Need help coming up with a "Clanless" Dragonborn Barbarian backstory.

[CatofRiddles]

I've been building a Gold Path of the Beast Barbarian/ Drunken Master Monk recently and i am starting to cement in my character, at least in terms of stats.

What i didn't plan for was the Barbarian and Dragonborn elements depending on clans and their infrastructure. Do i NEED one?

I was planning on giving my Dragonborn a foggy or obscured history, believing himself to be a "True Dragon"-or at least a Wyrmling- and that his class features are part of growing up. (And if it doesn't match, claim it's either a weakening curse from Tiamat, or a blessing of disguise and utility from Bahamut.)

He sees himself as a kind of Superhero, there to protect the commonfolk. His Barbarian powers are going to be more related to "unleashing Draconic Fury", similar to hoe the Hulk works, without the multiple personalities.

I'd like get him from "Lost Wyrmling" to semi-functional adult, but clans and relatives seem like they'd discourage these beliefs through reason and/or tradition.

I'd like to avoid amnesia, and i'd like to play off of his mysterious past and suspend the truth as long as i can.

I'm considering a "found child" backstory, but how would you avoid the "Sweetheart, you're not really a dragon" talk?

[CheddarChampion]

You were raised by monks/martial artists. You've asked them many times about your parents but they've never given you real answers.

You grew up in an orphanage. You know the name of the person who brought you there but you haven't found them yet.

You were raised by "A friend" of your parents. You're not sure if they are telling the truth.

[Silly Name]

You don't really need a clan in order to be a Dragonborn Barbarian - remember that the way things are described in the PHB isn't binding: you can be a Dragonborn who didn't grow up in a tight-knit community, and you don't really need to be a savage warrior from the northern tribes to be a Barbarian*

*I particularly blame the class name for this assumption. "Barbarian" as a class, like "Fighter", "Rogue" and "Paladin" shouldn't impose an origin on the PC. It's a skillset you developed or innately have and thus probably should figure in your backstory, but it shouldn't determine where you're from.

As a possible way to make this work... You were raised by a nomad (or group of nomads) who found you as a baby, or so they say. They never actively discouraged your assumptions about your origin and neither reinforced them, but travelling from town to town and never settling down for long has still shielded you from the critique of sensible and knowledgeable people who'd tell you that you're silly and you're just a dragonborn.

[Tawmis]

If you need an actual story background written, I have done quite a few - check my signature for the thread. :)

[Nidgit]

Raised by kobolds in some minor dungeon. As a young Dragonborn you were raised with the belief that you would one day transform into a true dragon if you accumulated enough _____. Perhaps you were found there by other adventurers and slowly adapted to normal humanoid society, or perhaps not.

[CatofRiddles]

You don't really need a clan in order to be a Dragonborn Barbarian - remember that the way things are described in the PHB isn't binding: you can be a Dragonborn who didn't grow up in a tight-knit community, and you don't really need to be a savage warrior from the northern tribes to be a Barbarian*

*I particularly blame the class name for this assumption. "Barbarian" as a class, like "Fighter", "Rogue" and "Paladin" shouldn't impose an origin on the PC. It's a skillset you developed or innately have and thus probably should figure in your backstory, but it shouldn't determine where you're from.

As a possible way to make this work... You were raised by a nomad (or group of nomads) who found you as a baby, or so they say. They never actively discouraged your assumptions about your origin and neither reinforced them, but travelling from town to town and never settling down for long has still shielded you from the critique of sensible and knowledgeable people who'd tell you that you're silly and you're just a dragonborn.


The nomad backstory is a good idea! There's a lot of potential for shenanigans that might reinforce his belief, especially if the nomads are neutral.

[CatofRiddles]

Raised by kobolds in some minor dungeon. As a young Dragonborn you were raised with the belief that you would one day transform into a true dragon if you accumulated enough _____. Perhaps you were found there by other adventurers and slowly adapted to normal humanoid society, or perhaps not.

This could work. I think the trouble would be "convincing" the kobolds to let the dragonborn leave, if he decides to.

It's a good setup if you want a secret hideout.

[CatofRiddles]

You were raised by monks/martial artists. You've asked them many times about your parents but they've never given you real answers.

You grew up in an orphanage. You know the name of the person who brought you there but you haven't found them yet.

You were raised by "A friend" of your parents. You're not sure if they are telling the truth.

I kinda like this. Everyone either doesn't know your lineage or is too afraid to mention it. Nice!

[cutlery]

Clanless is easy - you had a clan, but broke some rules. Now? No clan. No home. No place.

Or, you just figured out The secret to anger management.