Stumped coming up with a backstory

[Azurespark]

I'm trying to come up with a backstory for a rise of the runelords campaign, but I've been drawing a blank so far.

I will be playing a male gnome wizard, conjugation/teleportation specialization and enchantment/necromancy for my opposition schools. Focusing on summoning and buffs/battlefield control spells.

I'd be grateful for any and all ideas.

[Mordo the Spaz - Forum Troll]

Azurespark wrote:

I'd be grateful for any and all ideas.

Heh heh. Silly peson. No no, will not. Trust me.

But me still want story of PC who thought he Pokemon belonging to party Fighter.

[Mordo the Spaz - Forum Troll]

Hm. No serious replies yet? Me toss you bone.

Azurespark wrote:

Focusing on summoning and buffs/battlefield control spells.

Big theme is lost magic of ancient empire. Perhaps PC heard rumors of options for summoning or binding now lost but ancients knew. What he willing to do to find those?

Also, ancient empire value strength first. Strongest magic best. Giants enslaved as labor. As gnome you know better. Campaign will be battle of inventive/flexible PCs versus strong BBEGs.

[Douglas Muir 406]

Point of clarification. Are you looking for backstories for the PCs, or for the whole campaign?

If the PCs, my suggestion would be to go easy on backstory for now. Oh, certainly have some -- backstory is always good -- but sketch with a broad brush. Low level PCs are fragile, and RotRL can get deadly (especially if you're playing the non-anniversary version). You'll feel silly drafting 1,000 words of detailed backstory for a character who gets critted to death by a goblin in the second session.

Doug M.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

The more ridiculous the better.
I am playing an Aasimar werewolf who was raised by Asarathian (Gold dragon) as a foster father (favor to his mother who was afflicted werewolf). He believes that he IS a dragon, he demands people acknowledge this, and thinks he is invincible since he always stays in hybrid form--The people of Riddleport are used to it now.

[TheInnsmouthLooker]

If you haven't already, check out the campaign traits from Rise of the Runelords? Those are a good jumping off point. If not, there's always the new system from Ultimate Campaign just for helping with creating backgrounds.

[ciretose]

Azurespark wrote:

I'm trying to come up with a backstory for a rise of the runelords campaign, but I've been drawing a blank so far.

I will be playing a male gnome wizard, conjugation/teleportation specialization and enchantment/necromancy for my opposition schools. Focusing on summoning and buffs/battlefield control spells.

I'd be grateful for any and all ideas.

I am a gnome wizard looking for adventure and I heard there is a festival in this town.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

Your gnome is on a life-quest to sleep with as many women of the tall races as possible. Gotta prevent the bleaching somehow! There is a festival in town, right? Drunken women!
You could focus on Conjuration with illusion backing it up to just confuse everyone into thinking you can summon a small army.

Find out what your character's personality flaws are first, and then find out what his personality strengths are. Use this to help influence the back-story, and most of all--MOST OF ALL--do not kill your parents. You are not Batman.

[GozrehTime]

Azurespark wrote:

conjugation/teleportation

Ah! In that case, you'll definitely want the "magical linguist” racial. I hope you don't decline my suggestion.

Disclaimer:

I am sorry for being sassy; I couldn't help it.

[Taku Ooka Nin]

GozrehTime wrote:

Azurespark wrote:

conjugation/teleportation

Ah! In that case, you'll definitely want the "magical linguist” racial. I hope you don't decline my suggestion.

Don't forget to have good charisma as well so you can be a cunning linguist!