM
I'm not sure what kind of Sorc he was, but maybe change it to Shadow.

JakOfAllTirades
2019-11-27, 05:03 PM
Here's a homebrewed background for resurrected characters you might find interesting.

https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Revenant_(5e_Background)

Sariel Vailo
2019-11-29, 01:51 PM
Did someone already play that song "why did it happen to me."

Toofey
2019-11-30, 09:07 PM
could come back as a tiefling... not sure what race they are already.

BloodSnake'sCha
2019-12-01, 01:24 AM
I think you can use the revived rogue for inspiration.