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I have ideas for new PFS characters, and I worked out the mechanical details, but I'm having trouble coming up with a personality, alignment, deity, back story, reason for joining the Society, etc.
Let's start with my grippli ranger. I picture this guy as a wild hunter in the jungles with a longbow, blowgun, and poisons (he has the Poison Darter archetype). Blood of the Beast says that the grippli from the Valashmai jungles in Tian Xia are wilder and more warlike than their Mwangi counterparts. I kinda like that idea. I see this guy as a wild warrior in the jungles, covered in warpaint, stealthing around in the trees, and striking suddenly from range.
So why would he leave the jungle to join the Pathfinder Society? What alignment is he? What deity does he worship, if any?
As I said, I've worked out mechanical details, but I'm having a hard time figuring out who this guy is.
Maybe he failed a ritual of strength in his tribe, was exiled, and cannot return unless he brings back proof that the gods are on his side?
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While a back story would be good, that's not the main thing I need. The main thing I need is information on what this guy is doing in the Pathfinder Society. What's his alignment? Why did he join the Society? Which faction would he be in? Without answers to those questions, I don't have enough information to even play him the first time.
I think I'm leaning towards being big on personal freedom, which would go well with Liberty's Edge. That would lend itself to a non-lawful alignment, but that doesn't narrow it down all that much (bearing in mind that evil isn't allowed in PFS). But then why did he join the Society?
Again, the big question is what's his motivation?
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So, I might recommend use the information from the Tian Xia grippli, but have the character be from the Mwangi tribes. Generally, an adventurer should be someone who doesn't fit in well, especially from the more secluded races. So having the character be more warlike could provide a reason to leave his home--and the Pathfinder Society gets in its fair share of scraps, so could hit that interest.
Can you make requests for your local PFS lodge? If so, consider requesting scenarios that involve grippli. Then it's almost like your character meets the Pathfinders and decides to help them, then ultimately join them.
There are plenty of existing stories about a savage warrior joining civilized society. Some might seem cliche, but might spark something interesting.
Some examples would be:
Saved by someone/owes a life debt
Sent to learn the ways of the foreigner to protect tribe
Spiritual Quest
Outcast/misfit in tribe
Sole survivor/orphan
Cursed
Some quick thoughts on why your grippli joined the PFS:
Better hunting? (Variety/difficulty of monsters fought are probably better with the Society than at home)
Gain strength/money/renown/knowledge/resources to help his tribe? (Gold, magical artifacts, rare knowledge, etc could all be valuable to your character depending on his relationship with his tribe and personal values)
Change in scenery/boredom? (Hunting the same stuff is easy. Let's have some fun!)
Unique poison access? (Surely the alchemists and wizards of the Society and their adventures have poisons you simply don't. Work for them to earn them!)
Utilize resources of the Society? (Non-poison things that you value can probably be found with the Society. They are varied and powerful, they probably have something you'd want)
As a Poison Darter Ranger from a foreign land, perhaps a combination of these things? It is quite a distance to travel that far, so lacking a single compelling reason could be made up for by a group of smaller ones.
The aspis consortium recently went ahead and.. well. Aspis consortiumed a grippli villiage. The pathfinders saved it. Most of it. The parts they didn't burn down as they saved it.
Join up and take revenge on the aspis.
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The aspis consortium recently went ahead and.. well. Aspis consortiumed a grippli villiage. The pathfinders saved it. Most of it. The parts they didn't burn down as they saved it.
Join up and take revenge on the aspis.
I may have to go in this direction, but not with the Aspis, and not really for revenge.
There was a recent PFS adventure featuring a grippli tribe being almost totally wiped out before the Pathfinders arrive. Pathfinders are supposed to stop the rampaging evil that did it.
Maybe my guy was a member of that tribe, who was away hunting alone in the jungle when all that happened. When he returned, he met the Pathfinders who avenged his tribe. There was no reason to stay in the area, so he decided to thank the Pathfinders by joining them, and helping them stop similar evil elsewhere.
I guess that would mean leaning towards a good alignment and/or loyalty to the Society above factions, which would mean Silver Crusade, Liberty's Edge, or Grand Lodge faction.
The only down side is that was in the Mwangi Expanse, not Valashmai where I'd wanted this guy to be from.
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The aspis consortium recently went ahead and.. well. Aspis consortiumed a grippli villiage. The pathfinders saved it. Most of it. The parts they didn't burn down as they saved it.
Join up and take revenge on the aspis.
I may have to go in this direction, but not with the Aspis, and not really for revenge.
There was a recent PFS adventure featuring a grippli tribe being almost totally wiped out before the Pathfinders arrive. Pathfinders are supposed to stop the rampaging evil that did it.
Maybe my guy was a member of that tribe, who was away hunting alone in the jungle when all that happened. When he returned, he met the Pathfinders who avenged his tribe. There was no reason to stay in the area, so he decided to thank the Pathfinders by joining them, and helping them stop similar evil elsewhere.
I guess that would mean leaning towards a good alignment and/or loyalty to the Society above factions, which would mean Silver Crusade, Liberty's Edge, or Grand Lodge faction.
The only down side is that was in the Mwangi Expanse, not Valashmai where I'd wanted this guy to be from.
There is a legend among your people about the crater in the jungle. A seeming perfect circle, even if now overgrown. They say there was a holy site there, long ago, but the gods grew angry and took it away.
Recently, while trading meats and furs in the local village, you overheard a team of Pathfinders discussing some kind of tapestry, which they say contain temples and ruins from across Tien, many of which are still unexplored. You begin to wonder and decide to see for yourself. You leave your village and follow the Pathfinders, hoping to learn more, about your people's lost history, and the world beyond your jungle.
When you decide to join, Amara Li offers membership in her Lantern Lodge, but upon discussing the tapestry, believes you would do best at (and in) the Grand Lodge itself, writing a personal letter on your behalf to Ambrus Valsin, and you begin your journey to Absalom.