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  Session Zero Workbook
  
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  Session Zero Workbook
  The Ultimate  
  Session Zero Workbook
  This workbook will help you, the DM, prepare for your 
  upcoming campaign. Start by filling in the relevant sections 
  before your session zero. Then bring your prospective 
  party members together and follow the step-by-step 
  instructions.
  For the thorough adventuring group.
  By Ink and Lyre
  
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  What is a Session Zero?
  A session zero is a meeting with your players to gather 
  ideas and create a game you all will enjoy. You should 
  gather inspiration for the world you will build and establish 
  expectations for the adventure you’re about to begin.
  Think of this as a brainstorming session. Gather ideas and 
  inspiration. This is collaborative storytelling. Let your players 
  help write the story. Let your players help design the world 
  with you.
  To use this workbook, complete section one on your own, 
  before the session zero begins. Armed with these basic 
  rules and outlines, invite your friends over and complete 
  section two. Finally, print out separate copies of the 
  specified pages in section three for each player to write 
  their backstory for this campaign.
  
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  SECTION ONE
  In this section you’re going to establish the basic outline of the world 
  your players will be playing in. Don’t worry, you don’t need to create 
  any NPCs or story lines here, but rather consider the big picture of 
  your game and the established lore you wish to make cannon. We’ll 
  start with the biggest question.
  
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  Who are the gods and goddesses in your game? What key information do you need to point out about them? 
  Ex: Two of the gods are currently fighting for power in your setting, Work with you players to develop gods 
  for PCs interested in being clerics, paladins or warlocks in your game. Feel free to develop this yourself or 
  brainstorm ideas with your players! If this is a pre written setting, examples could include the Dawn War or 
  Dark Six pantheons. The options are limitless. 
  Your game’s pantheon.
  Will you be using a pre-written setting or a homebrew setting?
  There’s no need to write a novel, but what are some key moments in your setting’s history? Try to think of 
  this section like a bullet list to sum up important past and present events. Ex: The Divide (Two Kingdoms 
  at War divided the continent in two). What are the events that helped shape this world? Did a surge of 
  magical energy spark “The Age of Arcana”? The possibilities are limitless. Prewritten adventures include this 
  information and it’s important to make note of it here.
  The Lore, Legends, and History
  Running a campaign with a Hombrew setting 
  can be extremely rewarding and an incredible 
  experience with your players. You get to experience 
  a story no one else will ever know and that is 
  wonderfully unique to TTRPGs. If this seems like 
  fun to you, consider the following questions more 
  of a guideline than a hard and fast rule.
  Homebrew
  Forgotten Realms, Eberron, The Sword Coast, or 
  even Ravnica are all wonderful Wizards of the Coast 
  settings for Dungeons and Dragons. However, you 
  may be embarking on a Pathfinder, Starfinder, or one 
  of  the many indie developed settings. If so, find your 
  setting and familiarize yourself with it enough to 
  answer the following questions.
  Pre-written Adventure or Setting
  
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  While creating a sense of ‘order’ in your game, laws help provide context to parts of the story. It also sets 
  up plot hooks for how the game could adapt to your player’s decisions. Feel free to develop this yourself or 
  brainstorm ideas with your players! The rules and regulations could vary widely from country to country or 
  city to city. 
   
  EX: Magic is forbidden in a neighboring city. All violators are imprisoned for life. Why? The ruler of this city’s 
  wife was murdered by a spellcaster, the murderer never found. So, he imprisons all.
  Laws and Justice
  We strongly recommend providing a map of the world to your players. It should outline the major areas of 
  the world as potential starting locations for the campaign. If you are playing in a homebrew campaign, try to 
  think of what sounds interesting to you, but leave room for your players to contribute. You may find that you 
  need to create a whole elven city for your druid! List your most interesting places here and be prepared to 
  tell your players about them.`
  The Map
  DM TIP! Here are some resources to mapmaking software that will easily help bring your homebrew 
  campaign to life! 
  INKARNATE - Perfect for world maps and city maps
  ASTRAL TABLETOP - Perfect for quick encounter/battle maps
  
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  What are the unique holidays or traditions that take place in your setting? This can be a nice layer of immersion 
  to bring to your players. It also builds anticipation that they’ll get to participate in this later in the game. Feel 
  free to develop this yourself or brainstorm ideas with your players!
  Holidays/Traditions
  Factions and organizations are often the driving force of an adventuring party. These groups pay adventurers, 
  influence the politics of the world, and often provide aid in dire situations. Become familiar with the 
  organizations in your setting and be open to players who want to engage with them as a background.
  Factions and Organizations
  Magic often becomes so common for adventurers that they hardly even marvel at it. However, that is not 
  always the case for those around them. Consider how prevalent magic is in your world and what sorts of new 
  laws or regulations are needed to control it. 
  Magic
  
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  House Rules
  List any house or homebrew rules that will be used in your game 
  here. You can add to or remove from this list later on if a rule 
  isn’t working for you. We’ve attached an example of our rules on 
  the next page.
  
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  Have fun! If it’s not fun, there’s no point.
  Only one form of Metagaming officially banned.
  Advice during combat. Once Initiative starts, advice between party members is prohibited. 
  Two reasons: 1. During combat, there’s not enough time to give advice, you’re worried about the 
  monster staring you down in the face. 2. When it’s their turn, it’s their time to shine. We should all 
  respect that. Breaking of this rule will result in the loss of your bonus action on your next turn. This 
  will help us speed up combat.
  As a bonus action, you can initiate any skill check.
  Healing word does not work on unconscious targets. 
  If they can’t hear you, they can’t heal.
  The following rules apply to Natural 20 rolls.
  • 
  Double everything, dice and bonus, this makes it even more valuable and prevents a weak 
  Critical hit.
  • 
  On saving throws, if you would normally take half damage, you take no damage. 
  • 
  Normally, auto-success only applies to attack rolls and saving throws. If it couldn’t succeed, then 
  why would we roll?
  The following rules apply to Natural 1 rolls.
  • 
  On saving throws, if you would normally take full damage, you take double damage.
  • 
  Normally, Natural 1’s can be overcome with expertise, inspiration, or reliable talent. If you 
  couldn’t fail, we wouldn’t roll.
  Outside of combat, a Natural 1 will almost always result in the action becoming 
  impossible moving forward. 
  Ex: Lockpicking, social encounters, bargaining, etc.
  Most importantly, Rule of Cool. 
  The cooler it is the more likely it is to work, rules will be bent and rarely broken to accommodate.
  Flanking
  If you are in melee with an enemy, you must be flanking at the start of your turn to gain its benefits. 
  Huge or larger creatures cannot be flanked.
  Player Vs. Player Conflict
  You can’t simply attack a party member because they spoke poorly about your character’s 
  god or if they have made a mistake that goes against your character’s alignment. No one 
  enjoy’s the death of a character they’ve poured their heart and soul into. If PVP conflict 
  occurs or is anticipated to occur, the player seeking to initiate confrontation must speak with 
  BOTH the DM and the character subject of the confrontation. BOTH players MUST have a PVP 
  conversation beforehand and BOTH MUST agree that they’d be willing to die over the conflict.
  Mobile Phones
  Be respectful to the story and to our game. No mobile phones at the table.
  HOUSE RULES EXAMPLE
  Here is an example of some house rules you might implement in your own game.
  
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  SECTION TWO
  You’ve done the hard work. Now it’s time to sit down with your 
  friends and plan for your game! To use this section, begin by 
  revealing your setting, world, and rules to the players. Next, start  
  “Building Our Story” on Pg. 11 of this workbook and take notes 
  on your players answers. You can use this space underneath for 
  additional note taking.
  
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  Building Our Story
  This is collaborative storytelling, which means it’s our story. As 
  the DM, you want to make sure your players are captivated by 
  the story. In this section, determine what your players like. Let 
  those types of narratives shine, and give everyone a story they 
  will love.
  Ex: “Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. She is whimsical, courageous, and intriguing!” 
   
  DM NOTE: This question helps brainstorm ideas for character origin/backstories and what challenges this 
  player may face.
  If you could place yourself in the role of one of your favorite movies or books, 
  which role would it be and why?
  ASK EACH OF YOUR PLAYERS THESE QUESTIONS. MAKE SURE YOU NOTE WHO 
  SAYS WHAT. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THEIR BACKSTORY INTO A 
  NARRATIVE THEY LIKE.
  Ex: “I love the horror genre! The Shining is my favorite horror story. I’d love to experience horror like that in my 
  game!”  
   
  DM NOTE: This question helps brainstorm ideas for adventure hooks, side quests, and over arching plot story.
  What types of stories would you like to see in our campaign?
  
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  Ex: “I love The Witcher! It’s the perfect mix of political drama and adventure that I am looking for” 
   
  DM NOTE: Non-fantasy genres are an appropriate answer here as well. 
  Give me some examples of your favorite films, books, and games. Why do you 
  like them so much?
  Ex: “Joffrey from Game of Thrones. He was the absolute Worst! I love the Joker from Batman! He’s chaotically 
  evil, but the way his story and Batman’s story mixes is interesting. They are the same but also polar opposites.”  
   
  DM NOTE: If you can build a villain your players will truly hate, it will make their demise all the more satisfying! 
  It’s important to note that your villain’s character traits and acts are detestable. Never make your villain 
  ‘detestable’ mechanically. This question helps brainstorm ideas for subplot villains and the big bad.
  Give some examples of some villains you detest/love from film, books, or games.
  
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  Creating a Party
  Use this section to build a cohesive party. Sometimes, an 
  all Bard party can be fun, but most adventuring groups are 
  versatile and diverse. Work step-by-step to build a party with 
  synergy.
  Which alignment is not allowed in this group?
  Are there any restrictions your players can expect in your game? (Race? Class? Etc.)
  We recommend only rolling up initial stats during session zero. This is very helpful for new players, as they will 
  have a lot of questions about character creation and where to distribute stats. It also keeps everyone open 
  and honest. In our game, we roll 4d6, dropping the lowest score each time and place those numbers into any 
  ability slots we choose.
  Rolling Up Characters
  Each party is unique and different. Any combination of classes can be effective in your game. As the DM, it’s 
  your job to make that true. As a general rule in TTRPGs, there are three roles your players take in combat and 
  three roles they can take out of combat. A successful party will have adventurers who can excel in all six areas.
  DM Tip: Any class in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons can fill any of these roles.
  Party Make-Up
  We recommend choosing one side of the alignment system to ban. Usually this means Evil or Good but could 
  extend to the societal alignments as well. You could ignore this, but it can be difficult to keep everyone on the 
  same page if murder is ok for one character and explicitly forbidden for another.
  Often your setting will dictate what races and classes are available to your players, but sometimes the story 
  calls for the banning of a particular race or class. Ex: Elves in your homebrew world have been extinguished 
  outside of the Feywild, or the Arcane college was abolished 1000 years ago and Wizardry was lost to us. We 
  generally do not recommend doing this unless there is a relevant storyline purpose for the exclusion.
  • 
  Tank  (I take damage)
  • 
  DPS (I do damage)
  • 
  Support (I heal)
  In Combat
  • 
  Exploration (I find things)
  • 
  Social (I talk to people)
  • 
  Preparation (I give us an advantage)
  Out of Combat
  
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  The Game
  Be sure to set expectations and explain the more technical 
  aspects of the game you plan to incorporate.
   
  
  SERIOUS
   
  
  HEAVY ROLEPLAY
   
  
  HEAVY COMBAT
   
  
  LAID BACK
   
  
  COMEDIC
   
  
  HEAVY BACKSTORY
   
  
  STRICT
   
  
  DIFFICULT
   
  
  EASY
   
  
  WORLD POLITICS
   
  
  ROMANCE
   
  
  EMOTIONAL
   
  
  HEAVY SOCIAL
   
  
  SLOW PACED
   
  
  FAST PACED
   
  
  HEAVY HOMEBREW
   
  
  ROLEPLAY CHAT
  Have all your players vote and choose together. This ensures your players are comfortable!
  Let’s pick the top 5 gameplay features your group would like.
   
  
  MILESTONE
   
  
  XP
   
  
  OTHER
  Leveling up
  What level are your players starting at?
  When and where will your game sessions take place?
  What consequences and expectations for cheating?
  How long will your sessions last? What works with everyone’s schedule?
  What are the expectations for crafting and downtime?
  When scheduling conflicts occur, who will run absent characters? DM or Players.
   
  
  YES
   
  
  NO
  Will you use encumbrance?
  
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  Player Roles
  The DM does A LOT, and it can be overwhelming juggling so 
  many different roles. It can be nice to have players step in and 
  help with the more technical aspects of the game. It keeps the 
  game running smoothly and keeps everyone immersed!
  This is an optional aid role.
  Would any player like to volunteer to run the initiative tree?
  This is an optional aid role. Ex: Keeping track of concentration, poison, paralyzation, etc.
  Would any player like to volunteer to run the conditions tracker?
  This is an optional aid role. All players may wish to take notes, but you may want to have one person keep track 
  of all major notes during the campaign.
  Would any player like to be the official quest notetaker?
  
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  Roleplay
  Make sure to establish how roleplay will work within your game. 
  How in-depth will your roleplay be? Newer players may not be 
  as comfortable with roleplay, as veteran players.
  If utilizing Chat Roleplay away from the table, what platform will you use?
   
  
  DEFINE COMFORT LEVEL 
  EX: Some players are uncomfortable with PC 
  romance in their game. Ask what they are and aren’t 
  comfortable with.
   
  
  ESTABLISH OFF-LIMIT TOPICS 
  We are friends, and we are here to have fun. 
  Establishing off-limit topics keeps the game fun and 
  your players happy.
   
  
  CHAT ROLEPLAY? 
  Some games utilize chat roleplay when away from 
  the table. This is a great opportunity to provide rich 
  roleplay to characters that tend to shy away from at-
  the-table roleplay as well as extend the game when 
  you’re not ‘in-session’. This is also great for ‘whispers’ 
  during a session or giving your players the freedom 
  to initiate roleplay with other characters and build 
  those relationships.
   
  
  VOICE ACTING 
  More skilled players may be very comfortable with 
  voice acting. New players might find this jarring. It’s 
  good to establish the level of depth your group may 
  bring to the table. Do all players hope to voice act? 
  Will only the DM voice act? No voice acting at all?
   
  
  PLAYER INTERACTION AND RESPONSES 
  Should players always respond in ‘first person’ as 
  their character? Should players respond in ‘third 
  person’? No preference? Establishing this will help to 
  prevent players breaking immersion.
  Slack? Facebook Messenger? Text Messaging? Ink and Lyre uses Slack for our Chat Roleplay. It has a Dice Roller 
  integration that allows your players to make dice rolls right in chat! If your group will utilize chat roleplay, 
  session zero is a great time to go ahead and install, invite, and set up your player’s chat application.
  
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  SECTION THREE
  Congratulations! You’ve completed your session zero! Hopefully you 
  have a set schedule, a cohesive party, and players who can’t wait 
  to adventure together. Now all that’s left is to help your players 
  develop their characters. This portion of the worksheet is the most 
  important because intriguing characters drive great stories. To use 
  this section, print (or e-mail) pages 21-25 for your players and let 
  them consider the questions on their own time. Then complete 
  Pg 18 (One copy for each player) as a reference for yourself when 
  writing the campaign.
  
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  Character
  WORKSHEET FOR THE DM
  This worksheet is for the DM’s eyes only. Use this sheet to brainstorm deeper backstory origin game narrative 
  ideas from what each of your players express, list, and select on their own worksheets. This will help you 
  develop individual character plot points that will later be revealed in the game. You should have a separate 
  worksheet for each of your players. Ask questions, take notes, and listen to your players. This portion is about 
  listening and being inspired by what excites them. You want your players to be excited about their story.
  RACE
  ALIGNMENT
  CLASS
  STARTING LOCATION
  How does this character fit into your setting?
  KEY NPC OR FACTION
  
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  QUESTION KEY
  This key is for the DM’s eyes only! Use this key to help understand how the questions and answers given on the 
  Character Worksheet pages can be used in your campaign development and how to use them to brainstorm 
  character backstory developing plot points in your game.
  It can be nerve-racking for a player, new or old, to be put on the spot to describe their character for the first 
  time. This question is a great opportunity to help develop a thorough character description before the first 
  session and builds confidence.
  What does your character look like? Generic Description.
  Our players want their characters to feel unique, one-of-a-kind, and special! This question helps develop 
  one-of-a-kind memorable traits that help their character feel more ‘real’. This is also a great way to work with 
  your player and pull in backstory/origin information. Encourage choosing a feature that foreshadows their 
  background
  Backstory Ex: A character that wears a unique strand of seemingly random objects on their belt. Why? They 
  are mementos from every individual they’ve killed from members of a cult that murdered their family.
  Plot/Arcs Ex: The character finds an object on one particular kill they know belongs to one of their childhood 
  friends. As the plot thickens, they find out this friend is the reason behind the demise of the character’s family.
  What are 1-2 unique appearance/clothing traits your character has?
  Knowing what a character loves allows you to introduce love interests, build friendships between player 
  characters, and introduce preference based plot points.
  What does your character love/prefer?
  Knowing what a character hates/dislikes helps you build the perfect villain for your PCs. This answer helps you 
  create unique situations your characters may have to overcome and helps bring your PCs closer together.
  What does your character hate/dislike?
  This is a great way to encourage ideas and reward creativity! You might have a player that knows a lot about 
  car engines and they want to have their character build a clockwork mechanism. A player that’s an avid 
  gardener may want to mix plants to create poisons. Reward their passions and creativity! Let them contribute 
  to the story with the things they love in real life!
  Does your character have any hobbies?
  This is a big plot generating question that will tie in to their major character storyline. Try to get them to be as 
  detailed and thorough as possible with this one.
  Why is your character adventuring?
  Secrets are wonderful to have, but nothing builds a stronger bond between good friends than coming clean, 
  trusting in a friend, and confiding. Secrets are the currency of intimacy and are perfect for building PC bonds. 
  It’s highly recommended that these secrets don’t stay secrets for too long.
  Do you have a hidden past? Running from something? Secrets?
  With great power, comes great responsibility. These answers are great for developing encounters and 
  situations that test your players. What in your player’s backstory would make them have these traits?
  What are your flaws and weaknesses?
  
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  This question helps you brainstorm and create specific class related interactions pertaining to that specific 
  player character.
  Ex: A warlock may have obtained a fiend patron to save the one they love at the cost of their memories. 
  They now serve this fiend patron never knowing completely why, but they search for a way to restore their 
  memories. This in itself is a whole narrative arc that can be pursued by the group.
  Why is your character their chosen class?
  QUESTION KEY CONT.
  It can be difficult to step outside of yourself when developing a character. This thorough checklist helps 
  create ‘guidelines’ for character personality that your players can follow. It also helps you gain insight on how 
  to bring the group together through roleplay and social interactions.
  Which characteristics would you associate with your character?
  Knowing a PC’s motivations help you as the DM develop adventure hooks your PCs will be interested in. If 
  they are motivated by money, large sum bounties will most likely intrigue them.
  What are your character’s motivations?
  Where a character is born/grew up gives other players insight into the knowledge they might have. It also 
  helps you, the DM, come up with unique locations for each character and unique story arcs you could create in 
  each location.
  Where are you from?
  Unless you are chaotically evil, every character needs an anchor. Something that keeps them ‘anchored’ or 
  ‘stable’ emotionally and mentally. Even Chaotic Neutral characters have anchors. This tends to help with those 
  ‘murder hobo’ players. Anchors can be used to help rein players in when needed and also give them plot 
  moving motivations. Examples could include a Monk’s monastery, Rogue’s, Guild, or a parent or mentor.
  What is your anchor?
  
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  Character
  CHARACTER WORKSHEETS
  RACE
  ALIGNMENT
  Use this worksheet to create the background for your character in this game. Consider the setting, flavor, and 
  goals of the party when developing your character. Remember, the more you put into this background now, 
  the more your DM can incorporate you into the main story line.
  CLASS
  What does your character look like? (Generic Description)
  Hair, skin, eyes. Any specific racial features? What clothes are they wearing? This is great time to really 
  brainstorm defining features for your character. Be prepared for your character introduction. Don’t be afraid 
  to shine! It can be nerve-racking trying to come up with traits on the fly when the DM asks you what your 
  character looks like for the first time at the table in front of the group. Feel free to reference back to this 
  section during your character’s grand entrance.
  What are 1-2 unique appearance/clothing/quirks your character has?
  These are VERY unique defining characteristics. You want these to be stark and memorable. Try to foreshadow 
  your backstory with these traits and invite other PC’s to ask about them. Think of your favorite characters 
  from film, books, TV, etc. You’ll notice that each of those characters have unique qualities that make them 
  memorable.
  Ex: Jack Sparrow has a unique walking gait. Yennefer has captivating amethyst eyes. Perhaps your character 
  has a very purposeful stark tattoo that encapsulates them from head to foot. Maybe they speak to their sword 
  from time to time. These features should make players want to ask questions!
  
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  CHARACTER WORKSHEETS | CONT.
  What does your character love/prefer?
  Everyone has likes and dislikes. When utilized in roleplay, it makes your character feel more real! These also 
  present great roleplay opportunities in your game and with your fellow players.
  Ex: A character only having a taste for wine. Perhaps you have a character that prefers to sleep on the floor or 
  can’t help but dance every time a lutist begins a tune. 
  What does your character hate/dislike?
  We all have something that just really grinds our gears. Your character should have that thorn in their side as 
  well. Be careful, it could be conflicting if another PC is roleplaying something you hate.
  Ex: Your character is terrified of water, afraid of spiders, or can’t stand acapella singing. Perhaps they prefer to 
  sleep in the woods vs the hustle and bustle of the city.
  Does your character have any hobbies?
  Hobbies pass the time when you journey across the land. They can also be helpful in aiding our allies, building 
  relationships, and even passing a skill check!
  Ex: Your character is a bit of a botanist. They collect plants and press them into their journal. Their knowledge 
  of plants give them insight into rare plant made poisons as well as healing herbs.
  
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  CHARACTER WORKSHEETS | CONT.
  Why is your character adventuring?
  The age-old question of DnD! What made your character leave to become an adventurer. This is perhaps one of 
  the most important questions. Think of your character’s goals and motivations while brainstorming.
  Ex: Your family farm was burned to the ground. So, you now spend your days hunting down the assailants that 
  took everything from you.
  Do you have a hidden past? Running from something? Secrets?
  Secrets are the currency of intimacy. We all have them and revealing a secret is a great way to grow closer to 
  other players. Be aware of the gravity of your secret, if it’s something that informs your personality or behavior, 
  the sooner you get that out in the open, the better.
  Ex: You were asked to assassinate the mayor. you didn’t know why, but you did and its haunted you ever since.
  What are your flaws and weaknesses?
  No one is perfect. Our flaws and weaknesses make us unique. When we are at our worst because of them, 
  our friends are able to step in and be the support we need. Think of your character backstory. What in your 
  backstory would define these flaws and weaknesses? Did your house burn down? Is that why you fear fire? 
  Flaws are an opportunity for your character to grow, develop, and change.
  Ex: Your character plays it tough. They are intimidating, bulky, and terrifying. You once finished a bandit in the 
  most ferocious way possible. Yet, you can’t help but melt in the presence of field rabbits.
  
  24
  Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. 
  Copyright © Ink and Lyre | Redistribution, Reproduction, and Modification forbidden
  Session Zero Workbook
  CHARACTER WORKSHEETS | CONT.
   
  
  LOVE
   
  
  GUILT/REGRET
   
  
  FAMILY
   
  
  POWER
   
  
  GREED
   
  
  KNOWLEDGE
   
  
  REVENGE
   
  
  REDEMPTION
   
  
  FIND WHAT YOU LOST
   
  
  FRIENDSHIP
   
  
  SELF-PRESERVATION
   
  
  ACCEPTANCE
   
  
  PIETY/ RELIGION
   
  
  RESTITUTION
   
  
  CHANGE
   
  
  POLITICAL CHANGE
   
  
  OTHER
  What drives your character’s decision making? What shapes their goals? What do they want out of life?
  What are your character’s motivations?
   
  
  MOUNTAINS
   
  
  CITY | NOBLE
   
  
  CITY | SLUMS
   
  
  SEWERS
   
  
  BAYOU
   
  
  SWAMP
   
  
  FOREST | DARK
   
  
  FOREST
   
  
  CAVE
   
  
  SMALL TOWN
   
  
  PLAINS
   
  
  FARM
   
  
  UNDERDARK
   
  
  CASTLE
   
  
  TOWER
   
  
  LIBRARY
   
  
  ISLAND
   
  
  CIRCUS
   
  
  SHIP AT SEA
   
  
  FEYWILD
   
  
  ANOTHER PLANE
   
  
  RACIAL
   
  
  ORPHANAGE
   
  
  SEASIDE
   
  
  DESERT
   
  
  CARAVAN
   
  
  NOMADIC
   
  
  THEATER/OPERA
   
  
  TAVERN
   
  
  JUNGLE
   
  
  TEMPLE
   
  
  AIRSHIP
   
  
  ARENA
   
  
  CLIFFS
   
  
  TUNDRA
   
  
  CATHEDRAL
   
  
  JAIL
   
  
  VOLCANO
   
  
  SHOP
   
  
  BAKERY
   
  
  MINE
   
  
  VILLAGE
   
  
  TRIBE
   
  
  UNDERWATER
   
  
  MONASTERY
   
  
  THIEVES HIDEOUT
   
  
  SMITHY
   
  
  TANNER
   
  
  TAILOR
   
  
  COOK
   
  
  ALONE
   
  
  ENCHANTED
   
  
  CURSED
   
  
  KIDNAPPED
   
  
  BARRACKS
   
  
  OTHER
  Your DM will help you with a specific location after you select from the list below. You don’t HAVE to limit 
  yourself to one. You may select more than one when relevant. EX: Tower + Swamp or Castle + Sewers (HOW 
  INTERESTING!). These answers will lend to your childhood and how you may have grown up. NOTE: You need 
  to be able to rationalize and connect this to your other answers.
  Where are you from?
  Unless you are chaotically evil, every character needs an anchor. Something that keeps them ‘anchored’ or 
  ‘stable’ emotionally and mentally. Even Chaotic Neutral characters have anchors. Examples could include a 
  Monk’s monastery, Rogue’s, Guild, or a parent or mentor.
  What is your anchor?
  
  25
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  Copyright © Ink and Lyre | Redistribution, Reproduction, and Modification forbidden
  Session Zero Workbook
  CHARACTER WORKSHEETS | CONT.
   
  
  KIND
   
  
  SELFISH
   
  
  THOUGHTFUL
   
  
  SELF-CENTERED
   
  
  BOLD
   
  
  TIMID
   
  
  AWKWARD
   
  
  IMPATIENT
   
  
  LOUD
   
  
  QUIET
   
  
  RUDE
   
  
  POLITE
   
  
  LOVABLE
   
  
  NEEDY
   
  
  SUPERSTITIOUS
   
  
  ORNERY
   
  
  COURAGEOUS
   
  
  GOOFY
   
  
  FLIRTATIOUS
   
  
  DETERMINED
   
  
  SNEAKY
   
  
  SECRETIVE
   
  
  CAUTIOUS
   
  
  ALOOF
   
  
  ANXIOUS
   
  
  ARROGANT
   
  
  ASSERTIVE
   
  
  STRANGE
   
  
  CLUMSY
   
  
  COMPULSIVE
   
  
  COWARDLY
   
  
  CRASS
   
  
  CRUDE
   
  
  CRUEL
   
  
  DISHONEST
   
  
  HONEST
   
  
  LOYAL
   
  
  DISLOYAL
   
  
  DISOBEDIENT
   
  
  EGOCENTRIC
   
  
  MONOCHROMATIC
   
  
  COLORFUL
   
  
  FANCY
   
  
  ELABORATE
   
  
  FICKLE
   
  
  FORGETFUL
   
  
  FIERY
   
  
  FLAMBOYANT
   
  
  FRIVOLOUS
   
  
  FRIGHTENING
   
  
  GLOOMY
   
  
  GRACEFUL
   
  
  ELEGANT
   
  
  GREEDY
   
  
  GULLIBLE
   
  
  HATEFUL
   
  
  IMPULSIVE
   
  
  INDECISIVE
   
  
  IRRATIONAL
   
  
  NAIVE
   
  
  OBSESSIVE
   
  
  POSSESSIVE
   
  
  PRESUMPTUOUS
   
  
  QUIRKY
   
  
  MESSY
   
  
  CLEAN
   
  
  SUPERFICIAL
   
  
  PERSISTENT
   
  
  FORGIVING
   
  
  ARTICULATE
   
  
  FOCUSED
   
  
  REASONABLE
   
  
  ACCEPTING
   
  
  STUBBORN
   
  
  PROUD
   
  
  HELPFUL
   
  
  GENEROUS
   
  
  STINGY
   
  
  CREATIVE
   
  
  TECHNICAL
   
  
  HARDWORKING
   
  
  LAZY
   
  
  RELIABLE
   
  
  UNRELIABLE
   
  
  OPTIMISTIC
   
  
  PESSIMISTIC
   
  
  RESPECTFUL
   
  
  DISRESPECTFUL
   
  
  COMPASSIONATE
   
  
  SYMPATHETIC
   
  
  EMPATHETIC
   
  
  MODEST
   
  
  IMMODEST
   
  
  HUMBLE
   
  
  PRETENTIOUS
   
  
  INSECURE
   
  
  CHEERFUL
   
  
  COMPLEX
   
  
  MOODY
   
  
  BROODING
   
  
  CURIOUS
   
  
  CHARMING
   
  
  ALLURING
   
  
  VEXING
   
  
  MELLOW
   
  
  RESOURCEFUL
   
  
  PATRIOTIC
   
  
  SPONTANEOUS
   
  
  INQUISITIVE
   
  
  SINCERE
   
  
  IDEALISTIC
   
  
  NOSTALGIC
   
  
  REFLECTIVE
   
  
  ENVIOUS
   
  
  JEALOUS
   
  
  MISCHIEVOUS
   
  
  MYSTERIOUS
   
  
  PERPLEXING
   
  
  GLAMOROUS
   
  
  PATIENT
   
  
  SLUGGISH
   
  
  ENERGETIC
   
  
  ROUGH
   
  
  GENTLE
  Which adjectives would you associate with your character. Use these adjectives to define their personality. 
  This will help you ‘hear’ and visualize their persona. If you can, try to limit yourself to 10.
  Which characteristics would you associate with your character?
  Why is your character their chosen class?
  Is your character a cleric because your deity saved your sibling from certain death? Is your character a rogue 
  because their parents were the head of the thieves guild?
  
  26
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