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<blockquote data-quote="S'mon" data-source="post: 7568762" data-attributes="member: 463">I don't find that any of the PHB Backgrounds as written provide any dramatic impetus - not a criticism of that one in particular. I think it's an issue with how they're expressed, not the general concept. If there was going to be any narrative weight/dramatic impetus, it would all have to come from me &amp; the GM, and probably require negotiation/discussion. Example: compared to eg the PHB 'Noble' Background, the Thule 'Atlantean Noble' Heroic Narrative gives me a bunch of kickers right off. Two players took this Narrative. One player (fighter) took the Exiled Noble suggestion, which means he's in opposition to the ruling conservative faction of Katagia - he could have been a radical Atlantean-supremacist or a New Katagian liberal; he took the latter option.&nbsp; So now he has a bunch of likely allies and enemies, and a clear outline of how his narrative may progress. The other player (wizard) took the Quodethi Noble suggestion, so as a member of House Vorzin she's intimately involved in city politics - we settled on her being a daughter of High Diadem Liana, the high priestess of Azura - and she has powerful enemies in the rival Houses Maersk &amp; Sedarnel.For this to be done in the PHB it would require tying the Backgrounds in specifically to the FR I think, they would be more stuff like &quot;Harper Agent&quot; &quot;Zhentarim Spy&quot; or &quot;Servant of the Emerald Enclave&quot;, ie the FR Factions. As written I find they are so generic they don't have any energy in themselves.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="S'mon, post: 7568762, member: 463"] I don't find that any of the PHB Backgrounds as written provide any dramatic impetus - not a criticism of that one in particular. I think it's an issue with how they're expressed, not the general concept. If there was going to be any narrative weight/dramatic impetus, it would all have to come from me & the GM, and probably require negotiation/discussion. Example: compared to eg the PHB 'Noble' Background, the Thule 'Atlantean Noble' Heroic Narrative gives me a bunch of kickers right off. Two players took this Narrative. One player (fighter) took the Exiled Noble suggestion, which means he's in opposition to the ruling conservative faction of Katagia - he could have been a radical Atlantean-supremacist or a New Katagian liberal; he took the latter option. So now he has a bunch of likely allies and enemies, and a clear outline of how his narrative may progress. The other player (wizard) took the Quodethi Noble suggestion, so as a member of House Vorzin she's intimately involved in city politics - we settled on her being a daughter of High Diadem Liana, the high priestess of Azura - and she has powerful enemies in the rival Houses Maersk & Sedarnel. For this to be done in the PHB it would require tying the Backgrounds in specifically to the FR I think, they would be more stuff like "Harper Agent" "Zhentarim Spy" or "Servant of the Emerald Enclave", ie the FR Factions. As written I find they are so generic they don't have any energy in themselves. [/QUOTE]

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