LESSON Creating a Plot From Character Bios

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There are many situations where you join a roleplay that does not already have a starting plot. You provide players with a basic setting or universe, then people join with a hodgepodge of characters, and a plot comes together on it's own. Sometimes this happens naturally, but most of the time it will be up to the Game Master to somehow pull all the characters together and create a cohesive story for the players.

This creative exercise is going to give you a list of tips on how to pull together a plot using the characters you're given.


Look in the character histories for potential plot bunnies.
  • Do any of the characters currently have a personal mission or quest?
  • Do any characters have an old enemy?
  • Do any characters have a missing family member or loved one?
  • Do any characters mention non-player characters they've interacted with in the past?
  • Do any characters have a dream or special wish?
  • Do any characters seem to share a similar background?
  • Do any characters share a skill?
  • Are any special places, locations, or events mentioned?

These sort of things make for great plot motivations. You can use them to give the characters a purpose. If more than one character shares a similar trait in their history, it's possible that it's tied together and can become a plot point.

Example 1: Character A's family was attacked by pirates and their father was kidnapped. Character B was kidnapped as a kid and became a pirate. Maybe it is the same group of pirates, and the kidnapped father helped take care of Character B on the pirate ship. That's a great plot revelation later!

Example 2: Character C secretly has just discovered a dormant talent of firemagic and can't control it, and firemagic is totally against the law! Character D is a hunter that collects these illegal firemages. Character D can find out about this secret and must choose whether or not to do something about it.

Look in the character personalities for ideas.
  • Do any characters hate certain things, or fear something in particular?
  • Are any characters super desperate for love?
  • Do you have anyone obsessed with something?
  • Do any characters refuse to ever do something or admit something to themselves?

Personalities also offer great plot potentials. This is how you get characters to connect with each other or form enemies. Characters with similar feelings about certain things (like their hated of demons, for example) might bond together to achieve a goal. Characters with opposite opinions or personalities could offer a little drama or conflict.

Example 1: Character E is a demon and believes happiness is for chumps, and wants to live in a world of anarchy and demon delight. Character F is terrified of demons, but doesn't want to live in a world of chaos. So Character F tries to show Character E how great the world is with love and fluff and harmony.

Example 2: Character G is against murder, no matter what and believes it is a sin. Character H is desperate to get revenge against an enemy for killing their lover. Character G can do everything they can to stop Character H from sinning.

Tying a group of characters together...!

The four of characters above all have different stories, but they can all be tied together for a single roleplay plot. You just grab all of the big pieces and put them together like a puzzle:

WE HAVE:
- Pirates
- Demons
- Illegal magical talent
- Missing family
- Vengeance
- Potential Romance

How would YOU tie the example characters together in to one single plot?
For set one of this exercise, take the examples I listed above and create a plot! You can use the list of things I pointed out, or insert in your own plot devices for those characters.


BONUS EXERCISE: Find ANY roleplay that has a list of character bios and ignore the plot posted. Look over those bios, and see if you can create a plotline of your own using JUST the characters provided.

You can use one of your own roleplays, but I recommend picking out one that belongs to someone else so you don't have preconceived plot ideas. Make sure you LINK to that roleplay in your post.
 
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So not sure if a did this write but im gonna take a crack at it any way. Create four Bio's then connect the four chracter's and tie it into a plot , If im correct and you can use your own or your lists? If that is correct here i go.


Bio: Lia Was Born Free spirited and Wild since a young child She was always Very Impulsive. she felt as though she had the world at her finger tips. She loved anything that would give her a rush pra-gliding , Sky diving, cliff jumping. She was reckless and fun overflowing with optimism at what new thing to try next, Until, Her friend Ike died. Once Ike died she became a shut in. She no Longer Wanted Adventure , She felt empty and Bare without her child hood friend at her side. She clung to him most of her life, They had grown up in the same old small Village. Gone to school together since the very first Day. Ike had been their for her when her father left their small little Village , when she and her mama we're left with almost nothing Ike and his family reached out to them helping them both onto their feet with love , and support. Lia May have even Loved Ike but even As an Adult she wouldn't believe that such a wonderful kind boy would ever like her in return. After years Of waiting Ike Began to lose hope and date other girls , Lia was fine with it, or she said she was, Told Ike she was happy for him. It was a lie, deep down when ever she saw a girl over his arm , she wished it could be her. She had told Ike Her true feeling and now she never could confirm how he felt, He died In a freak accident , Hit by a drunk driver. The Night Of the accident she had left him a voice message, It was only ten minutes long , But in those short ten minutes she had told him how she really felt, Layed her heart bare, And started crying out of both releif and fear throughout in the call. He tried to call back but she was to scared to answer, so he had got in his car to drive over so that they could talk , it was late at night and Outsider's we;re passing through the main road of the town he had been spending and when the car t-boned him his head was smashed he was killed on impact. Lia Blames herself , That if she had kept her mouth shut , kept the friendship , he would still be their. After leaving her small village , and her past behind her , she became a cool blooded hunter for the middle kingdom and traded half of her soul to lose a small part of humanity in exchange for magic to help her hunting skills, She left her human friends and relatives behind.

Lia
age:25

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Bio: Salus , Grew UP happy his mother a countess , his father a lord. He had Multiple slave boys his own age to play with , He was a tresured weapon since he was born , A pure breed demon created by forbidden magic and the rape of his poor biological mother in a far off land. He had never known this of course as a child, the Horrid means in which he was created. He was kept Coddled,quieted with treats, Robes of Fine gold thread and silk Covered him. In truth despite all the luxury he was Disturbed. Often Causing his parents trouble. With his age His power's grew out of control at his flood of emotions and strengh. He didn't want the gifts , or the toys, or the salves. He wanted his parent's most of all for them to pay him even the littlest bit of attention to him., he spent long days of his childhood playing with the slaves who served in the castle chamber that we're his age. He got along well with one , his Mocha skin and White Flaxen tuffs Stood out , He had been a gift for the prince on his 8th birthday. He was stolen from a distant land on the other side of the earth. Salus Became Close With the slave he dubbed with the name "Olive" Due to the color of his eyes, They reminded salus of green Olive's, like the kind that grew on a tree in the castle gardens. As a young boy, They we're the same age and grew together. Salus had only one friend His slave Olive , When he was 12 her had illegally taught Olive many thing that slaves We're forbidden to learn In the kingdom. To read, to write , to speak the tongue of his lands, How to use a sword , how to fight. One morning Olive had complained about his shackled , They we're gold thin but heavy and bit into his Flesh. Salus Simplely chuckles and tells him to man up , But Olive soon Pouts annoyed That Slaus Ignored his demands. Salus feels bad uses his powers to control the slave master and steal the keys to Olive's shackles by Evening Olive was as he wished Without Binds to weigh him down and show that he was a slave. Slaus later sneaks into town with Olive , Slaus Was never allowed to leave the castle but when ever he could he would sneak out. He covers his horns with the hood of his cloak and goes about unoticed, While their in town Olive taps Salus "Im sorry ..Salus" he then turn his back On salus , His legs long and lean from labor push his forwarf a a great speed , he was running away. Salus was too hurt To chase after his he simply stared wide eyed his hood comeing down after a gust of wind blow forth revealing his horns to the people of the kingdom, He is consumed with bitterness, Anguish, despondency. After being chased from the street he runs home in fear and panic. The king and queen set their evil plan in motion and force him to act as a weapon. He does so happily his Wrath fueling his powers to kill. When he is not a loyal dog at the queen's feet he is out searching for Olive , The boy he plans to kill for destroying him , betraying him , useing him for escape and tossing him aside like trash.

Salus Looks like:
age:22

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Bio: Oliver Was taken from his home land In a violet and aggressive manor. His mother was killed and raped in-front of him Savagely, his infant sister was left for dead by the kings Captain who Slung Oliver over his saddle forced him onto a Ship. After Months and months of Horrid abuse, many of the friends that had been captured with him died of disease from the ships Dysentery. When he arrived at the kingdom, he was stripped of all his clothing and put on a stage to be sold. He was only eight at this time , he trembling on the stage calling for his mother, as people yelled out things violently In a tongue he couldn't understand. When he met his master, He was both happy yet surprised that they we're the same age. His body racked with fear at first , Not understanding anything that was asked of him, he was permanently hired as Salus's Personal slave. Salus Played with him , sharing his toys and books easily. When Salus Noticed that he couldn't read, nor speak properly, they would sneak into the alter room and hide behind the Podium. Slaus would read to him for hours and hours untill he to could read the page. After many years he could read , and speak Enticingly well. The slave master assumed after years of hearing the tongue he had simply mimicked it. He was wrong, The day before he bolted he had received a letter from a new slave that had come from another kingdom not far to west. His sister was Alive, But Ill. she needed him she too was captured and sold she was in a land not far from the kingdom. After hearing such news his heart filled with happiness. His only family was there he had to go help her. He was 12, He Knew if he asked Salus that Salus would refuse so he had to trick the other. After easily getting his shackles taken off he convinced salus to sneak into town and buy some fruit. Salus was convinced, he hated the thick stone walls of the castle. That's when he made one of the hardest choices he had ever faced "Im sorry...I will return." Then he ran as fast as he could not looking back. Tears flooded into his eyes as he pushed forward , He knew he had probably hurt the other but he needed to see his sister, She was the only family he had left. He promised himself that once he was free and his sister was safe, and of good health. Olive would return to Salus and explain everything little did he know what his escape set in motion. Olive hitched rides on hay bail carriages across the land, he only heard whispers , rumors ,of the demon warroir who raged war in the east , but he never thought it was Salus and he never once thought it was real. demon's couldn't exist outside the middle kingdoms, right? It was forbidden. The true reason Olive may have run away was his feelings for Salus , They had kissed once the month before he left behind the Poduim He had leaned in close and brushed lips with Salus only to curl up fearful but Salus simply stood and left without a word. after that things had no been the same between them, Perhaps it was better to run then , and give the other space and time to think about what had happened.
Olive Looks Like
age:22
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Bio: Princess Miyu Has a bitter rule over One of the middle Kingdom's , Growing up she had NO friends and Was kept Locked away in the upper chamber's of the house. The salves to her we're mindless beings that we're simply tools in her mind ,So she never reached out to them for friendship. She was all that reached out to her below her , she could never connect with anyone nor could she ever show how she felt , she was to scared. her fear consumed her she began a Vicious rule past age 10 she would behead people simply for placeing the right slipper on the wrong foot. She became Obssesed with games , and would make persants fight to the death in an arena before her to keep their bread and her tax collector's out of the village. She was Cruel And Had no intrest or feelings for anyone of anything.One day this changed , A boy who led a lamb through the shreets of the village , She Found A large amount of intrest in him. Disguised of course at age 14 she follows him to his fields to find he sleeps in the barn, has only the clothes on his back and the bread and cheese he gets in exchange for his goats milk from the village baker. He is known as the Rat of the Village , No kind heart will take him in, Nor does any of the poor towns people show him pity he is outcasted by the even the lowlyiest of trash in the village., She smiles and soon approaches him day after day sitting in the barn he smiles at her , and is kind to her he even goes as far as to share his small ammount of food. She soon wants him and has him taken from his barn and sheep and chained in her chamber;s in the castle. Once chained he refused to speak his lips sealed in tight line and hurt in his eyes he does not speak to her defying her demands. Miyu could never understand his sadness pr defiance. in her mind she had done him a favor he had lived in appalling conditions now he sat on a silk cusion by her side , and on some night after they had aged ,she would lay him on the bed and let him take her, He did so with a bottomless lust When they both grew to the hormonal age. the frist time he took her was when she asked him to the night of her 16 birthday. Laim the now chained boy was at the ripe age of 17 and agreed to take her but still did not speak a word. He remains trapped at her side never speaking to her or anyone.

Appearance
Miyu Age : 18 In picture
Laim Age: 19 In Picture
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Does that count as Four chracter , And

Linked together by
Betral , Unconfessed Love hidden feeling, Slavery, Dominated , Twisted friendship , Ignored royals
Harsh results due to betrayal or neglect of those around them.
 
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