Character Background Helper Utility

Summary

What follows is a utility form for Keepers to hand out to their Players when creating a character for Call of Cthulhu. Most adventures revolve around a Player Character's relative or distant friend dying or otherwise becoming corrupted with the Cthulhu Mythos and therefore requiring the aid of the PCs. In order to avoid arousing suspicion by asking the group, "Which one of you has a child?", the Keeper can instead look at the backgrounds provided to him. This is also a valuable aid in that Contacts can be used as replacement PCs, and, in general, fleshes out the character.

Note that the year of birth is omitted, as this is entirely circumstantial based on the age of the character and the year of the setting.

<h2>Character Background</h2> <h3>Player Name:_____________________________________</h3> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tr> <td>First Name:__________________</td> <td>Middle Name:__________________</td> <td>Last Name:__________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Maiden Name:__________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Age:______</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Place of Birth:__________________</td> <td>Day of Birth:______</td> <td>Month of Birth:______</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Nationality:__________________</td> <td>Country of Origin:__________________</td> <td>Marital Status:________</td> </tr> </table> <h3>History</h3> <i>At least 1 or more sentences under each category; "None" or "Unknown" is acceptable.</i> <h4>Educational:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(Include degrees, places, and fields of study)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Military:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(List division and highest rank reached)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Professional/Workforce:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(List current occupation)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Criminal:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(List current criminal status)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Religious:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(List Religion and beliefs)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Interests/Clubs:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(Societies is/was member of, and/or Hobbies)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>General History:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(Anything not covered above)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Current Wealth/Income:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(Class/$ Amount - Rationalize if abnormal to occupation)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h4>Equipment:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">(List any special/notable equipment that helps define the character)</span> <br><br><br><br> <h3>Physical Description:</h3> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">Describe appearance in at least 1 complete sentence; may include height, weight, eye-color, hair-color, notable scars, limb-loss, deformities, etc.</span> <br><br><br><br><br> <h3>Personality / Attitude</h3> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">Describe attitude in at least 1 complete sentence; may include beliefs, pet-peeves, quirks, disorders, habits, dependencies, etc.</span> <br><br><br><br><br> <h3>Relatives</h3> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">Include living/deceased status, current location, current attitude towards/from PC, and additional information as necessary (occupation, wealth, country of origin). <strong>At least three relatives must be active/alive.</strong></span> <br><br><br> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tr> <td>Father</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Grandfather (Paternal)</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Grandmother (Paternal)</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mother</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Grandfather (Maternal)</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Grandmother (Maternal)</td> <td>Name:_________________________</td> <td>Age:____</td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Details:<br><br><br></td> </tr> </table> <h4>Additional Relations:</h4> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">1920´s families were generally large. Possibilities include a spouse, children, siblings (brothers/sisters), cousins, nephews/nieces, uncles/aunts, great uncles/aunts, second cousins, etc.</span> <br><br><br><br> <h3>Contacts</h3> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">List 1 to 3 living contacts. A contact is a non-player character that may be encountered semi-frequently, asked upon for a favor, and/or has an otherwise vested interest in the PC. The description should read as a potential future PC. Preferably contact has no Cthulhu Mythos knowledge/experience. A Contact can be from any walk of life, but the connection must be explained; love Interests can be either Contacts or Acquaintances (see below). An overly detailed relation can be used as a Contact.</span> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Contact 1</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Skills/Abilities/Resources:<br><br><br></td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Background Information<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Contact 2</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Skills/Abilities/Resources:<br><br><br></td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Background Information<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Contact 3</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Skills/Abilities/Resources:<br><br><br></td> </tr><tr> <td colspan="3">Background Information<br><br><br></td> </tr> </table> <h3>Acquaintances</h3> <span style="font-style:italic;font-size:80%;">List 2 to 4 living acquaintances – these are "minor" Contacts that are not as useful as a contact. These must be Non-Player Characters with no Cthulhu Mythos knowledge. Acquaintances are used for subplots and include love interests, coworkers or much-encountered relations.</span> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5"> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Acquaintance 1</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Relation/Information:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Acquaintance 2</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Relation/Information:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Acquaintance 3</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Relation/Information:<br><br><br></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><h4>Acquaintance 4</h4></td></tr> <tr> <td>Name: ______________________</td> <td>Sex:______</td> <td>Occupation:_________________</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Relation/Information:<br><br><br></td> </tr> </table>