I’ve just recently gotten interested in DnD, and I am interested in playing a warlock. I have been working on creating a character mostly out of experimentation, but I also wanted feedback about the backstory I’ve been developing. Currently, I have my warlock as a former magic scholar and aspiring wizard, who bought an ancient manuscript from a mysterious merchant. Upon returning home to his family, he began to study deep into the night, working his way through various manuscripts till he finally reached his most recent acquisition. He opened the script and was seized by a powerful force that took full control of him, while leaving him aware of his actions. He was then driven to kill his own wife and son, sealing his pact with a great unknown one. He passed out and awoke much later, marked as a servant of a great old one. He now travels with his party, driven to search for more eldrich tomes and other artifacts as part of his unwilling pact. As he travels, he works to protect others, particularly from controlling evils as penance for his own actions, and is a frequent alcoholic in an attempt to drown his past.
I know it certainly comes off as dark, but I hope I can get some decent feedback on how to improve the background, and I am also looking for a great old one that fits the bill for my character. Also, any general advice for new players is appreciated.
I would say, lore wise, it's not how pacts work. Somebody might be tricked into a pact (more so from a Fiend) but a pact is not mind control, it's more of a contract.
For example, it might be like, If the Warlock does A, B & C then the patron promises them a boon for their efforts and to acquire further boons the Warlock must continue to provide services for their Patron.
I would also advise to avoid anything that could infringe on player agency in the backstory, in it, as your character is controlled, should you have to make a wisdom check anything even slightly eldritch comes up? Or the mention of the occult be made? Ultimately it should be down to you as the player to decide how you play the character and not having to call for unnecessary dice rolls all the time.
Now you could use an 'Anakin-style' Downfall of sorts; the Patron warned of the dangers from using the dark powers obtained from the pact and it was the character's own experimentation with those powers that accidentally killed their own family. In despair and grief their patron whispered a dark secret into their ear, "There is a way to bring them back, serve me and I shall reveal the secrets to bringing the dead back to life." It's probably either a lie or necromancy but even Warlocks have probably heard of the odd miracle where somebody was brought back from the dead by a spell (i.e. true resurrection). Or perhaps the Patron knows of another way... that'd be up to the DM to decide on how to use that plot hook.
What the above also gives is "motivation", your current backstory really lacks motivation beyond they are being controlled/compelled to do so. Whereas in what I would suggest, your character is looking to raise their family in one way or another.
When writing a backstory, I'd would ask myself questions like this
1. How did the character get here (to joining the party)? Why did the character join the party?
2. What motivates your character? What is their end goal and how does being the party get them there? What are their priorities? What do they value (i.e. loyalty, gold, power, freedom, etc)
3. Who is the character? How are they likely to respond in certain situations? And what might make them act against their normal behaviour?
I would say, lore wise, it's not how pacts work. Somebody might be tricked into a pact (more so from a Fiend) but a pact is not mind control, it's more of a contract.
For example, it might be like, If the Warlock does A, B & C then the patron promises them a boon for their efforts and to acquire further boons the Warlock must continue to provide services for their Patron.
I would also advise to avoid anything that could infringe on player agency in the backstory, in it, as your character is controlled, should you have to make a wisdom check anything even slightly eldritch comes up? Or the mention of the occult be made? Ultimately it should be down to you as the player to decide how you play the character and not having to call for unnecessary dice rolls all the time.
While you're not wrong, it is a viable backstory, if rather dark and potentially prone to overdramatic angsting. :)
I would, however, clear it with the DM. And, if I were the DM, I'd suggest the change that you made the pact willingly, but didn't know the cost. But involuntary pact is valid, and creates potentially interesting role-playing dynamics with the patron.
Backstory details don't imply in-play mechanics. Just because the character was taken over then doesn't mean that the DM can do it in play. Now, the player can say that it happens, while remaining in control of their character, just acting differently. (However, it's not a "get out of murder-hoboing free" card. The DM and other players can and should hold you, the player, responsible for any disruptions to the game you create.)
(And even DM control of the character is fine, if that's what the player wants, and the DM agrees to it.)
I do have the concern that it's a lot for a newcomer to RPGs to handle, as it involves potentially touchy subjects, game-disruptive behavior, and potentially making the game all about you, so talk it over with your GM, and if they're amenable, also the rest of the group.
With GOO I'd more take the route of instead of control a bout of madness. You are an apprentice wizard, but not as successful as you think you should be(chr boy instead of int) so you start looking for occult knowledge in your spare time. A strange merchant sells you occult texts with secrets of the far realms, secrets mortals were not meant to known, secrets your master has been keeping from you. GOO works for this as you aren't necessarily making a formal pact as they are normally thought of, as the patrons may be totally unaware of your existence. In studying the books you find secrets that change how you see and perceive how the universe works, it changes your perspective on such a fundamental level you are temporarily driven mad and in a insane rage you killed your family. You made the pacts willingly, you opened your mind to the far realm to gain the understanding of pact of the X or whatever and pact spells. You just did not know that in doing so you'd go insane for a bit. Your mind is now seasoned(you are no longer level 0) so whether you have further bouts of insanity is up to you. But maybe you keep seeking occult texts as you feel that there are some secrets still hidden not just from you but the world, that on some fundamental level everyone is living a lie because the truth is being hidden from them. And you feel that if you don't complete this journey what happened to your family was for nothing.
But hey I just play call of Cthulhu too much so and I've burned through a lot of characters due to insanity.
Total aside if you are using the backgrounds as is in the 2024 PH sage probably fits what you are describing best, but its not great for a Chr class. Charlton could work as well as sort of a description of a failed apprenticeship, if human you could take magic init wizard to reflect the little magic you know as your bonus feat. If the apprenticeship was super short you could go with any of the other ones as your more core background, you were born a noble, farmer whatever had a short apprenticeship before being kicked out for dabbling in forbidden magics.
Backstory details don't imply in-play mechanics. Just because the character was taken over then doesn't mean that the DM can do it in play. Now, the player can say that it happens, while remaining in control of their character, just acting differently. (However, it's not a "get out of murder-hoboing free" card. The DM and other players can and should hold you, the player, responsible for any disruptions to the game you create.)
(And even DM control of the character is fine, if that's what the player wants, and the DM agrees to it.)
If the DM isn't doing it or calling for dice rolls, I think this is very easy to fall into the "it's what my character would do" pitfall and that generally goes badly. I would advise to just avoid the issue in the first place, maybe a more experienced player can navigate it but definitely not something I'd recommend for a 1st time player.
With GOO I'd more take the route of instead of control a bout of madness. You are an apprentice wizard, but not as successful as you think you should be(chr boy instead of int) so you start looking for occult knowledge in your spare time. A strange merchant sells you occult texts with secrets of the far realms, secrets mortals were not meant to known, secrets your master has been keeping from you. GOO works for this as you aren't necessarily making a formal pact as they are normally thought of, as the patrons may be totally unaware of your existence. In studying the books you find secrets that change how you see and perceive how the universe works, it changes your perspective on such a fundamental level you are temporarily driven mad and in a insane rage you killed your family. You made the pacts willingly, you opened your mind to the far realm to gain the understanding of pact of the X or whatever and pact spells. You just did not know that in doing so you'd go insane for a bit. Your mind is now seasoned(you are no longer level 0) so whether you have further bouts of insanity is up to you. But maybe you keep seeking occult texts as you feel that there are some secrets still hidden not just from you but the world, that on some fundamental level everyone is living a lie because the truth is being hidden from them. And you feel that if you don't complete this journey what happened to your family was for nothing.
But hey I just play call of Cthulhu too much so and I've burned through a lot of characters due to insanity.
Total aside if you are using the backgrounds as is in the 2024 PH sage probably fits what you are describing best, but its not great for a Chr class. Charlton could work as well as sort of a description of a failed apprenticeship, if human you could take magic init wizard to reflect the little magic you know as your bonus feat. If the apprenticeship was super short you could go with any of the other ones as your more core background, you were born a noble, farmer whatever had a short apprenticeship before being kicked out for dabbling in forbidden magics.
Don't play CoC myself, but I do reference the 5E Mythos 3PP supplement, so I got many ideas from that. Funny enough, I have a somewhat similar backstory for mine, but instead my character unknowingly made a pact with a GOO by attracting it's attention while reading a Mythos grimoire, which caused him to go temporarily mad.
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I’ve just recently gotten interested in DnD, and I am interested in playing a warlock. I have been working on creating a character mostly out of experimentation, but I also wanted feedback about the backstory I’ve been developing. Currently, I have my warlock as a former magic scholar and aspiring wizard, who bought an ancient manuscript from a mysterious merchant. Upon returning home to his family, he began to study deep into the night, working his way through various manuscripts till he finally reached his most recent acquisition. He opened the script and was seized by a powerful force that took full control of him, while leaving him aware of his actions. He was then driven to kill his own wife and son, sealing his pact with a great unknown one. He passed out and awoke much later, marked as a servant of a great old one. He now travels with his party, driven to search for more eldrich tomes and other artifacts as part of his unwilling pact. As he travels, he works to protect others, particularly from controlling evils as penance for his own actions, and is a frequent alcoholic in an attempt to drown his past.
I know it certainly comes off as dark, but I hope I can get some decent feedback on how to improve the background, and I am also looking for a great old one that fits the bill for my character. Also, any general advice for new players is appreciated.
Who your favorite alien from literature, movie, or tv? I used one as my patron.
I would say, lore wise, it's not how pacts work. Somebody might be tricked into a pact (more so from a Fiend) but a pact is not mind control, it's more of a contract.
For example, it might be like, If the Warlock does A, B & C then the patron promises them a boon for their efforts and to acquire further boons the Warlock must continue to provide services for their Patron.
I would also advise to avoid anything that could infringe on player agency in the backstory, in it, as your character is controlled, should you have to make a wisdom check anything even slightly eldritch comes up? Or the mention of the occult be made? Ultimately it should be down to you as the player to decide how you play the character and not having to call for unnecessary dice rolls all the time.
Now you could use an 'Anakin-style' Downfall of sorts; the Patron warned of the dangers from using the dark powers obtained from the pact and it was the character's own experimentation with those powers that accidentally killed their own family. In despair and grief their patron whispered a dark secret into their ear, "There is a way to bring them back, serve me and I shall reveal the secrets to bringing the dead back to life." It's probably either a lie or necromancy but even Warlocks have probably heard of the odd miracle where somebody was brought back from the dead by a spell (i.e. true resurrection). Or perhaps the Patron knows of another way... that'd be up to the DM to decide on how to use that plot hook.
What the above also gives is "motivation", your current backstory really lacks motivation beyond they are being controlled/compelled to do so. Whereas in what I would suggest, your character is looking to raise their family in one way or another.
When writing a backstory, I'd would ask myself questions like this
1. How did the character get here (to joining the party)? Why did the character join the party?
2. What motivates your character? What is their end goal and how does being the party get them there? What are their priorities? What do they value (i.e. loyalty, gold, power, freedom, etc)
3. Who is the character? How are they likely to respond in certain situations? And what might make them act against their normal behaviour?
While you're not wrong, it is a viable backstory, if rather dark and potentially prone to overdramatic angsting. :)
I would, however, clear it with the DM. And, if I were the DM, I'd suggest the change that you made the pact willingly, but didn't know the cost. But involuntary pact is valid, and creates potentially interesting role-playing dynamics with the patron.
Backstory details don't imply in-play mechanics. Just because the character was taken over then doesn't mean that the DM can do it in play. Now, the player can say that it happens, while remaining in control of their character, just acting differently. (However, it's not a "get out of murder-hoboing free" card. The DM and other players can and should hold you, the player, responsible for any disruptions to the game you create.)
(And even DM control of the character is fine, if that's what the player wants, and the DM agrees to it.)
I do have the concern that it's a lot for a newcomer to RPGs to handle, as it involves potentially touchy subjects, game-disruptive behavior, and potentially making the game all about you, so talk it over with your GM, and if they're amenable, also the rest of the group.
With GOO I'd more take the route of instead of control a bout of madness. You are an apprentice wizard, but not as successful as you think you should be(chr boy instead of int) so you start looking for occult knowledge in your spare time. A strange merchant sells you occult texts with secrets of the far realms, secrets mortals were not meant to known, secrets your master has been keeping from you. GOO works for this as you aren't necessarily making a formal pact as they are normally thought of, as the patrons may be totally unaware of your existence. In studying the books you find secrets that change how you see and perceive how the universe works, it changes your perspective on such a fundamental level you are temporarily driven mad and in a insane rage you killed your family. You made the pacts willingly, you opened your mind to the far realm to gain the understanding of pact of the X or whatever and pact spells. You just did not know that in doing so you'd go insane for a bit. Your mind is now seasoned(you are no longer level 0) so whether you have further bouts of insanity is up to you. But maybe you keep seeking occult texts as you feel that there are some secrets still hidden not just from you but the world, that on some fundamental level everyone is living a lie because the truth is being hidden from them. And you feel that if you don't complete this journey what happened to your family was for nothing.
But hey I just play call of Cthulhu too much so and I've burned through a lot of characters due to insanity.
Total aside if you are using the backgrounds as is in the 2024 PH sage probably fits what you are describing best, but its not great for a Chr class. Charlton could work as well as sort of a description of a failed apprenticeship, if human you could take magic init wizard to reflect the little magic you know as your bonus feat. If the apprenticeship was super short you could go with any of the other ones as your more core background, you were born a noble, farmer whatever had a short apprenticeship before being kicked out for dabbling in forbidden magics.
If the DM isn't doing it or calling for dice rolls, I think this is very easy to fall into the "it's what my character would do" pitfall and that generally goes badly. I would advise to just avoid the issue in the first place, maybe a more experienced player can navigate it but definitely not something I'd recommend for a 1st time player.
Don't play CoC myself, but I do reference the 5E Mythos 3PP supplement, so I got many ideas from that. Funny enough, I have a somewhat similar backstory for mine, but instead my character unknowingly made a pact with a GOO by attracting it's attention while reading a Mythos grimoire, which caused him to go temporarily mad.