I created a background for followers of the lesser elven deity, Fenmarel Mestarine, the Lone Wolf. Naturally, the background is called Church of the Lone Wolf.
Some people are tempted to play a "lone wolf" character who doesn't get along with anyone and wants to do his own thing, which makes it hard to play a profoundly cooperative game like D&D. Some of these players want this kind of character to be purely blameless—often someone orphaned by bad guys—who doesn't have any real flaws that contributed to his solitude or that were caused by his extended isolation.
I wanted to "criticize by creating" and introduce a different breed of lone wolf. One that tries to act like anything but the brooding loners they are at heart, because deception, camouflage, and secrecy are core tenets of their philosophy. One that has hooks that encourage them to cooperate with other characters and engage with many aspects of the world around them. One that has serious flaws that prompt thoughtful roleplay—and that the DM can use to challenge the player and the party.
So this background proposes several origin story ideas different from the "orphan" standby: it could still be a trauma, because some people really do become isolated that way, but it could be some long-nursed habits or simply an ornery personality. The suggested personality traits imply distinctive fears, insecurities, and desires that drive actions and interaction. The bonds should give the DM some story hooks without sidelining the other players. And the starting equipment includes thematically appropriate tools that make the player useful to a party during exploration, encouraging them to be a little more nuanced.
The themes were informed by the description of Fenmarel and his followers in the old Forgotten Realms Faiths & Pantheons book. (Fenmarel is also listed among the elf deities in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, but without much detail.)
It's still possible to make a sour, rebel-without-a-cause, trauma victim, murder-hobo with this background, but you'd have to pass by a lot of opportunities to make a more interesting character. So I hope the existence of this background will tempt naïve "lone wolf" players off of the cliché-choked path, and inspire them to raise their game. I also hope players who have avoided playing a "lone wolf" because of the usual toxic tropes will get some ideas for playing a deeper, more satisfying version of the archetype.
Church of the Lone Wolf is the first homebrew background I've created, so please share your feedback. What about this background works well, and what should I consider for a future version?
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I created a background for followers of the lesser elven deity, Fenmarel Mestarine, the Lone Wolf. Naturally, the background is called Church of the Lone Wolf.
Some people are tempted to play a "lone wolf" character who doesn't get along with anyone and wants to do his own thing, which makes it hard to play a profoundly cooperative game like D&D. Some of these players want this kind of character to be purely blameless—often someone orphaned by bad guys—who doesn't have any real flaws that contributed to his solitude or that were caused by his extended isolation.
I wanted to "criticize by creating" and introduce a different breed of lone wolf. One that tries to act like anything but the brooding loners they are at heart, because deception, camouflage, and secrecy are core tenets of their philosophy. One that has hooks that encourage them to cooperate with other characters and engage with many aspects of the world around them. One that has serious flaws that prompt thoughtful roleplay—and that the DM can use to challenge the player and the party.
So this background proposes several origin story ideas different from the "orphan" standby: it could still be a trauma, because some people really do become isolated that way, but it could be some long-nursed habits or simply an ornery personality. The suggested personality traits imply distinctive fears, insecurities, and desires that drive actions and interaction. The bonds should give the DM some story hooks without sidelining the other players. And the starting equipment includes thematically appropriate tools that make the player useful to a party during exploration, encouraging them to be a little more nuanced.
The themes were informed by the description of Fenmarel and his followers in the old Forgotten Realms Faiths & Pantheons book. (Fenmarel is also listed among the elf deities in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, but without much detail.)
It's still possible to make a sour, rebel-without-a-cause, trauma victim, murder-hobo with this background, but you'd have to pass by a lot of opportunities to make a more interesting character. So I hope the existence of this background will tempt naïve "lone wolf" players off of the cliché-choked path, and inspire them to raise their game. I also hope players who have avoided playing a "lone wolf" because of the usual toxic tropes will get some ideas for playing a deeper, more satisfying version of the archetype.
Church of the Lone Wolf is the first homebrew background I've created, so please share your feedback. What about this background works well, and what should I consider for a future version?