Backstories in PFS?


Pathfinder Society

Liberty's Edge 2/5

As a VL here in Richmond, the biggest difficulty I find from veterans to play in PFS is the usual, "All it is is a mmo pen and paper, you cant make a backstory or invest in your character!"

I personally have found that to be actually the opposite of the truth. With vanities, fame, and prestige, I have found myself able to create a richer background for my character than any home game I have played.

So I wanted to hear from everyone here, what their thoughts on this are, and of course, to hear some character backgrounds!

Background for Liran Ver'Ha:
Growing up in Greengold, Lirin was always rambunctious for an elf. He preferred to play with the humans rather than the other elves, and was always quick with a joke or a smile. This in itself was only an oddity added to the fact that his parents had a great deal of children. While most elven families have only 2 children, or perhaps more if adopted, Lirin’s family had 5 elven children. Lirin was always energetic though and his precociousness led him to meeting Derethor Ter’Minal, an elven knight of minor renown and old world values. Derethor perhaps saw something in Lirin, or perhaps was simply getting so old, and without family of his own, wished to pass on the ancient traditions of elven knights of yore. Regardless the reason, Derethor requested that Lirin be put into his charge as his squire. At the young age of 45, Lirin set out from home with Derethor. They did not travel that wide, but Derethor made sure to impart upon his squire all of the teachings and codes he knew, training the young elf in the art of war and chivalry. Battle was not a common thing, besides a few minor bandits and a goblin here and there; Derethor was more of a diplomat. His twilight years made it dangerous for him to ride into battle, but the few times he did, Lirin saw the ancient and powerful skill the man wielded.
After 56 years of mentorship, Derethor released Lirin from his service, and declared that he was ready to go into the world, a Knight of the Dragon, and do good for those he finds in need. Derethor himself finally retired to the queens’ court, acting as one of her advisors and diplomats. Lirin then traveled home, now proudly bearing the tabard of the Order of the Dragon. While he remained an energetic individual, with a good amount of seemingly not elven qualities, such as his love for good drink, song, food, and boasting, his travels and mentorship had tempered him. Behind this veil of false bravado he is a very patient man, and a quick thinker with a keen intellect and tactical mind.
He set off with some of his siblings soon after his arrival back in Greengold. Lirin was drawn to the cause of Andoran. He had assisted Derethor in this war, the knight not fighting as much as strategizing, his keen strategically focused mind only sharper after centuries of service. Lirin himself fought some in the war, usually in defense of his Knight, and had grown fond of the Andorans, and their cause. So in the Spring of 4701 AR, he left home, some of his siblings following, and traveled to Andoran. There he made contact with the Pathfinder Society by way of some of his older friends from the war, their tales of adventure and exploration luring him to their ranks, and he has been there, fighting alongside his siblings ever since. Placing himself in the front line to protect his comrades with sword and shield.

Sczarni 5/5 * Venture-Lieutenant, Washington—Pullman

Zach Williams wrote:

As a VL here in Richmond, the biggest difficulty I find from veterans to play in PFS is the usual, "All it is is a mmo pen and paper, you cant make a backstory or invest in your character!"

Have you tried beating them with a Tuna Fish? It doesn't solve the problem but it makes you feel loads better.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Zach Williams wrote:
you cant make a backstory or invest in your character!

Which of course really means "The GM won't make the players all read my awesome backstory like they have to in my home games!"

;)

Also, nice backstory on your elf!

3/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

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In my experience, you only need enough backstory to inform your character's personality and goals. I've invented backstories for a couple of my characters, but they just never come up. Roleplay in PFS instead focuses on your character's goals and motivations for joining the Society, a distinctive voice, and one or two personality quirks.

But here's one anyway:

Friedel Crafts was born into a long line of clerics of Aroden, and they took her angelic manifestation as a sign that their god had not totally abandoned them. She devoted her life to the study of ancient civilizations and languages, and set out to investigate the disappearance of her family's patron.

While slogging through the Sodden Lands, she was suddenly struck with a curse that bound her tongue to Abyssal speech in times of trouble, but also the blessing of divine magic. Taking this as a sign that Aroden lay trapped beneath the Worldwound, leaving his meager blessings with a demonic taint, she continued her studies and explorations, signing on with the Pathfinder Society to facilitate her goals.

Sovereign Court 3/5

The only way I will put a character to paper is if I feel they have a proper fleshed out story. The character can not be Fighter #34563321 just so I have character to use. They gotta be

Rohender, old adventuring partner of Drandle Dreng from Ustalav who retired to be a gravekeeper back in his homeland. Was brought out of retirement by request to address the rising issue of Aspis and Shadow Lodge agents (back when they were a bad guy) running amok. Has since stuck around to continue to ensure enemies such as those are kept in check.

He is a beast master ranger with favored enemies of human and undead. His animal companions are a rhino who does most of the heavy hitting and a bat he befriend to use for scouting and to combat his inability to see in darkness.

I may flesh out the back story a little more as I go but a strong base needs to be there before I start rolling with the toon.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

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I very often begin a character without any backstory ideas, but I always need to have a clear mental image of them. That mental image then combines with in-game experiences to inform me of the character's personality, and a backstory then usually follows.

For instance, my cleric started as little more than "I want to have a melee cleric whose spellcasting is mainly problem-solving rather than offense or healing" and a visualization of a tiefling with light(ish) armor and a sword. Soon, however, he became this:

Thomas the Tiefling Hero, cleric of Iomedae:
Thomas is not his real name.
In the eastern land of Tian Xia, a human family who greatly enjoyed the status afforded them by their prestigious ancestry was shocked when their firstborn child was an oni-spawn tiefling. After some discreet divinations, it was determined that the child was the manifestation of demonic heritage that had been dormant in the family's bloodline for countless generations.

While keeping the mother and child hidden at home under the pretense of being ill due to a complicated birth, the father wrestled with the prospect of losing all his social status to a tainted ancestry. Fearing he would lose everything and seeing no acceptable (in his mind) solution, he eventually resolved to kill the pit-stained child and keep the whole thing secret.

Fortunately for the young tiefling, his mother was more compassionate. Realizing her husband's intent, she fled under cover of darkness, taking her precious child with her on a desperate flight to the west. She had heard of Absalom, the City at the Center of the World, where people were diverse enough that perhaps her child would be a little less stared-at, a little less forced into constant self-defense.

And so she traveled. Sometimes walking, sometimes hitchiking, sometimes running. While her husband back home faked the death of both her and the child (thus retaining his beloved status), she trekked countless miles, sometimes staying for extended periods with generous (and open-minded) souls, sometimes sleeping on a forest floor and telling her toddler that he could go ahead and eat their only food because she wasn't hungry.

The journey was long and hard, made longer and harder by not knowing the way, or needing to recover from an illness or injury, or needing to hide from dangerously scared townsfolk. The tiefling was a teenager by the time they finally reached the Inner Sea. Unfortunately, his mother did not get to see him arrive safely at their destination. After one too many nights in the rain and too much distance between them and someone willing to house them for a while, she died unceremoniously in the wilderness. The tiefling, now nearly an adult, dug her a grave and mourned alone.

Or so he thought.

The goddess Iomedae had plans for him, and sent a startling vision to a devout paladin in Absalom: the paladin was to venture alone into the wilderness, encounter a tiefling, and bring him back with her to Absalom to be trained as a cleric! Despite warnings from her peers that this could be trickery of a demon, she followed the prompting of her vision and, upon reaching the appointed place, found not a snarling villain but a mourning teen in the process of placing a lovingly-crafted marker atop a fresh grave.

Moved by what she saw, she greeted the tiefling warmly - more warmly than anyone but his mother had ever treated him. Realizing that he could trust her (and that he had no choice, as a half-starved commoner is no match for a well-equipped paladin), he went with her back to Absalom to learn of Iomedae and the future he could have in her service.

Almost ten years later, the oni-spawn is starting to become known both inside and outside the church of Iomedae. Having assumed the name Thomas to shield his family (mostly his mother's memory) from shame, he now travels the Inner Sea as both a Pathfinder and an agent of Ollysta Zadrian's Silver Crusade. With the wisdom to differentiate between the evil and the desperate, and the strength to cut down the former and protect the latter; Thomas the Tiefling Hero spreads the holy light of Iomedae wherever he goes.

Thomas is strong and noble, willing even to throw himself in front of a blade aimed at his allies. Ever vigilant and always prepared, he strikes down evil with his goddess' favored weapon, using magic both to bolster his combat ability and to negate whatever tactics his enemies might use to confound him and his allies.

Though his life has never been easy, Thomas' biggest challenge is yet to come. There are murmurs of late; murmurs of trouble at the Worldwound. Though Thomas has faced a few demons in his career (even venturing once into hell on a rescue mission), the time is coming when he will be called upon to march against the mustered hordes at the worldwound. The danger will be great, but so is Thomas' courage and his faith that Iomedae will be guiding both his spells and his sword arm.

UPDATE: It has begun. The wardstones are failing, and forces are mustering for the Fifth Mendevian Crusade in an effort to hold at bay the surge of demons from which the wardstones no longer protect the Inner Sea. Though Thomas has not yet travelled to Mendev to engage the threat directly, he was influential in swaying Absalom's movers and shakers toward approving a bill to send soldiers to the Worldwound. Though the light of Iomedae shone through him, Thomas won't know for some time whether his work was sufficient. In the meantime, he's scheduled for a mission to recruit a troop of famous elven demon-hunters to the cause.

UPDATE: Despite a certain level of non-cooperation from their superiors, Thomas has helped secure the aid of a troop of elves. The only squad that the woman in charge was willing to spare was one that she had already left for dead in the Tanglebriar; disgusted with this callous abandonment, Thomas and a team of Pathfinders entered the demonic swamp and rescued every last elf from its darkest corners. But a single squadron of rangers won't end the Fifth Mendevian Crusade. Soon, Thomas will be embarking on a similar mission to enlist the help of the Riftwardens, though it will require venturing into Rahadoum, where everything about him is illegal.

UPDATE: By the blessing of the Inheritor, Thomas has ventured into and out of Rahadoum without being confronted by the Pure Legion. Sadly, the contingent of Riftwardens he was sent to retrieve had been captured and were being tortured by the Blackfire Adepts, making the mission a bit more complicated. Even so, Thomas helped his team ensure that every single Riftwarden was rescued as well as that every single Blackfire Adept (and their infernal accomplices) were killed. Thomas' efforts are continuing to procure allies against the demonic hordes of the Worldwound, but will they be enough?

Shadow Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber

Micah Halfknight was born a monster, and monsters are to be slain, not loved. Monsters are thrown into the river. Monsters are never given a second chance.

The child of two penniless human peasants, Micah came into the world in the dead of night with an obvious demonic taint. Split right down the middle between purity and corruption, the left half of the newborn's body was a scaled, horned, horrific affair, while his right half was that of a perfectly healthy human babe. Horrified of the unholy omen, they decided the foul demon-spawn could be no true child of theirs and placed the newborn in a basket, sending him floating down a river. They buried an empty casket in the town cemetery, saying the child was stillborn.

A solitary ranger, living alone in a nearby wood, happened by chance upon the basket as he passed by the river's edge the next morning. Seeing the half-human, half-fiendish child, he realized such a monster could never survive to adulthood in civilized company, and decided then and there to raise the child as his own son. Micah knew he was different, his adoptive father warning him to be cautious of how humans would see him when he one day rejoined society. When his father eventually passed away, Micah journeyed to the nearest town, and sought his place in the world.

Turned away nearly everywhere, and even nearly killed by angry and frightened townsfolk, Micah finally stumbled upon a temple of Sarenrae. Here, he found the first of those who would accept him despite his terrible appearance. Here, he took the first steps toward his eventual destiny as a paladin of the Dawnflower. He swore two oaths on the day he was consecrated as a true holy warrior - swearing both to never stay his hand from the punishment of evil, and to never accept that a person is beyond redemption. To this day, he battles evil with a specialized blade crafted to subdue rather than to kill, and has never taken a humanoid's life. Only demons and beasts have fallen to his blade's sharper edge.

Grand Lodge 2/5

I have found that most of the backstory work I have done on my PFS was mostly for my own benefit. It helps me maintain a narrative about who this person is, and why they keep going on random adventures with random other pathfinders. I don't really expect it to make a major difference in any particular game, but it helps things flow better in my head, so it is useful for that reason.

Every once in a while, the fact that I have thought about my characters' backstories influences how something goes in the game because I have a premeditated answer to how they would act in certain situations. It doesn't happen every adventure, but its kind of cool when it comes up.

Here are two examples of what I'm talking about . . .

Hellknight's Feast:
My rogue/sorceress/arcane trickster has a backstory that she left her poor farming village to come to Absalom and make a living as a stage magician and scam artist. She then became a Pathfinder, and is living a much better life than she could have ever expected as a random shepherdess out in the boondocks.

In Hellknight's Feast, she got to talking with Mrs. Augustine Naran. She's a young trophy wife who told my character, "Hey, I don't come from the best background, and putting up with this obnoxious, but rich, husband is what it takes for me to improve my place in the world. Don't judge me."

I was able to sympathize. "Yes, I know what it's like to come from a poor background. The Pathfinders were my ticket out of poverty, but do what you have to do, girl." It didn't change the end result of the mod, but it was a cool moment of role-play.

Stolen Heir:
My rogue is a batman-style vigilante, who serves Calistria. His big motivation is going after people who think they have gotten away with something, and making sure revenge/justice is done.

In Stolen Heir, we were trying to decide whether we could cut a deal with the dad and get his military support in return for turning a blind eye to kidnapping his own daughter. My character was able to make a pretty strong case than dad was exactly the kind of person he was supposed to be looking for. To ignore the kidnapping in return for a payoff was an insult to his goddess, and his purpose in life. Out of character, if the rest of the party had wanted to take the deal, I wouldn't have been a complete stubborn jackass about it, but it was another case where I had a very clear insight into how a character would behave based on backstory.

5/5 5/55/55/5

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Its easy to make a character background, its a lot harder to SHOW one in the confines of PFS.

Silver Crusade 5/5

I've got to agree with Rainydayninja, BigNorseWolf. I've made backstories for some of my character's, but it really doesn't come up in society play. There isn't really a good way to show any real backstory, at least in my experiences.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

Indeed, I'm pretty sure no one who's played alongside my cleric realizes that Thomas isn't his real name, or even that he's from Tian Xia.

Shadow Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
BigNorseWolf wrote:
Its easy to make a character background, its a lot harder to SHOW one in the confines of PFS.

I go out of my way to bring up my backstory as much as I can, since it's hard to get the info in otherwise.

Grand Lodge 2/5 RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

The Morphling wrote:
BigNorseWolf wrote:
Its easy to make a character background, its a lot harder to SHOW one in the confines of PFS.
I go out of my way to bring up my backstory as much as I can, since it's hard to get the info in otherwise.

Do you mean in-character or out-of-character?

Shadow Lodge 1/5

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Companions/Eidolons/race/class features are great 'props' for characterization.

Bone Oracle has Raise Dead and haunted. Raised Zombie who always showed up is her dead brother, who died at that performance of 'Among the Living'. She is haunted by his spirit which manifests physically for a short time. This always brings her to tears.

When a Summoner introduces their eidolon as his spouse/child and treats them as such gets people curious about the backstory.

Marv:
I am Marv, King of Orcish Barbaque. Perhaps you know of my resturaunt in Absolan. I am not there as much I would like but my oldest sister is there. Perhaps you and she can meet and hit it off and marry. True, she is half orc like me but she is strong, has good singing voice (she is Bard so Charisma is not her dump stat). My younger ugly sister just married a man from Nesting Swallow. It is a good thing she is on the other side of the world.

I was born in Kaer Magna, oldest child of a loving bi racial couple. My father taught me the secrets and the code of Orcish Barbaque,such as don't eat anything you are talking to (bad manners). He was wise and strong. My mother was also very smart and they raised a family for many years. Unfortunately, the people of Kaer Magna decided they did not approve of bi-racial romance and burned them at the stake for moral turpitude (this is a town with undead prostitutes so go figure). Me and my sisters fled to Absolan where I struggled to support myself and my sisters.

Fortunately I met Guarle Karela. He helped me found Marv's Barbaque Resturaunt. He was also intrigued when several types of my sauces tended to explode. To pay him back I joined the Pathfinder Society, which has allowed me to travel and spread the joy that is Marv's Orcish Barbaque.

Note that I have made something of myself and so can you. So surrender! Note there are six of us who can act and simple action economy will probably defeat you. On the other hand if you surrender, I will let you open a franchise. So do you die or do you surrender. If you surrender, remember, career opportunities are availible!

Needless to say, he has several ways to inject his backstory.

Grand Lodge 1/5

Here is a link to a similar thread from a couple of months ago. My post from there is here.

5/5

i almost always come up with at least a bare bones backstory for every character i make. most of the time, i never mention it unless asked about it, or it somehow becomes relevant to the session. i like to tell players that in PFS, the real storytelling about your character usually happens between sessions, so how much there is really depends on you. it's a lot like real life. i don't talk about my entire history and everything that motivates me with my coworkers, and most of the things that i consider life happen outside of work.

Shadow Lodge 4/5

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens Subscriber
Jiggy wrote:
The Morphling wrote:
BigNorseWolf wrote:
Its easy to make a character background, its a lot harder to SHOW one in the confines of PFS.
I go out of my way to bring up my backstory as much as I can, since it's hard to get the info in otherwise.
Do you mean in-character or out-of-character?

Both, whenever it's both relevant and not interrupting the flow of the game. I'm not there to beat you over the head with my backstory novelette but I think most people who play with me have some idea of where Micah came from.

Liberty's Edge 4/5

Sorry, dude, nobody cares. At least that is the attitude of some players. It's all about the DPR, Baby. Backstory? I'm a Taldan Dervish Aasimar using a Dwarven Battleaxe. Why did you join the Pathfinder Society? I want to kill things! Any other reason? Uh, well. Uh. I want to kill things faster! (this paraphrases 5 of the 6 responses from a recent Confirmation). Character concept and backstory have no mechanical benefit, so they are largely ignored by people after their "-4" or "-5" characters.

This is by no means the majority, some people do go to elaborate lengths in creating the backstory before building the character. They also deliberately avoid some options that would break the backstory even though it would greatly help the character. These people though are the small minority, most adjust their backstory as they advance.

Personally, I build a 3 sentence backstory explaining class, traits and feats, maybe favoured weapons at 1st level and adjust it as the character advances. Most of the time, the character that retires looks nothing like the concept that created him.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

I don't pick up a book or dice or load up HeroLab until I have at least 1-2 paragraphs of backstory, sometimes it might go on for a page or two. I try to choose skills, abilities, feats, equipment, etc. that applied to said background rather than just making the most optimized choice. I rate "role" play much higher than "roll" play, but I guess that means I'm a member of the minority. I like it when others share their PC's stories and we use them for role-playing during the game, but even if no one else at the table gives a cr@p, I'm not discouraged and glad I spend the time to create a whole character rather than just numbers of the page. But, *you* should play the game in whatever fashion is best for you.

Explore! Report! Cooperate!

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Steven Huffstutler wrote:
Have you tried beating them with a Tuna Fish? It doesn't solve the problem but it makes you feel loads better.

I have scoured all my books, but cannot find "tuna fish" in the weapons charts. I assume it is a simple weapon, but is it one-hand or light? I must know the stats so my paladin can use. It would be dual-purpose, functioning as a masterwork tool in social encounters when the NPCs are just being jerks :-P

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

Kerney wrote:

** spoiler omitted **...

Needless to say, he has several ways to inject his backstory.

Love this Kerney! Sounds like a lot of fun to play

5/5

Tuna are exotic weapons requiring two hands. They deal 2d8 bludgeoning damage with a x4 crit modifier. Unfortunately, they only come sized for large and huge creatures.

Grand Lodge 4/5 5/55/5 ***

My my, you have a big tuna...

4/5 5/5 Venture-Lieutenant, Finland—Tampere

EricMcG wrote:
Character concept and backstory have no mechanical benefit, so they are largely ignored by people after their "-4" or "-5" characters.

This actually happened in reverse to me. My first two characters were tossed together in a rush, and over time as I've made new characters (the next one is going to be -14), they've gotten more complex in terms of backstory as I've learned more about the Golarion setting and figured out new creative ways to construct characters into it.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 5/5 ***

Hello.

My name is Lemtwist Bratham Mallentwine Flannelfoot Smyth Olgen Jeebs Nathers Bingham the Third. Some call me Lemtwist (Never Lem, get me confused with that other guy), Jeebs cause it sounds funny, or three to be short.

Now, you may be wondering, why are you the third. As most of you know, us gnomes usually acquire our names as we go throughout life's wonderful adventure, but I have had mine since birth. It has to do with my Grandfather... *slight pause* or Grandson, possibly. *Cough..Ahem*

You see, Lemtwist Bratham Mallentwine Flannelfoot Smyth Olgen Jeebs Nathers Bringham Senior is, was or will be a Time Mage, but it isn't, wasn't or will not be very good at it. About ten years ago, there was this magical accident. Senior's last words was "No, no... wait!! Don't touch tha..."

I see him every now and again. Try to figure out when he is...

Shadow Lodge 1/5

EricMcG wrote:

Sorry, dude, nobody cares. At least that is the attitude of some players. It's all about the DPR, Baby. Backstory? I'm a Taldan Dervish Aasimar using a Dwarven Battleaxe. Why did you join the Pathfinder Society? I want to kill things! Any other reason? Uh, well. Uh. I want to kill things faster! (this paraphrases 5 of the 6 responses from a recent Confirmation). Character concept and backstory have no mechanical benefit, so they are largely ignored by people after their "-4" or "-5" characters.

Bob Jonquet wrote:
I don't pick up a book or dice or load up HeroLab until I have at least 1-2 paragraphs of backstory, sometimes it might go on for a page or two. I try to choose skills, abilities, feats, equipment, etc. that applied to said background rather than just making the most optimized choice. I rate "role" play much higher than "roll" play, but I guess that means I'm a member of the minority.

Thanks Bob, I'm glad you liked 'Marv'. He is getting near retirement. His wife and him are expecting their first child.

Truthfully, I think both of these positions are 'minority' positions. I think most people have some idea of what their character would and wouldn't do but haven't written everything out. I think it's about a third in each camp and a third in the middle.

What's important is that people are open to all sides. For example, my summoner is 8th level and in the last couple adventures has been under performing. I need to take some time away from that character, maybe apply a GM credit to get it to 9th and put some thought into the next feat I take. I also need to look at the monster summoning rules as I usually count on my Eidolon so that I'm quicker when I can't.

That way, I make it fun for all my fellow players.

Grand Lodge 1/5

R2D2TS wrote:
Here is a link to a similar thread from a couple of months ago. My post from there is here.

(quoting myself to keep the links handy for those interested in some character backgrounds)

All of my characters will have at least a little bit of a story to them even if I am unable to share much of it with my fellow players. I find it no fun if the character is just numbers. Trying to figure out how my character fits into the world is one of my favorite parts about character creation. (Unfortunately what little creativity I can muster usually takes a very long time to come about)

As for role-playing my characters history I find that time constraints are my biggest obstacle. The day/time/location of our session usually means we are always cutting things close on trying to complete the scenario. There is also the issue of the type of character I am playing. If it is one that is not the talkative type or is evasive by nature/design then there is less of a chance for those characters histories to come up.

Liberty's Edge

As I'm primarily a PbPer I put a fair amount of work into making sure all my characters have interesting and detailed backstories, personalities, dreams, desires, fears, quirks, and all the lot of it. Despite the more immersive nature of PbP, it still rarely comes up... although I do especially enjoy those groups where I can go off the rails with roleplaying a little from time to time. (Heck, one semi-long-term PFS group I'm playing in potentially has a budding romance between my character and another player's!)

Face-to-face games? Gods, not a chance. Pretty much no game I've played has had characters even introduce themselves beyond "Hi, my name's <x> and I'm a <race> <class>" - maybe with a "I use a <weapon>/I prefer to <fighting style>" afterwards. Let alone character quirks, let alone backstory!

Grand Lodge 3/5 5/55/55/5

Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I agree that fitting anything more than your character's quirks into game sessions is difficult - so our local group started an in-character e-mail thread a couple of years ago that I made it a pet project to dust off and revitalize over the summer. We'll post backstories, short stories... even in-character banter. It's a separate e-mail thread, it's definitely not for everyone, but for those of us who actually like our characters, it's a pleasure to see someone else has posted a flashback from their early adventuring days, or a stunned realization after one of their latest exploits.

1/5

RainyDayNinja wrote:


Friedel Crafts was born into a long line of clerics of Aroden, and they took her angelic manifestation as a sign that their god had not totally abandoned them. She devoted her life to the study of ancient civilizations and languages, and set out to investigate the disappearance of her family's patron.

I would have thought that alchemy would have been a better career choice for Friedel Crafts.

3/5 RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Pink Dragon wrote:
RainyDayNinja wrote:


Friedel Crafts was born into a long line of clerics of Aroden, and they took her angelic manifestation as a sign that their god had not totally abandoned them. She devoted her life to the study of ancient civilizations and languages, and set out to investigate the disappearance of her family's patron.
I would have thought that alchemy would have been a better career choice for Friedel Crafts.

I was wondering if someone would notice that; her mighty steed is even named Aryl. All of my character names come from chemistry: Butyl Ithyomsson, Aziridine, Calomel the Mercurial, Oxirane, and so on.

Dark Archive

Greta Greeneyes was born in the Realm of the Mammoth Lords to a family of the Whitepaw following. From the very beginning she didn't fit in - she wasn't a preemie, but she sure looked like one. Even as an adult, this Ulfen woman only just tops 4' tall. She was converted by a traveling lay priest of Pharasma as a teenager and eventually manifested clerical powers of that very southern god. Her following hoped that she would grow out of her strange "southern god" phase, but when her powers manifested they realized that would never happen. So they gave her a simple choice: actively abandon Pharasma and TRY to live as a proper person of her people, or go south and find her own way. She's a pathfinder, so you can guess what she chose.

A lot of her small mechanical choices stem from her long journey south on foot. She doesn't believe in owning anything she couldn't herself carry in a pinch, though these days she is willing to leave some useless junk (royal outfits, for instance) at the Grand Lodge. She still has the superstitions of her family, only reinforced by the countries you have to get through to get out of the RoML.

Of course, when your GM doesn't ask about these things, funny things happen like your ulfen midget character being hit on for being a "tall lady"... ;)

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

Wait, so, you are *not* supposed to make backstory for your MMO characters? Dang, I've been doing it wrong.

Liberty's Edge 5/5 5/5 *** Venture-Lieutenant, Indiana—Martinsville

Alice Margatroid wrote:

As I'm primarily a PbPer I put a fair amount of work into making sure all my characters have interesting and detailed backstories, personalities, dreams, desires, fears, quirks, and all the lot of it. Despite the more immersive nature of PbP, it still rarely comes up... although I do especially enjoy those groups where I can go off the rails with roleplaying a little from time to time. (Heck, one semi-long-term PFS group I'm playing in potentially has a budding romance between my character and another player's!)

Face-to-face games? Gods, not a chance. Pretty much no game I've played has had characters even introduce themselves beyond "Hi, my name's <x> and I'm a <race> <class>" - maybe with a "I use a <weapon>/I prefer to <fighting style>" afterwards. Let alone character quirks, let alone backstory!

I introduced Lemtwist Bratham Mallentwine Flannelfoot Smyth Olgen Jeebs Nathers Bringham the Third as a sparker. I also have made it know that he likes to talk.... and talk... and talk... oh, and he also talks a lot.

Grand Lodge 1/5

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Fung Xi was a child when he was taken to the Master of the Four Winds for training. There he met three other children, they were to be the Four Winds of the Quain. During the years they trained together, Fung became the best of friends with the others, they were almost like family.

One day when they were almost 18, his "brother", and rival to the rank of East Wind, decided that we was tired of waiting for their master to choose who would gain the right to learn from the Master's Scrolls. Confronting his brother Tsing in the Master's Hut, Fung tried hard to dissuade his best friend from this path. Soon, words dissolved into action and the two faced off against each other. Brother Tsing was always more cunning and eventually gained the upper hand. As he was about to deliver the knockout punch when the Master entered his hut.

Immediately, the two students stood at attention. "What is going on here?" the Master of the Four Winds spoke in an even and controlled voice.

Without missing a beat, Fung Xi spoke up, "Master, I was here to steal the scrolls, Brother Tsing discovered me here and tried to stop me."

There was a long silence, and Brother Tsing said nothing.

"Fung Xi, you are expelled for your insolence. You will leave immediately. Tsing, return to bed."

--

It is more than likely that the Master knew that Fung was lying, and possible that he felt that the young monk was ready to leave and continue his training alone, but no one truly knows. Since that day, Fung wandered, eventually ending up in Goka. While there, he stepped in to help a woman that looked like she was about to be mugged by a gang of thugs. He put up a good fight, until the advantage of numbers became too much for the young monk's skill. After being thrashed thoroughly, the woman stepped in and showed that she did not need his help.

It turned out that the woman was a Pathfinder. She brought Fung to the residence of Amara Li, who provided him with healing and direction. Now he works as a new Pathfinder...

Grand Lodge 4/5 **** Venture-Captain, California—Sacramento

More seriously.

As someone who has played a lot of non PFS stuff, I understand where the veterans come from.

Yes, you can make up a back story, and that backstory can inform your roleplay.

But a lot of the fun of backstory is having elements of it show up in game. As a GM, I often bring loose ends from a character's backstory and make them into plot threads. As a player, I create loose ends to play with. I have had characters whose backstory *became* the plot. (Kiki and Amber started out as characters with an interesting backstory, they turned into the problem the other PC's had to deal with, and have subsequently become recurring NPCs.)

I can guarantee that will never happen in PFS (well, outside of the massively rare occurrence of a player becoming a writer for paizo.)

Grand Lodge 1/5

When it has come up has been more in PbP PFS games, because the time constraint is much more lax.

5/5 5/55/55/5

FLite wrote:

More seriously.

I can guarantee that will never happen in PFS (well, outside of the massively rare occurrence of a player becoming a writer for paizo.)

I've seen it happen with a few online games with a regular group where people know each other.

My games actually tend to run with extra time, so I'm going to make a concerted effort to try to do a little more of this going forward. (the confirmation has a nice slot of the adventure devoted to it)

Shadow Lodge 4/5 5/5 RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 8

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RainyDayNinja wrote:
Pink Dragon wrote:
RainyDayNinja wrote:


Friedel Crafts was born into a long line of clerics of Aroden, and they took her angelic manifestation as a sign that their god had not totally abandoned them. She devoted her life to the study of ancient civilizations and languages, and set out to investigate the disappearance of her family's patron.
I would have thought that alchemy would have been a better career choice for Friedel Crafts.
I was wondering if someone would notice that; her mighty steed is even named Aryl. All of my character names come from chemistry: Butyl Ithyomsson, Aziridine, Calomel the Mercurial, Oxirane, and so on.

What build are you going to use for Chucknorium?

Shadow Lodge 1/5

I made my character Jackros Valsin, the ideal Pathfinder, the son of Venture Captain Ambrus Valsin. He joined the Society in order to make his father proud, and he strives to be the best Pathfinder he can. He just went through his confirmation and earned his Wayfinder. Oh, and he's a half-elf. VC Valsin had a fling at one point with an elf.

Liberty's Edge

I like to play characters in PFS that I would never get away with in a home game because my GMs would find them far too cheesy (regardless of their actual level of power).

Once I have stabilized the unorthodox build, it is actually quite funny for me to create a background to actually explain everything in it no matter how peculiar.

This will in turn inspire my roleplaying, even though my background will stay mostly in my head, except for what few bits I will actually use in talks with other PCs.

Shadow Lodge 2/5

Since my summoner's eidolon is going to be a talking pie I'm guessing the backstory is going to be unavoidable.

The Exchange 3/5 5/55/55/5

Dear Master Azul,

Congratulations on your recent expedition to Kyonin. I understand that your services were beyond admirable. Keep up the fine and profitable work!

Now, to business. Your most recent supply requisition has been extensive and will take some time to procure. Thankfully, your expeditions are becoming more and more lucrative for the pair of us - the coffers are fat! Continue to bring

Also, your time in Absalom will be extended some seven more years. I made another friendly wager with that cur Pavo that my fighting slaves had improved beyond his weak, white-skinned ‘slips,’ but yet again he had hidden some jackal amongst his goats and I wore shame upon my face. You will receive an update of the new terms of your contract, though nothing will be changed beyond the duration. You remain on loan to Pavo to serve his ‘Pathfinders’ until the First of Abadius, 4720, or the return of Aroden, whichever comes first. Abadar’s walls, it bothers me that he saw fit to cram that messianic dogma in your contract. He knows how dead gods irk me.

Your family sends their warmest wishes. Your wife and litter were most distraught when the news of your death came to us, but when I saw the receipt for diamond dust (and such a quantity!), I assured her that your death was not like what she sees in the markets, but much more of a temporary setback. Oh, how did Pavo glower that day! I feel he fears that should your luck run out, he would fail to have anything to hold over my head with his pudgy Chelish arms. So by all means, keep showing that marvelous resilience, but if you were to die a few more times, I could do with seeing some of his smug superiority wiped away.

I have been trying to get the fat bastard to allow you a return visit to us in order to propagate your bloodline, but Pavo remains staunch on his terms of bringing your family to you. I remind him again and again that your children have no role in creating more children, but his stubbornness would vex a shaitan. I will not be sending the entirety of one of my most profitable breeding lines by risky boat trip to Absalom, for fear of those Andoran pirates having a fit of liberation and making me the laughingstock of the halfling bodyguard community. If you should find your way to Sedeq, perhaps we can arrange a conjugal visit for the good of the business, hm?

For now, continue to serve Pavo and his Society as the finest warrior I have produced. Your offspring and wife are safe with me, remaining until such time as I can rejoin you together.

May the gentle sun shine upon your walls and fields, and your coffers ever swell.
Your patron and master,
Xoshak, Merchant of Fine Weres and Halfling Warriors

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------

A knock on the door caused Gadib to carefully fold the letter and placed it under his bed. “Enter,” he said emotionlessly. A nervous young human peered around the doorframe.

“I was called, Master Azul?”

“Just Gadib, novice. I am no master,” the halfling said. He began to shrug himself into his adventuring gear, a curved sword nearly the size of him strapped across his back. “You’re one of the Scrolls, correct? Valsin said you’re good with mechan-... mech-...” He shook his head. “You unlock things well.”

The novice bobbed his head in agreement.

“Then show me.” Gadib gestured to a small pile of slave collars in varying sizes. “How long for the stack?”

The novice stared a moment. “Sir?”

“How long to free that many slaves? Penned together?,” the halfling asked impatiently.

“Half an hour, maybe. L-longer if the locks are good,” stammered the boy.

The halfling glowered. “The locks will be the finest.” He sat quietly for a minute, massaging his temples with his small, powerful hands. “Your fingers are too large and clumsy,” he abruptly said, breaking the silence. “Teach me. I can do it better. And quickly - I need to shame a certain bearded longshanks in some wizard-world in a few hours.”

“Are you sure you have time for this, sir?,” the novice asked, even while he rolled out a collection of different picks, hooks, and other tools foreign to Gadib’s eyes.

“Plenty,” the halfling said, picking up one of the tools and eying it apprehensively. “Should have done this a long time ago, in fact.” He selected the smallest collar and looked at it. “A long time ago.”

Shadow Lodge 1/5

I think what is apparent is that including back story is a skill. A good exercise I've used with my favorite characters, not particularly consiously (but I will from now on) is a couple lines that include something about them. For example--

"You are a special snowflake beloved of Sheyln. I want their to be peace between us, but if I have to hurt you I will flay you alive and send the skin to my sister to make a fashion forward handbag."

This is from my pitborn tiefling Fighter/Rogue. She was raised in a very pious enviroment and warps it because of who she is.She would never carry out the threat, though she would be tempted to even fantasize about it, but ultimately that would be evil, and she faces that inner evil down with her genuine piety every day. She has a little sister. But it's short but it tells you something about her.

Peter Jurasik when playing Lando Mollari Bablyon 5 would repeat the line "Mister Garabaldi!" and repeat it until he was in character. Thinking of this having something in the back of your mind, a line or something to define your character is a good idea.

Thanks thread people, I wasn't thinking about all this before consiously.

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