Creating Characters

Flawed Protagonists in a Broken World

The player characters are the heart of the story in a Drakkenheim campaign. However, player characters in Drakkenheim are seldom flawless figures — even the most altruistic have their faults and foibles. While pursuing their own aspirations and goals, the player characters unavoidably become entangled in the wider conflicts of the world at large. Their actions and choices will shape the fate of Drakkenheim, but the line between hero and villain rests entirely within one’s point of view
Players shouldn’t hesitate to create characters who are often at odds with the established order of the world. The world’s nations, factions, religions, and laws exist to present compelling conflicts and deep dilemmas, and players should embrace characters who seek to challenge, defy, and resist them. When creating your character’s backstory and personality, consider the following questions to deeply connect them to the forces at play in the setting:

• What was your character doing while civil war wracked Westemär?
• How do the conflicts in the world affect your character’s desires and goals?
• Are your character’s friends and family affected by these conflicts?
• How does your character view the mages of the Amethyst Academy?
• What is their opinion of the Divine Matriarch of the Faith of the Sacred Flame?
• Which noble houses hold your character’s respect or rivalry?
• Does your character care about who rules the nations of the continent?
• What does your character think about delerium?

Player characters will face antagonists who defiantly wish to hold on to the old ways or aim to enforce their particular vision for the way the world ought to be. Meanwhile, the looming threat of otherworldly forces beyond mortal reckoning underpins a world slowly unraveling into chaos. Will your character meet these challenges head on, or be consumed by them?

Exceptional Individuals

Adventurers of any race or class in the Core Rules can be found in the world of Drakkenheim. We’ve aimed to provide lots of ideas and inspiration for a wide variety of player character concepts, and believe a few well-considered constraints help foster creativity. However, players and Game Masters shouldn’t shy away from making exceptions to the established lore when it comes to the origins and personal story of the player characters. After all, in many fantasy stories the protagonists are outsiders who don’t quite fit into the world and every player should feel empowered to play the class, race, or background that speaks to them. The player characters get to be the exceptions to the rule. That’s the beginning of an exciting story!
Regardless of your character’s origin, consider the following questions:

• Where did your character grow up?
• What cities, nations, and places has your character visited before? What did they do there? Who might they know there?
• Does your character have living family members, friends, or loved ones? Where are they? What are they doing?
• How did your character gain their class features and abilities?

Interconnected Relationships

Consider establishing a personal connection between two or more player characters, such as one of the following: They are…

• ...siblings, cousins, or childhood friends.
• ...a shared origin, religion, or teacher.
• ...former rivals turned unlikely allies.
• ...one saved the life of the other.
• ...saw each other in a dream or vision.

Personal Quests

A character’s core motivation for adventuring is represented by their Personal Quest. This is a specific individual objective for player characters to achieve during the campaign. The players do not need to reveal their characters’ Personal Quests to each other.
When a character completes their Personal Quest, they choose one of the following rewards:
Ability Score Improvement. One ability score of your choice increases by 2, to a maximum of 20.
New Feat. You gain a bonus feat of your choice, subject to the GM’s approval.
We’ve provided a few ideas for a personal quest related to each core class in Fifth Edition, but players can work with Game Masters to create one of their own design.