How does one go about making a rank and file soldier that joins the party an interesting character, or even give reasons for him to be adventuring?
>He's a deserter, figured adventuring was basically banditry only legal >Lover of whores and booze, needs to fund this hobby >Lost a bet with a member of the party, has to be their bodyguard for a few months >One of the few survivors of a shattered invading army/rebellion, needs to get out of the country >Actually a noble with a large inheritence waiting for him, found out he preferred life on the road to court politics and a marriage to an ungrateful sow >Has never known anything but soldiering, does it out of necessity since the war has ended
Also post footsoldiers, bonus points for halberds and other polearms
Joshua Clark
>Given special assignment by the provincial governor to deal with whatever weird shit the party is investigating >Comes from the army of a land that has been conquered, doesn't want to go home but doesn't have the skills to do anything else besides fighting >Dishonorably discharged and has nothing to go home to
Julian Reed
>Killed one of the King's knight's in single combat, now hunted by the Knight's family and peers, all of whom are searching for revenge against the jumped up serf who thinks he can get away with killing a noble
David Anderson
Combo of a deserter for some hopefully relatable and agreeable reason and soldiering is all he's ever known.
Best bet is he was hired to fill out an army through a company but had to desert as he found out through some means that the general is some idiots or doesn't care about the troops since they're merely hired and not actual countrymen and plans to use them in high casualty tactics. Missing the soldiering life, as thats all he's done since he could hold a sword, he hires on as an armed guard and travelhand with the party. He'll soon find out that what he missed the most was the closeness and good times of camaraderie and stick around just for that.
Jose Harris
>He fought on the losing side of a war. His kingdom was destroyed and his home obliterated leaving him with naught but a sturdy pole arm, a mail hauberk and a pot-helm. >It's either banditry or adventuring, which is just like banditry except you're robbing goblins, orcs and the like who have no rights.
Julian Davis
>Was dying when the party rolled over the battlefield to loot the dead; officially he's MIA >Degraded officer who wants to regain his name, any way possible >Mimic who decided the easiest place to hide is among thousands of similary looking men >A bragand who killed and looted some poor soldier, now hiding his true identity >A girl doing the conscription for her old father >A military maverick who got this very special map and intel about certain bank right behind enemy lines...
Adrian Morales
>Every Fighter's backstory ever the thread.
Alexander Gray
...
Levi Phillips
>During his long past glory days, he once rescued a princess of a distant land in the heat of battle >She promised that once she returns to her home, and should he seek her, she will reward him greatly, gave him a signet ring to this end >Once the war ended and his service to his country was done, his village burned and his pension gone, he remembered the promise she made and found the ring was the last thing he hadnt sold for booze >Now journeying to try and cash it in and live the high life
Hudson Gutierrez
>A military maverick who got this very special map and intel about certain bank right behind enemy lines... Stealing this
Gavin Ward
>How does one go about making a rank and file soldier that joins the party an interesting character You give him a memorable and fleshed out personality. Lots of good characters in various mediums have no past or justifications for their current activity.
Colton Smith
Not him, but it's the plot from an old WWII flick that I feel ashamed for not remembering the title of right now.
Levi Bennett
>Literally posted with the "titular" character of the film from which it's taken Son, you've failed pop-culture forever
Kelly's Heroes
William Turner
Three Kings isn't WWII, but it sounds similar
Actually, that whole movie is a good adventure
Isaiah Thompson
>20 Luck >He's just some chump statwise >Accidentally led his town watch towards a crushing victory against orc marauders >Resulting fame leads him to being promoted to Captain of the Capital Guard >Accidentally foils assassination attempt when he tripped and dropped his pike off a wall down onto the killers head >Ordered by the king to assist the brave and mighty adventurers >Is totally out of of his league and knows it. Tries to keep it a secret because his old man is so proud of him now
Colton Turner
Golden. I'm stealing this one
Samuel Brooks
Kelly's heroes. There was the hippy Sherman commander
Luis Price
>Witnessed a secret operation by fantasy FOXHOUND >On the run >Fell in with the party under the logic that the best thing to protect him from a group of absolute freaks is another group of absolute freaks.
Jaxon Evans
> city guard who was fired from his position because he got knocked unconscious by an assasin and people believed he simply fell asleep on the job has to flee his hometown and earn money some way > mercenary hired by the party > mercenary hired by king and brought to far away lands, war ended early and the king didn't want to pay full price, merc is now stuck somewhere and needs the money to get home > soldier send to accompany the party on the order of the king to testify that they did indeed get the mcguffin and did the ritual at the place > stationed as garrison of a fort nearby, fort changes owner due to noble shenanigans, current garrison fired, new guard hired, footmen now without a job > peasant looted some abandoned battlefield and found a uniform/weapon he liked > footman was injured in battle, nursed back up by local woman, married woman, settled down, woman died for some reason (or didn't), back to soldier work, army long gone, guess it is adventuring time > wanderlust > seriously, wanderlust > diatant cousin of the king, in theory has the right to rule, king knows this, soldier doesn't, king sends soldier with party on suicide missions, soldier won't die, king is pissed but impressed > do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior wanderlust?
Bentley Roberts
"Sir I really must protest, I didn't join the King's Legion to play nursemaid to a band of low born, half washed, and insane murderers."
>Captain Gregor Jones >Nursemaid to a Band of Killers >Party face and tactician >Less a moral center and more a moral collar
Daniel Morris
Sounds like the suicide squad. Collars enchanted with explosive runes?
Asher Price
More like the suicide squad is every band of murder hobos ever.
The PCs are mercenaries on contract work for the King, my PC is in charge of making sure they bathe regularly and keep collateral damage to a minimum.
John Flores
Well played.
Caleb Richardson
>>Given special assignment by the provincial governor to deal with whatever weird shit the party is investigating More importantly, he was confused with his brother, who was one of the Army's Scouts (AKA, a Ranger). He doesn't want to be here, these people are INSANE!
>>Ordered by the king to assist the brave and mighty adventurers >>Is totally out of of his league and knows it. "FUCKING HELL, WHERE IS OUR SHIELD WALL?!?!"
>Kelly's heroes. There was the hippy Sherman commander Always with the Negative Waves!
Jaxson Richardson
Wants more money. In MY setting, a nation was conquered by a rank and file turned adventurer, for the want of money.
