Two years ago he moved to the city, to study magic and indulge in debauchery, and released you from your service (and your salary). After settling down and manning an inn for some years, you've gotten the itch for adventure, and now ready to strike out on your own and see the good in the world. "Your heart opens a portal to the Nine Hells... according to the prophecy. ", 2. One night as your family slept you were playing with it and accidentally set the family home ablaze. You were once the son of a wealthy merchant who traveled more than average compared to other merchants at the time. ", He hates you for it nonetheless. Once you have an idea of the earlier experiences that drive your characters, you can use these backstory ideas to craft scenes that show the impact of your characters’ histories. "You grew up seeing visions of battle in your dreams. The next day you packed your things and headed out to learn more about what you had just done and how to control it. One day you were fishing off the side of your ship when you caught something very heavy on your line. "You don't remember your father at all, but your mother says that they were the most handsome and talented bard in all the land. "You were a wealthy playboy, the son of a rich merchant. Xanathar's Backstory Generator A quick generator for character inspiration or NPC backgrounds. Scanning through the holy archives, it is said that when (insert deity here) becomes too aged and their power wanes, that a mortal may rise up to take their place in the pantheon, enacting their own viewpoint in that role...however, it is also said that there will be one to act as (deity)'s champion, protecting them from falling and being replaced. ", One day a halfling fell down your chimney and talk you into hiding him in your room, his only name that he gave you was Miro, but he taught you many thing over a few nights, once he felt ‘it’ had blown over he packed his things and invited you to join him. Recently, you were visited by a boy, who you began to talk with, and would do anything for. It was the most beautiful thing you ever saw, and if only the world understood, then maybe they wouldn't be so afraid of fire. You are quite open-minded about creatures of the dark and undeath, but having seen the goodness they are capable of, you are intolerant of undead who would exist at the expense of others and visit cruelty on the living. "Raised by ogres they always threatened to eat you growing up. Your dark past still haunts you, and sometimes your old friends try to call you back. This reminds me of the web-comic "Goblins" which shows goblin adventurers and human adventurers and the conflict socially they have. "Taken in by a pack of traveling werewolves you were given a silver necklace and acted as their cover. Your father was a miner, your mother and innkeeper, you spent your childhood poking the ashes in the fireplace waiting for something to happen. You woke up in a hay bale, with no phone poles in sight. You were thus outfitted and always one to role with with what life throws at you decided to run with it. You walked away and now are trying to find your place in the world. All you’ve ever earned was a target on your back and bad reputation. As you turned the handle it felt as if your brain was opening like a door. Well, actually it is, but I think we can do a lot better. Born an orphan, you were adopted by a wealthy family at a young age to be raised as help. Conflicted on your hatred, feelings of betrayal, sense of duty and love for your house, you grabbed your dearest friends and hit the road, forsaking your family name and keeping the secrets of your family hidden. You get the feeling they don’t care, or they’re not there. One day, you hit your head on a rock. ", You resolved to embark on a career of your own choosing, not your father’s. You just don't know where or what a mountain is. "You met and joined a errant knight and his small court that traveled searching for riches and a new home for this lord and his barren town after the war. ", The thing your character was supposed to find though, was simply a myth. You spend the night weeping, stumbling into a dark part of campus you didn’t recognize. One day, you woke up on the ground, the house having completely disappeared from existence. The child soon became sick and died, and their parents blamed you and ran you out of town. ", Yes yes, we all know that you can roleplay a bard as a charmer, but that is not all they can be! I came across a video on YouTube a while back and it completely changed the way I look at backstory and role play in general. Flaws 5. As a result, some of your beliefs and habits are a bit ape-ish. You were raised by travelling merchants, going with them wherever they went. Whatever purpose you had been made for is now lost to you, as is just about everything you used to know. Just like your father, you were signed up and joined their ranks at quite a young age. A few days later you found out that your former lord has been attacked and everyone including your parents were murdered. It taught you many mysterious skills and spells. You payed them tribute and grew above the goblin ranks. "You've always wanted to be an adventurer. In DnD, the background is what further determines a character’s extra abilities, languages, proficiencies, and any extra equipment they may have. You’re wearing equipment you don’t remember acquiring. Eventually you found yourself on the run from the wrong kind of people. Here in the city, nobody has any idea the rebellion even happened. So I've made a warlock character with The Fiend as his patron, but I'm having trouble creating a good backstory for him. Check out the Bacon Battalion RPG video on creating backstory. Every day, a music box played you a lesson. "A retired member of the army, you have been jaded by war, seen far more than any one person aught to see in a hundred life times. While you were away, your inn was ransacked and burned to the ground. You renounced your vows and moved on. For years you served, learning the ins and outs of the physical and spiritual side of dealing with death. Turns out, you loved it and never looked back. In your young age you and your parents got captured in a raid and sold as slaves. Since then you have always dreamed of becoming one yourself. He lived, trained with you, and eventually succumbed to age. ", ", The next day you packed your things and headed out to learn more about what you had just done and how to control it. The help never came, as the explorers preferred a flying horse. You need to find out why, for their sake… and yours. "The first thing your remember is being rescued from rubble by a good-hearted noble, who then patched you up and offered his help in trying to find who you are. ", Why Dungeons & Dragons is the Future of Gaming. ", This meant that your memory was wiped and your biological parents wiped out. Not knowing any better, you became strong with a smile. Until one day he set you up, and ran away with the treasure leaving you to rot in the king’s jail. Your main mentor was a flamboyant skeleton with a hat of disguise and a penchant for long-winded but thrilling tales of ages past. When you were a teenager, you stopped by a fortune teller’s stall at a festival, just out of idle curiosity. Zach_FR. You then discovered the will and testament of your real parents and realize you are being raised by your uncle who controls all the family wealth. "For your entire life up to now you have watched others perform magic, they were few, but fantastical and filled your heart with wonder. One day on your way back from town bandits jumped out from the side of the road and attacked you. He lived, trained with you, and eventually succumbed to age. You set off when you got older to explore some of the places the diary mentioned and uncover the identity of your mysterious penpal. But a vision appeared leading to an unknown oasis ... and commanding you to go to the city of (Plot starts here). family/friends/personal. You were a middle-aged craftsman/woman with a successful business, several children, and a happy life. Someone who does dance instead of music You have been engineered by wizards/scientists to be the perfect human. One of your parents was a dragon’s favorite and the dragon allowed your family to take up residence in his/her home. C fought alongside their small battalion and this group was revered for their efficiency and kept to themselves. You have come of age and hope to write a book one day that will sell tens of thousands of copies. Until recently. You were then struck by powerful cursed magic that turned your entire outlook on life around, so that you now are a force for good who brings happiness to others. Or so you thought... (The face you wear has it's history too). Everyone thinks you lost your mind, which eventually leads to an unwanted embargo, and you go bankrupt. Turns out, you loved it and never looked back. Too bad the Goblin Wars are over now and your lord disbanded his army. You became shocked and dismayed at the disparity between the soft platitudes your guardian parrots and the dire truths uncovered in your god's scriptures. You grew up as the region’s stereotype, a poor farmer with a passion for whittling. Below are a few examples of well-written backstories that any DM should be able to integrate into the campaign. The child soon became sick and died, and their parents blamed you and ran you out of town. She never described your father to you, and she changes the subject when you ask. ", You’ve spent your entire life underground, in the same building. "You grew up as a normal city kid, and never really did anything interesting with your life. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Do you forgive and forget? You and a couple others were lured into an ambush by bandits. Can you clear your name before the kingdom picks you up, are you to blame for the fire, or are you innocent and wrongly accused? You learned languages, numbers, history, how to act properly in society, how to assassinate the high king. You never saw the gnome again. You have fond memories of playing in a piles of gold, stirring a 2000 gallon stew pot, donning magic clothing and weapons, leafing through esoteric books of powerful magic to look at the pictures, and attempting to outwit your draconic landlord with whatever puzzles and games you could think of. They drove you off their land to homelessness. You sat on your pappy's lap as he told and retold the tales of your uncle Algar Spiderspear, and your great uncle Kenway Fireheart, and your great great aunt Thea Earthforger. You spent years training on your own in both armed and hand fighting, with the ultimate goal of entering the pit and becoming a legend in your own right. During your coming of age ceremony your powers awakened and you found yourself surrounded in arcane power. "Your parents were retired adventurers, who told you their epic tales, and probably expected you to follow their steps. ", Your family is known amongst all Dragonborn…and loved for your ancestors deeds. You were thus outfitted and always one to role with with what life throws at you decided to run with it. ", I would die to recover an ancient artifact of my faith that was lost long ago. One day while cleaning his library you come across and gold handle behind some dusty books. When you told the master the story, they didn’t believe you, and expelled you from the order. You may or may not have taken to the studies as much as they'd like, but when the restless need to spread your wings and get away from home took hold, they were excited to request that you document all the things you discover on your adventures and bring them home to share. Your parents/caretakers/close ones tell you that you had a terrible accident and lost all memory after the accident. ", Horrible, cruel visions of a war far away. Your uncle may or may not know that you know about the deception. You had a decent job and was going to get married soon, until the day you got lost in the wilderness. ", with so many genetic changes and magical 'enhancements' that you cant even count the amount of places where they're from. Horrible, cruel visions of a war far away. You’ve heard that Bordertown has uses for someone with skill of arms, and so you’ve hopped onto the first coach available. Re: Help with Goblin backstory. She was the runt, left to die, and always keeps an eye out for you. Some of them still like you; others want you dead. DnD 5e Bonds 1. Births, deaths, rites of passage. On returning home your family did not recognize you and your younger sibling was set to inherit. A retired member of the army, you have been jaded by war, seen far more than any one person aught to see in a hundred life times. That city was your home, you loved it, and now it is all but gone. You have been engineered by wizards/scientists to be the perfect human. Newly divorced, you had a bit of a mid-life crisis and spent all of your savings on a [book of magic/set of shiny armor/fencing lessons/musical instrument/etc]. Despite being cheerful and righteous, you can’t remember anything before you’re 25th birthday. Births, deaths, rites of passage. "You were a squire for the local knight and Lord of your province. Because of the tragic death of your father you desire revenge, and will do anything to kill them. Character development and backstory can be easier said than done, especially if you’re new to ttRPGs. You get the feeling they don't care, or they're not there. After learning about religion and practicing it for years his innate sorcerer powers come out. Sold into slavery at young age, you where set free by traveling adventures early in your teen years. ", You had a normal childhood in the city. Her tastes are getting kind of extravagant. The doctor was put to death for his experiments. You outed them in a city and you were finally liberated. You grew bored of the stuffy and bureaucratic business and roamed the foreign streets and markets. It doesn’t have to be full of details that go back to your character’s day-to-day life. He did the bare minimum a father needed to do until you were old enough then kicked you out despite your mother’s plea’s. Which was promised in blood oath to never be disclosed to you. "Your parents are scholars, historians specifically, and you've been raised on countless trips to archaeological digs, libraries, and lectures with them. Not wanting to waste away your life tending to home and hearth you’ve set out for the call of the wild. All she told you was, “Good luck!”", GPT-3 and Dungeons and Dragons. ", Unfortunately, only you survived the ordeal and managed to escape before the bandits got any more reinforcements, though not without taking a valuable item the bandits were after. Your mother awoke to the inferno and using every once of power she had saved you from the blaze before succumbing and burning up right in front of your eyes. "You narrowly escaped your home city after a nasty plague was set upon it. When they tried to take it from you you flew into a rage beating them senseless until you jumped into a rowboat and made your way back to shore. In your quiet life you discovered a interest in ancient artifacts left over from the last civilization. ", You were a normal farmer, nothing special about you. When you told the master the story, they didn't believe you, and expelled you from the order. Your parents are scholars, historians specifically, and you’ve been raised on countless trips to archaeological digs, libraries, and lectures with them. Switch this background to ‘Halfling’ and ‘farm’ if PC is a dwarf. You get a strange feeling that you won’t be graduating this year. This meant that your memory was wiped and your biological parents wiped out. You’re pretty sure there are others who didn’t end up crucified, but you’ve never met any of them. ", The winner shall be granted the true power the patron split between them/wish/ immortality/ whatever else. One of your guests left for a night of carousing and never returned. “But honestly, I just like to learn things. ", In your quiet life you discovered a interest in ancient artifacts left over from the last civilization. "After your town was razed and everyone you knew died, you woke up in the middle of the ashes. You learned about your god, the patron of death, from the gravedigger, but his worship always seemed a bit hollow, a little too rote. "You were the student of the greatest bard in the land, until you murdered him. Here in the city, nobody has any idea the rebellion even happened.