Street rat background [Archive] - Wizards Community

Street rat background [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants
11-27-06, 11:44 AM I'm juggling a couple of character ideas for a new campaign. I started this in an earlier thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=743881)but didn't get many responses. The stats to work with are 18, 16, 15, 15, 14, 12. PHB, PHBII, and all complete are open.

Born to a prostitute and a drunkard and raised on the streets. Apprenticed to the thieves guild and very talented. Eventually got tired of his abusive drunkard father and stabbed him back. Decided it was best to leave before anybody decided to punish him for killing his father.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants
11-28-06, 01:02 AM Dirk was born in the city of Waterdeep. His mother worked as a tavern wench and also sold her body to many costumers, frequently kicking Dirk out of the single room they shared. Dirk was repeatedly told by his mother that he was useless and she would never find a decent husband with him around. The man that Dirk assumed was his father (the innkeeper) was frequently drunk and would beat Dirk because it was a sign of his own infedelity with his wife.

Neither his father nor hiw mother were very well off and therefore Dirk was pushed into doing chores around the inn at an early age. The innkeeper also pressured Dirk in to playing on his youth to recieve tips from the patrons, which he quickly appropriated. As time went on and Dirk started recieving less tips because he was growing older the innkeeper started trying to get Dirk to somehow get more and more money from the patrons. Eventually Dirk was forced to start picking pockets for the innkeeper.

One night Dirk attempted to pick the pocket of a mildly respected member of the thieve's guild. Rather than punish the still young child, the thieve got approval from the guild and started training Dirk in the arts of stealth, entry, and appropriation. Dirk's nimble fingers and quick mind allowed him to excel, but he still had the innkeeper frequently taking money from him at any sign of wealth and beating him when there wasn't. One night after Dirk got back to the inn late after a failed robbery the innkeeper confronted him in a drunken haze. Dirk, tired of the day and the innkeepers abuse, lashed back and stabbed the unexpecting innkeeper. Dirk was able to call in a few favors and flee that night, before any patrons or city watch were on his tail. He has fled south to Baldur's Gate, where he hopes he is immune to the law.

note I'm not sure of the setting or a name. All names and places are purely placeholders to give a sense of identity.
ericSHINRA
11-29-06, 01:49 PM I do like how you depicted just how terrible his childhood situation was and how his mother thought he was just a thorn in her side. If you change nothing else, I'd place more emphasis on the Innkeeper having been his father.

His mother worked as a tavern wench and also sold her body to many costumers, frequently kicking Dirk out of the single room they shared. Dirk was repeatedly told by his mother that he was useless and she would never find a decent husband with him around.

My question is whether or not 'Dirk' cares for his mother at all and if not, why he didn't leave sooner. Also, why didn't his mother just thrown him out or worse when he was young? I'm also wondering why he'd ever even come back to the Inn after he was pretty much taken as the apprentice of the thief you mentioned.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants
01-21-07, 02:34 PM My question is whether or not 'Dirk' cares for his mother at all and if not, why he didn't leave sooner. Also, why didn't his mother just thrown him out or worse when he was young? I'm also wondering why he'd ever even come back to the Inn after he was pretty much taken as the apprentice of the thief you mentioned.

His mother didn't throw him out because everything she had been taught told her that she should love him and so in a few lucid moments she would feel guilty about how she treated him, but then she'd either go back to the bottle or find another guy, and forget about feeling guilty. Dirk didn't leave because he wasn't supposed to. Kind of one of those "thats the way its done things." And the thieve's guild didn't really want all of the responsibility of raising a child, even if they were training him to be a thief.

This is now the character that I will be playing and we are starting in a few days, so I want to make sure everything makes sense and comes together.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants
01-23-07, 11:51 AM So I either assume that I have such an awesome background that I leave everyone speechless and therefore they have nothing to say, or my background is so outstandingly dull/cliche/boring that people run away from it as quickly as possible.

For the sake of my ego, I'm going to assume the first. The campaign starts tonight so I will see how things go with the rest of the party.
Fithero
01-24-07, 12:24 AM Pretty cool background, if somewhat old hat (reminds me of that famous assassian from calimshan in FR).

What was his role in the thieves guild, how old was he when he ran away? Does he ever plan to return and what will he do when/if he does? (Bring his mother/siblings out of poverty or burn the tavern (or the whole neighbourhood) to the ground and salt the earth?

Also, has his abused childhood built a sense of self reliance or has it broken his self esteem?

Peace
Infantryman
01-26-07, 04:01 PM I like this. It may not be amazingly original but it's much better than the "orcs killed my parents" cliche. The character comes from a pretty ordinary background which I like, and it explains how he became an adventurer. Fithero asked some good questions that woud help flesh out the character, and what effect his early life has on him now. Remember though, this is only a backstory; the important thing is what he does when the game starts.

Hope you have fun with him!
Infantryman
Radijs
01-27-07, 09:46 AM A nice concept could be little street gangs. Kids of varying ages clinging together and claiming territory in the city. The adults don't bother them (except on occasion the watch) because all they steal are small trinkets, food and candy. But the varying gangs often squabble and kids quickly learn to fight, and fight dirty in order to survive and nicking all the diffrent things is a good pre-education program for an eventual entry into the thieves guild.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants 11-27-06, 11:44 AM	I'm juggling a couple of character ideas for a new campaign. I started this in an earlier thread (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=743881)but didn't get many responses. The stats to work with are 18, 16, 15, 15, 14, 12. PHB, PHBII, and all complete are open. Born to a prostitute and a drunkard and raised on the streets. Apprenticed to the thieves guild and very talented. Eventually got tired of his abusive drunkard father and stabbed him back. Decided it was best to leave before anybody decided to punish him for killing his father.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants 11-28-06, 01:02 AM	Dirk was born in the city of Waterdeep. His mother worked as a tavern wench and also sold her body to many costumers, frequently kicking Dirk out of the single room they shared. Dirk was repeatedly told by his mother that he was useless and she would never find a decent husband with him around. The man that Dirk assumed was his father (the innkeeper) was frequently drunk and would beat Dirk because it was a sign of his own infedelity with his wife. Neither his father nor hiw mother were very well off and therefore Dirk was pushed into doing chores around the inn at an early age. The innkeeper also pressured Dirk in to playing on his youth to recieve tips from the patrons, which he quickly appropriated. As time went on and Dirk started recieving less tips because he was growing older the innkeeper started trying to get Dirk to somehow get more and more money from the patrons. Eventually Dirk was forced to start picking pockets for the innkeeper. One night Dirk attempted to pick the pocket of a mildly respected member of the thieve's guild. Rather than punish the still young child, the thieve got approval from the guild and started training Dirk in the arts of stealth, entry, and appropriation. Dirk's nimble fingers and quick mind allowed him to excel, but he still had the innkeeper frequently taking money from him at any sign of wealth and beating him when there wasn't. One night after Dirk got back to the inn late after a failed robbery the innkeeper confronted him in a drunken haze. Dirk, tired of the day and the innkeepers abuse, lashed back and stabbed the unexpecting innkeeper. Dirk was able to call in a few favors and flee that night, before any patrons or city watch were on his tail. He has fled south to Baldur's Gate, where he hopes he is immune to the law. note I'm not sure of the setting or a name. All names and places are purely placeholders to give a sense of identity.
ericSHINRA 11-29-06, 01:49 PM	I do like how you depicted just how terrible his childhood situation was and how his mother thought he was just a thorn in her side. If you change nothing else, I'd place more emphasis on the Innkeeper having been his father. His mother worked as a tavern wench and also sold her body to many costumers, frequently kicking Dirk out of the single room they shared. Dirk was repeatedly told by his mother that he was useless and she would never find a decent husband with him around. My question is whether or not 'Dirk' cares for his mother at all and if not, why he didn't leave sooner. Also, why didn't his mother just thrown him out or worse when he was young? I'm also wondering why he'd ever even come back to the Inn after he was pretty much taken as the apprentice of the thief you mentioned.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants 01-21-07, 02:34 PM	My question is whether or not 'Dirk' cares for his mother at all and if not, why he didn't leave sooner. Also, why didn't his mother just thrown him out or worse when he was young? I'm also wondering why he'd ever even come back to the Inn after he was pretty much taken as the apprentice of the thief you mentioned. His mother didn't throw him out because everything she had been taught told her that she should love him and so in a few lucid moments she would feel guilty about how she treated him, but then she'd either go back to the bottle or find another guy, and forget about feeling guilty. Dirk didn't leave because he wasn't supposed to. Kind of one of those "thats the way its done things." And the thieve's guild didn't really want all of the responsibility of raising a child, even if they were training him to be a thief. This is now the character that I will be playing and we are starting in a few days, so I want to make sure everything makes sense and comes together.
Lanky Ogre Baggy Pants 01-23-07, 11:51 AM	So I either assume that I have such an awesome background that I leave everyone speechless and therefore they have nothing to say, or my background is so outstandingly dull/cliche/boring that people run away from it as quickly as possible. For the sake of my ego, I'm going to assume the first. The campaign starts tonight so I will see how things go with the rest of the party.
Fithero 01-24-07, 12:24 AM	Pretty cool background, if somewhat old hat (reminds me of that famous assassian from calimshan in FR). What was his role in the thieves guild, how old was he when he ran away? Does he ever plan to return and what will he do when/if he does? (Bring his mother/siblings out of poverty or burn the tavern (or the whole neighbourhood) to the ground and salt the earth? Also, has his abused childhood built a sense of self reliance or has it broken his self esteem? Peace
Infantryman 01-26-07, 04:01 PM	I like this. It may not be amazingly original but it's much better than the "orcs killed my parents" cliche. The character comes from a pretty ordinary background which I like, and it explains how he became an adventurer. Fithero asked some good questions that woud help flesh out the character, and what effect his early life has on him now. Remember though, this is only a backstory; the important thing is what he does when the game starts. Hope you have fun with him! Infantryman
Radijs 01-27-07, 09:46 AM	A nice concept could be little street gangs. Kids of varying ages clinging together and claiming territory in the city. The adults don't bother them (except on occasion the watch) because all they steal are small trinkets, food and candy. But the varying gangs often squabble and kids quickly learn to fight, and fight dirty in order to survive and nicking all the diffrent things is a good pre-education program for an eventual entry into the thieves guild.