Warlock Backstory Generator: The Bargain and the Small Print

Press New backstory for who they bargained with, what they asked, what they promised and the clause they missed.

Warlock Backstory Generator: The Bargain and the Small Print: 30 backstories

Bargained with a sunset that has been running late all week. Asked for the knack of finding whatever is lost. Promised one night a year standing where they are told to stand. Sealed by turning a doormat over and putting it back. Missed one clause: it binds anyone who shares their surname. It left an itch in the writing hand whenever a pen is near.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Bargained witha sunset that has been running late all week
Asked forthe knack of finding whatever is lost
Promisedone night a year standing where they are told to stand
Sealedby turning a doormat over and putting it back
Missed one clauseit binds anyone who shares their surname
It leftan itch in the writing hand whenever a pen is near

History (0)

Every backstory you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Backstory of the day

Bargained with a sunset that has been running late all week. Asked for the knack of finding whatever is lost. Promised one night a year standing where they are told to stand. Sealed by turning a doormat over and putting it back. Missed one clause: it binds anyone who shares their surname. It left an itch in the writing hand whenever a pen is near.
Bargained with a very polite creditor who never blinks. Asked for the right word, every time, a moment sooner. Promised the quiet half hour after every supper. Sealed by finishing a sentence the other party had started. Missed one clause: the other party may read their post first. It left a pocket that leaks a little sand, whatever they wear.
Bargained with a barn owl working through a very short list. Asked for an eye for any handwriting, however bad. Promised their way of wiggling their ears. Sealed by saying yes to a question they had not quite heard. Missed one clause: the other party may borrow anything of theirs for a month. It left change that is always counted out twice before they get it.
Bargained with something that lives under the third stair. Asked for an early spring after a winter that had gone on too long. Promised to hold one end of a rope when asked, and not look round. Sealed by shaking an empty glove held out on a stick. Missed one clause: the other party may send a deputy, of any size. It left a streak of white in their hair, exactly a finger wide.
Bargained with a very polite creditor who never blinks. Asked for a blanket that is always warm. Promised to join any game that turns out to be one player short. Sealed on the back of a receipt for something else. Missed one clause: a guest who stays the night is bound until breakfast. It left a hat that tips itself to certain strangers.
Bargained with a patch of sunlight that moves when nobody watches. Asked for a garden that would grow in any soil. Promised their good side, in every portrait from now on. Sealed in the dust on a mantelpiece, never dusted since. Missed one clause: it is inherited by whoever inherits their spectacles. It left a handprint on one shoulder, as if from a clap on the back.
Bargained with a dancing master who teaches one step a year. Asked for the right answer in the one exam that mattered. Promised never to wear green. Sealed in a hedge maze, at a turning that is not on the plan. Missed one clause: they must keep their copy dry, whatever happens. It left the sense, at every sum, of being checked.
Bargained with a toad that has sat on one stone since before the mill. Asked for one win at chess against their uncle. Promised the naming of their first horse. Sealed at a pupil's desk in a school shut for the holidays. Missed one clause: one comma in it decides which of them pays. It left the sense, at every sum, of being checked.
Bargained with a spring that only runs for people who ask nicely. Asked for dry feet in every puddle from then on. Promised never to finish the last mouthful on a plate. Sealed by finishing a sentence the other party had started. Missed one clause: they must be on time for everything, from now on. It left one eyebrow that sits higher, permanently interested.
Bargained with a lighthouse that winks back at whoever waves. Asked for a friend's play to fill the hall on its first night. Promised the first snow that falls on their own roof. Sealed in a rowing boat, exactly as far out as it would go. Missed one clause: the other party may borrow anything of theirs for a month. It left a small cold spot in the middle of one palm.
Bargained with a toad that has sat on one stone since before the mill. Asked for rain for one dry valley. Promised one night a year standing where they are told to stand. Sealed with a knot in a length of blue wool. Missed one clause: the other party may visit without notice. It left the same number on every ticket they are given.
Bargained with a toad that has sat on one stone since before the mill. Asked for an eye for any handwriting, however bad. Promised to keep a path mown across their field for whoever uses it. Sealed by saying yes to a question they had not quite heard. Missed one clause: the other party picks where they live, once. It left a date in small numerals behind one ear.
Bargained with a barn owl working through a very short list. Asked for a way out of a dance they had promised to lead. Promised their way of wiggling their ears. Sealed with a bow, returned from farther off than seemed likely. Missed one clause: notice to end it must be given a lifetime ahead. It left a second letterbox in the door, lower down.
Bargained with a sunset that has been running late all week. Asked for the gist of what birds are arguing about. Promised always to carry a spare spoon, in case. Sealed on a leaf, which was then let go on the wind. Missed one clause: they must move away if the other party is ever seen. It left an itch in the writing hand whenever a pen is near.
Bargained with a hedgehog that keeps office hours under a hedge. Asked for one win at chess against their uncle. Promised their recipe for the one dish they cook well. Sealed on the back of a receipt for something else. Missed one clause: they must wear something of the other party's choosing. It left an empty picture frame nobody remembers hanging.
Bargained with a patch of sunlight that moves when nobody watches. Asked for release from an older, worse bargain. Promised every third birthday. Sealed by hopping a row of squares they took for hopscotch. Missed one clause: they must be on time for everything, from now on. It left shop scales that tip a hair toward them, every time.
Bargained with a rabbit warren that has a number painted over every hole. Asked for a purse that is never quite empty. Promised their next good idea, whatever it turns out to be. Sealed with a ring of grass braided on the spot. Missed one clause: whoever witnessed it stands surety for the lot. It left a sneeze whenever anyone nearby breaks a promise.
Bargained with a barn owl working through a very short list. Asked for hair that stays combed. Promised their afternoon nap, for life. Sealed with an X, since their hand would not write the rest. Missed one clause: any animal they own is counted as having signed. It left an ink stain on one thumb that never washes off.
Bargained with a queen bee who has outlived six hives. Asked for the right answer in the one exam that mattered. Promised their recipe for the one dish they cook well. Sealed by counting to a hundred with their eyes shut. Missed one clause: it goes with their trade, to whoever takes it up next. It left a signature that is not theirs, inside the left wrist.
Bargained with a Thursday that never got written into any calendar. Asked for the patience to finish what they start. Promised always to walk wide of one perfectly ordinary pond. Sealed on the top step of a stile, one on each side. Missed one clause: it applies to the whole street, as a courtesy. It left doors that hold themselves open for them and nobody else.
Bargained with a pothole in the lane, deeper each time it is measured. Asked for socks that never slide down. Promised half of anything they find and cannot name. Sealed by hopping a row of squares they took for hopscotch. Missed one clause: they must keep accounts, to be inspected without warning. It left a small bell on their belt that rings when payment is due.
Bargained with something that lives under the third stair. Asked for the last slice, every time. Promised the whole summer of the year they turn forty. Sealed with a pinch of flour over the left shoulder. Missed one clause: the other party may ask one question and must be answered. It left a small polite cough from the next room, wherever they stay.
Bargained with a very old pike that has never once been caught. Asked for the family farm bought back from the landlord. Promised to hold one end of a rope when asked, and not look round. Sealed by picking up a dropped parcel and handing it back. Missed one clause: the other party may change one word of it a year. It left a walking stick that points one way when dropped.
Bargained with whatever keeps the tide tables for one small bay. Asked for the patience to finish what they start. Promised their right to say I told you so. Sealed by finishing a sentence the other party had started. Missed one clause: the small print was on the back. It left the sense, at every sum, of being checked.
Bargained with a tollkeeper on a road nobody remembers building. Asked for the village school kept open another year. Promised half of anything they find and cannot name. Sealed in the margin of a newspaper a week out of date. Missed one clause: they must always use the other party's full title. It left the same number on every ticket they are given.
Bargained with an empty birdcage that still gets fed. Asked for a spade that never blunts. Promised always to ride facing backward, in any cart or carriage. Sealed by turning a doormat over and putting it back. Missed one clause: the word always appears in it nineteen times. It left a second letterbox in the door, lower down.
Bargained with the horizon, which came a little closer to hear the offer. Asked for a head start of one night. Promised to join any game that turns out to be one player short. Sealed at the back of a crowd, during somebody else's speech. Missed one clause: the other party may visit without notice. It left a kitchen fire that has not gone out since.
Bargained with a pothole in the lane, deeper each time it is measured. Asked for a pair of boots that know the way. Promised their album of pressed flowers, start to finish. Sealed with a string held taut between them and cut in the middle. Missed one clause: it is inherited by whoever inherits their spectacles. It left a pen laid ready on every table they sit down at.
Bargained with a bookseller who stocks only second volumes. Asked for a debt wiped off somebody's slate. Promised to add one stone a year to a wall nobody needs. Sealed by borrowing a pen and forgetting to give it back. Missed one clause: the other party may collect early, in bad weather. It left a slight echo on the word yes.
Bargained with a pothole in the lane, deeper each time it is measured. Asked for the trick of mending whatever they pick up. Promised their good side, in every portrait from now on. Sealed by saying yes to a question they had not quite heard. Missed one clause: in its first language, gift and loan are one word. It left a sneeze whenever anyone nearby breaks a promise.

Next step Turn the missed clause into a plot Pick a pose for the sealing

Bargained with: all 60 parties

Under water or under ground 12

a mole with a very large map Molehills across a lawn in a perfectly straight line.
a pothole in the lane, deeper each time it is measured A stick lowered into a puddle up to the hand and a longer stick lying ready.
a rabbit warren that has a number painted over every hole A grassy bank of burrows, each with a small painted number above it.

Show all 60 parties (57 more)

Under water or under ground, continued

a root cellar that has opinions A trapdoor in a kitchen floor, open a hand's width, with the mat lifting.
a spring that only runs for people who ask nicely A cupped hand under a rock and one polite drop.
a toad that has sat on one stone since before the mill A toad on a milestone in the rain, unbothered.
a very old pike that has never once been caught A fishing line gone slack and a long dark back just under the surface.
something that lives under the third stair A stair with a mousehole cut far too neatly.
something under the millpond that speaks only after dark Black water, a mill wheel stopped, and one slow ring spreading.
the stream that runs under the high street A grating in the cobbles with a ribbon of weed waving in it.
the thing the river mud remembers A riverbank at low water with one deep, odd-shaped hollow slowly filling.
whatever keeps the tide tables for one small bay Wet footprints up a jetty that stop at a writing desk.

Sky and weather 12

a cloud that has kept to one valley for a hundred years A single cloud over a single farm in a clear sky.
a heat haze that stands at one bend of the road A shimmer over a summer lane with a shape in it about the height of a person.
a leaf that has been falling since last autumn One leaf hanging at eye level in still air over a path, and walkers stepping round it.
a patch of sunlight that moves when nobody watches A bright square on floorboards, nowhere near the window.
a rainbow's other end, the one nobody looks for A plain field, a spade, and faint stripes on the grass.
a sunset that has been running late all week An orange sky over rooftops and a lamplighter waiting, pole on shoulder.
a Thursday that never got written into any calendar A wall calendar with one week a day too long.
the breeze under a door that is never opened A strip of light under a door and a feather sliding out from it.
the gap between lightning and its thunder A figure on a hill counting on their fingers.
the horizon, which came a little closer to hear the offer A figure leaning on a fence and the skyline only one hedge away.
the last star before dawn One pale dot over a rooftop and a figure at a window, hand raised.
the minute the parlour clock always skips A clock face with one minute mark missing near the top.

Creatures with paperwork 12

a badger that only keeps appointments at dusk A striped face at a hole in a bank and an appointment card pinned to a root.
a barn owl working through a very short list A pale owl on a fence rail, a short scroll under one foot, one line crossed off.
a fox in a waistcoat who will not say who sent it A fine waistcoat hung on a bramble, still warm.
a hedgehog that keeps office hours under a hedge A small brass bell hung from a twig at ankle height.
a heron that reads every clause standing on one leg A heron on one leg in the shallows, beak lowered to a paper floating by.
a moth the size of a saucer that speaks for the lamps A moth on a lamp glass, wings spread like an open book.
a queen bee who has outlived six hives One bee on the rim of an inkwell and tiny inky footprints.
a spider that has held the same corner for sixty years A thick grey web across one corner of a ceiling with one neat gap left in it.
a stag that turned up to the meeting in person Antlers in a doorway too low for them.
a tortoise that began the talks with their grandmother A tortoise on a doorstep with a faded ribbon round its shell.
an old crow with a ledger A crow on a gatepost with a pencil stub held in one foot.
three magpies who must all agree Three magpies on a washing line, two bobbing, the third with its back turned.

Polite strangers 12

a bookseller who stocks only second volumes A handcart of matching spines, each stamped with the same numeral.
a child who has been nine for a very long time A child on a wall, legs swinging, in clothes a century out of date.
a dancing master who teaches one step a year A long empty floor, one pupil on one foot, and a patient figure with a small fiddle.
a gentleman who leaves no dent in the cushion An armchair, a hat on the armrest, and a perfectly plump seat.
a lodger who paid a year ahead and has never been seen A tray outside a door, the plate clean, a coin under the cup.
a notary whose office is only there on wet days A lit doorway between two shops in the rain, and no number on it.
a tailor who measures people for coats not yet needed A tape measure laid along a shadow on the floor.
a tall woman who buys Tuesdays A market stall with seven jars and one of them empty.
a tollkeeper on a road nobody remembers building A lifted barrier across an open hillside and a palm held out.
a very polite creditor who never blinks Gloved hands folded on a cane and a steady, friendly stare.
a wandering clerk with a bag of other people's promises A satchel spilling slips of paper, each tied with thread.
somebody's great-aunt, though nobody can say whose An old lady at a family table and every face turned politely blank.

Places and things 12

a garden roller that is never where it was left Stripes on a lawn leading to a heavy roller in the wrong corner.
a house that wanted somebody to live in it A front door open a little and a warm light on the step.
a letterbox in a field wall with no house behind it A brass flap in a mossy wall and a hand posting a folded note through it.
a lighthouse that winks back at whoever waves A beam over dark water and one short flicker out of turn.
a locked chest that hums when spoken to politely An iron-bound chest with an ear pressed to its lid.
a see-saw that sits level with nobody on it A plank resting perfectly level on its post in long grass, both seats empty.
a ship's figurehead retired to an orchard, facing inland A carved wooden figure among apple trees, chin up, paint peeling.
a statue in the square that steps down after midnight A bronze figure with one foot already off its block, testing the cobbles.
a sundial that only tells the time in the rain A stone dial streaming with rain and a figure setting a watch by it.
an account book that had filled in its own first line A ledger open on a table, pen lying across it, ink still wet.
an empty birdcage that still gets fed A cage with the door open, seed in the dish, and a husk on the floor.
the village pump, which had been listening A pump handle lifted a little, as if to hear better.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every party was made up for this list in a fairy-tale register: odd, harmless, described and never named. Left out on purpose: devils, demons, souls, ghosts and any figure taken from a religion, a tradition of magic, a game or a book. Talking animals and weather with a mind of its own are common in old tales, so a line may recall a story by chance. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. The page's one fact, that the word warlock most likely comes from an Old English word for a breaker of oaths, was checked on 1 October 2026 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warlock. Licence: own work

Asked for: all 60 requests

For somebody else 12

a fishing fleet home safe through one bad night Mast lights in a line on black water and a figure counting them.
a friend's play to fill the hall on its first night Full benches, a painted curtain, and one face peeking round it.
a full shop for a parent who had never had one A bell over a shop door caught mid-swing and a line past the window.

Show all 60 requests (57 more)

For somebody else, continued

a long last summer for a very old dog A white muzzle asleep on a doorstep in the sun.
a lost flock found before the snow came Hoofprints in mud all turning toward one gate.
a market charter for a town that had none A proclamation nailed to a post and stalls going up round it.
a road through the marsh that would not sink A straight causeway of planks with reeds on both sides, dry.
a well for a hill village that had always carried water A new stone well and every bucket in the village lined up beside it.
the family farm bought back from the landlord A gate with a new latch and a sale board face down in the grass.
one more good harvest for a village in debt A cart piled too high and a wheel bowing under it.
rain for one dry valley Cracked earth, one dark spot on it, and a face turned up.
the village school kept open another year A row of small coats on pegs and a lit stove in an empty classroom.

A knack 12

a garden that would grow in any soil Beans climbing a string out of a pot of gravel.
a head for figures A long sum on a wall and a relaxed person leaning beside it.
a memory for every face they meet A crowd with a small tag of thread tied to each coat.
a steady hand for fine work A single hair being painted on a portrait the size of a coin.
a way with horses A big horse lowering its head to be spoken to.
an eye for any handwriting, however bad A scrawled letter held at arm's length with no squint at all.
the gist of what birds are arguing about A figure under a tree, head tilted, wincing at something overheard.
the knack of finding whatever is lost A hand under a floorboard, already holding the thing.
the patience to finish what they start A shelf of half-built model ships and the first one with a sail on.
the right word, every time, a moment sooner A speaker mid-sentence and a listener already nodding.
sea legs from the first day aboard A deck at a steep tilt and one figure standing easy with a bowl of soup.
the trick of mending whatever they pick up A cracked jug whole again, with one hairline left for honesty.

A thing 12

a blanket that is always warm A blanket on a washing line in snow, steaming gently.
a boat that cannot be turned over A small boat sitting upright on a very steep wave.
a bread oven that never burns a loaf A tray of even brown loaves and a baker asleep on a flour sack.
a forge of their own, the fire already lit An anvil, a glow, and a doorway with no sign over it yet.
a kettle that is always just boiled A kettle on a cold hob with steam at the spout.
a ladder that is always exactly tall enough One ladder against a haystack, a tower and a pear tree in turn.
a lamp that needs no oil A lamp burning on a shelf beside a full, dusty oil can.
a needle that never loses its thread A needle hanging from a hem by a thread that does not end.
a pair of boots that know the way A walker deep in a book while their boots take the turning by themselves.
a purse that is never quite empty One coin in a purse and a hand looking for the second.
a spade that never blunts A spade standing in a finished ditch, its edge bright.
one shortcut, good for one trip to anywhere A gap in a hedge with a different sky through it.

A way out 12

a debt wiped off somebody's slate A slate with a clean streak through the middle of the sums.
a head start of one night A road at dusk, one set of footprints, and nobody yet at the gate.
a quarrel forgotten by both families at once Two front doors facing across a lane, both of them open.
a way home across water that had no crossing Stepping stones, the last three still rising.
a way out of a dance they had promised to lead A ballroom floor, couples in place, and a gap at the top of the set.
an apprenticeship ended with years still to run An apron hung on a nail and an open door behind it.
an early spring after a winter that had gone on too long Icicles dripping in a row and one crocus in the wrong month.
the bailiff to forget their address A man with a notebook walking past a door and frowning at the next one.
the last coach to wait five minutes longer A coach in a yard, the driver holding the reins slack, and a figure running.
one day to live over again Two identical breakfasts side by side, one of them eaten wrong.
release from an older, worse bargain Two contracts on a table and the older one curling at the edges.
the right answer in the one exam that mattered A desk, a blank page, and a hand suddenly writing.

Small and foolish 12

a nickname they actually liked A name carved on a desk, crossed out, and a better one below it.
a turn at being picked first for teams A row of children and one hand pointing straight at the smallest.
a whistle through two fingers that carries Pigeons going up all at once from a square.
the best seat by the fire for a whole year A hearth, one deep armchair, and a figure who got there first.
dry feet in every puddle from then on Rain bouncing off cobbles and one pair of spotless, pleased boots.
hair that stays combed A neat parting in a gale.
the last slice, every time A cake with one piece left and every other hand hesitating.
one correct guess about the weather A figure in a heavy coat, alone, as the first drop lands.
one inch more height than their brother Two notches on a door frame, the new one barely above the old.
one win at chess against their uncle A board, a toppled king, and an old man laughing.
one win in the egg-and-spoon race A spoon held perfectly steady and a rival's egg in mid-air.
socks that never slide down A long run downhill and two socks still at the knee.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every request was made up for this list and is small, human and harmless: help for somebody else, a knack, a thing, a way out of a fix or something foolish. No game's power, spell or feature was used as a model; a purse that is never quite empty and boots that know the way are gifts as old as fairy tales. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. Licence: own work

Promised: all 72 prices

Time 12

an evening a month doing somebody else's sums A desk with two ledgers, one of them much older than the desk.
every third birthday A cake with the candles unlit and the guests looking at the calendar.
every wet Wednesday, to be spent as directed A figure at a window watching the rain with a list in hand.

Show all 72 prices (69 more)

Time, continued

the last song of every evening A coat going on in a doorway while the room is still singing.
the one fine day in each April A figure indoors at a desk beside a window full of blossom.
one hour of every market day A stall left minded by a hat on a stick.
one night a year standing where they are told to stand A figure alone on a hilltop at night, stamping their feet.
the quiet half hour after every supper A cleared table, a chair pushed back, and a figure sitting bolt upright, waiting.
seven years of mornings A bed slept in until noon and a rooster giving up.
their afternoon nap, for life A hammock swinging empty between two trees and a figure striding past it.
three days each haymaking, worked in a meadow not theirs A hay rake on a shoulder at the edge of somebody else's meadow at dawn.
the whole summer of the year they turn forty A straw sun hat on a nail with a luggage label tied to it.

A share 12

a tenth of their firewood, stacked by the back gate A neat small stack by a gate, apart from the main pile.
the best egg from every clutch A basket of brown eggs and one empty hollow in the straw.
every seventh loaf they bake Six loaves on a rack and a space the size of a seventh.
the first apple from every tree they plant An apple set on a wall with a ribbon round the stalk.
first refusal on anything they ever sell A market stall with one item kept back under a cloth.
the froth off every pan of jam they boil A saucer of pink foam on a sill beside a row of filled jars.
half of anything they find and cannot name An odd brass object on a workbench, sawn neatly in two.
the left glove of every pair they own A drawer of right-hand gloves, neatly paired with nothing.
one sheet of every letter they write, left blank A letter of two sheets, one covered in writing, one bare, folded together.
one stitch in every seam, left open A coat lining with one neat gap near the pocket.
the shade of their best tree on the hottest day each year A figure sitting in full sun beside an empty circle of shade.
the string off every parcel they are ever sent A kitchen drawer of neat coils of string and a parcel half unwrapped beside it.

A service 12

one errand a year, with no reasons given A sealed parcel on the step with a destination and nothing else.
to add one stone a year to a wall nobody needs A dry stone wall across an open hillside, going nowhere, very well built.
to air the loft over a stable that stands empty A hayloft door propped wide and one figure with a broom.
to count the swans on one lake and send the number A notebook on a knee at a lake edge and a great many white dots.
to feed whatever turns up in the yard at dusk A saucer on a step and something large and dim politely waiting.
to hold one end of a rope when asked, and not look round A rope over a garden wall and a figure hauling steadily, eyes on the sky.
to join any game that turns out to be one player short A team one player short on a village green, every arm beckoning a passer-by.
to keep a path mown across their field for whoever uses it A mown stripe through long grass from hedge to hedge and no footprints on it.
to keep a secret that is not even interesting A locked box, a bored face, and an elbow on the lid.
to mend one net a year and leave it on the harbour wall A net over a wall, a wooden netting needle, and an empty mooring post.
to put in a good word for a stranger, when told A raised hand at the back of a meeting and a puzzled chairman.
to water a row of pots for a tenant who moved away A watering can and a line of geraniums under a dark window.

A habit, kept for life 12

always to carry a spare spoon, in case A second spoon in a breast pocket like a pen.
always to give their real name when asked twice A figure at a counter, frozen, at a question repeated.
always to hang their washing out at night A basket of wet shirts in a dark garden and a figure pegging them out by lantern.
always to ride facing backward, in any cart or carriage A carriage of passengers looking ahead and one looking back down the road.
always to sleep with one window open A curtain blowing in over a bed with an extra blanket on it.
always to turn round when a certain bird calls A head turning in a crowd at a sound nobody else noticed.
always to walk wide of one perfectly ordinary pond A worn path bending round a duck pond for no reason anyone can see.
never to be the first to leave a room A long-empty hall, chairs stacked, and one person still by the door.
never to buy the first thing a stallholder holds up Three jugs held up one after another and a finger pointing firmly at the second.
never to finish the last mouthful on a plate A row of plates, each with one pea left.
never to strike another bargain, with anyone, ever A pen offered across a desk and two hands held up, palms out.
never to wear green A wardrobe sorted by every shade but one.

Something of theirs 12

the cool side of every pillow they sleep on A hand turning a pillow over, and over again, in the small hours.
their album of pressed flowers, start to finish A bare shelf with one album-shaped gap and a single dry petal on it.
their best story, never to be told again A fireside circle leaning in and a teller shaking their head.
their earliest piece of carpentry, a lopsided stool A pale square on a floor where a stool always stood.
their good side, in every portrait from now on A sitter being turned the other way by a puzzled painter.
their place in the family portrait A painted group with a person-shaped patch of plain wall.
their recipe for the one dish they cook well A recipe card with the middle torn out.
their right to say I told you so A figure biting a knuckle while a friend mops up.
their second-best hat, whichever that comes to be A hat stand with a gap at the second peg.
their usual seat on the riverbank A flattened patch of grass by a river with a small sign stuck in it.
their way of wiggling their ears A child waiting, delighted, and an adult straining with nothing to show.
whatever luck they had left over that year A dropped slice of bread landing, as usual, butter side down.

Something not yet theirs 12

the best of the view from any hilltop A figure on a summit with their back to it, arms folded.
the corner seat on every coach they ride A crowded coach and one empty place with a parcel on it.
the first coin they earn in a town they have not seen A purse with one pocket sewn shut and a label on it.
the first snow that falls on their own roof A white street and one bare, dark roof in the middle of it.
the last sweet thing in the pantry, whenever asked A pantry shelf, an empty honey jar, and a spoon still in it.
the naming of their first horse A foal looking over a stall and a bare name board above it.
the prize from the first contest they win A winner's ribbon handed straight on to the empty space beside them.
their next good idea, whatever it turns out to be A figure snapping their fingers, then frowning at the empty air.
their next pair of new shoes, for one evening A shoebox open and empty on a bed, tissue paper folded back.
the use of their spare room for one night, date unknown A small tidy bedroom, a jug and basin set out, and a pair of unworn slippers by the chair.
whatever is in their left pocket on a day to be named A pocket turned inside out and tucked back, to be sure.
whatever they catch the next time they go fishing A line in a pond, a bent rod, and something on the hook that is not a fish.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every price was made up for this list as a payment, a share, a service or a habit that a character could keep up for life and a reader could draw. Left out on purpose: injuries, illnesses, people, lives, souls and any term from a game. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. Licence: own work

Sealed: all 60 sealings

Hands and gestures 12

by clapping once, in a room that clapped back One figure in an empty hall, hands together, looking round.
by saying yes to a question they had not quite heard A cupped ear, a polite smile, and a pen already moving.
by shaking an empty glove held out on a stick A glove on a stick over a wall and a hand reaching up to it.

Show all 60 sealings (57 more)

Hands and gestures, continued

by sharing a pear, half each, in silence A pear cut clean down the middle on a wall between two places.
by turning a doormat over and putting it back A mat lifted at one corner and a clean square on the step.
with a bow, returned from farther off than seemed likely A bow in a lane and a tiny answering bow on the skyline.
with a handshake neither side would end first Two clasped hands and one arm trying, politely, to leave.
with a handshake through a looking glass Two hands meeting at the glass, one of them from the wrong side.
with a nod, which turned out to count A figure mid-nod, eyes widening.
with a wink across a crowded square One closed eye, far off, and a crowd between.
with crossed fingers, which were noticed Hands hidden behind a back and a long, knowing look from the other chair.
with three knocks on an empty barrel Knuckles on wood and dust jumping off the hoops.

In writing 12

in chalk on a millstone A chalked line on a great round stone with flour drifted against it.
in pencil, which they were told was just as good A pencil stub, a long document, and a doubtful look.
in the dust on a mantelpiece, never dusted since A shelf with one clean line through years of dust.
in the margin of a newspaper a week out of date A folded paper with tiny writing down one edge.
on a leaf, which was then let go on the wind A single leaf going over a hedge with writing on it.
on a tablecloth, which was then folded and kept A white cloth with writing between the plates and a hostess looking on.
on the back of a receipt for something else A slip of paper turned over, sums on one side and terms on the other.
with a signature in borrowed ink A pen dipped in someone else's inkwell, held out at arm's length.
with a thumbprint in warm candle wax A red blob on a page with whorls in it, and a thumb being blown on.
with an X, since their hand would not write the rest A big careful X and a pen held like a spade.
with one word written on a palm and closed in a fist A fist held up between two faces with ink at the edge of the fingers.
with two sets of initials cut into a gatepost A post with fresh letters and older ones of the same shape below.

With a token 12

by leaving one shoe out in the lane overnight One shoe in a rut at dawn, turned to face the other way.
by swapping scarves A figure walking off in a scarf far too long for them.
with a feather stuck in the bark of an oak A single feather upright in a crack of rough bark at head height.
with a horseshoe hung points down on a fence A fence post with one horseshoe the wrong way up.
with a knot in a length of blue wool A strand of wool between two hands, with a knot neither could have tied alone.
with a pebble passed from one palm to the other A plain pebble on an open palm, being looked at too seriously.
with a pinch of flour over the left shoulder A white puff in the air behind a figure and a mill behind that.
with a ribbon tied to the tallest thing in sight A ribbon on a flagpole and a figure climbing down, pleased.
with a ring of grass braided on the spot A green ring on a finger, already drying at the edges.
with a string held taut between them and cut in the middle Two hands, a tight string, and scissors coming down.
with a tune hummed by one and finished by the other Two figures back to back, one with a finger raised to keep time.
with a wishbone pulled, the long end to them Two little fingers hooked round a wishbone, just before the snap.

At a place 12

astride a county line, one foot each side A boundary stone and a figure standing carefully over it.
at a pupil's desk in a school shut for the holidays Small desks, a big figure folded into one, and chalk dust in the light.
at the back of a crowd, during somebody else's speech Rows of backs, a speaker far off, and two heads bent together at the rear.
at the end of a pier that was longer that night Planks running out into mist past the last post.
at the kitchen table, like any other piece of business A table with a loaf pushed aside to make room for paper.
at the top of a ladder leaning on nothing A ladder standing in a field with a figure near the top, not looking down.
behind the bakery, before the ovens were lit A dark yard, flour sacks, and one figure early for something.
in a hayloft during a hailstorm White stones bouncing in a doorway and a handshake in the straw.
in a hedge maze, at a turning that is not on the plan Green walls, a bench, and a path the gardener never cut.
in a rowing boat, exactly as far out as it would go Oars shipped, flat water all round, and a rope going straight down.
on the top step of a stile, one on each side A stile in a hedge with a boot on one step and something else opposite.
under a bridge at low water Wet stones, an arch overhead, and two sets of prints meeting.

By accident 12

by accepting a second cup of tea Two cups, one steaming, and a pot being set down very gently.
by blowing out a candle that was not theirs to blow out A wisp of smoke and a room of faces turning.
by borrowing a pen and forgetting to give it back A pen in a breast pocket with somebody else's teeth marks on it.
by catching something that was thrown to them Two hands closed on a small bright thing and a face working it out.
by counting to a hundred with their eyes shut A figure facing a tree, hands over eyes, and nobody hiding.
by finishing a sentence the other party had started Two speech-shaped gaps in the air, joined in the middle.
by hopping a row of squares they took for hopscotch A foot coming down in the last square and no other players in sight.
by keeping the change A palm with one coin too many and a shop door already closed.
by laughing at a joke that turned out to be an offer A figure wiping an eye and another holding out a pen.
by picking up a dropped parcel and handing it back A parcel changing hands with rather too much ceremony.
by reading the terms aloud to hear how they sounded A paper held up to the light and a mouth forming the last word.
with a sneeze, which was taken for a yes A figure mid-sneeze and, across the table, a hand already stamping the page.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every sealing was made up for this list as a handshake, a signature, a token, a place or an accident of manners, as in a fairy tale. A few borrow everyday luck customs (a wishbone, a horseshoe, a pinch over the shoulder). Rites of a religion or a book of magic were left out on purpose, and none is an instruction. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. Licence: own work

Missed one clause: all 60 clauses

How long it runs 12

a year, in it, is counted by the other side's calendar Two calendars side by side that agree on nothing.
the first payment fell due the day before they agreed A bill with yesterday's date and a polite stamp.
it ends only when both sides forget it A knot in a handkerchief and a second knot beside it.

Show all 60 clauses (57 more)

How long it runs, continued

it had already been running for three years A dusty copy of the same contract, found behind a dresser.
it is paused, not ended, by being paid in full A bill stamped paid and a second bill under it.
it renews every seven years unless ended in person A long road, a small figure with a bag, and a note in hand that says: in person.
it runs for as long as a certain chimney smokes A very healthy chimney and a figure eyeing it.
leap days belong entirely to the other side A calendar page for the twenty-ninth with a small flag on it.
nothing in it says when it ends A long scroll with the last third still rolled up.
notice to end it must be given a lifetime ahead A letter in an envelope marked not to be opened yet.
time spent asleep does not count toward it A tally on a wall that skips every night.
the word always appears in it nineteen times A page with the same word ringed again and again in red.

What the other side may do 12

the bargain may be sold on to whoever wants it A stranger at the gate reading from a paper and checking the house.
the other party is to be asked to every family gathering A long table of relatives and one guest nobody is introducing.
the other party keeps the only copy An empty hand held out and a drawer closing somewhere else.
the other party may ask one question and must be answered A raised finger across a table and a long pause.
the other party may borrow anything of theirs for a month A gap on a tool rack with a polite note pinned in it.
the other party may change one word of it a year A contract with a neat patch pasted over a single word.
the other party may collect early, in bad weather A knock at the door and rain coming in sideways.
the other party may read their post first An envelope arriving already open, resealed with care.
the other party may send a deputy, of any size A doormat with one very small, very muddy print.
the other party may sign for them in small matters A delivery note signed in a hand that is nearly theirs.
the other party may visit without notice A spare coat hook by the door, kept empty.
the other party picks where they live, once A cart of furniture outside a house in a town they do not know.

What they must do 12

they must always use the other party's full title A figure reading a greeting off a strip of paper that unrolls to the floor.
they must ask leave before moving any of their furniture A hand on a chair back and a quick look over one shoulder.
they must be on time for everything, from now on A figure running with a sundial under one arm.
they must explain it in full to anyone who asks A crowd on a doorstep and a householder starting again from the top.
they must keep accounts, to be inspected without warning A ledger in careful columns and a magnifying glass lying on it.
they must keep their copy dry, whatever happens A document wrapped in oilcloth held high above a river crossing.
they must laugh at the other party's jokes A strained smile and a hand slapping a knee half a beat late.
they must move away if the other party is ever seen A neighbour pointing over a hedge and a figure already reaching for a trunk.
they must never boast of it, even in their sleep A figure in a nightcap with lips pressed shut and one finger still raised to them.
they must sleep at home on certain nights A rider turning for home at dusk, well short of the town.
they must stay within a day's walk of where it was made A map with a neat circle on it and a pin at the middle.
they must wear something of the other party's choosing A fine outfit and one dreadful scarf.

Who else it binds 12

a friend's name is also on it, correctly spelled Two names at the foot of a page and only one person in the room.
a guest who stays the night is bound until breakfast A spare bed turned down and a small card on the pillow.
any animal they own is counted as having signed A dog, a hen and a pony in a row with an inky paw, claw and hoof.
anyone who hears all of it is part of it too A listener with fingers in both ears and wide eyes.
it applies to the whole street, as a courtesy A row of front doors, each with the same small brass stud.
it binds anyone who shares their surname A family tree with a faint line drawn round the whole of it.
it can never be given away, even as a kindness A paper pushed across a table and sliding back by itself.
it goes with their trade, to whoever takes it up next A new hand at a workbench, given a scroll along with the tools.
it is inherited by whoever inherits their spectacles A pair of glasses on a folded will and a small face trying them on.
the landlord was sent a copy A man at the door with a rent book in one hand and a scroll in the other.
whoever sits in their chair takes on a tenth of it A visitor about to sit and a host lunging across the room.
whoever witnessed it stands surety for the lot A friend at the edge of the scene with a slowly dawning look.

What the words turned out to mean 12

the copy they kept is the draft Two papers, one neat, one with crossings out, and the wrong one framed.
every may in it was a must in the original Two copies side by side with one small word ringed in each.
in its first language, gift and loan are one word A dictionary open at one entry with two meanings underlined.
it counts in dozens where they counted in tens A tally of twelve where a figure had clearly expected ten.
it reads differently by candlelight, and that version holds A paper held near a flame with a second set of lines showing.
left and right in it are as seen from the other side A figure holding up both hands and looking from one to the other.
the map attached to it has no north A chart with the compass rose scraped off.
one comma in it decides which of them pays A fingertip under a line of script and a tiny curl of ink.
silence counts as agreement to any change A letter slid under a door and a figure asleep in a chair.
the small print was on the back A page being turned over for the first time, years late.
the word half means three different amounts in it A pie cut in three unequal pieces with a small flag in each.
the word soon is explained on a page they never got A stack of numbered sheets with a gap at nine.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every clause is about the bargain's own terms (how long it runs, what the other side may do, what they must do, who else it binds, what a word in it means) and was written to read true whatever was asked for, promised or done to seal it. The catches are the comic kind a story can live with: an awkward duty, an uninvited guest, a renewal nobody wanted. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. Licence: own work

It left: all 60 signs

On the skin 12

a beauty spot that changes cheek at each new year A puzzled friend pointing at one cheek, then at the other.
a date in small numerals behind one ear Hair worn long on one side only.
a dimple that shows only when they bend the truth A cheek being covered with one casual hand.

Show all 60 signs (57 more)

On the skin, continued

a handprint on one shoulder, as if from a clap on the back A shirt hung to dry with a faint five-fingered mark showing through.
a signature that is not theirs, inside the left wrist A cuff pulled down a little too often.
a small cold spot in the middle of one palm A handshake and the other person glancing down in surprise.
a streak of white in their hair, exactly a finger wide A dark head with one pale line, combed carefully over.
a thumbprint whose whorl turns backward A thumb pressed on a windowpane and looked at sideways.
an ink stain on one thumb that never washes off A thumb held away from a clean white shirt.
one ear folded at the tip like the corner of a marked page An ear in close-up, its tip turned down like a page somebody means to find again.
one eye a shade lighter than the other A portrait where the painter has mixed two different paints for the eyes.
one eyebrow that sits higher, permanently interested A face that seems to be asking a question while asleep.

Worn or carried 12

a coat that comes out of any trunk without a crease A coat shaken out of a crammed trunk, smooth as if just pressed.
a hat that tips itself to certain strangers A hat brim lifting with nobody's hand near it.
a pencil that sharpens itself overnight A pencil pot at dawn with fresh shavings round it.
a plain ring stuck fast on one finger A finger, a bar of soap, and a look of long experience.
a pocket that leaks a little sand, whatever they wear A thin pale line on the road behind a walker, straight as a ruled margin.
a satchel that is never quite shut, however it is buckled A bag with three straps done up and a corner of paper still poking out.
a scarf that is always slightly damp A scarf on a line indoors with a small puddle under it.
a small bell on their belt that rings when payment is due A hand clapped to a belt at a dinner table as every head turns.
a stub of sealing wax that turns up in every drawer A row of identical red stubs lined up on a shelf.
a walking stick that points one way when dropped A stick on the ground and a figure sighing at where it points.
a watch that keeps the other side's time, not theirs Two watches on one chain, an hour and some years apart.
shirt cuffs that are covered in sums by evening A laundress holding a white shirt up to the light and reading the sleeve.

Something that follows them 12

a chair pulled out for them wherever they go A crowded bench and one stool sliding out from a table by itself.
a faint smell of new paper wherever they have sat A visitor sniffing at an empty armchair.
a pen laid ready on every table they sit down at A picnic cloth on a hillside, plates and cups, and one pen laid square beside the bread.
a queue that always lets them through, looking puzzled A line of people stepping aside without knowing why.
a second, smaller set of footprints beside theirs in mud A wet lane, one walker, and two lines of prints.
a small polite cough from the next room, wherever they stay A reader with a book lowered, looking hard at a bedroom wall.
change that is always counted out twice before they get it A shopkeeper counting coins into a palm, then starting again.
doors that hold themselves open for them and nobody else A door open on a windy day and the next person finding it shut.
ink that dries the moment they finish a line A page with no blots at all and a blotter still clean.
post that reaches them at addresses they never gave An envelope on the mat of a rented room on the first morning.
the same number on every ticket they are given Three tickets fanned in one hand, coach, cloakroom and playhouse, and a 9 on every one.
shop scales that tip a hair toward them, every time A grocer tapping a brass pan and frowning.

At home 12

a bed that is always made, whoever slept in it Smooth sheets at dawn and a sleeper standing beside them, yawning.
a blank page near the middle of every book they own A shelf of books, each with a ribbon at the same place.
a brass plate by the door with nothing on it yet A shining plate, four screws, and a householder polishing it anyway.
a cupboard always one shelf fuller than they left it A pantry door open and a jar nobody bought.
a doorstep worn down on one side by someone waiting A stone step with a hollow where nobody in the house ever stands.
a floorboard that creaks a moment before they tread on it A foot in the air over a board and a wince already on the face.
a key on a hook in the pantry that fits nothing they own A large old key on a hook and a figure trying it in a cupboard, without hope.
a kitchen fire that has not gone out since A grate glowing in an empty kitchen and no coal scuttle anywhere.
a second letterbox in the door, lower down A door with two brass flaps, one at knee height.
a wet coat on the hall peg that belongs to nobody A row of dry coats and one dripping onto the boards.
an empty picture frame nobody remembers hanging A frame with nothing in it and a clean patch of wallpaper behind.
one windowpane at home that shows the wrong season Snow through one pane and roses through the rest.

Harder to explain 12

a birthday that comes a day later every year A card on a mantelpiece with the date crossed out and corrected, twice.
a dislike of round numbers that they cannot explain A stallholder holding up ten apples and a customer handing one back.
a habit of holding out a hand to shake in their sleep A sleeper with one arm out of the blankets, hand open, waiting.
a nose for the small print in everything A nose almost touching a shop notice.
a promise that keeps itself, whatever they intended A figure halfway out of the door being walked back in by their own feet.
a shiver whenever someone says the word free A market crier mid-shout and one shopper pulling their collar up.
a slight echo on the word yes A speech bubble with a fainter one behind it.
a sneeze whenever anyone nearby breaks a promise A handkerchief out and a guilty face across the room.
a way of adding weather permitting to every promise Two friends shaking on a plan and one of them raising a finger.
an itch in the writing hand whenever a pen is near Fingers flexing above an inkwell in a shop window.
fingers that will no longer cross A hand trying, behind a back, and failing.
the sense, at every sum, of being checked A figure adding a column with one eye on the window.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every sign was made up for this list and is small, painless and visible: a mark on the skin, something worn or carried, something that follows them, something at home or an odd habit. Left out on purpose: wounds, illnesses and any term from a game. The notes on what to draw are our own suggestions. Licence: own work

How it works

This warlock backstory generator deals one bargain in six parts: the other party, the request, the price, the sealing, the clause they missed and the sign it left. The other party is odd and harmless, never wicked. Text only.

Read the full guide

A bargain, not a gift

A warlock in stories strikes a deal for what they want, so every part here belongs to one contract. The other party is an old crow with a ledger or the last star before dawn, and the request is small and human: rain for one dry valley, a head for figures.

The catch drives the plot

The fifth part is the clause nobody read, such as the small print was on the back. Begin the story there. The sixth is the sign the bargain left, which belongs in every drawing of them.

Draw the sign before the face. A plain ring stuck fast on one finger says a deal was done.
Stage the sealing as one panel: two parties, one gesture, the other side half out of frame.
Keep the other party polite. A creditor who never blinks is easier to draw than a monster, and funnier.

Questions and answers

What does the word warlock mean?

It most likely comes from an Old English word, wǣrloga, that meant a breaker of oaths or a deceiver. This page uses the storybook sense: somebody who made a bargain for something they wanted and now lives by its terms.

Can I use it as a witch backstory generator?

Yes. No list calls the bargainer he or she, and a bargain suits a witch as well as a warlock. If the magic was there from birth, the sorcerer backstory generator fits better.

Who does the warlock bargain with?

Something strange and harmless, described and never named: a tall woman who buys Tuesdays, a mole with a very large map, a sunset that has been running late all week. None is taken from a religion, a book of magic or a game.

Does it follow the rules of a tabletop game?

No. There are no spells, levels or dice here, and no term that belongs to one rule book. The six parts are plain story, so they sit under any character sheet or none.