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 an executioner.

(T.102): One of your parents was an executioner.

(T.2): Only child.

(T.3): You were apprenticed or sent to be trained. Roll on Table 4 to determine who by or what as.

(T.4): You show up for your lessons and your teacher is dead. Find out who killed them on table 5. Then retrace your steps back to Table 3, because you're going to have to try this whole 'leaving home thing' again.

    >>>> (T.5): A devil.

(T.3): Your parents need to give a noble a gift: you! Roll on Table 33

(T.33): The noble makes you do something illegal, for which you are arrested. They don't bother to intervene, and you rot in jail on Table 21.

(T.21): You spend a year rotting in captivity. Roll an Table 31 to see how this affects you, then roll on this table again.

    >>>> (T.31): You pull through easily enough. You will have proficiency in Survival.

(T.21): You spend a year rotting in captivity. Roll an Table 31 to see how this affects you, then roll on this table again.

    >>>> (T.31): You find this 'hardship' almost trivial and come out of it even stronger than before. You will have proficiency in Survival and Athletics.

(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 are liberated by an army and compelled to join them yourself on Table 22.

(T.22): You end up in a losing siege in a castle or fort. Faced with a choice of either being cornered or slaughtered, or following a secret subterranean pathway, you take the latter option. Descend to Table 25.

(T.25): Beneath the earth, you discover a huge statue with ruby eyes. You pry one lose, but then are forced to flee when a tribe of goblins chases you out of the tunnels. On the bright side, they chase you back to the surface where you sell the ruby for a tidy profit. You will have +50% starting gold. On the downside, it turns out the ruby cursed you. Roll on Table 7.

(T.7): One of your hands is a twisted and scaly claw. You have no idea how to remove this ailment, and your life of adventuring begins with you still seeking an answer.


Total Rolls: 17
Your age is ADULT
Adults are at the most equalized stage of development. From here their physical body will begin to weaken while their minds and personalities benefit from experience.
Adults have no modifiers to their attributes.

Proficiencies:
Survival
Athletics
50% More Starting Gold