Freeform RPG Character

[JNAProductions]

Long story short, I need an interesting character for a freeform RPG. General fantasy setting, though the details are pretty mutable.

As of now, I'm just working with a blank slate, so any ideas from the Playground?

[Karl Aegis]

You are a lesser bureaucrat from a bustling city whose is skilled in filling out paperwork, being a rude dude in general, accosting suspicious persons, and investigating suspicious behaviors.

You have exactly three friends, only one of which you have heard from in the past year.

Your family is an estranged uncle, an aunt, your maternal grandmother, three cousins, a sister-in-law and your sister-in-law's nephew. Your parents died from scarlet fever they got from unpasteurized milk. Your brother died from blunt force trauma. A rope broke while someone was transporting a heavy object into a third-story building and that object fell on him. He was a building inspector. You are close to your aunt and her eldest son.

You are currently investigating something suspicious. You have exactly seven contacts and are on the way to see one. Their name is Pydron, and they dislike you for punching three of their teeth out. They never got along with you, due to how rude you've been to them in the past.

[JNAProductions]

Interesting. And detailed. I've got some days and I'll see what else the Playground invents, but that's a darned interesting idea. Far away from the usual I play, but hey. Novelty is the spice of life.

[GorinichSerpant]

You are now a ghost who has unfinished business and are stuck haunting your dimwitted brother, he's a good guy but not particularly clever as kids you'd always have to get him out of trouble. Alternatively your spirit could be bound to a weapon which your brother uses to hit people with. This same concept can be presented the other way around with only you seeing your sibling/their voice coming out of a sword and they keep nagging you to go on this quest.

[Maglubiyet]

Any character can be "interesting" if you flesh out the details. What specifically are you looking for in this character -- Nuanced? Motivated? Powerful? Connected?

What type of fantasy game is this -- Dungeon Crawl? Social/Political? Day-in-the-Life? Heroic/Epic?

Just take any random character and start answering basic questions about him/her -- where was he born, who were his parents, what was his childhood like, who were his friends, what does he like and why, what does he dislike and why, how does he make a living....etc. etc. Eventually you end up with something interesting.

[Maglubiyet]

Example -
Starting with a 1st-level human thief in D&D, I'll begin answering the questions. A story should start to emerge.

Name: Dahlia Mortaina
Age: 18
Nationality: Citizen of the Western City-States
Socioeconomic Level as a child: wealthy child of privilege
Socioeconomic Level as an adult: high-status with good family name, but shaky resources
Hometown: City-State of Seacliff
Current Residence: City-State of Seacliff, High Seat District
Occupation: socialite
Income: living allowance from noble parents
Talents/Skills: performing arts, stealth, deception
Salary: none
Birth order: second child
Siblings (describe relationship): older brother Damoth, loving relationship with him, but secretly jealous of the attention he gets from their parents. As the male, Damoth is heir to the family title and fortune; Dahlia is an asset to be married off.
Spouse (describe relationship): betrothed to Faiscal, a wealthy merchant 20 years her senior. Her family arranged this marriage when she was 15 and no firm date has been set for the wedding yet. She desperately wants out of this arrangement.

Grandparents (describe relationship): the Baroness Talsa Mortaina was a shrewd woman who orchestrated the family's rise to power through marriages and business contracts. Dahlia was her favorite grandchild. Dahlia has fond memories of staying in the Baroness's summer home in the Northrahd Lake District. When Talsa died the family began to face financial crisis due to mismanagement. This led to the arrangement of Dahlia's marriage as part of a business deal.
Significant Others (describe relationship): Petro is Dahlia's secret lover and partner in crime. He is a rogue from a lesser family who has aspirations to greatness, though not the means. He and Dahlia steal from many of the wealthier families in the City-States, using their status as socialites to scout out homes during banquets and balls. Petro is beneath Dahlia's station, but she loves how uninhibited and unconstrained he is. She plans to run away with him though hasn't figured out the details yet.
Relationship skills: Dahlia has been schooled in the fine arts of etiquette, singing, and dance as befits a lady in her social class.


Physical Characteristics:

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 105 lbs.
Race: Human
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Brown tinged with red
Skin color: fair
Distinguishing features: long hair worn up, beauty mark right cheek
How does he/she dress? latest fashions, favoring light pastel-colored dresses, flowered hats that conceal thieves picks and tools
Mannerisms: in public she is animated and exuberant, though she is sometimes self conscious due to her mother always reminding her to be more demure and subdued "like a lady"
Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) social drinking of wine at banquets.

etc. etc. etc.

[JNAProductions]

Any character can be "interesting" if you flesh out the details. What specifically are you looking for in this character -- Nuanced? Motivated? Powerful? Connected?

What type of fantasy game is this -- Dungeon Crawl? Social/Political? Day-in-the-Life? Heroic/Epic?

Just take any random character and start answering basic questions about him/her -- where was he born, who were his parents, what was his childhood like, who were his friends, what does he like and why, what does he dislike and why, how does he make a living....etc. etc. Eventually you end up with something interesting.

The thing is, I'm not sure exactly what it's going to be yet. This is the kind of thing where stories often spring from characters, rather than the other way around.

However, that is some excellent advice, Maglubiyet. Thanks.

[Pluto!]

Dr. Faust, Attorney at Law