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 farmer.

(T.102): One of your parents was a soldier.

(T.2): You're the bastard! You have two brothers and two sisters.

(T.3): Your family is ensorcelled. A wizard offers to help remove the spell, but only if you help them out in exchange. Roll on Table 10.

(T.10): You attempt to make a potion and test it on yourself. This makes you sick. See the results of your illness on Table 31, then roll on this table again.

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

(T.10): You accidentally break one of the wizard's magical trinkets, and the furious mage turns you into a toad. You spend a year living in a swamp before the spell wears off. In your original form, see if you can survive the swamp on Table 24.

(T.24): You find some sort of road, trail or other route to follow to Table 8.

(T.8): A mobile community of river-dwelling halfings who travel by barge. They teach you some hunting skills. You will have proficiency in Survival. Re-roll on this table, ignoring a result of 20, to see where the river takes you.

(T.8): A villain's lair. Find the villain on Table 5, then continue to Table 9.

    >>>> (T.5): A troll.

(T.9): You become trapped with your enemy. Now, former foes must work together to survive! Roll on Table 31 to see how you in particular fare from this arrangement, then roll on Table 8 to see where you eventually ended up after enduring your ordeal and parting ways with your possibly former enemy (or they ran away once they no longer needed you).

    >>>> (T.31): You nearly die and are permanently physically scarred. You suffer a pronounced limp, a wracking cough, a twisted hand, a blind eye or some other ailment or combination of ailments.

[d20 = 2]
(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): 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: 15
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