Need a character background written up?

[Tawmis]

Name: Listens-to-Wind
Gender: Male... though I'm not against the idea of him being her during some of the seasons if it makes for more interesting background.
Race: Eladrin
Class: (Samurai) Fighter... more like Shiere knight, but samurai is one of the closest available archetype both mechanically and thematically.
Background: Urban Bounty Hunter
Notes: Served as a honor guard to a powerful fay noble, but was forced to sacrifice his own honor in order to save his liege from a certain faux pas and therefore was exiled from the Feywild. Once in the mortal realm he found his livelihood as a bounty hunter. I'd love to see some interesting fay twist on the otherwise done to death ronin story, but fail to come up with it myself.

Phew - sorry for the delay. Was in Summit meetings at work all week and mentally wiped out every day of every night.
So for this - I know you wanted something different than the "dishonored Samurai/Knight" feel - so I did something along those lines, but with a twist, which was easy to do with the Feywild type setting...
For the enemy of the start of the story, I wanted an evil Fey creature of some kind – and I thought of the Verdant Prince (which was a monster in 3e, that has not yet been ported over to 5e). But since it’s just for the background (your DM could come up with NPC stats if they so desired to use him as a part of the campaign down the line) – but for you (or your DM) – here’s information about the standard Verdant prince:
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Verdant_prince
Kathnick is based off of Katheryn Winnick (as the name suggests, and if you’ve read some of the other backgrounds, I have referenced her as well – I simply think she’s one of the most beautiful women in this world today – fell in love with her from the moment I saw her in Vikings: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/...pg_UX1000_.jpg )
As always, I'd love to hear feedback in the thread - good or bad! - it all helps me improve! (So I know what I am doing right or wrong!)
And it helps keep the thread alive for others to see it!
As always! Enjoy!
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It is a tangled web; weaved by spiders so ancient, they’ve been long forgotten.

I speak of the story of Eragus – or, what most simply call, Oakheart, the Treant – and the archfey dryad, Kathnick. There are stories that Eragus was a human warrior that Kathnick had fallen in love with; and in order to save him, transferred his soul into a tree, creating Oakheart. Yet, there are stories that it was Oakheart, who found Kathnick, and bonded her to him, in order to save her life. The truth is only known to them; and they never speak of it. As perhaps one of the oldest of the Treants in the Feywild, Oakheart rose up and became Lord Oakheart, Speaker of the Woods. His roots were said to touch all the corners of the Feywild, where he could hear the whispers of friends and enemies alike.

My name is Listens-to-Wind, and I am an Eladrin. Eladrin, like myself, are in many ways; like the Elves of the core world; however, we are native to the Feywild, a land of emotion, magic, and breath taking beauty. The people of my kind can often adopt and change, taking on the aspects of the four seasons – Winter, cold, often cruel; Spring, full of life and hope; Summer, bold, energetic; and Autumn, full of peace and goodwill.

As an Honor Guard, to Lord Oakheart, I found myself most frequently taking in the aspects of Summer in order to ensure I was ready to protect Lord Oakheart at a moment’s notice. They Feywild was ripe with as much danger as it was beautiful; and two such great dangers was a green hag by the name of Ukloosha Sakrinala – who despised the sheer beauty Kathnick possessed; and there was a verdant prince by the name of Cath’mar, who despised Oakheart for reasons unknown; but many believed he too had deep feelings for Kathnick.

In truth, most who saw Kathnick, fell under her charms. Her blond hair that flowed around her, looked as if the rays of the sun itself had blessed the locks of her hair. Her piercing blue eyes were like the soft ripples of a welcoming lake. Her lips were full, and never quite smiling, yet never frowning either; somewhere in the middle. Her body was curved proportionately and when she walked, it was like the wind through the trees, how she swayed with each step.

The green hag, Ukloosha Sakrinala, though dangerous because of her ancient powers she’d gathered over the centuries; she had mostly been threats and minor attacks against Lord Oakheart and Queen Kathnick; such as sending yeth hound to attack and disturb celebrations. The larger threat was Cath’mar who often tricked adventurers who had come into the Feywild, by tricking them to do his bidding; and any who broke the ‘Oath Bond’ of any verdant prince would be greeted with a death so excruciating that carrying out the oath was the only option.

Tonight was the Celebration of Summer Awakening; the first day of Summer in the Feywild. It’s true that in the Feywild, there is always a celebration – emotions in the Feywild were always far more amplified than the Core World. As such, as I patrolled the area, I expected Yeth Hounds again, or perhaps Ukloosha would send Redcaps – gnomes, that required murdering to survive.

I walked along side Kathnick as she walked through the palace hall. She cast her soft blue eyes towards me, “Do you have anyone, Listens-to-Wind?”

“Me, my lady?” I asked, startled by the question. “I do not,” I finally said, gathering myself together. “My life has always been being an Honor Guard for you, and Lord Oakheart.” Despite the warmth of the summer day, there was a chill that surrounded Kathnick; she seemed to step closer to me, to absorb some of the warmth which my body naturally gave off in this Summer form.

As we continued down the hall, she said, “I have loved Lord Oakheart all of my life,” she confessed. “However, like the sun and moon, we are forever apart often; only some days and nights, when there is an eclipse, does it feel like we are together. He is busy with the Court, as the Speaker of the Woods, and when he is not here – because he is the one I am bound to – I grow increasingly weaker, until he is home again. But even when he is home, his large form can not walk through these halls as you and I do. When there are celebrations inside, his form can not enter – so I always try to make the celebrations outside, so I can be with him.”

“I am sorry, my Queen,” I stumbled over my words, folding my hands behind my back, “words and comfort are not my specialty. I can only say that at least tonight’s festivities are outside, so you can be by Lord Oakheart’s side.”

She smiled, “I taste great change in the wind.”

I nodded, “Summer is a time of change, like any season.”

“When the suns burn their brightest, and the fire warms the land,” she said in a haunting voice.

Once outside of the Palace, where the Celebration of Summer Awakening was taking place, I bowed to Queen Kathnick and made my way to Lord Oakheart. Inside the Celebration of Summer Awakening there were centaur dressed in elegant downs, Satyr that were dancing and playing music, pixies and sprites fluttering all about, and fairy dragons shifting through their colors; as well as other Eladrin, Elves, and fey-folk.

When I reached Lord Oakheart, his deep, rumbling voice asked of me, “How is the Queen?”

“She misses you greatly, my lord,” I answered with a deep bow.

“As I her,” Lord Oakheart, the gigantic treant groaned.

“Here she is now, my lord,” I said and excused myself as Queen Kathnick approached.

As I patrolled the borders of the festival listening for either the howl of the yeth hounds or the clamoring heavy footfall of redcaps; Queen Kathnick’s words rang in my ear again - When the suns burn their brightest, and the fire warms the land.

What had she meant? There’d been rumors that she could glimpse the future through abstract symbols as an Archfey. Had she seen something? Was it a warning?

That’s when I heard a commotion that broke me out of my thoughts, and I saw several humans emerge from the edge of the forests – and the one, adorned in green robes – hands glowing – I knew then what she had meant. Quickly I drew my blade and raced across the open field, shoving patrons aside with great force – but it was too late.

The human in green robes had cast his spell – and a fireball centered on Lord Oakheart struck – and Lord Oakheart’s ancient limbs were engulfed in flames – and the entire land shook – roots burst through the floor, erupting, and throwing me off balance, so that I crashed into a centaur, then a Satyr, before falling on the ground. I tried to regain my footing, but roots were still erupting from the ground. I managed to get my footing finally, and as I ran towards the attackers, so focused on them – I never saw the run away wagon that slammed into me and brought me into darkness.

When I awoke, the commotion had been over. Lord Oakheart’s flames had been extinguished but he had suffered grievously – and Treants, especially as ancient as Lord Oakheart took a long time to heal; as normal magics would not work on them – it required the nourishment of the land to heal Treants as ancient as Lord Oakheart.

Queen Kathnick stood on a pedestal. “Bring me Listen-to-Wind!” I was helped to my feet and kneeled before the Queen. “I am sorry, my Queen. I was on the other side of the festivities.”

“You had a sworn duty to Lord Oakheart and I to protect us,” the Queen shouted furiously. “You failed. Your Lord is grievously wounded – and only the quick actions of the patrons of this party was he saved and the fires extinguished. The attackers mentioned Cath’mar by name.”

“I will hunt him down,” I vowed. “He has gone too far, this time.”

“You will do no such thing,” she snarled. “You are banished from the Feyworld to the Core World. Gather your things and leave tonight. The portal of banishment will be opened for you.”

I remained kneeled and looked up in shock and horror.

That night as I gathered my things, the door opened and Queen Kathnick entered.

“My Queen,” I began, in my attempt to apologize again.

She placed her finger on my lips. “Know this. I am not truly angry at you. That was for everyone else. I will take care of Cath’mar. I need you to go to the Core World – track down those who did this. This is why I truly banished you. Our vow is to leave the mortals alone – but this is too much. I need you to find them – and bring them back to me – dead or alive.”

“I understand,” I bowed. Now I see why she’d asked me if I had anyone. She had had a vision; she knew something like this was coming – and the weapon she was going to send to the Core World would need to be someone who had no connections to anyone else in the Feywild. I strapped on my weapon and bowed as the portal was opened before me…

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Hello TAWMIS,
I really enjoyed the write up you did for me a short bit ago, I'm now looking to join an online group and would like a good backstory to help get me in. I'm starting with this as a baseline: SHORT-TEMPERED HUMAN WARLOCK FROM THE ENDLESS WASTES WHO USED TO WORK AS A TAVERN BOUNCER

From this I've got the following start:

• Human (Djinni Warlock)
• I made an enemy of an adventurer: I dared to suggest he and his friends were getting to drunk and out of hand at the tavern. They used spells to prevent me from subduing them, my strength alone wasn't a match for their spells. I was left impressed and defeated. I now am wary of confronting the adventurers here.
• I made a pack with a Djinn
• How I became a warlock..... While working the Tavern working as a bouncer, I unwittingly tell a Genie "I wish I could be like those adventurers that stop in all the time with their large sums of money, tales of treasure and glory, and Ability with Magic and strength of arm. I'd trade this life for a good adventure, and the ability to use spell and my club against the monsters of the realm!"
  The Genie accepts the offer and grants magic powers in exchange for 2 years service.
  PERSONALITY TRAITS
• I can stare down a hell hound without flinching.
• I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success.
• I enjoy being strong and like breaking things.
  IDEALS
• Might. In life as in war, the stronger force wins. (Evil)
  BONDS
• I have two years to experience the Adventures as a Warlock of my Djini patron. Before returning.
  FLAWS
• I’d rather eat my armor than admit when I’m wrong.
• Short tempered

My plan is to go straight Warlock pact of blade....He will be a larger fella with intimidation and a short temper. I need help with the story of becoming a Warlock and maybe some expansion on the confrontation with Adventurers that left me so impressed.

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You didn’t give your character a name, so I provided one (which naturally can be changed). But because I was looking for a desert type feel (I don’t have any Middle Eastern type music) so I went to my “Hell on Wheels” soundtrack (which by the way – if anyone is reading this – you need to watch that show, it was on AMC). So I combined the main actor’s name to name your character (Ansount – from Anson Mount). There is a “human” who is introduced as “Almukhalis Alkhafiu” which is Arabic for “Hidden Savior.” That will become clear why. A town mentioned is called “Manzil Muhatam” which means “Broken Home” in Arabic. The “Ghatlyn” brothers are a reference to the “Gatlin brothers” mentioned in Kenny Roger’s “Coward of the County” song. “Bhekee” is also a reference to said song. I also make a reference to “hearing a pin drop” also a reference to that song. (Yeah, I pull from everywhere for inspiration) More fun stuff – “Sahir” is “Wizard” in Arabic, “Muharib” is Warrior, and “Muhtal” is Rogue. You will see why that comes up. And “Muqadam Alraghabat” means “Wish Giver” in Arabic.
Anyway - with all of that said, I hope you enjoy. I feel like I got long winded. But I really lost myself in the writing of this one... Was fun.
As always enjoy and please leave me a feedback in the thread to bump it and keep it alive!
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The Endless Waste.

Gazing at it, from a distant mountain, or high up in the trees; you might think it’s beautiful. It appeared, in all honesty, to be made of waves of sand, frozen in time, spanning further than any ocean.

However, much like the ocean, the Endless Waste was full of danger; a sand storm could throw you in every direction, ripping away your possession, burying you beneath mounds of sand, tearing your flesh away – and should you survive, the landscape has so drastically changed that if you lost your compass in the sand storm, there was a good chance that death through dehydration would be claiming you soon.

But it wasn’t just the sandstorms that made the Endless Waste as dangerous as it was… it was also the roving animals, all of which, like anyone who walked the Endless Waste, was parched and starving – often fighting to the death, just to have its next meal – that included ankhegs, giant sand worms, the dreaded gold-death beetles, and of course, blue dragons.

As if that were not enough, there were ample amount of roaming nomads and tribes, who were cannibals, feeding on other humanoids as a source of food and drink; believing devouring such flesh empowers them.

So why risk one’s life and venture into the Endless Wastes?

Temples. Hundreds of temples now lie buried beneath the tons of grains of sand, that the occasional sandstorm reveals; and there’s countless treasure, adventure, and often death to be found.

My name is Ansount – and I am a bouncer at the Watering Hole, an established bar in an unestablished town deep in the endless wastes. The owner of the Watering Hole, a human, much like myself named Almukhalis Alkhafiu – but most simply refer to him as “Khalis” – found me, face down, in the Endless Wastes, the only survivors of a traveling caravan. The rest of the caravan had been blown apart by the sandstorm – when I regained consciousness, he showed me what happened – bodies were buried, part of them sticking out from the tidal wave of sand dunes. He’d asked me where I was headed, and I said I was simply getting away from “home.” He had looked me up and down and asked what I had been doing on the caravan – and I explained I was hired to protect it. He laughed at me. Said I could fight off the beasts and nomads, but every man and woman is at the mercy of nature. He ran his hands up and down my cut and tattered arms and nodded.

“You are strong,” he acknowledged with a nod of his head. “I could have use for someone like you.”

When I asked what he’d meant – he explained he was headed for Manzil Muhatam – a town that was barely standing, and that he’d wanted to open a tavern there. I asked why he would open a tavern there if it was barely a town – and he said because there was none there, and he said – and I quote – “seems like good business sense.”

Gazing all around me, and seeing battered pieces of the caravan buried beneath the sands, like moments frozen in time, in tidal waves made of millions of grains of sand – I truly knew I had no other choice than to at least travel with him to Manzil Muhatam.

Our voyage to Manzil Muhatam wasn’t without danger; we’d encounter a band of roaming goblins, and Khalis was impressed by my bravado and direct approach to slaying the goblins, rather than trying to sneak around them or waiting for them to pass. Khalis smiled at me as I searched the last goblin’s corpse. “It’d seem, yet again, I’ve made a good business decision in employing your services.”

I won’t lie; whenever Khalis was around, I enjoyed displaying my strength, personality and my short temper. There was nothing sexual between what I felt when Khalis was around; it felt more like a son trying to show his father everything he could do so that his father would be proud of him. I always wanted to make sure Khalis was proud of me; I am not sure if it’s because he saved my life (he could have easily pocketed me and left me to perish in the dunes), or if it was because he was an older gentleman; and woe to those who would dare insult Khalis’ honor; most were left in desperate healing by the time I was through with them.

That was until one fateful night, where everything in my life changed.

Three brothers had come in; they were known as the Ghatlyn brothers – each one of the three were different: Sahir Ghatlyn was a wizard of some kind; Muharib Ghatlyn was a warrior – carried a long sword he swore was magical; and there was Muhtal Ghatlyn who was born as a small person, standing no more than three feet tall, unlike his other two brothers who stood six feet and a half.

Muhtal was the most dangerous of the three; at his height he was always caused trouble wherever he could, to simply prove that his height was not an issue – and in one way, he was a reflection of myself – in that he, like me, had a very, very, very short fuse.

It was when I saw Muhtal run his hands up Bhekee’s dress and laugh, as she batted him away. Bhekee was a Tiefling who had stumbled into Manzil Muhatam more dead than alive and managed to crawl into the Watering Hole, desperate to be hydrated. Khalis offered her drink and helped nurse her back to health, and here she remained; because like me, she’d been escaping whatever was back at “home.” Being a Tiefling, Bhekee was often harassed, because of her demonic appearance, or that she was someone who was interested in bedding everyone, simply because she was – quite honestly – very beautiful. But I’d taken it upon myself to be Bhekee’s guardian, so when I grabbed Muhtal’s arm you could have heard a pin drop.

“Muhtal, why don’t you and your brothers cash out for the night, and head back to your own place,” I growled. “You’ve definitely had more than enough.”

“Do you even know who I am?” he snapped back; naturally I knew who he was, just as he knew who I was. “I’ve murdered people for less. You dare even touch me? You?”

“I am about to do more than just touch you,” I snapped back, feeling that short fuse in me suddenly ignite. “I asked once. I won’t ask again.”

Bhekee shook her head, pleading, “It’s fine. Don’t worry about it, Ansount.”

Muhtal slid his hand back up the back side of her dress and I saw her flinch; her eyes told another story. He sneered and looked at me, “You heard her. It’s fine.” Then he said the next few words with such emphasis, “She. Likes. It.”

And then it happened – the explosion in my mind. The fuse had reached the base. I drew my hand back and with as much force as my muscled arms could – and brought my clenched fist crashing down against the bridge of Muhtal’s nose. I felt it break beneath the force of my punch – and I waited for him to get up and attack me – but he’d been laid out cold.

However, in the moment of my fury – I’d forgotten it wasn’t just him. Barely in time, a sword swung – nearly cutting my throat wide open; the swing had not been an attempt to decapitate me, but rather cut my throat open so I died a slow death, choking on my own blood. I’d barely managed to avoid it, only because of the silence in the tavern – the sound of swinging steel through the air was all too familiar to me.

Muharib was swinging his blade wildly at me, furious I’d struck his brother. I managed to pick up a wooden chair and use it as a shield against his wild swings; and I managed to get his sword caught between the legs of the chair – and with an attempt to yank it from his hands – instead the wooden chair cut in half as if the blade were made of something thinner than air. It was when I heard the spidery words of magic – that I saw Sahir’s hands glow and suddenly I was pinned against a wall.

Bhekee cried out as Sahir approached. “I should let my brother cut you from between your legs up to your throat. But I want to be the one to kill you.” Sahir began chanting words of magic as his hands glowed – but it was Khalis’ voice which boomed louder than I’d ever heard it.

“You will do no such thing.”

Muharib and Sahir turned and saw Khalis. I am not sure what they saw, but they kneeled down and picked up Muhtal and quietly left the bar, hissing a threat to me as Sahir released me.

Khalis approached me and helped me up. “You look no worse for the wear,” he said, brushing me off. “I guess that’s something else you can’t fight.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“When we first met, I said your weapon can kill the beasts and men of these lands, but it can not fight nature when she rains her fury down,” Khalis explained as he walked with me back to the bar. “Magic. That is something else you can not always just swing your weapon at. Magic, like the spear can be used both up close or from a distance, making it very dangerous.”

Bhekee approached me and thanked me, and with a hug, I dismissed her to tell the patrons that everything was all right. I turned back to Khalis. “I wish I’d learned magic. So I could have understood what Sahir was casting and do something about it.”

“Magic takes great time and much studying,” Khalis chuckled, “and no offense my friend,” he added, “you do not look to be the type that studies.”

“I just want to be able to do it,” I laughed, “without all the studying.”

Khalis grinned; and there was a glint in his eyes like I’d never seen – and in that moment, I wondered if that’s what the Ghatlyn brothers saw – something behind Khalis’ eyes. “There is such a way,” he whispered. “There are those who, unlike Sahir, do not take the years of study – instead they make pacts with demons and the like – who bestow them powers.”

I laughed, “That sounds like it would require some studying too, as I know nothing about demons. All I know is how to fight.” I shook my head, “I wish I could be like those three – and others who come in here all the time – with large sums of money, with all their tales of glory and treasure! I would love to have my strength by also the power that Sahir possess! I’d trade this life for a good adventure, with magic and my club, to crush those who would stand before my goals!”

“Tell me again,” Khalis said, extending his hand. “But take my hand.”

Feeling this was odd, I reluctantly took his hand and said, “I wish I could be like those adventurers who have come in here – spinning tales of glory and fame – using magic and might – together – slaying the beasts before them.”

And I saw it again – Khalis’ eyes glinted – but this time, literally flickered – and suddenly the blood in my body was fire and ice; one chasing the other, then reversing through my body – and in the reflection I saw my own eyes glow like Khalis’ – and in that moment I saw Khalis, for a brief moment, not as the human who had saved me – but his true form, a Djinni.

“I have given you that which you wished for,” he whispered. “But you must keep my secret safe and never speak of what I truly am; you are not the only one who has fled from home. But now I need you to do something for me. Use that which I have given you – venture forth and listen to the winds – and see if you hear of anyone who is tracking down my true name - Muqadam Alraghabat. If you hear of it, you must let me know immediately. My power is connected to you for two years; you shall be able to channel magic through the bond we share. Go now.”

“But the tavern?” I asked.

Just then, a large human, battered chainmail, cut and bruised stumbled in, hands reaching out, “Need… water…”

“It would seem a business opportunity has presented itself,” Khalis smiled.