I am a brand new D&D player and am finding out quickly I invest alot in the characters i create. I do not yet have the lore knowladge that you vets of the game posess to really add the amazing flavor i saw in the pre-gen character reposatory. Some of those backround stories were amazing and I would like to post what I have and see if anyone who has the time can add to my story.
Rawrk- Lvl 1 Druid
Rawrk was born and raised in a small forest village in the eastern High Forest. His family had remained near the ruins of the fallen Kingdom of Earlann. His father a great Archdruid remained in the desolate forest to maintain and protect on of the last remaining Circle of the Moon temples of Earlann. Rawrk began his lessons in the ways of the druid upon his 104th birthday. After 10 years of training he had learned enough from his father and soon after with the blessing of his family, he decided to leave the confines of his secluded home and explore the world. He spends the next 150 years visiting distant towns and great cities learning all that he can from the people he meets.
He now suffers from retrograde amnesia after a traumatic event involving a bit of curiosity and a prophecy protected by ancient and unintelligible magics. He was taken in when a monastery found him being feral in the wilderness. There they healed his wounds and sent him out to the world. One day years later in meditation he had a recollection of the prophecy and his role in it as a protector of the chosen. He soon hears that the chosen may have been found and sets out to join them as his destiny awaits.
Any help would be apreciated.
It's a good start, but it's all a bit remote and long-term. Your first adventure might only last a few days, so focus on what is going to be important right now.
What have you chosen for his personality, ideals, bonds and flaws? Let's see if we can elaborate, using those as a starting point.
What are his highest and lowest ability scores? Does that say anything about him?
How will strangers perceive him? First impressions count. People make snap judgements and most of the NPCs he is going to meet are not going to listen to his life story. They want to know, what can this guy do for me in the next 4 minutes, and what does he want?
If I met this guy on the street, what is the first thing that would strike me about him?
I'm a stable lad. How does this guy treat me? Is he cold and aloof, or warm and friendly? Do I like him? Now, I'm a travelling minstrel. Is this guy a good audience? Does he respond to my wisecracks? Is he generous? Or is he a grumpy old curmudgeon, not worth wasting time with? Now, I'm a storekeeper. How do I size him up? Can I overchage him or shortchange him and get away with it? Will he accept shoddy goods? Or is he over-picky and difficult to please, the kind of customer who will spend a long time in my store and then not buy anything?
Don't answer these particular questions, they are just examples of the kinds of question you need to be able to answer. If you are going to role-play this character, that takes place in the context fo interactions with other people.
Now think about his relationship to the other PCs in the party. You may not know about them yet, but think about it. What does he want from the other PCs and what does he have to offer? Not in the sense of game mechanics, not "what spells can he cast", but in terms of him as a person. Does he expect to be the leader? Is he selfish? Or argumentative? Does he encourage others by being optimistic or is he a gloomy pessimist? In a combat, will he wade in with gusto, or hang back cautiously? The other PCs will want to be able to gauge things like that, so that they can adjust to him and fit him into the party.
That's a lot of things to think about. Don't try to write it all down, but try to think of a person you know that you think he is like. Could be a fictional character or someone you know in real life. Someone you feel you can act like during the game.
When you've thought about that, and decided what kind of guy he is. now for the crunch question:
What is the single, most exciting thing he has done in the last half-hour? Answer in one sentence. That's his backstory.
As noted, go through the Personality lists. The backstory you wrote is a neat history, but it tells us nothing about how he will act in the future.
You already have one of the 5 traits filled in: "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was raised by wolves."
Acolyte, Hermit, Outlander, all would fit your history. Folk Hero, Sage, Urchin could be re-flavored a bit.
BRJN wrote:
Good, that gives us more to go on.
He's coming over as something of a sociopath but he is inquistive and has premonitions, so let's illustrate those things. He's only level 1 and he can't wildshape yet, so let's invent a recent incident where he got into a fight with someone and used a druid cantrip. Let's make it a tavern brawl.
He was in the town of Outermost, went into a low-class tavern looking for information and a stranger took exception to him asking questions. The stranger snarled "we don't like your sort here, poking your nose into our business" and threw a bottle at him. Rawrk grew angry and used Thorn Whip, meaning only to teach him a lesson and pull him down, but it went wrong and the man died. The man's friends turned against Rawrk and he fled. Now he's a wanted man in that town and can't go back there.
Now for the twist:
But he has a strong premonition that one day soon he will have to go back to Outermost, because that is where the Chosen One is to be found, And when he does go back, he will be caught, tried and hanged by the townsfolk. He has a vision of his last, desperate, appeal from the gallows going unheard. The Chosen One is there, watching his execution, but is stony-faced and does nothing to intervene. The prophesy is fulfilled.
How does that make you feel about the character?
My best suggestion? If you can't keep your backstory to one or two sentences, it's too much.
Mind you, I don't mean that you shouldn't be able to narrate the story in multiple paragraphs. Still, in order to be useful to you, it should be direct and to the point, letting you (and others) size up quickly who you are and why you are going on adventures. Leave everything else to grow during actual play. (It's rather like worldbuilding for the DM. Don't overworry the big detail. In fact, leave most everything out so you can build on the story, rather than find your well-crafted tale never becomes relevant at all!)
So, for your character above: Rawrk remembers little more of his life before being found in a feral state by kindly monks than his early training as a druid and fragments of a promised destiny, and now he has set off to reclaim his past and forge his own future.
That makes sence since most people start at lvl 1 and shouldnt really need much more than a quick intro. I was over thinking it i guess, I got too attached during creation and wanted to add mroe depth to them, but thats really for actual gameplay where you forge his persona as it can change every session. I apreciate the help guys 