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Medieval Backstories

This mod adds over 100 new backstories for medieval pawns. Requires Humanoid Alien Races 2.0 (Does not add a new race, only backstories).


You will need the Humanoid Alien Races framework for this mod to work. This mod does not add a new race. HAR is just what allows for the creation of custom backstories.

VFE - Medieval is a soft requirement. The backstories will be in the game if you don’t have it, but they won’t have any medieval type pawns to spawn in. I’m not making it an actual dependency in case I patch in other faction mods in the future. But for now using VFE - Medieval is the “intended” way to use these backstories.

This mod adds 39 childhood backstories and 68 adulthood backstories.


Childhood

Reluctant squire
+2 Melee
+1 Animals
+1 Crafting
PAWN NAME didn't want to be a squire, and most certainly didn’t want anything to do with tournaments or battles or things of that sort. However, HIS/HER family gave HIM/HER little choice in the matter, and PAWN NAME found HIM/HERself in the service of a particularly demanding knight as soon as HE/SHE was of age.

Peasant Child
+4 Plants
PAWN NAME grew up in a small, rural village. HIS/HERparents farmed a plot of land that was owned by a wealthy landlord. In order for the family to be able to afford rent and taxes, everyone, including PAWN NAME, had to pitch in to work the farm.

Changeling
Incapable of everything but dumb labour
Staggeringly ugly
It was believed that PAWN NAME was a changeling, a fae who was left in place of a human baby stolen by fairies, due in part to HIS/HER unfortunate looks and low intelligence. Because HIS/HER parents didn’t believe HE/SHE was their real child, PAWN NAME was often mistreated and forced to do extra chores.

Adulthood

Alchemist
+5 Medicine
+4 Plants
+3 Cooking
PAWN NAME devoted HIS/HER life to continuing HIS/HER master’s quest to discover the formula for the legendary Panacea Elixir and cure all of the world’s illnesses. HE/SHE became renowned as an expert in medicine, and many people came to HIM/HERwhen they were sick or injured.

Renegade royal
+6 Social
Incapable of manual labour (A royal is still a royal)
PAWN NAME's father was a cruel and corrupt king. He outright ignored his starving subjects and had anyone who said anything against him tortured and killed. PAWN NAME could stand for it no longer, and fled the kingdom with HIS/HER allies and some peasant refugees in order to begin building an army to overthrow the tyrant.

Graverobber
+3 Social
+2 Mining
PAWN NAME robbed graves, relieving the dead of any valuables they had been buried with. HE/SHE travelled frequently so as not to be caught, masquerading as a simple, honest merchant. HIS/HER prices were so cheap that customers rarely questioned why HIS/HER wares were so often covered in dirt.


Childhood

Alchemist’s Apprentice

Educated Squire
Corrupt Squire
Lowborn Squire
Reluctant Squire

Wealthy Merchant’s Child
Helpful Merchant’s Child

Young King
Young Queen
Heir to the Throne
Young Royal

Proper Noble Child
Playful Noble Child
Spoiled Noble Child
Royal Bastard

Stable Hand
Kitchen Helper
Young Servant

Apprentice

Peasant Child
Fisherman’s Child

Travelling Minstrel Child
Young Wordsmith
Noble's Bastard

Lantern Bearer
Innkeeper’s Child
Helpful Child
Little Soldier
Farrier’s Child
Boastful Child

Child Beggar
Street Orphan

Orphan Boy
Orphan Girl

Student

Cursed Child
Flower Picker
Changeling
Adventurous Youth

Adulthood

Alchemist

Chivalrous Knight
Disgraced Knight
Knight Errant
Unscrupulous Knight

Well-Travelled Merchant
Local Merchant

Beloved King
Beloved Queen
Mad King
Mad Queen
Heir Apparent
Renegade Royal
Runaway Royal

Lady-in-Waiting
Wise Royal Advisor
Greedy Royal Advisor
Landowner
Courtier
Stable Master
Milkmaid
Houndmaster
Chambermaid
Castle Laundress
Royal Cook

Goldsmith
Silversmith
Busy Blacksmith
Village Blacksmith
Cobbler
Kindly Cartwright
Seamstress
Stonemason
Carpenter

Fishmonger
Net Fisher
Weir Fisher
Woodcutter
Shepherd
Crop Farmer
Miller
Vassal Footsoldier
Vassal Longbowman

Playwright
Poet
Portrait Artist
Puppeteer
Jester
Acrobat

Town Crier
Innkeeper
Barber Surgeon
Midwife
Tavern Wench
Hostler
Town Guard
Lamplighter
Graveyard Keeper
Laundress

Graverobber
Highwayman

Charitable Nun
Monk Scribe

Scholar of Philosophy

Reclusive Witch
Seer
Village Fool
Monster Slayer


Childhood

Nunnery Noble

Adulthood

Prioress
Crossbowman

Chinese Simplified Translation/简体中文翻译 by Clement_


Some childhood and adulthood backstories are tied together because I thought it might be weird to have a peasant-ish adult spawn with a noble childhood. You can mix and match them as you like using Prepare Carefully or Character Editor. Pushing the randomise backstory button when using Prepare Carefully is truly random. Any childhood will match with any adulthood, so you will get weird and unintended combos.

Shavius's Vanilla Expanded Patches works with this mod! Their patch gives NPC pawns appropriate backstories based on their social status. Thank you Shavius!

If you use Backstories for Vanilla Expanded Factions or Shavius's Medieval Flavour Pack, you might get an error about a patch failing. This is because each mod is trying to patch in the "Medieval" spawn category to the Medieval faction. Which patch fails depends on load order, but as long as one patch goes through it's fine. It's safe to ignore this error.

As far as historical accuracy/realism goes, think “A person who likes historical fiction novels and history documentaries made these” and not “An actual expert who has seriously studied the medieval period made these.”

Comments, suggestions, and advice are all appreciated!