Followup: Background

Following my post last week, here is a practical template to follow to generate a character's background.  To me this IS the character more than any numbers.

Step 1: Now
List (at least) 5 background or concept elements that are important to your character. 
Could be a

• Character theme: Dark, Beacon of Light or Hope, prefers talking with summoned creatures
• List of important events the chararacter has experienced:  Family, Personal Failures or Successes
• Physical description: Tatoos, scars, blushes when talking with the opposite sex
• Personality: Could be a word.  I like having racial personality tendancies like Dwarves tend to be stubborn.  Not every dwarf is mean, stingy, & stubborn. 
• Hinderances/Advantages: This is what makes the character unique.  How fun is it to fight a pile of bugs when the fighter freaks out that he is terrified of them!

Step 2: Future
Two goals your character is working towards

• Could be short term: Get revenge on those that killed your family
• Ideally, should have at least 1 long term:  Become the best in your field, Restore peace to the region

Step 3: Resources
Secrets

• One the character knows: Part of a Shady Network,
• One the character does not know: This is fun to taunt & test the character.  It is what make it fun!
• One the game master makes: to keep the player on the edge of their seat.

Most people have friends & associates they work with or see semi regularly.  Each character should have a 'network' related to their purpose.  Some may hate battles & have a network of fighters.  Some might have a social network to gather information faster.

Step 4: People

• 2 Friendly: Help get what you need
• 1 Hostile: You rubbed them the wrong way & they are out to make your life difficult

People make up our life.  Who touches our & who's life we touch. 

Here is the direct link (created by a community member, not Wizards).
http://community.wizards.com/j_steele/blog/2010/03/02/10-minute_character_background

Some sample templates
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19713850/The_Ten-Minute_Background--Post_your_characters!