Monday Motivations #2

Article #2 in a regular series where I offer up some ideas for character backgrounds by class.  I aim to collect these ideas together for a future pdf publication.

What made your character decide to become a wizard? Why did they leave their home town? Did they leave family behind or are they looking for something? These are all questions players face when generating their characters, with the best will in the world it's tempting to rely on cliché

ANY CLASS

3. Spurned Love - You thought you had a chance of happiness when you're eyes met across the harvest banquet table. But those hopes were soon dashed when her gaze landed on your older brother's.  The following Spring they were married and as is the custom she moved into her husband's house, your home.  After a week you realized you couldn't face another day in the same house as her so you left for pastures new and possibly adventure...

4. Accidental Death - Your oldest and best friend was your rival for the attentions of the miller's daughter.  Even though you were exonerated by the Sheriff from any wrong doing, the villager's believed that you were not entirely blameless for his accidental death.  After month's of putting up with the furtive glances and the whispered rumours you decide that life would be better for everyone if you just left.  Perhaps in another village you'll be able to start a new and more interesting life...

BARBARIAN

1. Born into it - You don't really have a choice you're father was a tribal chief, as was your grandfather and his father before him stretching back across the ages into the time when the Legends were born.  It is the tradition that tribal chief sons go out into the world far beyond the boundaries of the tribal lands and embark on a great quest.  Perhaps you will find a beautiful wife like your father, or great riches like your grandfather, or perhaps like your brother you will not return at all...

THIEF

3. Brutal childhood - You had two choices after your Father died and your Mother remarried; either runaway or die at the hands of the brute she married.  You chose the former and ran away at the tender age of 12 eventually falling in with a kindly old thief from whom you learned the arts of the con, the distraction, the palm, how to pick a pocket and a lock and many, many more...

4. Middle Child - As a middle child you felt you always got the raw end of the deal.  Your older sibling got the praise for doing everything first and your younger sibling always being praised for just existing.  The only way you got any attention was when you did something bad.  Eventually your petty thievery caught the attention of what passes for the Thieves Guild in your town you were given three choices; join the Guild, leave town or take a beating...