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PARTICULARLY those that others wouldn't likely ever see otherwise, such those as you made for your characters in single-player games, or for your characters in MMOs that disdainfully kicked the all-important "RPG" part to the curb or otherwise went down the toilet sometime after 2006!
I shall start with the 6 backstories for my cadre of characters in :
MOONLIGHT SONATA, CN female Elf Sorcerer
Moonlight Sonata was nothing like her family, a respectable, upstanding, and frankly boring lot of merchants, artisans, and barristers. From her youngest days, she was *different* - seeing the world in a strange, somewhat disturbing way, plagued by bizarre incidents, and disregarding such things as rules, norms, and traditions. Then came the prodigious talent for magic that left her tutors by turns frustrated, flummoxed, and awed. Her love was discovery - taking every opportunity to join her parents on their rare business trips - and mischief, chasing after the voices in the darkness it seemed only she could hear. When she finally came of age and set out to become an adventurer, her parents greeted the development with little surprise, some relief, and no small amount of wonder - and dread - at what their daughter's place in history might come to be.
PHOTON PURESTEEL, NN male Human Fighter (Kensei)
If Photon had one wish, it would be to be clean. "Clean," to him, means so much more than anything a bath and scrubbing can accomplish (and gods know he's tried). It means liberation from the vileness of the world. It means purity in motion and action. It means standing apart and above from imbeciles and pretenders. It means merciless destruction of falsehood and deceit. It means, well...*clean.* This obsession-turned-philosophy made him a bit of an outcast in his little home village, but when a traveling warrior-mystic from a distant land came to that village for a few seasons, Photon had found someone to teach him a way to realize his will - and when a dark sorceress named Moonlight Sonata passed through, he was entranced. There was something profoundly "clean" in her Chaos, something that his trainer could never have taught him about, so when it was revealed that she was an aspiring adventurer, he followed her with scarcely a second thought. There is much unclean in an adventurer's life...but is not the victory in the cleansing?
MINA THE RELIQUARIAN, LG female Human Paladin (Undead Hunter)
A driven personality like most Paladins, Mina, who foreswore her birth-name in favor of the title "The Reliquarian," chose to dedicate her virtue to fighting the undead - but not for reasons one may think. Hers is a cheerfully morbid personality; the dead fascinate her, and she considers the undead worthy opponents. She would as soon match wits in a chess game with a cultured lich in its parlor as smite depraved ghouls in a dungeon somewhere, and perhaps that is why she came to find a fellow adventurer, the dark sorceress Moonlight Sonata, such an interesting personage to befriend. Mina's faith in the Red Knight teaches her to respect differing and unorthodox strategies, and so she respects Moonlight for her drive, imagination, and power.
IVAN KACZYNSKI, NN male Half-Elf Druid (Avenger)
Whereas most Druids are of tranquil dispositions, Ivan Kaczynski has always been an intense, driven, dynamic sort, a keen advocate of aggression in the defense of nature. However, he also has a somewhat broad and unorthodox view of what nature is, one that goes well with the strange proclivities of some of his companions, whom he encountered after the rest of his druid circle was killed, and their grove razed, by rapacious hobgoblin loggers. While he accepts that he may never find those particular loggers, he has little doubt the adventuring life will grant him ample opportunity to revisit destruction upon the greedy and the stupid wherever he may find them.
CARMEN CORALINE, NG female Gnome Thief (Swashbuckler)
Carmen Coraline is practically joie de vivre personified, her body always in motion, her mind always entertaining some foolish scheme, and her eye always on a pretty gem, an attractive man or woman, or just the next hilltop. A natural with the sword, she used them and her own charm and guile to survive the mean streets of her home city, one with few other Gnomes and many larger races who would gladly take advantage of them. She yearned for so much more, though, so when the party of Moonlight Sonata came through town on their way to freedom and adventure up north, she did not hesitate to sign on.
YORICK JUVENALIX, CN male Half-Elf Bard (Jester)
Yorick Juvenalix's Elven heritage and deviant personality made him a target of bullies in his mostly-Human home city as he was growing up - even the city guard picked on him, as the city was ruled mostly by mean and stupid people. He had two powerful weapons against them, though: Brazen audacity and a transcendent sense of humor, making him a master satirist. His wit made waves, as well as attracting the ire of those he mocked, and he began to feel unsafe in his own city - when an Elven Sorceress and her entourage offered him the opportunity to take his show on the road, as it were, he took it.
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DR. STEFAN VON HERZOG, NG male human wizard (necromancer)
Youngest son of a wealthy family, Stefan was a brooding and bookish young man when he enrolled at the University of Lepidstadt. He quickly became fascinated with the science of medicine, and focused his studies to become a physician. He also fell in love with another student, Andrei. During their senior year, the pair were performing an anatomy practical on a cadaver, when their subject sat up and attacked them, killing Andrei, and then escaping. The shock of the attack by an undead monstrosity, and the resulting loss of the love of his life instilled in him a deep and abiding hatred of the undead. After completing his studies, Stefan opened a successful doctor's office in Lepidstadt, but began studying the science of necromancy at night: For he felt that only by learning the secrets of undeath could he know best how to un-make them. The doctor's ultimate goal: To completely rid the world of the scourge of undeath.
Arsith D'Abariane, NG (ex LN) female Human Warpriest of Shelyn, formerly of Pharasma
Looks & Personality
Grief and lost have discolored Asrith's hair, which are prematurely white.She's a strong woman, driven by her holy purpose, carrying herself with nobility.Her own heart is broken, her eyes are sad forever, but she manages to show and feel compassion, especially to lovers.
On the battleground, she uses her heavy mace- a work of beauty,with the head of the mace a raven spreading its wings, and the handle engraved with the names of Lenore and Asrith on one face, the word "Nevermore" on the other.
Before entering combat, she kisses her signet ring, which represents her lover's face
Background 
Five years ago, Arsith was still a young noble woman who could have lived an happy, if a little boring, life in Magnimar.But the young woman fell in love. What could have been an ordinary affair, a simple succession of trysts or even a small scandal quietly ushered if her lover wasn't born in high society, turned to be a tragedy of high proportions.
Because Arsith's lover was a young woman named Lenore, and the D'Abariane family wasn't happy with that. Sure, she was of a respectable, alas not noble, house. But Arsith's duty was to her family, or so she was told: she would have to marry someone and ensure future generations of D'Abariane will be born.
The two lovers plotted to run away from the town, but a few days before they put their plan in motion, Lenore was attacked in the dead of the night, and became ill.
Of course, fingers were pointed, accusations were made by a furious Arsith. It seemed so convenient, too convenient... Family ties were cut, insult were thrown, money became scarce, money that could have been used to pay a spell that would have cured Lenore's illness.
Lenore passed away.
Arsith cried for days and nights, and refused to see anyone. Only Quoth, Lenore's old raven-for Lenore was an apprentice wizard, and Quoth was her familiar- was allowed to stay.
Each time Asrith asked the gods when she would see Lenore again,when they will be reunited, the raven answered "Nevermore".
The priesthood of Pharasma asked questions to Arsith, because they suspected something foul in this death. In fact,on this fateful night, Lenore was attacked by a filth carrying undead.
Asrith wanted to avenge her lost love, and pledged her life to Pharasma. So she began years of training, both martial and religious, and became a warpriest of the goddess of Death, ever vigilant against the Undead.
Gabsen, N Human male Fighter (Second Darkness AP)
Backstory
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Not bright. Not quick enough. No social skills. Not pretty. Not particulary wise. Not rich. When he was a young boy, Gabsen couldn't be anything the women would like, even less love.
So he enlisted, as soon as possible, after being rejected one more time by the girl he liked. He served first as a regular soldier, for two years, then become a mercenary.
He never got rich.
He still wasn't cute, or bright, or wiser. His social skills were still non existent.
But his physical training payed BIG.
Muscles grew, endurance build.
He wasn't really that quick, but he could read a man's body langage now, react before it was too late and get the upper hand in most fights. He wasn't a fairytale hero. He was no stranger to killing people. He was just himself, and no one could be Gabsen more than him.
Now he was looking for a new job. A few years off the roads, in a big town, couldn't hurt. And with all the trouble in Riddleport, a sellsword was pretty sure to get some employment.
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Personality
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Grim, gruff, having lost his illusions and a good share of his comrades of arms, Gabsen knows he's not the greatest talker. But he doesnt care.Standing there, bulging his muscles is enough sometimes.
He's holding a silent grudge against those men more fortunate in the affairs of love.
He doesn't enjoy to fight, but knows how to end fights.
He doesn't bother much with religion, gods and priests.
He keeps silent about his origins, never telling anything about his hometown or family. Perhaps he has forgotten about them. Perhaps he just doesn't care anymore. He just introduce himself as "Gabsen", never telling his family name if he can avoid it.
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Appearance:
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Not particulary tall, Gabsen is rather massive. He's got his share of scars. There's still something of the "typical" soldier in his attitude and demeanor. He would probably never rised too much into an army's ranks, but that wouldn't probably have bothered him. He takes good care of his weapons,armor and shield, but his most prized possession is a small pouch, which he rubs in one big hand and smell from time to time when he must takes a decision. No one has ever seen what's inside of the pouch.
Jalon Greenbottle, Half-Elf Inquisitor of Gorum, PFS (Liberty's Edge)
Jalon's father, Macario Ross, was a human soldier and adventurer who had romances with women of multiple races. He sired Jalon on a Kyonin elf maiden, and (15 years later) his half-sister Saadet on an orc warrior in the Five Kings Mountains. Ross took charge of raising both his bastards, rather than subject them to the prejudices of their nonhuman families.
When Jalon and Saadet were both still children, Ross was mortally wounded while rescuing a large halfling family from slavery in Cheliax. Hyrgan and Etune Greenbottle adopted the two orphans out of gratitude to their savior. The Greenbottles (and their natural children Tribin and Filiu) settled in Taldor, where they found work as artisans.
Jalon and Saadet were not satisfied with this peaceful, mundane existence. They continued to worship their father's patron god, Gorum, and felt compelled to continue their father's work of fighting slavery and injustice. Jalon sought out training to serve the Lord in Iron as an inquisitor, while Saadet [my wife's PC] learned the illicit skills of a rogue. The pair are absolutely loyal to each other, and prefer to work together whenever possible.
Jalon still wears the humble wooden holy symbol that belonged to his father, and refuses to use any fancier divine focus.
The only really interesting backstory for any of the characters I played would get me in trouble on the boards if I posted it. He was a 1e Anti-Paladin, if that tells you anything.
Anton "Tony" Bednarov, CIA intelligence analyst / US Marshal
System: GURPS (Espionage / Illuminati / Mage: the Ascension)
Years played: 1995-7
Tony was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia in the year 1967. His father was a pharmacist, and his mother a photographer for the state newspaper. After the Soviet crackdown after the Prague Spring uprising, Tony's parents decided they had to leave the East Bloc. At the border with Austria, Tony's father panicked and tried to accelerate through the checkpoint. The Czech guards opened fire on the car. While they made it across the border, Tony's mother was killed. The family defected to the West immediately. They immigrated to the United States in 1970, settling in New York City. Tony was granted citizenship in 1977 at the same time as his father. He graduated with honors from Columbia University in 1989, and immediately joined the CIA, training as a field agent, intendeing to become a deep cover operative in the USSR. That assignment failed to materialize after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and Tony was moved into intelligence analysis. In 1995, Tony was assgned to a joint-agency task force called "Project Condor" which investigated paranormal phenomena under the auspices of the FBI. As part of that team, Tony was given domestic police powers by being deputized as a US Marshal. Tony has managed to get himself out of many sticky situations by an uncanny sense of when things aren't right. [Danger Sense]. He is also a vegetarian and a big fan of the opera. Tony is married to Emily Crenshaw, a attorney a the law offices of Bloch, Derleth, and Campbell (LLC), of Alexandria VA.