Hello all. My DM has set up a D&D 5th Edition campaign set to modules from old school D&D editions (1st and 2nd mostly). He has house ruled the classes a lot and it has made things challenging, which I love. We are fourth level and I need a backstory for my Ranger. My DM told me a good place to start for a backstory was the Gnarley Forest and the Rangers that protect it. I did that and found out there are seven Ranger Knights, each of whom train younger rangers that swear allegiances to them. However, I am having a hard time finding out any info or even names of these seven Ranger Knights. I am thinking maybe my ranger will be sent out to report (and hunt) encroaching evils (mainly Orcs) and somehow winds up at the Caves of Chaos (which is where we will be operating in). The Kendall Keep is base of operations right now. I am thinking this backstory has been done to death already so maybe there are some out there that have a better one to pitch to me? I am also new to D&D so I do not know how the clans and tribes work. I am leaning toward elf as race but not giving up on human yet. Which would be better in your folks opinion?
Ranger backstory/player help
- Thread starter cdiddy
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psychophipps
Explorer
It's certainly not a poor choice for a story. I like it better than "I'm like Caine from Kung Fu"...
That said:
You can be a boy from the area returning from a war, finding out that battles don't just happen in far away lands.
You worked as a Scout for a law enforcement group that hunted bandits and became disenfranchised at the brutality with which some outlaws met their end.
You are just a local kid that has always been at home in woods. While everyone else was doing farming chores, you were out hunting with your trusty hound-equivalents. You recently found out the the hard way that you're a natural talent for fighting, all those arrows shot, animals trapped for feeding your family and money to live on, and trees cut giving you the tools you can use to protect your community.
The only limitation is your imagination, my friend.
That said:
You can be a boy from the area returning from a war, finding out that battles don't just happen in far away lands.
You worked as a Scout for a law enforcement group that hunted bandits and became disenfranchised at the brutality with which some outlaws met their end.
You are just a local kid that has always been at home in woods. While everyone else was doing farming chores, you were out hunting with your trusty hound-equivalents. You recently found out the the hard way that you're a natural talent for fighting, all those arrows shot, animals trapped for feeding your family and money to live on, and trees cut giving you the tools you can use to protect your community.
The only limitation is your imagination, my friend.
Xaelvaen
Stuck in the 90s
The first small tip I can give, is to point you toward the Backgrounds in the Player's Handbook for 5e. There are some new ones in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide if you have access to that as well, but they are very steeped in Forgotten Realms lore. With some work, however, conversion is very easy to reflavor them for your world.
1) (Jungle Book) - Half-Elf. As a child, you always struggled with the duality between your human and elven sides. You always had a knack with animals from your other heritage, and that pure survival instinct of humanity. At one point, you were lost in the woods, and survived by your connection with the wild and learning from the creatures around you. This doesn't make you savage or feral, because your elven heritage kept you sane, but at the same time, if your DM allowed multiclassing, you could slip in a level of barbarian to represent some extras.
2) (Lord of the Rings) - A noble or royal, born low in a very long list of heirs to the throne, you couldn't stomach the politics any longer and left on your own, finding everything in the wilderness much easier to understand. You've long-since cast aside your ties, but in the near future, your past could come hunting for you (make sure to check with your DM on that; could make a great flaw).
Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head.
1) (Jungle Book) - Half-Elf. As a child, you always struggled with the duality between your human and elven sides. You always had a knack with animals from your other heritage, and that pure survival instinct of humanity. At one point, you were lost in the woods, and survived by your connection with the wild and learning from the creatures around you. This doesn't make you savage or feral, because your elven heritage kept you sane, but at the same time, if your DM allowed multiclassing, you could slip in a level of barbarian to represent some extras.
2) (Lord of the Rings) - A noble or royal, born low in a very long list of heirs to the throne, you couldn't stomach the politics any longer and left on your own, finding everything in the wilderness much easier to understand. You've long-since cast aside your ties, but in the near future, your past could come hunting for you (make sure to check with your DM on that; could make a great flaw).
Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head.
I assume you already found canonfire.com since your description matches their write up. Sometimes if you follow the references in the bibliography at the bottom of the entry you can find more specific details. I don't have access to my GH material right now, but I would be surprised if any names were ever mentioned for the Rangers of the Gnarley.
This may be a good opportunity for you to fill in some details in your GM's world. As a GM, I always appreciate it when a player helps fill in some of the gaps in a campaign setting. I think you have a good background already and if you take the time to develop it further, it would be very solid.
This may be a good opportunity for you to fill in some details in your GM's world. As a GM, I always appreciate it when a player helps fill in some of the gaps in a campaign setting. I think you have a good background already and if you take the time to develop it further, it would be very solid.
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