Deepen the links between the characters and the places visited.

When launching a role-playing campaign, it is quite normal to want to play quickly. It ‘s generally accepted that an evening is necessary to prepare for this, new game master, new game, new universe, this first evening will be devoted to the creation of all the characters of the group, explain the world, its ins and outs and the basic rules of the game system.

After this first evening, each character is normally in possession of the beginning of a background, of a few lines (players who have anticipated this evening can arrive with many more ideas which they will submit to the game master) but which remains very summary compared to what an epic story can require in scenaristic depth.

But don't worry, the characters' backstories will be fleshed out as they go along, not because they have amnesia (which can be an over-used plot device in fiction), but because their past history is not necessarily relevant to explain now (which would be pretty boring).

The characters have jobs, skills, gifts, possessions ... It's time to ask:

What is their family, are they related to each other?

Who taught them this trade, this skill, did they have role models, rivals?

How did they develop these gifts, did they gain sympathy or fear?

How did they obtain their possessions, purchase exotic goods, inheritance, theft?

Many games have restrictions on characters: being wanted, one-eyed, mentally disturbed, reckless, unlucky, orphaned, afflicted with a mutation...

These trains can be the subject of many small stories and create many NPCs who are responsible for, victims of, or witnesses to the hazards that lead to these restrictions.

It is however very important that these secondary stories are built up as they go along, if possible with the agreement of the player concerned if the surprise effect is not sought.

The game master can write down 5 to 10 ideas for each character, to be exploited during the adventure, in order to help them benefit from the help of Not Playing Characters, information on rumours, or even to put them in difficulty, the aim here being to add depth, to make the players understand that the village visited is not randomly generated and that even the stereotypical scenery can reveal some details if we pay attention.

The example by dice roll 20:

DRAFTJS_BLOCK_KEY:ce2qg1: "your attention is drawn to a

Lauther, a weary rover after an unsuccessful start to an investigation in a small town, leans against a barrel near a stall to observe the entrances and exits of the temple because one of the burgomaster's deputies might be the informant of the wanted brigands.

Game Master : Take an intelligence test!

Idea of results (the goal being to do less than his characteristic which is 12):

1: "your attention is drawn to a

sign, Bran hughtson master-at-arms, you were in the same mercenary company during the last war although he taught you a lot of things, he owes you a lot because you saved his life, so this is where he settled"

2 to 12 : " your attention is drawn by a sign, Bran hughtson master of arms, you were in the same mercenary company during the last war, he was your master in the handling of weapons, it is thus here that he settled "

13 to 19: "you have a feeling of déjà-vu concerning the signs of the various shops bordering the temple".

20: "the point of your sword scabbard unfortunately blew the side cap of the barrel you were leaning on, in front of this tannery, its viscous and corrosive liquid ate your left boot on which you were leaning, the shopkeeper is very unhappy"

Ps: this is a draft, but Bran hughtson may indeed not remember his comrade, have a bitter memory of him and lead to a confrontation, or even not give all the information in his possession because he is involved in the investigation.