I've been playing D&D since it was AD&D. At first I was reluctant to write my characters' backstories. It felt like too much work and I really just wanted to get on with killing goblins already! What can I say, I was young.
Since then, I've come to enjoy writing my backstories. Each one, I try to flavor the narrative to each character individually. I find the tone and language I use gives insight into the character as much as any personality traits and stats. Not only do I write my own backstories, but also for my wife and daughter.
I am offering to write the backstory for your characters as well. This is a way for me to build my writing skills as well as writing resume. I am not seeking payment of any kind for this, I just need the writing XP.
I have included in this post some samplings of backstories I've written. If you would like to take advantage of my offer, go ahead an reply to this message.
Samples:
Thorvin Vinebrau
Human Fighter/Cleric
Hello! Thorvin Vinebrau of the Eastbrook Vinebraus. Damn glad to meet you! I say Eastbrook so people don't confuse me with the Westbrook Vinebraus. They are an offshoot disgraced for wanting to make a poor quality "peasant's wine for the masses." Really! Wine is meant to be enjoyed only by those who have the means to take time to relax and enjoy the notes and flavors of a quality beverage. Peasants are for working then downing mugs of ale in filthy common rooms full of other unwashed. Anyhoo, as the third son of Anders Vinebrau, our Patriarch, I am not in a position to inherent the family estate. However, not one to idly waste my time, I chose to embark on an epic journey to explore and seek adventure. And hey, if I can open up some new markets for our product, so much the better. To date, I've been seeing the world for about two years now. I've been in countless fights, but my early training in combat as well as my strength (ladies love the muscles!) has seen me defeat foe after foe. I don't worry for money, because whenever my funds get low, I just find a banker, give him a Letter-of-Credit, he gives me gold and my family pays the bill. I tell you, this is the life! I say, you look as though you are smelling something rotten.
Krunk Smith
Half-Orc Figter
My older sister, Valanthe, and I grew up with our human mother who was a smith in their village. A kindly, and lonely, woman, she sometimes exchanged favors for her work. We often would play with the weapons created by our mother, thus learning to fight with them.
When mother fell ill with the wasting sickness and died, we had to leave. The villagers accepted us and our bastard heritage out of respect for our mother's trade and the lack of other smiths nearby. But once she died, all bets were off. We were insulted and made unwelcome, so we decided to strike out on our own. Leaving behind the only home we knew to find adventure and glory.
Along the way, we befriended a pair of sibling direwolves who's mother attempted to attack us, but died on our blades instead. Feeling a kinship with them, we adopted them.
Valanthe Smith
Half-Elf Fighter
My mother was a smith in a small village. I'm not sure how I came along, but at some point my mother got pregnant by an elf man. A few years later, she got pregnant by an orc man. Very strange. She gave birth to a half-orc male named Krunk. Although he looked weird, I loved him. He became my constant playmate. We went all around our village together and often played with the various weapons our mother created.
The people of our village tolerated us, but it seemed strained. As though they really didn't like us being there.
When I was nineteen or so, she passed away of some illness. Shortly after that my brother and I left the village. Even though he is younger than me, he as always been the protector of me, and when he said to go, we went.
One night a large wolf of some kind tried to attack us. We managed to fight it off, but came to find out she had two pups. We felt sorry for the pups and adopted them. They have been with us ever since.
We now travel around doing odd-jobs or protection for money, making our way however we can. As long as we're together, I know we'll be alright.
Rosco
Halfling Monk
When Roscoe was a young lad he accidentally wandered away from his village. It's not his fault the circus looked so pretty. Really, if they didn't want people to follow them, they should change their color scheme. Just saying. Anyway, after a few days he realized he was late for dinner, but wasn't sure where home was. Perplexed by this, he took the most natural choice and simply picked a direction at random and walked on. After another week (subsisting on various fruits and other edibles, by the way if you see a bush with like little green berries about the size of a bb, they make you fart really nastily) he found himself at a monastery. He had no idea what it was at first, certainly not home, but he was hungry and more than a little tired, so he decided to pop in and see what was what. Well, long story short (get it, 'cause he's a halfling) the monks there took him in. It was a good thing too because they had all taken an oath of silence so he was able to fill in the rather large gaps in their conversations.
Well by and by, after a few months they gave him a really important job to do. They put him to work in the brewery. It was hard at first because I don't know if you know this, but a keg of beer is really heavy! Like three or four times his weight. He figured it out though, you know how tenacious some people can be, and in doing so developed some wicked muscle mass. Seriously, he's like a mini-hulk now! The only trouble besides that was watching beer brew is really, really boring. Lucky for him, he'd managed to find a discarded bagpipe back at the circus. Honestly, who just leaves one of those lying in a barely locked trunk unattended in a guarded tent. This is why some people just can't have nice things. Anyhow, Roscoe filled his fermenting days drinking beer and teaching himself how to play the bagpipe. He kinda had to, as every time he pulled out the instrument, all the monks would remember important monk-y business they had to attend too. He loves beer.
Oh yeah, they also would let him train with them doing all kinds of cool punches and kicks and rolls and flips and flops and he got to work with a sword. It was pretty awesome. And he drank beer. Alot.
Eventually (years later) however, he remembered he was really late for dinner now at home. Like years late. His mom was going to be pissed at him. But he could always console her with a soothing song on his bagpipe. So he packed his belongings and some extra beer they probably weren't planning to drink, and played a farewell tune on his way out. He's really good on that bagpipe, they gave him a standing ovation as he left! They were going to miss him.
Now he spends his days traveling, always trying to get home. If only he could remember where it was or what the name of his village was. Oh well, he'll find it some day. Probably. In the mean time he travels around getting into all kinds of kooky adventures and entertaining tavern goers with his virtuoso bagpipe playing. He does get into a few fights in the taverns. Mostly misunderstandings about carelessly ignored purses or food or drinks, or their clearly bad ears for music. Some people are so rude!
So, again, if you are reluctant, for whatever reason, to write your own backstory, let me know and I'll be happy to help you out. Thanks!!
okay at the moment i need a backstory for a wild magic barbarian not much restrictions here but i also need a good reason for them to go on an a plane hopping time traveling journey with a ripoff doctor
Hello, Father_of_Wolfdragonbutterfly. I'd like to see what you can create with this:
Sitlali, a Yuan-ti pureblood male to become a blood hunter of the Order of the Ghostslayer, currently works as an urban bounty hunter, both for enemies of the Yuan-ti nation as well as other "freelance" jobs.
Hey! Maybe you can help me out! I want to write a backstory to Hill dwarf Tempest Cleric. She's always put a harsh mask on, pretends to be grumpy, rough, and strong, like all dwarfs, pretends to follow mighty diety. But she's quite nice and loves butterflies, nice things, and stuff. And follows some nice and simple god. But society and etc. she cannot truly be herself. I had some ideas, but I can't, make it work.
I am only just getting back into D&D since 2nd Ed way back when. I love small sized characters with huge hearts and passion so have decided on rolling a Female Forest Gnome Druid of the Circle of the Moon for my first adventure back.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hi there!
I've been playing D&D since it was AD&D. At first I was reluctant to write my characters' backstories. It felt like too much work and I really just wanted to get on with killing goblins already! What can I say, I was young.
Since then, I've come to enjoy writing my backstories. Each one, I try to flavor the narrative to each character individually. I find the tone and language I use gives insight into the character as much as any personality traits and stats. Not only do I write my own backstories, but also for my wife and daughter.
I am offering to write the backstory for your characters as well. This is a way for me to build my writing skills as well as writing resume. I am not seeking payment of any kind for this, I just need the writing XP.
I have included in this post some samplings of backstories I've written. If you would like to take advantage of my offer, go ahead an reply to this message.
Samples:
Thorvin Vinebrau
Human Fighter/Cleric
Hello! Thorvin Vinebrau of the Eastbrook Vinebraus. Damn glad to meet you! I say Eastbrook so people don't confuse me with the Westbrook Vinebraus. They are an offshoot disgraced for wanting to make a poor quality "peasant's wine for the masses." Really! Wine is meant to be enjoyed only by those who have the means to take time to relax and enjoy the notes and flavors of a quality beverage. Peasants are for working then downing mugs of ale in filthy common rooms full of other unwashed. Anyhoo, as the third son of Anders Vinebrau, our Patriarch, I am not in a position to inherent the family estate. However, not one to idly waste my time, I chose to embark on an epic journey to explore and seek adventure. And hey, if I can open up some new markets for our product, so much the better. To date, I've been seeing the world for about two years now. I've been in countless fights, but my early training in combat as well as my strength (ladies love the muscles!) has seen me defeat foe after foe. I don't worry for money, because whenever my funds get low, I just find a banker, give him a Letter-of-Credit, he gives me gold and my family pays the bill. I tell you, this is the life! I say, you look as though you are smelling something rotten.
Krunk Smith
Half-Orc Figter
My older sister, Valanthe, and I grew up with our human mother who was a smith in their village. A kindly, and lonely, woman, she sometimes exchanged favors for her work. We often would play with the weapons created by our mother, thus learning to fight with them.
When mother fell ill with the wasting sickness and died, we had to leave. The villagers accepted us and our bastard heritage out of respect for our mother's trade and the lack of other smiths nearby. But once she died, all bets were off. We were insulted and made unwelcome, so we decided to strike out on our own. Leaving behind the only home we knew to find adventure and glory.
Along the way, we befriended a pair of sibling direwolves who's mother attempted to attack us, but died on our blades instead. Feeling a kinship with them, we adopted them.
Valanthe Smith
Half-Elf Fighter
My mother was a smith in a small village. I'm not sure how I came along, but at some point my mother got pregnant by an elf man. A few years later, she got pregnant by an orc man. Very strange. She gave birth to a half-orc male named Krunk. Although he looked weird, I loved him. He became my constant playmate. We went all around our village together and often played with the various weapons our mother created.
The people of our village tolerated us, but it seemed strained. As though they really didn't like us being there.
When I was nineteen or so, she passed away of some illness. Shortly after that my brother and I left the village. Even though he is younger than me, he as always been the protector of me, and when he said to go, we went.
One night a large wolf of some kind tried to attack us. We managed to fight it off, but came to find out she had two pups. We felt sorry for the pups and adopted them. They have been with us ever since.
We now travel around doing odd-jobs or protection for money, making our way however we can. As long as we're together, I know we'll be alright.
Rosco
Halfling Monk
When Roscoe was a young lad he accidentally wandered away from his village. It's not his fault the circus looked so pretty. Really, if they didn't want people to follow them, they should change their color scheme. Just saying. Anyway, after a few days he realized he was late for dinner, but wasn't sure where home was. Perplexed by this, he took the most natural choice and simply picked a direction at random and walked on. After another week (subsisting on various fruits and other edibles, by the way if you see a bush with like little green berries about the size of a bb, they make you fart really nastily) he found himself at a monastery. He had no idea what it was at first, certainly not home, but he was hungry and more than a little tired, so he decided to pop in and see what was what. Well, long story short (get it, 'cause he's a halfling) the monks there took him in. It was a good thing too because they had all taken an oath of silence so he was able to fill in the rather large gaps in their conversations.
Well by and by, after a few months they gave him a really important job to do. They put him to work in the brewery. It was hard at first because I don't know if you know this, but a keg of beer is really heavy! Like three or four times his weight. He figured it out though, you know how tenacious some people can be, and in doing so developed some wicked muscle mass. Seriously, he's like a mini-hulk now! The only trouble besides that was watching beer brew is really, really boring. Lucky for him, he'd managed to find a discarded bagpipe back at the circus. Honestly, who just leaves one of those lying in a barely locked trunk unattended in a guarded tent. This is why some people just can't have nice things. Anyhow, Roscoe filled his fermenting days drinking beer and teaching himself how to play the bagpipe. He kinda had to, as every time he pulled out the instrument, all the monks would remember important monk-y business they had to attend too. He loves beer.
Oh yeah, they also would let him train with them doing all kinds of cool punches and kicks and rolls and flips and flops and he got to work with a sword. It was pretty awesome. And he drank beer. Alot.
Eventually (years later) however, he remembered he was really late for dinner now at home. Like years late. His mom was going to be pissed at him. But he could always console her with a soothing song on his bagpipe. So he packed his belongings and some extra beer they probably weren't planning to drink, and played a farewell tune on his way out. He's really good on that bagpipe, they gave him a standing ovation as he left! They were going to miss him.
Now he spends his days traveling, always trying to get home. If only he could remember where it was or what the name of his village was. Oh well, he'll find it some day. Probably. In the mean time he travels around getting into all kinds of kooky adventures and entertaining tavern goers with his virtuoso bagpipe playing. He does get into a few fights in the taverns. Mostly misunderstandings about carelessly ignored purses or food or drinks, or their clearly bad ears for music. Some people are so rude!
So, again, if you are reluctant, for whatever reason, to write your own backstory, let me know and I'll be happy to help you out. Thanks!!
okay at the moment i need a backstory for a wild magic barbarian not much restrictions here but i also need a good reason for them to go on an a plane hopping time traveling journey with a ripoff doctor
Check out my homebrew subclasses spells magic items feats monsters races
i am a sauce priest
help create a world here
Hello, Father_of_Wolfdragonbutterfly. I'd like to see what you can create with this:
Sitlali, a Yuan-ti pureblood male to become a blood hunter of the Order of the Ghostslayer, currently works as an urban bounty hunter, both for enemies of the Yuan-ti nation as well as other "freelance" jobs.
Thank you, very much, and have fun!
Not all who wander are lost.
Half orc folk hero becomes Warlock on Luskan pirateship. Sword coast\faerun.
I've already got this characters backstory, but I want to see what someone else would do. Kobold beastmaster with a giant pigeon named Tucker.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
how about a human peace cleric with the shadow touched feat
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
I have a mountain Dwarf Artificer who needs a reason to be adventuring in Vesve Forest (Greyhawk Setting)
-TC
I have a high elf swashbuckler rogue named Captain Wyatt, he needs a reason why he's stuck in a port town.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXV?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
Hey!
Maybe you can help me out!
I want to write a backstory to Hill dwarf Tempest Cleric. She's always put a harsh mask on, pretends to be grumpy, rough, and strong, like all dwarfs, pretends to follow mighty diety. But she's quite nice and loves butterflies, nice things, and stuff. And follows some nice and simple god. But society and etc. she cannot truly be herself.
I had some ideas, but I can't, make it work.
Omg thx this helped a lot :) :)
I want a story about a man,so dedicated to avoiding taxes he went out adventuring
Has the OP delivered to anyone's proposals? I see this thread getting the responses, but I've been curious what the deliverable looks like.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
yes, in pms. (at least I got one.)
I am an average mathematics enjoyer.
>Extended Signature<
Cool. Always was wondering if this was just a message in a bottle system. Glad you all are getting your backstories.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
I am wondering if you can make a backstory for one of my characters that is an tiefling sorcerer of aberrant mind. he is also an sage
I'm wondering you could come up with for a rouge with this homebrew race: https://www.dndbeyond.com/races/630376-awakened-reaper
Yeah, my backstory was great! It was totally on the level with what I imagined.
I need a backstory for a character named August with this hombrew race. She is a Psy Fighter Fighter. Her background is Guild Artisan.
Cat cult is strong. Grammar cult is strong. Ni cult is strong. Sedge cult is strong. All cults are strong.
MilestoGo_24, Bubbub25 and SpeedyTabaxi_CatsForLife may or may not be my friends. Cynophobia almost definitely is.
Pronouns are she/her.
Here, have a thing I made.
How long does it take? Just asking.
I am only just getting back into D&D since 2nd Ed way back when. I love small sized characters with huge hearts and passion so have decided on rolling a Female Forest Gnome Druid of the Circle of the Moon for my first adventure back.