Hello hello!
Kali ini kita akan membahas kembali seputar karakterisasi dalam Dungeons and Dragons. Karakter itu tidak lengkap tanpa ada yang namanya background story, betul? Background story ini penting bagi DM dan juga player untuk lebih memahami hubungan antara karakter dengan campaign yang akan dimainkan. Untuk itu, sebagai seorang player ada baiknya untuk memberikan perhatian lebih kepada background story karakter kita. Selain dari poin plus untuk campaign, DM juga bisa lebih memahami karakter dan menyiapkan npc maupun cerita pendukung yang baik untuk karakter yang akan kita mainkan.
Nah, setelah penjelasan singkat (?) di atas, di bawah ini ada contoh background story untuk sebuah campaign yang berlatar belakang di Forgotten Realms. DM dari campaign ini memberikan kebebasan bagi player untuk membuat tribe dan menetapkan lokasi untuk mendukung background story player dan story dari campaign itu sendiri. Berikut adalah background story dari Karmella Arbernaum, seorang elf yang mencoba untuk mencari keberadaan ayahnya yang hilang demi keberlangsungan kaumnya dan juga ibunda tercinta.
(NB: Background story ini diketik dalam bahasa inggris dan visual karakter dibuat dari azaleasdolls.com)
Name: Karmella Arbernaum
Tribe: Arbernaum, The Moondrops Tribe
Deity: Silvanus
Hometown: Londe
Skin: Pale Blue
Eyes: Bright Pale Blue with Shimmer of Gold
Hair: Silver, with some blue
Age: 100 years old
My name is Karmella Arbernaum. I come from Londe, a magical forest area where our race, Elf, live. We are one but separated into many tribes to help our greatest King, Gius Theridio, to rule evenly. There are 10 tribes in Londe, 3 of them are the royal tribes, the tribes that will continue to rule the kingdom of Londe. My tribe, Arbernaum, is one of the royal tribes. We are the elf of the moon, charged at the outer of Londe Kingdom for scouting, gathering supplies from the other regions, and socialize with the other races outside our kingdom. Ambassador you could say.
My father was the Tribe Leader of our area. His name is Kylle Arbernaum and he is the 3rd descendant of Arbernaum Tribe. My grandfather, Kyurolle Arbernaum, passed his throne to his son at his 500 years old birthday (and my father almost reached 200 years old that day) in one condition, my father should marry my Ma, which is the offspring of my grandfather’s best friend from Holnukka Tribe; The Waterstream Tribe.
Ma was there when my father rejected the term that has been given by my grandfather. “I still remember when he said no to Grandfather. They are both hot-headed elves, they screamed to each other, throwing their fits of anger in your Grandfather’s birthday,” said Ma while combing my hair. Father was hardly rejecting the marriage and left the party that day. No one knows where he went but he’s going to the outside of Londe for sure.
“And grandpa didn’t try to look for him, Ma?”
Ma shook her head. “Grandfather even told every single of our tribe, no one’s allowed to leave the village and find your father until he came back by his own feet and kneel for an apology.”
I was truly shocked. Grandfather was surely mad at him.
“But then…,” Ma continued, “…after 1 year he went away from the village, he came back,” Ma laughed.
“What’s funny, Ma?”
“Ah, well, your Grandfather was so ready to scold him but then he just kneeled in front of him and begged his forgiveness. Not so like your father but that’s what happened.”
I laughed. “And then you two married?” She just answered me with giggles.
As the ambassador of the Londe Kingdom, my father always goes to other regions to maintain the relationship with the leaders and the suppliers. He can go from one month to years; once he ever came back after went for 4 years. Mother never asks what he did outside Londe. She always said that it’s the duty of Arbernaum Tribe Leader and we should never question him and his decision because it’s for the sake of Londe Kingdom.
I once ever asked about what he did outside our home, why he always comes home months or years later. I asked him because one day I’ll be just like him, not because I’m questioning my faith to him and to the Londe Kingdom. What I expected was anger from him, but he answered me with his sad face.
“Pa only did what Pa needs to do,” he answered and left me with tons of questions.
I never dare to ask more questions after that, not because I’m afraid of his anger, but I don’t want to see him makes that sad face again. I saw lots of pains in his eyes, no tears, but his gold eyes feel dead. I’m just keeping my questions inside my head; maybe he will answer it someday after I become the Leader of Arbernaum Tribe.
One day, before he went to his next tasks, he hugged me tightly. It felt so strange, like a farewell hug. He whispered, “Take care, my dear child, the daughter of Arbernaum. May Silvanus protect you every path you take,” to my ear. Tears fell down after the whisper, I did not dare to let him go but he patted my head and told me that ‘all is fine, all is good, I’m with you’ as he always says to me every time I feel sad and desperate. With a heavy heart, I let him go and watched him and his horse walk away from us.
I never forget that day, my tears that I shed for him because he never comes back after that.
It’s been ten years since he left. No letters, no information, no trails to seek. Ma cries day and night, looking outside the window from awake till asleep, waiting for my father to come back. I realized that the hug he gave to me was really a farewell hug and I’m so angry with myself, why can’t I make him stay? Why I just let him go? Why I have to make Ma suffer from this infinite pain? So I decided to find him and drag him back, to kneel in front of Ma and apologize…
…to be with us again.
I went to Ma’s room; she was still crying and watching the window. Her face looks older than she should be, which means she grieved too much until her age is cut bit by bit. I knelt before her and hold her hands, promised her that I will take father back to Londe, to our home, to be with us again. Ma didn’t look back at me; she just kept shedding tears and watching the window. My heart was torn apart, I hold my tears up and kissed her hand as my blessing for my adventure. I packed my stuff and went away to the South; to seek the answers for my questions.
