Need a character background written up?

[Tawmis]

I love your work and have requested it before. I'm a satisfied, returning customer. Here is another request...
I have a Forest Gnome Rogue: Arcane Trickster. Her names is Brunhilda. She is a well-respected, high ranking, albeit retired, military official.
Brunhilda: Hero Forge
Roland: Hero Forge
Her husband (Roland is a Gnome Druid) is not yet retired and not quite as high ranking, but he is also highly regarded. They have two children, a boy and a girl. Both are grown and have chosen to follow their parents' example and dedicate to a life of military, both are established and successful. All of them still gather together for the holidays/birthdays and communicate whenever possible amidst travels. Might even become a grandparent in the near future. She has never been aggressive, but she will certainly stand up for herself (or family) without hesitation.
Now, to my request:

Based on this information, I would like your legendary perspective on her motivation throughout the past. Why did she join the military? How did she meet her husband? When did she acquire her knowledge training as an Arcane Trickster? How was that class implemented through her career in the military? What was it like raising a family while actively serving a greater purpose? What ultimately (if not just decades of dedication) brought about such renown? Why did she decide upon adventure after retiring?

I know I've provided a fair amount of detail, but I was hoping you could fill in some blanks on her motivation and events for me? I hope it's not too much detail to ask. Also, have fun with it!

Hah - I took this one for a different kind of spin. Wrote it from her perspective - but also injected so much personality (as she 'talks to herself') in the telling of this story.
She has a ton of inner dialogue with herself that just began coming out as I wrote this...
Definitely influenced by the incredible (I laughed so much!) Hero Forge image you have of her.
That spunk and fun was everywhere in that image and it poured itself right into this story.
I think I hit all the beats you wanted!
I would love some feedback on this one because it's quite different!
Enjoy!
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It’s funny when your life is on the line how quickly you can make some life changing decisions.

My name is Brunhilda – and don’t be fooled by my size. Just because I am a gnome doesn’t mean when the floor drops beneath my feet my neck won’t snap. Now, one might ask how I ended up here? Is it some evil king who hangs people for the spectacle of it all?

No, just the opposite of that, really. King Jaros is well loved. Quite loved, as a matter of fact. That’s pretty much how I ended up here.

You see, all my life, I’ve been what some would call a thief. (I, personally, prefer the “Rogue” - it doesn’t sound as bad). I am often hired to try and… acquire things for high paying individuals. Sometimes someone will challenge me to try and acquire something. Sometimes, something catches my eye and I try to acquire it. (I don’t like to say stealing… because that makes me sound like a thief!)

Well something that had caught my eye was the Heart Gem – a gift given by the Elves of Emerald Wood. The forest was named Emerald Wood, because, as you might guess – the forests were lush and green, no matter the season. However, in the very heart of the forest was an ancient treant named Thousand Oaks, and from time to time, he would pull from the depths of his roots the most beautiful of gems that were buried far beneath the ground. There’s a story - I am not entirely sure I believe it – that Thousand Oak is the oldest tree in all of the world, planted by the Elven Goddess herself, and that his roots reach throughout the world and spring forth in the form of all the forests in all the lands.

Like I said, I am not sure I believe all of that – but, there’s no denying that Thousand Oaks exists – I’ve seen him (I think it’s a him? Do Treants have gender? I am not sure. He, it, has a very deep voice, so I have always called Thousand Oak a “him.” Maybe “it” is the proper pronoun? That seems insensitive. I think I will stick with “him”).

I am getting off track – at any rate, Thousand Oak gave the Elf King a red gem that, from the ground itself, looked to already be in the shape of a heart. The Elf King, in turn, gave this to King Jaros, because King Jaros had marched his own army against the goblin threat that had made its way towards the Emerald Forest. The war against the goblins had lasted four years and the Elf King wanted to show his appreciation and explained, “The heart of my people are forever in your debt, King Jaros, and so I give you this precious gem.”

King Jaros had inlaid that gem into the front of his crown, to honor the Elf King, so that all could gaze upon it. So it’s kind of his fault – flaunting the gem the way he did, that it caught my eye.

Well, one thing I hadn’t taken into account (mostly because I hadn’t heard) is that the Elf King had also given King Jaros a blink dog as a gift. I’d seen the dog – laying outside of King Jaros’ door, in the hallway, door was closed. So when I snuck in through the window, directly into King Jaros’ room – I was certain it would be fine. However, the Blink Dog had picked up my scent and blinked into the room and began barking, which awoke King Jaros, with my hand on the crown, trying to pry the gem loose – and when I bolted for the window, realizing everything was going sideways – the blink dog teleported in front of the window and growled at me – and before I knew it, six of the King’s Guards were on top of me and I was arrested.

Now, despite me explaining I was just intending to steal the Heart Gem, there was no denying I was right next to the King’s bed, dagger in hand, so they thought I was there to assassinate the King. (I can see how there might have been some confusion… being called a “thief” I can tolerate… but an assassin? Look at me! Do I look like an assassin? Well, I suppose most assassins don’t look like assassins or else they wouldn’t be good assassins… OK, I can see how they might come to the conclusion I was there to assassinate the king).

So we come to my hanging – the noose around my neck, the lever about to be pulled – and that’s when destiny would intervene and I would him – another gnome, magic-type by the looks of what he was wearing (muted browns and greens – druid is my guess). His name is Roland.

Roland turned to King Jaros, “My lord, perhaps there is use of her unique skills.”

King Jaros turned to face Roland, “What do you mean?”

“The goblin army,” Roland explained. “While they’ve been defeated and retreated away from the Emerald Forest, there is still a very large presence of goblins located in the Asheron Mountains. Someone as skilled as this one,” Roland gestured towards me with a nod of his head, “if we can get her to agree to scout the caves – perhaps get the rough number of remaining goblins, or perhaps to uncover what their next move is…”

“She’s a thief,” King Jaros shook his head.

“I prefer ‘Rogue’, my liege,” I shouted back, realizing perhaps that wasn’t the best time to intervene what I preferred to be called. I saw Roland chuckle, however.

King Jaros looked from me to Roland and back to me. “How do we know that she wouldn’t just run off the moment we take her down from the galley?”

“We can get Dazirw to cast a spell on her that would allow him to always scry wherever she goes and she knows you have infinite resources and are loved by all. If she ran there’s nowhere she could go where we couldn’t send someone to find her,” Roland explained.

King Jaros paused and shouted, “Would you agree to these terms?”

Listen, I don’t like being anyone’s lap dog – I’m looking at you, Blink Dog, sitting happily next to King Jaros – but I’d rather do that than have my neck snapped. “I agree! Happily, my liege!”

“So be it, remove the noose and bring her forth,” King Jaros demanded.

The following day, Dazirw came to the cell I was in and cast some kind of rune around my wrist and showed how – no matter where I went, just as they had said, he could see me. (I felt this was a violation of some privacy – there were private times I would need and knowing that some Human wizard could see me was a little unnerving). However, as I said – better than getting my neck snapped.

I made my way to Asheron Mountain and made my way inside the goblin infested caves and allowed myself to get captured. I explained to the goblins (by the way, they’re a filthy lot – and I am now debating if maybe the neck snap might have been the better choice here) that I had information on King Jaros and his kingdom – having recently escaped – and if the goblins wanted revenge, I could help make it happen. They were thrilled with this idea. I knew Dazirw would be scrying me so I used that to my advantage. I explained, exactly where I would lead the goblins to be able to get inside the fortress of King Jaros. Within three days, the goblins marched, in full force to the location – which, as I anticipated, Dazirw had informed King Jaros of what I’d said.

I wasn’t betraying King Jaros. Just the opposite. I had led the goblins into an ambush where King Jaros’ military force managed to kill and capture the majority of the goblins who had survived the previous war. I saw Roland there, as a part of King Jaros’ forces and watched, with admiration, how he used his druidic powers to help ensnare the goblins and prevent them from retreating. After that, King Jaros had invited me to dinner to celebrate my victory – and it was there, he gave me a full pardon. What came next was a surprise – he offered me a position in his military and said, Roland had recommended it. Honest work? For a King? Doing what I love? It’d be different.

I accepted the position.

Roland and I grew closer and closer as the days and weeks went on, eventually developing a relationship and being wed. The amount of people who showed up was astonishing – because King Jaros himself had made it a massive spectacle. I met royalty from the Dwarven and Elven Kingdoms. (I assure you, despite some very fine jewels; I kept my hands in my pockets and didn’t acquire anything).

I became King Jaros’ favorite spy and rapidly rose through the ranks of his military force. Roland and I grew closer and closer and he began showing me how even I could learn to weave the ways of magic to help benefit my own skills as the King’s spy.

After years of service to King Jaros, Roland and I had a child; a beautiful son. That’s when King Jaros told me my days as his spy were over, and that I was to focus on being a mother and the High Advisor to the agency of spies he had. This allowed me to focus on being a mother and keeping my position with the King’s military. It was just a year later, I gave birth to a daughter.

As the years rolled by, both son and daughter followed in our footsteps. They joined King Jaros’ military and were well loved by both Roland and I, but by King Jaros as well. In all my life, prior to the day I was almost hung, I’d never truly known love. That’s why I became a Rogue – I knew I was acquiring things back then because my life had been devoid of love and I wanted these things around me to make me feel loved.

Now I had two children, an incredible husband, and a King who sincerely loved me and my family.

That's it, I'm in love! Where do I even start?
You were able to convey the character's energy perfectly (too perfectly maybe, pretty sure this is witchcraft haha), the relationships she has with her tribe feel incredibly genuine and you can sense a strong sense of attachement behind the words. The father at the end works perfectly, as I imagined her to really look up to her father as a wise figure.
I also love the titanite being used, as it is said to be calming, balancing and to stabilize mood, which already fits druids quite well and it just works wonderfully here. Plus, if I recall correctly but I might be wrong here so don't quote me on that, but I think people also associate healing properties with the stone?
And Amberose? Love her, and I think my DM will too! One fun thing about her that made me stop in my reading to process the information fully is her name (I'm friend with someone named Ambrose and they somehow give me similar vibes) and just, she's amazing and she could be a great "tool" for the DM as an NPC
All in all, this was absolutely perfect!
That you can trust I did! Thank you so much for the wonderful work!

This was my pleasure! I do love introducing potential NPCs who may revisit the campaign through someone's background (which is what Amberose is). So if your DM ever wanted to bring her back into the campaign as a connection to your character, I thought that'd be fun. Otherwise, she could be someone you never see again. But I enjoyed writing Amberose into the story and using her to show off your character (and references to her red hair and using that to explain your fiery red cheeks when your father finds your character!)
For the titanite - I am sure it probably is used in some areas as a healing stone. I just like how it's green, but can also reflect other colors when light hits it. (This page talks about the hues from different angels -https://www.minerals.net/mineral/titanite.aspx )

As for witchcraft being involved... shhh, you're going to give away my secret!

If you ever have other character concepts you want me to flesh out - feel free to come post'em in here.

Hey Tawmis, you've already provided me with 2 backstories and they're both amazing! However, I was wondering if you could do one last backstory - mainly because I've been asked to DM a separate group of people and I'm fleshing out a campaign idea that I've had for ages.
Basically, the entire campaign is based on the poem Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. The Wikipedia page on the poem has some great "lore". The BBEG in the campaign is the Jabberwock (stat block from The Wild Beyond the Witchlight), and it's set in the kingdom of Tulgey (based on the line "Came whiffling through the tulgey wood"). I was wondering, is there any way to connect all the monsters from the poem and give them a connection to the Jabberwock? I have a list of which stat block each monster of the poem should use:
"Slithy Toves" - Black Dragon Wyrmling
"Borogoves" - Wynlings (from JttRC)
"Jubjub Bird" - Tlecatecolo (from JttRC)
"Bandersnatch" - Banderhobb
"The Jabberwock" - Jabberwock
Do you have a way of somehow connecting all of the monsters to the Jabberwock? The Jabberwock is of course the BBEG who needs to be killed but I don't really have any motives. Also, in the kingdom that my campaign is set in (Tulgey), the first two stanzas of the poem are told as a children's rhyme, and so obviously nobody believes any of the creatures to exist. Also, since the Jabberwock appears by the Tumtum tree in the poem, maybe in the campaign the Tumtum tree could be some form of an ancient tree that summons the Jabberwock? Could you tie that into the backstory too?
Thanks! I hope you can think of a cool way to link the villains :)
(and by the way, it doesn't need to be written from a 1st-person-perspective)

Heh. Can't say I ever tried to match up any background to an existing story or poem...
Especially a nonsense poem... that added quite a bit of difficulty to figure out how to tell this...
So I ended up going with the telling of the story from a bard's perspective (I am sure you will catch the reference to the Bard's name... should be obvious)...
And did it as if he was telling a story to an audience (the adventurers about to partake? Or perhaps this is an entry in the bard's journal?)
Anyway... you can take what I wrote and reforge it if it doesn't work - but managed to tap all the things you had wanted...
And added some extra stuff for the party to potentially encounter as well...
I'd love feedback because this was really a very odd one to write.
Enjoy!
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Perhaps you’ve heard the story of beauty and the beast? No, no – not that one. This one is as old as time and deals with the Tulgey Kingdom – specifically the Tulgey Forest. Or, what was a forest anyway. It’s more of a swamp now.

Oh. Who am I, you ask? I suppose I should introduce myself that is the proper thing. My name is Lewus Kharroll. Some would call me a poet… a singer… a story teller. I just call myself Lewus.

The story I am about to tell you, surrounding the Kingdom of Tulgey, is one that will send shivers down your spin. The story begins with a Dryad by the name of Ailleacht. She is said to be the most beautiful being in all the world; that even the very gods who gazed down upon the world were envious of the beauty she possessed.

One day, the King, riding in his carriage protected by his military of King’s Guards, rode through the Tulgey Forest and Ailleacht saw the human king and took a liking to him. However, the good King was happily married, and despite Ailleacht’s undeniable beauty, the good King kindly declined her offer to visit her home and experience “pleasure greater than any could know.”

Ailleacht was outraged. None had ever turned her down. She could have the love of the gods, if she wanted! So, in her anger, she cursed the Tulgey Forest – and as such, the Tulgey Kingdom which sat deep in the middle of the woods.

She opened a barrier into the darkest corner of the Feywild, and pulled forth the much dreaded Jabberwock! I can see you’ve not heard of what a Jabberwock is! Well, avid listener – allow me to educate you in the darkness of the Jabberwock! A jabberwock is a solitary, volatile hunter that haunts pristine forests and ancient ruins – and in doing so begins to rapidly bring the darkness from which it comes into the woods it haunts! As such, these once lush forests that were well known for their beauty had begun to turn dark and murky. Endless fields of green and roses were now swamp water and fallen tree stumps. Lush green tree tops were now entwined by dying vines. The corruption the jabberwock brought created temporal portals to the feywild that attracted other such creatures… boggles, while cute in their own little way, began to call these woods their home; spreading their oily substance… the wildlife itself began to change… normal rats were changed into brigganocks, altered by the feywild magic seeping into the swampy forest, while the mice were turned into wynlings … bullywugs soon began to populate the swampy area… and they even say a band of gnomes who had been traveling through the woods were corrupted by the dark magic of the feywild that the jabberwock brought with it, changing these once innocent loving gnomes into redcaps, who were now bent on murder…

The beauty of Ailleacht revealed that deep in her soul was a dark beast that reigned…

She watched what was her home for thousands of years, change rapidly before her eyes, and she felt no pity. All she could think of was how this would ruin the King’s lands and destroy and curse his Kingdom.

This eventually drew the attention of a Black Dragon wyrmling, because Black Dragons favored swamps as their home. This young black dragon named Slithy Toves could sense the jabberwock and kept his distance from the foul creature… but Slithy Toves’ presence only helped corrupt the land further… Bandersnatch toads and frogs around the murky waters around the Black Dragon wymling began to change and grow in size, distorted by the darkness… and became banderhobbs…

With so much darkness seeping into the land, and Ailleacht blind to her own fury and pettiness, was soon beginning to change… the once beautiful Dryad was now beginning to represent the very darkness within her … the very darkness she’d brought into the lands… and she was becoming a hag… even her favorite bird, one that resembled an owl – that she said to have always turned to for wisdom, had been changed by the darkness… the Jubjub Bird had become the much dreaded tlacatecolo… a cursed owl like creature of pure darkness… Still this was not enough for Ailleacht to undo the curse… she only became further enraged that her most trusted ally had fallen victim to the curse – all of which, she continued to blame on the human King who had denied her…

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, Hades Hath No Fury Like A Dryad Scorned? No? Well, that’s how the saying goes…

So why am I telling you this tragic tale of a scorned Dryad?

Because, you, my captivated audience, are about to do something to help break that curse.

No pressure what so ever, of course.