[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
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
Basic values regarding work and social interactions.
Conscientious
Industrious, honest, responsible, meticulous, pragmatic
Unscrupulous
Lazy, deceitful, unreliable, manipulative, slipshod, impractical
The ability to regulate one’s thoughts and actions.
Controlled
Deliberate, focused, steady, thoughtful
Spontaneous
Capricious, flighty, hyperactive, rash
Willingness to face danger and enter into battle.
Intrepid
Daring, reckless, valorous, dauntless, audacious,
confident
Cautious
Timid, paranoid, vigilant, nervous, tentative
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
Style and degree to which your character interacts with others.
Engaging
Talkative, candid, entertaining, touchy
Reserved
Shy, loner, taciturn, evasive, cryptic
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:
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.
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