Character Stories
Role-Play ++
This presents a good opportunity for adding Roleplaying elements to the Character.
: This is not a required part of character building and gets no reward unless the GM provides one. Some aspects drill deeply into roleplaying and may gain reward tokens which allow them to start off with added options.
A key part of player participation is the story made for a character. A character with a crafted story is a player vested in it’s success. A story helps to envision characters and bring them to life; these can be a few sentences to dozens of pages. A character story can allow the player to make one which deviates from the rules, allowing a piecemeal approach to fulfill any concept of race, background, vocation, locale, and archetype/path. Each added story element the player creates adds more rewards. An easy way to get an idea of how the character was raised and their basic perspective is to adopt a Basic Cultural Experience.
Personal Stories
- Background: A story explaining how they got their Background/Upbringing(s) – How did the character come to find themselves in the role of their chosen Background?
- Defining Moment: A story of what made the character become an Adventurer.
- Initial Journey: A story of how the character came to be in the group – What circumstances lead to the character being introduced to the group? This should cover just the immediate circumstances.
- Gaining Capability: All major powers could have a explanatory story… why/how did they acquire it, how did they develop it, how are they known to use it?
- Motivations: All instances of characters “seeking their path” should have a story. Mentors, inspirations, locations, experiences and how it shaped the character. How did the character come to find themselves in the role of their chosen Class?
Family/Early Years Stories
This must include vaguely how the character got their general background and the type of life that lead to acquiring vocational or basic life skills and place in the local society. Also, how and why did the character come to leave their former circumstances and be on their own?
Birth: Where, when, family, family job or trade influence, social status.
- Youngest years – Family (social status, place, and history), place or birth/place raised, etc. Who were their parents and siblings, and what role did they play in the character’s life?
- A story of growing up – What was the character like as a child? Their environment? Was there defining moment where they “grew up” and their world view changed?
- A story of exemplifying beliefs – Tell a story about how they were tested and kept to or developed their general alignment or code of conduct. What are the things that motivate them (will always cause them to act), and what are the things they avoid?
A full set of Character Stories can explain anything, even complete deviation from any setting, rule and/or play restrictions in a Class Templates. However, it is also these constraining elements that encourage a role-playing challenge and reward).