It wasn’t all that long ago I was just another nobody, just like all the rest of you little people. But then I met my mentor Mr. Awesome, and his training changed my life. Now I’m a big shot adventurer just like you wish you could be.

(any rando NPC)

All I remember of the day I died was the storm, not how I died, or where, just the storm that beat down on my face as laid there dying. When I came to I had inexplicable powers, a mark or brand on my shoulder, and an entity in my head who called herself my patron. Now I serve my Lady of the Tombstone Court in all things, and pray for the day I die again so I can stop serving her.

(Reborn, Undead Warlock).

I hate farming, I grew up farming and I hate it, so I decided to do something else with my life and joined the Adventure Academy on my 16th birthday. There I learned all the skills I’ll need to make it as an adventurer, self defense, swordplay, sculduggery, and even a little magic to boot. Now I’m looking for an adventuring party to join up with so I can get this show on the road!

"I was left in a basket in the forest at birth, with a note that read, "Find me at the highest peak. "I was raised by bears and even learned how to transform into them. But soon I left the forest, and now I search for my parents and whatever that peak thingy is."

(Level 2+ druid, any race.)

I never wanted to be an “adventurer,” not by a long shot, it kinda just happened to me. One day I decided to finally find out what lay beyond the big tree at the top of the hill, and I started walking and didn’t stop. After a few scrapes and some lucky breaks, I picked up some skills and fell in with this here band of misfits and we sorttakinda just ended up adventuring together. 🤷‍♂️

I was playing a game with friends and argued with the game master. Next thing I knew I was at the back of a party of orcs attacking my characters and had to survive. Luckily, I carried a knife and had some martial training so I managed to survive and here I am.

Wood, straw and a Green Hag's magic bestow mobility and sentience to me. The hag sent me into the world to find my brother, another creation of hers but one of metal. My only lead is he was abducted by a leonin and a human girl with a dog who were in search of a wizard.

*race wise use warforged but just have a scarecrow appearance with little to no metal. Not sure as to backgorund or class but once decided its off to find a wonderful wizard and see if you can find your brother.

I got into a lot of fights when I was young, I basically grew up fighting. When I got a little older and joined the army, I naturally excelled because I already had so damned much experience fighting. Now that my bit is up I’m setting out to make my fortune, and guess how I’m going to do it.

(soldier background, fighter class)

I grew up in the circus as an acrobat and tumbler in my parents’ troupe, I loved my childhood and had a great many adventures with the circus. One day the fortune teller, Grizelda, went into one of her trances and prognosticated that I would one day become a renowned hero who will have saved a great many people. After my parents died and the circus closed down I set of to find some new adventures, I guess I’ll find out if old Grizelda was right….  

I woke on a stone slab in an empty chamber deep underground with no memory of who I am or where I came from. I see flashes of what feels like memory sometimes - a smiling woman in a red hood dancing through a clearing in the woods with a picnic basket, an excited dog licking my face, a farm with vast fields of wheat - trying to remember more gives me intense headaches. I know not where these things are, but I know they are important to me and that I must find them.

"I grew up an orphan on the streets. Now, during day, I go tavern to tavern spreading music, the one joy that helped me through me childhood, to others. But at night, I do more than spread joy, I eliminate evil. I steal from the corrupt and rich, and I give it to those who need it. I don't want anyone to grow up on the streets and penniless like I did."

(Bard/Rogue, Rogue/Bard, or a Criminal/Spy background Bard or a Folk Hero background rogue. This backstory can work for a lot of different characters.)

My family was cursed, by who or what we do not know but we are cursed to achieve greatness and are then in turn be destroyed by it. Knowing this we grow up knowing to treasure every day, celebrate every event and try to leave the world a little brighter than we found it. If greatnes is my destiny and my bane then let it be so and may the winds take spirit when I die.

*Absolutely no idea as to race/class/backgroudn but I just like the idea of a family where everyone is raised with the knowledge of this family "curse", is it real or imagined? who knows?

The first thing I remember was about a month ago when I came to in hospital, I had no idea who or where I was, but eventually the healers discharged me. later that week when a small band of ruffians tried to waylay me, I beat all holy hells out of them with no idea how I knew how to do that. Now I’ve joined this group of worthy companions and am on a quest to figure out who I am.

Was on a job taking some valuables from Magistrate Harrimanna three months back. Leader of the crew figured they didn’t need to split the cut five ways when they could split it four. I understand the backstabbing, might’a done the same m’self, but I do have some feelings about being buried alive.

1. You were at peace in the Astral Plane after your death, forgetting all of the troubles of the living.
2. During a religious siege, a group of people calling themselves spiritual revolutionaries pulled your unwilling soul into an empty mortal shell.
3. You escaped the bloodshed with their help and by their deaths without knowing the purpose for which you were returned to life except that your soul had been a deity who led a failed revolt against all of godhood.

A confused soul starting over as an ordinary mortal with practically no memory of a former life. Any origin, any class, likely lower levels but higher levels possible. Any personalities. Lots of possible story hooks involving the soul's forgotten history, present-day circumstances related to the old revolution, the mortal shell's former life, etc. Crusading against deities is not a required trait.

Inspired by Sam from Zelazney's Lord of Light. (Full name, Mahasamatman—"He never claimed to be a god, but then he never claimed not to be a god." When he was returned to the world to lead a new revolution, he did not want to restart a war he couldn't even remember.)

I was at work offloading cargo from a merchantman ship when the pirates attacked the port. I had to fight like hell just to stay alive, and when it was all over I realized I was good at it. After that I quit my job and signed on with a group of adventurers to be their resident strongman and brute.

"I ran away from my orc tribe at a young age -- after being taunted as too weak and obediant -- to carve my place in the world. Now, I guide others through the forests I grew up in as a guide-for-hire and expert bow. One day, I'll use  all the gold from the trip to start a new orc tribe, one that I'll invite the old members of my tribe to join."

(Orc Ranger.)

I used to smuggle high-ticket desirables for a woman named Wan, I was one of her best mules… that was, until I got pinched. After that she cut all ties with me, even put I hit out on me thinkin’ I squealed to get my own fat outta the fire, which I had. Now I run with a crew of mighty adventurers as their resident sticky fingers, they protect me from Wan’s goons, and I protect their interests by lining their pockets, and mine, with all the gold I can pilfer from bad guys.

(Rogue, any race, smuggler background)

When my Da dropped me off at the old crone’s hut I was terrified, I kept thinking she was going to eat me. But my Da insisted that it was the best thing for me to live with her and study under her tutelage. Now I am a powerful warlock in my own right, and I have my Da’s love and foresight to thank for it.

When I was a little girl I always wanted to be a mighty warrior, just like my grammy had been. She trained me and taught me everything she could, and then sent me out into the world to apply my skills and gain some experience for myself. After a few minor skirmishes with some minor bandits, now I finally feel ready for something more serious, so I joined a group of adventurous folks and we’re about to go dungeon crawling for riches and glory!

(Fighter, Celebrity Adventurer’s Scion, any race.)