Shardstone
Hero
Blah blah blah "why is no one a human fighter ???"It's like nobody is just the son/daughter of a blacksmith any more....
We have a wealth of character creation options for a reason, man.
D&D 5E Which of these backstories do you think could be most interesting to play?
- Thread starter DarkMoon250
- Start date
We have a wealth of character creation options for a reason, man.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
But come on, all those Blacksmiths sons were adopted and are really heirs to Wizard or kings and all have the skill to forge their own magic swordsIt's like nobody is just the son/daughter of a blacksmith any more...
why cant we just get some nice simple pig-farmers ;P
ccs
41st lv DM
I like the Dragonborn one.
Only id drop the cowardice bit & simply have had them fall through a rift during a hunt/combat. Or maybe he failed to follow instructions/stay on the path etc. "No! Don't touch that!" {Poof & the rookie is gone....}
To his clan he's an unrecoverable casualty.
Unbeknownst to them though his adventures have only begun....
Only id drop the cowardice bit & simply have had them fall through a rift during a hunt/combat. Or maybe he failed to follow instructions/stay on the path etc. "No! Don't touch that!" {Poof & the rookie is gone....}
To his clan he's an unrecoverable casualty.
Unbeknownst to them though his adventures have only begun....
@DarkMoon250 If I might suggest a variation/extension of the Shar theme. This is one I used in my game for an NPC.
A prophecy states that in the 'shadow of Candlekeep' (presumably in the village outside of it) there will be born a pair of twins. One will be born fair, one dark. One will have the power of life and light, one of shadow and death. One will be the purest soul, the other an unbound evil.
The girl was born with dark hair and counternance (a Wednessday Adams look). People said that shadows tended to cling to her. Hearthfires never burnt as bright while she was near. She will seen as an ill omen. She was fascinated by death and was often 'caught' with dead small furry animals. In reality, she was offering them peaceful rest. You see, she was a kind soul. Her brother however, was a monster.
He was born with the fairest countenance, a winning smile and the light seemed to almost dance in his blonde hair. He could heal the injured by simply laying his hands on them. He would ask for nothing but favours in return (think Needful Things) , but of course people lavished gifts upon him. It was a good omen even for him to linger in your house. He was however, unimaginably cruel. He would torment those smaller and weaker than himself, those unable to tell others. He would even use his healing abilities to torment animals past the point of death. He tormented his sister worst of all. People hated her and beat her for daring to besmirch this 'fine and blessed young man'.
She wanted to flee the village, but she was the only counterpoint to his cruelty. He wanted to keep her nearby to suffer. He promised to do unspeakable acts on the people that trusted him if she ever left. Eventually, after a few ill omens and mysterious deaths, she was driven from the village. Forced to find her own way in the world.
Years later, she is still scarred by always being told she is cursed and evil, but she still has a good and kind heart. She alone sees the evil of her brother, but she has not seen him in years. She has heard worrying reports that the Lord of Neverwinter was recently ill and was cured by a travelling saint when no others could. The saint has been offering blessings and healing amongst the court and has gained in influence and fortune. He is a rising star at court.
It is fun to think of how one could use the power of healing, blessing and charisma if one was an evil psychopath. Whatever his end-game is it cannot be good. She alone sees him for what he is, but nobody trusts her. Nobody except her handful of companions who have learnt to over the years. Maybe in time she can share her concerns with them and they will be the first to not dismiss her as an evil girl slighting a saint.
A prophecy states that in the 'shadow of Candlekeep' (presumably in the village outside of it) there will be born a pair of twins. One will be born fair, one dark. One will have the power of life and light, one of shadow and death. One will be the purest soul, the other an unbound evil.
The girl was born with dark hair and counternance (a Wednessday Adams look). People said that shadows tended to cling to her. Hearthfires never burnt as bright while she was near. She will seen as an ill omen. She was fascinated by death and was often 'caught' with dead small furry animals. In reality, she was offering them peaceful rest. You see, she was a kind soul. Her brother however, was a monster.
He was born with the fairest countenance, a winning smile and the light seemed to almost dance in his blonde hair. He could heal the injured by simply laying his hands on them. He would ask for nothing but favours in return (think Needful Things) , but of course people lavished gifts upon him. It was a good omen even for him to linger in your house. He was however, unimaginably cruel. He would torment those smaller and weaker than himself, those unable to tell others. He would even use his healing abilities to torment animals past the point of death. He tormented his sister worst of all. People hated her and beat her for daring to besmirch this 'fine and blessed young man'.
She wanted to flee the village, but she was the only counterpoint to his cruelty. He wanted to keep her nearby to suffer. He promised to do unspeakable acts on the people that trusted him if she ever left. Eventually, after a few ill omens and mysterious deaths, she was driven from the village. Forced to find her own way in the world.
Years later, she is still scarred by always being told she is cursed and evil, but she still has a good and kind heart. She alone sees the evil of her brother, but she has not seen him in years. She has heard worrying reports that the Lord of Neverwinter was recently ill and was cured by a travelling saint when no others could. The saint has been offering blessings and healing amongst the court and has gained in influence and fortune. He is a rising star at court.
It is fun to think of how one could use the power of healing, blessing and charisma if one was an evil psychopath. Whatever his end-game is it cannot be good. She alone sees him for what he is, but nobody trusts her. Nobody except her handful of companions who have learnt to over the years. Maybe in time she can share her concerns with them and they will be the first to not dismiss her as an evil girl slighting a saint.
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
Because Charlotte's Web shows up to steal your thunder and forever alter the path of your destiny.
DarkMoon250
Explorer
The latter I certainly want to avoid, but the former was actually never something I intended. I figured that a Shadow Sorcerer should try to play up their creepy/eerie factor, and I wanted the Sharchild in that regard to have an almost unnatural calmness about them. Things that should call for a strong emotional reaction just don't; to him, the loss of his hometown is a shame, but not really too big a deal. Things like joy, misery, terror, excitement, romantic love, etc... he just can't feel them anymore.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
I'm with Unwise on the Dragonborn backstory - it means that the most exciting stuff in the characters life has already happened. afterall "Hunting undead in the Shadowfell for a Shadow Dragon patron" could be an entire campaign arc. Where does the PC go from there? As a GM I'm forced to think okay how does this PCs life in the shadowfell with a Dragon affect his current knowledge? The same thing applies to the Dread Inheritance thing as a GM I'm now having to decide what this Pact is and what the Glaive can do
The Shar Child on the otherhand has had childhood happen to them, he's a Church orphan who has subsequently been kicked out of his home due to controversy. The Great-granddaddy story is someone elses adventure, the Nightwalker is history and the left over taint could just be a strange birthmark in the shape of a purple disk. As a GM I'm not forced to consider any of the backstory as directly relevant - and the PC gets to decide his own attitude to the Church.
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