Faction Agent

Many organizations. These factions pursue their agendas without regard for political boundaries, and their members operate anywhere the organization deems necessary. These groups employ listeners, rumormongers, smugglers, sellswords, cache-holders (people who guard caches of wealth or magic for use by the faction's operatives), haven keepers, and message drop minders, to name a few. At the core of every faction are those who don't merely fulfill a small function for that organization, but who serve as its hands, head, and heart.
As a prelude to your adventuring career (and in preparation for it), you served as an agent of a particular faction. You might have operated openly or secretly, depending on the faction and its goals, as well as how those goals mesh with your own. Becoming an adventurer doesn't necessarily require you to relinquish membership in your faction (though you can choose to do so), and it might enhance your status in the faction.
Factions of The Maecodian Confederation: The lack of large, centralized governments is likely directly responsible for the proliferation of independent organizations. If your background is as an agent for one of the main factions of the human lands, here are some possibilities.
The Brass Tower: The Brass Tower runs an orphanage that caters to war orphans and children whose parents die in various conflicts or incursions. These orphans are raised with the ethos of the Brass Tower, which is either self-sacrifice or brainwashed psychotics depending on your point of view. These orphans leave for adulthood with a strict sense of honor and duty, and a solid gratitude for the mages that raised them. Even if they have no magic, they work to the benefit of the Tower.
The College of Questions: The Witchfinders employ many sympathetic agents in their search for evil. These range from true believers to those who owe their lives to witchfinders to mercenaries to terrified targets hoping to remain alive through usefulness.
The Guilds: A brisk business of merchant espionage and assassination belies the underbelly of the various trade and merchant's guilds.
Plutarchs: Plutarchs often have small organizations with a wide reach.
These are only a few examples, any organization will employ agents and is therefore eligible for this background.
Skill Proficiencies: Any two
Tool Proficiencies: Choose ONE: Forgery Kit, Thieves' Tools.
Languages: None
Equipment: Choose ONE: A Dungeoneering Pack, Scholar's Pack, Burglar's Pack, Diplomat's Pack, or Explorer's Pack. Additionally, add one Faction Signet and a pouch containing 15 GP.
Feature: Ready Employer.
Anywhere your faction exists, they will have the opportunity for work for you. You will never be idle if you do not choose to be, and you will never be broke so long as you are willing to do the work. You know how to find your local representative, and can do so quickly. 


d8 Personality Trait  1 I am loyal to a fault - to my employer.
2 I'm in it for the money and the perks. My faction and I are strictly transactional, and they know it.
3 I am reflexively protective of my faction and their interests.
4 I am cagey and defensive much of the time. Espionage will do that to you.
5 I am contemptuous of people outside my faction.
6 I am a sleeper agent - You'd never know who I work for until I get orders that can't be hidden.
7 I look for advantage in every situation - and I always have an exit strategy
8 I am reflexively duplicitous.

d6 Ideal
1 Greater Good. My faction will improve the lives of many. (Good)
2 Transaction. I do the work, I get paid. No exceptions, and no refunds. (Neutral)
3 Sadism. I enjoy slipping a dagger into an enemy agent. Sometimes I even do it for free. (Evil)
4 Advancement. I work to raise rank in my faction. I may take it over one day. (Lawful)
5 Indifference. It's a living. (Neutral)
6 Discontent. I've worked for this group for a while. I'm in the market for a new employer. (Chaotic)
d6 Bond
1 I owe my faction my life.
2 My faction is blackmailing me.
3 My faction uses fear to keep me in line.
4 My faction is in the right - they must dominate their field. 
5 I am privy to faction secrets. This ties us together forever.
6 An enemy agent outfoxed me recently. I'll find them and make it right.

d8 Flaw
1 My heart's just not in the work.
2 I'm wanted in several towns and cities.
3 I instinctively withhold vital information until I get permission to share it.
4 I am bigoted towards my faction's enemies.
5 My work has led me from one settlement to another, and I have an angry one-nighter in every one.
6 I would betray my own mother to my faction.
7 Steady work and the promise of it in perpetuity has gotten me used to the good life. I am a spendthrift.
8 Wetwork has revealed in me a secret - I am a sadist, and I'm not sure that I can actually stop killing.