I’m currently writing backstories for D&D characters! Check out some some of my writing here. Want me to write something for you? Hit up my Fiverr page here.
All samples below are conceived and written by me without the use of any AI tools. Never have, and never will. LLM’s kill our creativity — the soul of what it means to be us.
Since some of these are meant to be backstories for characters that are being played in active campaigns, I like to sometimes include a little explanation of character motivations and alignment at the end and also provide a little bit of role-playing advice and ideas on campaign integration if it’s relevant.
Ivy
Ivy grew up in a reclusive, cult-like druid circle that so revered animals, they believed that taking on animal form was tantamount to stealing their souls. So taboo was this practice that those who were caught performing such perversion were exiled without question. What comes naturally to some druids isn’t so readily understood as “other”, though. Even when lives are at stake, Ivy uses her strange powers to save those in peril regardless of the cost. In this short story based in Faerûn, the importance of self-acceptance and unconditional love are revealed through the pain of living with a dire secret.
In this case, the client specifically requested that I write a story that was pro-animal or pro-queer, so I channeled my inner Trekkie and wrote an allegory for queer acceptance wrapped in the blanket of a young druid forced to hide her abilities. Star Trek taught me that you can bring anything to light (and to life) if you use fiction as a delivery device. This little 3000-word story is my homage to episodes like The Outcast, Cogenitor, and Stigma. The substance might be fiction, but the meaning is real. One of my favorite stories.
Ren
Ren is a holy knight on a crusade through the Elemental Planes on a mission to find relics related to his mysterious deity. This action-packed adventure will see our powerful hero and his seasoned cadre find nothing but pain as they fight against devils in strange, alien environments to bring their slain god back to life and take vengeance on the Hells itself. Will they achieve victory, or will they fall before the machinations of powers greater than them?
This was pure action power fantasy. For the main character, I was tasked with creating a combination rogue/holy spellcaster, so the first thing that came to mind was Vax’ildan of Vox Machina. In the end, this was just a fun romp through myriad settings inspired by the Manual of the Planes from 3rd edition D&D. The twist ending is very open to interpretation, but the client loved it, so I guess it worked! This was one of my longer stories, clocking in at about 5000 words.
Kaida
Some might call Kaida Mistweaver a princess, since her mother is the self-appointed queen of the Twilight Skulk, a demiplane within the Feywild that serves as the home of the Kitsune. While she grew up in a life of luxury, she never failed to help protect her land. She meets a young girl from the material plane who followed her through the great Torii Gate that leads to their realm, and Kaida’s sense of duty is tested when they’re both abducted by dangerous Naga.
Kaida’s story is a fascinating exploration of Japanese mythology. This was the first time I wrote a long-form short story, and I had some very strict requirements and details from the client that I had to follow. It was definitely challenging, but after about a week of effort, this story came to life magnificently. It’s easily the most vivid of my stories so far with a world inspired by Hayao Miyazaki and Legend of the Five Rings. I ended up having so much fun with this one.
Lucian Wrynec
A druid who worships the stars sees his land invaded by a king’s ruthless army. Together with his companion, they manage to overcome overwhelming odds and conjure a miracle from the firmament above
One of the difficulties in writing short stories is keeping the word count under control. This story was only supposed to be 500 words, but I ended up going just over 1600 with it. On the one hand, clients love when I go the extra mile, but in truth, I just don’t feel like I can tell a compelling story in so few words yet. One of the perils of being a fledgling writer.
Did you know I wrote a novel? It’s not ready yet, but watch this page for updates. Once I find a literary agent and get it published, I’ll post a link to it!