Backstory help

[Redhood101]

I'm making a new character, and I have a few ideas for his backstory, but I can't find something that feels right, and I am hoping for some ideas. He is a lizardfolk barbarian with a criminal background. My first idea was that a gang had been smuggling exotic goods and kept a lizardfolk egg and raised it themselves—cause who would say no to someone with a seven-foot-tall dino next to you. But I don't know why he would leave and what his real purpose in life beyond survival would be.

Alternatively, he could have been abducted as a kid and then grew up with them (think Star-Lord). But then that raises the question of why he wouldn't just leave and go home.

I have a general idea of what sounds cool to me, but I have many holes to fill. Any ideas or cool concepts would be greatly appreciated.

[Unoriginal]

I'm making a new character, and I have a few ideas for his backstory, but I can't find something that feels right, and I am hoping for some ideas. He is a lizardfolk barbarian with a criminal background. My first idea was that a gang had been smuggling exotic goods and kept a lizardfolk egg and raised it themselves—cause who would say no to someone with a seven-foot-tall dino next to you. But I don't know why he would leave and what his real purpose in life beyond survival would be.

Alternatively, he could have been abducted as a kid and then grew up with them (think Star-Lord). But then that raises the question of why he wouldn't just leave and go home.

I have a general idea of what sounds cool to me, but I have many holes to fill. Any ideas or cool concepts would be greatly appreciated.

Seems you have a problem with the "raised by a gang against their will" part.

Why not have the lizardfolk join the gang willingly, reasoning that it was better to work with a group than not doing it?

[Wizard_Lizard]

I'm making a new character, and I have a few ideas for his backstory, but I can't find something that feels right, and I am hoping for some ideas. He is a lizardfolk barbarian with a criminal background. My first idea was that a gang had been smuggling exotic goods and kept a lizardfolk egg and raised it themselves—cause who would say no to someone with a seven-foot-tall dino next to you. But I don't know why he would leave and what his real purpose in life beyond survival would be.

Alternatively, he could have been abducted as a kid and then grew up with them (think Star-Lord). But then that raises the question of why he wouldn't just leave and go home.

I have a general idea of what sounds cool to me, but I have many holes to fill. Any ideas or cool concepts would be greatly appreciated.

I do like the "raised by an egg from gang members" concept. Reason why he would leave would be obvious, he found out! Now he wants to go find his true family!

EDIT: Who could either be dead or alive depending on how edgy you want your rogue to be.

[Composer99]

Maybe the smugglers found your PC as an egg or foundling and kept him, and he has left in order to find his place in the world? It's a common enough coming-of-age story.

I would suggest giving him a trinket, something the smugglers found with him, and that is a key to understanding his past. Bonus points if it's something the DM can tie into adventures.

[Aett_Thorn]

Maybe they start off like you said, and then one day all of his human compatriots were just gone. Poof!

Did they leave willingly, abandoning their liazardy friend? Or did something more sinister happen that avoided him because he is cold blooded?

[firelistener]

You could always say the criminal gang didn't make the best of parents. Kids run away from home all the time, and more frequently when their parents have trouble with the law. I imagine your lizardfolk barbarian could have run away simply because he thought the cruelty or laziness of the crew was making him weaker, even if they did raise him from an egg. This would probably fit rather well with how Volo's describes lizardfolk as being predisposed towards a "predator and prey" view of other creatures.

[TyGuy]

I'm making a new character, and I have a few ideas for his backstory, but I can't find something that feels right, and I am hoping for some ideas. He is a lizardfolk barbarian with a criminal background. My first idea was that a gang had been smuggling exotic goods and kept a lizardfolk egg and raised it themselves—cause who would say no to someone with a seven-foot-tall dino next to you. But I don't know why he would leave and what his real purpose in life beyond survival would be.

Alternatively, he could have been abducted as a kid and then grew up with them (think Star-Lord). But then that raises the question of why he wouldn't just leave and go home.

I have a general idea of what sounds cool to me, but I have many holes to fill. Any ideas or cool concepts would be greatly appreciated.
Why not have the criminals reap the consequences of crime? Like they're imprisoned or dead.

[Tawmis]

I'm making a new character, and I have a few ideas for his backstory, but I can't find something that feels right, and I am hoping for some ideas. He is a lizardfolk barbarian with a criminal background. My first idea was that a gang had been smuggling exotic goods and kept a lizardfolk egg and raised it themselves—cause who would say no to someone with a seven-foot-tall dino next to you. But I don't know why he would leave and what his real purpose in life beyond survival would be.
Alternatively, he could have been abducted as a kid and then grew up with them (think Star-Lord). But then that raises the question of why he wouldn't just leave and go home.
I have a general idea of what sounds cool to me, but I have many holes to fill. Any ideas or cool concepts would be greatly appreciated.

Feel free to post this in this thread. (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?591882-Need-a-character-background-written-up) I will try to write something up for you if that's what you're looking for.

[Chad.e.clark]

Maybe he didn't get a promotion within the gang that he felt was deserved.

Maybe he is striking it out on his own to prove his worth.

Maybe its part of developing in the gang to go solo for awhile until word gets back to the higher ups that said solo-act has developed into a bona-fide badass (no risk of exposure for the gang, no time and effort spent diverting resources away from the gang...just have to hope the solo act doesn't forget his roots, else the gang enforcers will come a snoopin' around.)

[Hopeless]

Maybe he was brought along as hired muscle for one of the group and during the subsequent adventure he and his partner were separated and he's now seeking a way back to make sure they're okay except their base was raided whilst he was gone?

The party vouched for him preventing him being arrested but being under close watch he leaves with the party but continues his search for the rest of his gang thus a reason for adventuring.