How many like to try to create a history or back-story for their character based on the Game lore?
I try to make mine relatively contemporary, by that I mean I dont go all the way back to the begining of the world with some obscure relation to the founder of X- to me that seems a bit superfluous and boastful. But I will read the published lore, to get a feel, and then try to create something that defines the character and provides a guidline for behavior for me as the avatar in game. usually a few sentences or most half a page if I need to go into "parents" or lack thereof history.
Based on the snippets of Lore available have any started thinking along these lines?
My first fan fiction was a character back story. "A Warrior's Instinct" started out as a D&D character sheet. I then put Gammy Wildwit into several situations until I found out who he really was. (probably more of myself than i want to admit)
The one thing that helped define the character was I wrote down 3 secrets that only Gammy knew about himself. Those 3 secrets are what guides his actions. Of course I blasted a ton of the lore in there thats why its TLDR.
Basically, read the lore surrounding your setting and timeframe, Know your character, and it will be a snap to write your back story. I look forward hearing about your character development process!
I know my group and I Think others have started to do this on a guild level. I find it to be fun in the absence of actual content. It’s a group bonding thing and just fun to do.
The creativity aspects make it interesting to go on what we don’t know. Here again its our version of what we think is going to be created. It’s a fan thing to do and I wish more people did it.
Ox
Oxillion member and officer of The Dragon Accord
I have been dabbling with this kind of thing and not even realising it.
I did a small intro for my main character’s male ancestor who was there at the beginning. It was just a couple of throw away paragraphs that just seemed appropriate to the post at the time. But the idea has stuck with me. I find myself wondering about the other things this imaginary ancestor penned in his journals and I keep thinking about how this character’s words written in ages past would frame my main character’s drives in this divided world.
I guess I want to explore this ancestor story more than was my original intent, maybe it’s because the world of Terminus has pulled me in far more than I realised? Regardless, I find I want to delve deeper and see how the journals will affect my main character’s motivations.
Weird, but fun.
The legendary Crusader Kalgore grew up in a small isolated village on the frontier of a wild and untamed land. As a child Kalgore always tried to stick up for the smaller kids in the village who were bullied as he believed that the weak always deserved to be helped. One day a man covered in blood with wounds all over stumbled into the village. The other villagers ignored the man as they were distrustful of strangers. Young Kalgore refused to let this poor man die and pleaded with his parents to help save his life. Finally agreeing they dragged the man into their hut. Kalgore and his parents started stripping off the strangers armor so they could wash his wounds. Days went by as the man fought off infection and his wounds. Weeks passed before the stranger had the strength to speak. His first words were to young Kalgore thanking him for helping him. He tells him how he remembers a young voice yelling and pleading to help.
As the man grew healthy he explained more. His name was Je’terrel and he was a crusader. He had no mission other then to help the weak and defend good people from the evil that tried to cause them harm. He talked about some of his adventures and battles. One night he explained exactly what a crusader was as the stories have been twisted with time. He explained how a Crusader was more than a holy Paladin . A crusader was a defender of the innocent and warrior for the goodly folk through the realm. The crusaders order helped rid the land of pure evil but they always would die to defend a Orc whose only crime was being an Orc they believed that anyone could be good just like anyone could be evil and ones heritage and race shouldn’t cast it into the pool. They depended on the actions to pass judgement. He explained how one day he could be hunting a Lich and the next escorting a band of traders through bandit infested country. Young Kalgore hung on every word the crusader spoke. After he explained his Order and mission Je’Terrel looked over and Kalgore and his parents and explained how their son was destined to join the Crusaders. His very nature and how he acted defined what he would be long ago. Kalgores parents at first were against it but knew that they would not be able to hold Kalgore back from this offer. So the next morning Kalgore followed Je’Terrel and started his life in the Brotherhood of Crusaders.
Years passed while Kalgore mastered the crusaders weapons and magic. He was naturally adapt at fighting with a sword and shield as well the crusaders magic. Before long Kalgore found himself an equal with Je’Terrel, they roamed the land fighting alongside peaceful gnomes, or battling again horrid trolls. They even defeated a mighty red dragon. The duo was a force that few could overwhelm the teamwork and devotion to each other overcame all that came against them. Alas they heard the story of a Lich King of vast power. An evil so old the very land around his domain refused to grow. Travelling to rid the land of this vast evil they entered the castle of the Lich King and quickly found themselves in trouble. Battling hordes of undead as well as other creatures of nightmare they slowly advanced deeper into the castle. Facing many wounds and exhaustion as they stumble into the throne room they look up and see the Lich king Vast and horrible a feeling of dread is cast upon the mighty warriors but neither flee. Standing up and calling upon reserves of power neither thought they had they met the evil standing upright and ready to fight. The battle was long and terrible magics of good and evil flung around the throne room. But in the end the Lich a being thousands of years old gained the upper hand. Je’terrel slipped and the Lich king struck. Thrusting is evil sword into the neck of the crusader laughing as the blade hissed and steamed he slowly turned towards Kalgore. Kalgore rushed the Lich with all his might but couldn’t get past the undead creatures defense but he refused to yield. As time went by it seemed Kalgore gained in power and strength. I mere mortal should have collapsed long ago but Kalgore kept up his swings stronger his magic more powerful. Slowly Kalgore gained the upper hand as and forced the Lich to his knees. Raining blow upon blow against the Lich, Kalgore managed to strike a blow shattering the sword he felt his sword crush the skeleton frame of the Lich king. His rage unyielding he struck again and again each strike harder than the one before each time his sword touch bones the Lich let out an unearthly Scream until finally he managed to strike the withered heart. The evil contained in that withered artifact exploded as it sought release throwing Kalgore across the throne room. Hours passed before the Crusader regained conscience. He staged over to a pile of dust all that remind of a foul evil that plagued the region for thousands of years. By the pile of dust he noticed his sword for the first time. Fused together with the fragments of the evil weapon used by the Lich king the weapon pulsed with a life of its own. As he lifted the weapon he could feel a power flow through him, strength not unlike what the felt when wielding his magic’s. But he could also feel a dark evil hidden a taint that threatened to overwhelm the wielder of the sword but somehow Kalgore knew as long as he maintained his oath to the crusaders that the darkness will never win he knew that his sword Faithkeeper was a weapon of power. An artifact bestowed upon by the gods for the rare few that have earned it. He also knew the strength and power that allowed him to win had to be bestowed upon him by a being of celestial power but had no idea who he could thank as he followed no one god but all gods of the goodly people.
Kalgore followed his is Mentors footsteps assisting good and destroying evil when possible. He never forgot that not act of good was to small and no evil was too big to be challenged. Even today you will find Kalgore helping villagers fend off bandits one day only to find him searching out an undead king tomorrow.
I instructed my Tag along bard to write a quick rundown. He is busy writing a more indepth book The Chronicles of Kalgore: Crusader of the realms. Explaining some of his greatest feats and maybe even contains how Kalgore ended up in the realm of Terminus