NPC Backstories

When you need a quick NPC backstory, roll on this table to generate one. The table is divided into three sections: the NPC’s background, their current situation, and their goals.

Backstory Phrases

if you need to create more of these use the following prompt:

i want to make a roll table with a list of first person phrases that describe the backstories of random npcs to add depth to their characters whenever i need to come up with it on the spot


write the column with the number of the phrase, the phrase itself, their current situation, and their goals.

now make 10 more but put (job) in the place where a job would go in the phrases

To generate a backstory, roll on the following table:

dice: 1d100

Number	Backstory Phrase	Current Situation	Goals
1	I was once a renowned adventurer	Currently running a struggling tavern	To regain my former glory
2	My family was exiled from our homeland	Living as a refugee in a bustling city	To reclaim my family’s honor
3	I trained as a mage at the Arcane Academy	Working as a librarian at a small village	To uncover lost arcane knowledge
4	I grew up in the slums of the city	Scraping by as a petty thief	To escape poverty and start anew
5	I served in the king’s royal guard	Now retired and living a quiet life in the countryside	To protect my family and community
6	I studied under a legendary blacksmith	Apprenticing at a struggling forge in a remote village	To master the art of smithing
7	I was once a wealthy merchant	Now bankrupt and wandering as a traveling merchant	To rebuild my fortune and reputation
8	I was orphaned at a young age	Working as a stable hand at a remote farm	To find a sense of belonging and purpose
9	I was a scholar at the University	Currently working as a tutor for noble children	To uncover forgotten historical secrets
10	I was a pirate on the high seas	Hiding from my past as a deckhand on a merchant ship	To evade capture and live a free life
11	I was raised by a reclusive hermit in the woods	Living as a recluse in a remote forest	To protect the secrets of nature
12	I was once a skilled artisan	Now working as a struggling street performer	To regain my passion for craftsmanship
13	I journeyed across the veiled lands in search of treasure	Now serving as a guide for desert expeditions	To uncover ancient artifacts
14	I was a priest of a forgotten deity	Now wandering as a hermit in the mountains	To rediscover my faith and purpose
15	I was a member of a nomadic tribe	Settled down as a farmer in a peaceful valley	To protect my newfound home
16	I was a court musician in a noble’s palace	Now living as a street musician in a bustling city	To share my music with the world
17	I was a renowned scholar of ancient languages	Now working as a translator for visiting dignitaries	To unlock the secrets of lost civilizations
18	I was once a feared bandit leader	Now serving as a guard for a wealthy merchant caravan	To atone for my past crimes
19	I was a scribe in the royal library	Now living as a recluse in a secluded mountain cabin	To write the definitive history of the world
20	I was a sailor aboard a merchant ship	Stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck	To find a way off the island and return home
21	I worked as a baker in a small village	Now managing a modest bakery in town	To expand my business and become well-known
22	I was a farmer tending to crops and livestock	Working on a family farm in the countryside	To provide for my family and secure our future
23	I spent years as a tailor’s apprentice	Operating my own tailoring shop in the city	To create the finest garments in the land
24	I worked as a clerk in a bustling market	Now managing inventory for a local merchant	To climb the ranks and become a respected merchant
25	I was a carpenter crafting furniture	Now running a small woodworking business	To perfect my craft and create beautiful pieces
26	I served as a barmaid in a busy tavern	Now managing the tavern and serving drinks	To keep the business afloat and attract customers
27	I was a fisherman on a coastal village	Now selling seafood at the local market	To provide fresh fish to the community
28	I worked as a blacksmith’s assistant	Now running my own modest forge in a small town	To create reliable tools and weapons
29	I was a teacher at a small village school	Currently tutoring children in various subjects	To educate and inspire the next generation
30	I was a stable hand caring for horses	Now managing a stable for travelers on the outskirts	To ensure the well-being of the horses
31	I worked as a librarian in a quiet village	Now managing the town’s library	To foster a love for reading in the community
32	I was a gardener tending to a noble’s estate	Now cultivating a small garden for a local aristocrat	To create a peaceful and beautiful space
33	I spent years as a seamstress in the city	Operating a small clothing repair shop	To help people maintain their favorite garments
34	I worked as a messenger delivering letters	Now running a courier service in a bustling city	To ensure timely delivery of important messages
35	I was a street performer entertaining crowds	Now performing in the town square for tips	To bring joy and entertainment to others
36	I served as a caretaker for a noble’s estate	Now maintaining a local park for the community	To create a tranquil and inviting space
37	I was a cook in a busy inn	Now managing a small diner on the outskirts of town	To serve delicious and comforting meals
38	I spent years as a potter crafting pottery	Now selling handmade ceramics at a local market	To create functional and beautiful pottery
39	I was a locksmith specializing in intricate locks	Now running a locksmith shop in a busy city	To provide security and peace of mind
40	I worked as a barber in a bustling city	Now operating my own barbershop in a small town	To give people confidence through haircuts
41	I worked as a baker’s assistant in a family bakery	Now managing the bakery after my parents retired	To keep the family business thriving
42	I was a farmer, but my land was seized unjustly	Now working odd jobs to make ends meet	To reclaim my land and seek justice
43	I was a tailor, but my shop burned down	Now rebuilding my business from scratch	To regain my livelihood and reputation
44	I served as a clerk, but I was wrongfully accused of theft	Now trying to clear my name and find new employment	To prove my innocence and restore my honor
45	I was a carpenter, but my apprentice betrayed me	Now struggling to find trust in new apprentices	To rebuild my business and reputation
46	I worked as a barmaid, but I fell in love with a regular	Now navigating the complexities of a secret relationship	To maintain the romance while avoiding scandal
47	I was a fisherman, but my boat sank in a storm	Now saving up to buy a new boat and start over	To return to my livelihood and support my family
48	I worked as a blacksmith, but my tools were stolen	Now borrowing tools from neighbors to fulfill orders	To replace my stolen tools and secure my workshop
49	I was a teacher, but my school closed due to lack of funding	Now tutoring privately while seeking a new teaching position	To continue educating despite the setbacks
50	I was a stable hand, but the stable owner passed away suddenly	Now uncertain about the stable’s future and my employment	To ensure the stable remains operational and secure my job
51	I was a librarian, but I fell out with my mentor	Now working at a different library	To prove myself and gain recognition in the field
52	I was a gardener, but my partner left me for someone else	Now tending to the garden alone	To heal from the heartbreak and find new purpose
53	I spent years as a seamstress, but my best friend stole my designs	Now rebuilding my clientele and reputation	To regain my creative confidence and trust in others
54	I worked as a messenger, but my spouse resents my long hours	Now trying to balance work and family life	To strengthen my relationship and be present for my family
55	I was a street performer, but my sibling stole my spotlight	Now performing in a different part of town	To establish my own identity and success
56	I served as a caretaker, but my sibling sold our family estate	Now trying to preserve the memories and maintain the property	To reclaim what was lost and protect our heritage
57	I was a cook, but my partner left me for a rival chef	Now running the kitchen solo	To prove myself and show that I’m better off without them
58	I spent years as a potter, but my business partner betrayed me	Now struggling to keep the pottery studio afloat	To rebuild the business and trust in partnerships
59	I was a locksmith, but my apprentice stole from my clients	Now training a new apprentice while repairing my reputation	To instill integrity and prevent future betrayals
60	I worked as a barber, but my romantic interest is the sibling of my rival	Now navigating the complexities of love and competition	To pursue happiness while respecting boundaries
61	I was a (job), but I lost everything in a fire	Now rebuilding my life from scratch	To regain stability and find a new path
62	I worked as a (job), but my partner fell ill	Now juggling work and caregiving responsibilities	To support my partner’s recovery
63	I spent years as a (job), but my child ran away	Now searching tirelessly for my missing child	To reunite with my child and mend our relationship
64	I was a (job), but my best friend betrayed me	Now trying to rebuild trust and move on from the betrayal	To find closure and rebuild my social circle
65	I served as a (job), but my elderly parent needs care	Now balancing work and caregiving for my parent	To ensure my parent’s comfort and well-being
66	I was a (job), but my sibling is missing	Now searching for clues to my sibling’s whereabouts	To reunite with my sibling and ensure their safety
67	I worked as a (job), but my neighbor is causing problems	Now navigating disputes while maintaining professionalism	To resolve conflicts and restore peace
68	I spent years as a (job), but I dream of traveling	Now saving up money for a journey of self-discovery	To explore new horizons and find inspiration
69	I was a (job), but I’m struggling with addiction	Now seeking help and trying to overcome my addiction	To achieve sobriety and rebuild my life
70	I was a (job), but my marriage is falling apart	Now trying to salvage my relationship while keeping up with work	To rebuild trust and strengthen my marriage
71	I was a (job), but I decided to pursue a different path	Now exploring new opportunities and interests	To find fulfillment in my new endeavors
72	I worked as a (job), but I felt like I needed a change	Now taking a break and reevaluating my career	To discover what truly makes me happy
73	I spent years as a (job), but I wanted a simpler life	Now living off savings and enjoying a slower pace	To find contentment in simplicity
74	I was a (job), but I needed a fresh start	Now settling into a new town and looking for work	To establish myself in my new community
75	I served as a (job), but I craved adventure	Now planning a journey to explore the world	To satisfy my wanderlust and see new places
76	I was a (job), but I yearned for creativity	Now pursuing artistic hobbies in my free time	To express myself through art and creation
77	I worked as a (job), but I wanted more flexibility	Now freelancing and setting my own schedule	To enjoy a better work-life balance
78	I spent years as a (job), but I felt unfulfilled	Now seeking new opportunities and personal growth	To find a career that aligns with my passions
79	I was a (job), but I needed a break from the routine	Now taking time off to travel and recharge	To gain new experiences and broaden my horizons
80	I was a (job), but I wanted to try something new	Now exploring different career paths and interests	To find my true calling and pursue my passions
81	I was a (job), but I was unfairly blamed for a mistake	Now seeking redemption and proving my innocence	To clear my name and restore my reputation
82	I worked as a (job), but I faced discrimination	Now advocating for equality and justice in the workplace	To create a fair and inclusive environment
83	I spent years as a (job), but I was betrayed by my mentor	Now rebuilding my career and trusting my instincts	To surpass my mentor and achieve success
84	I was a (job), but I lost everything in a natural disaster	Now rebuilding my life from the ground up	To overcome adversity and rebuild stronger
85	I served as a (job), but I witnessed a crime	Now cooperating with authorities and fearing retaliation	To ensure justice is served and feel safe
86	I was a (job), but I discovered a dark secret	Now grappling with whether to expose the truth or stay silent	To make the right decision and live with the consequences
87	I worked as a (job), but I struggled with impostor syndrome	Now seeking therapy and building self-confidence	To overcome self-doubt and excel in my career
88	I spent years as a (job), but I faced workplace harassment	Now standing up against harassment and fighting for change	To create a safer and more respectful workplace
89	I was a (job), but I made a costly mistake	Now trying to make amends and learn from my errors	To regain trust and prevent future mishaps
90	I was a (job), but I uncovered corruption	Now risking my safety to expose the truth	To hold the guilty accountable and seek justice
91	I grew up in a (place), but I always felt like I didn’t belong	Now traveling the world in search of a place to call home	To find a sense of belonging and identity
92	I was known for my talent in (hobby), but I lost interest	Now trying to rediscover my passion and purpose	To reignite my creativity and enthusiasm
93	I spent years saving up for my dream (possession), but it was stolen	Now determined to track down the thief and retrieve it	To reclaim what is rightfully mine
94	I had a close-knit group of friends, but we drifted apart	Now trying to reconnect with old friends and rebuild relationships	To strengthen bonds and relive memories
95	I was raised in a strict (culture/religion), but I questioned its teachings	Now exploring different beliefs and philosophies	To find spiritual fulfillment and truth
96	I had a cherished (item), but I lost it in a bet	Now regretting the decision and trying to win it back	To redeem myself and reclaim the item
97	I used to live in a bustling city, but I yearned for simplicity	Now living off the grid in a remote countryside	To find peace and reconnect with nature
98	I had a talent for (skill), but I let it go to waste	Now practicing again in hopes of regaining proficiency	To hone my skills and regain confidence
99	I always dreamed of (dream/goal), but I never pursued it	Now making plans to finally pursue my dream	To fulfill my aspirations and find purpose
100	I had a strained relationship with my (family member), but I want to reconcile	Now reaching out and trying to mend the relationship	To heal past wounds and strengthen family ties

Jobs

dice:1d100

Number	Job	Description
1	Farmer	Cultivates crops and raises livestock.
2	Blacksmith	Crafts metal objects such as weapons, armor, and tools.
3	Innkeeper	Manages a tavern or inn, providing lodging and meals to travelers.
4	Baker	Bakes bread, pastries, and other baked goods for sale.
5	Miller	Operates a mill to grind grains into flour.
6	Carpenter	Constructs and repairs wooden structures and furniture.
7	Herbalist	Gathers and sells medicinal herbs and plants.
8	Weaver	Creates fabric by weaving threads together.
9	Tailor	Designs, sews, and repairs clothing and garments.
10	Fisherman	Catches fish and other aquatic creatures for food and trade.
11	Miner	Extracts ore and minerals from the earth.
12	Potter	Shapes clay into pottery and ceramic objects.
13	Butcher	Prepares and sells meat from slaughtered animals.
14	Barber	Provides haircuts, shaves, and other grooming services.
15	Apothecary	Prepares and sells medicinal potions and remedies.
16	Cooper	Crafts barrels, casks, and other wooden containers.
17	Scribe	Writes and copies documents, manuscripts, and scrolls.
18	Mason	Constructs buildings and structures using stone or brick.
19	Cartwright	Builds and repairs carts, wagons, and carriages.
20	Hunter	Tracks and hunts wild animals for food and pelts.
21	Leatherworker	Creates leather goods such as armor, bags, and belts.
22	Tanner	Treats and processes animal hides into leather.
23	Potter	Shapes clay into pottery and ceramic objects.
24	Cooper	Crafts barrels, casks, and other wooden containers.
25	Glassblower	Shapes molten glass into various objects.
26	Chandler	Makes candles and soaps from wax and tallow.
27	Falconer	Trains and cares for birds of prey for hunting or sport.
28	Stablehand	Cares for horses and other domesticated animals.
29	Falconer	Trains and cares for birds of prey for hunting or sport.
30	Brewer	Produces beer, ale, and other fermented beverages.
31	Tinker	Repairs and sells small metal goods and household items.
32	Alchemist	Conducts experiments to create potions and magical elixirs.
33	Charcoal Maker	Burns wood to produce charcoal for fuel and other uses.
34	Beekeeper	Manages beehives to harvest honey and beeswax.
35	Dyer	Colors fabrics and textiles using natural dyes.
36	Rat Catcher	Traps and removes rodents from homes and businesses.
37	Beggar	Seeks alms and assistance from others for survival.
38	Grave Digger	Digs graves and buries the deceased.
39	Street Performer	Entertains passersby with music, juggling, or acting.
40	Peddler	Travels from place to place selling goods from a cart or pack.
41	Town Crier	Announces news and events to the public.
42	Midwife	Assists in childbirth and provides maternal care.
43	Cooper	Crafts barrels, casks, and other wooden containers.
44	Glassblower	Shapes molten glass into various objects.
45	Chandler	Makes candles and soaps from wax and tallow.
46	Falconer	Trains and cares for birds of prey for hunting or sport.
47	Stablehand	Cares for horses and other domesticated animals.
48	Brewer	Produces beer, ale, and other fermented beverages.
49	Tinker	Repairs and sells small metal goods and household items.
50	Alchemist	Conducts experiments to create potions and magical elixirs.
51	Charcoal Maker	Burns wood to produce charcoal for fuel and other uses.
52	Beekeeper	Manages beehives to harvest honey and beeswax.
53	Dyer	Colors fabrics and textiles using natural dyes.
54	Rat Catcher	Traps and removes rodents from homes and businesses.
55	Beggar	Seeks alms and assistance from others for survival.
56	Grave Digger	Digs graves and buries the deceased.
57	Street Performer	Entertains passersby with music, juggling, or acting.
58	Peddler	Travels from place to place selling goods from a cart or pack.
59	Town Crier	Announces news and events to the public.
60	Midwife	Assists in childbirth and provides maternal care.
61	Plumber	Installs and repairs plumbing systems.
62	Shepherd	Herds and tends to sheep or other grazing animals.
63	Vineyard Worker	Cultivates grapes and tends to vineyards for winemaking.
64	Groom	Cares for and maintains horses, particularly for riding.
65	Sexton	Maintains church property and assists with ceremonies.
66	Shipwright	Constructs and repairs ships and boats.
67	Potter	Shapes clay into pottery and ceramic objects.
68	Cooper	Crafts barrels, casks, and other wooden containers.
69	Glassblower	Shapes molten glass into various objects.
70	Chandler	Makes candles and soaps from wax and tallow.
71	Falconer	Trains and cares for birds of prey for hunting or sport.
72	Stablehand	Cares for horses and other domesticated animals.
73	Brewer	Produces beer, ale, and other fermented beverages.
74	Tinker	Repairs and sells small metal goods and household items.
75	Alchemist	Conducts experiments to create potions and magical elixirs.
76	Charcoal Maker	Burns wood to produce charcoal for fuel and other uses.
77	Beekeeper	Manages beehives to harvest honey and beeswax.
78	Dyer	Colors fabrics and textiles using natural dyes.
79	Rat Catcher	Traps and removes rodents from homes and businesses.
80	Beggar	Seeks alms and assistance from others for survival.
81	Grave Digger	Digs graves and buries the deceased.
82	Street Performer	Entertains passersby with music, juggling, or acting.
83	Peddler	Travels from place to place selling goods from a cart or pack.
84	Town Crier	Announces news and events to the public.
85	Midwife	Assists in childbirth and provides maternal care.
86	Plumber	Installs and repairs plumbing systems.
87	Shepherd	Herds and tends to sheep or other grazing animals.
88	Vineyard Worker	Cultivates grapes and tends to vineyards for winemaking.
89	Groom	Cares for and maintains horses, particularly for riding.
90	Sexton	Maintains church property and assists with ceremonies.
91	Shipwright	Constructs and repairs ships and boats.
92	Potter	Shapes clay into pottery and ceramic objects.
93	Cooper	Crafts barrels, casks, and other wooden containers.
94	Glassblower	Shapes molten glass into various objects.
95	Chandler	Makes candles and soaps from wax and tallow.
96	Falconer	Trains and cares for birds of prey for hunting or sport.
97	Stablehand	Cares for horses and other domesticated animals.
98	Brewer	Produces beer, ale, and other fermented beverages.
99	Tinker	Repairs and sells small metal goods and household items.
100	Alchemist	Conducts experiments to create potions and magical elixirs.