That's a great backstory, perhaps tell me before the game starts...?

        I Pinch....
        *Ahem* well then, where was I? Ah yes, back story!!! Also, missed the week mark, though it's within this week so I'm going to say that still counts. Back story...something which every character should posses, and some may, and some may not, and to those fulfilling the latter I say, Poppycock! Now that you've decidedly made up your mind to make back story for your character in every campaign we run, let's discuss how we'll fit that into my world, ENTRATHIA! Firstly I am completely open and willing to have back story intertwine within the main plot itself or as a subplot, or as just an amazing side note for lack of anything else. As to how one goes about ensuring it gets used in an awesome way and is prevalent to the story, that's a bit trickier. Let's say you are an all powerful Magus, you have journeyed from peasanthood in order to obtain the magical prowess you know you have within you, but alas a diabolical villainous crab had stolen your keepsake from home, that which reminded you of your roots and helped to center your mind whenst casting spells, all is lost! That's a pretty epic back story, albeit a very short one, but we're just throwing ideas around at the moment, now I'll most definitely enjoy it, but if I start the campaign where you're in some random caravan, met in a bar, imprisoned or what have you, it may seem as though I have torn you from what would be rational steps and plopped you in some random situation, and there we have distrust and disenfranchisement taking place. Now, I'm sure you would say that you don't mind or it would make sense, but partially why I'm mentioning this is because I read another RPG blog touching base on this, and it certainly resonated with me. On the one hand I want to get the party together in some way and introduce the game in a provocative and alluring manner, and in the other hand I want to make your character as involved as humanly....or elvenly.....or orcly....or so on, as possible. Conundrum to say the least, but not a lost cause. In the following weeks...nay years to come I will be dabbling with plot hooks that have a direct connection with character back story and choices she or he may have made in the past before reaching the "Game start point". With that I will also involve characters in the story by making the story suddenly coincide or be directly mired within the back story that the player may have cooked up. Let's not kid ourselves though, this will be a learning process, one which I will take great pains to get correctly, but in any case hopefully it will become clearer and more immersive as time goes on. I suppose the purpose of this smaller blog post was to just touch base on this subject, share my opinions, and muse about where my players and I may be going, although honestly I feel it's already taking motions in that direction. Now I am immensely tired but I believe I may post again in the morning as I know I have more to write about, but am having a slightly more difficult time at this hour articulating it. *YAWN*
In any case as always
Till next post, Roll your D20
Ryan