Need a character background written up? (2024)

Originally Posted by Undyne

A new character to help keep this in recent- A human fighter, born blind. My table uses the Unearthed Arcana for swapping features, so he uses the Blind Fighting fighting style, and my DM has a home-brew rule for characters born blind- Along with the downsides of being blind, you have advantage on perception based on hearing.
Race: Human
Name: Jonathan Rasade
Class: Fighter, Champion
Jonathan's story begins prior to his birth- 1 month before it. His mother, Alice, was a beautiful woman, married to a kind man named Wolfgang. But one day, her sense of vanity was her downfall- the gods cursed her to become a Gorgon (Medusa, not metal bull) and her husband was right in front of her as it happened- Her first victim, the first turned to stone, the one she had loved. She ran, going into a cave, and one month later, she gave birth to Jonathan. She tried to not look at him, but his babbling made her so happy. She looked at him, and saw his silver-grey eyes; He was blind, and thus immune to her petrifying glare. She hugs him, crying in joy with the knowledge that at least one god was on her side. A few years later, and Jonathan takes a blade from a man who had been sent to kill his mother, and learned the art of blind combat. Every now and then, he goes to his mothers cave and alerts her of his presence- 1 echoing tap of a sword on the floor if its just him, 3 if he has guests so she can put on a blindfold, and to make sure no one can trick her, he also hums a melody she taught him so she knows its him.

I really did a deep dive of your mother - because I feel like that's everything that drives your character.
From protecting her - to the "mission" I give your character for a reason to be traveling.
This was a lot of fun to write (clearly, as it ventured into 3 pages in length!)
Hope you enjoy it - would love to hear feedback! (Helps me, and helps keep this thread alive!)
Enjoy!
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Everyone knew the name Avaleena Starway; the story had been that she’d been touched by the gods themselves. Her fiery red locks of hair seemed to capture the rays of the sun and draped well past her knees; her green eyes were like the blooming pastures of the grasslands; her skin was soft to the touch, like the most expensive silk, and she seemed to move with the grace of a cat, with hips that seemed to move like a slithering snake. Some even suggested that she might be the personification of Sune, the goddess of beauty and love, herself.

Despite this, Avaleena was humble and married a young farmer by the name of Korien Rasade. Korien was a simple man who loved Avaleena because she frequently told him that he was much better than the “simple person” he believed himself to be. Koiren could never understand how Avaleena, who could have married anyone; including some of the richest men in the neighboring lands, had chosen him.

They lived happily for a year; until one day, a band of brigands made their way to the town and caused disturbances and trouble throughout the town. One of them had seen Avaleena and taken an interest in her. Koiren stepped into the tavern just as he saw the brigand handling her. With all that Avaleena had said to him in the past year; Koiren felt confident he could handle a single brigand. He turned and locked the door to the tavern, which shocked others in the tavern who’d always known Koiren to be quiet and reclusive. Koiren reached for the sword on the wall and pointed at the brigand, “You will unhand my wife and leave this place; alive or dead, the choice is yours.”

See Also

Liberty or Equality - [PDF Document]The Curse of the Dragon Queen

The brigand named, Gorgus Bloodbane, stood and laughed. He was a large fellow, with as many cuts and scars on his skin so that it looked like an old parchment of a well-traveled city.

Still, Koiren did not back down, despite the screams and protests of Avaleena.

Despite Koiren’s courage, that battle was over, before it began, with Gorgus blocking the clumpy thrust, and impaling Koiren to the wall – to the gasps and horrors of those who watched. It was Avaleena who took Gorgus’ dagger from his own belt and plunged it into the brigand’s back who howled in fury and pain and back handed her. He grabbed her by her fiery red hair and threatened to slit her throat, but thought it would be better that she go on living, knowing that her husband died in front of her eyes; and with that, Gorgus left.

The town buried Koiren as a hero, and Avaleena soon learned she was pregnant with his child. Despite her ever growing belly, the people of the town still catered to her every need; some who perhaps felt sorry that she had lost Koiren, others who had hoped to gain favor with her, and win her hand; and others still, who continued to believe she was a representation of Sune. The compliments were never ending when it came to speaking to Avaleena.

Knowing that she would soon be giving birth to a child, she accepted the hand of a local baron who would be able to provide for her financially. She did this so that her child could have the best life ahead of them, without having to work a farm or worry where their next meal might come from. The baron – a human by the name of Baron Marcus Castlemaine – promised that the unborn child would be treated and considered as family.

For eight months, Avaleena was dotted on by Baron Marcus Castlemaine and his servants. He ensured her every need was met, and that a servant was at her side, every moment of her life. Avaleena’s servants continued the influx of compliments, some of the male assistances, fighting to be the one to help her; some working well beyond what one would consider healthy.

Even one month before she was going to give birth, Avaleena still looked incredibly beautiful; perhaps even more so now than ever; as her skin seemed to radiate that motherly glow. And perhaps it was the gods – perhaps a jealous woman – but on the night of the full moon, Avaleena’s life changed forever.

She awoke one day and peered over at Baron Marcus Castlemaine – and to her surprise, he had let out a scream – before his flesh turned to stone. His guards rushed in to see what was going on – and even they too – turned to stone. Avaleena soon discovered, anyone who could see into her eyes, had their flesh turned to stone. She’d been cursed!

She, though still pregnant, quickly hid her eyes, and fled to a nearby cave, where she lived on whatever she could find for food, before delivering her own child into the world. Fearful that she would turn her own child to stone, she did not look at him; even as he cried for his mother. Days went by and she knew not what to do, and finally realized, that turning him to stone would end his misery; for there was no way for her to bring him to someone to tend to him. She would not risk entering the town and turning anyone else to stone.

She took a deep breath, and picked up her weak child, and to her surprise, the infant’s giggles continued. She looked closely and saw – perhaps a blessing or a curse – that her son was blind. The mark of the silvery white eyes! She pressed him close to her body, fed him from the milk of her breast and hunted for him, killing animals to feed him.

The boy, for which she named Jonathan, learned to grow up with his blindness. Where he could not see, he could hear and taste things better than those gifted with sight. And those senses would come into play; after all, despite it being sixteen years since she’d fled – the world had not forgotten and had placed a bounty on Avaleena’s head – for the murder of Baron Marcus Castlemaine.

One such bounty hunter had finally picked up the pieces, heard the rumors of the “woman in the caves” and decided to come calling. Jonathon knew of his mother’s story; she – in a weeping tale – explained the tragedy of Jonathan’s father and the curse that had befallen his mother. And Jonathon vowed to find out who had cursed her – whether mortal or deity – and find a way for the curse to be undone.

But first, the bounty hunter.

Jonathan used his ability to know the caves inside and out, using the darkness to lure the bounty hunter away from his mother; using his sense of hearing to always know where the bounty hunter was. He had made a trap that – once triggered – would release a boulder crushing the opponent. Jonathan effortlessly led the Bounty Hunter here, triggering the trap – and killing the man who had come collect his mother’s head. Jonathan then felt around until he found the man’s body and took from him what he could (the armor had been crushed, but the sword had been tossed aside as the boulder came for the man). Jonathan trained to use the sword for a year, before he told his mother his plan – to find a way to break the curse.

But before he did that – there was one more thing he had to do.

In an old town, miles away, Jonathan opened a door. Using the tip of the sword, to tap on the ground, to guide him as he walked, his sightless eyes looked around the room. “Gorgus Bloodbane,” he smiled, though he could not see his opponent. An older, weathered man, stood, still towering, still intimidating – if one could see him.

“Do I know you, boy?”

“Me?” Jonathan shook his head. “No. But you knew my father.”

“Oh? What’s his name?” the large man named Gorgus eyed Jonathan.

“Koiren,” Jonathan replied, “Koiren Rasade.”

“Doesn’t ring a bell,” the man shrugged.

“You murdered him,” Jonathan said, as he lifted his sword. “And I’ve come to kill you.”

“You? A blind boy?” Gorgus laughed and waved the boy away. “Don’t be foolish. I am giving you one chance to walk away.”

“I thank you and decline your offer to walk away,” Jonathan smiled. “Tonight, I send your soul to the planes of hell to burn forever. You started the curse – and so I must kill you.”

“I don’t know what curse you speak of,” Gorgus drew his massive blade, “but I’ve had enough of you.” He lunged forward, but Jonathan could hear the whistling of the sword and easily stepped to the side and with one quick slice brought his blade down, slitting Gorgus’ throat. He collapsed to the ground grasping his neck as blood exploded between his fingers.

Jonathan kneeled down, next to the sound he could hear the gurgling, and waited until it stopped. He cut the purse off of Gorgus’ belt and threw it in the direction he could hear the labored breathing of those who had just witnessed this. “Take his gold to pay for the clean up. Good day to you all,” and with that, Jonathan sheathed his sword and walked out the door.