Hi guys, girls and beyonders

First I want to say sorry for the bad formatting, I only have access to my phone right now, so I can't use the formatting tools that are available on the desktop site, but I have tried my best to make this readable.

I am trying to write a story for a standard Human Barbarian character and I am a little stuck.  Here is the story that I have so far:

"As a young child, he was forcibly taken from his snow-clad village as a token of war, but the pale nameless boy had no love of the frozen lands and it’s icy beauty.  He had no memory, no identity and thus, no ability to grieve for the people he was forced to leave behind

Used as slave labour and trotted out as a source of various amusements for the important guests of the family whose father had taken him from his ancestral home, Ivan (a name given to him jest by his master) grew up knowing only torment, hunger and pain, and entirely unaware of the destiny that was about to unfold before him

It was by chance that he would find himself servicing the kind-hearted daughter of Sun Empress, but that meeting had for the first time, ignited passion deep within his heart. 

A passion that would lead him to the realisation, that for his forgotten past, his bleak present and even bleaker future, there could only be retribution!"

And here is how I was imagining his relationship.with the Princess went, and the leadup to him becoming an adventurer: 

He basically had a love affair with a Princess, who also helped him get a better life by pretty much *buying* him from the family whom he had belonged to.

And then freeing him from bondage.

Initially, the deal was that he was supposed to remain her lover, but once he had a taste of freedom, he needed more and more and then he found a way to help others like himself, others whose lives have been stolen.

He was eventually found out, arrested, charged with treason and put on trial. The princess still loved him though, and in her heart agreed with what he had done. If he was guilty, then so was she, because she had used her position and power to do the exactly the same thing when she freed him, and for a much more selfish reason than he had helped the others; and so she helped him, one last time.

Using her position as a Royal Princess and heir apparent to the imperial throne, she helped him escape before his trial over.

He was found guilty in his absence, so as long as the Sun Empress rules, he can't go back or see his former lover again.

He became a wanderer, who supported himself by taking jobs here and there while developing his skills and discovering his inherent ancestral abilities.

Before the first session, he joins up with a band monster slayers who have been hired to take care of some undead. At first, he thinks that this is just another job, that he will be paid and move on to the next village. He doesn't actually realise that this is the start of a great adventure that will see him become a true hero, and so that is where we meet him at the start of session 1... Off to on a *job* for which he expects to get paid.

The problem is with this, he is a level 1 character, who has been through some stuff and I wasn't sure if this was all too much for a level 1 character.

I am quite stuck on this backstory, because I don't know if I am trying to write him a story that is too full of stuff for a level 1 character or not, and I am struggling to condense my thoughts on his previous life into a backstory that is suitable for a level 1.

I would appreciate some pointers on where I am going wrong from outside eyes.

Thanks for all your help everyone, I'd buy you all coffee if I could.

XD

edit:  I have edited this post using the formatting tools on the desktop.  I have also corrected several spelling mistakes.

I think it makes sense for a level 1 character. His backstory doesn't include details about him winning a ton of battles... just him helping other slaves to escape. He could have done that in ways other than brute strength, despite being a barbarian. So overall I think it's a backstory that doesn't clash with the character still being level 1 at the start of his journey.

I think it could work but then again the guy who dms without rules I'm really in to logic and backstory I think this could work

The background is fine.  What is described is using skills or influence which might define your skill choices.  A 1st level character is more effective than a peasant or serf, so it isn't overpowered.  Social rank isn't level.   And you can lose rank...like you just described.

Mechanically he's a barbarian, but does that really mean he is uncultured? Or just a person with anger issues in his current situation of love denied?

Have fun with this one.

I'm a long time GM, and this is a great first level backstory, many plot hook potentials for the GM to play with. Maybe a few details like a few names of people he helped or worked with or the people who caught him, would make it better, but they aren't needed,  just accessories.