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.
Soulshaped may not know their true nature beyond some minor dysphoria for many years as their soul is deemed “asleep” before their true nature becomes apparent with their soul awakening. 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:
How did your soul come to be altered? Consider how your soul came to be altered in the way it was? Did the change occur before you were born or afterwards? Were you aware of this change before the awakening? If after you were born, was it a voluntary or involuntary event? Did you come into contact with one power or multiple? And if multiple how did these conflicting powers shape your soul? This may inform how you answer the other questions.
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Your soul was captured before it entered your body, and experiments were performed to alter its nature. |
| 2 | You were exposed to an eruption of pure magical energy related to one of the Realms. |
| 3 | Your soul was artificially created to be unique. If it was deemed imperfect or desired by its creator is unknown. |
| 4 | Your soul came into contact with a great power on its travels to your physical body. |
| 5 | Your soul is a reincarnated soul of an individual slain by great magical power that left a permanent scar on your soul. |
| 6 | Your soul came into contact with two conflicting powers, this has led to warped changes to your form and magic. With each change showing whichever force is dominant based on your actions and personality in that moment and which powers draw strength from them. |
How did your soul awaken? What is the event that led to your soul awakening? Was there a trigger for the awakening or did it happen on its own? Did the event have any changes to your physical form? Did the event have any magical effects? Were they calm and peaceful, or violent and chaotic? Were others affected by this awakening event? This may have a direct impact on your Character’s backstory and affect aspects of your Character.
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | A traumatic or emotional event led to an explosion of magic. People were hurt and you were blamed. |
| 2 | You were brought into a ritual performed for every member of your family when they come of age. It was a calm and peaceful endeavor that left you permanently changed. |
| 3 | One day it just happened suddenly you woke up with a change to your form and the ability to cast magic. |
| 4 | You were near an eruption of magical energy that awakened your soul and warped your form, you are uncertain if anyone else survived or were altered by this event. |
| 5 | You were forced into painful experiments, during one of these tests your soul awakened in a violent explosion of chaotic energy. You escaped and do not know what happened to your experimenters. |
| 6 | You achieved a spiritual event about connecting with your soul, in turn awakening it. The event was a calm and controlled one, leaving your form changed as a mark of this newfound knowledge. |
What was the reaction to your awakening? Did anyone witness your awakening event or the changes to your form? If so, how did these onlookers react? Were your family, friends, and/or community supportive or hostile to these changes? Were you encouraged to keep it secret, or did you choose to keep it secret yourself? Did you choose to proudly show your true self and not hide it? How did these reactions inform your Character’s view of themselves and their changes? Do you agree with these views or stand in opposition to them?
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | People fear your abilities, one day the state came to take you away to force you to use your abilities for their own ends. |
| 2 | You are believed to be cursed or diseased, with many driving you away from their homes or settlements, lest you spread your taint. |
| 3 | Your parents kept your abilities secret, eventually secreting you away from the area one night. |
| 4 | Powerful forces wish to use your power for their own ends. |
| 5 | You are treated as a monster especially if your awakening was a violent one that harmed others. |
| 6 | The community welcomes and accepts you for being who you are. They can be found often wanting to help, to the best of their abilities, you achieve your true potential. |
What was the first change to your form? During your soul’s awakening or soon after a physical change will have come across your body revealing an aspect of the true nature of your soul. Do you hide this mark and if so, is it easy to conceal? Do you instead wear this mark with pride? Consider how this mark affects your views on future changes to your form, especially when they become unable to be concealed.
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Scales or other changes appear on your skin. |
| 2 | Your hands begin to turn into claws. |
| 3 | Your eyes change colour, and/or the shape of the iris or pupil has changed. |
| 4 | Your proportions appear just slightly off compared to normal. |
| 5 | Strange markings appear across your body. |
| 6 | You grow extra appendages like vestigial wings or a tail. |
What does your spellcasting look like? Consider the above answers and your Character concept when answering the question. Potentially also consider what it was that altered your soul and how openly you display its changes? Finally consider with all the above, what does your spellcasting and how it appears when channelling your soul power say about you? How does it reflect the background and nature of your Character?
| Results | |
|---|---|
| 1 | While casting a spell, your form begins to distort and appear like static. |
| 2 | Your changes to your original form glow with an eerie light reflecting the power tied to your soul whenever you cast a spell. |
| 3 | Your vocal components sound like a divine choir as you speak. |
| 4 | When you cast a spell, you temporarily levitate just above the ground. |
| 5 | When casting spells, elemental effects occur around you, like gusts of wind, dancing spectral flames, or whipping strands of water. |
| 6 | Temporary lingering effects tied to your soul’s power occur in the area around you after casting a spell. |
| 7 | When you cast a spell for changes to appear like a field of stars. |
| 8 | When you cast a spell, a spectral echo of your soul’s true form appears around you. |