[file taken from http://www.ashami.com/rpg/ 2018.04.19] Personality Part 1 Greetings and welcome to Ash’s Guide to RPG Personality & Background In my experience, what makes role playing games so fun is the role playing! Yes, high pitched battles are a blast, but can get stale when that’s the meat of the experience. Developing and running a character that, over time, really comes to life makes gaming rewarding because eventually you get to know and care about this creation that is, ultimately, an extension of yourself. And so, this guide was developed for gamers like myself who enjoy playing complex characters with a unique personality and background. This guide is designed to be modular, meaning you should only use the sections you need when you need them. You certainly don’t need to fill out every item, especially in the beginning when you just want to get your character up and running. Let me repeat: The Guide does not require that every variable be assigned. You can start off with only one or two variables in the beginning and add more as you get to know your character or as questions arise. Of course, you are welcome to start off with a complete personality and background profile; it’s entirely up to you. Either way, I hope you find The Guide useful for enriching your gaming experience. Personality (part 1) When we talk about personality in a gaming context, what we want to know are things like a character’s motivations, emotional states, worldview, and how s/he behaves in various situations. Alignment often doesn’t go far enough in answering these questions. Richness in a campaign often comes in the form of small details, quirky events, and surprising action, all of which are more possible when the characters (including the NPCs) have personality elements that make for non-general play. For instance, a thief can certainly be played to pickpocket everyone indiscriminately, but it is more interesting if she, say, also loves to read and goes out of her way to steal books. It is this kind of insight about what makes a character tick that allows for really fun and engaging adventures. The percentages in this Guide are for random profiles, which might be interesting for NPC development. For player characters, gamers are encouraged to pick and choose the traits as they see fit. Step 1: Primary Motivators In the broadest sense, the Primary Motivator is the underlying engine of your character’s life. It is the foundational theme of his worldview and, at a deep level, is what ultimately drives him to action. While any given act might be tactically pragmatic in service to short-term goals, the PM is there in the background influencing his aims and behaviors. A single Primary Motivator is entirely sufficient and even if you want more, it is recommended to begin only with one. If you are inspired to have multiple Motivators, I suggest you still choose one that is primary with others that are secondary. This isn’t presented as a rule, it’s just experience—the more PMs you have, the less meaningful they become in your gaming. In general, I’ve found it more interesting and playable to go deeper with one motivator rather than broader with more PMs. PRIMARY MOTIVATORS 1-3% Achievement To overcome obstacles and succeed; to become the best 4-6% Acquisition To obtain possessions/wealth 7-9% Adoration To be cherished, admired, and wanted by others 10-12% Balance/Peace To bring all things into harmony and equilibrium 13-15% Beneficence To protect the helpless, heal the sick, feed the hungry, etc. 16-18% Chaos To disrupt, to cause confusion and discord 19-21% Competition To seek out or create rule-based win/lose scenarios; to defeat others in contests 22-24% Conflict To seek out or create rivalry, fighting, or animosity 25-27% Conquest To conquer other peoples, to bring them into one’s own culture/rule 28-30% Corruption To despoil, ruin, humiliate, or make depraved 31-33% Creation To build or make new, such as art, culture, invention, design,etc. 34-36% Destruction To annihilate, exterminate, and unmake 37-39% Discovery/Adventure To explore, uncover mysteries, and pioneer 40-42% Domesticity To get married, have children, and live a family life 43-45% Education To provide information, teach, enlighten, or train 46-48% Entertainment To entertain, amuse, and delight others 49-51% Enslavement To force others into servitude 52-54% Hedonism To enjoy all things sensuous 55-57% Heroism To find valor and honor through battle or self-sacrifice 58-61% Liberation To free the self and/or others from perceived captivity or enslavement 62-64% Love To experience/share affection and emotional commitment, whether romantic or platonic 65-67% Nobility/Honor To exalt ideals such as generosity, honesty, bravery, and courtliness 68-70% Order To arrange, organize, and reduce chaos 71-73% Play To have fun, to enjoy life 74-76% Power To control and lead others 77-79% Proselytization To spread a belief system; indoctrinate others 80-82% Purity To achieve a state of moral or spiritual perfection, of self and/or others 83-85% Rebellion To fight against power structures; to undermine authority 86-88% Recognition To gain approval, social status, or fame 89-91% Service To follow a person, government, order, religion, etc. 92-94% Torment To inflict pain and suffering, on others and/or the self 95-97% Understanding To seek knowledge or wisdom (spiritual, scientific, magical,etc) 98-100% Vice To enable or engage in self-destructive behavior You are certainly not limited to the choices above—but if you create your own Motivator, be sure to make it generalizable and thematic. You don’t want a PM that is actually a Quest or a Hobby. For instance, Competition is something that can motivate a character in many situations and across the lifetime, but Revenge doesn’t work well because it’s more of a Quest. But if one does want revenge, the flavor of it will be influenced by the PM—you can imagine how it might manifest differently if the character’s PM is Beneficence, Destruction, Liberation, or Torment. You can also choose a narrower version of the listed options. For example, Invention rather than the more general Creation, or try Popularity rather than Recognition. Just be careful not to make it too narrow. And if you do pick a narrow Motivator, you are encouraged to pick at least one other PM, just to keep your character from a too-restricted range of action. Step 2: Emotion and Core Traits Now we start to fill in some details about what your character is like. We want to know how she feels and thinks, ultimately so we can determine how she will behave. Emotional Disposition and Moodiness We begin with the Emotional Disposition and Moodiness. The ED describes the general emotional set or “resting state” of the character. This doesn’t mean that the character is limited to the ED, it just informs you of the emotion the character is most likely to be experiencing at any given time. This trait can be used to help you determine how your character is likely to emotionally respond to a situation, as well as how she appears to others. For instance, a primarily joyous person will act and speak differently than one who tends towards anxiety or contempt. Finally, don’t make the mistake of correlating the ED with alignment—it is possible to be joyously evil and angrily good. Moodiness describes how easily one feels strong emotion. It’s basically the level of emotional stability. Labile describes being quick to experience strong emotions and Phlegmatic describes being emotionally steady and low-key. EMOTIONAL DISPOSITION 1-10% Joyful 51-60 Angry 11-20 Anxious 61-70 Contemptuous 21-30 Melancholy 71-80 Excited 31-40 Curious 81-90 Apathetic 41-50 Calm 91-100 Ashamed MOODINESS 1-33% Labile; 34-66 Even-tempered; 67-100 Phlegmatic Core Traits Where the Primary Motivator describes the global drive of your character, the Core Traits inform how a character is likely to act in any given situation. They help define how a character sees the world and how they move within it. For players who don’t need much personality detail, picking out a Primary Motivator, the key Emotional Disposition, and even one or two Core Traits should be enough to give any character a distinct flavor. While all such traits in reality have a wide spectrum of expression, for the sake of gaming simplicity, they have been divided into black and white categories. Even so, this should not stop you from finding the shades of grey during gameplay. CORE TRAITS 1. OUTLOOK Outlook is one’s basic worldview, interpreting the world as being essentially good or bad. Optimistic Idealistic, confident, trusting, hopeful, upbeat Pessimistic Cynical, bleak, distrustful, foreboding, resigned 2. INTEGRITY Basic values regarding work and social interactions. Conscientious Industrious, honest, responsible, meticulous, pragmatic Unscrupulous Lazy, deceitful, unreliable, manipulative, slipshod, impractical 3. IMPULSIVENESS The ability to regulate one’s thoughts and actions. Controlled Deliberate, focused, steady, thoughtful Spontaneous Capricious, flighty, hyperactive, rash 4. BOLDNESS Willingness to face danger and enter into battle. Intrepid Daring, reckless, valorous, dauntless, audacious, confident Cautious Timid, paranoid, vigilant, nervous, tentative 5. AGREEABLENESS General attitude towards people and the ability to handle new situations, tough choices, and interpersonal conflicts. Agreeable Warm, empathic, tolerant, forgiving, open-minded, adaptable, altruistic Disagreeable Cold, rigid, tense, intractable, narrow-minded, cantankerous, stingy 6. INTERACTIVITY Style and degree to which your character interacts with others. Engaging Talkative, candid, entertaining, touchy Reserved Shy, loner, taciturn, evasive, cryptic 7. CONFORMITY Basic relationship with cultural norms. Conventional Orthodox, formal, down-to-earth, mainstream, traditional Heterodox Rebellious, arty, shocking, freethinking, exotic The Basic Profile Determining the Primary Motivator, Emotional Disposition, Moodiness, and Core Traits will give you a solid personality profile for your character, covering almost any situation she might get into. Let’s look at an example: Primary Motivator: Liberation Impulsiveness: Controlled Emotional Disposition: Melancholy Boldness: Intrepid Moodiness: Phlegmatic Agreeableness: Disagreeable Outlook: Pessimistic Interactivity: Reserved Integrity: Conscientious Conformity: Heterodox This is the profile of a character—let’s say a fighter—that is driven to save all those in servitude. She despises the notion of anyone in captivity. Knowing that the world is filled with slaves, she tends to sadness in her demeanor. However, she is also emotionally stable—it takes a lot to really upset her. She is somewhat pessimistic and is very slow to trust anyone. As such, she can come across as somewhat cold and even cantankerous on occasion; it doesn’t help that she reveals very little about herself. Although she isn’t impulsive, she is brave and will fight to the end if she feels her cause is just. And she isn’t interested in tradition or the powers that be — she goes her own way. As you can see, just these ten items are able to generate a detailed and playable profile. But perhaps you want more? Well, then, let’s move on to Personality Part 2…! Personality Part 2 Personality Part 2: Secondary Traits If you’ve filled out everything in Part 1, you already have enough for a serviceable personality profile. It will cover the large majority of situations you are likely to encounter. If you are looking for more, The Guide is here to serve! Below you can flesh out your character’s sense of humor, religion, habits, hobbies, favorite topics, group affiliations, and even some mental disorders. As before, each of these are entirely optional and only need to be filled out if you think they will enhance your overall gaming experience. Sense of Humor SENSE OF HUMOR 1-10% Crude 51-60 Prankster 11-20 Dry 61-70 Mean-spirited 21-30 Slapstick 71-80 Gleeful 31-40 Jokey 81-90 Surreal 41-50 Cynical 91-100 None Favorite Topics of Conversation What does your character like to talk about? It can be helpful to list out three or four topics that your character defaults to in casual social situations. The basic rule of thumb is that people like to talk about what they are good at and things they find interesting. So, look at your character’s skills, hobbies, training, and background to see what he might be into. It’s a good idea to come up with specifics, but some general topic areas to consider include: Politics Religion Relationships Work/profession/money Entertainment—music, art, dance, games Hobbies and pastimes Current events Philosophy Science Humor Group Affiliations An optional component might be adding groups that your character identifies with. Affiliation plays an important role in how people actually act, and this can add another role-playing dimension as well. Quite simply, this comes down to deciding which general groups your character fits into and whose members he accepts as “one of his own.” For example, if your character enjoys playing dice, this can mean more than just the activity, it can also mean identifying with dicers as a general group. Of course, it’s easy to pick groups based on class or race, but choosing non-obvious groups can make for more interesting play. A good place to start might be to look at your hobbies, any past professions, or religion. Also, after you finish your background, come back to this section and see if any groups pop out from your character’s unique history. Religion and Spirituality ADHERENCE—Strength of belief or association with a religious system 1-25% Non-believer; 26-50 Agnostic; 51-75 Casual adherent; 86-100 Orthodox adherent TOLERANCE—Willingness to accept differences of belief in others 0-33% inclusive; 34-66 tolerant; 67-100 intolerant RELIGIOUS DEMEANOR—How your character tends to acts in regards to religious beliefs Expression of beliefs: 0-33% none; 34-66 occasional; 67-100 constant Converting others: 0-33% never; 34-66 casual; 67-100 aggressive Attitude: 0-20% irreverent; 21-40 fearful; 41-60 judgmental; 61-80 humble; 81-100 ecstatic RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION 1-20 Church Generally an established, hierarchical organization 21-40 Cult A large or small group usually attached to a single charismatic leader 41-60 Fellowship Small group(s) that lack formal organization and a charismatic leader 61-80 Solitary When a character either has unique beliefs or chooses not to affiliate religiously with others 81-100 Indigenous Religious traditions within a cultural group, such as a family or village RELIGIOUS ROLES—Also useful for background information in Part II: Background 1-7% Abbot/Abbess Leader of a monastery or convent. 8-13% Cult Leader Usually a charismatic head of a small group of highly devoted followers 14-20% Disciple Dedicated follower of a religious teacher or leader 21-26% Guru Spiritual teacher 27-33% Hermit One who follows a solitary and isolated spiritual path 34-40% Inquisitor An official tasked with finding and “correcting” people who have broken religious rules 41-46% Jihadist A religious warrior 47-53% Missionary Dedicated to converting others, usually in distant geographic areas 54-59% Monk/Nun Belongs to a monastery or convent 60-66% Patriarch/Matriarch Leader of an organized religion, such as a pope 67-73% Pilgrim One traveling to a holy site or landmark 74-79% Priest/Priestess Someone authorized to administer sacraments as an ordained member of a church 80-86% Prophet One inspired to utter revelations or predictions, often in service to a specific deity 87-93% Sacred Courtesan Has sex, often with strangers, in service to a religion and for a symbolic price 94-100% Shaman A medium between the material and spirit world who practices healing and divination Quirks, Habits, and Oddities These are small behaviors that a character can engage in as a way to give extra flavor to gameplay. Some are pretty innocuous (e.g. humming, lip biting) while others can provide some very interesting gaming opportunities (e.g. exhibitionism, sleepwalking). QUIRKS, HABITS, & ODDITIES 1-2% Humming 51-52% Constant eating 3-4 Dancing 53-54 Pacing 5-6 Sleepwalking 55-56 Blade sharpening 7-8 Facial tics 57-58 Counting 9-10 Exhibitionism 59-60 Hair pulling 11-12 Fingernail biting 61-62 Snoring 13-14 Eavesdropping 63-64 Walking backwards 15-16 Daydreaming 65-66 Teeth sucking 17-18 Talking in sleep 67-68 Excessively touching others 19-20 Stuttering 69-70 Substance use (non-addicted) 21-22 Compulsive lying 71-72 Hair pulling 23-24 Whistling 73-74 Animal hater 25-26 Name dropping 75-76 Insomnia 27-28 Self-inflict pain/injury 77-78 Beard/hair stroking 29-30 Mumbling 79-80 Nose picking 31-32 Constant grooming 81-82 Needless apologizing 33-34 Foot tapping 83-84 Exaggeration 35-36 Lip biting/licking 85-86 Superstitious (omens, luck, etc.) 37-38 Coin flipping 87-88 Belching 39-40 Chewing (e.g. sticks, small bones) 89-90 Sleeping in odd places 41-42 Knuckle cracking 91-92 Repeating others 43-44 Collects odd things 93-94 Smelling things 45-46 Singing 95-96 Teeth picking 47-48 Snacking (nuts, seeds, etc.) 97-98 Stealing 49-50 Reciting poetry 99-100 Tree climbing Hobbies and Enjoyments HOBBIES & ENJOYMENTS 1-2% Acrobatics 51-52% Glassmaking 3-4 Acting 53-54 Animal racing 5-6 Astrology 55-56 Horse riding 7-8 Music appreciation 57-58 Hunting 9-10 Theatre 59-60 Invention 11-12 Gaming (e.g. chess) 61-62 Jewelry making 13-14 Boating/Sailing 63-64 Jousting 15-16 Collecting 65-66 Juggling 17-18 Calligraphy 67-68 Metalwork 19-20 Cards 69-70 Painting 21-22 Carving 71-72 Philosophizing 23-24 Combat competition 73-74 Reading 25-26 Cooking 75-76 Research 27-28 Dancing 77-78 Riddles 29-30 Dicing 79-80 Sewing 31-32 Animal fighting 81-82 Sports (Wrestling, racing, etc) 33-34 Eating 83-84 Storytelling 35-36 Drinking 85-86 Swimming 37-38 Embroidery 87-88 Art appreciation 39-40 Falconry 89-90 Weaving 41-42 Fishing 91-92 Woodworking 43-44 Fortune-telling 93-94 Writing 45-46 Singing 95-96 Playing an instrument 47-48 Gambling 97-98 Pipe smoking 49-50 Gardening 99-100 Bird watching Mental Disorders These are common (modern) human mental/emotional disorders. It seems unlikely that most players would want their character to have a debilitating problem, although it could certainly make for interesting play. This option might be better suited to NPCs, giving the GM something other than flat characters to play. This list can also be used as ideas for hideous curses or divine punishment. This list is by no means complete and gives only cursory descriptions. Mental Disorders 1-10% Addiction Chronic, compulsive drug/activity indulgence, despite harmful consequences. Can decide if it is mild, moderate, or severe. 11-20% Amnesia Severe memory loss; can be loss before a certain point (retrograde) or after (anterograde). 21-30% Bipolar Disorder Erratic swings from periods of mania to major depression. 31-40% PTSD Anxiety disorder developed after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal resulting in potential re-experiencing of the ordeal, nightmares, hypervigilance, trouble sleeping, being easily startled, and avoidance of anything that is a reminder of the event. 41-50% Major Depression Impaired physical functions (e.g., sleep, appetite); loss of interest and pleasure; low energy & motivation; possibly accompanied by severe pessimism, hopelessness, guilt, and suicidal thoughts/intent. 51-60% Fugue Abrupt travel away from home, an inability to remember important aspects of one’s life, and the partial or complete adoption of a new identity. 61-70% Hypochondria Preoccupation with fears of having a serious disease or physical problem based on little or no real evidence. 71-80% Schizophrenia Delusions (unreal beliefs, e.g. savior complex or assigning unusual significance or meaning to normal events); hallucinations (unreal sensations, usually auditory, i.e. “voices”); disorganized speech; grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior; paranoia. 81-90% OCD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder described the existence of both regular compulsions (overwhelming need to engage in a ritualized behavior) and obsessions (persistent, often irrational, and seemingly uncontrollable thoughts). 91-100% Phobia Extreme anxiety and fear associated with an object or situation. Can include anything, for instance: specific monsters/animals, fire/water, heights, magic, open/enclosed spaces, heights, or darkness. Background Character Background There are of course no hard and fast rules about background development. Much can depend on the world the game master presents and any limitations imposed. However, to help you get started, this chapter presents a detailed list of background elements that can flesh out your character. Of course, you aren’t required to address every issue here, and it’s certainly possible to build on your narrative over time, filling in details as you go. As a general rule, when developing your background, try to be dramatic but not over the top. In the long run, it is more interesting to have weaknesses, barriers to overcome, and difficult goals to fulfill than to have abundance, power, or effortless strength (this last note is just as, if not more important for game masters). Ideally, you want to address four domains in your background: 1) Conflict (who or what does your character fight or fight for?) 2) Challenges (what limits your character?) 3) Mystery (what doesn’t your character know?) and 4) Passion (what drives your character?) If you already have your personality traits worked out, you can use the background to develop why your character is the way he or she is. If you don’t have Part I done yet, you can start with your background and then develop personality traits that fit the narrative. Brief Background Writing a complete background can be time consuming. So, if you want something quick and dirty, I recommend answering the following questions as a good way to start… Where were you born? (name, size, location, interesting features) Who were your family? (family members, social class, profession) Name one mystery, conflict, or significant past event What is your adventure trigger? If different from your trigger, do you have a quest? I confess that this Guide is geared towards fantasy-based games. However, this shouldn’t stop a clever player from using the basic ideas to create backgrounds for any kind of setting. Birthplace Name Location Size Geography (e.g. desert, plains, tropical, mountainous, tundra, forest, island, etc) Weather Industry Local government/nobility General character, what it was like (e.g. hospitable, communal, ugly, sleepy, dangerous, educated, commercial, pious, stuffy, fun, historical, youthful, political, upscale, transient, depressing, laborious, etc.) Or were you born isolated from a population center or in a group/family that travelled? Family Father, mother, siblings, other relatives in your household growing up. If you didn’t have a “traditional” family, what did it look like—explain what was different. E.g. maybe you grew up with a gaggle of urchins learning how to pick pockets for a local gang. What did your family do to earn a living? (See Professions & Crafts below) Socioeconomic class (e.g. nobility, gentry, merchant, peasant, serf, slave, etc.) Compared to average, how wealthy was your family? What kind of influence did it have? What kind of connections to power centers did it have? Did this change over time, and if so why? What was your family’s reputation? Any family myths, curses, or legends? Did any members have a mental illness? (see the list above—remember, your character likely wouldn’t know these terms, and might instead think a supernatural cause was the explanation) Were you raised by someone other than your biological parents? Do you know anything about your extended family and your relationship with them? Professions & Crafts Before we go on, here is a handy list of possible professions and crafts, which can be applied to your character, various NPCs, and people from your character’s past. A way to differentiate them is to think of a craft as something a character can do or make whereas a profession is how one earns a living. As an example, one person can know the craft of brewing ale, whereas another has the training to engage in the profession of being a Brewer. Most player characters are adventurers of one sort or anothe by profession. Giving up a home life to go around trudging through ancient dungeons and fighting dangerous creatures is a full time job (and takes a certain kind of unusual personality). So, as a rule of thumb, many characters will have learned something of a craft or profession well before they hit the adventuring trail. At the same time, some professions can make for interesting adventuring motivations. Is your character a scrivener or natural philosopher, adventuring to get material to write a book or publish an essay? Is he a spy under the guise of a hapless sorcerer? How about a storyteller who makes a living going from town to town? There are many possibilities, and this list is far from complete. In such a case, there’s a lot to consider: What level did you achieve (apprentice, journeyman, or master)? Where did you train, and who did you work with—the family or someone else? Being a journeyman can require a contract with a master—did you break it to go adventuring? Were you part of a professional guild (or still)? Did you own a business? What drove you to leave the profession? Was your profession a family business? How successful were you in business? Also, don’t forget the list of religious roles in the Personality chapter. PROFESSIONS & CRAFTS Actor Apothecary Chemist, druggist, pharmacist Arbiter Architect Archivist Armorer Assassin Astrologer Bailiff Serves writs and makes arrests Baker Banker Barber Barkeep Barrister Lawyer Beekeeper Bellifounder Bell maker Blacksmith Bonder One who keeps slaves Bookbinder Bookkeeper Bookseller Bowyer Bow maker Breeder Dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, etc. Brewer Brewing Maker of ales, beers, or meads Butcher Butler Calligrapher Candlemaker Carpenter Cartographer Map or chart maker Cartwright Clerk Clockmaker Coachman Cobbler Shoe maker Coiner Composer Confectioner Maker of candies Cook Cooper Barrel maker Coper A horse dealer Coppersmith Costumer Courier Cryptographer Writes and breaks codes Dairyman Dancer Dentist Draper Deals in cloth, clothing and dry goods Dressmaker Dyer Dyes cloth into various colors Embroiderer Emissary Engineer Designs public works, like bridges Engraver Executioner Falconer Trainer of hawks for gaming Farmer Ferrier Horseshoe-maker First mate Fisherman Fishmonger A dealer in cheap and imitation goods Fletcher Florist Forester Manages forestland Furrier Dealer in furs; trapper Gem cutter Glassblower Groom Horse keeper Groundskeeper Harrier Trainer of hunting hounds Hatter Maker and repairer of hats Hawker Sells goods by yelling in the street Headmaster Head of a school Healer With or without magic Herald Herbalist For healing or hurting Herder Historian Hoyer Animal driver Iceman Keeper of the ice house Importer Innkeeper Interpreter Jester Jeweler Joiner Cabinet or furniture maker Judge Lady in Waiting Noble woman who waits upon higher nobility Landlord Leather worker Limner Paints signs and heraldic devices Locksmith Lumberjack Maidservant Manservant Marbler Worker in marble or stone Mariner Mason Builder in stone Mendicant Mercer Dealer in textile fabrics Merchant Messenger Metalworker Silver, gold, bronze, iron, etc. Midshipman Officer in training Midwife Miller Miner Minstrel Moneylender Musician Navigator Page Noble child in service to another noble Painter Papermaker Parchment maker Performer Juggler, tumbler, acrobat, fire-eater, etc. Perfumer Philosopher Law, ethics, or the natural sciences Physicist Playwright Poet Politician Potter Makes pottery Prostitute Can be noble, religious, or criminal Puppeteer Quarrier One who cuts stone from natural deposits Quartermaster Military provisioner Rancher Horses, cattle, or other livestock Recruiter Scribe Scrivener Writer, author Scullion One who cleans in the kitchen Sculptor Seamstress Shepherd Ships Captain Shipwright One who makes ships and boats Slaver Soap maker Soldier Rank and file or officer class Songwriter Soothsayer A fortune-teller Spinner One who spins into wool Spy Stableman Steward Servant that oversees the running of a household Storyteller Tailor Tanner Tans animal skins to make leather Taxidermist Teacher Teamster Thatcher One who thatches roofs Tinker A maker in small devices for common use Toolmaker A smith who makes metal tools Torturer Toymaker Tracker Trader Trainer Trapper Treasurer Undertaker Vintner Wine maker Wainwright Maker and repairer of wagons Watchman Weaponsmith Weaver Wheelwright Woodcarver Significant past events Anything, even something small, can change you in major ways and lead to interesting game play. You can always look at your personality traits and come up with reasons why you’re that way (an example: your Primary Motivator is Liberation because you were sold into slavery until you managed to kill your owner in the night, swearing that you would forever help free anyone in bondage). The possibilities are endless. Family-related events Did your father tell you a dark family secret? Any unusual problems, deaths, illnesses, or trauma? E.g. did the landlord throw your family into the street? Were your parents or yourself taken into slavery? Or did something of great fortune happen? Were you taken far away from your family for some reason? Were there any interesting traditions, celebrations, or holidays in your family? Did you ever fall in love or have a serious relationship? Do you have a spouse or any children of your own? Where are they now? Personal events Were you ever really sick or injured? What kind of education did you have, if any? Were you ever betrayed? Did you find a magic item buried in the woods? Or did a rabbit suddenly start talking to you? Were you ever dirt poor or filthy rich for a brief time? Did you ever commit any crimes, or be falsely accused of one? Did something happen that revealed an unusual talent? Did you do anything interesting, like travel with a performing troupe, join the military, serve the local nobility, or jump a trading ship for a year? Were you ever active in a church, religion, cult, or secret order? Did you ever have a chance to show leadership, such as leading a local rebellion, founding a school or animal sanctuary, being elected mayor of your small village, etc. Did anything really funny ever happen to you? Embarrasing stories can make for great tavern entertainment. Notable individuals Any strangers come through town that gave you an unusual gift? Did a fortune teller predict something strange and unlikely? Was there a nearby hermit that taught you about herbs or other lore? Any local clergy to influence your religion? Did you ever have any mentors or patrons before adventuring? Did you form any close friendships while growing up or in early adulthood? Is there anyone out there that you can really trust or look to for help? Mysteries Mysteries are great opportunities for role-playing and help keep your character interesting. They can provide the GM with ideas for sub-plots or even whole adventures, so be sure to let her know what you come up with. The ol’ amnesia hook is discouraged unless you can come up with a really good story to support it. Some good mysteries could be: Who murdered my best friend? Who is my real mother? I had a strange vision when I was ten—what did it mean? Why do I keep having recurring nightmares about a flaming sword? One morning I woke up with this strange mark on my chest Why does the full moon fill me with dread? What did that cryptic prophesy given by an oracle mean? Why did the king grant 100 acres of land to my father 20 years ago without an explanation? Every now and then I think I see strange creatures out of the corner of my eye—what are they? Just before he disappeared, my father gave me a magical ox that I can’t open. A black cloak appeared one day in my room; I don’t know who put it there or what it’s about I was drinking one night at the local tavern and the next thing I remember I was alone, naked, and lying on a stone altar in an outdoor temple dozens of miles away Existing Conflicts It is possible to have ongoing conflicts in your character’s life. Such conflicts are often between individuals, but they can also be between groups and institutions (such as another village, church, guild, school, family, or the law). You can add other details, like if you are mainly out to get them, or they you, or if the antagonism is mutual. If you choose to have a pre-existing or ongoing conflict, create the circumstances surrounding it: Who exactly is the conflict with? Why does the conflict exist? What happened? Why can’t it be worked out? How do you think it will end? What are the emotions surrounding it—hate, jealousy, vengefulness, grief, bitterness, regret, fear? What triggered adventuring? Even if you don’t answer many other questions about your background, this is a good one to know. Again, look to your personality traits to get ideas for your triggers, especially the Primary Motivator. Also, any of the background items above can act as your adventuring trigger. But if you’re still not sure, here are some ways to explore the essential question—how did you happen to take up a sword, lockpick, or spell book and go looking for trouble? Was it a thoughtful decision to go adventuring or did circumstances compel you? Why did you make that decision or what circumstances pushed you into it? If you left home, what set you off? Are you looking for something? Or… trying to accomplish anything? Or… was it wanderlust? Or… seeking fame and fortune? Or… trying to walk in a parent’s or sibling’s footsteps? If you are a fighter, you must have some minimal training with a sword—where did you get it and how did you learn to use it (friend, a job, parent, military)? Or if you have a knack for picking pockets, how did you learn the ropes? If you are a cleric, did you get “the call” from a deity, or were you indoctrinated into a religion? Think about it this way—if the very first place you get to on your adventure is a pub and someone asks “so, what brings you here?” an honest answer to this hypothetical question would be based on your trigger. Initial possessions Do you own anything other than what you are wearing and what’s in your backpack? Do you have a family home, or own land? Also, don’t just think about adventuring equipment—look at your hobbies, quirks, and craft skills above and think if you might have items related to those things. Bound duties Are there any outstanding obligations or oaths that you need to fulfill? Any unusual debts? Is anyone looking for you for deserting service or a contract, or for some other reason? Did you make a promise to your family or friends? Quests Like the adventure trigger, this is the other background area that should be known for a well-played character. If you have filled out a good portion of the other background areas, then it is likely your quests are already known—they can come from anything in the Events, Mysteries, or Conflicts sections, for example (your trigger can also be a quest). You should add more quests as you continue to adventure. Having short and long term quests is a good idea—developing both can allow you to accomplish things sooner rather than later whilestill retaining something that drives you. When working on your quests, think in terms of clearly defined goals—e.g. to become rich is a motivation, not a quest, but to obtain Brad’s Chest of Neverending Gold from the Cave of Certain Death is. Here are some basic ideas—remember, it works best if you can develop quests that collaborate with your personality traits: Revenge Solve a mystery Resolve a conflict Fulfill an oath Deliver a message or package Find or save someone or something that was lost or taken Discover a mythical place Solve a crime Remove a curse Provide a suitable person as a physical vehicle for your deity Earn membership in an exclusive organization Kill every last troll in the Brashduk Clan Open the portal to the Fifth Dimension Depose the local baron Fix the terrible mistake I made long ago Obtain Brad’s Chest of Neverending Gold from the Cave of Certain Death Again, the possibilities are endless. It might be worthwhile to work with the DM on coming up with quests that fit within the game world.