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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Dec 2007 : 05:18:44
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One of my favorite parts of creating a character is inventing his backstory. So, I thought it would be interesting if everyone shared their favorite backstory or backstories (there's no rule that says you can only share one) that you ever invented for a character.
Here is one of mine.
Thomas Makiri was a half elven orphan found as an infant in the gutters of Suzail. The girl who found him worked at a brothel in that city. The madame and the other girls at the brothel took pity on him and took him in. Makiri grew up living in the brothel, and running the streets of Suzail as a petty thief. When he was in his early teens he was caught trying to rob the house of a minor noble, and given the option of time in jail or military service. He chose the later, and became a foot soldier in The Purple Dragons. Unfortunately military life did not agree with him, and he deserted (after striking a superior officer). Thomas Makiri is now a Fighter/Thief who travels under the name Wood the Ranger. The alias is necessary due to the fact that he is wanted in Cormyr for desertion.
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sirreus
Learned Scribe
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2007 : 18:43:02
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I wrote 73 pages of history including parent's birth and upbringing. this pc died so fast i missed it while blinking.
i still write histories for every pc i make. |
"The measure of an undisciplined mind, is that the intellect allows emotion to challenge the observed truth" Richard Baker |
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Fillow
Master of Realmslore
France
1608 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2007 : 19:51:48
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Hopefully, I do not create PC every day !
But when I do, the more difficult is the backstory.
Avoid the orphan found in front of a temple, the bastard of a prince, the son of a good elven mother and a bad human thief/sorcerer, the child who got wonderful powers thanks to... no one knows thanks to what but he was the hero of the village,....
A backstory have to be original with no waitable events for those who will make the effort to read it !
That's just my opinion.
A PC belongs to its creator, so every one do what he wants with his PC !  |
"Today is a good day to smile",
Fillow Big'n'Book Mahlemiut 'Lead-dog', Son of Garl, Wanderer of the Masked Leaf and Namer of Oghma.
- Fight in the arena and have fun ! : La brute.com
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I am a French FR fan, so please forgive my lapses in English language and do not hesitate to correct me. Thanks a lot. |
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Sian
Senior Scribe
Denmark
596 Posts |
Posted - 26 Dec 2007 : 21:24:57
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| my most memoriabel background history was my female dwarven Wizard who hailed from the semiforgotten Realm of Ammarindar, had even planed that she should get wind of the Thrones descriped in Dragon (number 350 i think it was ... anyone remember) and trying to find them when she became highlevel ... and trying to gather a dwarven army to clear out the old halls of Ammarindar and remake the kingdom |
what happened to the queen? she's much more hysterical than usual
She's a women, it happens once a month |
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Ergdusch
Master of Realmslore
Germany
1720 Posts |
Posted - 27 Dec 2007 : 10:35:15
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I believe, Sian, you talk about the thrones Volo discribted in Dragon #351... - in particular about the Queenthrone of Splendarrmornn.
Anyhow, to the topic I would like to add that IMO the background of the PC is only of minor importance to the game and the players as the played events are the moments one will remember a lifetime and longer... |
"Das Gras weht im Wind, wenn der Wind weht." |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 27 Dec 2007 : 14:18:27
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Very true, although background helps PCs feel more "real" and interesting plot hooks can be taken from them as well. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Brynweir
Senior Scribe
USA
436 Posts |
Posted - 27 Dec 2007 : 20:00:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
... interesting plot hooks can be taken from them as well.
I tend to enjoy my campaigns more when there is a personal touch, and plot hooks from character back stories certainly add a personal touch. |
Anyone who likes to read something that's really dark and gritty and completely awesome ought to read The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. You can check out a little taste at www.BrentWeeks.com I should probably warn you, though, that it is definitely not PG-13 :-D
He also started a new Trilogy with Black Prism, which may even surpass the Night Angel Trilogy in its awesomeness.
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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2007 : 08:51:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Ergdusch
I believe, Sian, you talk about the thrones Volo discribted in Dragon #351... - in particular about the Queenthrone of Splendarrmornn.
Anyhow, to the topic I would like to add that IMO the background of the PC is only of minor importance to the game and the players as the played events are the moments one will remember a lifetime and longer...
I don't know I feel that a character's backstory is a very important part of the character. Too many of the people I have played with over the years only think of the characters as a set of numbers; ability scores, THAC0, AC, etc. In my opinion this takes a lot of the fun out of roleplaying. It leads to a hack and slash mentallity where the game becomes all about collecting xp and magic items. Details about your character like where he is from, what his upbringing was like, why did he become an adventurer, etc., are all very important. Establishing these kind of things early on not only gives the DM fuel for future campaign ideas and plot twists, but it also gives your character a persona. Something that you can build on to actually have your character develop and change as the story of his life progresses. Besides, The Realms has such a rich history and variety of cultures, it seems like a real waste not to take advantage of that when you are creating your character. |
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Daviot
Senior Scribe
USA
372 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2007 : 10:15:12
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quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay
I don't know I feel that a character's backstory is a very important part of the character. Too many of the people I have played with over the years only think of the characters as a set of numbers; ability scores, THAC0, AC, etc. In my opinion this takes a lot of the fun out of roleplaying. It leads to a hack and slash mentallity where the game becomes all about collecting xp and magic items. Details about your character like where he is from, what his upbringing was like, why did he become an adventurer, etc., are all very important. Establishing these kind of things early on not only gives the DM fuel for future campaign ideas and plot twists, but it also gives your character a persona. Something that you can build on to actually have your character develop and change as the story of his life progresses. Besides, The Realms has such a rich history and variety of cultures, it seems like a real waste not to take advantage of that when you are creating your character.
Well said. I always start building my characters from the concept, and then match the rules (as best as I can), rather than the other way around. There's nothing wrong with starting with a class idea first, but this way, I tend to have a backstory cooked up by the time I begin. |
One usually has far more to fear from the soft-spoken wizard with a blade and well-worn boots than from the boisterous one in the ivory tower.
My Tabletop Writing CV. |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2007 : 21:37:15
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quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay
Besides, The Realms has such a rich history and variety of cultures, it seems like a real waste not to take advantage of that when you are creating your character.
Agreed 100%.
As far as developing characters goes, sometimes I have a backstory in mind first, other times I have a racial/class idea first and then build a backstory around it. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Wenin
Senior Scribe
585 Posts |
Posted - 31 Dec 2007 : 18:18:08
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I'm still looking for the GM running a D&D game where a detailed backstory will make a difference. I'm in one campaign now, that the GM would have it make a difference, but we played our characters from childhood. So we played our background.
The only game I've ever been in that I had a really detailed background was a SciFi game.
I created a frontier planet, basic political history and it's overall importance within that area of space. Set it all afire by writing how the government collapsed and led to a revolt and attempted coup. Wrote my character's background that went to his upbringing and his parents. Then wrote him into the story of the planet's revolt. He was on the loosing side.
Signed a contract with a corporation, that included getting his family off the planet. His family didn't make it, but with no future he went ahead with the contract, hiding within his work. Game started with him coming to lead his own corporate team. |
Session Reports posted at RPG Geek.
Stem the Tide Takes place in Mistledale.
Dark Curtains - Takes place in the Savage North, starting in Nesmé. I wrapped my campaign into the Hoard of the Dragon Queen, but it takes place in 1372 DR. |
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Eremite
Learned Scribe
Singapore
182 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2008 : 08:39:53
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I always DM but I typically write-up the backstories of my players' characters with input and final approval from them. Part of the reason is to ensure that there is a genuine reason for them to be adventuring together as well as to generate additional hooks for later adventures and character development.
One of the thing that amazes me both when I read this thread and also when I read other threads about campaigns on these boards is how effort is often put into developing backstories that are consistent with established Realmslore... but then the name chosen for the character is so inappropriate. Frex, "Thomas", above. With so many resources available these days to generate Realms-specific names, why resort to a real world name? |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
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Darkmeer
Senior Scribe
USA
505 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2008 : 22:20:53
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quote:
Originally posted by KnightErrantJR
This one was one of my favorites, and I still hope to get to use him again, because I only got to use him for a few adventures:
http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8807&SearchTerms=Nystar
I remember him, he was fun. I hope we get to use him later, too. First, we must find a party.
/d
Although, as a favorite, check out the KEJR's Mistledale campaign. Good ol' Grim Greycastle, who has more secrets than most PC's I've played (I usually play Paladins, Fighters, or Clerics).
Lessee, IF I remmber everything correctly, Grim angered a noble visiting Eveningstar, ran away from home, nearly starved to death in the forest and was taken under the wing of a local druid. Then some malarites decided that they wanted his master's book, and Grim entered the campaign with the forbidden tome (really a book detailing all the fey gateways of Faerun).
Secrets that have been revealed: Grim's mother and sister are still in Eveningstar. His mother is a seamstress, and his sister is still at home. Grim tries to send small amounts of money by carrier (usually him in disguise) to Eveningstar on his way to Silverymoon from the Dales. Due to various things in the campaign, he fears nothing more than his enemies finding his mother and sister and twisting them against him, or worse, outright killing them.
As to other secrets:
A few deneirath friends, his former master is a tressym, and he has a mysterious friend from his time as a "ne'er do well."
Some secrets came about from campaign play, but there are some that are from his actual history. All in all, a great and fun character to play, and I'm sure frustrating to DM for 
/d |
"These people are my family, not just friends, and if you want to get to them you gotta go through ME." |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36804 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2008 : 23:47:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Darkmeer
his former master is a tressym,
How does one have a winged cat as a mentor?  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen!  |
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KnightErrantJR
Great Reader
USA
5402 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 00:08:21
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| Ahem . . . a very special reincarnation . . . |
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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 09:50:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
I always DM but I typically write-up the backstories of my players' characters with input and final approval from them. Part of the reason is to ensure that there is a genuine reason for them to be adventuring together as well as to generate additional hooks for later adventures and character development.
One of the thing that amazes me both when I read this thread and also when I read other threads about campaigns on these boards is how effort is often put into developing backstories that are consistent with established Realmslore... but then the name chosen for the character is so inappropriate. Frex, "Thomas", above. With so many resources available these days to generate Realms-specific names, why resort to a real world name?
I like that idea about having the characters already know each other, or at least giving them a reason to adventure together. I am soooooo sick of meeting all the other PC's in a bar or tavern like it's some kind of adventurers dating service. "Hey, you look big and strong and you have a sword. Nice to meet you. Wanna go kill some Trolls." 
As far as the name goes I always try to give my characters either short one syllable names, and I often use real world names. I do this because it makes it easier for the other PC's to remember. I just got tired of my friends having to break character in the middle of a conversation to ask "what's your guy's name again" or pointing at me in combat and saying "dude help me out over here". I just recently hit upon the idea of using name tags to help facilitate in-character conversation (Hello my name is, Thragnarr the mighty, slayer of a thousand orcs). Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources? |
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Eremite
Learned Scribe
Singapore
182 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 10:41:20
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quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay (snip) Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources?
A small sample to save you using Google:
- The Forgotten Realms campaign setting has sample names for each region.
- ditto for Races of Faerun.
- Everlasting Book of Names (it has FR-specific chapters). Actually, you will have to use Google to find that one.
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 18:38:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
Frex, "Thomas", above. With so many resources available these days to generate Realms-specific names, why resort to a real world name?
Besides, I think making up names can be fun (sometimes). |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jan 2008 : 18:40:04
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quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay (snip) Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources?
A small sample to save you using Google:
- The Forgotten Realms campaign setting has sample names for each region.
- ditto for Races of Faerun.
- Everlasting Book of Names (it has FR-specific chapters). Actually, you will have to use Google to find that one.
And there are plenty of "generic" fantasy name generators out there, too. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Erik Scott de Bie
Forgotten Realms Author
USA
4598 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 01:22:25
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I personally think writing backstories is the best and funnest part of making a character. Or a campaign, for that matter.
My best GAMING backstory for a character would have to be an Eberron (gasp!) warmage I played for about 8 months, up to 8th level. That might have been best because of how integrated it was with the setting.
My best NOVEL backstory would be, in my opinion, my backstory for the star of tGT and DoM, the Fox-at-Twilight. Which is, of course, all hush-hush and all--'cuz the character is predicated on gradual revelation, and she might reappear someday. Who knows?
Cheers |
Erik Scott de Bie
'Tis easier to destroy than to create.
Author of a number of Realms novels (GHOSTWALKER, DEPTHS OF MADNESS, and the SHADOWBANE series), contributor to the NEVERWINTER CAMPAIGN GUIDE and SHADOWFELL: GLOOMWROUGHT AND BEYOND, Twitch DM of the Dungeon Scrawlers, currently playing "The Westgate Irregulars" |
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Stonwulfe
Seeker
Canada
81 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 01:48:13
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My best backstory for a character goes along with my longest-run character to date. It also coincides with my favorite moment in gaming.
We started off running a small 1st level Western Heartlands FR game, then moved (as many do) to Waterdeep. What was intended to be a couple weeks of adventuring turned into a seven year campaign, where most of the initial characters died and were successively replaced by other PCs. My character was one of two (of the original seven) to survive the duration; a plain Tethyrian rogue with a dexterity of 14 and not a one other stat higher than 12. He was chaotic neutral, completely apathetic for the most part, but he had a solid role in the party as the scout/trapfinder. His backstory was that he was a petty thief from Amn, and that he never had the gumption to belong to a guild, so he adventured. (Nothing impressive.) When asked about his employ, he'd always say, "I'm a gardner."
Well, about four years into the campaign, most of the players began to seriously gripe about the obscene deficit of magical gear and loot, given the high-powered nature of the adventure and the magic-heavy content of the FR. Most of the PCs magical weapons were made by the party mage, or were gifts in return for services rendered.
We eventually ended up in a cave in Anauroch being pursued by a lich and his fiendish minions. We were all getting pretty low on health, spells were running thin, and the ranger was out of arrows. All of a sudden, my rogue yells "Hey, Pally, catch!" and pulls a +4 holy broadsword from his bag of holding. Jaws hit the floor all around the table.
My rogue produces about a half-dozen high-powered magic items, and while the DM laughs his arse off, I confess that I've had a bag of holding since second level.
"Yep. Gardening's good business when your harvest is suckers."
As for my best plot backstory? I'm writing a book right now called "A Priori Rex". |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 02:12:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay (snip) Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources?
A small sample to save you using Google:
- The Forgotten Realms campaign setting has sample names for each region.
- ditto for Races of Faerun.
- Everlasting Book of Names (it has FR-specific chapters). Actually, you will have to use Google to find that one.
You could also download the Excel files that are in my sig, which contains hundreds of names from FR sourcebooks going back to 1e. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Asgetrion
Master of Realmslore
Finland
1564 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jan 2008 : 10:16:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Erik Scott de Bie
My best GAMING backstory for a character would have to be an Eberron (gasp!) warmage I played for about 8 months, up to 8th level. That might have been best because of how integrated it was with the setting.
 Eric, you shameless blasphemer! Shame on you! 
My own favourite backstory was for my longest-running character -- a Waterdhavian nobleman fighter of House Tesper. The DM included some prominent NPCs into my ideas, and we as we "polished" the story together, we came up with a lot of stuff that served as plot hooks later. |
"What am I doing today? Ask me tomorrow - I can be sure of giving you the right answer then."
-- Askarran of Selgaunt, Master Sage, speaking to a curious merchant, Year of the Helm |
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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2008 : 09:16:09
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quote:
Originally posted by Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay (snip) Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources?
A small sample to save you using Google:
- The Forgotten Realms campaign setting has sample names for each region.
- ditto for Races of Faerun.
- Everlasting Book of Names (it has FR-specific chapters). Actually, you will have to use Google to find that one.
And there are plenty of "generic" fantasy name generators out there, too.
Thanks for saving me all that hardwork Googling.
I've read most of the 1st and 2nd edition FR campaign settings and the only thing I've ever seen about names, is the part where it explains about how humans have no family names, and how Dwarven family names work, etc., but maybe I missed something. As I said I've read most but not all of the FR campaign setting (I am a Realms player and not the DM, but it's interesting enough that I read most of it anyway). I don't have a copy of The Races of Faerun, but I am intrigued by the Everlasting Book of Names. It sounds interesting.
As far as random name generators go, I don't have any trouble coming up with fantasy names. Like I said, I started using real world names because it made role-playing go more smoothly. |
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slay_4_pay
Seeker
65 Posts |
Posted - 11 Jan 2008 : 09:19:26
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quote:
Originally posted by Kuje
quote:
Originally posted by Eremite
quote:
Originally posted by slay_4_pay (snip) Plus, I've never seen any resources for generating Realms-specific names, but I would be interested in checking it out. Where might one find some of these abundant resources?
A small sample to save you using Google:
- The Forgotten Realms campaign setting has sample names for each region.
- ditto for Races of Faerun.
- Everlasting Book of Names (it has FR-specific chapters). Actually, you will have to use Google to find that one.
You could also download the Excel files that are in my sig, which contains hundreds of names from FR sourcebooks going back to 1e. :)
Ah, now that is pretty cool. Just out of curiosity how long did it take to compile this list? |
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The best backstory you ever came up with
