The following is a list of the steps to create a background. Each step is a series of random tables the program recurively goes through to build a story. As you step through each random table, you will see the new information first in a green title barred box, and underneath will the complete background. Breaking it down step by step allows you to see the progression of the character and eases the burden on the server. It also allows you to stop at anytime and skip to the end. If you don't want to have significant events in adulthood, hit Done and move to the end, for example. I added more navigation options so that you easily start over and skip to the end.
- Future Genre Types - Pick a sci-fi genre for the game setting.
- Character Species - Pick a type of General Species Type for your character
- Fantasy Character Race -
- Tech Level - Pick a general tech level for the character in the game setting.
- Culture - Pick a Culture for the character in the game setting.
- Home Culture - Randomly generated Culture of the characters home world society.
- Social Status -
A character's social standing is deeply influenced by their family's status within their culture. You can think of it as a subculture within a larger society. While the core values and skills of the main culture still apply, they are adapted and filtered through the lens of one's social class.
This social status acts as a modifier for future life events. It's also an indicator of a character's family wealth, which can eventually become their own fortune—or lack thereof. A character's social status isn't fixed; it can change for better or worse throughout their life due to various events.
For new characters, social standing directly impacts their starting funds. A wealthy character will typically begin with more money than a poor one.
- Social Status - Randomly generated Social Status of the character's family at the time of his or her birth
- Birth Legitimacy -
Birth legitimacy is a social custom that allows a society to officially track a family's lineage, typically through the institution of marriage. In patriarchal societies, this lineage is determined by the father's side through a recognized spouse.
An illegitimate child, often called a "bastard," is one born to a woman who is not married to the father and is not later adopted by his family.
How a society views legitimacy is heavily influenced by its culture. For instance, in some cultures, so-called "love children" are more common but may not be accepted into the family. Conversely, many primitive cultures don't see legitimacy as an issue at all, and most children are considered legitimate members of the community.
- Birth Legitimacy - Randomly generated Legitimacy of the character's birth.
- Reasons for Illegitimate Births -
- Family Members - Randomly generated number of parents and/or extended family that the character grew up with.
- The Family - Most characters start their lives as part of a family unit, which typically includes a mother, a father, and siblings. Often, this extends to include additional relatives, forming a larger, extended family. This establishes who serves as the head of the character's household.
- Siblings & Birth Order - Randomly generated number of siblings and birth order of the character
- Siblings - Randomly generated number of siblings
- Birth Place - Home World - Randomly generated Homeworld or home location for the character. If the character's primary future history is Tarnished Tomorrows or Post Holocaust, this can be ignored. These futures assume that birth occurs on the characters racial home world (usually Earth)
- Birth Order -
The character's birth order can affect things like inheritance, the use of family influence in the character's favor, career, tile (if Nobility) and personality.
- Birth Place - Home World Types - Randomly generated Homeworld or home location type
- Time of Birth - If you or your GM feel that the season, month or day of the characters birth is important to the campaign, create a dice
table similar to the other tables in the book.
- Birth Place - Place of Birth - Randomly generated birth place
- Place of Birth -
Your character was probably born somewhere (maybe).
- Unusual Events at Birth - Randomly generated events that occurred at birth
- Unusual Births -
- Parents/Family Details - Randomly generated occupation and traits of the character's family
- Parents & NPCs -
- Significant Childhood Events - Randomly generated events that occured in the character's childhood
- Significant Events of Childhood & Adolescence -
- Significant Adolescence Events - Randomly generated events that occured in the character's adolescence
- Significant Events of Adulthood -
- Education - Randomly generated educational experience for the character
- Alignment and Attitude -
- Alignment and Attitude: Neutral -
- Alignment and Attitude: Alignment - Lightside Alignment
- Significant Adulthood Events - Randomly generated events that occured in the character's early adulthood
- Personality Traits - Randomly generated Personality traits gained throughout the character's life