How to create a Backstory easily? episode 2

• Your Character will quit the Place she’s born in.
• Wherever it is the Physical Location or the Identity she’s born with.
• She will Evolve.
• How do you define her Evolution from her Backstory?

Summary – 5 steps to a Background

1. Define how the Character’s Origins disappointed her.
2. Create a Goal justifying her Departure.
3. In search of a new Identity.
4. Link the Character to the Main Story.
5. Make use of the 8 types of Interactions & Relationships.

• Background are reference Frames.
• They allow you to hint at your Character’s future.
• Background allow the Public to determine :
  • how the Character reacts,
  • which kind of Relationship they’re likely to form,
  • and the Individual they wish to become.



Unsatisfying Origins

• Atmosphere
• Where is the Character born?
• What defines her place of Birth?
• Did she grow on the Outside?
• Was she trapped in a building?
• Did she grow Underground?
• You only need a few elements to define this place’s atmosphere:
  • The dominant Colors
  • The Weather
  • The presence of Vegetation
  • The access to Air & Skies
  • The access to Water & Seas

• Issues & Constrains
• What did the Character suffer from?
• Every Character will face a lack of Resources.
• It may be because the place lacks these resources.
• Or because the Character isn’t able to access them as long as they live therein.
• Every place presents a specific Level of Violence.
• The Character will have to compose with this Violence.
• As well as with the People’s attitude.
• The Presences of Hazard should be mentioned.
• The type of Hazard.
• If they are natural or artificial.
• If they are living of inert.
• The importance of the Army & War in this location is as essential.
• Is the Character forced to participate to conflicts?
• Which kind of conflicts?
• Is there a high Commercial competition?
• Are there Sportive competitions?

• Organizations
• Which Rules did your Character follow?
• The Character’s early Education is the product of the Settlement she grew in.
• This Settlement follows Cults & Beliefs.
• Its Administrator is charge to create & enforce a set of Rules.
• She could administrate it Alone or as a group.
• The Administrator can be Close to the people.
• Or Distant from the people.
• The Rules promotion & enforcement greatly depend on her Behavior.
• Her attitude towards the people affect their level of animosity.

If you want to know more about Origins.



Departure & Goal

• Departure
• When did the Character Go?
• The Character may have been forced to leave.
• A threat may have chased her.
• She may have been assaulted.
• Her people may be tracked down.
• If the Character was forced to flee, she may have now grown strong enough to return.
• Her return should be aligned with her Goal.
• Her Goal cannot conflict with her intention to help someone she lost.
• Otherwise, she’d be required to change her Goal.

• In search of a new Identity
• Why did she quit this place?
• The Character’s Origins will define her actual Identity.
• And if her Identity is supposed to be.
• The Character is likely to look for a New Image.
• In this case she need to be able to define this Image.
• What was the Character destined to be?
• Which profession was she suppose to practice?
• Which status was she supposed to occupy?
• Why did it not satisfy her?
• Your Character is departing because she’s looking for a more fulfilling existence.
• This is existence is the manifestation of her new Identity.

• Satisfaction
• What is the Character looking for?
• The Character may have lived a Comfortable life.
• Though, this comfort did not lead her to any satisfaction.
• On which kind of adventure is she looking for?
• Your Character is looking for Accomplishment.
• She is looking to Prove something.
• To whom?
• Her Satisfaction will come from Self-development.
• Which catalyzes a need for Change.

If you want to know more about Departure.

Linking the Character to the Main Story

• What did the Character lose?
• Did the Character lose someone?
• Was she forced to leave someone?
• Separations can make great episodes.
• If the separation was Forced it give you the opportunity to create a follow-up.
• If the separation was Voluntary, it may still have been hurtful.
• The Character has the opportunity to Return to a visited place.
• Or to visit a New place, where the lost one now lives.
• The Lost Character should have a direct relationship to the Main Story.
• Even if the relationship is not visible at a early stage.

• What is the Character aiming for?
• Is the Character looking for a Location?
• Is the Character looking for an Item?
• If the Characters are looking for a Location, describe this Location.
• In the boundaries of what the Character may know.
• Same for an Item.
• Indicate where the Location/Item can be found.
• Hint the Characters at how they can find the Item/Location.
• Incentivize the Characters.
• Offer them reasons to continue.
• Characters may not be focused enough to find their Goal.
• Allow them to encounters new Characters.
• New Environments.
• Offer them choices.

• What could the Character bring to the Story?
• How is the Character’s goal linked to the Story?
• Is the Character likely to move the Story forward?
• The Character’s Future should define the Story’s future.
• On whichever scale.
• Otherwise, the Character’s actions are not part of the Story.
• And subsequently the Character herself.
• The Character’s Strengths & Weakness should advance the Story.
• Behavior traits allow you to create Relationships.
• Relationships push the Story forward.

If you want to know more about Coherence & Consistency.



8 types of Interactions & Relationships

• Behavior & Environments
• Locations influence Behaviors.
• Each Character has a General Behavior.
• As well as multiple Situational Behaviors.
• According to the Situation the Character may experience different degrees of comfort.
• They may experience Anxiety.
• They may express a Need for company.
• Environments influence Characters.
• However, they should not remove agency from Characters.
  • Except if you’re doing Horror, Drama & in certain cases Comedy.
• Every new Location discovered will be Compared to the Character’s place of Birth.

• Relationships
• Friends & Lovers are the closest ones to you Character.
• These Characters are your Character’s main Supporters.
• Family are supposed to be the supporting your Character as well.
• However, their support may be less sustainable as family members may not enjoy the Character.
• Relatives are a particular Category.
• The link with a relative should be Clear.
• However, the Function (support or antagonist) of the relative does not have to be.
• Relatives will often be requalified as allies or opponents as the Story unfolds.
• Enemies will harm your Character.
• Their main function is to Antagonize her.
• In some occasions, Enemies may need the help of the Character.
• These occasions are opportunities to shift the Story’s rhythm.
• All of these Relationships depend largely on the Character’s Origins.

• Interactions
• Relationships orient the type of Interactions Characters can have.
• However, Interactions are highly dependent on the Character’s Mood.
• The Constrains pressuring the Character will affect her Mood tremendously.
• Constrains such as Fatigue will modify the Character’s Interactions.
• Use of Substances have a similar effect.
• Each Character needs place of Comfort.
• They also need to be Uncomfortable in some places.
• Comfort & Crisis are your Resolution & Tension.
• Comfort does not always correspond to Resolution.
• As Crisis does not always correspond to Tension.
• They are both tools to manage the Story’s Rhythm.

Relationship/ Interaction	Dear	Friendly	Affable	Enthusiastic	Playful	Adversarial	Despondent	Heinous
Lover
Partner
Friend
Family
Relative
Rival
Opponent
Enemy

If you want to know more about Interactions & Encounters.