Plot Hooks Necessary for Every Character?

[Quickleaf]

Sado, I have done that during an experimental game with my buddy (expert gamer) and his girlfriend (newbie). It rocked!

I had them both draw pictures of their characters for a couple minutes, then they switched papers and I let them go hog-wild with each others pictures. Essentially, the idea would be for each character in the group to be created by ALL the players, not just one.

Player 1: It was during Aldenar's apprenticeship at the glassblowers that he swallowed a quantity of poisonous vapors which caused his voice to be raspy. He never quite recovered from this, accounting for his 6 Constitution.
Player 2: Oooo! Glassblowers have got to wear stained-glass colored clothes. And big pointy hats.
Player 3: Maybe his lips are imbedded with glass crystals?
DM: His mentor always worried about him... After the accident, his mentor become even more aloof. It was only a matter of time before Aldenar quit the job.

 

[twofalls]

Know your players. It's been said a couple of times here without being actually defined. The GM's primary job (as I see it) is to know his players and deliver a game they will enjoy playing in. Did your player leave the opening about her father in the background of the character specifically for you to use? Have you asked her?

Tacking something into a game specifically for a character isn't a such bad thing, and certainly doesn't need to be complex or primary plot oriented to be fun. Most plots in RPG's are actually better when they are simple. Just for example, what if the party finds itself going through Joetown and someone who was involved in the murder of her father recognizes her? Perhaps some unmistakable family resemblance or family symbol is the key that tips him off. Thinking that she has arrived to investigate the murder, or just that she might know something damaging he slinks away to warn his accomplice/boss/whomever. It can become a major subplot, just an encounter, or even merely a GM footnote for future events.

I ask for backgrounds from my players specifically so I can work things like this into the campaign. Keep in mind also, that not every player needs to have such a hook active all at once. Keep an eye on the group, if someone seems uninvolved in the game, use a hook aimed at them to get them back into it.

My Kalamar game features a fighter who fled his family because they traffic in slaves and even though he is a lawful character, his good nature abhors the poor treatment of slaves he's seen in his family. The player has been somewhat uninvolved in the game because he is a power gamer and I run a heavy drama game. So, just this last Friday as they entered into a forest that was rumored to be haunted in search of an ancient ruin, I had him have creepy visions of slaves who tended to him as he was a youth, and who are known now to be dead. Then, I left evidence that the ruin was tied to his family by having them uncover a carving of a coat of arms that includes his families heraldry. The adventure ( Part of the Coin of Power series) certainly didn't have any of that PC background in it, however without changing the plot at all I was able to get that player involved in the game and feeling personally connected. Though he didn't voice his enthusiasm in words, he left the game animated and excited about our next session.

Oh, one last thing, be careful of using prophetic dreams. I've used them before myself, I'd just suggest that you keep them to a minimum as they become passé very quick and they are so overused in fantasy.