This tool is based on the work of user Arachobia on RPG Crossing with his permission. He had taken a list of tables from Dragon magazine #422 in an article called "Building Character" by Matt Sernett and updated them for 5th edition. I've turned them into an automatic tool for generating a characters background.

Instructions: Refresh the page to generate a new background story. As always, you can use it however you like and fill in your own details. Your age and acquired proficiencies are listed at the bottom and are based on the results you got. Try to pick a Race/Class/Background combo that fulfills all the proficiencies. Your age may also result in ability score modifiers that can be applied after building your character.

...or ignore everything and do whatever you want. Whatever.
Background Generator

(T.101): One of your parents was a merchant.

(T.102): If this is your 2nd (or higher) roll on this table, you were separated from your siblings as a child. Continue on to Table 2 to determine these siblings, re-rolling if you roll a 1, 2 or 20.

(T.2): An older brother.

(T.3): You left to search for a missing or distant sibling. If you thought you were an only child, turns out you were wrong and you learn of a half-sibling to seek out. Roll on Table 11.

(T.11): Good idea: Plying folk with drinks to try find information. Bad idea: Drinking so much yourself that you start a brawl in the tavern. Stagger on over to Table 23.

(T.23): Your clumsiness, be it alcohol induced or not, results in the inn going up in flames. Flee the repercussions of accidental arson on Table 19.

(T.19): You are captured and imprisoned on Table 21.

(T.21): You become known as a troublemaker, and eventually your captor or your guards decide it'll be easier to just hand you over to slavers. Roll on Table 16.

(T.16): You lead a slave revolt! Too bad it is brutally crushed. You carry on serving, but now you are chained up, heavily guarded, mocked by your captors and despised by other slaves. Roll on this table again.

(T.16): You make a break for it! Run for your freedom on Table 19.

(T.19): With the constant need to evade those who pursue you, you develop a lack of trust and are always trying to suss out everybody's intentions. You will have proficiency in Insight. Roll on Table 8 to see where you eventually end up.

(T.8): A haunted house. You escape, but are left with a curse. See Table 7.

(T.7): You were cursed to never again taste food or experience any joy from music or song. Can you find the information you need to lift this curse on Table 11?

(T.11): You discover you need more information to find what you seek. You will have proficiency in Investigation. Roll on this table again, but regardless of what you were searching for originally, you now are seeking information.

(T.11): Good idea: Plying folk with drinks to try find information. Bad idea: Drinking so much yourself that you start a brawl in the tavern. Stagger on over to Table 23.

(T.23): You manage to fight or sneak your way out of the fight before the law shows up. You either have proficiency in Athletics or Stealth. Roll on Table 8 to see where you lay low.

(T.8): A travelling circus. You can travel with them, but only if you can join the act on Table 30.

[d20 = 9]
(T.30): You're put in charge of training the animals. Roll a d20. If you roll less than 12, one of the animal’s escapes and you are told to hunt it down. Start tracking on Table 25.

(T.25): Beneath the earth you are suddenly confronted by a mind flayer. It waves its tentacles and you black out. When you come too, you eerily seem to have new knowledge. You will have proficiency in Arcana and are able to read, write, understand and speak deep speech. You also are somewhere else entirely: roll on Table 8 to see where.

[d20 = 4]
(T.8): A grove sacred to a community of dryads and treants. Roll a d20 now. If lower than 12, they curse you for your transgression. Roll on Table 7.

(T.7): Your hand turns to a sort of mobile stone. You can experience nothing in it: pain, heat or touch. Only divine powers can cure you, but in exchange you must serve the temple on Table 27.

(T.27): You behave in an offensive way. The god(s) are angered and curse you. Roll on Table 7.

(T.7): You were cursed to never again taste food or experience any joy from music or song. Can you find the information you need to lift this curse on Table 11?

(T.11): You find what you are looking for. You will have proficiency in Investigation. Roll on the associated table depending on what you were looking for: Information - Table 14.

(T.14): You find the information! Your life of adventure begins with it in your possession.


Total Rolls: 25
Your age is MIDDLE-AGED
The beginning of physical decline.
+1 INT, +1 WIS, +1 CHA, -1 STR, -1 DEX, -1 CON

Proficiencies:
Insight
Investigation
Athletics or Stealth
Arcana
Language: Deep Speech