Paladin Backstory: 10 Amazing DND Background Builds

Paladin backstory, you say? Need ideas for a paladin background? Do you want a few quick examples of a paladin backstory? I’ve got some great ones that will work for D&D, Pathfinder, or other tabletop RPG systems. These were created with LitRPG Adventures Workshop, a tool you can use yourself today! I’ve also got a bunch of DND plot hooks that you might be interested in!

Morthol

Male Human Paladin

STR 18 INT 12 WIS 16 DEX 14 CON 15 CHA 11

Born in The Town of Benwick in the Blackvale

Morthol – Male Human Paladin
Backstory:

Morthol was born to a loving mother and father. He grew up to take his father’s place in the town guard where he learned to fight and use weapons. While he excelled at those skills, he was also interested in all kinds of knowledge.

When he was old enough, he took a ship to the city of Newmoon where he studied at the library. He returned to his home a few years later with a new wife and a wealth of knowledge. Morthol hoped to use his newfound wisdom to help his family and friends.

Personality:

Morthol is a humble and honorable man who values his family and friends above everything else. He is a peacemaker who hates conflict. He believes in hard work and education and doesn’t believe in luck.

Appearance:

Morthol has shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes. He dresses in the manner of the nobility, wearing all of the latest fashions. When traveling the road, he also wears chainmail and a shield.

Start of Character:

Having just arrived in the Kingdom of Grabisco, Morthol hopes to share the knowledge he’s collected with the people of this land.

Jadina Rysandra

Female Half-Elf Paladin

STR 15 INT 13 WIS 17 DEX 15 CON 18 CHA 13

Born in The City of Gilderdrip

Paladin Backstory:
Jadina Rysandra – Female Half-Elf Paladin

After her birth, Jadina was raised by her human mother and had a good childhood. She was a curious girl who spent her days exploring the city and running around with other kids in the neighborhood. When she was 10, her mother was murdered by bandits. Her father, a paladin, rescued her and taught her the ways of the paladin. She is now a dedicated and starry-eyed follower of Beldaroon.

She is very naive in regards to the outside world and has not travelled far from her city. Padina serves the Church of Beldaroon by traveling the lands outside of Grabisco Kingdom. Over the years, she has seen many horrors that have hardened her and given her the skills to act as a bodyguard as well as a paladin. While she is an idealist and believes there is good in everyone, she has seen the hard reality of unsavory characters and realizes that sometimes people need to be protected from villains.

Jadina is a soldier of Beldaroon, who believes everything is possible with goodness in your heart. She is young, eager, impulsive, and she has only ever seen the best in people. She doesn’t think that there are any evil people; she only thinks that people are misguided or misled into acting wrongly. Jadina’s adventuring life started when she was 17 years old after completing her training with her father to become a Paladin of Beldaroon.

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While Jadina was training to become a paladin, her father told her that it would be dangerous to travel any farther than from Gilderdrip without being instructed first by a paladin sage or an experienced paladin. Jadina eagerly accepted this mission. Jadina left Gilderdrip in search of adventurers who work for Beldaroon and who could instruct her on how to deal with different situations outside their home city.

Personality:

Jadina is motivated to help everyone, which can lead her into trouble. She can be impulsive and outspoken, but she is fiercely loyal to her allies and will protect others in need. Her mother’s death played a big role in her early life. Being raised by her father in the church of Beldaroon has hardened her. She knows how the world works and will do what it takes to protect herself and those she loves.

She fights for good and justice, and she won’t hesitate to put herself into harm’s way to protect others. She does not believe in evil or selfishness unless it means that it is for the greater good. Many find her to be a genuine and kind person. She is a source of inspiration to many. Overall, she has a very pleasant personality and is well liked by most who meet her.

Appearance:

With freckles, short red hair, and bright green eyes, Jadina is a cute girl who attracts a lot of attention. Over the years, she has trained to be a paladin and learned to fight like a warrior. She carries a mace into combat and uses her long sword and shield in a pinch. Her armor is decorated with holy symbols.

Start of Character:

Jadina is in the Kingdom of Grabisco for the first time. She hopes to find adventure and help people in need.

Iolo Von Strudel

Male Half-Minotaur Paladin

STR 21 INT 13 WIS 13 DEX 19 CON 18 CHA 15

Born in Castle Von Strudel

Backstory:
Iolo Von Strudel – Male Half-Minotaur Paladin

Iolo Von Strudel was born into a wealthy family who lived in a castle. He enjoyed the lifestyle where he could eat and drink what he wanted and spend his days reading and playing music.

As he grew into an adult, he developed a love of adventure and decided to leave the comforts of his home to experience the world.

While traveling, he met some companions, and they went on to form The Company of the Crazed Thaumaturgist, a traveling group of adventurers who sought to aid those in need and fight the wickedness that threatened the lands.

Personality:

Iolo is a very friendly person. He can sometimes be a bit of a goof with his friends. He is extremely loyal and compassionate. He always tries to do the right thing, but sometimes he’ll question his decisions when he does something he doesn’t think is morally just.

Appearance:

Iolo is a bit short for a minotaur, standing about four and half feet tall. He has golden hair with a slight curl to it, a long, pointed nose, and a beard with two massive horns atop his head.

He typically wears a simple leather overcoat, along with a long sword at his hip. He always keeps his nose clean, as he is a bit embarrassed about his half-minotaur heritage.

Start of Character:

Believing that the kingdom of Grabisco needs his aid, Iolo traveled to its borders to find work. He found his new home in the city of Blinkenberg, where he hopes to settle down.

Roper Zwerrgad

Male Human Paladin

STR 13 INT 13 WIS 13 DEX 9 CON 18 CHA 15

Born in Irontown (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Character Backstory:
Roper Zwerrgad – Male Human Paladin

Roper grew up in Irontown, a stone-built town at the top of a mountain in the Kingdom of Grabisco. He was a bit of a nuisance as a youth, much like all children growing up but perhaps more than most. He was always getting into trouble, fighting in the streets, and generally getting the town guard called on him.

He was a good kid though, and when he was younger, he spent most of his time hunting. His father, a ranger, taught him everything he knew. When he reached the age of 16, he left home and joined the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard and the Kingdom of Grabisco, however, were not good for him. He was constantly at odds with the other paladins in the guard, but when it came to enforcing justice, he was unparalleled.

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He was constantly called to the royal castle for special assignments. It was there that he met and was called upon to take over the royal guard. He accepted, with the stipulation that he could build a special unit for himself to lead. The king accepted, and the unit was formed. They were usually sent out on missions alone, with nothing but their standard gear, to find dangerous criminals and vagrants and bring them to justice.

Personality:

Roper is headstrong and full of willpower. He leads a unit of other paladins that he recruited personally to ensure his success in fighting crime and rooting out injustice, as well as helping those in need.

Appearance:

Roper wears a suit of incredible armor. He has a thick beard and dirty blonde hair that hangs in front of his eyes. He is tall and muscular. His face is scarred in a few places, including his cheeks and forehead. He is clean-shaven but has a few scars.

Start of Character:

After a string of successes, Roper and his unit have been asked to travel to the kingdom of Castlespike. He is determined to succeed in his duties as a paladin and rid Castlespike of its criminal element.

Yarrrn

Female Gnome Paladin

STR 13 INT 17 WIS 13 DEX 16 CON 15 CHA 10

Born in Dagnos Village (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Background:
Yarrrn – Female Gnome Paladin

Yarrrn was born and raised in a small gnomish village in the kingdom of Grabisco. She grew up alongside her twin brother, Brrmm. Her village was destroyed by a vicious marauding band of orcs and she was captured. It was at that time that she swore herself to a life of battle against evil, no matter what it took to stop the monsters.

After being sold into slavery, Yarrrn managed to escape, with the help of Brrmm. She hoped to return home and rebuild her village, but learned that there would not be enough survivors to rebuild. She took this as a sign of destiny and went on to become one of the leaders of the Legion of Justice, a group of like minded adventurers who band together to fight evil.

Personality:

Yarrrn is brave and well liked by people who meet her. She enjoys hearing about other people’s lives but doesn’t go out of her way to befriend anyone else.

The only person that she really cares about is Brrmm, but she is very careful not to become overly dependent on him. She is a lone adventurer, striking out on her own and only returning to her brother to tell him what she’s been up to.

Appearance:

Yarrrn has reddish-brown hair, brown eyes, and a very heavy brow. She is relatively short for a gnome and her build is stocky. She wears chain mail and a huge sword. She usually wears at least chainmail armor in battle. If a big fight is coming up, she will don a full set of plate mail, including a brilliant helmet made of steel that shines in the sun.

Start of Character:

Yarrrn has decided to help out her fellow gnomes, driving out the orcs and crushing the forces of darkness in the entire kingdom of Grabisco. She is looking to help people and make her own way in the world. Finding those responsible for killing her mother is also on her list of priorities.

DnD Paladin Backstory
DnD Paladin Backstory

Ayla

Female Centaur Paladin

STR 12 INT 15 WIS 12 DEX 7 CON 15 CHA 14

Born in Ral’s Campsite (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Backstory:

The daughter of the greatest centaur paladin the Kingdom of Grabisco ever knew, Ayla grew up hearing stories of her father’s heroics. Even as a young one, she loved her father and wanted to be just like him.

When she was old enough, she left the village to continue the family tradition of protecting the people. Her father died protecting King Marcus’ family from an attack by a band of hobgoblins.

Ayla was determined to avenge his death. She left the City of Brenlue, and the civilization of the Sassars, and traveled into the wilds of the Sussurian Jungle. She soon found out that she was not alone in her mission. She had met a young centaur, who had heard the stories of her father and wanted to grow up to be just like him.

They checked over the border and returned. They formed the Order of the White Shield, with Ayla as the paladin of justice and her new friend, Yashin as the warrior. Together they fight to keep those who are weaker than themselves safe.

Personality:

Ayla is very courageous, if a bit naive. She believed her father has the ability to do everything. She views him as being perfect. Her own hero is Marcus, the king of Grabisco. She constantly looks up to him and strives to protect the innocent in his name.

Appearance:

Ayla wears a silver chainmail. Her dark hair is braided, with a bit of it hanging over her shoulder. Her outfit is decorated with silver and white symbols, the insignia of her order’s philosophy. Her weapon is a long battle-axe.

Start of Character:

After Ayla became a part of the order, Yashin and she traveled to the City of Brenlue. They intend to seek an audience with King Marcus about the threat surrounding his kingdom.

Kratos Perrin

Male Minotaur Paladin

STR 19 INT 11 WIS 19 DEX 16 CON 17 CHA 13

Born in Zoron (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Background Story:

Kratos is a determined, loyal, and stoic Minotaur. He grew up in a very traditional home, never questioning his parents. He learned the ways of a warrior from a very young age. Kratos was trained in how to use a variety of weapons and armors.

He spent many of his days hunting and protecting the borders of his homeland, but he always longed to wander the world for new adventures. He knew that when the time came to venture outside of his homeland, he’d be ready. And now, that time has come.

Personality:

Kratos is very goal-oriented. He is a loyal friend who will always come to the rescue when needed. He’d gladly sacrifice himself for someone in need, and he’d never ask anyone else to do the same for him.

He’s very straightforward, but he is not shy about letting others do things for him. He’s very positive and optimistic when dealing with people, and he tends to look at the best in them.

Appearance:

Kratos is 7’10”, making him the tallest of the five friends. He has dark red fur with dark green eyes. He is always wearing armor of brown, red, and gold. He wields a halberd, able to fight with both his weapon and his shield.

Start of Character:

Kratos knows that he must head to the kingdom of Grabisco to return the missing piece of the legendary Cosmic Forge to its rightful place.

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Elyssa Twinter

Female Chaos Gnome Paladin

STR 10 INT 9 WIS 10 DEX 17 CON 8 CHA 12

Born in Kreston (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Backstory:
Elyssa Twinter – Female Chaos Gnome Paladin

Elyssa grew up in the small village of Kreston, nestled deep within Barnhurst’s suburbs in the Kingdom of Grabisco. She was a curious young girl full of questions, and she started studying blacksmithing and weapon combat at an early age. All of the children in her village played together, dreaming of becoming great warriors, monsters, and heroes.

Elyssa dreamed of becoming a paladin of the law; this was not for any particular reason other than her being a child who wanted to serve what she perceived to be the greater good. She and the other children formed a militia that they eventually used to defend the villagers and their community. Over the years, Elyssa became a skilled combatant, but she also studied diplomacy and negotiation with the natives of Fallowweed.

Personality:

Elyssa has a strong sense of duty and justice that she strives to uphold in herself and others. She lives by the law and believes in the power of the law to bring peace and order to Grabisco. Her sense of humor is often dry and sarcastic, earning her a reputation as a tough customer. This is especially true when it comes to criminals.

Appearance:

With strawberry blonde hair and matching eyes, Elyssa is a beautiful young woman. She forgoes armor in favor of the leather armor worn by the militia of Kreston. Elyssa’s words are said with conviction, and she has a tendency to overly explain herself when it becomes clear that others don’t understand.

Start of Character:

Elyssa’s family and village were destroyed by a mysterious force when she was young. She spent years searching for the perpetrators and avenging her family and village, but she never found them. Now she is searching for a new place to call home and have a chance to rebuild her life.

Xanthe Hufferhassle

Female Halfling Paladin

STR 15 INT 12 WIS 13 DEX 19 CON 11 CHA 12

Born in Yorebridge (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Character Backstory:
Xanthe Hufferhassle – Female Halfling Paladin

The Hufferhassle family is known throughout the lands for their famous warriors. Zaela’s father, Egras, was a fearsome halfling who could use his size to his advantage. He was like a lion or tiger, and he had a fearless sense of adventure. When he was old and frail, he taught his daughter everything he knew about fighting and hunting, hoping she would continue the family legacy after he passed away.

She chose a different path, however, joining the clerics in Yorebridge. That didn’t keep Zaela from taking her father’s famous sword and sword belt to use in her clerical duties. Zaela trained under the Lord Marshall of the Grabisco Army. She learned at an early age that her people (halflings) were not as popular as humans or elves. She trained hard and became a powerful cleric-warrior, and was the only halfling to become a Lord Marshall. Zaela eventually took over the role as leader of the clerics in Yorebridge and the surrounding area.

With the attack by the dragon, Gulo, Zaela has been called upon once again to protect her people. With her father’s sword by her side, she is ready to do battle! The Green Dragon Gulo was born many years ago. With a head as big as a horse, and a huge wingspan, he was the biggest dragon in the land. He was very cunning and powerful. People feared him. He liked to drink the blood of humans and halflings, and enjoyed destroying small farms and villages in the countryside. He was not above eating a dog or chicken, either. His size was intimidating, and he was tough to defeat!

The elves were the first to come up with a plan to defeat the dragon Gulo. They called on a group of human warriors called the Red Dragons. Zaela, serving as a Lord Marshall, led the army into battle with Gulo. That battle was the bloodiest and most difficult battle Zaela had ever been involved in. Gulo had been ready for them, however. The attack lasted for days with both sides watching their comrades fall by their side. However, at last the leaders of the Red Dragon forces thought they had figured out a plan that would work.

They used a magic potion that could make them invisible, but this meant they would not be able to see each other or Gulo in order for it to work. That was accomplished by using ropes. As they prepared their attack, two leaders of the Red Dragons covered themselves with shields painted with pictures to see each other by reflection. By communicating through each other’s reflections, they were able to coordinate their attack on Gulo in his den without being seen or heard by him. This allowed the spell to work, and as they silently attacked, they used ropes to tie up the dragon’s claws.

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He got so angry that he breathed fire at them. The swordsmen defended themselves using their shields, and most of them died in the attack, but they had done it! Gulo was tied up! Zaela, seeing an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, used Gulo’s own tail to chain him to the ground. Another group of Red Dragons then entered his mouth and cut off his great golden tongue.

It was sent back with a messenger as proof of what happened and how the dragon’s death was accomplished. The Redians were rewarded by the king. Zaela didn’t care about his tongue (he was dead after all), she wanted his scales as proof. The queen was very thankful for the death of her nemesis. She offered Zaela and her clerics a permanent place in Yorebridge Castle if she ever needed a safe place to stay. Queen Adriana became one of Zaela’s best friends from that day forward.

With the death of Gulo, peace in the land has once again been established. But more than once, someone has thought of reviving the great dragon Gulo from his sleep beneath Yorebridge Castle. Some think it is just a rumor, while others are sure that someone is trying to recreate one of the most powerful dragons in history! It will be up to Hunter and Zaela to stop these people before they destroy the world all over again!

Personality:

Xanthe is an idealist. She is determined to protect the weak and weak of heart. She will always try to do the right thing and see the good in others— even when it seems impossible. Her ambition is to travel around the world and do good wherever she goes.

Appearance:

Xanthe is a tall, thin halfling with dark green hair. She is very muscular from years of training and fighting. Her striking, blue eyes make her appear even taller. When she is on her horse, she dons a beautiful long, white robe that features a depiction of Helm on the back. She carries the family’s famous sword and looks and acts like a noble warrior.

Start of Character:

She is intent on helping the war effort of the Grabisco Kingdom and finding adventure wherever it takes her.

Larek Tarkros

Male Dark Elf Paladin

STR 11 INT 14 WIS 11 DEX 14 CON 12 CHA 13

Born in Hjulroam (Grabisco Kingdom)

Paladin Backstory:

Although he was born a Dark Elf, Larek was blessed by the light. He was taken in by an order of paladins and raised as one of their own. He became famed for his numerous heroic deeds, including slaying a dragon. He was dubbed a paladin of light. He has set out to rid the world of the evil that lurks in the dark. His current task is to gather a group of adventurers to destroy the Dark Master, who has corrupted the Kingdom of Grabisco.

Larak is a likable fellow. As a Paladin of Light, he travels the Kingdom of Grabisco, performing miracles and fighting evil whenever it rears its ugly head. He is passionate about his work, and tough in combat, although he prefers to negotiate with enemies before resorting to violence. He has a weakness for food and alcohol, and isn’t afraid to let it show.

Larak is one of the seven Paladins of Light that disappeared during the Great War. They remain missing to this day.

A faithful paladin, Larek is plagued by doubt after learning that the Dark Master was truly his brother Setral. His mission became complicated after meeting up with his former comrades, Tahn & Kameroc. He is now torn between maintaining his mission to kill Setral, or to follow Tahn & Kameroc’s advice to strike out against Gol-Tavan instead.

Larek’s faith in magic remains unshaken despite facing Gol-Tavan’s army of undead. The loss of his brother Setral at the hands of Gol-Tavan will only strengthen his resolve in fighting the dark forces through magic and faith.

Personality:

While he has a sense of humor, Larek is serious about fighting. He is very respectful to his superiors and others in positions of authority. He is absolutely loyal to his friends. He is very patient and will wait for his allies to arrive at decision points, but once it is time to act, he does so decisively.

Appearance:

With his dark features and with dark hair, Larek wears black armor and carries a holy sword to protect him if he is forced to do battle.

Start of Character:

Larek is in Grabisco to help find and defeat the Dark Master. He wants to prove to his god that he is worthy to be called a paladin.

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Paul Bellow

LitRPG Author Paul Bellow

Paul Bellow is a LitRPG author, gamer, RPG game developer, and publisher of several online communities. In other words, an old school webmaster. He also developed and runs LitRPG Adventures, a set of advanced RPG generators powered by GPT-3 AI. Here at LitRPG Reads, he publishes articles about LitRPG books, tabletop RPG books, and all sorts of DND content that's free to use in your personal tabletop campaign - i.e. non-commercial use. Enjoy your stay and reach out on Twitter or Discord if you want to make contact.

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