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): If this is your 1st roll on this table you were raised by animals or beasts. They can either be unintelligent creatures like wolves, or a sentient animal like a unicorn. You will have proficiency in Animal Handling. Continue on to Table 2 and it is up to you whether any siblings you have were your biological siblings, or your animal-parents own young, or a mixture.

(T.2): You were separated from your siblings at birth. Re-roll on this table to determine who they were, ignoring a result of 1, 2 or 20

(T.2): You are the youngest of a 7 sibling family.

Choose one...
(T.3): Plague strikes down most of your family. You are sick as well, so roll and Table 31 to see how you fare. You choose to have started adventuring after this tragedy.
(T.3): Plague strikes down most of your family. You are sick as well, so roll and table 31 to see how you fare. You can continue your backstory by rolling on table 17.

    >>>> (T.31): It’s tough, but you pull through with high spirits and no permanent damage.

(T.17): War! You have been drafted. Roll on Table 22.

(T.22): Your unit and an enemy unit end up in a stand-off. Try negotiate a truce on Table 28.

(T.28): All you manage to do is anger one party to the point it wants to hunt you down. Roll on Table 19 to try escape their wrath.

(T.19): You are captured and (re)sold into slavery. Go to Table 16.

(T.16): You escape your life as a slave, and want to make the one responsible pay. If you have not yet encountered a villain who could be responsible for your enslavement, roll on Table 5 now. Either way, proceed to Table 9.

    >>>> (T.5): A noble.

(T.9): You bit off more than you can chew; your enemy is far too powerful for you to take on. Resort to trying to talk your way out of trouble on Table 28.

(T.28): You are so bad at trying to negotiate that you actually may have started a war. At any rate, you find you are pressed into service on Table 22.

(T.22): After demonstrating your skills on the battlefield, you are quietly put on permanent guard duty for the baggage trains. Roll on Table 20.

(T.20): As the caravan stops overnight, you are joined by some fellow travelers. Unfortunately, as you all turn in for the evening, they reveal that they are vampires and attack. You are forced to flee, pursued by these dangerous and dogged enemies as they hunt you for sport. You are fortunate enough to stumble upon a consecrated temple which provides you with shelter. Proceed to Table 27.

(T.27): You have a strange vision in the church that none there can explain. The send you in search of an oracle to do so instead on Table 11.

(T.11): In your search, you turn up the activities of a villain. Roll on Table 5 to determine which villain. Then try escape their wrath on Table 19.

    >>>> (T.5): A dragon.

(T.19): Fate interrupts your flight on Table 17.

(T.17): You have one to many drinks at a tavern and become involved in a brawl on Table 23.

(T.23): You end up unconscious on the floor, but the tavern owner admires your style and keeps you out of trouble with the law. You still have to work off some of the damages though. While working, you overhear a conspiracy. When you report it, you are hired to infiltrate the conspirator's group. Roll on Table 29.

(T.29): A dangerous villain is working with your targets. Roll on Table 5 to see what villain. Through superior skills in Deception, you manage to get close to this villain and steal the information you need. However, after you've gone they figure out you were the spy and you must try escape on Table 19.

    >>>> (T.5): A giant.

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

(T.21): You share a cell with another: roll on Table 15 to see their crime. You both manage to orchestrate an escape: flee on Table 19.

    >>>> (T.15): Smuggling.

(T.19): You manage to shake your pursuers who appear to give up, for now. You will have proficiency in Stealth. Your life of adventure begins.


Total Rolls: 27
Your age is MIDDLE-AGED
The beginning of physical decline.
+1 INT, +1 WIS, +1 CHA, -1 STR, -1 DEX, -1 CON

Proficiencies:
Animal Handling
Deception
Stealth