One technique to create an interesting character background is to answer a series of questions about them. If any of these questions make you want to change something about the character you’ve created so far, do so! For instance, additional childhood details might change the choice you made in Origin.
What is Your Faith?
You are "invariably faithful" to the Emperor and the Imperium, but how does this faith manifest? Whether your beliefs follow orthodox Imperial
Cult worship or the acceptable differences of the Machine Cult, what does faith mean to you? Does it manifest as "righteous" hatred seeking to eradicate all that would defy His will? Or is your faith a shining aegis, a protective light that guides you? Perhaps your belief pushes you to sacrifice, marching fearlessly into battle to become a martyr. You might feel a call to indoctrinate others, or to document the greatest of His miracles.
What is your Family?
"Family is a luxury that many people do not know in the Imperium". The institutions of the Imperium do not place value on family, and may in fact see it as a potential distraction from duty or even a conflicting loyalty. Depending on your Origin and Faction, you may have known some sort of family growing up, but maybe you knew only training and toil. Some lucky few find a surrogate family in their comrades-in-arms. Or are you a loner who lives only for duty?
Who is your Closest Ally?
Like family, friendship too is a luxury in the 41st Millennium, but in a dangerous galaxy, survival depends on forging alliances with the trustworthy few. Is one of your fellow operatives your most trusted comrade? Perhaps you have a close ally embedded in another organisation. Can you turn to your ally at any time for any need, or does their assistance have boundaries?
What Do You Fear?
There is much to fear in the 41st Millennium. Imperial citizens "learn" to fear and hate that which they do not understand, yet only the learned few know true fear. What does your character fear most? Does this fear drive you to destroy its source, or to avoid it at any cost?
What Do You Desire?
The Imperium tells citizens to desire nothing more than a life in service to the Emperor. For the common masses, true ambition is almost
inconceivable. But you are not common, and neither is your situation. Do you desire spiritual salvation or temporal power? Is there a clear and attainable goal that drives you, or do you fight for a higher ideal? What will you sacrifice to achieve your ambition?
Where does your Loyalty Lie?
Loyalty is a high value in the Imperium — loyalty to the Emperor, to the institutions of His Imperium, and loyalty to one’s masters. Are you loyal to your Patron, or do you see them as a means to an end? Are you loyal to your allies, or are they expendable? Do you do your duty out of loyalty or pragmatism?
Why Did Your Patron Choose You?
Your Patron allows you to adventure beyond the bounds of your allotted station in life, but only for a reason. Why did they choose you from the countless people of the Askellon Sector? Is it some skill or talent you possess, or perhaps a less tangible quality? What do they expect you to do in their service? Did you have any choice in the matter, or did your Patron enlist you against your wishes?
What do you think of Your Patron?
The experiences that led to your current patronage, and your initial meeting with your Patron, likely inform your opinion of them. Is your Patron a mysterious benefactor or something close to a friend? Do you fear their wrath or respect their drive? What do you really know about your Patron?
What Do you Hate?
Hatred is a powerful drive for both the Imperium and its enemies. The Ecclesiarchy exhorts citizens to hate the heretic, the mutant, and the alien. Do you hold to these common Imperial teachings, or do you find such blind hatred unpalatable? Do you have some personal enemy you hate? Perhaps you harbour a secret hatred for an Imperial organisation that has wronged you.
What Will you Sacrifice?
Your missions for your Patron are fraught with peril. It may not always be obvious, and it may threaten more than your life. How far will you go to fulfil your duty, and what cost are you willing to pay? The Imperium teaches that death is acceptable in the pursuit of your duty, but do you truly believe that? What of the lives of your compatriots? Will you sacrifice your reputation or honour to reach your goals? And what of your very soul?