Siderealist

Lommán’s Bonanza of Backgrounds: Siderealist

“She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes”
-Lord Byron, “She Walks in Beauty”

Adult Material

The following material contains sexual content, and may not be appropriate for all groups and/or players. Please do not use this material in a game without approval from the GM as well as the other players.

Playtest Version

This material is still in the process of being playtested. It is fully usable as written, but may be refined or changed in later versions. As always, this content should only be used with GM permission.

You had an encounter with…something. An entity from beyond removed you temporarily from this world, perhaps to save your life from peril, perhaps to learn about you, perhaps for reasons unknowable to a mortal mind, or perhaps even just to have some fun at your expense. The experience changed you, and not just by expanding your horizons. Your appearance has changed in subtle ways, and more importantly upon your return—to which you awoke entirely naked—you have discovered that you have both an affinity for the stars, allowing you to navigate by them readily even if you did not know how to do so before, as well as an intense, nearly irresistible revulsion to wearing clothing. Perhaps you can find magical clothing that you can abide, or enchanted items that cover you with an illusion of clothing…or perhaps the aversion is to concealing your body at all.

Uncanny Visitor

There are many strange things that might come from beyond the mundane world. Choose what type of visitor you encountered or roll on the table below.

d6	Visitor
1	A being from a bizarre realm far beyond the planes.
2	Travelers who voyage between the stars on the back of an immense butterfly.
3	A humanoid made from light which originated somewhere in the deep ethereal plane.
4	A strange entity that resided in the depths of the abyss long before demons inhabited it.
5	A wizard who summoned you to his tower in a place with orange skies and the wrong number of moons.
6	A group of short, skinny grey creatures with large heads.

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Intimidation
Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s Tools
Languages: One exotic language of your choice
Equipment: A strange memento of your visitation, navigator’s tools, a scroll case packed with notes you have made about your experience, a pouch, and 10 gp

Feature: Exceptional Specimen

Your existence provides evidence and insight into occult mysteries and secrets of the universe, and your appearance is noteworthy enough for rumors of your presence to rapidly spread to anyone with such interests. Wherever you go, you can easily gain access to those who deal in just about any kind of lore. They will happily make time to meet with you and your companions, as well as allow you to peruse their collections—though you may need to provide an exchange of information to access the portions of it that are usually kept secret.

Suggested Characteristics

Whether your visitation was long ago or very recent, it is a defining event in your life which has drastically changed how you see the world and your place in it. Do the lingering changes you have experienced grant you confidence, tempt you with promises of untapped potential, or embarrass you with they way they guarantee you will never be seen as normal? Do you know the degree to which your experience has altered your mind and body or is it yet to be fully discovered, or are you even oblivious to it, believing your new quirks are entirely ordinary?

d8	Personality Trait
1	I always make an impression, so I might as well make it an exciting one.
2	No big deal. I’ve seen weirder.
3	I don’t mind roughing it. I’ve seen things beyond what nature has to offer.
4	I revel in life in the here and now.
5	I am extremely confident in my own luck. Maybe it’s more than luck…
6	I constantly share bizarre theories I have which other people think are nonsense.
7	I hate to miss a chance to stargaze.
8	I prefer intuition to careful logic.

d6	Ideal
1	Destiny. Whether I was chosen for a reason or not, my experiences have set me on a path to glory.
2	Knowledge. I am living proof that there are still secrets in the world to be uncovered far beyond the lore of the scholars.
3	Reserve. I know I stand out for several reasons, so I try to be as polite and respectful as possible.
4	Boldness. There is no point in caution in a universe where fate may well have things far beyond imagining in store for you.
5	Power. I must know more about what happened to me, so I can harness it and become strong.
6	Friendship. After being marked by such a rare and bizarre event, the friends who remain with me are more precious than platinum.

d6	Bond
1	My visitation saved my life. I need to know more about who or what was responsible so I can thank them properly.
2	A suspicious, secretive group of people have been watching me ever since my experience. I am determined to figure out who they are and what they are up to.
3	I have an inexplicable and intense curiosity about an obscure ancient location.
4	Having been kidnapped myself, I will do just about anything to rescue someone else from that fate.
5	I want to experience as much as I can. Even things I’ve tried before seem more vivid after my visitation.
6	Sometimes I perceive cryptic prophecies or messages in the stars.

d6	Flaw
1	Something about my appearance is subtly uncanny. Nobody can put their finger on exactly what, and most don’t find it particularly disturbing, but I always seem out of place.
2	My compulsion against clothing unfortunately did not come with any increased level of comfort with being naked.
3	My emotions are wild and unpredictable, and I have difficulty controlling them.
4	Ever since my experience I have a constant faint background desire to reproduce and nothing can completely clear it from my mind.
5	I have a bad habit of trying to embarrass other people to take the attention off of me for a while.
6	Occasionally I become deeply unnerved about some totally ordinary thing, as if some alien instinct is reacting to it.

Legal Appendix

NOTICE OF OPEN GAME CONTENT
This product includes Open Game Content that may only be used under and in terms of the Open Game License Version 1.0a

DESIGNATION OF PRODUCT IDENTITY
Product Identity in this document designated in accordance with section 1(e) of the Open Game License, version 1.0a includes but is not limited to: Any and all Malachite Idol logos and identifying marks and trade dress, including all Malachite Idol product and product line names including but not limited to Malachite Idol Presents, all Malachite Idol logos, and all artwork, logos, symbols, designs, depictions, illustrations, maps and cartography, likenesses, and poses. Designated Product Identity is not Open Game Content.

DESIGNATION OF OPEN GAME CONTENT
All material in this document following the Playtest Version sidebar and prior to the Legal Appendix that is not otherwise designated as Product Identity is Open Game Content.

LICENSE

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a)”Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)”Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)”Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.

5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

END OF LICENSE