Hello my fellow masters of the dungeons đź‘‹. Part of one of my players backstorys is that he was an elder in his city which was ransacked by goblins and nearly everyone is dead. Part of the adventure we're playing (lmop) they are in a ruined city (Thundertree) which i changed to be the PCs city. During the adventure they met a wizard, Reidoth who decided that if they clear up the town of zombies and other stuff he'll show them to cragmaw Castle and wave echo cave (locations the players have been looking for), they're still in the process of doing this.
I was thinking though that Reidoth could actually be the city's librarian/wizard before it was destroyed and that he survived and decided to stay to study the area and potentially get rid if that goblin tribe all together and has disguised himself through magic. I've already foreshadowed this with dreams that one of Reidoths disguises comes to the PCs and might do another dream so that he knows its important. Maybe Reidoth could later show the PC other known survivors later.
How would I do something like this though as I'm not sure how to do a good job at it?
All help would be greatly appreciated and thanks to all those who respond?
I think the best case scenario is if you and the player trust each other and follow the basic rules of improv in order to make this shared history in collaboration.
So the player can go "this feels exactly like that night when we got lost in the Black Chamber." Then you both get into it.
If you don't know each other so well or don't feel good improving or want to prepare a bit in advance, then you could both write down 5-10 lines of history and share them with each other. I'd say 1-2 more dramatic or important experiences and the rest are completely trivial.
1. We both hated the Head Librarian Rumple Frotnickle
2. We studied alchemy together and Reidoth lost all skin from his right index finger. It was my fault.
Trivial ones
3. I was always late with my books.
4. The library's main door knob was so rusty that your palm was painted brown every time you grabbed it
5. I remember Reidoth was always sneezing
And as you both do these, you quickly and smoothly create what feels like actual shared memories. You can then implement all the stuff into the NPC. Is the finger still skinless? How did he get it healed? How did he feel about the late books? Does he remember that?
Hello my fellow masters of the dungeons đź‘‹. Part of one of my players backstorys is that he was an elder in his city which was ransacked by goblins and nearly everyone is dead. Part of the adventure we're playing (lmop) they are in a ruined city (Thundertree) which i changed to be the PCs city. During the adventure they met a wizard, Reidoth who decided that if they clear up the town of zombies and other stuff he'll show them to cragmaw Castle and wave echo cave (locations the players have been looking for), they're still in the process of doing this.
I was thinking though that Reidoth could actually be the city's librarian/wizard before it was destroyed and that he survived and decided to stay to study the area and potentially get rid if that goblin tribe all together and has disguised himself through magic. I've already foreshadowed this with dreams that one of Reidoths disguises comes to the PCs and might do another dream so that he knows its important. Maybe Reidoth could later show the PC other known survivors later.
How would I do something like this though as I'm not sure how to do a good job at it?
All help would be greatly appreciated and thanks to all those who respond?
I think the best case scenario is if you and the player trust each other and follow the basic rules of improv in order to make this shared history in collaboration.
So the player can go "this feels exactly like that night when we got lost in the Black Chamber." Then you both get into it.
If you don't know each other so well or don't feel good improving or want to prepare a bit in advance, then you could both write down 5-10 lines of history and share them with each other. I'd say 1-2 more dramatic or important experiences and the rest are completely trivial.
1. We both hated the Head Librarian Rumple Frotnickle
2. We studied alchemy together and Reidoth lost all skin from his right index finger. It was my fault.
Trivial ones
3. I was always late with my books.
4. The library's main door knob was so rusty that your palm was painted brown every time you grabbed it
5. I remember Reidoth was always sneezing
And as you both do these, you quickly and smoothly create what feels like actual shared memories. You can then implement all the stuff into the NPC. Is the finger still skinless? How did he get it healed? How did he feel about the late books? Does he remember that?
I hope this helps. 🙂
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