BACKGROUND "TWENTY QUESTIONS"

        Having a character background is an important tool for roleplaying.
Every character should have a history.  Every character had parents, who birthed
them, taught them, cared for them (or neglected them), until they were able to
fend with for themselves.  Every character has a past.  In their past, they
learned their skills, their abilities, their loves, their hates, and their
virtues (or lack thereof).  Some learned magic, some learned combat, some learned
technology and other skills.  Backgrounds are considered "living" as they change
as the character develops.  In-game events can cause a person to change their
outlook on things.  These events should be placed in the characters' backgrounds.

        To really gain the most out of a roleplaying environment, players should
flesh out their characters.  This helps bring the characters to life, and gets
away from the numbers and mechanics of the game.  Ask yourself these questions,
and jot them down on a piece of paper, or your favorite text editor/word
processor, and use them to enhance roleplaying for you and others.

1. What is your character's sex?
2. What is your character's physical size?  Is he a short scrawny ork, or a tall
thin dwarf, or just average?
3. What is the color of your character's hair, eyes, and skin?  There are natural
colors, and there are augmented colors.  Cosmetic enhancements are commonplace in
2064, so take note of that.
4. What is the character's general appearance?
5. Where was the character born?  Growing up in Seattle results in different
experiences and outlooks than being born in Tir Tairngire or NAN tribal lands.
6. How old is the character?  Characters should be at a minimum of 15 years old
before they start shadowrunning.  There are some rare exceptions to this, so if
you have a reason for younger characters elaborate greatly.
7. What was or is your character's family?  What did your character's parents do?
Were they married, divorced, separated, etc?  Does the character have brothers and
or sisters?
8. Has the character started his or her own family?  Does your character have
children?
9. Where and how was your character educated?  The streets?  In a gang?  At a
university?  In a megacorp?
10. What does your character do for a living?  Shadowrunning may not be the only
job, there are other ways to make additional income.
11. What are your character's political, spiritual, or religious beliefs?
Political alliances in 2064 are important to success.  Who do you ally with?
12. What is your character's moral code?  Will he or she kill?  Will he or she
kill anyone?  Will he or she kill anytime?  Does killing bother him or her?  Does
your character have a conscious?  If so, to what extent?
13. Does your character have any long term goals?  (in-char goals -- not maxxing
stats, etc. ;-) )  Will he or she accomplish these goals above all else?  Does
your character have other agendas?
14. Why does your character run the shadows?  Does he or she like this lifestyle?
Does she or he do it for necessity or enjoyment?
15. What is your character's personality?  Is he or she optimistic, pessimistic,
sarcastic, a loner, a gung-ho militant, obsessive, rational, passionate,
patriotic, idealistic, artistic, etc?
16. What special qualities does your character possess?  Does he or she plan
everything?  Is he or she patient?  Does he or she have good financial or business
sense?  Is your character a natural athlete?  Does your character have a knack for
techology or science?
17. Are there things your character cannot do?  A common example, Harlequin may be
a very powerful mage, but he can not seem to get a simple radio to work.
18. Does your character have hates?  Do they hate megacorps, metahumans, laziness,
obesity, politics, religion, BTL addicts, drunks, etc?
Note: Racism in 2064 generally applies to race, not skin color.  There are
exceptions to this, however.  Some NAN tribespeople hate white (anglo) people, and
in Tsimshian territory there is a great deal of hatred between the Tsimshian and
Haida tribes.
19. What does your character love?  Do they love drinking, music, members of the
opposite sex, members of the same sex, shadowrunning, excitement, poetry, reading,
etc?
20. What is your character's birth name?  Does your charracter have a birth right?
Does your character know his true name?

A few more questions you may want to answer:

1. What is your character's color?
2. Under what circumstances would your character sacrifice his or her life?
3. What is the best thing your character ever did?
4. What is your character's favorite number?
5. What is the worst thing your character ever did?
6. Who is your character's hero or role model?
7. What manner of dying does your character fear the most?
8. Would your character ever betray his or her friends?  If so, when and how?

^WSee also: DESCRIPTION^n