I have a dragonborn barbarian whose clan worships Bahamut. I'm working on my backstory for my dragonborn and I have disconnect between his back story and the campaign that we are running. I made him like a jock at high school. He is really strong. He is naturally skilled at fighting so he was sent to warrior training acedamy which he excelled at. So everyone expects him to do great things for the clan.
The problem is that the campaign takes place about 2k miles away where he grew up. The DM keeps asking me why he leave his clan and travel 2k miles? For dragonborns the clan is most important and unless there is a good reason for leaving he would stay with the clan.
So the idea came to give a character flaw or have him crew up so badly that the clan elders would kick him out of clan.Then he'll go on a quest and find a way to make things right so he would be allowed to join the clan.
I would really appreciate some ideas you guys may have.
Well, it seems natural for a barbarian to have lost control and hurt someone else in their clan bad enough to get kicked out. Depending on how tragic you want the story to be, it could be something fairly simple like your character got in a fight in an important temple and broke a valuable artifact. Maybe they got too angry at some demand the clan leader was giving htem and just punched them in the face, getting kicked out... could lead to some conflict in the future with your character since your clan has a prideful leader who's out to get you. If you want to get really tragic your character could even kill someone... maybe they were betrayed by a close friend and when they got into a fight your character couldn't hold back and killed their friend in the process... but also nobody else knew about the betrayal and you're thought of as just a murderer.
Well, it seems natural for a barbarian to have lost control and hurt someone else in their clan bad enough to get kicked out. Depending on how tragic you want the story to be, it could be something fairly simple like your character got in a fight in an important temple and broke a valuable artifact. Maybe they got too angry at some demand the clan leader was giving htem and just punched them in the face, getting kicked out... could lead to some conflict in the future with your character since your clan has a prideful leader who's out to get you. If you want to get really tragic your character could even kill someone... maybe they were betrayed by a close friend and when they got into a fight your character couldn't hold back and killed their friend in the process... but also nobody else knew about the betrayal and you're thought of as just a murderer.
The Tale of Egbert, the Careless - a Dragonborn Paladin of the Order of Dragon d'Or.
He was exiled for something he never speaks of... and neither does anyone who should know about it.
Any time any of the party tries to get information out of anyone, they all deflect the question. "He knows what he did." "I don't really like to talk about it." etc.
I'm starting to think that nobody really knows why he was exiled.
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Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider. My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong. I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲 “It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
If a Dragonborn were without a clan... whether because they left at some point, or perhaps were rejected by the clan at birth as deformed or an ill omen... what might their "clan name" be? Would they, like Jon Snow, use some generic name as their clan? Or just not have one? Or maybe take on the name of someone who cared for them?
What if he upset some fey creatures and they teleported him the 2000 miles away. He is still a member of his clan, but he has not the least idea where his clan is.
2000 miles is a tremendous distance for a culture that travels by foot or on horseback. My biggest question would be, "Why is he now 2000 miles away from his clan where he was happy?"
An army on a long march travels about 20 miles per day. Covering the 2000 miles would take 100 days of good weather and determination. He would have to have a reason to make that trip if he wasn't magicked away.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
If a Dragonborn were without a clan... whether because they left at some point, or perhaps were rejected by the clan at birth as deformed or an ill omen... what might their "clan name" be? Would they, like Jon Snow, use some generic name as their clan? Or just not have one? Or maybe take on the name of someone who cared for them?
If you were disowned by your family, you would still have the same last name, wouldn't you? The same should apply to Dragonborn Clan names. Sure, you were kicked out of your clan, but that doesn't change that you were a member of them.
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Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
If a Dragonborn were without a clan... whether because they left at some point, or perhaps were rejected by the clan at birth as deformed or an ill omen... what might their "clan name" be? Would they, like Jon Snow, use some generic name as their clan? Or just not have one? Or maybe take on the name of someone who cared for them?
If you were disowned by your family, you would still have the same last name, wouldn't you? The same should apply to Dragonborn Clan names. Sure, you were kicked out of your clan, but that doesn't change that you were a member of them.
That's a cultural thing. In some cultures (ours, for instance) you'll get to keep your name legally. In others, being shorn from your tribe/clan/family might mean losing your entire identity. Moreover, if you were rejected at birth you might never have been given a name in the first place.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Wow, this thread was necro'd from over a year ago! But I'll throw in my thoughts.
So, in the Brimstone Angels books, there's a Dragonborn who was kicked from his clan - he simply refers to himself as Mehen, or Clanless Mehen. (Dragonborn put their clan name before their actual name.)
(This is what I remember; there may be some inaccuracies - please anyone correct me of any of them.) In the Forgotten Realms setting, Dragonborn were enslaved by Dragons on Abeir for a very long time. They weren't enslaved solely by chromatic dragons either - both chromatic and metallic dragons treat them the same. In Abeir, gods don't tread here; primordials and dragons rule the planet. Dragonborn escaped due to their own abilities and hard work; they were enslaved for so long and gods didn't save them, so they typically don't really feel gods deserve worship. Dragonborn are very self-reliant and prideful, so they don't like to "ask favors" of others, even gods.
As above people have said - Dragonborn don't really like Bahamut or Tiamat, and many Dragonborn clans would likely banish you for the open worship of them. I liked the idea someone had where the barbarian also likely hurt someone during training or sparring. Granted, Dragonborn strive to be the best at whatever they put their mind to, so I imagine injuries are to be expected... although a death due to training isn't.
None of what I typed is likely relevant, since this post originally was created a year ago, but maybe it'll help someone else who reads this post! And if this gets necro'd again in a year, then... hello future people!
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I spend way too much time reading the lore of the Forgotten Realms.
Welcome to the yearly Necro! I'm creating a Dragonborn Bard right now named Wesley (Chosen name after they were banished) and I'm trying to build some back story. I appreciate all of your help and input.
Does he necessarily have to be kicked out? He could have, for example, been told that he needed to travel to the campaign's location because of an oracle.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Or it may simply be the clan’s tradition that on coming of age (assuming he is L1) he has to journey and experience the world beyond the clan before he can return. A “coming of age adventuring journey “ somewhat like the Masai lion hunts in Africa.
What if he upset some fey creatures and they teleported him the 2000 miles away. He is still a member of his clan, but he has not the least idea where his clan is.
I can only imagine the clan leader getting a letter from somebody close by to the PC that’s just like “you’re not gonna believe this, but…”
Hi everyone,
I have a dragonborn barbarian whose clan worships Bahamut. I'm working on my backstory for my dragonborn and I have disconnect between his back story and the campaign that we are running. I made him like a jock at high school. He is really strong. He is naturally skilled at fighting so he was sent to warrior training acedamy which he excelled at. So everyone expects him to do great things for the clan.
The problem is that the campaign takes place about 2k miles away where he grew up. The DM keeps asking me why he leave his clan and travel 2k miles? For dragonborns the clan is most important and unless there is a good reason for leaving he would stay with the clan.
So the idea came to give a character flaw or have him crew up so badly that the clan elders would kick him out of clan.Then he'll go on a quest and find a way to make things right so he would be allowed to join the clan.
I would really appreciate some ideas you guys may have.
Well, it seems natural for a barbarian to have lost control and hurt someone else in their clan bad enough to get kicked out. Depending on how tragic you want the story to be, it could be something fairly simple like your character got in a fight in an important temple and broke a valuable artifact. Maybe they got too angry at some demand the clan leader was giving htem and just punched them in the face, getting kicked out... could lead to some conflict in the future with your character since your clan has a prideful leader who's out to get you. If you want to get really tragic your character could even kill someone... maybe they were betrayed by a close friend and when they got into a fight your character couldn't hold back and killed their friend in the process... but also nobody else knew about the betrayal and you're thought of as just a murderer.
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Those are good suggestions. Thanks
Dragonborn don't like dragons, in Forgotten Realms, so just the fact that you worship Bahamut could get you kicked out.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
I was actually thinking this since reading the title.
The Tale of Egbert, the Careless - a Dragonborn Paladin of the Order of Dragon d'Or.
He was exiled for something he never speaks of... and neither does anyone who should know about it.
Any time any of the party tries to get information out of anyone, they all deflect the question. "He knows what he did." "I don't really like to talk about it." etc.
I'm starting to think that nobody really knows why he was exiled.
Human. Male. Possibly. Don't be a divider.
My characters' backgrounds are written like instruction manuals rather than stories. My opinion and preferences don't mean you're wrong.
I am 99.7603% convinced that the digital dice are messing with me. I roll high when nobody's looking and low when anyone else can see.🎲
“It's a bit early to be thinking about an epitaph. No?” will be my epitaph.
If a Dragonborn were without a clan... whether because they left at some point, or perhaps were rejected by the clan at birth as deformed or an ill omen... what might their "clan name" be? Would they, like Jon Snow, use some generic name as their clan? Or just not have one? Or maybe take on the name of someone who cared for them?
What if he upset some fey creatures and they teleported him the 2000 miles away. He is still a member of his clan, but he has not the least idea where his clan is.
2000 miles is a tremendous distance for a culture that travels by foot or on horseback. My biggest question would be, "Why is he now 2000 miles away from his clan where he was happy?"
An army on a long march travels about 20 miles per day. Covering the 2000 miles would take 100 days of good weather and determination. He would have to have a reason to make that trip if he wasn't magicked away.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
If you were disowned by your family, you would still have the same last name, wouldn't you? The same should apply to Dragonborn Clan names. Sure, you were kicked out of your clan, but that doesn't change that you were a member of them.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
That's a cultural thing. In some cultures (ours, for instance) you'll get to keep your name legally. In others, being shorn from your tribe/clan/family might mean losing your entire identity. Moreover, if you were rejected at birth you might never have been given a name in the first place.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
Wow, this thread was necro'd from over a year ago!
But I'll throw in my thoughts.
So, in the Brimstone Angels books, there's a Dragonborn who was kicked from his clan - he simply refers to himself as Mehen, or Clanless Mehen. (Dragonborn put their clan name before their actual name.)
(This is what I remember; there may be some inaccuracies - please anyone correct me of any of them.)
In the Forgotten Realms setting, Dragonborn were enslaved by Dragons on Abeir for a very long time. They weren't enslaved solely by chromatic dragons either - both chromatic and metallic dragons treat them the same. In Abeir, gods don't tread here; primordials and dragons rule the planet. Dragonborn escaped due to their own abilities and hard work; they were enslaved for so long and gods didn't save them, so they typically don't really feel gods deserve worship. Dragonborn are very self-reliant and prideful, so they don't like to "ask favors" of others, even gods.
As above people have said - Dragonborn don't really like Bahamut or Tiamat, and many Dragonborn clans would likely banish you for the open worship of them.
I liked the idea someone had where the barbarian also likely hurt someone during training or sparring. Granted, Dragonborn strive to be the best at whatever they put their mind to, so I imagine injuries are to be expected... although a death due to training isn't.
None of what I typed is likely relevant, since this post originally was created a year ago, but maybe it'll help someone else who reads this post! And if this gets necro'd again in a year, then... hello future people!
I spend way too much time reading the lore of the Forgotten Realms.
Welcome to the yearly Necro! I'm creating a Dragonborn Bard right now named Wesley (Chosen name after they were banished) and I'm trying to build some back story. I appreciate all of your help and input.
Does he necessarily have to be kicked out? He could have, for example, been told that he needed to travel to the campaign's location because of an oracle.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
Or it may simply be the clan’s tradition that on coming of age (assuming he is L1) he has to journey and experience the world beyond the clan before he can return. A “coming of age adventuring journey “ somewhat like the Masai lion hunts in Africa.
Wisea$$ DM and Player since 1979.
Or maybe he was captured by enemies, sold into slavery, and recently escaped?
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
I can only imagine the clan leader getting a letter from somebody close by to the PC that’s just like “you’re not gonna believe this, but…”