This is the first post in a series of backstories I plan to publish. I want this series to be a resource for anyone looking for a backstory for their characters! Players can use them as their heroes, or DMs should feel free to use them as potential enemies or NPCs. They are yours to do with what you will. If you see one you like, take it!

I will give the characters I create here everything but a name. I have chosen to add the race and gender of the character instead of leaving it up to you guys. Those two choices will undoubtedly influence everything about them so I need to determine that myself.

All these characters will be based in the world I created for my current D&D Campaign: Volaiya (Vo-Lay-Yah). All the cities, towns, and regions I mention are located in the world I created some time ago. This is where Edwyn is currently having all his adventures which you can catch up on here.

I will follow the same format for every character and go through the six questions you need to ask about any character you create. I outlined the questions and the reasons for them in my post about how to create a character’s backstory.

Without further ado, here’s the first of many more to come…

 

Gender: Female

Race: Dwarf

Lvl suggestion: 1-3

Where was she born?

Like most Dwarves in this time she was born in the Drawehn (Drah-when) Hills to the west of Duroth ‘Ol, or in common, known as the Broken Spine Mountains. Hundreds of years have passed since the alliance of Orc and Drow drove the already failing Dwarven empire out of their mountain strongholds and cast into the hills.

She was born in one of the largest villages the Dwarves have managed to build called Stonefoot just to the west of the last peaks of Duroth ‘Ol. She grew up with her people’s ancestral home in plain view from her bedroom window.

Who are her parents?

Her mother’s name is Yulda and her father is Braldock Stonefoot. It was her ancestors who first established this town. They were scorned settling so close to the mountains they had lost, for fear of further attacks. Their strength and resolve kept the Stonefoot clan safe from Drow raiding parties and the town was able to grow. Her father is the Governor of this town and therefore on the Council of Stone; the ruling body of the remaining Dwarf clans.

What was she doing before this adventure?

When she wasn’t training with her father she was hired to protect caravans traveling from Stonefoot to other villages for trade. She’s a younger dwarf so she hasn’t be doing it long.

Her real dreams were to eventually replace her father on the Council of Stone and lead the Dwarves back to a time of glory. She went to sleep every night with the shadow of her people’s mountains set against a star lit night, and dreamt of it.

Why did she leave her previous life?

Her father had been growing more and more paranoid. She didn’t catch all the conversations but he was clearly afraid for his safety. Was someone trying to get him out of the way and replace him on the Council of Stone?

She arrived home late one night with a caravan. She could smell the smoke from miles away but never dreamed it would be her own home that was ablaze. She ran into her burning home to find her parent’s both dead — not from the fire, but from a blade.

Who did this? Would she be blamed? Many people knew she disagreed with her father’s policies. Questions began to flood her mind but only one thought kept coming back. Run!

What did she leave behind?

She left behind the rest of her clan and everything she knew and headed east to the city of Carran in the Human lands of the Northern Sanction. They will have no idea what happened to her.

She was never really happy back home but she had a few friends that could brighten her day. The local pub will be a regular stop that’s for sure.

She just arrived in Carran a couple days ago with nothing but the coin in her pocket and the few rusty weapons she brought with her on the caravan trail.

What does she want?

She want’s to be able to go home and set things right. Clear her name if needed and take her rightful place on the Council of Stone. But she can’t go home yet. The trauma is still too fresh. Her mind moves ever eastward now to perhaps find some personal glory to show those other downtrodden Dwarves of the hills what a single proud dwarf can accomplish.

-Collin