Paranoid Agent (5e Background)
Paranoid Agent
You were a part of an extremely secret magical organization, designed to learn the secrets of all beings and use those secrets to control the world. It's kind of like Illuminati, where every conspiracy turns out to be true and they are always watching. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, however, this organization doesn’t exist. They ignore the signs. In fact, you’ve never met anyone else who knows about it. How did you come into contact with this syndicate and gain their trust enough to be employed? Were you maybe taken as a child, or did you wander into something on accident when older? Since leaving, your only contact with them has been by giving brief reports to small, floating beings no one else can see, or hear. Are you actually insane? Are these real? Or is some powerful being playing with your head?
Skill Proficiencies: Perception and Investigation.
Tool Proficiencies: Disguise kit.
Languages: Thieves’ cant or Undercommon
Equipment: Disguise kit, common clothes, a hooded cloak, and a belt pouch containing 5gp.
Specialization
How do you go about collecting secrets? Can you talk your way out of any situation, hide in a corner and overhear, cast a spell? Or are you more obvious, acting ridiculous so people let their guard down, or trading secrets to other traveler amassing your wealth of knowledge.
| d6 | Specialization |
|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Tongue |
| 2 | Stealth |
| 3 | Master of Disguise |
| 4 | Mage Espionage |
| 5 | Jester |
| 6 | Trader of Secrets |
Feature: Privileged Perception
As a spy in good standing, you can call upon the powers of the order to help you find out secrets. You hear inconsistencies and changes in people's voice... even when no one else does. Your mastery of reading between the lines extends to sight as well. Between lines of text in anything you read smaller lines illuminate themselves, sharing insight about the original text, life, or whatever is most prominent in your mind. Symbols appear to you out of nowhere and you can see meaning in the most subliminal things. Be sure to work closely with your DM on this since you will likely uncover the paths to secrets easier than most.
Suggested Characteristics
Thought of as simply insane, most people have trouble taking you seriously if you talk about the order. Your thirst for personal information will have you quickly labeled as nosy, or even overtly rude.
| d8 | Personality Trait |
|---|---|
| 1 | You change your personality in every exchange, adapting to what you think is most likely to get someone to open up. |
| 2 | You quietly relay information to the order in front of others. |
| 3 | You rely on the order too heavily, so you never have a backup plan, or plan of escape. |
| 4 | In any conversation your goal is to find out someone’s personal secrets. |
| 5 | You unfailingly believe and defend any information from “the order”, even if it becomes clearly false. |
| 6 | You keep all personal information heavily guarded, prepared to die before giving away your secrets. |
| 7 | You sneak off to report new information as soon as you get it. |
| 8 | You hide behind a mask of overt insanity so no one takes you seriously. This allows you to spy in plain sight. |
| d6 | Ideal |
|---|---|
| 1 | Power: Those with power control those without. |
| 2 | Knowledge: Knowledge is power, so I spread secrets and gossip as a means to help allies and the less fortunate. |
| 3 | Responsibility: It is my duty to collect as much information as possible. |
| 4 | Sanity: I must find someone else in the order so I know I’m not crazy. |
| 5 | Respect: I will somehow prove the order is real to regain respect from those who think I’m crazy. |
| 6 | Greater good: The order will ensure a good future, I must do what I can to make that a reality. |
| d6 | Bond |
|---|---|
| 1 | The order and keeping it a secret, is the greatest importance in my life. |
| 2 | I’m wanted for ruining the lives of several nobles on accident. |
| 3 | I will one day prove my sanity, and return to my family. |
| 4 | I must eliminate anyone who discovers my own secrets, I know how powerful they can be. |
| 5 | I was told powerful fey will play an important role in the future. I protect them with everything I have. |
| 6 | My companions are the only personal connections I have, I do unto them what they do to me. |
| d6 | Flaw |
|---|---|
| 1 | I no longer understand social constructs and am often rude. |
| 2 | I’m a terrible liar. To avoid this I will jabber on about superficial and often boring things until I’m in the clear. |
| 3 | The need to find out new information often lands me in illegal, or otherwise sticky situations. |
| 4 | I think everyone is out to get me; I trust no one, and may lash out without warning when I feel uncomfortable. |
| 5 | I blab secrets when I feel threatened in hopes to avert anger, and attention from me. |
| 6 | I lie about anything having to do with me, even mundane information like my height. |
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