Life-Paths - A Shadowdark Suppliment

Inspired by life-story systems found in other tabletop games, this supplement aims to provide further mechanical and narrative depth to a character’s backstory.

Life-Paths are designed to offer mechanical and narrative flavored boons and banes. They come from key points in a character’s past, with the player holding the power to choose what path is tread, but the dice holding their fate. Life-Paths are also designed to inspire the player and GM in fleshing out their character’s story, with the narrative of events (and outcomes) easily expanded upon.

Each Life-Path has its own unique design, with some dividing down two separate roads from childhood, others with multiple Bonus Paths to take, and some with their own unique additions, like Patrons or Favored Creatures and Terrains.

Most Paths are designed around holding a Childhood narrative outcome, followed by two mechanical outcomes in Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Bonus Paths and unique Class Additions adding to this. At the end of each class you can also find tables of rollable, Bonus Paths.

Life-Paths can be run before or after the rest of a character’s creation. The supplement is fairly self-explanatory; a path is taken, an event or reaction is chosen, dice are rolled, and results are given. Perks or penalties depending on luck and fate. Notes at the top and bottom of each page give context and tell you where to go next.