Yarrl grew up in a Gnomish community close to a Human city, the son of a wood carver he helped his father and learned the carver's skill. Once when him and his father were taking their carved goods to the human city to sell the humans were being attacked by Bandits, Yarrl using his Minor Illusion cantrip helped scare off the bandits. A Wizard seeing this bravery asked Yarrl's father if he could train yarrl in the ways of being a Wizard and that was the start of that. Word got around of this young Gnome helping people and he gained the folk hero reputation, now Yarrl is a Wizard and out to make a name for himself as a hero to the people.
I think a thorough description of the illusion Yarrl used to thwart the bandits would help flesh out that part. Then he might become known as the "Gnome who did that thing and saved the day!" and would make sense for him becoming a folk hero. Also, I like the wizard apprenticeship, but adding the wizard's name, and a good description, would help the DM build that character into their campaign, if they wanted. Maybe he has a stereotypical tower? Maybe he likes gnomes? I love pulling in new characters that players create... most of the work is done for you as a DM!
Minor illusion is fairly limited in what it can and cannot do, so the likelihood of it being able to scare anything dangerous away from the city is small. And a bunch of bandits compound the issue further, since you'd have had to successfully scare them all away. And then there is the guards to also think of, who'd under most circumstances be able to handle any bandit threat that may attack the city leaving Yarrl with very little to do. But this is of course your backstory and not an actual encounter to be played at the table, so normal rules need not apply. Though I do have an alternative to the bandits that not only works better for your circumstances but I'd say gives Yarrl a few more badass points in my opinion and that is, an ogre.
Why an ogre? First, I like the idea of the classic David versus Goliath story and a gnome versus an ogre definitely is indicative of such. Second, they'd give guards trouble allowing Yarrl some room to really shine. And third, they are quick to anger and incredibly stupid allowing for minor illusion to really throw it's weight around.
Now if you are on board with the ogre then the next step is deciding how Yarrl dealt with it and as previously stated, scaring really isn't easy to do. Luckily, killing the ogre is. For example, he could of goaded the ogre off a cliff or onto a rope bridge with a few missing planks (appearing normal thanks to minor illusion) and then off goes the ogre falling to his (or her) doom. And I'd say a humble woodcarver's son taking out a big bad ogre definitely is the kind of story befitting the folk hero background, it's even the third defining event option.
As for the rest of your backstory, I would say to make it so the wizard heard of Yarrl's deed versus seeing it since the wizard would of stopped the ogre themselves. Besides that I would flesh out why Yarrl intervened in the attack in the first place, why he would want to leave his father to go with the wizard and then leave the wizard to become an adventurer after his initial education. Also I'd involve the connection forest gnomes have with small beasts into the mix, maybe even having them help in his efforts against the ogre.
OK I liked that stuff mentioned now I have a new one how do you guys like this one, and please post your characters backstory as well.
Before Xavminar Xaralto was born his Mother a Drow Priestess escapped from a Drow city in the Underdark, with his Father a human Bard she fell in love with. His mother didn't even know she was with child during the escape. His Father retired from the adventuring life and took up farming when they learned they were going to be parents. Little Xavminar started to grow up listening to his father's tales of adventure. his mother taught him some magic while his father taught him music. That all changed when he turned 10 years old, he saw that other Drow Elves were at his home on a bright summer day, and following the warnings from his parents he hid a stayed very quite. While he watched the Drow kill both of his parents, after they were dead they left not even looking for him. He took his mother's Cameo and put it around his neck, the neighbors from the next farm found him the next day and sent word to his Uncle on his Father's side, his Uncle had no love for the Drow and that included his Mother. His Uncle while not really caring about Xavminar did make a promise to him that he would keep his fathers Lute and his Mothers Rapier in good care to retrieve when he was old enough. He then kicked Xavminar out of his Uncles new Farm, Xav went to the City of Waterdeep and grew up an Urchin stealing food when needed and finding good hiding spots to sleep, it was shortly after arriving he met Jasper a half-orc urchin a couple years older then him. Jasper taught Xav how to survive, now old enough Xav went back to the farm to get his belongings. The Farm was in a horrid state but his Uncle kept his word and gave him the Lute and the Rapier, his uncle then told him since Xav never laid claim to the farm by law he lost it to his uncle and sent him on his way laughing.
OK I liked that stuff mentioned now I have a new one how do you guys like this one, and please post your characters backstory as well.
Before Xavminar Xaralto was born his Mother a Drow Priestess escapped from a Drow city in the Underdark, with his Father a human Bard she fell in love with. His mother didn't even know she was with child during the escape. His Father retired from the adventuring life and took up farming when they learned they were going to be parents. Little Xavminar started to grow up listening to his father's tales of adventure. his mother taught him some magic while his father taught him music. That all changed when he turned 10 years old, he saw that other Drow Elves were at his home on a bright summer day, and following the warnings from his parents he hid a stayed very quite. While he watched the Drow kill both of his parents, after they were dead they left not even looking for him. He took his mother's Cameo and put it around his neck, the neighbors from the next farm found him the next day and sent word to his Uncle on his Father's side, his Uncle had no love for the Drow and that included his Mother. His Uncle while not really caring about Xavminar did make a promise to him that he would keep his fathers Lute and his Mothers Rapier in good care to retrieve when he was old enough. He then kicked Xavminar out of his Uncles new Farm, Xav went to the City of Waterdeep and grew up an Urchin stealing food when needed and finding good hiding spots to sleep, it was shortly after arriving he met Jasper a half-orc urchin a couple years older then him. Jasper taught Xav how to survive, now old enough Xav went back to the farm to get his belongings. The Farm was in a horrid state but his Uncle kept his word and gave him the Lute and the Rapier, his uncle then told him since Xav never laid claim to the farm by law he lost it to his uncle and sent him on his way laughing.
After refreshing myself on the drow, they don't appear to be very keen on leaving the Underdark for the most part. So the first thing you'd have to establish is a solid reason for them leaving to seek out Xavminar's mother. With the strongest reason I could see for this being her departure creating great turmoil for her house, resulting in her family members hunting her down out of vengeance. And you could go one of two ways with this, the first being that she was next in line to be her houses matron and her leaving left her great house open to attack by other houses resulting in it's ruin upon her departure. Or alternatively she could of been apart of a house that had already fell into disgrace over the years and as a mean of reclaiming their past glory, her houses matron arranged a marriage between her and the son of a higher ranking house. But with her leaving, any chance of her family rising back to it's former power was shattered forever. Using the father as a foil in either option, causing even greater disdain from her family. Since her leaving was brought about by the love of an inferior being in their eyes.
After that the rest holds up fairly well but you'd want to know what happen to Jasper. Why would two such best friends part? Did he die and you seek vengeance for his death? Was he imprisoned for a crime he did (or did not) commit and you seek his escape legally (or illegally)? Or did you part on good terms? With you seeking your fortune and glory, promising to one day return and get him out of that life. Using your newfound adventurer status as a means of eventually accomplishing any of the aforementioned goals.
Also if you're not aware, the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide has a half-elf variant which allows you to grab a trait from your elf parentage. So you may want to take a look at that for extra flavor for your character. And what class were you thinking for Xavminar? Bard seems obvious. Plus why did his mother have a rapier? A priestess doesn't normally have such a thing.
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Yarrl grew up in a Gnomish community close to a Human city, the son of a wood carver he helped his father and learned the carver's skill. Once when him and his father were taking their carved goods to the human city to sell the humans were being attacked by Bandits, Yarrl using his Minor Illusion cantrip helped scare off the bandits. A Wizard seeing this bravery asked Yarrl's father if he could train yarrl in the ways of being a Wizard and that was the start of that. Word got around of this young Gnome helping people and he gained the folk hero reputation, now Yarrl is a Wizard and out to make a name for himself as a hero to the people.
I think a thorough description of the illusion Yarrl used to thwart the bandits would help flesh out that part. Then he might become known as the "Gnome who did that thing and saved the day!" and would make sense for him becoming a folk hero. Also, I like the wizard apprenticeship, but adding the wizard's name, and a good description, would help the DM build that character into their campaign, if they wanted. Maybe he has a stereotypical tower? Maybe he likes gnomes? I love pulling in new characters that players create... most of the work is done for you as a DM!
Good luck with your character.
Minor illusion is fairly limited in what it can and cannot do, so the likelihood of it being able to scare anything dangerous away from the city is small. And a bunch of bandits compound the issue further, since you'd have had to successfully scare them all away. And then there is the guards to also think of, who'd under most circumstances be able to handle any bandit threat that may attack the city leaving Yarrl with very little to do. But this is of course your backstory and not an actual encounter to be played at the table, so normal rules need not apply. Though I do have an alternative to the bandits that not only works better for your circumstances but I'd say gives Yarrl a few more badass points in my opinion and that is, an ogre.
Why an ogre? First, I like the idea of the classic David versus Goliath story and a gnome versus an ogre definitely is indicative of such. Second, they'd give guards trouble allowing Yarrl some room to really shine. And third, they are quick to anger and incredibly stupid allowing for minor illusion to really throw it's weight around.
Now if you are on board with the ogre then the next step is deciding how Yarrl dealt with it and as previously stated, scaring really isn't easy to do. Luckily, killing the ogre is. For example, he could of goaded the ogre off a cliff or onto a rope bridge with a few missing planks (appearing normal thanks to minor illusion) and then off goes the ogre falling to his (or her) doom. And I'd say a humble woodcarver's son taking out a big bad ogre definitely is the kind of story befitting the folk hero background, it's even the third defining event option.
As for the rest of your backstory, I would say to make it so the wizard heard of Yarrl's deed versus seeing it since the wizard would of stopped the ogre themselves. Besides that I would flesh out why Yarrl intervened in the attack in the first place, why he would want to leave his father to go with the wizard and then leave the wizard to become an adventurer after his initial education. Also I'd involve the connection forest gnomes have with small beasts into the mix, maybe even having them help in his efforts against the ogre.
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OK I liked that stuff mentioned now I have a new one how do you guys like this one, and please post your characters backstory as well.
Before Xavminar Xaralto was born his Mother a Drow Priestess escapped from a Drow city in the Underdark, with his Father a human Bard she fell in love with. His mother didn't even know she was with child during the escape. His Father retired from the adventuring life and took up farming when they learned they were going to be parents. Little Xavminar started to grow up listening to his father's tales of adventure. his mother taught him some magic while his father taught him music. That all changed when he turned 10 years old, he saw that other Drow Elves were at his home on a bright summer day, and following the warnings from his parents he hid a stayed very quite. While he watched the Drow kill both of his parents, after they were dead they left not even looking for him. He took his mother's Cameo and put it around his neck, the neighbors from the next farm found him the next day and sent word to his Uncle on his Father's side, his Uncle had no love for the Drow and that included his Mother. His Uncle while not really caring about Xavminar did make a promise to him that he would keep his fathers Lute and his Mothers Rapier in good care to retrieve when he was old enough. He then kicked Xavminar out of his Uncles new Farm, Xav went to the City of Waterdeep and grew up an Urchin stealing food when needed and finding good hiding spots to sleep, it was shortly after arriving he met Jasper a half-orc urchin a couple years older then him. Jasper taught Xav how to survive, now old enough Xav went back to the farm to get his belongings. The Farm was in a horrid state but his Uncle kept his word and gave him the Lute and the Rapier, his uncle then told him since Xav never laid claim to the farm by law he lost it to his uncle and sent him on his way laughing.
After that the rest holds up fairly well but you'd want to know what happen to Jasper. Why would two such best friends part? Did he die and you seek vengeance for his death? Was he imprisoned for a crime he did (or did not) commit and you seek his escape legally (or illegally)? Or did you part on good terms? With you seeking your fortune and glory, promising to one day return and get him out of that life. Using your newfound adventurer status as a means of eventually accomplishing any of the aforementioned goals.