Paladin oath backstory advice

[Aurosman]

So basically I cannot figure out exactly what a paladin oath is to be able to include it in my backstory. I am not pledging my services to a god, so more of an ideal/vow. Specifically oath of the ancients.

My backstory basically consists of my younger sister dying while I am helping her search an ancient temple for her research. That research was her life. In a nutshell she found a tome as kids about how the world itself was alive and named Gaia. I should've been able to save her but was too scared my magic would go wrong (starting out wild magic sorcerer). After that I vow to continue her research and to stop being afraid of my magic, and use it to help people if I can.

Would that be a reasonable backstory to allow the oath of the ancients? Or am I going to have to change us some things to make it work? My dm likes to make us have actual reasons how stuff happens to our characters.

We are starting at level 3, so will be sorc 1, and paladin 2. Going paladin up to 8 before I maybe get another level or 2 in sorc. Not looking for build help, just background and rp help.

[firelistener]

Sounds like a good start. Just firm up how your character plans to follow through on the Tenants of the vow. Most of them for Oath of the Ancients are just about defending "the light" in any way possible, so you could easily say that defending Gaia, a living thing supporting all other life, is like defending "the light". You could even just say your paladin's particular brand of the oath swaps out "light" for "planet" and it sounds like it'll line up fine.

The part of your backstory that sounds missing to me is your sorcerous origin. Wild magic you just got randomly? Did your sister have it too? Maybe add a little there just to tie it into why your character would be so scared of it.

[Aurosman]

Sounds like a good start. Just firm up how your character plans to follow through on the Tenants of the vow. Most of them for Oath of the Ancients are just about defending "the light" in any way possible, so you could easily say that defending Gaia, a living thing supporting all other life, is like defending "the light". You could even just say your paladin's particular brand of the oath swaps out "light" for "planet" and it sounds like it'll line up fine.

The part of your backstory that sounds missing to me is your sorcerous origin. Wild magic you just got randomly? Did your sister have it too? Maybe add a little there just to tie it into why your character would be so scared of it.

I think for the tenants I am going to have him struggling the transition between knowing what is right, but doubting himself and not acting right away. To taking a stand and acting when he feels things are wrong. If that makes sense.

For the wild magic part, my character is a verdan along with my "sister". We were found together by dwarves after they were first discovered, being around 10 years old. So was having it be a mutation of whatever created the verdan as me gaining it. Or something along those lines, more ideas are welcome.

I never realised how hard roleplaying a paladin would be.

[1Pirate]

I think for the tenants I am going to have him struggling the transition between knowing what is right, but doubting himself and not acting right away. To taking a stand and acting when he feels things are wrong. If that makes sense.

Sounds more like Oath of Devotion.

Ancients is more about spreading good cheer and drinking good beer(and making sure everyone is happy doing the same) than doing what's "right".

[Nidgit]

"Doing what's right" and "helping others where possible" are both fairly vague concepts that could apply to most paladins. You've got a basis to go Ancients, certainly, but you need to develop your character's creed and methods more to actually define their tenets.

[Aurosman]

Ok, so clearly I was thinking ancients paladins were more focused on nature, when they are not. Thanks for clearing that up with me. So went back and changed a lot of backstory stuff. It got pretty long, but here is what I ended up with on my second attempt.




When the Verdan appeared 15 years ago, Rin was found wondering the caves of a dwarven kingdom with 1 other young Verdan. Vistra, the dwarf that found them took them in and raised them as her own.

Growing up Rin found out he had talent for magic. But as much as he tried he was never able to fully master any spell. At random times his magic would backfire, or even the wrong effect would happen.

As time went of the dwarves learned Verdan change as they age. Learning that, Vistra had the 2 siblings trained in all sorts of things, mainly including how to fight in many different scenarios. Rin somewhat slacked in this training because he was content to just read about the world instead of experiencing it for himself. His sister, Slyra, was the opposite in that aspect. But both where fascinated by ancient civilizations, and that was the focus of their studies.

One day, news came about a new ruin discovered while mining nearby. Slyra, sensing adventure and an opportunity to see ancient structures up close was ecstatic. Rin, not so much. But with enough coaxing, he finally agreed to go to the ruins together. The trip to the ruins was nerve racking for him. But that all changed when they entered the ruins. He was in awe on how beautiful they were, and was excited to be there investigating them.

After a few months of researching the ruins, the 2 found a secret chamber. Walking into it it looked like some kind of alter, with a giant mural of the world behind it. Studying this picture it appeared whoever lived here worshiped the word as a conscious being, called Gaia. Having never heard this before the 2 were speechless and in awe.

Unfortunately opening the chamber also awoken a creature that hibernate since ancient times. It was a huge spider that could eat a dwarf whole, if only they were so lucky. It attacked the pair while they were distracted and was able to capture them in a web before they could do anything. It then went and sank its fangs into Slyra, and started towards Rin.

With the fear of the spider and the anger and sorrow of seeing his sister bitten, he released all the magic he could muster towards the spider. With his known magic shortcomings he wasn't surprised when it seemed to go wrong. But fortunately for him the magic overcharged and went wild on the spider destroying it and thankfully, the webs.

Running over to his sister he found her barely alive, thankfully numb from the spider venom and not in pain. Her last words to him was her wish for him to go out and explore the world. Anc to expierence all the wonder the world has to offer. He then cried into her lifeless body.

Unbeknownst to him a green mist was forming around them. A voice suddenly appeared in his head. "I am sorry for your loss. I feel I am somewhat responsible for her death because this is my temple. It is not much, but I wish to give you two a gift as apologies. Lay her body on the ground in front of my altar if you wish to accept it."

Sensing no malice from the voice he followed the orders. As soon as he played the body down the mist surrounded it and suddenly the ground began to change. Flowers bloomed, a pond appeared, and a tree grew around the body and consumed it within its trunk. Then the mist swirled around his head and his eyes burned and flashed with a green light.


"I have saved her body and spirit with my power. She is not dead, but neither is she alive. And from her selfish last request of you I have given her your sight. So anything of this world you see, she will see also, so you two can experience it all together. I also gave you a little bit of my power, you should be able to control your magic a bit better now"

"Who are you?" Rin asked

"My name is Gaia, now go and experience my wonders and enjoy what the world has to show you." With the voice gone and the mist settled, he said his farewells to his sister. He then set off back home, to train his body for the amazing journeys he is headed towards.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

That looks like a good start for a character.

A paladin take his oath at level 3 so you will probably want to make the oath in game.

[Chugger]

Don't let other people tell you Ancients have little to do with Nature - where is this coming from? Look at their spells and abilities! Of course they can be about protecting Nature or harnessing Nature!

You can alter these basic guidelines a LOT as you develop your character. Don't let anyone tell you their narrow interpretation is the only way to go, please.

If I can advise you, it's to focus more on how you will play your character in the here and now (in the game) and in the future. A backstory is the past, and sure, it can influence you. But playing the game is about reacting to the present - and things that happened long ago can fall away and not be as important - unless it is some principle or basic philosophy of action your char has picked up. I guess what I'm saying is to make sure your backstory will result in a useful and usable personality or persona for your character, if that makes sense to you - something you'd be happy playing.

[Keravath]

Oath of Ancients paladin completely fits your idea in your first post. Defending Gaia and the world of light and life. Do you have the player's handbook?

"The Oath of the Ancients is as old as the race of elves and the rituals of the druids. Sometimes called fey knights, green knights, or horned knights, paladins who swear this oath cast their lot with the side of the light in the cosmic struggle against darkness because they love the beautiful and life-giving things of the world, not necessarily because they believe in principles of honor, courage, and justice. They adorn their armor and clothing with images of growing things—leaves, antlers, or flowers—to reflect their commitment to preserving life and light in the world."

"This oath emphasizes the principles of good above any concerns of law or chaos."

"Where life flourishes, stand against the forces that would render it barren."

Certainly a life loving beer drinking paladin could be an Oath of Ancients but also a character which seeks to preserve the life in the world wherever it might be found.

One of the really cool things about 5e is how broad and open to interpretation the paladin class has become.

Anyway, reading your expanded backstory, I think the Oath of the Ancients paladin is still a much better fit with the character than the other paladin oaths. The backstory is about life and light not about right and wrong so ancients seems much better than devotion, vengeance, conquest or any of the other options.

[JNAProductions]

Don't worry too much about making your character fit the pre-assigned fluff. While D&D is not a system that wholly disassociates crunch from fluff, deviating from it isn't a big deal unless your table REALLY cares about it.

In other words, have a good backstory, and more importantly a good character, and use the mechanics you like best that aren't completely contrary to your PC.

I mean, let's say you have a PC who's a devout defender of the innocent and a warrior for good, from a long line of noble warriors of the same stripe, but one who sometimes goes too far in their quests against evil. Are they...

-A Paladin? Probably Vengeance, but could be any.
-A Barbarian? Zealot or Ancestral Guardian would fit real well.
-A Fighter? Nothing says you need magic to be a warrior of righteousness.
-A Cleric? Clerics smash face reasonably well, and Spirit Guardians can easily be you calling on your ancestral line.

[Aurosman]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I guess I was more focused on by the book, not what is fun. My DM just likes reasons on how our character has abilities, especially if we multiclass.