Table: Birth Status (Unpredict-O-Bubble Table)

The professional adventurer may prefer to wear a cloak of mystery, but even the mysterious stranger came from somewhere. This is the eighteenth table of the Unpredict-O-Bubble Table.

Birth Status

Roll 1d20 or 1d30

1. 1st child
2. 2nd child
3. 3rd child
4. 4th child
5. 5th child
6. 6th child
7. 7th child
8. 8th child
9. 9th child
10. 10th child
11. 11th child
12. 12th child
13. only child
14. adopted child
15. foundling
16. changeling (alleged)
17. twin (roll 1d12 to determine order for both)
18. triplet (roll 1d12 to determine order for all three)
19. quadruplet (roll 1d12 to determine order for all four)
20. quintuplet (roll 1d12 to determine order for all five)
21. raised by 1) wolves, 2) werewolves, 3) wolfweres, or 4) dogs (roll 1d4)
22. raised by 1) apes, 2) monkeys, or 3) proto-simians (roll 1d3)
23. raised by 1) squirrels, 2) raccoons, 3) opossums, 4) rabbits, 5) hedgehogs, or 6) capybaras (roll 1d6)
24. raised by chickens (or the poultry of your choice)
25. raised by 1) dolphins, 2) whales, 3) squid, 4) carp, 5) merpeople, or 6) plankton (roll 1d6)
26. changeling (for sure)
27. born of the union of divine and mortal flesh (i.e., a demigod)
28. created by act of spontaneous generation
29. reanimated from the tissue of a variety of corpses
30. began as a puppet carved from wood

Table: Character Backgrounds (Table of Many Tables)

Roll on this table from the Table of Many Tables to generate background information for player characters, non-player characters, player non-characters, and non-player non-characters!

Character Backgrounds

Roll 1d12

This character...

1. Was chased out of a village for allegedly engaging in lycanthropic activities.
2. Was awarded a medal for rescuing the prized pet pig of a high-ranking official.
3. Was honored for meritorious conduct during The Upheaval (and the less said about that the better).
4. Joined and left a monastic order after having second thoughts.
5. Was formerly a seige engineer, but aspired to be an architect.
6. Has led a life of crime, but turned over a new leaf yesterday.
7. Comes from a long line of smiths.
8. Is a former charcoaler, but left it in favor of a less glamourous life.
9. Inherited large tracts of land, but has heretofore neglected to claim them.
10. Served as a cook in an army's baggage train, before being forcibly discharged.
11. Was raised in a haunted house.
12. Had an illustrious career under a false identity. Supposedly...

Building Character Backgrounds Gradually

I firmly believe that player characters should have a background. And a description. And a name. When I first started playing Dungeons & Dragons, it didn't matter too much. Two out of three was usually considered good enough, but my very first character had none of these. He was just a class with attribute scores and some possessions. Needless to say, my experience with that character was not fulfilling, and I attached part of the blame to the fact that my character was more like what we now call an avatar, an artificial means of interacting with a virtual environment, which is still, nonetheless, myself. After that character came to an end, I vowed that I would never again run a nameless, faceless character as a player, nor would I tolerate them as a DM (or GM as the case may be). A character needn't have a lengthy biography nor a medical record accounting for every bruise nor even a picture, but he or she must have a name, a general physical description (preferably one that notes distinguishing features), and at least a rudimentary background. As a GM, I reserve the right to fill in any basic details that the player couldn't be bothered with. I have been known, for instance, to surprise a player with a sibling he didn't know his character had, but that is a story for another time. The rewards of all this effort should be self-evident. You are creating a character who is unique, who occupies a space in another world, who interacts with other characters and has adventures and may live to tell memorable tales.

Ah, but there's the crux of the problem. After all the effort of truly creating a character with a terrific name and an interesting background that explains who that character is and why, what if this character is snuffed out of existence in his first adventure when he falls into a pit lined with stakes? Or when he is swarmed by angry kobolds? Or when he is tenaciously pursued and torn to shreds by a ferocious man-killing rat? (O.K., that last example is from the Intellivision ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Cartridge game, but the idea still applies.)

High mortality is a more of a problem in some games than others. Call of Cthulhu is a popular example, but so is Dungeons & Dragons (and its retro-clones). Most adventure games, in my opinion, are more enjoyable when there is a risk of a character not surviving. It increases a player's sense of accomplishment when it is not only achieving the goal, but survival itself, that denotes the successful adventurer. Risk is part of the thrill of the game. How then does one reconcile the time spent creating a character with the life expectancy of the average low level adventurer?

I submit that the answer is gradual background building. In most works of fiction, we do not learn everything about a character as soon as that character is introduced. We learn about their backgrounds gradually. By all means they should have a name and a physical description, but perhaps, at first, we know nothing about their background beyond what their accent tells us. Perhaps we know where they are from, or at least where they must have been living for some time. As the story progresses, we may learn something about their religion or philosophy, or their family, or their ancestry. The same can be done in a role-playing game. Once you have rolled up, equipped, described, and named your character, write a single sentence pertaining to the character's background. If the character perishes from an ill-fated encounter with green slime in the first outing, all you've lost is the effort of writing one sentence (backgroundwise). If the character survives the first adventure, write another sentence into the background story. Repeat as needed. The longer the character lives, the longer the background story grows as well as the story that is being created with each succeeding adventure. In a way, your character is growing both forwards and backwards in time. And if your character meets an untimely end after a long career of adventures, the background you have written will make your memories of the character that much richer.

[Originally posted in Fudgery.net/fudgerylog.]

Random Background Generator for Halflings: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with halflings.


Random Background Generator for Halflings
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Distrusted
2. Tolerated
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disavowed
2. Criticized
3. Unappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. Two
4. Two
5. Three
6. Three
7. Four
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Craftsmen
3. Farmers
4. Farmers
5. Gardeners
6. Herders
7. Merchants
8. Nobility
9. Scholars
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Woodsmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession.
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Background Generator for Dwarves: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with dwarves.


Random Background Generator for Dwarves
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Tolerated
2. Respected
3. Admired
4. Envied


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disowned
2. Unappreciated
3. Underappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. One
4. Two
5. None
6. None
7. None
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Artisans
3. Craftsmen
4. Craftsmen
5. Craftsmen
6. Merchants
7. Nobility
8. Scholars
9. Soldiers
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Tradesmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession. (All dwarves are skilled miners whether it is their primary occupation or not.)
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Background Generator for Elves: Roll All Dice

The Random Background Generator can be used for any human or humanlike character, but this variant has been adapted specifically for use with elves.


Random Background Generator for Elves
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Tolerated
2. Accepted
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Shunned
2. Misunderstood
3. Discouraged
4. Encouraged
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. One
3. One
4. Two
5. Two
6. Three
7. None
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Artisans
3. Craftsmen
4. Craftsmen
5. Musicians
6. Nobility
7. Poets
8. Poets
9. Scholars
10. Scholars
11. Soldiers
12. Tradesmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession. (All elves are considered to be skilled at living in harmony with their environment, which would include, amongst other things, a vast knowledge of flora and fauna.)
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

Random Background Generator Example 4

Rounding out the last example to test the Random Background Generator by creating a standard adventuring party, here is our fourth subject, straight 3d6 in order:

Strength: 14
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 7
Dexterity: 11
Constitution: 10
Charisma: 10

Once again we have a character who is naturally inclined in one direction, in this case the magical arts, but we have a position to fill in the party, which is for a fighter, so he'll just have to be a fighter. A smart one. Named Norid. (*shrug*)

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 4; d6: 4; d8: 8; d10: 3; d12: 10; d20: 2.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 4, Norid's family is "Admired" — for what we shall see.

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 4, Norid is "Appreciated." He wasn't neglected, but neither was he saddled with the pressure of overly high expectations.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 8, Norid has no siblings. Maybe I spoke too soon about expectations.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 3, his maternal grandmother lives in his parents' household. She has always doted on him, what with being an only child.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 10, Norid comes from a long line of soldiers, which explains why he is a fighter. Being the only child, did he have a choice (even though he knows he was born to be a scholar of magic)?

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 2, Norid was "Chosen." In this case, he was chosen to be a warrior and a hero. His family is admired for the heroes it has produced, and Norid will doubtless maintain the tradition and fulfill the expectations of both his family and the community that has always looked to it for leadership (despite Norid's unexceptional charisma).

Summary

Growing up an only child in a family admired for its heroic martial lineage, Norid has been marked as chosen for a destiny of heroism, and as such he has spent his life preparing for that moment of truth on the battlefield, despite the fact that he has always felt that the study and practice of magic was his true calling. Perhaps life as an adventurer will allow him to satisfy both his sense of duty and his scholarly curiosity.

Random Background Generator Example 3

I felt a need to round out my examples for the Random Background Generator, so here is another one:

Strength: 11
Intelligence: 15
Wisdom: 16
Dexterity: 16
Constitution: 11
Charisma: 7

With a high dexterity and low charisma, this character would have been a natural thief, but the party needs a cleric, so with a wisdom of 16, he's a cleric. Meet Reffold the Scruffy.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 6; d8: 6; d10: 2; d12: 12; d20: 15.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, Reffold's family is "Respected" (not surprising since they produced a priest).

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 6, Reffold is "Favored" in his family (not surprising since he agreed to become a priest).

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 6, Reffold has six siblings. I'll roll 1d8 to determine his birth order (rerolling if the result is 8). Randomly determining the sex of each in order (evens vs. odds), they are: sister, brother, sister, brother, sister, Reffold, sister.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 2, there is a maternal grandfather in the household. He's a quiet fellow, but he has reservoirs of wisdom he occasionally shares.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 12, it's another family of woodsmen. We'll make them loggers (and secondarily carpenters). Reffold will have some knowledge of both professions. And the family, being respected by the community and proud to have a son in the clergy, has probably contributed lumber and labor in the construction of churches and hospitals. Such a family of do-gooders needs a surname: Woodfell will do. Reffold Woodfell, sometimes styled "the Scruffy."

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 15, Reffold's reason for adventuring is "Rejection." This is at odds with his favored status in a respected family, so we'll say he was rejected by his religious order and he is seeking to atone for something (probably an unfortunate social gaffe exacerbated by his below average charisma) so he can rejoin the order.

Summary

Growing up the favored sixth child amongst seven in a family of respected and devout loggers and carpenters, including wise old Grandpa, Reffold entered the clergy and made the Woodfell clan proud, but a blunder made worse by his deficiency in social skills caused him to fall out of favor with his religious order and now he must atone. He has been cast out until he can return with proof that he is worthy to rejoin his order.

Table: Ill-Conceived Reasons to Adventure

For those who find the Reasons to Adventure table too reasonable, I offer the following...


Ill-Conceived Reasons to Adventure

Roll 1d20

1. An amateur botanist and professional florist, you are interested in specimens native to great dark swamps such as the Great Dark Swamp (from Whence None Return).
   
2. An amateur entomologist and collector of insects, you have heard that there are several unclassified species of beetles reportedly found in catacombs and tombs.
   
3. A composer of songs, you seek inspiration for your next ballad in the ruins of Castle Doom or any equally forboding fortress that might be haunted.
   
4. A "people person," you are eager to meet as many people as you can no matter how isolated or xenophobic they may be.
   
5. An entrepreneur, you know there are lucrative opportunities awaiting you on the fringes of civilization and/or sanity.
   
6. A pioneer, you have trails to blaze through the most benighted, hellish, fiend-infested wilderness to get to that perfect plot of arable land you know awaits you on the other side.
   
7. An animal-lover, you are convinced that there are beasties craving affection and tender loving care even in the vilest recesses of the subterranean ecosystem.
   
8. You prefer to picnic in uncrowded locales faraway from the intrusiveness of towns and roads — faraway, in fact, from any sign of civilization or security whatsoever.
   
9. An au pair by profession, you are scouting out sites for potential field trips. Spelunking is educational!
   
10. A student, you were instructed to continue your research "in the field," which may or may not mean desolate, barrow-covered heaths.
    
11. Noticing a string leading into a dark labyrinth, you thought you would follow it and see where it takes you, winding it onto a spool as you go...
    
12. You are nostalgic for the golden age of a dead civilization and seek to bask in its genius by picking through the bones and rubble of its long deserted ruins.
    
13. According to your horoscope, you will meet a stranger who will make a proposal. This is a time of great change in your life. Do not be afraid to try new things. Embrace the surprises that Life gives you!
    
14. You have heard that subterranean environments are great for those who suffer from allergies. You have many allergies.
    
15. A chef who takes freshness of ingredients seriously, you have heard that a certain rare and exquisite mushroom you seek can be found in certain caves...
    
16. A promising student-doctor, you need cadavers with which to cram for your tests, but cadavers are expensive and difficult to obtain in towns where a high percentage of the population is superstitious and mob-inclined. Catacombs, however, are safe from prying eyes and the cadavers there are free for the taking!
    
17. The fortune-teller sees a hazy image. For two silver pieces it becomes clearer. Ah, yes! It is... a man. Or perhaps... a woman. In... a tavern. The person is holding... a map! A very old map. Another image... becoming clearer... hills of gold and precious jewels! (This fortune is provided for entertainment purposes only.)
    
18. Your chums have dared you to spend at least one night in the old abandoned cavern/dungeon/manor house/mine shaft (pick one).
    
19. A stage magician, you are convinced that you can perform the greatest illusion ever seen if you can find the perfect location. Someplace authentically spooky would do nicely.
    
20. Although Chaotic humanoids and their philosophy leave you nonplussed, you are willing to visit their homes and listen to their side of the argument.
    

[Edit: I just realized the sans serif typeface renders this a "Roman Numeral III-Conceived Reasons to Adventure." It ought to read "ILL-CONCEIVED Reasons to Adventure," but I don't like to shout unless someone is considering them in real life.]

Random Background Generator Example 2

Because it was fun the first time and because I need to meet my goal of posting 24 articles per month, I rolled another character to test the Random Background Generator. Once again, I rolled straight 3d6 in order for attributes and came up with:

Strength: 12
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 12
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 12
Charisma: 15

None of the classes in Basic/Expert D&D have charisma has a prime requisite, so the next highest attribute, dexterity, makes the character a thief for the purpose of this example. His name will be... Bastrado. He's a bit of a bastard. (Not really.)

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 3; d6: 5; d8: 5; d10: 5; d12: 12; d20: 8.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, Bastrado's family is "Respected." Their surname will be... Astradi (like the stars... sort of).

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 5, Bastrado, despite his name, is "Beloved." A lovechild, if you will.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 5, Bastrado has five siblings. Since there are six offsping, we can roll 1d6 to determine Bastrado's birth order. Another roll of 5 makes him the fifth brat out of six. Any means can be used to determine the sex. I'll roll 5d6 in order. Evens will be one and odds will be the other. The resulting order is: brother, brother, sister, brother, Bastrado, brother.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 5, a paternal grandmother is in the household to help herd the rambunctious children. Granny Astradi!

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 12, the Astradi clan is a clan of woodsmen. They live in the woods and they do woods-related things. If it's a royal wood, perhaps they are gamekeepers. If not, perhaps they are loggers or hunters or trappers. I'll make them gamekeepers.

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 8, Bastrado Astradi is a fugitive. Why? Because he poached a prize stag belonging to the king, of course, in clear violation of the law the Astradi family is sworn to enforce. The incorrigable Bastrado, in an effort to save his family from punishment, surrendered to the sherriff under a fictitious name, but subsequently escaped with the help of certain criminal elements. Now inextricably involved with the Thieves' Guild, Bastrado has charted a new course for his life quite unlike the one he knew with his family.

Summary

Growing up as the beloved (if mischievous) next-to-youngest child in a respected family of woodsmen (who are royal gamekeepers) with the additional supervision of Granny Astradi, Bastrado Astradi committed the crime of poaching. To spare his family, he surrendered under an assumed name. With the help of the Thieves' Guild, he escaped custody and is now at large, practicing his new profession.

These things write themselves!

Table: Reasons to Adventure

For those who want an instant background alternative to the Random Background Generator, I give you:


Reasons to Adventure

Roll 1d30

1. Afraid of stagnation more than death, you have discarded the predictable life of an official in exchange for the thrill of adventure.
   
2. Anointed as a future leader, you must first venture forth and bring back proof of your worthiness before you may take your rightful place in society.
   
3. Assuming a false identity to protect your noble name, you seek something that rightfully belongs to you and your family.
   
4. Bored with a life of luxury, you seek danger and excitement at any cost.
   
5. Collecting artifacts and solving the puzzles that stand between you and them is your hobby. Death traps and monstrous guardians merely add interest.
   
6. Disowned by your wealthy family, you are determined to find success without their aid.
   
7. You are the 7th child of a 7th child, destined to go down in folklore.
   
8. Driven from your village due to an unwise dalliance, you seek a distraction from the object of your affection.
   
9. Encouraged strongly by everyone in your village, you have left it to seek your fortune despite some misgivings.
   
10. Embarrassed by your humble upbringing, you seek the wealth and status you affect.
    
11. Expelled from a prestigious university, you cannot go back to your family without first finding glory or at least a way to be re-admitted.
    
12. Family tradition obligates you to have at least one adventure that can be added to the family saga.
    
13. Fascinated by the fantastic tales of travellers, you want to discover such wonders for yourself and more.
    
14. A gambling debt leads you to gamble with the unknown rather than face a very well known fate at the hands of pitiless creditors.
    
15. Haunted by a crime you witnessed and for which you may have been blamed, you find freedom in the rootless life of an adventurer.
    
16. Hunting is in your blood and you seek ever greater challenges, which inevitably leads you to keep the company of moneygrubbing treasure-seekers.
    
17. Inspired by the accomplishments of a legendary hero, you aspire to equal or surpass your hero.
    
18. Inspired by the words of a mystic, you are possessed with a zeal to bring truth to the uncivilized corners of the world.
    
19. Leaving behind the comforts of home and plunging into danger is a necessary rite of passage in your community.
    
20. A life debt compels you to accompany the one you owe even into the bowels of the earth or anywhere else the fool decides to roam.
    
21. Mistaken for an evil sorcerer or monster, you scorn civilization and pursue power wherever it may be found.
    
22. Motivated by a life of hardship, you desperately seek to improve your lot in life.
    
23. On the losing side of a bloodfeud, you were banished from your ancestral homeland.
    
24. Pursued by local authorities, going where no sane person would follow for a chance to get rich seems like a sensible plan.
    
25. Roving merrily across the countryside is the best sort of life, and if fate should intervene by proposing adventure, so much the better, you say.
    
26. Thirst for knowledge, unquenched by books and tutors, has led you to slake it in forgotten tombs and ruins.
    
27. Turning your back on a decadent society and seeking your fortune in the cruel wilderness makes you feel alive.
    
28. Unable to face your family's terrible curse, you have left the castle for the anonymous life of a lowly adventurer.
    
29. Uncertain doom in a cavern is preferable to certain misery in a forced marriage as far as you are concerned.
    
30. Wanted by a criminal organization for certain indiscretions, you hope to relocate your activities beyond its sphere of influence.
    

Random Background Generator Example

To illustrate how the Random Background Generator may be used (but equally just for fun), I decided to roll up a character and apply its results. I dislike rolling straight 3d6 in order for attributes, but did so anyway as a tip of the hat to a certain segment of the gaming populace. At any rate, I rolled:

Strength: 7
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 10
Dexterity: 14
Constitution: 12
Charisma: 13

I already decided that the highest attribute would determine the class, but there is a tie for magic-user (intelligence) and thief (dexterity). I am choosing magic-user because the low strength would be less of a disadvantage for a quill-pushing magic-user than it would be for a law-flouting thief. So a spellcaster he is. His name will be... Phyrenzo, because it popped into my head.

Rolling All Dice, my results were d4: 4; d6: 3, d8: 8; d10: 2; d12: 8; d20: 19.

The d4: Family Reputation

With a roll of 3, the reputation of Phyrenzo's family is "Respected." We can assume that his surname, whatever it is, is a good one.

The d6: Personal Relationship

With a roll of 3, Phyrenzo is "Unappreciated." This may have something to do with why he would leave his respected family to go adventuring.

The d8: Number of Siblings

With a roll of 8, Phyrenzo has no siblings. This means we don't have to determine whether each sibling is a brother or a sister, nor do we need to determine his birth order, but it does mean he may have been a lonely child. He was probably a disappointment, hence the lack of appreciation.

The d10: Extended Family in Household

With a roll of 2, Phyrenzo grew up with a maternal grandfather in the home in addition to his parents. Maybe Grandfather knew something of the magical arts and provided attention that wasn't available in the form of siblings.

The d12: Family Occupation

With a roll of 8, Phyrenzo was born into a line of scholars of some sort. This fits well with his class. Maybe, however, his line of scholarship is at odds with the family tradition. Maybe his family is a line of religious scholars, possibly even clerics, whereas he and his grandfather felt a pull toward the dangerous study of secular magic.

The d20: Motivation for Adventuring

With a roll of 19, at least one of Phyrenzo's reasons for adventuring is the "spiritual quest." Maybe his respectable family of religious scholars turned him out with orders that he should not return until he has made his peace with their deity and given up dabbling in secular magic. Maybe they sent him on a pilgrimage in the hope that the journey will cause him to witness the miseries of the world and recognize the vanity of his chosen profession. Or maybe, alienated by his family's religious views, he is undertaking a spiritual quest of his own volition to find answers to his own questions, and these questions might be answerable by exploring the ruins of the past.

Summary

Starting with a blank character sheet and some randomly generated attributes, we now have a magic-user who grew up as an unappreciated only child in a family of respected religious scholars with only his grandfather to share his interest in magical studies. Now he is on a spiritual quest, willingly or unwillingly, that will cause him to face dangers nigh unimaginable, but may also end in rich reward (literally, metaphorically, or both).

Not every player character needs this much background information, and sometimes it's enjoyable to generate the background as one is playing, but for those who need the extra nudge to help them visualize their characters, I think it's a useful tool.

Random Background Generator: Roll All Dice

It has been my observation that many players, when confronted with creating a new character, suffer from something akin to writer's block. They are, after all, engaged in a similar process: charged with generating a unique personality with whom they may be spending a great deal of time and facing a dauntingly blank sheet of paper. This role-player's block can strike players of any level of experience. Regardless of the amount of background information a player is expected to provide, it can sometimes be helpful to generate some of it randomly. The following tables are provided as an option to players who are suffering from the dreaded role-player's block. Feel free to use the results from any or all of the tables.


Random Background Generator
(Roll All Dice)


Family Reputation

Roll 1d4

1. Despised
2. Tolerated
3. Respected
4. Admired


Personal Relationship

Roll 1d6

1. Disowned
2. Scorned
3. Unappreciated
4. Appreciated
5. Beloved
6. Favored


Number of Siblings

Roll 1d8

1. One
2. Two
3. Three
4. Four
5. Five
6. Six
7. Seven
8. None


Extended Family in Household

Roll 1d10

1. Cousin
2. Maternal grandfather
3. Maternal grandmother
4. Paternal grandfather
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Maternal aunt
7. Maternal uncle
8. Paternal aunt
9. Paternal uncle
10. Roll twice or choose none


Family Occupation

Roll 1d12

1. Artisans
2. Beggars
3. Craftsmen
4. Criminals
5. Merchants
6. Nobility
7. Peasants
8. Scholars
9. Serfs
10. Soldiers
11. Tradesmen
12. Woodsmen


Motivation for Adventuring

Roll 1d20

1. Addiction to danger
2. Chosen
3. Conquering fear
4. Curiosity
5. Debt
6. Fame
7. Fortune
8. Fugitive
9. Hobby
10. Investigation
11. Last option
12. Lost
13. Mistaken identity
14. Refugee
15. Rejection (of or by: family, village, civilization, etc.)
16. Revenge
17. Rite
18. Secret mission
19. Spiritual quest
20. Wandering

Notes:

• "Family Reputation" refers to how others view the player character's family.
  
• "Personal Relationship" refers to how the player character is viewed by his or her family.
  
• "Number of siblings" does not mention whether they are brothers or sisters. This can be chosen by the player or determined randomly.
  
• "Extended Family in Household" refers only to those members living with the player character's parents. The player must decide whether the character also lives with the parents.
  
• "Family Occupation" refers to the family's traditional profession. Not all members will necessarily belong to the same profession.
  
• "Motivation for Adventuring" may be primary or secondary. Roll more than once on this table if desired.
  

[See also this example. Or this. Or this. Or this.]