Your peoples culture is stagnating. It is slowly losing the social and cultural gains of earlier generations. Its rulers tend to be dictatorial or authoritarian, or power is held by a religious or occult organisation restricting control to its members.
Nobility: the Extremely Wealthy has lots and lots of money. However, they view the merely Wealthy as just penny-ante. The Extremely Wealthy own estates the size of baronies (even dukedoms), have armies of servants & throw parties that would beggar most.
Civil Strife! Conflict broke out during your youth causing social upheaval, your family was involved in the conflict (Work with your DM to detirmine your families involvement)
As an adult you joined a rebellion against the local ruler, if successful you are outlawed, if it failed you escape, with only friends and family knowing your involvement. (Work with your DM to detirmine the details)