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Message: <blockquote data-quote="joebobodo" data-source="post: 5240792" data-attributes="member: 81742">3 out of my 5 players have backgrounds thus far (we are about halfway through Gate Pass.  My other 2 players are still getting a feel for their characters).The Female Tiefling Wizard (Kalastryn Zolfura) selected the "Dark Secret" generic background from the character builder.  I worked with her to adapt it to the WotBS setting, and this is what resulted:You have a dark secret.  The trouble is, you can't remember it.  Dark images haunt your sleep and  even occasionally your waking moments.  Brief flashes of torture,  blood, and claustrophobic rooms.  Even though nothing is even distinct  or clear in these images, you cannot shake the idea that you are not on  the receiving end, but the giving end of these despicable acts.Your  memories are full of holes.  Where you come from (whether it's the  nation of Ostalin, where most Tieflings on the continent are from or  not) is entirely up to you, but you just can't understand quite how you  ended up in Gate Pass.You think you're running from something,  something having to do with these images that haunt you.  You've been in  this city for a while, taking advantage of its tolerance of outsiders  and its neutrality.  You've even managed to make a bit of a home for  yourself, and maybe have taken up some further magic studies and  scholarship within the city (on your own or with help).Either way,  your time here and your talents have not gone completely unnoticed...Her secret, which she remains blissfully unaware of, has to do with her character being involved in the making of the magical weapon that requires the kidnapping of all the arcane magic-users.The Male Dwarf Warlord (Werim) selected the "Dedicated to an Ancestor" background from the character builder.  Again adapting to the WotBS setting, this is what we ended up with:You hale from a nearby, underground Dwarven nation, deep in the heart of  what your people refer to as The Singing Chasm.  Among your isolated  people (the dwarves have long decided to separate themselves from the  outside world), you were somewhat revered.  You were born on the same  exact day of the year as one of your people’s greatest ancestors (feel  free to make these details up on your own, such as who this ancestor was  and what they did), and so great things have been expected of you since  your birth.In recent years, one of King Stalwarden’s sons, Marben  Diamondheart, decided that the dwarves needed to reclaim their rightful  place in the world, and recapture the glories of their past empires.   Your king would not hear of it, and so Marben struck out on his own with  a few devout followers to begin his own clan in the image of his  forbears. To the shock of the King’s clan, your parents were among  those who left with Marben.  As you were old enough to make your own  decisions, they did not force you to come.  Due to your fame, auspicious  birth, and conflicting loyalties, you found the decision too difficult  to make, and instead chose exile from all dwarven clans.  So, here you  are in Gate Pass, a city on the verge of anarchy, invasion, and  rebellion.  What will you do should your name be called to heroics?       Of course, this background will come up in an interesting way toward the end of this first adventure.  I look forward to seeing where this goes, especially since this is player who is brand new to the D&D game.Our Male Human Ranger came up with his own background which I then tweaked to make more specific to the setting and the overarching plot:You grew up on the fringe of the farming community on the outskirts of  Gate Pass.  A couple years ago, your older brother, showing signs of  magical potential and political passion, disobeyed your parents and  struck out for Gate Pass.  From your few correspondences with your  brother, you gleaned enough information to know these vital things:     He had begun studying magic with a fledgling school of sorcery run by an  ambitious Halfling.    His letters are constantly flecked with  treasonous words of rebellion and resistance, often times referring to a  “Scourge” and the need for Gate Pass to stand up for itself.    While  he never says so explicitly, you have taken to believe that your brother  had joined with an underground resistance group.  The name Torrent,  tied to these clues, has come up on more than one occasion.Recently, any and all word from your brother has ceased.  Struck with  the moral dilemma of seeking out your lost sibling and staying with your  parents (and in their good graces), you have opted to flee to Gate  Pass.  Never quite sure of how you felt regarding your brother’s life  choices, you investigations into his disappearance have led you further  and further down a rabbit hole that has no light at it’s end.  At this  point in time, you know (or suspect) these things:    Your brother was a  rebellious magic-user in a city facing a Scourge of all arcane  wielders.    The Inquisitors, Ragesian enforcers of the Scrouge, have  not yet been allowed entrance into the city.    There are groups within  the city that have taken it upon themselves to make an early start to  the Scourge in the hopes of gaining favor with, who they believe to be,  the victorious invading nation.    The most notable of these groups  goes by the name: The Black Horses.       This background has already hit the ground running as the PCs begin getting entangled with Torrent and the Resistance, and the very first encounter happens to be with The Black Horses.  What I like about this background is that it acts as a nice opening hook to the early events and then will continue to be relevant periodically through the campaign.I'll try to remember to post my other 2 player's backgrounds once they've become more firmed up.  I hope this helps/inspires/etc...Also, I'd love feedback on these from people who have experience with the campaign.  Do you foresee any roadblocks in my future?</blockquote>

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