PDA

View Full Version : Backstory ideas I can give a player?



Leucis
2017-05-15, 07:55 AM
Before I start, just warning you that part of this is kind of a rant and a bit long before I get to the point.

I have this one player in a campaign I'm starting, and she's pretty meek. I want her to come up with a backstory that I can use to help build part of the world I haven't made yet, but she's so hesitant with it since she's afraid of sounding too much like a Mary-sue. I've given her guidelines on what is completely okay with me and what she should shy away from (basically just things like her character is a god or whatever, over the top stuff like that. She still is not sure what to make her backstory (and she is usually a very creative person). I've mentioned using other series for inspiration or just for her to come up with some ideas and we can work through how it'll work.

So far, what she's got is her character sheet. She is a Snow Elf class I helped her create, a paladin (has not taken the oath yet), and from a small northern town from past a mountain range composed of entirely snow elves with the occasional trader coming through, as their village produces excellent clothing of very high quality. There's nothing past this, and I want a few more details. What kind of family does her character have? What is her job? Why did she become a paladin, what is her cause?

My players (especially her) wants this to be a role-play story-heavy campaign with backstories integrated into it, but she isn't working with me to make this happen. At this point, she's requested some backstory ideas. I've come up with a few things, but does anyone else have ideas? I kind of want her god to be associated into her story (she worships the god of mountains) as it's somewhat relevant to a plot idea I've come up with. So, what can I tell her to help her come up with an idea, or what suggestions can I throw her way?

Jay R
2017-05-15, 03:37 PM
If she's nervous about sounding like a Mary Sue, recommend that she emphasize a personal weakness for each strength.

"She grew up with snow elves, and is very comfortable with them. She isn't really sure about other races; in her experience, they are just customers. While she has a high charisma, she is very likely to wait and listen before trying to influence others."

or

"She is well-trained with her weapons, and almost single-minded about them. They will always be kept clean and sharpened and in good repair, but she is likely to be a little lax in other duties."

Hopeless
2017-05-15, 04:02 PM
A distant relation the result of a human and a snow elf marriage recently died.
She was brought back by her half elven nephew who turns out to be a Paladin.
During the funeral procedures her character met and befriended the half elf and inspired she asked for and got permission to ask him to teach her the basics of paladinhood.
Ordinarily this wouldn't be possible as he was already training a Silver Dragonborn, but with permission of his Squire he taught her the basics of Paladinhood taking extra care to explain it would be likely should she be successful they may not follow the same faith.
That was a decade ago and now she feels ready to answer the call but first she must set out on a quest to discover her path only then can she return as a Paladin of her people...

Does that help?

Leucis
2017-05-15, 04:43 PM
If she's nervous about sounding like a Mary Sue, recommend that she emphasize a personal weakness for each strength.

"She grew up with snow elves, and is very comfortable with them. She isn't really sure about other races; in her experience, they are just customers. While she has a high charisma, she is very likely to wait and listen before trying to influence others."

or

"She is well-trained with her weapons, and almost single-minded about them. They will always be kept clean and sharpened and in good repair, but she is likely to be a little lax in other duties."

I see, I'll suggest this to her and make sure the character remains at a reasonable strength. She just sent me some ideas, I'll mention that to her.

Leucis
2017-05-15, 04:45 PM
A distant relation the result of a human and a snow elf marriage recently died.
She was brought back by her half elven nephew who turns out to be a Paladin.
During the funeral procedures her character met and befriended the half elf and inspired she asked for and got permission to ask him to teach her the basics of paladinhood.
Ordinarily this wouldn't be possible as he was already training a Silver Dragonborn, but with permission of his Squire he taught her the basics of Paladinhood taking extra care to explain it would be likely should she be successful they may not follow the same faith.
That was a decade ago and now she feels ready to answer the call but first she must set out on a quest to discover her path only then can she return as a Paladin of her people...

Does that help?

This fits in extremely well with part of the backstory that I received, so far how she became a paladin is kind of blurry and would work perfectly. Thank you! This will be suggested :)

RazorChain
2017-05-15, 08:42 PM
Sit down with her and make her backstory with her.


I did this with a shy player of mine and she loves how her backstory ties into the campaign. You can also use the interview approach where you just inteview her in character, this might give her a feel for her character and if she is creative she might come up with some cool stuff for a background.

Skelechicken
2017-05-16, 01:12 AM
Sit down with her and make her backstory with her.


I did this with a shy player of mine and she loves how her backstory ties into the campaign. You can also use the interview approach where you just inteview her in character, this might give her a feel for her character and if she is creative she might come up with some cool stuff for a background.

Piggybacking on the interview idea it sounds like you have two desires. You both want a backstory that she creates that is fleshed out and one that fits into ideas you already have about what her character and background should be.

I recommend looking at how characters are made in Dread a little bit. Instead of stat blocks Dread has players fill out a survey of sorts about their characters, and one of the techniques used to make sure characters fit the survey is leading questions. You don't want to go AS leading as Dread tends to, but it can be useful to give her questions that assume the parts of the background that you want to set for her.

Examples are things like, "When you went to train as a Paladin in the mountains who tried to stop you from going?" This leaves a lot of room for her to set up a character relationship, but also lets you set details that you want for your world, like the training being done away from home and not being universally accepted by her people.

Again even that question is probably too leading, but it is a really good way to start planning a character when you want it to fit in your world but you want someone else to have ultimate creative freedom.

Leucis
2017-05-16, 05:32 AM
Piggybacking on the interview idea it sounds like you have two desires. You both want a backstory that she creates that is fleshed out and one that fits into ideas you already have about what her character and background should be.

I recommend looking at how characters are made in Dread a little bit. Instead of stat blocks Dread has players fill out a survey of sorts about their characters, and one of the techniques used to make sure characters fit the survey is leading questions. You don't want to go AS leading as Dread tends to, but it can be useful to give her questions that assume the parts of the background that you want to set for her.

Examples are things like, "When you went to train as a Paladin in the mountains who tried to stop you from going?" This leaves a lot of room for her to set up a character relationship, but also lets you set details that you want for your world, like the training being done away from home and not being universally accepted by her people.

Again even that question is probably too leading, but it is a really good way to start planning a character when you want it to fit in your world but you want someone else to have ultimate creative freedom.

I see, that leaves a lot of space for her to be able to build the world around her backstory, and is a good way to have her come up with ideas. I'll take a page from there, thank you!

I believe that the main thing she didn't understand fully was that she is allowed to come up with settings and characters for her backstory. If I ask her questions like this directly, then it'll make it easier for her to think of something.