Backgrounds

Please be aware that if you have chosen to play a member the nuclear family of a Great House's ruling Lord, you may not create detailed NPCs that flesh out that entire family group. If other players wish to play members of that family, you will not be permitted to refuse them those roles, nor insist that only those family members that you have invented exist. If you wish to have more control over how many NPCs are in your character's immediate family and who may or may not play them as PCs, position yourself outside of the direct line of succession — the ruling lord is your character's uncle or something more distant.

Background Guidelines

You don't need to answer every single question below. You don't need to use what's below at all. But if you're stuck, or running dry this should hopefully give you a boost for a BG.

  • Born: Full name, date, location.
  • Family: Mother's name and maiden name. Father's name. Siblings? How many? What are their names? How old are they and where does the character fit in the birth order?
  • Family Dynamic: Does the family get along? Militant and disciplined? Loveless? Too lovey? Tight knit? Scattered to the winds?
  • Upbringing: What sort of wealth level is the family the character was raised in. What sort of upbringing was involved in your character's childhood?
  • What sort of schooling or education did/does your character have?
  • In what subject(s) did your character excel or do poorly?
  • What is the character's occupation?
  • What sort of wage/wealth/earning does the character make?
  • Has your character started a family?
  • What sorts of recreations and hobbies does the character engage in?
  • What sort of personality has been shaped by the events above?

Background Pitfalls

Here are a few things that come up in backgrounds frequently that almost always require revision or removal. Avoiding these pitfalls will expedite the approval process.

  • No Dragonlords! That is the one hard stop for Game of Bones when it comes to character concepts. This includes ickle cute 'harmless' baby dragons, disabled dragons, dwarf dragons, disobedient dragons, and dragons you plan to kill off after a bit. Your character may not enter the game with a dragon.
  • Being a High Lord, or even the direct heir to a house can provide tricky grounds to develop reasoning for being in Oldtown.
  • Please don't write a novel. It will delay your approval as staff must take the time to read it.

About Pets

You may have them. Even quite weird, exotic ones. However, unless you are a warg, they are not going to resemble a D&D Druid's Animal Companion. This is a low fantasy setting. Animals act like animals. Unless it's a horse or a dog it's not going to be an obedient and useful companion. Wild animals can and often do make engaging, charming, and affectionate companions, but they're not helpful. Wild animal pets, when properly cared for and given a great deal of attention, become engaging, charming, affectionate pains in the ass.

Go back to Sheet.

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