This Chapter’s goals are to assist you the Player in making a Narrative Background for your Character. You already would have decided on a mechanical Background in the Character Generation & Levelling Chapter, which was detailing something your Character did before they became an adventurer.
A Narrative Background is taking the elements of that chosen Background, the training and knowledge you decided to gain, and to give them a story you, your Party and your GG can call upon during play, both for Character motivation as well as future plot threads.
Creating a background is very simple grab a paper and pen, or a word document program, and write about the Character’s early life before they were an adventurer. This can be as simple as a bullet pointed list of key NPCs and moments or could be something more involved. It is entirely up to you and optional.
Once you do have something written though, pass it to your GG as it will potentially help with the Campaign, giving the main plot thread of the Campaign a chance to have greater import for your Character or providing the GG a new NPC to throw in at an important moment.
This Chapter is here to provide advice on writing a Narrative Background, provide prompts, and even example tables for answers to the prompts. This Class Playbook will also Feature some unique prompts and ideas related to the Class you have chosen to play. These tables and prompts should be used as places to help generate ideas rather than to force them, and as such, you do not have to use an prompt or a rolled result from a table if it doesn’t mesh with the Character.
So, to begin with first look back at the Background you made during Character Generation, note down in your Narrative Background document the following things:
Background’s Name. This was what you did before you became an Adventurer, it did not have to be your whole life prior, as you may have learnt the basics of your chosen Class before the first session.
As such consider how what you did in your Background related to your training to be a member of your Class.
Background’s Languages & Training. You in your Background chose to learn to use certain Weapons and Tools, as well as specific Languages. It may be wise to consider what about your Background led to you gaining that knowledge and could provide some threads to include in your Background.
Background’s Feat. Another thing you gained because of your Background was a Feat. Consider what the Feat says about the Character and their Background and how that could be incorporated into your Background’s narrative.
These may give you some ideas for basic beats your Background should cover, from there we get onto more specific aspects that will vary Character to Character.
Pactbound may spend decades delving into long forgotten tomes and rites, before finally communing with their chosen patron and forming their pact. These questions will hopefully help determine aspects about your Character. So, considering your Character consider the following aspects and looking to the following tables for inspiration for your own answers:
Why did you make the pact? Consider how did you learn about the pact? Were you approached by your patron, or did you approach them? Is it tied to an event from your backstory? Is it the culmination of years of research? What do you get out of the bargain? Did others influence you or cause you to take the pact? How do you feel about this pact? This may inform how you answer the other questions.
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | My family promised me as part of a pact before I was born. |
| 2 | I made the pact in order to unravel the secrets of creation! |
| 3 | I was offered the pact in a moment of desperation or trauma. I didn’t feel in the moment like I could refuse. |
| 4 | I made this pact in order to gain power and the freedom it provides. |
| 5 | I made the pact in order to keep up with my siblings/friends who were far more gifted with magic than I. |
| 6 | My patron helped me, I made the pact as a way of repaying their kindness. |
What is your relationship with your patron? Why did you patron make a deal with you? Do you know the reason or is it secret? Do they treat this as a more professional relationship or something more personal? Are they happy about this pact and its terms? How do they feel about you? Do you both feel the same about this relationship or differently? How does this relationship come through their actions and behaviour during your interactions? Do they ask a lot from you, or do they take a very hands-off approach to your actions?
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | My patron views me as an object. |
| 2 | My patron treats me like a student, they can be strict but also caring. Cheering my successes and consoling me in my failures. |
| 3 | My patron seems to vary in attitude each time I speak with them. |
| 4 | My patron treats me as a continuation of their legacy. Trying to mold and shape me in their image. |
| 5 | My patron seems to forget I exist most of the time letting me do my own thing. Though sometimes I suspect they just want to see what I do with their gifted abilities. |
| 6 | I suspect they may be interested in me. Though I could be misreading the situation. |
Are there any special rules, terms, or conditions of your pact? Some pacts are made in the heat of the moment where others are carefully made contracts. Was the deal made in yours or your patron’s favour? Did they include any special rules in the terms? Do they only make sense to the patron, or do you understand the reason for them?
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Each morning you must perform a ritual as your patron demands based on their mercurial whims. |
| 2 | Once per Day, you must perform a prank in your patron’s name. |
| 3 | Once per Day, with either the sunrise or sunset, you must perform a dance in your patron’s honour. |
| 4 | You must always show kindness and respect to a specific kind of animal whenever you encounter them. |
| 5 | Your patron may call to you that you must attack a foe when commanded. |
| 6 | When calling upon your patron’s power for your abilities, you must give thanks to your patron. |
Have you been marked by your patron? You may find as part of the pact your patron marked you in some way, that those powers of sufficient supernatural ability recognise that you are claimed. Is the mark visible to normal folk as well? Consider if and how this mark reflects the nature of your patron and the kind of deal you made.
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | A birthmark appears in the sign of your patron. |
| 2 | You often gain a halo like effect reflecting your patron when you call upon their power. |
| 3 | One of your eyes takes on the appearance of that of your patron’s. |
| 4 | A limb takes on the appearance of the kind of creature your patron is. Or you grow an extra appendage like a tail or vestigial wings. |
| 5 | A small mark much like a tattoo appears on your body to relating to your patron. Such as a mark that looks like a ring of chain around your neck. |
| 6 | You have no physical change but anyone able to detect magic or the presence of other Realm’s influence will see an aura or echo around you radiating your patron’s power and presence. |
How is your pact reflected in you and your magic? Consider the above answers and your Character concept when answering the question. Potentially also consider the kind of patron you made a pact with, what the theme of the individual patron is, and their personality. Maybe if they are a patron who wants the nature of your connection displayed for all to see, or if they prefer you keep your relationship secret. Finally consider with all of the above, what does your pact say about you? How does it reflect the background and nature of your Character?
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | My spells often take the forms of entities tied to my patron. |
| 2 | My spells radiate a light associated with my patron. |
| 3 | My spells are cast with words from eldritch texts tied to my patron for the verbal components, and ritualistic gestures for the somatic components. |
| 4 | When I cast my spells, instead of a normal arcane circle the symbol of my patron appears. |
| 5 | When I cast spells around me appears an echo of my patron. |
| 6 | When I summon entities, they always appear with elements of my patron in their design. |
| 7 | Elements tied to my patron often coat me or appear around me when I cast spells. |
| 8 | When I cast spells, my nature as a someone bound to my patron appears for all to see. |