I am an inventor who owns a small trinket shop in a tourist town. I’ve been working on something grand and believe I’ve made a breakthrough, but need some rare materials to test my contraption. I temporarily left my apprentice in charge of the shop, and hired some rough, rugged types to take me to exotic locations searching for what I need.

Artificer - barebones rough concept. 

"I was born a privileged noble, but when I was only 12, I heard a beautiful and terrible voice singing in an alley, calling out to me. I came toward it to find a monster with tentacles, and fur, and fangs, and its fangs lashed out to me and bit. I managed to wrench myself free of the monsters grip and run, but ever since, I have had strange, magical powers."

(Aberrant Mind Sorcerer.)

My pants ripped, that’s how it all started was a rip in my pants. I went looking for a needle and thread and the next thing I knew I was running for my life with a crew of adventurers and I suddenly realized I couldn’t remember when I was ever happier. So I wrote my mom a letter, joined their crew, and have been traveling with them ever since, learning whatever any of them will teach me along the way.

Three days ago, I opened my eyes for the first time. I emerged from the ruins of Reiner estate, though I know not what happened there. I have found only fear and hate in the world, perhaps for a good reason, for judging by my hideously pallid stitch-strewn flesh, I am likely the product of some necromantic experiment.

Race: Reborn Lineage

Class: Any

I knew I was in trouble when the outhouse exploded, that’s when I decided I’d better get some help. After apologizing to my father and helping him build a new outhouse I gathered up every copper I could scrounge and went looking for a mentor who could teach me how to control my powers. Instead I found a few new friends and some sticky situations, but through them I’m learning how to control and even harness my abilities anyway, so it is all working out… so far anyway….

I had always dreamed of being a wizard and going on great adventures one day, ever since I was a little kid, but I knew I could never afford the education. When one day I saved the local magistrate’s daughter from the well, the magistrate offered to grant me any one boon, and I told her that more than anything I wanted to go to school to be a wizard. The magistrate offered to pay my tuition, and now that I’ve graduated it’s time to go find those adventures I had always dreamed of!

(Any race, Folk Hero background, wizard)

Quote from IamSposta >>

I knew I was in trouble when the outhouse exploded, that’s when I decided I’d better get some help. After apologizing to my father and helping him build a new outhouse I gathered up every copper I could scrounge and went looking for a mentor who could teach me how to control my powers. Instead I found a few new friends and some sticky situations, but through them I’m learning how to control and even harness my abilities anyway, so it is all working out… so far anyway….

It probably says something about me that I saw the words "outhouse exploded" and immediately thought of an artificer with he chef feat weaponising curry.

I didn't want to enrol in the Academy; I was no good at magic. I went there reluctantly and found a martial group. Now, I and my friends are working on our Steel Defenders.

NPCs sometimes need backstories, too.

1. The priest faithfully served the people, using all divine powers to help the locals.
2. After a natural death and respectful entombment, the priest awoke to find some disagreeable fellow unsuccessfully making demands to do all kinds of distasteful things like guard some evil relic or kill intruders.
3. After the locals fought and captured the man, they apologized to the priest for the unnatural disturbance whose mummified remains are, once again, willingly serving the local population but in secret now.

A friendly Mummy Lord, beloved by the people under the mummy's care.

Possible hooks are the mummified priest falling under an evil necromancer's control, misinterpreted rumors and tales of a horrible undead monster controlling a town, crusaders against the undead seek to destroy the mummy on principle regardless of the mummy's intent, etc. Sometimes, the monster isn't the monster in a scenario, and often, the adventurers don't realize it at first.

Happy Halloween!
🎃👻🧟‍♂️🕷

No sooner was I summoned than my would be Mistress found herself on the recieving end of a sharp pointy thing. As I understnad it the magic that summoned me should have sent me back home but for some reason here I am. I've found some people that I think are friendly, i'll tag along and see what they are like.

*use Fairy but look like a Pseudodragon, level up in some fashion that provides some spell casting and roam around as a mini dragon.

It was very, very early in the morning when my mother came and took me away from my father’s house. She was a witch in secret who had fallen in love with a witch hunter, my father, many years prior. When she realized I had inherited her abilities, she ran away with me to prevent my father finding out.

Four nights ago a mysterious ship arrived in port without any crew aboard, and the next night a strange count from a far-off land began circulating among the well to do in town. Over the past three nights one of the young ladies about town has gotten sicker and sicker and sicker, and last night she died a mysterious death. Now, i and some others are off to hunt down this strange count and hold him accountable for his actions.

  _

My dog and I are masters of intrigue and investigation although people call us cowards. We're both fond of snacking too much and tactical retreats in times of stress but we always overcome our nature to uncover the villains in the shadows. We used to have more members of our team but they all mysteriously vanished along with our carriage leaving us stranded in a strange land, well, I guess its time for Scoobs and I to track down our friends.

*Rough idea for Shaggy and Scooby Doo, likely using ranger beastmaster for class, although the Circle of the Shepherd Druid might be a better option if your DM lets you use the TCoE option of Wild Companion to be able to summon a Great Dane as a Familiar or later lets you use the Awaken spell  on a dog. Also you get to use Goodberry as your scooby snacks.

I was like a rampaging behemoth, who took blow after blow but killed all enemies in my path. But I'm done fighting wars I don't understand. I have laid down my blade and now believe in a new philosophy, one that the barons and the knights may have trouble believing. I call it, "peace." (high level Barbarian)

I used to be a star athlete, best with a javelin or at throwing an axe, best at wrestling, best boxer, I won gold medals all the way. One day recently my king called upon me to be his champion in a conflict against a rival king, and I won glory for my king and country. Now I plan to put my skills and talents to good use battling monsters and delving into dungeons, and winning fame and riches for myself!

(Any race, fighter, athlete background.)

Villagers under the influence of Abyssal magic drive me mad with their incessant babbling. My sister is one of them. So I cut out her tongue.

NPC backstory:

1. History/Origin: I was an ancient mimic among a colony of wild mimics who are overpopulating to devastating results for the surrounding region.
2. Significant Event: A group of spellcasters modified my memory to live the life of a Humanoid fighting against the horde of mimics, learning the value of Humanoid life.
3. Motivation: Once the deception was revealed, I understood the need for the deception and the protection of life and accepted an alliance to fight against the horde of mimics.

Totally ripped off from a 2017 video game. No idea what form the mimic would take. Humanoid has never been specified as a possible form for a mimic, yet. I didn't wanna use that fungus creature that can make people it's eaten.

I was a proud noble Red Dragonborn Cleric, after dying in an undead Abbey while adventuring with the Fury Collective my soul was reborn in a young Aasimar sorceress girl who cannot control her sorcerous magic and it seems everyone wants a piece of me. #identityissues