Creating a character background



Five major aspects comprise your character’s background:

Humans in most games have a rural background. If you choose to play a character from a larger city, you should make sure to work with your DM to determine the nature and location of that city.

• Home  : Home Community?

It’s said that you are who you are either because of your parents or in spite of your parents. Whichever is the case for your character, few factors have a greater influence on you than your family.

• Family : Family Economic Status? Family Social Standing? Family Private Ethics?
               Family Religious Commitment? Family Reputation? Family Political Views?
               Ancestors of Note?


No one is a trained fighter or wizard from birth. Someone may have taught you how to swing that sword, but not how to effectively stand in a combat situation. Someone may saw power  in you, but could not yet unlock it. Although all characters have some basic training that reflects the way they grew up.  The following questions help solve what your education was like before the day decided to move from the safety of your home.

• Instruction : Early Childhood Instruction? Formal Education? Learning a Trade/Craft?

Life isn’t just training for a profession of course. Think of your own life and all the events—good and bad—you’ve lived through. It’s likely that your character, growing up in a fantastic, dangerous world, has had at least that many triumphs and/or tragedies.

• Life events: Early Childhood Events? Youth Events? Pivotal Events?

Next we’ll turn our attention away from events and toward people. By populating your character’s world
with interesting family, friends, and enemies, you make the world seem more real, and you give your DM all kinds of tools to make adventures more exciting. Perhaps your sister gets kidnapped. Or maybe your uncle is now the captain of the watch, and he’ll let you sneak into the tower if you can get a certain flower for his wife. . . .

• Relationships : Parents? Siblings/Kin? Grandparents? Extended family?   Friends?  Enemies?  Instructors ?

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