Topic: Character Backgrounds

[Mordrig]

Hello all,
  Do you write character backgrounds, or do the players write them?  Do you insist on hooks being available?  Many players want to be orphans, personally I am tired of that and want players to have families, mainly so I can threaten them.

[jdale]

Players write them for the most part, but I'll make suggestions, especially to give the characters reasons to work together. I've been in several campaigns where that common thread was not strong enough and it became a problem. For example, in my current party, I had three somewhat disreputable characters from the same area who wanted to be working together as mercenaries and such. I gave them a name and description for their employer. They've gradually developed more and more details about their style of work and relationship, partly as background and partly it's just emerged as chatter and characterization during the game. For the elf, I suggested that she have some kind of relationship with a particular elf NPC (relative, mentor, teacher, employer, etc); she decided he would be her uncle. The dwarf had written a fairly elaborate history which noted that he had scholarly contacts in various areas especially outside the dwarves, so I made one of those contacts the same NPC elf. Then for the priestess, her primary contact/hook was her high priestess. Then I made these three NPCs allies and in contact so they could task the party to work together. I gave all of them some specific background material relating to what they were doing; e.g. the elf knew a particular artifact had been stolen from her uncle and some details of that event, the mercenaries were delivering a related item to the high priestess, and the dwarf had been the original discoverer of the item that was stolen. So, adding some details but trying to build on what they had created rather than change it.

[Cory Magel]

Our players almost always write them.  We have one GM who wants to write them for the players and I keep telling him that most of us won't feel invested in the character.  I hate having a history handed to me.

Here's how past GM's in our group and I will do it...

1. GM gives the players a general overview of the world and it's current state.
2. Players write a history, outline, whatever.
3. GM looks those over, suggests possible changes, and often works them into the campaign somehow (the player generally doesn't know how).
4. Players finish/revamp the histories if needed, ending with why/how they ended up in the circumstances of the campaigns beginning.

Some players you have to limit them to a certain number of pages.  Some you have to use a carrot to even get them to write an outline.  I won't pressure the ones who don't like writing a history, but I won't accept nothing at all.

[vector]

I let my players create their character's background, I just help them to fit their ideas into my world. It's always a fun collaboration!

I do try to steer them into characters that will not have too much intra-party conflict. A little conflict is great, but a party full of diametrically opposed agendas would be too much chaos and potential hard feelings.

[Druss_the_Legend]

I let my players create their character's background, I just help them to fit their ideas into my world. It's always a fun collaboration!

I do try to steer them into characters that will not have too much intra-party conflict. A little conflict is great, but a party full of diametrically opposed agendas would be too much chaos and potential hard feelings.

I am similar in my view although I did throw the cat among the pigeons in current campaign with two assassins working for rival factions in the party! I know right? can you say discord!? The paranoia was considerable for these guys when it was made known there was a traitor in the group... its a large group of about 8npcs and 4 players. The players were really having to sleep with one eye open. One of the pcs has a habit of unexpectedly sneaking off on side missions without party knowledge... this fueled the paranoia and the two assassins and one of the other players who plays a barbarian were really secretly sizing one another up and expecting a knife in the back. Of course i fueled this paranoia by suggesting suitable ambush spots during whole party sessions and hinted at one point that this was the best opportunity for one of the assassins to carrying out his secret mission.

When a new player joined the group (he plays a bounty hunter) there was instant suspicion of who he was 'really' working for. It was great!

When the discord had reached terminal velocity i bailed out the assassins and hinted they actually might be on the same side (which they are). One of the assassins (a burglar with assassin training) is actually a sleeper agent who has been planted in one guild to bring it down from within. (He now knows his true purpose!). These two previous enemies now re revelaed to be allies with a shared goal! This knowledge is still only known by these two players and not the others... so its up to them to 'unite' the party by revealing this information in a future session

What is cool is the sleeper agent really wanted to be in the same guild as the other pc assassin but he was being used to hunt the guilds leader! It has set up an interesting showdown between the two rival guilds with the pcs in the middle playing a pivotal part.

[vector]

Druss_the_Legend, I love all the intrigue you've set up in your game. That is a great example of how to do intra-party conflict right.

Of course, you have to have the right players for those scenarios. I've always had to be a little more careful because my long time role-playing crew had two players that could always get on each other's nerves, even when they shared the same goals.

Actually putting their characters at odds with one another would be like throwing gasoline on a fire! LOL

[Druss_the_Legend]

Druss_the_Legend, I love all the intrigue you've set up in your game. That is a great example of how to do intra-party conflict right.

Of course, you have to have the right players for those scenarios. I've always had to be a little more careful because my long time role-playing crew had two players that could always get on each other's nerves, even when they shared the same goals.

Actually putting their characters at odds with one another would be like throwing gasoline on a fire! LOL

Thanks Vector. My current campaign is high on intrigue, deception and double-crossing. Spies and counter spies. Traitors and betrayers. This dynamic has worked because if the group of players and the dynamics between us. The GM has to know the players. That lets you cater to their needs and set things up that your players want. Ill ask for some feedback from my players again after we have finished a chapter in the current campaign. its their chance ti be honest about whats working and what they like to see introduced to the campaign in the future.