I Am An Orphan And Have No Friends

[LuYangShih]

I was just thinking about this recently, and got to wondering, how many PCs have actual connections to family or friends within the world? It seems to me most PCs are completely disconnected from that area of life, and their only companions are the fellow party members. Perhaps this is because DMs have a tendency to screw players for putting in people they care about in their background.

 

[The_Universe]

heheh--ain't it the truth?

I DMed a long-running campaign, recently. At the beginning, I had mandated that everyone write detailed backstory for their characters...all very well done.

But, I used them to screw with the PCs, as you said. I came to the realization about 6 months into the campaign that EVERYONE'S :EEK: brother or sister (or both, if they had both) were evil. *shakes head* Probably should have thought that through....

 

[Bastoche]

You should have interpreted their background as "perceived evil". Maybe they were just jealous of said brother/sister

 

[Enkhidu]

Think about this for a minute: in quite a few merit/flaw systems, having ties to non adventuring individuals (like family, friends, etc) are considered flaws. It's almost a DM imperitive to use a PCs famliy ties to really mess with them.

Example - in my group's current campaign, we've got one PC who sole nephew has been captured by one of the opposing factions as insurance in case we cross them; two PCs who have had to disavow any relationship to their adoptive mother for fear that aforementioned faction doesn't go after her as well; one PC who's noble father was accused, tried, and convicted of treason against the crown (with all the confiscation of property that goes with it, leaving the remainder of the family destitute); and one PC whos entire race has been caught up in some strange quasi stasis that threatens to wipe them out for good.

Sure, it makes for great plot hooks, but you can see that its put a cramp in our style...

 

[WayneLigon]

I usually detail out a family. It's an interesting thing, if you've never done it before. Huge extended pre-industrial family, where you might be related to a third of the town you grew up in

Normally, I might use the Central Casting tables to get an idea of what the parents did for a living, if I'm not coming in with a concept.

Your DM will also love you for it. It creates plot hooks. And it's a place that your character can call 'home', usually. A place he could go if he's on the run.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

I find often in many games that the first PC to declare a living relative is the first PC whose loved one dies/captured/posessed .

The movie The Gamers touched on this brilliantly.

 

[Henry]

As DM, I highly recommend that you DON'T screw with a PC's family all the time, as it is the equivalent of cutting down saplings right after you plant them. Encourage (with some form of reward if necessary) addition of family members to a background, and then make them positive experiences. Then, about once per campaign, take one PC's family, and use them in a negative plot element. If the majority of the plot idea is pleasant, then players will more likely do it.

 

[CarlZog]

I was just thinking about this recently, and got to wondering, how many PCs have actual connections to family or friends within the world? It seems to me most PCs are completely disconnected from that area of life, and their only companions are the fellow party members. Perhaps this is because DMs have a tendency to screw players for putting in people they care about in their background.

I suspect the stereotype of the orphaned PC has its roots in the need to explain why the PC has chosen a life that is invariably out of the mainstream of general society and usually out of his/her race's culture. Being orphaned is an easy excuse for the misfit nature that drives someone to join up with a band of adventurers instead of taking a stable normal life in society.

It is probably also the case that many DMs use PC relatives as adventure hooks which usually seem to require the relative to be either dead or evil.

This doesn't have to be the case though. I ran a campaign with a dwarven thief from a royal family. His father didn't know he was making his way in the world as a thief, and tended to welcome him back into the fold whenever the group passed through the mountains. The PC could call on his family for help -- which he didn't always get -- and ocassionally his connections served as their own adventure hooks. When the father eventually died fighting side-by-side with his son at a large battle, the player was in tears.

CZ

 

[BSF]

I work with what the players give me.

In my current campaign, I have a character that has a strong, loving relatioship with her family. She followed one of her older brothers into the adventuring life, had some good luck (C'mon the characters are the hero's, not the character's families!), and now she tries not to overshadow him too much. There is a little envy, but it is a strong family.

I have another character that came from the "abusive household". She lusted for power and eventually gave in. We played it up for a short time until she could split the party without being pursued.

I have yet another character that wrote his history to include avenging his father's death and then splitting town before anyone figure out who was responsible. He left behind his brother and sister, whom he cares for a great deal.

The sorceror left home, but has been back to visit. Most of the party has met his mother.

The party's paladin has a step-sister that got older and parted ways. Their parents were killed by goblins. When he started adventuring, one of his goals was to find his sister. Eventually, he did, just not quite the way he expected. She was one of the stabilizing forces in the personality of an NPC that was afflicted with magical Multiple-Personality-Disorder. She helped influence the Good personality.

Admittedly, this NPC is the sister of the Cleric. His family was cursed to betray their god. Very convoluted storyline! It is alos the only example of me taking the character's background and "screwing with it". Although, at the time, the character didn't know his sister was alive. After all, she disappeared in a goblin attack when he was 3. She was a major NPC and they eventually saved her. The Paladin and the Cleric were a bit surprised to find out that their sisters knew each other, it is sometimes a small world.

I encourage my players to have family, if it fits in with their character concept. I won't try to use it to screw them over, but I reserve the right to use it for plot hooks!

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

My PC actually has an extensive list of friends and family, however they have only come up in game once. She also has two horses and a familiar, and they are mentioned in every game, but rarely do much.