I asked my players to come up with a short backstory, only because we were starting a campaign in the Forgotten Realms, and to determine regional bonuses. Most of the backstory was limited to a few paragraphs only to give the players an idea of character motivations, or aspirations for a paragon...
I've seen some skills and wondered how they can be used in a situation. I'd leave it up to the players to find a way that would allow a particular skill to be used- even in unorhtodox settings. As a DM, I would remain flexible enough to see how a certain skill... might... be appropriate. A quick...