Getting to Know Your Character 4 – Family

This series of posts is loosely organized around different themes to offer role players and writers prompts to consider as they develop characters. In this fourth set we turn the camera’s eye on family relationships, and how your character relates to them.

For those developing role-playing characters, family also ties into the world around your character. When answering these questions, consider the kind of people, places, and events they connect to, then work with your game master to put specific labels on them.

Parents and Guardians

  • Do/did you know your parents?
    • Were you raised by them?
    • What are (or were) their names?
  • If not,
    • Why didn’t you know them?
    • Who raised / cared for you?
  • What did your parents or guardian(s) do for a living?
  • What was their standing in the community?
  • Did you stay in one area or move around a lot?
  • How did you get along with your parents / guardians?
  • How would they describe you?
    • Would their answers be different?

Siblings

  • Do you have any siblings?
    • How many and what were their names?
    • Were they biological or adoptive?
      • What role, if any, did it play a role in your sibling relationships?
    • What was your birth order? (first born, last born, middle, only child, adoptive)
      • What role, if any, did it play in your sibling relationships?
    • How did you get along with your siblings?
  • What was your family life like?
    • The emotional tenor? (positive, conflict, supportive, absent)
  • Draw out your family tree, including living and dead relatives.
  • Outline what you know about your family:
    • Locations, spouses, children, birth dates (perhaps compared to your own), schooling and any important incidents that only you and they might remember.
  • Are any or all your family still alive?
    • If so, where are they now?
    • Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?
  • Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?
  • Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?
  • Are there any famous or notorious members in the family (including you)?
    • If so, who are they and how did they earn their notoriety?
    • What is your relationship and emotional connection with them?
  • Do you have a famous or notorious ancestor?
    • If so, what did this person do to earn their notoriety?
    • What do people assume about you once your ancestry is revealed?
    • Do you try to live up to your ancestor’s reputation?

Spouse, Mates, and Significant Others

  • Have you started your own family?
    • Who did you start your family with?
    • You might complete the survey for your character’s mate, highlighting what your character does or doesn’t know, and how it would affect their relationship. (Significant opportunity for depth and/or a large rabbit hole!)
  • If not, do you ever want to have a family of your own someday?
    • Do you have a potential mate, in mind?
    • What type of person would be your ideal mate?
  • What would you be willing to do to protect such a person?
  • Where would you draw the line to protect them – what wouldn’t you do?
  • Would anything change your mind on this issue and if so, what?