I'm in a Discord-based D&D game, and I was wondering how to drop hints to my character's noble background. In summary:
They were a prince who ran away from home, and they go by the cover of a goofy investigator. They resent and fear their family, and they try to be as far from a noble as possible, but their attempts to repress their upbringing and training has turned into to another side of them that comes out in combat (their version of Rage)
The hints I've given so far for their noble background are:
- Despite their inexperienced disposition, they have pretty nice clothes and decent gold
- They dodge questions to their heritage
- They call people "sir" a lot, but don't like to be called "sir" themself
- They don't trust people easily, and are cautious to tell anyone too much
- Their Rage is very tactical and cold
Any other ideas for how I could drop hints and build up to a reveal of their past?
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He/him
If your DM defends the DM vs Players mindset get outta there fast. My advice as someone with a bad history with this game o7 it gets better.
I love 5e monster & planar lore almost as much as I love complaining about it
Is the DM aware of this backstory? The DM could assist with this and is probably the best person to intertwine your backstory into the campaign with everyone's backstory rather than you being the one to try to insert your backstory into the campaign.
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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.
Definitely get the DM in on any backstory, if you haven't already. Don't flood them with details and keep it as open as possible for them to fit it in with their world; I recommend singling out just a few specific details (with DM approval, of course) to establish as hard facts early on, things that are important to the character's mannerisms, behavior, and attitudes (ie how you roleplay them).
For an outcast noble/royal going incognito, your mannerisms are a great way to drop hints without actually saying things outright. Speech patterns (like your "sir" thing), expressing general discomfort or disdain for "low" or "peasant" things and customs, etc. When going to a tavern for the first time, ask if they have some kind of fancy foods to order, or specific vintages of wine, bonus points if it's clearly the kind of place that only serves cheap ale and bean soup with the mystery-meat-of-the-day and stale bread. Have him act with "proper highborn manners and chivalric deportment" and such; he doesn't have to be clueless and stick out like a sore thumb but even just frequent muttering in disgust at "low, crass behavior" and such when he sees it. Use a lot of big words, the sort you'd expect from a well educated if not scholarly person, and correct others on their grammar. Either show irritation at crude jokes or, possibly even better, laugh along but act embarrassed and clearly sound like you're making awkward excuses by saying something like "low humor has always been a guilty pleasure of mine" or such.
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I'm in a Discord-based D&D game, and I was wondering how to drop hints to my character's noble background. In summary:
They were a prince who ran away from home, and they go by the cover of a goofy investigator. They resent and fear their family, and they try to be as far from a noble as possible, but their attempts to repress their upbringing and training has turned into to another side of them that comes out in combat (their version of Rage)
The hints I've given so far for their noble background are:
- Despite their inexperienced disposition, they have pretty nice clothes and decent gold
- They dodge questions to their heritage
- They call people "sir" a lot, but don't like to be called "sir" themself
- They don't trust people easily, and are cautious to tell anyone too much
- Their Rage is very tactical and cold
Any other ideas for how I could drop hints and build up to a reveal of their past?
He/him
If your DM defends the DM vs Players mindset get outta there fast. My advice as someone with a bad history with this game o7 it gets better.
I love 5e monster & planar lore almost as much as I love complaining about it
Lvl 17, Bard of Swords, Merfolk
Is the DM aware of this backstory? The DM could assist with this and is probably the best person to intertwine your backstory into the campaign with everyone's backstory rather than you being the one to try to insert your backstory into the campaign.
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.
Definitely get the DM in on any backstory, if you haven't already. Don't flood them with details and keep it as open as possible for them to fit it in with their world; I recommend singling out just a few specific details (with DM approval, of course) to establish as hard facts early on, things that are important to the character's mannerisms, behavior, and attitudes (ie how you roleplay them).
For an outcast noble/royal going incognito, your mannerisms are a great way to drop hints without actually saying things outright. Speech patterns (like your "sir" thing), expressing general discomfort or disdain for "low" or "peasant" things and customs, etc. When going to a tavern for the first time, ask if they have some kind of fancy foods to order, or specific vintages of wine, bonus points if it's clearly the kind of place that only serves cheap ale and bean soup with the mystery-meat-of-the-day and stale bread. Have him act with "proper highborn manners and chivalric deportment" and such; he doesn't have to be clueless and stick out like a sore thumb but even just frequent muttering in disgust at "low, crass behavior" and such when he sees it. Use a lot of big words, the sort you'd expect from a well educated if not scholarly person, and correct others on their grammar. Either show irritation at crude jokes or, possibly even better, laugh along but act embarrassed and clearly sound like you're making awkward excuses by saying something like "low humor has always been a guilty pleasure of mine" or such.