Similar image with completely different vibe
I played a level 1 human fighter in a one shot who was basically just a normal well adjusted dude. Lived with his living parents, well-mannered, knew the townsfolk. The only reason he went on the adventure was to train up so he could try out for the town guard, and once it got scary at the end he noped out real quick.
Not a lot of meat on those narrative bones for a full campaign, but it was fun to subvert the trope.
He got added to the signal chat.
which one is it
People who come from happy living homes in fantasy settings have no motivation to risk their lives and that happy home for an adventure.
The things that make the happy loving home work as a background are characters that either want to duck an arranged marriage or are so far down the inheritance chain they are going to be life long mooches if they stay.
What if you were born into a Thornberries esque family, grew up traveling the world as your researcher and adventurer parents did their studies in the wilds, ancient ruins etc.
You fell in love with adventure and ancient mysteries, so after graduating from adventurer college (you were a legacy admission), you intern for [initial quest giver for campaign].
Easy one, done off the top of my head.
sounds like a good background for a proper paladin, no?
person grows up well adjusted and happy, including being taught to have morals, so when they learn about the horrors in the world they go “fuck that noise” and pledge themselves to make the world less shit.
And since they’re just… a normal dude… they can be the party’s “straight man” who sees a half-feral goblin mage join the party and looks into the camera like in The Office.
