Just as general advice for those in the game and those watching the RTJ process unfold, when it comes to an RTJ and background, focus less on the narration and more about who they are as a person.
I have been collecting RTJs for years across various games and it is all to common for applicants to only hit surface level details. So-and-so was born here, moved to here, picked up this trade to earn money etc. A character is more then just a bullet point list of things that happened in their life. Yes, the rogue was orphaned on the streets, yes the fighter's parents were killed in a bandit/orc/goblin raid, yes the sorcerer had strange powers that couldn't be harnessed. These are all backstories that I've read a hundred times in a hundred different ways and they all tell me nothing about
who the character is.
The WHO/WHAT/WHERE/WHEN questions are fine but can honestly be detailed in a single sentence. The most important question, in my opinion, is the why and this is where many applicants fall short.
Adventuring is very dangerous work so why are they putting aside a life of (relative) comfort to risk their lives at the hands of a goblin's blade or bandit's arrow? Why did they not fit in with their family/friends/community that they would rather march around in untamed lands for months on end with only a vague promise of a reward at the end? Why did they choose X path instead of Y path...the answers to these questions do far more at illustrating who the character is then just a timeline of events of their life.
Another important question is HOW as in "how did this make them feel." It often goes hand-in-hand with the why. Three characters could get their pockets picked but could easily react differently. One could chase after the thief while the other could bemoan their lack of luck while the third could smile as his plan comes together.
If you are just describing the surface level events, that doesn't do nearly as much about explaining who the character is. The first is one of action and justice, the second is more passive and whiny while the third is a mystery that draws the reader in.
So for example, take these two examples:
quote:
Gnomey never knew who his parents were because he was an orphan. He had a very hard time growing up without parents and was picked up by a local crime boss named Korba to be a pickpocket. As a chidl he starved and was abused by Korba and so he has intense hatred towards the criminal. Still he rose through the ranks and became a cutpurse but eventually decided to leave the life of crime behind and become an adventurer. Now Korba is angry at him for trying to walk away from his criminal past.
quote:
Gnomey was a sample gnome on the run. He had a checkered past where he stole, cheated, smuggled, and all in all ducked over/under/around the law. His reckless ways finally caught up with him when he borrowed too much money from Korba, a local crime boss who now is sending his goons after him. He decided to try and become an "adventurer" to gain some protection and surround himself with muscle in case Korba comes calling.
The second is shorter in word count but I hope paints a clearer picture of who the character is. It clues you into how he would approach plot hooks, how he would interact with other members of the party, and what to expect out of him. It suggest a potential character arc where he can move from being a selfish criminal into a selfless hero.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:06, Tue 05 June 2018.