Fleshing Out Your Character
By Ash Bowie
A Guide to Personality and Background
Essential Personality Traits
Primary Motivators
In the broadest sense, the Primary Motivator is the underlying goal in your character's life, forms the basic theme of his worldview, and is what drives him to action. While one motivator is completely sufficient, multiple motivators can make for interesting patterns (although some motivators clearly cannot coincide, such as Chaos and Order). Like the emotions, the motivator should fit with the Personality Matrices—having a Warmth rating of "I hate others" doesn't work well with the Motivator Nurturance (unless you want a very confused character, of course). Finally, the degree to which you are motivated can possibly be determined by the Matrix, Ambition.
| 1-5% | Achievement | To overcome obstacles and succeed; to become the best |
| 6-10% | Acquisition | To obtain possessions/wealth |
| 11-15% | Balance | To bring all things into harmony and equilibrium |
| 16-20% | Chaos | To disrupt, rebel, and to cause confusion and discord |
| 21-25% | Creation | To build or make new, such as art, culture, invention, design,etc. |
| 26-30% | Destruction | To annihilate, exterminate, unmake, and bring to ruin |
| 31-35% | Discovery | To explore, uncover mysteries, and pioneer |
| 36-40% | Education | To provide information, teach, enlighten, or train |
| 41-45% | Enslavement | To force others into servitude |
| 46-50% | Hedonism | To enjoy all things sensuous |
| 51-55% | Liberation | To free the self and/or others from perceived captivity or enslavement |
| 56-60% | Nobility/Honor | To exalt ideals such as generosity, honesty, bravery, and courtliness |
| 61-65% | Nurturance | To protect the helpless, heal the sick, feed the hungry, etc. |
| 66-70% | Order | To arrange, organize, and reduce chaos |
| 71-75% | Play | To have fun, to enjoy life |
| 76-80% | Power | To control and lead others |
| 81-85% | Recognition | To gain approval, social status, or fame |
| 86-90% | Service | To follow a person, government, order, religion, etc. |
| 91-95% | Torment | To inflict pain and suffering, on others and/or the self |
| 96-100% | Understanding | To seek knowledge or wisdom (spiritual, scientific, magical,etc) |
Personality Matrices
These are traits that define what your character is like. They help determine how he might behave in given situations, how he thinks about the world, and what his general emotional demeanor is like. They do not have to played as hard and fast rules. Rather, they are for developing rules of thumb.
Attitude
Your basic disposition
| 1-4% | Rigid/uptight | Humorless, very tense, a buzzkill, neurotic |
| 5-19% | Tense/serious | Anxious, worried, practical, annoyed by humor or needless fun |
| 20-80% | Temperate/composed | Can be serious or mirthful depending on the situation |
| 81-95% | Easy-going/fun | Relaxed for the most part, enjoys a good laugh |
| 96-100% | Carefree/mirthful | Completely without worry or anxiety, loves a good time |
Confidence
This measures your belief in yourself, especially regarding challenges, conflict, and abilities, regardless of reality
| 1-4% | Very unconfident | I can't do anything right... I always fail. |
| 5-19% | Unconfident | My chances aren't very good, but maybe I'll get lucky. |
| 20-80% | Depends on situation | I'm pretty realistic about my chances, depending on the situation. |
| 81-95% | Confident | I've got a good shot at succeeding at almost anything I try. |
| 96-100% | Over-confident | I'm incredible... I can't fail. |
Warmth
Your general, baseline feelings about others. For more complexity, this can be divided by race or species.
| 1-4% | I love others | Others being are absolutely wonderful and should consider me their friend. |
| 5-19% | I like others | I enjoy my fellow creatures and think well of them. |
| 20-80% | I'm neutral about others | Some are good and some are bad... I have to wait and see before I judge. |
| 81-95% | I dislike others | I don't care for other people... it takes a lot for me to like someone. |
| 96-100% | I hate others | Other people are terrible and I can't stand them. |
Extroversion
How you feel about social situations.
| 1-4% | Shy | I am very anxious around other people. |
| 5-19% | Reserved | I don't talk much or try to stand out. |
| 20-80% | Average | When I get comfortable (or drink a few ales) I can be outgoing. |
| 81-95% | Outgoing | I really enjoy social situations. |
| 96-100% | Fearless | I'm a total ham and will do anything for attention. |
Boldness
How you respond to conflict, especially physical combat. It can also refer to social, non-combative conflict.
| 1-4% | Cowardly | I avoid direct conflict at all costs. |
| 5-19% | Timid | I don't mind fighting with a large friend in front of me. |
| 20-80% | Reasonably careful | I don't like fighting, but I will if I have to. |
| 81-95% | Courageous | I enjoy battle and it takes a lot to scare me off. |
| 96-100% | Reckless | I will fight anything, anywhere, anytime. |
Ambition
A measure of your drive to get ahead, depending on your general life goals.
| 1-4% | None | I don't want to socially advance or have any responsibility to anyone at all. |
| 5-19% | Low | Success isn't very important to me, but I'll take it if it's given to me. |
| 20-80% | Fair | I want to succeed, and I'll work for it (but not too hard). |
| 81-95% | High | Success is a priority for me, and I'll work hard for it. |
| 96-100% | Extreme | I will literally do anything to succeed and I'll never give up until I get what I want. |
Empathy
The ability to see things from another's point of view, and how easily you are affected by them.
| 1-4% | None | I only care about myself and really don't care what happens to anyone else. |
| 5-19% | Low | It takes a lot for someone to affect me and I don't think about it much |
| 20-80% | Moderate | I think about others about as much as myself, and I am affected by them. |
| 81-95% | High | I think about others a lot and what happens to them affects me strongly. |
| 96-100% | Extreme | I care about others to the point of being self-sacrificing. |
Outlook
Your expectations of the future.
| 1-4% | Hopeless | Nothing works out the way I want so nothing is worth trying. |
| 5-19% | Pessimistic | Things don't look good, but miracles can happen, I suppose. |
| 20-80% | Neutral | I'm not too worried... sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. |
| 81-95% | Optimistic | I'm pretty sure everything will be okay. |
| 96-100% | Sanguine | Nothing can go wrong... it's all going to turn out great. |
Vigilance
The degree to which you believe the world is safe.
| 1-4% | Very Trusting | I am very safe... nothing bad is going to happen to me. |
| 5-19% | Trusting | I'm pretty safe, although there is an off chance that something bad might happen. |
| 20-80% | Neutral | I am neither inherently safe nor in danger... I just have to be careful. |
| 81-95% | Suspicious | The world is a dangerous place, so I'm usually on guard. |
| 96-100% | Paranoid | I am in constant danger... nothing (and no one) is to be trusted. |
Conscientiousness
How much you are influenced by rules of ethics and feelings of guilt/shame if they are broken. This trait can refer to many aspects—such as discipline, orderliness, cleanliness, honesty, duty, and justness—as you see fit.
| 1-4% | None | There are no rules but my own... no guilt, no shame, period. |
| 5-19% | Low | I might play by the rules to avoid trouble or earn reward, although I do have limits. |
| 20-80% | Moderate | I usually do right, although I can be tempted. |
| 81-95% | High | I really want to do what's right, and I feel terrible if I screw up. |
| 96-100% | Extreme | Rules of law and order must be obeyed at all cost. I punish myself severely if I slip. |
Emotional Stability & Disposition
This indicator describes the character's general mood or temperament. Naturally everyone has a full range of emotions, but this is the one your character lives with on a day to day level. There is the option to pick more than one... the more you choose, the more unpredictable and unstable he will be, since there are so many emotions fighting for dominance. Keep in mind that how he reacts emotionally to different situations strongly depends on the results of the Personality Matrices.
Stability
This section is recommended only if you want to play a very complex character. However, if you do play stability, it can make for some interesting role-playing choices.
| 1-4% | Fragile/extreme | I am very sensitive emotionally and can react hysterically. |
| 5-19% | Somewhat unstable/strong | I feel things strongly, and it doesn't take much to affect me. |
| 20-80% | Even-tempered | I have emotionally moderate, but there are things that will trigger me. |
| 81-95% | Steady/reserved | I don't feel many emotions and I'm usually calm when I do. |
| 96-100% | Very stable/weak | I don't react emotionally at all since I don't really have any. |
Disposition
The top row lists the four fundamental humanoid emotions, and it is easiest to choose from this list. You can also try to rank them if you want an extra dimension. If you wish to add even more complexity, you can choose one or more of the other emotions listed.
| 1-25% | Anger | 26-50% | Happiness | 51-75% | Sadness | 76-100% | Fear |
| 1-10% | Bitterness | 1-10% | Awe | 1-10% | Bleakness | 1-10% | Anxiety |
| 11-20% | Disgust | 11-20% | Bliss | 11-20% | Dejection | 11-20% | Apprehensiveness |
| 21-30% | Hate | 21-30% | Compassion | 21-30% | Depression | 21-30% | Despair |
| 31-40% | Hostility | 31-40% | Desire | 31-40% | Envy | 31-40% | Doubt |
| 41-50% | Indignation | 41-50% | Exaltation | 41-50% | Guilt | 41-50% | Dread |
| 51-60% | Jealousy | 51-60% | Hope | 51-60% | Melancholy | 51-60% | Foreboding |
| 61-70% | Malevolence | 61-70% | Joy | 61-70% | Mournful | 61-70% | Insecurity |
| 71-80% | Rage | 71-80% | Love | 71-80% | Regret | 71-80% | Panic |
| 81-90% | Resentment | 81-90% | Mirth | 81-90% | Shame | 81-90% | Terror |
| 91-100% | Spite | 91-100% | Pride | 91-100% | Wretchedness | 91-100% | Worry |
Secondary Traits
These are aspects of a character that might be relevant and fun to play, but don't necessarily determine the character's underlying personality. Most campaigns don't offer many opportunities to role-play at this level, but a few nights in a village (or any other social situation) can make for some interesting character choices.
Sexuality
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Heterosexual | ||
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Adventurous |
Frigid |
Perverted |
Religion/Morality
|
Atheist | ||
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Apostle |
Heretical |
Preachy |
Orderliness
|
Careless |
Haphazard Industrious |
Procrastinator |
Politics
Below is a list of basic forms of government that your character can support, identify with, aspire to, or combat. These are modern terms, and don't necessarily exist in the world the character lives in. However, the general understanding and corresponding attitudes can make for good adventuring when things get political.
| Anarchy | Society is based on voluntary cooperation and free association of individuals and groups, without any central form of government. |
| Autocracy | Absolute power is held by a single individual; also called a Dictatorship. |
| Republic/Democracy | Laws are based on a constitution and passed by representatives elected by some or all citizens. |
| Fascism | Engages in severe economic and social regimentation, and espouses nationalism and sometimes racism. |
| Feudalism | A system by which the holding of estates in land is made dependent upon an obligation to render military service to the kind or feudal superior. |
| Monarchy | Power is mostly or entirely held by a monarch, and usually passed down by inheritance. |
| Aristocracy/Oligarchy | Power is held by a privileged few— based on values such as in rank, fortune, or intellect. |
| Plutocracy | Power is based on wealth. |
| Socialism | Some or all resources and wealth are controlled by the state and shared amongst citizens equally. |
| Theocracy | Laws are either identical with or strongly influenced by the principals of the majority religion. |
| Despotism | Lacking written words or laws, rule is through force of personality — whose effect decreases rapidly with distance from the capital. |
| City-State | A sovereign state consisting of an independent city and its surrounding territory. |
Tertiary Traits
Quirks & Habits
This small list represents strange and habitual behaviors that a character might do. You can come up with new quirks by making interesting combinations of personality traits (e.g. someone who is shy and untrusting of others might mumble a lot, or a character with lots of ambition but is socially passive might have a compulsion to eavesdrop).
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Compulsive Lying |
Whistling |
Pipe-smoking |
Hobbies & Enjoyments
Here are some things that your character likes to do in his spare time. Again, you don't always get a lot of opportunities to play this stuff, but you never know when you might get the chance. There might be some overlap with Habits... there are shades of gray that's up to you to interpret and play. This list also does not include certain pastimes that might be enjoyed by evil characters, such as torturing cats or poisoning villagers. I'll leave those to your own sick imagination.
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Acrobatics |
Embroidery |
Practical Jokes |
Mental & Emotional Disorders
These are common (modern) human mental/emotional disorders. It seems unlikely that most players would want their character to have a debilitating problem, although it could certainly make for interesting play. This option might be better suited to NPCs, giving the GM something other than flat characters to play. This list can also be used by the GM as ideas for hideous curses or divine punishment. This list is by no means complete and gives only cursory (and non-expert) descriptions.
| 1-4% | Addiction (This is just a brief list. Anything can become an addiction as long as there is a destructive need to engage in it.) |
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| 5-8% | Amnesia | Memory gaps usually related to traumatic events which are too extreme to be accounted for by normal forgetting. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 9-12% | Anxiety | Restlessness; being on edge; easily fatigued; difficulty concentrating or mind going blank; irritability; sleep disturbance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 13-16% | Bipolar Disorder | Erratic swings from periods of mania to severe depression. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 17-20% | Borderline Personality Disorder | Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior; emotional instability; transient, stress-related paranoid delusions. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 21-24% | Dementia | Impaired memory, intellect, abstract thinking, and judgment; usually accompanied by a severe personality change. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 25-28% | Dependent Personality Disorder | Goes to excessive lengths to obtain nurturance and support from others; needs reassurance from others and for them to assume responsibility for most major areas of life; difficulty expressing disagreement; unrealistically preoccupied with fears of being left to take care of him or herself. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 29-32% | Depersonalization Disorder | Feelings of unreality, that your body does not belong to you, or that you are constantly in a dreamlike state. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 33-36% | Depression | Impaired physical functions (e.g., sleep, appetite); loss of interest and pleasure; low energy & motivation; possibly accompanied by severe pessimism, hopelessness, guilt, and suicidal thoughts/intent. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 37-40% | Fugue | Abrupt travel away from home, an inability to remember important aspects of one's life, and the partial or complete adoption of a new identity. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 41-44% | Histrionic Personality Disorder | Must be center of attention; sexually seductive or provocative behavior; shows self-dramatization, theatricality, and exaggerated expression of emotion; suggestible, i.e., easily influenced by others or circumstances; considers relationships to be more intimate than they actually are. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 45-48% | Hypochondria | Preoccupation with fears of having a serious disease or physical problem based on little or no real evidence. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 49-52% | Kleptomania | An overpowering compulsion to steal. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 53-56% | Mania | Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity; decreased need for sleep; talkative; racing thoughts; distractibility; increase in goal-directed activity; excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 57-60% | Masochism | Powerful need to be humiliated, beaten, bound, or made to suffer in some way. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 61-64% | Multiple Personalities | Existence of more than one distinct identity or personality within the same individual. The identities will "take control" of the person at different times, with important information about the other identities out of conscious awareness. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 65-68% | Narcissism | Grandiose sense of self-importance; preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love; believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people; requires excessive admiration; has a sense of entitlement; takes advantage of others; lacks empathy; arrogant, haughty behavior. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 69-72% | Nymphomania | Powerful compulsion to engage in sexual behavior with others (does not include forcefulness, i.e. likelihood of rape). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 73-76% | Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder | Existence of both regular compulsions (overwhelming need to engage in a ritualized behavior) and obsessions (persistent, often irrational, and seemingly uncontrollable thoughts). | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 77-80% | Panic attacks | Pounding heart; sweating; shaking; shortness of breath and choking; feeling dizzy or faint; feelings of unreality or being detached from oneself; fear of losing control or going crazy; fear of dying. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 81-84% | Paranoia | Suspects, without basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him; preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends; reads hidden threatening meanings into benign remarks or events; persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 85-88% | Phobia Extreme anxiety and fear associated with an object or situation. (This is only a tiny list of common phobias. Anything can be a phobia, such as cats, crowds, illness, smiles, the sun, travel, storms, fog, loud noises, elves, or string.) |
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| 89-92% | Pyromania | Obsession with fire, or an overpowering compulsion to set fires. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 93-96% | Sadism | Powerful need to cause the humiliation or physical suffering of others. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 97-100% | Schizophrenia | Possible symptoms: delusions (e.g. savior complex or assigning unusual significance or meaning to normal events); hallucinations (usually auditory); disorganized speech; grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior; paranoia. |
Background
Professions & Crafts
Here is a list of possible professions and crafts your character might know. This is for reference purposes, to give depth to background family members, to fill out a town, or to apply to the Profession or Craft skill. To know the difference, if it is something your character makes, then it is likely a craft (such as Calligrapher); otherwise it is a profession (such as a Lumberjack). My viewpoint is to define a profession as something the character has done for a living or has been trained with this in mind. As an example, someone can know the craft of brewing ale, but might not have the training to engage in the profession of being a Brewer.
Most player characters are adventurers of one sort or another by profession. Giving up a home life to go around trudging through ancient dungeons and fighting dangerous creatures is a full time job (and takes a certain kind of unusual personality). So, as a rule of thumb, most characters will have gotten training in their profession well before they hit the adventuring trail. In such a case, there's a lot to consider: what level did they achieve (apprentice, journeyman, and master)? Where did they train, and who did they work with? Being a journeyman requires a contract with a master—did your character break it to go adventuring? Was he part of a professional guild (or is he still)? Did he own a business? What drove him to leave the profession? Was his profession a family business? How successful was he in business?
Some professions can make for interesting adventuring motivations. Is your character a scrivener or natural philosopher, adventuring to get material to write a book or publish an essay? Is he a spy under the guise of a hapless sorcerer? How about a storyteller who makes a living going from town to town? There are many possibilities, and this list is far from complete.
| Actor | Jeweler | ||
| Apothecary | Chemist, druggist, pharmacist | Joiner | Cabinet or furniture maker |
| Arbiter | Judge | ||
| Architect | Lady in Waiting | Noble woman who waits upon higher nobility | |
| Archivist | Landlord | ||
| Armorer | Leather worker | ||
| Assassin | Limner | Paints signs and heraldic devices | |
| Astrologer | Locksmith | ||
| Bailiff | Serves writs and makes arrests | Lumberjack | |
| Baker | Maidservant | ||
| Banker | Manservant | ||
| Barber | Marbler | Worker in marble or stone | |
| Barkeep | Mariner | ||
| Barrister | Lawyer | Mason | Builder in stone |
| Beekeeper | Mendicant | ||
| Bellifounder | Bell maker | Mercer | Dealer in textile fabrics |
| Blacksmith | Merchant | ||
| Bonder | One who keeps slaves | Messenger | |
| Bookbinder | Metalworker | Silver, gold, bronze, iron, etc. | |
| Bookkeeper | Midshipman | Officer in training | |
| Bookseller | Midwife | ||
| Bowyer | Bow maker | Miller | |
| Breeder | Dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, etc. | Miner | |
| Brewer | Minstrel | ||
| Brewing | Maker of ales, beers, or meads | Moneylender | |
| Butcher | Musician | ||
| Butler | Navigator | ||
| Calligrapher | Page | Noble child in service to another noble | |
| Candlemaker | Painter | ||
| Carpenter | Papermaker | ||
| Cartographer | Map or chart maker | Parchment maker | |
| Cartwright | Performer | Juggler, tumbler, acrobat, fire-eater, etc. | |
| Clerk | Perfumer | ||
| Clockmaker | Philosopher | Law, ethics, or the natural sciences | |
| Coachman | Physicist | ||
| Cobbler | Shoe maker | Playwright | |
| Coiner | Poet | ||
| Composer | Politician | ||
| Confectioner | Maker of candies | Potter | Makes pottery |
| Cook | Prostitute | Can be noble, religious, or criminal | |
| Cooper | Barrel maker | Puppeteer | |
| Coper | A horse dealer | Quarrier | One who cuts stone from natural deposits |
| Coppersmith | Quartermaster | Military provisioner | |
| Costumer | Rancher | Horses, cattle, or other livestock | |
| Courier | Recruiter | ||
| Cryptographer | Writes and breaks codes | Scribe | |
| Dairyman | Scrivener | Writer, author | |
| Dancer | Scullion | One who cleans in the kitchen | |
| Dentist | Sculptor | ||
| Draper | Deals in cloth, clothing and dry goods | Seamstress | |
| Dressmaker | Shepherd | ||
| Dyer | Dyes cloth into various colors | Ships Captain | |
| Embroiderer | Shipwright | One who makes ships and boats | |
| Emissary | Slaver | ||
| Engineer | Designs public works, like bridges | Soap maker | |
| Engraver | Soldier | Rank and file or officer class | |
| Executioner | Songwriter | ||
| Falconer | Trainer of hawks for gaming | Soothsayer | A fortune-teller |
| Farmer | Spinner | One who spins into wool | |
| Ferrier | Horseshoe-maker | Spy | |
| First mate | Stableman | ||
| Fisherman | Steward | Servant that oversees the running of a household | |
| Fishmonger | A dealer in cheap and imitation goods | Storyteller | |
| Fletcher | Tailor | ||
| Florist | Tanner | Tans animal skins to make leather | |
| Forester | Manages forestland | Taxidermist | |
| Furrier | Dealer in furs; trapper | Teacher | |
| Gem cutter | Teamster | ||
| Glassblower | Thatcher | One who thatches roofs | |
| Groom | Horse keeper | Tinker | A maker in small devices for common use |
| Groundskeeper | Toolmaker | A smith who makes metal tools | |
| Harrier | Trainer of hunting hounds | Torturer | |
| Hatter | Maker and repairer of hats | Toymaker | |
| Hawker | Sells goods by yelling in the street | Tracker | |
| Headmaster | Head of a school | Trader | |
| Healer | With or without magic | Trainer | |
| Herald | Trapper | ||
| Herbalist | For healing or hurting | Treasurer | |
| Herder | Undertaker | ||
| Historian | Vintner | Wine maker | |
| Hoyer | Animal driver | Wainwright | Maker and repairer of wagons |
| Iceman | Keeper of the ice house | Watchman | |
| Importer | Weaponsmith | ||
| Innkeeper | Weaver | ||
| Interpreter | Wheelwright | ||
| Jester | Woodcarver |
The Background Story
There are of course no hard and fast rules about background development. Much can depend on the world the GM presents, and any limitations she might impose. However, to help you get started, here is a list of background elements that can really flesh out your character. Of course you aren't required to address every issue here, but it is recommended that you flesh out these two—the adventuring trigger and your character quests. These are things that tend to come up while playing and it's good to have a unique story.
Birthplace
Name, location, size, geography, weather, chief industry, local nobility, general character, what it was like to grow up there. Born away from a population center?
Family
Father, mother, siblings, other relatives in your household growing up. What did they do to earn a living? Any unusual problems, deaths or illnesses? Were there any family myths or legends? Were you raised by someone other than your biological parents? Do you know anything about your extended family and your relationship with them? Do you have a spouse or any children of your own?
Socio-economic class
Compared to average, how wealthy was your family? What kind of influence did it have? What social class did it inhabit? What kind of connections to power centers did it have? Did this change over time, and if so why?
Other important individuals while growing up
Any strangers come through town that gave you an unusual gift? Did a fortune teller predict something strange and unlikely? Was there a nearby hermit that taught you about herbs? Any local clergy to influence your religion? Did the landlord throw your family into the street?
Traditions
Were there any interesting traditions or holidays in your family or hometown worth mentioning?
Teachers/Patrons
What kind of education did you have, if any? Did you ever have any mentors or patrons before adventuring? Did you have anyone train you in a skill, craft, or profession? Were you ever part of a guild or order?
Friends
Did you form any close friendships while growing up or in early adulthood? Is there anyone out there that you can really trust or look to for help?
Reputation
What was your reputation, either while growing up or as a young adult? What do you think people thought of you?
Significant past events
Anything, even something small, can change you significantly. Were you ever really sick or injured? Did a family member die? Were you ever betrayed? Did you find a Ring of Invisibility buried in the woods? Did something happen that showed an unusual talent? Did you do anything interesting, like travel with a performing troupe, join the military, serve the local nobility, or jump a trading ship for a year? Did you ever commit any crimes, or be falsely accused of one? Were you ever active in a church, religion, cult, or secret order? Did you every fall in love or have a serious relationship? Were you ever dirt poor or filthy rich for a brief time? You can always look at your personality traits and come up with reasons why you're that way (an example: your Primary Motivator is Liberation because you were sold into slavery until you managed to kill your owner in the night, swearing that you would forever help free anyone in bondage). The possibilities are endless.
Mysteries
Mysteries are great opportunities for role-playing and help keep your character interesting. They also can provide the GM with ideas for sub-plots or even whole adventures. I advise against the amnesia hook unless you can come up with a really good story to support it. Some good mysteries could be: who murdered my best friend? Who is my mother? I had a strange vision when I was ten—what did it mean? Why do I keep having recurring nightmares about a flaming sword? Why did I wake up one morning with this strange mark on my chest? Why does the full moon fill me with dread? What did that cryptic prophesy given by an oracle mean? Why did the king grant 100 acres of land to my father 20 years ago without an explanation? Every now and then I think I see strange creatures out of the corner of my eye—what are they?
Conflicts
Conflicts are often between individuals, but they can also be between groups and institutions (such as another village, church, guild, school, family, or the law). You can add other details, like if you are mainly out to get them, or they you, or if the antagonism is mutual. If you choose to have a pre-existing or on-going conflict, create the circumstances surrounding it—why does the conflict exist? Why can't it be worked out? How do you think it will end? What are the emotions surrounding it—hate, jealousy, vengefulness, grief, bitterness, regret, fear?
* What triggered adventuring?
Even if you don't answer many other questions about your background, this is a good one to know. How did you happen to take up a sword, bow, or spell book and go looking for trouble? Was it a conscious decision or did circumstances compel you? If you left home, what set you off? Are you looking for something, or trying to accomplish anything (see Quests), or was it wanderlust, or seeking fame and fortune? If you are a fighter, you must have some minimal training with a sword—where did you get it and how did you learn to use it (friend, a job, parent, military)? Or if you have a knack for picking pockets, how did you learn the ropes? If you are a cleric, did you get "the call" from a deity, or were you indoctrinated into a religion? Why are you the class you are?
Initial possessions
Do you own anything other than what you are wearing and what's in your backpack? Do you have a family home, or own land (in many "fantasy&" settings, most people don't own land, but rather are allowed to live on it in exchange for produce given to a local lord. Ask your GM about this)?
Bound duties
Are there any outstanding obligations or oaths that you need to fulfill? Any unusual debts? Is anyone looking for you for deserting service or a contract?
* Quests
Like the adventure trigger, this is the other background area that should be known for a well-played character. If you have filled out a good portion of the other background areas, then it is likely your quests are already known. However, you can always add to this one as you continue to adventure. You can also have short and long term quests. Also, think in terms of clearly defined goals—to become rich and powerful is a motivation, not a quest. Here are some basic ideas: revenge, solve a mystery, end a conflict, fulfill an oath, depose a monarch, find someone or something that was lost, discover a mythical place, expose a criminal, find a way to remove the family curse, or provide a suitable person as a physical vehicle for your deity. Again, the possibilities are endless.
