Your family discovers a vain of mineral wealth, increasing their social status. However a rival clan takes it from your family by force leaving them penniless..
The character's cultural ties are to his current nation of residence. While the character's ancestors may have come from another land, he has no strong emotional, physical or cultural ties to another country
No significant societal gains, either technological, sociological or artistic are being made, or have been made in recent memory. Your culture has remained essentially as it is for generations. Rulers tend to emphasise maintaining the status quo.
Destitute: These people are considered the dregs of society. They own no property, and may have no fixed home. Some perform no real work and are often unemployable. Others are in bond to a master and live at his whim.
Guardian(s): This person or creature become the character's guardian(s). This is due to the parents being absent or the character was orphaned at a young age.
Divorce: During your adolescence your parents split up and you were forced to chose which parent to live with (Work with your DM to detirmine the details)
Hostile encounter. Followers of a god are persecuting unbelievers, you had a direct or indirect interaction with them. (work with your DM to determine details)