Character Backgrounds

[zedturtle]

Iwald of Mountain Hall (The Fosterling)
Specialties: Beast-lore, Enemy-Lore (Orcs), Leechcraft
Distinctive Features: Bold, Generous

Iwald was found as an abandoned infant at the edge of the Wolfswood. Hartnid, hunter of Mountain Hall, took the child in and raised him as his own. Despite this, many of Mountain Hall call Iwald 'the Fosterling'. Hartnid has taught Iwald the Great Bow and the Long-hafted Axe and calls him son. But still, as Iwald sits by the fire in the Great Hall, he dreams of songs made for him and winning his own name from those who have raised him.
When the call came to attend the Festival and Iwald learned that Beorn might be present and that a great honour could be won by participation in the Trials, he resolved to take part.
Iwald knows Biarnor, Dhuoda and Roderic from his travels.

Originally played by cuthalion in the play-test, Iwald's backstory needed a bit of editing for size... I also tried to play-down the inherent tragedy in his background, as it's unlikely to come up in a con game.

I like your backgrounds. If you're concerned about word counts I can work on paring, without (I hope) losing meaning. I'll use this one as an example:

Iwald, 'the Fosterling', was found as an infant abandoned at the edge of the Wolfswood. Hartnid, hunter of Mountain Hall, raised him as his own, teaching him woodcraft and warfare and calling him son. But as Iwald sits by the fire in the Great Hall he dreams of earning his own name from those who have raised him, and hearing it sung in tales. When Iwald learns that Beorn might be present at the festival, and that great honour can be won in the Trials, he resolves to take part.

That's excellent.

Now I'll try to do something with the Dwarf... I guess.

[Glorelendil]

Somebody of Erebor
Specialties: Rhymes of Lore, Stone-craft, Tunnelling
Distinctive Features: Determined, Steadfast

Even less developed than Sigdan, the Dwarf doesn't even have a name. It's worth mentioning that he has Broken Spells, as one of my two characters designed to entice someone more interested in a D&D approach to play the game.

Norin himself will claim that his greatest accomplishment in the Battle of Five Armies, to which he marched with Dain, was that he avoided being killed. It was afterward, as the Dwarves of the Iron Hills re-opened and expanded Erebor's long-dark halls that his talents shone, for Norin takes delight in delving for secrets, and he would as gladly hoard knowledge as gold. To his ire, given the work remaining in Erebor, he was sent to the Grey Mountains to persuade a certain cousin of his, also wise in lore, to relocate to Erebor. By uncommon coincidence, at the Easterly Inn Norin encountered this very same cousin, on his way to Dain. Relieved of his duties Norin is eager to return home. But he learns of the festival, and the opportunity to observe Beorn and inspect this Sickle prove irresistibly tempting to the ever-curious Dwarf.


Needs work if you like it.

[zedturtle]

Somebody of Erebor
Specialties: Rhymes of Lore, Stone-craft, Tunnelling
Distinctive Features: Determined, Steadfast

Even less developed than Sigdan, the Dwarf doesn't even have a name. It's worth mentioning that he has Broken Spells, as one of my two characters designed to entice someone more interested in a D&D approach to play the game.

Norin himself will claim that his greatest accomplishment in the Battle of Five Armies, to which he marched with Dain, was that he avoided being killed. It was afterward, as the Dwarves of the Iron Hills re-opened and expanded Erebor's long-dark halls that his talents shone, for Norin takes delight in delving for secrets, and he would as gladly hoard knowledge as gold. To his ire, given the work remaining in Erebor, he was sent to the Grey Mountains to persuade a certain cousin of his, also wise in lore, to relocate to Erebor. By uncommon coincidence, at the Easterly Inn Norin encountered this very same cousin, on his way to Dain. Relieved of his duties Norin is eager to return home. But he learns of the festival, and the opportunity to observe Beorn and inspect this Sickle prove irresistibly tempting to the ever-curious Dwarf.


Needs work if you like it.

I like it quite a bit. Let's make his cousin be Munin, as an Easter Egg for those who go on to play Tales from Wilderland. Make Sigdan his hired help and Egil along for the 'ride'. Whatcha think?

[Glorelendil]

I like it quite a bit. Let's make his cousin be Munin, as an Easter Egg for those who go on to play Tales from Wilderland. Make Sigdan his hired help and Egil along for the 'ride'. Whatcha think?

Oh, I like that a lot. Egil's master is a friend of Norin's.

[zedturtle]

Norin of Erebor
Specialties: Rhymes of Lore, Stone-craft, Tunnelling
Distinctive Features: Determined, Steadfast

Norin himself will claim that his greatest accomplishment in the Battle of Five Armies, to which he marched with Dain, was that he avoided being killed. It was afterward, as the Dwarves of the Iron Hills re-opened and expanded Erebor's long-dark halls that his talents shone, for Norin takes delight in delving for secrets, and he would as gladly hoard knowledge as gold. To his ire, given the work remaining in Erebor, he was sent to the Blue Mountains to persuade a certain cousin of his, also wise in lore, to relocate to Erebor. Sigdan of Dale was his guide, and young Egil accompanied them as well. By uncommon coincidence, at the Easterly Inn Norin encountered this very same cousin (Munin by name), on his way to King Dain. Relieved of his duties, Norin is eager to return home. But he has learned of the festival, and the opportunity to observe Beorn and inspect this Sickle proved irresistibly tempting to the ever-curious Dwarf.

Much better, but still open to suggestions. It's worth mentioning that he has Broken Spells, as one of my two characters designed to entice someone more interested in a D&D approach to play the game.

[Robin Smallburrow]

Good stuff guys, I'm afraid I don't have any backgrounds for u at present.

One of my planned projects is to compile a Compendium of Character Backgrounds for Middle-earth from all sources, including MERP & Decipher, as there is quite a lot out there and Backgrounds are often a problem for players (and myself!)

Robin S

[zedturtle]

Good stuff guys, I'm afraid I don't have any backgrounds for u at present.

One of my planned projects is to compile a Compendium of Character Backgrounds for Middle-earth from all sources, including MERP & Decipher, as there is quite a lot out there and Backgrounds are often a problem for players (and myself!)

Robin S

Thanks Robin! I agree that backgrounds are hard.

- - - - -

I think Dhuoda needs to be rebuilt as a Beorning, it seems odd to only have one available in their own backyard. Maybe Roderic too?

[Glorelendil]

Maybe the descriptions of how the heroes know each other should be a separate thing, outside of any backstory.

[zedturtle]

Maybe the descriptions of how the heroes know each other should be a separate thing, outside of any backstory.

What would be the advantage that way?

My envisioned process (for a con game) is that I hand out the character sheets and let the table pick from the pregens. They then can spend a minute figuring out who knows who as I'm finishing my setup and then we can get going without being having to do a big backstory summary.

[Glorelendil]

Maybe the descriptions of how the heroes know each other should be a separate thing, outside of any backstory.

What would be the advantage that way?

My envisioned process (for a con game) is that I hand out the character sheets and let the table pick from the pregens. They then can spend a minute figuring out who knows who as I'm finishing my setup and then we can get going without being having to do a big backstory summary.

Oh, well in that case I would still pull it out of the main background and make it a separate paragraph, and presented as possibility not fact. I.e., "If Egil is in the company he may have traveled with Norin from Erebor, and Sigdan of Dale may have been their guide."