> 11th Dec 2021, 6:00 AM in [Intermission 15](http://friendshipisdragons.thecomicseries.com/archive/60238)
>
> Author: Digo Dragon
>
> Guest Author's Note: "I think players and GMs miss out on a lot of great opportunities when a PC writes off their family. While there are some GMs that might be tempted to use relatives as ransom, they do the character's background and their own campaign a disservice this way. Family can be very useful tools for a GM! They're a readily safehouse for the party to stop at while traveling. Relatives can serve as a means to pass hints and quests to the party so that they follow your crafted story arc instead of wandering off course. Feel that someone in the party missed out on treasure or didn't get anything useful because you used a random loot chart? Send them a late birthday or holiday gift from parents! After all, who doesn't like getting gifts from trusted sources?"
Transcript:
> Lesson: Do not fall for the orphaned background trap. You are not a Disney princess.