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View Full Version : Challenge: 7x Backstory and Death



MR_Anderson
2021-08-02, 03:02 PM
So my players managed to free a bunch of dead people from their post life existence, and next session they will all return to life.

I need backstories and how they died. I will use the best in my campaign. They will return naked with no possessions, they could also possibly have injuries from their death, undecided.

A little understanding about the world...
- Everyone is human (PC & NPC)
- The world is only about 1500 years old
- The average human lives to about 180 years old, with some humans living to extreme ages about 800 years old.
- The campaign is a world based adventure that will shortly launch into a Spelljammer campaign going on above them that all the characters are unaware of, as is most everyone in the world.
- People living on world have longer lifespans than those in above in space (usually).

I have rolled to determine Alignment, Level, Class, and Age (Now/Max with Category).

Alignment - Level & Class - Age / Max Age - Age Category

LE - 4th Wizard - 451 / 704 - Old

CG - 3rd Cleric - 578 / 840 - Venerable

CG - 1st Monk - 31 / 192 - Adult

LN - 1st Ranger - 48 / 198 - Middle

NG - 1st Thief - 442 / 688 - Old

CG - 1st Cleric - 145 / 180 - Venerable

LE - 0-Level - 156 / 156 - Old
(Will die again of old age within 1 hour)

M/F, Names, reason why the Monk became Chaotic, spells memorized/prepared at death, feats, skills, things they did in their life are all flexible.

Any stories are greatly appreciated!

Eldan
2021-08-03, 06:08 AM
What do you want to use them for? To illustrate the setting? To give useful background information on something? As recurring NPCs? Should they have any useful skills?

Kvess
2021-08-03, 07:00 AM
The Lawful Evil Wizard’s name is Tibahn deVarne. He was apprentice to an Archmage, Iphuharis the Red, and was slain by his master during a failed attempt at career advancement. Under Iphuharis, Tibahn conducted research on the planes of existence — and knows something about the nature of reality that the party does not.

I don’t know what edition of D&D this adventure takes place in, but I would mostly give Tibahn divination and transmutation spells. He is evil and self-serving, but he is more of an opportunistic scholar than a war mage. He gets excited easily and speaks almost exclusively in breathless run-on sentences.

He is excited that the party brought him back to the realm of the living, and insists that they furnish him with clothing and a laboratory to finish his research. It will be in their best interest, after all.

Anonymouswizard
2021-08-03, 10:01 AM
What do you want to use them for? To illustrate the setting? To give useful background information on something? As recurring NPCs? Should they have any useful skills?

This. Without a purpose you might as well call them all Geoff Jefferson and be done with it.

Why do their classes even matter? I presume this mreans they'll be hanging around, but you haven't told us why.

I could pick one at random and write things like 'Due to being born intersex Illustria Starwoven was bullied all her life by the other kids at court. To escape she joined a monastery and became a scholar, abandoning her old name and taking up a new female identity. She died thirty years ago when a loose stone fell from the monastery roof while she was gardening. Her monastery was burnt to the ground six years, three months and twenty four days ago, upon discovering this her first priority will be to rebuild it and begin teaching her monk philosophy of harmony.' But who knows if any of that applies to the world or their role.

Kvess
2021-08-03, 11:27 AM
I think MR_Anderson just wants random NPCs and plot hooks, and I am happy to oblige.

The 578-year-old CG Cleric's name is Bistray Redthorn. She worships a mischievous but benevolent nature-aligned demipower which believes that trials make an individual stronger. She perished due to hunger while on a quest inside a massive hedge maze. Though grateful to be revived, Bistray will play tricks on your players and worries that they don't eat enough.

MR_Anderson
2021-08-06, 11:03 AM
What do you want to use them for? To illustrate the setting? To give useful background information on something? As recurring NPCs? Should they have any useful skills?

Basically they could be as simple as a passing character, they might end up in service to the party, or they could be a plot hook. I can’t expect you to have in-depth knowledge of the world, so I can add or tweak to fit.


This. Without a purpose you might as well call them all Geoff Jefferson and be done with it.

Why do their classes even matter? I presume this mreans they'll be hanging around, but you haven't told us why.

The players went out of their way to free these individuals, even to the point of suffering an additional game session in the area to do so, as well as willfully losing magic items.

I am providing the party with options, and I absolutely don’t want the players to think it wasn’t worth it.

There actually is one additional 0-Level NPC but I didn’t add him/her to this list as it will be “Geoff Jeffersons” as you put it.


I think MR_Anderson just wants random NPCs and plot hooks, and I am happy to oblige.

The 578-year-old CG Cleric's name is Bistray Redthorn. She worships a mischievous but benevolent nature-aligned demipower which believes that trials make an individual stronger. She perished due to hunger while on a quest inside a massive hedge maze. Though grateful to be revived, Bistray will play tricks on your players and worries that they don't eat enough.

Thank you Kvess!

I am using the wizard one, and absolutely using that name. I am tweaking it a little by adding that he used to be a much higher level wizard, but was energy drained much before his death. He had taken Spell Mastery multiple times for many of his important higher level spells, and while not able to cast them, he still remembers them and thus can provide access to the arcane casters in the party.

The Cleric will fit perfectly as the hedge maze would fit into an upscale house (Palace) party and will tie into the CN Cleric one of the players plays. I might need to change the last name to fit, but Red and Thorn are easily translatable words into other languages.

KorvinStarmast
2021-08-14, 09:05 AM
Lemule Barker
LN - 1st Ranger - 48 / 198 - Middle

Born in the hills two days ride from {city X} he learned hunting and farming from his father. Bandit raids destroyed their homestead and killed his family. He became a bounty hunter. Ended up chasing down an old bandit chieftan and killing him. The chieftan's cousin tracked Lemule down and killed him with a poisoned crossbow bolt to the back. When he is brought back to life, his desire for vengeance will be palpable.

NRSASD
2021-08-14, 09:28 AM
Kels Allemane
NG - 1st Thief - 442 / 688 - Old

It is said that there are no old thieves because thieves do not grow old, they grow slow. Kels Allemane unfortunately proved the proverb correct on the eve of their first robbery. After silently creeping into the McGulliver townhouse through an unguarded third story window, they palmed Albus's prized pearl and platinum medallion. Albus had made his money using bad faith legal agreements to wrest farmland from the local people, so Kels thought to make things right by robbing Albus and using the money to repatriate the land.

As Kels left with their prize, they were alas not quite as nimble as they used to be. Albus was alerted to their presence and chased them through the townhouse, but just as Kels was about to make their escape, Albus accidentally pushed them, sending Kels tumbling to the streets below. The medallion rolled from Kels' lifeless hand across the cobblestones and plunged into the river, where it was swept away.

(Gender Kels however you want. I was being deliberately ambiguous)

MR_Anderson
2021-08-19, 09:17 PM
The chieftan's cousin tracked Lemule down and killed him with a poisoned crossbow bolt to the back. When he is brought back to life, his desire for vengeance will be palpable.

I like it, might closely tie into the group Shaman.


It is said that there are no old thieves because thieves do not grow old, they grow slow. Kels Allemane unfortunately proved the proverb correct on the eve of their first robbery.

It is sayings like this that aren’t always on the top of my head why I ask for input.

This is better than the Thief who steals a woman’s heart, only to die to that woman’s scorn.

Starbuck_II
2021-08-20, 11:22 AM
CG - 3rd Cleric - 442 / 688 - Vulerable

Ragnarr "Red" Titan-Slayer was born in tragedy: his village was razed by giants on the date of his birth. He was seen as an ill omen and abandoned in the wilds to die. Thankfully, he was found by a patrol of giant-slaying barbarians who were investigating the recent attack. They found the newborn and adopted him into their tribe. Ragnarr grew up rough, learning the barbarian ways, and developing an imposing physique. When he reached age 18, per the tribal customs, he was left to go into the wilds and not return to the tribe until he slew a giant in one-on-one combat. Ragnarr stopped by to resupply in nearby town and helped Sheriff drive off some bandits. Since that time, he had formed a friendship with the Sheriff, who has always made him feel welcome in town. He has been trying for more than 400 years to find a suitable giant. Finally, he found one but it was too strong and crushed him in a bear hug.


He mostly uses personal buffs to imitate a Barbarian (bless, Divine Favor, Bull's Str, etc).

Phhase
2021-08-29, 02:55 PM
LE - 0-Level - 156 / 156 - Old
(Will die again of old age within 1 hour)

Rakash Splinterspec


Over the course of his life, Rakash was instrumental in shaping the progress of <nation or region>'s shipping industry. A visionary shipwright, Rakash's designs were always the fastest, the strongest, and the most capable of hauling cargo. A notorious penny-pincher and industrialist, his empire grew quickly, and later in life, he even expanded to ships able to float in the air, hanging from sacs of heated gas. Naturally, ruthless success like this made him a target. In later years, his company came into conflict with <organized crime group>, who demanded he hand over his best schemas to their custody, in exchange for their cooperation. Prideful to the last, he refused, and spent the last years of his life on the run. When at last the agents of <organized crime group> cornered him, he was already on his deathbed, and even then, he took his own life before telling them where he kept his designs.

Now come back to live out his final moments, if the players are canny enough, they might gain knowledge of the secret locations of some of his most advanced blueprints, which might even include designs of ships that fly even higher than before...

MR_Anderson
2021-09-29, 01:06 PM
I wanted to thank everyone who contributed. Many of the ideas here were directly used or directly inspired an idea that I used with these characters. The group had a great weekend of play, and the characters and information they brought with them weaved well to the importance of the story.