Background Brainstorming Exercise

[steeldragons]

So, let's get creative...

I'll list a series of some of the generic (or some might say "iconic") race/class combos for [what I think of as] a "typical" 1e party.

Pick one.

Come up with a starting background story. Nothing major/huge. Just some workable details off the top of your head that might offer some interesting "in-game" options for a dm. Anything goes: living/dead family, personal quests/vendettas, dreams of fame (or infmay), whatever you think would take the typical/generic class/character and make it "not-so-typical."

Try to keep it to a paragraph or two.

Characters can be male or female. Any alignment (within class restrictions). Assume a "beginner" character, 1st level, taking their first steps into the greater world of adventure.

Your options are*:
Human Fighter
Dwarf Fighter
Human or Half-elf Ranger
Elf Fighter/Magic-user
Human or Elf Magic-user
Human Cleric
Halfling or Half-orc Thief (or Fighter/thief)
Gnome Illusionist/thief OR Half-elf Fighter/Cleric
*Based on passed pre-gen characters/parties from 1e modules.

Have fun with it.
Happy Sunday, all.
--Steel Dragons

 

[Gilladian]

Human Fighter, male: this young man grew up on the streets of a small port city. His father was a day-laborer on the docks, his mother a laundress. He was the youngest of four children, and the family never had enough money for more than the very most basics. Named Colward, most people just call him Col.

Col always had an innate sense of honesty, and resented being bullied by some of the local kids. When he was 16 he joined the town watch for a couple of years. But he was bored, not ready to settle down and marry a local girl and start his own family. He wanted something more from life; a little excitement, a little money. He'd heard stories of adventurers in the local pub, so when the chance came to become one himself, he took it with both hands.

Is this the sort of thing you're looking for?

 

[exile]

Halfling Thief, female: One of many children of the prosperous Summertoes family, Alice wasn't strictly needed to help out on the family farm. As such, she opted, instead, to take work as a serving wench at the local taproom. The job afforded her ample opportunity to meet travelers, hear stories, sing, and dance.

One night, while walking home after work, Alice was abducted by a band of ruffian adventurers. The adventurers were only passing through Alice's village, but had recently lost their "lucky halfling mascot"; they thought Alice might prove a suitable replacement.

And she did. In addition to bringing the group a good bit of luck, Alice took to their work. She quickly learned a fair bit about picking locks (and pockets) and disarming traps. Just as Alice was beginning to take to her new life, her party met with a near-TPK. Alice alone survived. Rather than return to the boredom of her old life, Alice made for the nearest city, intent on joining (or forming) another adventuring party.

 

[DnD_Dad]

Half-elf ranger;female. She never knew her real name, but the people of the valley of Farmingsdown called her Nightblossem.

Hunted by her own, abandoned by an ashamed mother(elf) for her crime against her kind, Lady Aluvar brought her daughter to the woods outside the human settlement from where the father of her child kept his farm. Leaving her in a burrow she cast a spell of protection, and called a familiar to watch over her daughter. She placed around the babie's brow a circlet of pure mithral engraved with ancient elven runes to allow her child the ability to converse with the animals of the woods. Crying the last tears of her soul to conseal the baby and the spells placed in her she left to never see her daughter again and draw her pursuers away from this place.

8 decades passed and the baby grew into a strong young woman. Taught the ways of the world by the animals of the forest, she knew the forest like a child knows it's parent. Each animal taught her the skills it knew. The fox taught her to remain hidden and beautiful. The hawk taught her to be perceptive and strike without being seen. The bear taught her to forage and be weary of the creatures outside of the forest(man.) She knows of the goblins outside the valley are growing more numerous, and fears they are mounting an army to take the valley. How will she stop them to protect her forest?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Half-elf Ranger

As a half-breed born into a family of high status in the Elven court, Rillion was never going to have an easy time of things. Besides, she preferred her time spent with the family's game-master to her studies, which, of course, caused all kinds of tension. So, while still quite young, she set off into the world, seeking out her human father, and found him in the city of Arellen Bay. A merchant...with a family. She did not want to dirupt this family either, so she didn't tell him who she was, but instead, volunteered to be the bodyguard of his youngest son (her half-brother), soon to be sent off to be a mage's apprentice.

At first, the job was ideal. For the most part, she was left to her own devices while the Wizard's wardings kept all within them safe. But one day, she was attacked by a giant ant- something that had no place in the Wizard's lands. After killing it, she hastened to the Wizard's home...and the closer she got, the more she found. By the time she had fought her way into the building, she had noticed a weakness in their carapace, marked by a black diamond shape, which led to a quick kill.

It seems her charge had gotten into a spat with his mentor, and in a childish fit, had used magic to vent his spite upon him. But it was magic he did not understand, and he had inadvertently increased the size of all the ants in the kitchen, not just the one he had intended to direct at his master. The house was in chaos: several staff had been killed, as had the master (surprised and dismembered in the privy). Her half-brother, who might have been able to reverse the spell had snapped. Only Rillion could save the survivors of the initial attack, and with her arrows, knives and then with whatever the house had to offer, she slayed ants untold in number.

In the aftermath, she saved seven staff and her half-brother.

They returned to Arellen Bay and told their tale...but her half-brother lied. According to him, she had been lax in her duties, and only belatedly had come to his cries for help to save him from the madness of his evil mentor.

Rillion did not waste time- she quit on the spot and left with only what she had in her pack, her human family still unaware of her true identity. Still tired from her misadventures, she sought out an inn for food and lodgings. As she dined that evening, she wondered if she could find work as a sellsword, scout and vermin-slayer...

 

[The Shaman]

Dwarf Fighter . . .

. . . kill orcs, find treasure, consume copious amounts of ale.

 

[steeldragons]

Dwarf Fighter . . .

. . . kill orcs, find treasure, consume copious amounts of ale.

"Must spread some around..."

But kudos to your...erm...economy of thought and language.

--SD

 

[Jack7]

(Elven Magic User) Aesir AeroleØn - Aesir's paternal grandfather was a famous Mage who disappeared after returning from an underground complex at the Ruins of Gauvyrna Cirque. Aesir grew up hearing vague but fascinating stories of his grandfather from strangers, but no-one in his family will discuss him in detail, or speak of his former companions.

Supposedly his grandfather, Haralaesir, actually created several spells, such as the Spell of Searage, and the Seven Crolleimc Marvels. He was also supposedly responsible for the creation or co-creation of several important magical items, such as the infamous and now supposedly lost Iron Torc of Haralaesir, and the much disputed Martur of Theraek Quicksilver.

However Haralaesir was also known as a dangerous adventurer, who many in the (ancient lineaged) family both feared and eschewed. Haralaesir supposedly, if rumors can be believed, had also created a treasure hoard that he had hidden somewhere near the Caves of Gothel'alweaj. But the hoard has never been discovered, or recovered.

Some months before his venture to the Ruins of the Cirque a stranger came to visit Haralaesir. No one seems to know of, or will speak of, his identity. Haralaesir began to make imemdiate preparations for a journey and just before embarking for ship at the Harbor of Fallensom he blessed young Aesir and then whispered something in his ear. Try though he might Aesir cannot recall what his grandfather said, though he has many times dreamt that his grandfather was speaking to him and that in the dream he could recall his grandfather's blessing, and the cryptic phrase. But upon waking he always forgets the words. Aesir is sure though, that whatever was said to him was in an ancient, or enchanted, or long dead language.

Now that Aesir is mature, and has passed his ceremonial Rite of House, he burns to seek out what happened to his grandfather, to discover his hidden Hoard (to which he is by contested will entitled), and to investigate the cryptic (and Aesir suspects magical) phrase whispered to him before his grandfather left for the Ruins.

Haralaesir left an old estate near the northern frontiers (in addition to his other homes) that Aesir has just explored. Much of the home-hall, which is partially underground, was in ruins, having been abandoned for 40 or more years. However behind an intricately decorated, large, and unusual looking-glass of silver (is it indeed silver?) Aesir discovered an old Tome of Spells apparently written by Haralaesir. Aesir cannot read any of the spells (if indeed that is what they are) but there were also drawings and sketches of objects Aesir has never seen, and a large and brightly colored map. The map, unlike the book, seems almost new, as if recently drawn. Though Aesir cannot recognize any of the landscape, or place names.

In the ruined home Aesir also discovered a Staff, which is warm to the touch. He discovered the staff by accident one night while walking in the garden under a full moon. He approached a small sapling which seemed to be flowering in the moonlight. When he touched it he realized the tree was an illusion. The tree was in fact a staff, standing upright, and seemingly immune from decay. Did his grandfather create this, and if so, what does it do?

The last thing Aesir discovered were sets of large footprints leading to the house, (but which did not enter) and a second set, of the same party, leading back to the banks of the nearby River Maldaerna. The tracks were recent.

Should Aesir solve these riddles himself, and track the prints, or should he try and gather a party of companions (as his grandfather had) to help him investigate the real truth of what he has discovered?

 

[Jimlock]

Human Cleric.

Decides to leave the church/monastery on his own without the consent of the high-ranking priesthood. A fugitive in the night.

He did this because he lately felt that the church was losing it's focal point; acts beyond the god's ethics and will. Unusual behaviors. "Different" priorities.

Reasons? Unknown.

No courage to ask questions. Too young and unimportant to be taken seriously anyway...

So he left... perhaps to find his god anew, or perhaps because he never really lost his god.

A deity that doesn't paint him a black ship among the common folk he serves, yet he hides it all the same, in fear of being found.

What was really happening back in the church? ...But he cannot go back now... and the world is so open and fresh now that he is out of the crate... but neither can he forget... His mind and soul do not leave him at rest... He must find out... find a way...



-Ofcourse this involves incorporating his church into your plot!

 

[grodog]

Human or Elf Magic-user

Manzare'en is already old my most standards---37, with grey shot through his beard, and dusting his temples and eyebrows. Armed with a dagger, he left his master, Ontuell-kur'uk the Signer, after his ignoble and untimely death---a death which left Mazare'en with no dweomers of significance in his inheritance and a banishment from The Sarande, his (former) homelands.

He seeks his fame and fortune, trying to gain the wisdom and understanding to read his fate written in the black runes between the stars.