1. What’s your character’s name, race, and class?
Aldos Fulbrot, halfling paladin of Kol Korran
2. Where was your character born? Try to describe it: What kind of people lived there, how large was it, did it have a special purpose, etc.
Birthplace just north of the Brey River, but raised in Starilaskur (est. 120,000 inhabitants). From worldprime.enigmata.org:
“Starilaskur is a city with some 120,000 inhabitants located in the Northeastern grasslands of Breland that serves as a lightning rail hub between Breland, Zilargo, and Thrane. During the Last War, it served as an important military supply point – the closest city to the borders that was easily defended. Economically, it is the center of grain and livestock related industries in Breland, as the southern reaches of the country are largely dominated by rainy sub-tropical forests. Politically, it has remained in the shadows of Breland’s great metropolis, Sharn, and capital, Wroat. "
3. What are your character’s favorite weapons and items? I don’t hand out golf bags of magic weapons and armaments. Instead, a character’s items “level up” as he increases in experience. I prefer magic items that feel personal and have their own unique histories. Also, I try to connect a character’s items with plot hooks already in place within the campaign. This gives the character a vested interest in the adventure. Common favorite items include heirlooms that belonged to beloved family members, sets of tools from memorable first experiences, or prizes won in contests.
Aldos’ adopted parents rented out two guest rooms. One semi-permanent guest was a weathered traveler old enough to be Aldos’ grandfather, or even great-grandfather. He was called Hevdos. He had all sorts of interesting trinkets, and with each one a story, but Aldos’ favorite stories were always related to the old man’s walking staff. It was covered with an assortment of marks, nicks, runes, and plates. At the start of every early spring, Hevdos would pack some belongings and leave to “tend to business”. Like clockwork, he would return during early autumn with new stories about his companions, the creatures and beasts they encountered, the sights they’ve seen and so on. When Aldos turned 12, Hevdos gifted him with a walking staff of his own. Hevdos left for his annual trip the following spring and never returned.
4. What is the most important event in your character’s life? The answer to this question is preferably something that changed your character in a meaningful way. Another way to look at the question is, “Why is my character going out into the world and leaving his warm, quiet, normal life behind?”
Aldos’s biological parents owned land just north of the Brey River. In summer months, the sun would shine against the surrounding wheat that grew from rich, black soil. A stone wall to the south separated a vineyard that provided robust grapes for wine making. Aldos’ uncle was an accomplished rider and horse breeder who owned a ranch only three hours away by mounted travel. The land had been in their family for only three generations when Aldos was born. The descendant of the noble who had given them the land passed away to illness, and Aldos’ family was caught amongst the ensuing land-grab. The nobility involved initially agreed to omit Aldos’ family from the conflict, but as time loomed on, the land (and the horses) became very desirable. Before Aldos was even a year old, his family was met by force. His mother was taken captive, and his uncle and father were both killed, but their sacrifice allowed Aldos’ nursemaid, Marjean, to escape with Aldos to safety.
5. What motivates your character? Character motivations like the acquisition of wealth and power are assumed. What I’m looking for are ways to keep your character searching for clues, or to keep him with the party. Common motivations include protecting a secret or another character, seeking out the answer to a question, or revenge against an enemy.
Aldos was raised to distinguish right from wrong, and was always told: “There are no perfect men, only perfect intentions.” He was given daily chores to do as soon as he was old enough to do them, and was raised to be sincere with his respect for others. When he was old enough to handle the truth, Marjean told Aldos about his parents, sparking a need for justice. Harolt had disagreed with Marjean’s decision to tell Aldos, but they exercised patience and with Hevdos’ assistance helped Aldos find a peace with his past. This, along with an innate desire to travel and see the world (fueled by Hevdos), set his life’s path before him.
6. What is your character’s family like? I try to incorporate NPCs into the game, so feel free to mention best friends, distant relatives, mentors, etc. I don’t use them as ways to attack the character indirectly; instead, I use them to motivate the characters into the campaign. Be sure to name the NPCs you create.
Aldos was adopted quite young into his human family. Both his father Harolt and uncle Fitzen are cordwainers in Askur Square, Starilaskur. Harolt and his wife, Marjean, had two children of their own after adopting Aldos.
His best friends growing up were Thilphast Eddlesk, another halfling, and Remvin Ilhastins, a half-ogre. They grew up going to school together, and were quite mischievous when they were young. As they grew older, Aldos found himself keeping his best friends out of trouble by stopping them before they acted on impulse.
7. What does your character fear? List a few fears that can happen in-game. Common fears include spiders, snakes, or water. More unique fears can be certain spells, types of people (like kings or beggars), or special weather conditions and environments (like swamps, the desert, or the open ocean).
Aldos’ greatest fear is losing those close to him. He cares deeply for his family and friends. Somatically, he harbors trepidation for losing control of his actions, or being blinded or deafened.
8. Does your character have any dark secrets or hidden shame in his past? Troubled pasts can really flesh out a character’s future, but they don’t have to be deep, dire, and psychological. Dark secrets or hidden shames can be as involved as an accidental murder that the character was never caught for, or as simple as a theft of bread that left another to be flogged by the town guard.
Thilphast and Aldos enjoyed sneaking into places they were forbidden to go as children, whether by their parents, instructors, or law enforcement. They’d then brag to Remvin about what they had done and seen. Sometimes Remvin would believe them, other times not, and on occasion Thilphast would bring proof, even against Aldos’ expressed caution. Thilphast once brought back their headmaster’s prosthetic hand as a borrowed trophy, which fell upon Aldos to return.
In a later instance, Thilphast had burgled a small box from a bandit hideout, having hidden it in Aldos’ bedroom for safekeeping, and which emitted a magical force that quickly drew Hevdos’ attention. Hevdos had confronted Aldos about the box and said he would take it back to where it belonged, but Aldos must never mention it again to anyone, not even Thilphast.
9. What goals does your character hope to accomplish? What will your character achieve during the course of the campaign? Some goals, such as “to be a better person” or “to be wealthy” might be great goals for real-life people, but I’m looking for something more along the lines of things that can be accomplished through the campaign’s plot. Common goals include saving an important NPC, recovering a missing artifact, or finding a lost civilization.
I: Learn of his family’s fate and recover what might rightfully belong to him.
II: Find whatever happened to Hevdos, and possibly travel with him for some time.
III: Make right whatever wrongs are within his power.
