Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
1)Dark blue Dragonborn, Tall and broad. Weilding Great Axe.
2)Ex-Military, he fought with his People in a single campaign which ended before he was able to bring honor to his family, a big thing to his community.
3)Is Cannibalistic, Ritualistic, but not Evil or Chaotic-infact Lawful Good. His community believes in consuming the strength of fallen rivals, when worthy.
4)Older Brother Daegon of R'ylei is a Paladin of Bahamut, worthy of training for valor on the field, G'thagn has a bit of a chip on his shoulder for not being permitted the same opportunity.
5)Left his community in order to seek another path to greatness. Tolerates being discriminated against as a beast by the more human looking peoples hes met on this journey.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1) To bring Honor to his Family by performing at the level of the legends of his kind. or by death defending those he holds dear.
2) To see the Character survive into the ending tier.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
1)Gthagn is aware of an oncoming war that may kill his people. his actions and attempts at regaining honor with his people is so he will be allowed to fight and defend them. his party is unaware that the adventures he is taking part in are in his eyes, simply training.
2) It was Daegon that betrayed G'thagn, for his protection. This lead to his Discharge before being called to fight. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
1) Sardis- A Genasi Swordmage who has been his partner in battle since the two started travelling together.
2) Daegon- His brother, who while friendly has betrayed his brothers trust.
3) Travaeus- A Dwarf Thief who, initially, served as a friend to the group, turned out to have a dark motive, and is now in hiding. Should Gthagn, or Sardis, Find him, they will have words.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1) Collects Teeth, Horns or Claws from his Beast Kills, forming a tribal necklace/jewelry.
2) Will play up his Bestial Appearance when intimidation is required of the party.
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
1) Tall, but not too bulky for a Half-Orc, toting a bastard sword.
2) Desiring to fit in with the human culture he lives in, he strives to be kind, honest, and hard-working.
3) Has taken to worshipping the Sovereign Host and is particularly fond of Boldrei, taking her tenets of the sacredness of the home, as a place of respite from ill feelings, to heart.
4) Learned his abilities as a swordmage as a teenager working at the docks, the sum total of various little tricks learned from travellers unified through self-expirimentation.
5) Believes his Orc father to be a heroic adventurer who disappeared shortly after his birth, is quick to defend both his father and his Orcish heritage, and is quick to anger on the subject.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1) Sark wants to earn enough money as a bounty hunter to buy a ship and become a mariner, though he often refuses payment out of a genuine desire to do good for the community.
2) Sark will follow any clues that point towards his missing father, as he longs to meet him. 3) Due to the nature of the campaign and the alignments of the other PCs, I plan to watch Sark's naive view of the world get crushed, along with some of his spirit.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
1) Sark has both a violent temper and an instinct for battle that he tries to suppress. What he tries even harder to hide is that he thoroughly enjoys himself when he loses control. 2) Sark is unaware that he is actually a child-by-rape. His mother hides the truth to protect her darling son, and it breaks her heart to hear him so passionately defend her rapist.
3) Carter first started being kind to Sark because he wanted to win his mother's heart. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
1) Elisa Summers: Sark's mother and sole caretaker. She loves her little green boy and would do anything to protect him; even lie about his father.
2) Carter Wess: Dockmaster in Sark's hometown, and a father figure to Sark. Although he was initially using Sark to get to Elisa, Carter has come to see him as the son he never had. 3) Bazu Shibolg: Sark's father, a manipulative Star Pact Hexblade. His patron has promised him ulimited power in exchange for "a complete sacrifice of one's own flesh and blood." To avoid ritual suicide, Bazu concieved Sark and has secretly kept tabs on him for this purpose.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1) Likes to hear adventure stories, particularly about sea voyages.
2) Will often not refuse to help with trivial things, even when he personally is annoyed.
His current occupation is Executioner and his Execution weapon is a very Menacing Khopesh that is issued to all executioners in his community.
He is of noble standing
He believes in upholding the law
His family was murdered when he was young by a cult of dragon worshipers
He has a very grim look towards everything
Step 2
He wants to one day get revenge against those that murdered his family
He wants to be known to all of his plane as a great figure of justice and without mercy
Step 3
Vlaidaxe has never touched any sort of alcohol
He is a descendant of the dragon that commanded the execution of his family
Step 4
Tholamew is an adventuring Healadin (paladin|cleric) that has befriended Vlaidaxe. He is a Kalashtar that was raised by clerics in the temple of Torm. Tholamew is a very positive male Kalashtar, and like Vlaidaxe he also believes in upholding justice to the fullest extent.
Revan “Rev” Plaque is an Adventuring dual Khopesh like Hookswords wielding Human that has come asking questions about the a dragon that attacked his small settlement a couple of miles from the mountain where Vlaidaxe Lives.
Dar-Maryk is the herald of the Dragon cult that sent for the purge of all dwarven kind in the great mountain. Dar-Maryk is a Revenant with a Dwarven soul and an Dark elemental Mask. He wears Dark elemental colored robes and a medallion of a dracolich on his chest.
Step 5
As a Child Vlaidaxe remembered walking into his father’s bedroom and finding his Executioners Gear.
Vlaidaxe has a Grim Outlook on others that commit petty crime
He has dreams of himself fighting the great Dragon that commanded genocide of the dwarves.
I am both selfish and instinctive. I value growth and community, as long as they favour my own objectives; I enjoy nature, and I particularly enjoy watching parts of nature die. At best, I am resilient and tenacious; at worst, I'm uncontrollable and destructive.
(Note: This is my girlfriend's character.) Ahria Baequieplith Wood Elf Executioner Chaotic Evil
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
1) Petite, with long, green hair, and an acid scar on her left forearm.
2) A part-time bounty hunter who moonlights as a serial killer, she gets a thrill from ending someone's life.
3) Is intrigued by the cult of Zehir, although she knows little about the religion itself.
4) Has an immense, sadistic hatred of children, particularly those that behave like brats, stemming from the ruthless bullying she suffered as a child.
5) Is very loving towards her family, and will exhaust every possible option to avoid conflict with them.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1) Ahria seeks more information about Zehir, as she intends to seek out a cult.
2) My girlfriend wants Ahria to eventually gain a final resolution of the conflict between her and her brother. Whether that conflict ends in death or not depends in part on how role-playing turns out.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
1) Ahria murdered her late husband when she caught him cheating on her, and she framed his mistress for the crime, who was promptly executed. 2) Ahria is unaware that her parents have been murdered, which is her brother's true motivation for seeking her out. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
1) Shathys: A Shadar-kai assassin whose signature weapon is his greatsword. An adrenaline junkie who hunts giants for fun, he is Ahria's potential love interest.
2) Aeral Baequieplith: Ahria's older brother, known throughout many lands as a great detective and lawbringer. Though she loves him, she knows she must stay away to avoid a potentially fatal conflict. 3) Elianel: A very young Eladrin wizard with a slight sadistic streak, she saved Ahria's neck from the chopping block on one occasion. A great calamity separated the two, however, and Ahria has not been able to find her.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1) Ironic as a serial killer, she has an acute phobia of the undead, fearing her victims might one day rise from the dead to get her.
2) Has great natural talent for playing the saxophone, as she discovered haphazardly.
3) Is a cannibal for practical purposes. You never know when you might go hungry...
4) Fun Fact: The name "Ahria" means "Sly hunter" in Elven. "Baequieplith" means "Blessed by the forest."
I have been massively inspired by this thread. This wont follow the format exactly, but here is my current character. This, as will become apparent, is an Ebberon campaign.
Malamud ibn Ahbed "The Bloodthirsty" Lawful Good Dragonborn Fighter
Malamud is usually boisterous and laid back, attempting to promote comradely among the people is with, with jokes and general goofiness. He knows the value of morale
He can never forget the war, and all the brave men who died. ****in’ Travesty, man.
Malamud can be utterly terrifying, as a nearly 7 foot tall hulking mass of muscle could be. As a corporal, he was in charge of discipline in his unit, and he preferred the threat of violence to violence.
Malamud is a commoner, and so is untrained in the art of being appropriate, and will make lewd jokes in the wrong time.
Strength is given to the strong by the Gods to protect the weak
Only cowards and bullies think beating and killing the weak constitutes a victory
There is nothing worse than a coward; Malamud defines a coward as one who squanders their strength on unworthy foes.
He reveres Bahamet as the god of honor and Justice.
An enemy that begs for his life has lost. There is no reason to kill him; He must live with the fact he is a coward. By surrendering, he has demonstrated that he is weaker than you, and as such, you must not only let him live, but protect him
Although Malamud doesn’t consider himself immensely religious, he is a genuine believer in Bahamut and his principles. If he ever gets the chance, he would like to devote some time to actually studying and practicing his faith.
Malamud is a recovering alcoholic. He drank a lot during and after his time on campaign, to deal with the depression, fear, and PTSD.
The incident which incited him to stop is Malamud’s most shameful moment. A drunken bar fight ended in an all out brawl where in Malamud beat a man within an inch of his life with his bare hands. The man still lives in Silverwood, but Malamud crippled him and he has been unable to work since that day. This is the reason Malamud left home. He was viewed with certain uneasiness by most of the residents in Silverberg. He finds Adventuring keeps him distracted from the bottle. He sends the man enough money to support himself and his family every month. (It can be hypothetical money, or we can actually shave off a chunk of my gold every level. If we ever do go to Silverwood, this would be an important place for Malamud to visit.)
Unbeknownst to Malamud, his brother Sh’mash has fallen under to Orkus and is now a Blackguard. He still has the sword Ahbed gave him before he left home so many years ago. He could possibly be serving the Dragonshard King (the BBEG of this campaign, a Lich Lord.)
Ahbad is Malamud’s father. He is a stubborn, stoic old dragonborn whose lifetime in the mines has done a number on his lungs. He is proud of his son’s reclamation of his Arkosan heritage, but wants to see him settle down. Thirty five is far too old to be knocked around by orcs or goblins. He loves his son deeply in spite of these concerns and will try to do anything he can to help him.
His sister Kalia has become a bard. She still lives at home with his father in the utterly miniscule mining town of Silverwood. She loves her brother and thrills at the thought of adventure like she sings about, but is terrified of leaving her infirm father to fend for himself.
Captain Garrus was an elf noble who Malamud managed to piss off during his time in the military, and made sure he was never promoted past corporal. Garrus was a young, brash and stupid young man who got his commission based on his Dragon mark, and was in no way fit to lead troops. Garrus ignored Malamud’s advice and ended up sending brave men into a trap to their deaths. And then he tried to blame the action on Malamud! The war is over, and Garrus is now in line to wield immense political power as Lord of a dragon marked House (maybe mining? Or the warforged house?) In any case, he has despised Malamud since that day, and would probably be attempting to make his life difficult if he knew where he was.
Private Jerek Arn was a human soldier in Malamud’s unit who was known as a discipline problem. He mouthed off to superiors, trying to undermine their authority, and tried to bully the other men in his unit into doing what he wanted. And typically what he wanted was female companionship, and in the army, that’s hard to come by. He attempted to rape a female prisoner of war, Malamud was put in charge of his discipline and beat him senseless with his fists. Arn deserted not too long after, and is nursing a grudge against Malamud. He is a higher up in the Iron Circle, (a mercanary group of Brigands we are fighting now)
Awesome thread. Loads of ideas here! Really inspired me to crank up the old 'noggin and put some effort into the character.
Caisaadi Half-Elf Invoker/Shaman Good
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged! 1. Appearance wise; Long black hair, 5'7" tall, slim build. Would not be regarded as 'beautiful' but has a wild sort of attraction about her.
2. She was found as a baby one day by fairies living on an isolated island, washed up on the shore, barely alive. Seems aquatic spirits kept her from drowning. Caisaadi was raised amongst fairy folk and other fey and developed a close bond with primal spirits.
3. Caisaadi began to exhibit a natural affinity for communicating and interacting with primal spirits and forces, even as a young child.
4. While travelling during her early adulthood 'rite of passage', encountered an avatar of Mielikki in the form of a wounded beast, whom bestowed a holy symbol upon Caisaadi for showing compassion to it. Has had a close tie to the goddess ever since; it seems Mielikki has taken a liking to Caisaadi.
5. As a result of her upbringing, she isn't charming nor intelligent, but has a great deal of common sense, woodlore and is in excellent physical health. Lacks the usual half-elf traits; is a bit more reserved until she is certain of something.
6. Caisaadi is fairly naiive to the ways of the extended world, having lived among fey all her life.
7. Her caretakers insist she travel the world and see its splendors; to see more primal forces at work and witness Mielikki's actions and whims.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1. Caisaadi wants to honour the requests of her caretakers. She is determined to learn as much about Faerun as she can and wishes to travel all over.
2. I would like to see the mix of primal and divine powers that she exhibits expanded upon. Her existence is auspicious, it should signify something. The formation of a new primal force, or the budding steps of a new god. Opposing forces should begin to track her and attempt to take her/stop her for their own purposes.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1. Caisaadi knows who her parents were. She wasn't meant to; but a spirit of earth whispered it to her one night after her caretakers were discussing her fate. It seems they were quite high profile religious figures elsewhere on Faerun. Knowledge of her existence would have caused a political upheaval, so she was supposedly abandoned. She doesn't know who they are, their names, or where they are from, though.
2. Her natural aptitude for the primal and divine has begun to attract opposing forces as her skills develop. Shadowy figures have begun to move, intent on finding out who she is and if her existence is a threat to their plans. Partly demonic, partly beings of shadow.
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
1. Caisaadi's spirit companion; Juhra, a spirit panther. Their bond was formed early in her life when she had stumbled out of they fey village on her own and was beset on by the island's predators. Hearing her cries, Juhra, whom is very intelligent for one of his kind, rushed to her aid. He felled her attackers with a vicious fury but suffered mortal wounds in the process. Caisaadi wept bitterly over him, and Mielikki, whom even then was aware of her existence, decided to reward Juhra for his bravery and reunited him with Caisaadi a year later, reborn as a powerful spirit companion.
2. Klom, an oddly mischievous spirit of earth, who delights in spying on others and hoarding knowledge to cause a ruckus later. Has followed Caisaadi around for as long as she can remember, though he is independent and refuses to create any meaningful impact on the mortal realm beyond that which brings him amusement. Has the ability to reside in walls, earth, rock etc...
3. Her fey caretakers, the creatures who raised her from a young age. She feels that they are her parents; albeit their racial differences. She never did learn their names, for the fairies guard their names more carefully than their lives. She loves them nontheless and treats them with respect and courtesy.
4. On the island on which she was raised, more than just the fey resided. Imps, goblins and other more infernal beasties roamed the island, coexisting in an uneasy peace with the other fey creatures. One particular goblin, called Bugface, loathes Caisaadi. As a young child she wandered to the goblin village, marched up to Bugface (his actual name is Krunt), and declared him to be so. The other goblins rolled around with laughter at the audacity that a small half-leven child would walk up to their leader and humiliate him so. He has never lived it down, no matter how hard he tried. Though they have never openly fought, some 'convenient' occurences have found Caisaadi confronted by predators far from their usual habitat and the like, having to dodge falling rocks from a ridge once throught to be stable and other such incidents. Bugface is very cunning, very old, and very vindictive. Caisaadi is oblivious to his malice, though, not remembering the event that triggered the animosity.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1. The very first time Caisaadi became aware of a primal spirit was during a festival the fey were holding. The high Shaman, a very respected fellow in the community, made a great show of summoning the ancient spirits, making it appear as an incredibly difficult and dangerous undertaking... Enter Caisaadi, who stares at him and starts giggling. Calls him a silly man and tells him to turn around, the spirit is right there!! Needless to say the villagers were amused, the Shaman, less so. Impressed by her ability, however.
2. Caisaadi sometimes forgets that not everyone can see or hear primal spirits and so has worried some of the less perceptive villagers who have seen her talking to herself, or wrestling with Juhra.
3. Caisaadi lacks patience for more academic endeavours. She can speak and write Common and Elven, something her caretakers insisted she learn (much to the chargrin of her teachers), but after much effort from both sides she had learnt. She knows little of the history of Faerun as the fey were not really interested beyond the happenings of their own island.
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
1.) Cinder is a voluptuous tiefling with black hair, crimson skin, and downward curved, small horns that frame her face. Her tail is thin and whip-like; punctuated with a devil's spade at the end.
2.) She is a severe megalomaniac. She believes any creature she encounters is her inferior; all creatures are a means to power through killing or manipulation.
3.) Cinder learned Pyromancy from several masters, all of which she treated as evolutionary stepping stones. Once she mastered a particular aspect of fire from a tutor, she would kill them with it and move on to find a new master.
4.) In addition to Pyromancy, Cinder has mastered the art of manipulation and seduction. She is aloof and disinterested when she doesn't have a stake in a social situation; she is sultry, coy and teasing when an oppertunity arises to turn anything to her advantage.
5.) Fire runs deeper through Cinder then just being the focus of her arcane studies; it has literally shaped the woman she's become. Her temper would be legendary, if any who had seen it lived to spread its tale. When provoked, her retaliation is always overkill. Be it physical, or just her pride, when she is hurt, the reaction is always the same: Ash.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1.) Cinder's overall goal is very base: Burn Everything. Cinder dreams of power and dominion over the course of eternity, and the only way for her to attain that is to bathe the cosmos in fire. Her megalomania will eventually drive her to destroy anything not strong enough to withstand the fire she controls.
2.) I personally would like to see Cinder involved in some sort of epic, plane-altering plot before ending her story at level 30. Something I think she could be capable of, or being a part of, is crashing the Elemental Plane of Fire into one of the frozen layers of Baator, like Stygia or Cania, thus sparking a massive inter-planar war.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1.) Cinder has been visited by devils, frequently. She treats them just as she would if anyone else approached her, usually with disdain and disinterest. What's surprising to her is how these devils are just as susceptible to her manipulations as anyone else is. Instead of the "sell us your soul for power" routine, most devils offer her short term gains in exchange for the manipulation of other people, something Cinder is more then happy to facilitate. She has recently started to appriciate Asmodeus as a diefic figure in her life, and flirting with the devil is something she's not openly talking about.
2.) What Cinder doesn't know is that she is a bloodline heir of Mephistopheles. When the noble houses of Bael Turath made their blood-pacts with the arch-devils of Baator, Mephistopheles approached a house of Turathi mages and promised them the secrets of Hellfire. The arch-magus of the mage tower accepted, and she became the first tiefling of the mages' noble house. Mephistopheles took her as a consort, taught her the secrets of fire, and produced with her a tiefling child. Since that day, and even after the fall of Bael Turath, Mephistopheles has manipulated the noble house's bloodline, selectively breeding the tieflings over hundreds of years. Mephistopheles believes that Cinder is the culmination of his efforts, a mortal being of flesh and blood, but with the ability to command Hellfire like her progenitor. Cinder's recent infatuation with Asmodeus, however, is a growing concern for Mephistopheles. He must now cleverly manipulate Cinder over the course of her adventures if he hopes to sway her away from the influence of the Lord of Nessus... and if he can't, destroy her before she becomes too powerful.
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
1.) Hector Remus is a human merc-for-hire. He was once a great scout for the land's militia during times of war, but his life has since fallen into disarray. Cinder is the only person who seems to dispise him as much as he dispises himself, and as such has found a kindred spirit in her. Hector knows nothing about Cinder's propensity for fire, or even that she's a mage at all. Cinder uses him as an extension of her own arm; if she has a less-then-savory job to handle, why get her hands dirty, when Hector is more then willing to do it for her. She repays Hector in the form of booze, companionship, or any other simple vice that keeps him trapped in his own prison... and under her heel.
2.) Pus-head is the name Cinder has given to an Imp that regularly approaches her at the behest of other devils. Unlike other devils, however, Pus-head has no alterior motives towards Cinder. Quite the opposite; in awe of Cinder since the first time he saw her, Pus-head has fallen completely in love with her. Not wanting Cinder to stumble into any of the schemes other devils try to trick her with, Pus-head has a tendacy of "accidently" letting too much of what he knows slip out when he's delivering her a message. Not enough to betray the trust of the other devils, but more then enough for Cinder to read between the lines. Mephistopheles has recently discovered this puppy-to-master relationship, however, and now Pus-head must choose between his delusional love of Cinder, or the wrath of the Lord of Cania.
3.) When Hector Remus was finished with his tour in service of the local lord, he return to his family's farmland home to find acres of grassland reduced to ash. The entire village had been reduced to a few smoldering embers, and even the old mage's tower- long had the harmless old wizard mentored various mages discovering their talents!- was nothing more then a charred husk. No one was left alive, and Hector couldn't handle the guilt of not being there to protect his family. His only comfort now comes at the bottom of a bottle, and the only warmth he feels comes from the body of a tiefling who uses him for mercenary work. If he could only get over his guilt, he would track down whoever destroyed his village... and kill them. But the booze the tiefling buys him makes the pain go away, and her body makes him forget...
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1.) Cinder doesn't remember anything before the age of 14. Her first memory is that of being terrified, in a small room, fire all around her. Screams echo from beyond the fire. She thinks they belong to her mother, but she can't remember. She just closes her eyes and waits to die... and then she wakes up in a pile of blackened soot.
2.) When forced to be civil in a social situation, Cinder never makes eye-contact with whoever is addressing her. She usually begins to file her nails, play with her tail, or adjusts her clothing in provactive ways. If she can make whoever is speaking stumble over their words, she feels amused but doesn't let it show. If yelled at or scolded, she will immediately fix them with a stare of hatred, attempting to intimidate or otherwise cow them.
3.) Cinder always lies. Always. The less anyone actually knows about her, the easier it is for her to gain the upperhand at a moments notice. If she's ever honest, it comes at times that are so inappropriate, people assume she's telling a poorly-intentioned joke. "Why are they attacking you? Maybe the goblins are working for someone else. Someone who needs a village of dead bodies to raise as an undead army, but who doesn't want to draw attention to themself. I know that's what I would do."
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged! 1.He's fascinated by acid and poison. 2.He used to be an alchemist assistant in his hometown. 3.Intelligent and charismatic, he manipulates people to have them by his side. 4.Danger isn't something he's aware of... 5."The best way to avoid getting hurt is not to be in the way!"
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game. 1.He wants to manage his own librairy! 2.The story of his life needs to be written and everyeone should be able to read it! 1.Argo, his former master who died in the explosion of his workshop.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises! 1.He keeps a book of all his adventures...But he changes some things to make him look better than he truly is. Often taking credits from other people's actions. 2.His master isn't dead!
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you. 1.Argo, his former master who died in the explosion of his workshop. 2.Mitr, a child who wish to follow his steps but couldn't follow him during his adventures. He still study alchemy in his hometown. 3.The Son, leader of the guild of explosion in his hometown. He could be the one who killed Argo...
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor. 1.Winston speaks really fast and can be annoying. He speaks faster than his brain can send the words, so sometimes, he's repeating words in loop until he knows what he really wanna say. 2.He remember the day his master's workshop blew in wonderful explosion! His master was inside... 3.Winston want to stay alive! It's okay to leave the others behind if things go bad...
DMing: Le Trésor du Fluide (Treasure from the Fluid) Un Royaume d'une Grande Valeur (A Kingdom of Great Value) La Légende de Persitaa (Persitaa's Legend) Une Série de Petites Quêtes... (A serie of short quests)
Playtesting: Caves of Chaos
We're building the greatest adventure ever known to DnD players!
Also playing Legend of the Five Rings and Warhammer Fantasy.
Sébastien, Beloeil, Qc. I am Neutral Good and 32 years old.
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind.
1) Crymson dragonborn, both tall and heavily muscled (even by dragonborn standards). twin swords and whip scars all over his back and shoulders.
2)a pacifist, Chamaeus will not start a fight. but inside him dwells an uncontrollable rage, and once the fight start he is no longer aware of what he is doing.
3)Was a slave most of his life, only just recently breaking free of his bonds (literally).
4)possesses intellegence, but due to his broken Common, he apears very slow.
5)His birth name is Ventus, but after over ten years as a slave being called "big one" or "scaly behemoth", he doesn't remember what his birth name is. goes by Chamaeus because that is what the other slaves called him. Chamaeus is a combination of the elven words for Savior and Death (i know not really, but for the purposes of RPing).
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1)To master the rage inside him so that he no longer need fear that in his rage he will hurt a freind.
2)To return to the village where the other freed slaves now live. he cannot do this until he achieves his first goal. it is a vow he holds himself to riggedly.
3)I hope to see him learn to controll his rage, and return to his freinds.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet.
1)When Chamaeus broke free of the slave camp, he was in a berzerker's rage, and killed all the slavers. dispite the fact that he honestly beleives that the slavers deserved it, he is haunted by the fact that he was the monster who slaughtered them all.
2)The ex-slave Morgan, a young elven girl, is tracking Chamaeus. see step 4. Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile.
1)Morgan Strife, female elven twin swrod warrior. Morgan is the slave who gave Chamaeus his name, and she was one of the slaves saved by Chamaeus' "outburst". She worships him, thinking he is an angel of the Raven Queen. Chamaeus revears (reveres?) her because she is the one who gave him the only name he remembers.
2)Daveth, Goliath preist. Daveth was a slave along with Chamaeus. when chamaeus broke free, it wasDaveth who lead the slaves through the wilderness to a nearby town, which is where the ex-slaves still live today. Daveth made preperations with the town's church for making sure the slaves, almost all of them children or young teenagers, would be taken care of, and then set out to find Chamaeus, who left without telling him why.
3)XXXX, human slavemaster. the slavemaster of the camp which CHamaeus destroyed got away because he ran while the other slavers tried to fight. Daveth was the only slave who saw this happen, and has told no-one, not even Chamaeus.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1)Speaks and moves slowly, as if afraid he is afraid of creating a "bull in a china shop" situation.
2) When a fight is over, Chamaeus's bloodrage won't end emediately, and he will continue attacking his last opponent for a few seconds before he returns to normal.
3) when he was a slave he did not have a shirt/tunic. now that he's free, he still doesn't wear upper torso clothing/armor because it feels weird and uncomfortable.
Player: I use crushing blow on that Kruthik. Me: ok, roll ur d20 Player: CRAP!!! I rolled a 1!!! Me: *does DM bad stuff voodoo, and determines his attack is now aimed at the rogue standing next to him* Hmm...roll another d20 Player: *starts cussing profusely* Me: What? Player: I rolled another ONE!!!
I'm both selfish and rational. I'm scheming, secretive and manipulative; I use knowledge as a tool for personal gain, and in turn obtaining more knowledge. At best, I am mysterious and stealthy; at worst, I am distrustful and opportunistic.
I'm both orderly and rational. I value control, information, and order. I love structure and hierarchy, and will actively use whatever power or knowledge I have to maintain it. At best, I am lawful and insightful; at worst, I am bureaucratic and tyrannical.
I just found this system, and it's the answer I've been searching for! Thanks a million!
The Ten-Minute Background
Lysander Murk, ??? Wizard
Step 1: Write 5 background and concept elements that you feel are important to your image of the character. These can be a concept overview, a list of important life events, a physical description, a personality profile...whatever you need to get an image in your mind. 5 is just a minimum...more elements are encouraged!
1) Lysander Murk suffers from complete amnesia. He does not know who or what he is, where he came from, or how he came to acquire his arcane talents. Even so, he is drawn by a certain sense of purpose that leads him wherever he goes, though he may not know where it is taking him.
2) Lysander is not of any mortal race, that much is sure. What is unsure, however, is if anything like him exists at all. He has the build of an eladrin, tall and graceful, but his hood conceals his face. He finds that he cannot remove it, and that no light pierces the inside of it. The only things visible are two round eyes, like blazing coals, peering out. Thus, it is hard to read his face since he appears to have none. The rest of him is clothed in black and dark grey. A cloak usually is drawn about his shoulders, concealing his form.
3) Though he knows nothing of his origins, he has a near-flawless memory and has an innate knowledge of arcane lore, religion, and history. His quiet attitude hides an astounding level of intelligence.
4) Lysander speaks only when he deems it neccesary. When he does happen to speak, it is slowly and deliberatly, as if he has just learned the language.
5) His knowledge of arcane lore is not limited by the moral character of a "good" wizard. He knows much of the area of black magic, and utilizes it when he deems necessary, which is often, whenever he encounters a threat to his person or his companions.
Step 2: List at least two goals for the character. At least one of these goals should be one that the character has, while another should be one that you, as a player, want to see developed over the course of the game.
1) I would like Lysander Murk to acquire as many tomes of lore and magic as possible, since his purpose is one of gaining knowledge.
2) I would like him to find out, at the climax of the campaign, or wherever deemed fit, what his true nature is.
Step 3: List at least two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1) Lysander is steeped in forbidden lore and black magic as well as in traditional magic, reveling in the power the arcane brings. He prays to no deity in particular to grant him the knowledge he requires, but has never recieved an answer.
2) Lysander Murk is a being known as a Lorekeeper. His race is immortal, created by Ioun to be a race of astral scholars serving him as scribes, librarians, researchers, and magical soldiers in the inevitable second coming of the primordials. Lysander happened to be corrupted by a tome of blackest magic that found its way to his section of Ioun's great library, which vanished soon after. Ioun banished him for this crime, and declared that he shall never again enter his domain unless he finds the tome and destroy the foul book.
3)
Step 4: Describe at least three people that are tied to the character. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
[Example]
[i]1) Eric Gane was once an apprentice to the local wizard, Burgmund. Unfortunatly, Burgmund was slain by a creature of shadow on the top of his tower just outside town. Eric managed to flee before his master's demise, and ran into Lysander. Lysander felt a strange attraction to the youngling, not quite 13, and has adopted him as his new apprentice. The bright lad helps him make sense of his new surroundings and is a key to interpreting the people around the strange being.
2) Rierdran Trop, a changling bard, is another of Lysander's traveling companions. He feels that he has some connection to him, being an outsider himself, and has become a good friend of Lysander. He is chatty and amiable, always strumming a tune on his lute or humming some diddy he made up on the road.
3) Harold Schmitt, the Captain of the Fallcrest Guard, has never liked Lysander. He finds him untrustworthy and alien to the world, and feels like he does not belong in his town. He feels that a man without a face is no man at all, and wishes him gone. He tolerates him for the time being, because he is actually quite docile with the public, even friends with most of the notable people in town.
Step 5: Describe three memories, mannerisms, or quirks that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
[Example]
1) Lysander recieves a vision whenever he rests, the vision of an old tome bound with black iron atop an obsidian pedestal, illuminated by an eerie shaft of light. When he finally makes it to the pedestal and reaches to open it, he wakes up. He has never opened the book.
2) Lysander has a strange gait when walking. He sways slightly from side to side, as if in a trance.
3) Lysander often stares at he empty pages of his spellbook, as if willing words to appear.
