Character Backgrounds
Character backgrounds are optional for many characters. Our Storytelling team uses backgrounds to generate personal plot for characters at our events.
The DR Live setting and transition is a great opportunity to tell new stories. Because of this change, we are encouraging players to re-submit their character backgrounds for DR Live if you so desire. Perhaps your old background includes characters that are no longer in play, or themes that are no longer relevant in the world. This new world gives you the chance to change narrative elements that are no longer relevant in the new setting.
Now is your chance to rewrite your past, to better tell the stories that interest YOU in the future. To that end, there are couple things we ask players to keep in mind so we can generate personal plot for you.
Please be brief. We receive a lot of backgrounds, and those longer than two pages will have to be condensed.
Submit in bullet points or key notation format. The longer and more flowery your document, the less likely that Staff will be able to use your content for reference and story.
Give us something to use! Leave some loose ends, some unanswered questions, or old enemies. If your backstory has no hooks or ways to tie it to our setting, it’s less likely to be picked up by out STs.
Keep genre in mind. We want to reinforce the zombie apocalypse, so stay away from stories that deviate outside of those boundaries. Remember the tech levels of the post-apocalypse and keep the story believable for our setting. Check out the Guide’s Guide for more info on the genre and setting!
Stay local. The TX Chapter only has storytelling authority over the immediate 10 miles or so around our game location and our primary settlement of Bravado. Keeping your character background in the San Saba gives us more options in what we can run for your character. You can view a few Locations of Note in our Geography & Settlements section.
Stay away from expansive groups or positions of power. Please keep any NPC Groups in your background as small as possible and limit your character’s supposed influence on the setting. It’s okay if you have ties to one of the major factions like the RRC, but it’s unlikely you would have been a leader or founder. Remember, we can’t use any groups published in previous DR sourcebooks or materials, so stick to the stuff on our website.
You won’t control casting of NPCs, so keep descriptions vague. If you include an NPC into your background, give us some brief details about gender presentation, general appearance, or other details we might be able to use to help you recognize that person in play. Think of noticeable features we can use with any NPC we pick, like scars, particularly clothing pieces, or other identifying features. We can’t always count on who is present to portray that character, but we can do a better job with some details.
Double check your submission, be patient, be willing to answer questions or adjust your background as needed. Be open to suggestions to change locations, names, and events to have more relevant links to our story. Steering your story will help us find ways to let you character shine!