When creating a character, the character's origin is maybe the most pivotal aspect of character creation. It involves crafting a compelling backstory that defines your character's physical characteristics like sex, gender and age, but also your background, with heritage and ancestry, motivations, personality, connections to the game world, and potential for character growth.
Consider family history, motivations, personality traits, relationships, unresolved issues, and moral code while ensuring alignment with the campaign setting. Collaborating with the Dungeon Master and fellow players can lead to a more cohesive party and enrich the storytelling experience at the gaming table, making your character's origin a vital element of the adventure.
Physical Characteristics
Age
Age
Age and time... both decide many things in one's life. History, experiences, family, relationships, ambitions, goals, motivation, energy, recklessness, knowledge, wisdom, interests, health, stamina, skills and much more...
An aging character usually have more experiences, having gathered knowledge throughout their life. This is represented by a character gaining age traits as they go through the different age spans, as well as proficiencies. These features are usually balanced out by the aging characters faltering strength and health.
Younglings, unlike their elders, lack life experiences and knowledge they've gained throughout life. A younger character has fewer age traits, fewer developed proficiencies and is weaker than their adult counterparts, although generally more agile.
Age Traits
When creating a character, you must also decide upon an age. This age falls within an age span from childhood to elderly, granting different effects, both positive and negative. Additionally, a character chooses one Age Trait for each age span they have entered. Age traits are features that exceptional individuals possess, those of the adventurers.
Childhood
Childhood is a small but formative period of discovery and intellectual development for humanoids. Children quickly learn to master fine motor skills and learn to move through and manipulate their environments with ease, but the most important aspect is that the mind is flexible and is thirsty for knowledge.
Str | Dex | Con | Per | Int | Wis | Cha | Des |
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-3 | +1 | -3 | +1 | +0 | +0 | +2 | +2 |
Childhood Effects
- First Language: Children gains language proficiency. The first language chosen represents their mother tongue, usually regionally or racially associated.
- Smaller Size: Children are one size category smaller than that of an adult of its race. This results in a lower hit dice, usually from a d8 to a d6, or a d6 to a d4.
- Second Chances: Children sometimes unexpectedly succeed and/or survive the most extreme odds. Children has access to the Child Die. The die starts as a d20 and can be added to any ability check or attack roll, as well as reduce an attack roll from an enemy targeting them. After each use, reduce the die size by one in the following succession: d12, d10, d8, d6, d4. After the d4 is rolled, the die is expended. The die is reset after each long rest.
Childhood Traits
d20 | Trait |
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1 | Absolutely Ordinary Childhood Your childhood was ordinary, very ordinary. Aside from some minor unique circumstances, you have been raised following in the footsteps of your family and local society. Raised with those social expectations, you have garnered familiarity with a few skills.
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2 | Animal Lover Having grown up closely with animals and/or pets, have made you very familiar and fond of caring for animals; most commonly domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats, cows, horses, and so on.
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3 | Blessed by the Gods Some say it's a miracle, some, a genetic anomaly. Wherever or whatever the source may be, you have since childhood always been able to perform miraculous feats. |
4 | Bookish You were an avid reader from a young age, immersing yourself in stories and knowledge. While others played in the sun, you were lost in pages. Tales of heroes, arcane knowledge, and forgotten histories were your playground.
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5 | Bully Raised in a harsh environment, you learned early that a show of strength often speaks louder than words.
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6 | Curious Mind Your childhood has been spent learning about a wide variety of things, with every mystery seen as a puzzle waiting to be solved.
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7 | Cursed Child Born cursed, your fate is intertwined with a dark burden.
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8 | Demonic Bastard Infernal blood burns in your veins.
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9 | Eldritch or Fae Blessed Touched by strange otherworldly forces, you channel unpredictable power.
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10 | Feral Child Raised by beasts, the wilderness is more your home than any city.
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11 | Flower Child You embody kindness, compassion, and hope, even in dark times. |
12 | Golden Child You’ve been raised — or destined — for greatness.
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13 | Natural Beauty Your striking appearance influences those around you.
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14 | Noble Upbringing From a young age, you were immersed in noble society and politics.
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15 | Old Soul |
16 | Playful Content TBD. (Possibly tied to: Acrobatics, Athletics, Brawn, Deception, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand, Stealth) |
17 | Sore Loser You live to win and loathe defeat.
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18 | Street Urchin You know the secrets of city life.
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19 | Troublemaker You learned to talk your way out of trouble from a young age.
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20 | Wild Child You grew up in the dangers of wilderness where nature is your playground, and you revel in its untamed beauty.
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Sex & Gender
Sex & Gender
You can play male, female or non-binary characters without gaining any special physical benefits or hindrances. Likewise, your character’s sexual orientation is for you to decide.
However, one should think about how your character does or does not conform to the broader culture’s expectations of sex, gender, and sexual behavior.
You don’t need to be confined to binary notions of sex and gender. The elven gods Daga and Nattr has both transitioned to the other sex, while the god Hagbard is often seen as androgynous and somewhere inbetween.
Height & Weight
Height
Your character's specie description includes ranges for the average height of members of your specie. Height and stature may be important in some cultures, but mainly being in one or another extreme certainly puts an eye towards you.
Weight
Your character's specie description includes ranges for the average weight of members of your specie. Weight is usually tied to general health and athleticism. Like height, falling into one or the other extreme, usually brings attention in some way or another, and may even if you and the DM decides, put some health risks in your way.
Appearance
Appearance
Your character's appearance is in majority described and creatively thought out by you.......
..Despite this; weight, height, background
Background
When creating a character's background, you're creating not only their lineage, and heritage, but also their upbringing, reputation, social standing, and financial resources. Players can choose freely from different levels of renown, social status, and wealth, but they must create a well-thought-out backstory to justify their choices. Characters can come from many diverse backgrounds, with its own set of advantages and challenges, as well as role-playing opportunities.
Renown
Renown
Renown represents how well-known and respected a character is in the world. It can be gained through various deeds, accomplishments, or connections, and is often linked to a character social status, but not always. Renown is more dynamic and can change as the character's adventures unfold. Characters can gain or lose renown based on their actions and decisions.
Characters with different backgrounds and roles can have varying levels of renown, regardless of their social status or wealth. A humble bard might have high renown due to their songs and stories, while a noble might have low renown if they haven't achieved much. Players can choose their character's level of renown, but must create a backstory that justifies it.
d100 | Level of Renown | Description | Examples | Aristocratic Examples | Real World Swedish Examples |
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1-19 | Unknown | The character is completely unknown, having never done anything remarkable. | A farmhand in a remote village. A reclusive hermit in the wilderness. A street urchin in a sprawling city. | Serfs, Slaves, Servants | Mikael Strömqvist, an unknown teacher's assistant |
20-37 | Rural | The character is known within a small local settlement, or known to many within an obscure community, organization, guild or religion. | The local blacksmith in a hamlet. A skilled hunter in a forest settlement. The village healer in a secluded valley. | Knights | Pundar-Conny, an A-lagare sitting by the local hemköp. |
38-53 | Local | The character is known within a larger local settlement or a few small local settlements, or known to all within an obscure community, organization, guild or religion. | The mayor of a small town. A renowned tavern owner in the city's center. A famous minstrel performing in local inns. | Low Noble (without titles), Skilled or veteran Knights. | Keramik Lena, Pizzabagaren Bosse som ägt den lokala pizzerian i 30 år. |
54-65 | Regional | The character is known within a small region comprised of both small and large settlements, or known to many within a minor community, organization, guild or religion. | The captain of the city guard in a region. A successful merchant with trade networks. A celebrated historian with published works. | Baron/Baroness | Emil "HeatoN" Christensen, Lewi Pethrus |
66-75 | Notable | The character is known within a larger region or regions comprised of many small and large settlements, or known to all within a minor community, organization, guild or religion. | A noble knight and winner of a tournament. A skilled wizard in a magical academy. A famous diplomat representing the realm. | Count/Countess | Hans "Dolph" Lundgren |
76-85 | Respected | The character is known to many throughout many regions or an entire nation, or known to many within a major community, organization, guild or religion. | A skilled healer whose knowledge is sought after far and wide. An honorable paladin of a major religion. | Marquis/Marquise | Leif G.W. Persson |
86-93 | Renowned | The character is known to all throughout the entire nation, or known to all within a major community, organization, guild or religion. | A renowned adventurer with epic deeds. A beloved queen known for her rule. A masterful artist with a following. | Prince/Princess, Duke/Duchess | Kronprinsessan Victoria, Pernilla Wahlgren |
94-97 | Eminent | The character is known to many within several regions and nations, and even entire continents, or known to many within a worldwide community, organization, guild or religion. | An archmage who leads a Mage Council. A heroic general who saved the realm. A deity within a major pantheon. | King/Queen | Carl XVI Gustaf, Sasha Grey, |
98 | Illustrious | The character is known to all within many regions, nations, and continents, or known to all within a worldwide community, organization, guild or religion. | The High King who rules over several kingdoms. The ruling celestial deity of a major pantheon. | Emperor | Vladimir Putin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Jeanne d'Arc. |
99 | Legendary | The character is known to all within almost all regions, nations, and continents. | A fabled knight who conquered ancient dragons. An ancient lich that attempted to conquer the whole world. | Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, Arthur Pendragon, Robin Hood | |
100 | Mythical | The character is known to almost all within all regions, nations and continents. | The ruler of Kronopolis. A creator deity of the world. | Jesus of Nazareth. Muhammed. |
Heritage
Heritage
Creating a background always requires a connection to the past, a character's ancestry, its heritage.
Social Status | Aristocracy | Clergy | Commoners | Intellectual | Merchant | Military | Political | |
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1 | Emperor | |||||||
2 | King, Queen | Pope, Templar Lord | ||||||
3 | Prince, Duke | Archbishop, Templar Exarch | - | Archmage | Field Marshal, Supreme Commander | Imperial Chancellor | ||
4 | Marquis | Bishop, Templar Master | Guild Master | General, Admiral, | ||||
5 | Count | Priest, Templar Priest | Grandmaster | Brigadier General | ||||
6 | Baron | Templar Knight | Guild Officer | Colonel, Major, Captain (naval) Commander | ||||
7 | Knight | Templar Acolyte | House Leader | Captain (field), Lieutenant (naval) | ||||
8 | Master Craftsman | Men-at-arms, Mercenary | ||||||
9 | Burgher/Farmer | Journeyman | Foot Soldier / Guard | |||||
10 | Heretic, Outcast | |||||||
11 | Criminal, Outlaw | |||||||
12 | Slave |
Wealth
8 Divine ruler 50,000+ No equivalent
7 King, pope: $20,000+ President: $20,000+ 6 Prince, duke, archbishop: $10,000 Governor, senator: $10,000 5 Baron, count, bishop: $5,000 Corporate head: $8,000 4 Landed lord: $2,500 Who’s Who: $6,000 3 Lesser lord: $1,500 Large-city mayor: $4,000 2 Knight, mayor, great merchant: $800 Mayor: $2,400 1 Squire, captain, merchant: $400 Doctor, councilman: $1,200 0 Freeman: $200 Ordinary citizen: $600 -1 Bondsman or servant: $100 Poor: $300 -2 Outsider, underworld: $50 Street beggar -3 Street beggar: $50 No equivalent -4 Serf or slave: $50 No equivalent |
Name
Name
Your character’s race description includes sample names for members of that race. Put some thought into your name even if you’re just picking one from a list.