diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
index 1b309388..7958e2f1 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/classes.cpp
@@ -357,6 +357,8 @@ struct man : public entity {
 
   int experience;
   stat profession;
+  string backstory;
+  namedcolor hair, eye;
 
   statarray<int> base_stats;
   statdata current, next;
@@ -510,15 +512,10 @@ struct vtrap : public located_entity {
   string get_help() override { return "A deadly but invisible trap."; }
   };
 
-struct cat_color {
-  string name;
-  color_t col;
-  };
-
-void sact(stater& s, string t, cat_color co) { s.act(t+".name", co.name, "black").act(t+".col", co.col, 0xFFFFFFFF); }
+void sact(stater& s, string t, namedcolor co) { s.act(t+".name", co.name, "black").act(t+".col", co.col, 0xFFFFFFFF); }
 
 struct cat : public enemy {
-  cat_color col;
+  namedcolor col;
   cat();
   xy siz() override { return {5, 5}; }
   string glyph() override { return "f"; }
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/entity.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/entity.cpp
index 1549e8ad..6597e5f1 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/entity.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/entity.cpp
@@ -774,12 +774,6 @@ void bat::attacked(int dmg) {
   if(where.y > m.where.y) vel.y = +abs(vel.y);
   }
 
-vector<cat_color> cat_colors = {
-  cat_color{"red", 0xC04040FF},
-  cat_color{"black", 0x505060FF},
-  cat_color{"white", 0xF0F0F0FF}
-  };
-
 cat::cat() {
   col = hrand_elt(cat_colors);
   }
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/namedcolors.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/namedcolors.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3a7d9ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/namedcolors.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+namespace rogue_unlike {
+
+struct namedcolor {
+  string name;
+  color_t col;
+  };
+
+namedcolor 
+  // cat colors
+  nc_red{"red", 0xC04040FF},
+  nc_black{"red", 0x505060FF},
+  nc_white{"white", 0xF0F0F0FF},
+  // hair colors
+  nc_blonde{"blonde", 0xF0F0D0FF},
+  nc_brownhair{"brown", 0x706030FF},
+  // eye colors
+  nc_green{"green", 0x40F040FF},
+  nc_browneye{"brown", 0xA07030FF};
+
+vector<namedcolor> cat_colors = { nc_red, nc_black, nc_white };
+
+}
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/randeff.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/randeff.cpp
index 634a5736..a2330e32 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/randeff.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/randeff.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ randeff fire_weapon("Fiery Weapon", "Attacks with your [weapon] set things on fi
     m.next.mods.emplace_back(d.re->which_weapon, mod::burning, 2 * m.current.stats[stat::wis] + 1e-6);
   });
 
-cat_color morph_cat_color;
+namedcolor morph_cat_color;
 
 // morph powers
 randeff morph_cat("Cat", "Turns you into a cat.", "You turn into a cat!", [] (data &d) {
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/ru.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/ru.cpp
index 82c59860..22064e66 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/ru.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/ru.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Have fun!
 */
 
 #include "globals.cpp"
+#include "namedcolors.cpp"
 #include "classes.cpp"
 #include "staters.cpp"
 #include "geometry.cpp"
@@ -485,9 +486,10 @@ void add_platf_hooks() {
 
 void start_new_game() {
   enable();
-  randomize_stats();
+  generate_character();
   cmode = mode::menu;
   pushScreen(initial_stats);
+  clearMessages();
   }
 
 auto chk = arg::add3("-ru", enable)
diff --git a/rogueviz/ru/stats.cpp b/rogueviz/ru/stats.cpp
index 5715310f..28f7f847 100644
--- a/rogueviz/ru/stats.cpp
+++ b/rogueviz/ru/stats.cpp
@@ -1,27 +1,75 @@
 namespace rogue_unlike {
 
+struct backstory_element {
+  string text;
+  reaction_t effect;
+  };
+
+struct backstory_choice {
+  string part;
+  vector<backstory_element> elts;
+  };
+
+stat mainstat;
+
+extern vector<backstory_choice> backstories;
+
+int statseed;
+vector<int> story_choices;
+
 // -1 to downgrade
 int stat_upgrade_cost(stat s, int bonus = 0) {
   return 10 * (m.base_stats[s] + bonus);
   }
 
+void randomize_stories() {
+  story_choices = {};
+  for(auto& v: backstories)
+    story_choices.push_back(hrand(isize(v.elts)));
+  }
+
+void upgrade(stat s) {
+  auto uc = stat_upgrade_cost(s);
+  if(uc <= m.experience) {
+    m.experience -= uc;
+    m.base_stats[s]++;
+    if(m.base_stats[s] > m.base_stats[mainstat]) mainstat = s;
+    }
+  }
+
 void randomize_stats() {
   for(auto s: allstats) while(m.base_stats[s] > 1) {
     m.base_stats[s]--; m.experience += stat_upgrade_cost(s);
     }
-  auto mainstat = stat::str;
+
+  std::mt19937 statgen;
+  statgen.seed(statseed);
+  swap(statgen, hrngen);
+
+  mainstat = stat::str;
+
+  m.backstory = "";
+  for(int i=0; i<isize(backstories); i++) {
+    auto& ch = backstories[i].elts[story_choices[i]];
+    m.backstory += ch.text;
+    ch.effect();
+    }
+
   for(int i=0; i<500; i++) {
     auto s = hrand_elt(allstats);
-    auto uc = stat_upgrade_cost(s);
-    if(uc <= m.experience) {
-      m.experience -= uc;
-      m.base_stats[s]++;
-      if(m.base_stats[s] > m.base_stats[mainstat]) mainstat = s;
-      }
+    upgrade(s);
     }
   m.profession = mainstat;
   for(auto s: allstats)
     m.current.stats[s] = m.base_stats[s];
+
+  swap(statgen, hrngen);
+  }
+
+void generate_character() {
+  statseed = time(NULL);
+  randomize_stories();
+  randomize_stats();
   }
 
 struct statinfo {
@@ -65,6 +113,28 @@ void stat_screen(bool editable) {
   draw_inventory_frame();
   dialog::init("the Alchemist", 0xC000C0);
 
+  dialog::addHelp(m.backstory);
+
+  if(editable) {
+    dialog::addItem("customize the character", 'e');
+    dialog::add_action_push([] {
+      dialog::init("the Alchemist backstory", 0xC000C0);
+      dialog::addItem("randomize all", 'r');
+      dialog::add_action([] { randomize_stories(); randomize_stats(); popScreen(); });
+      char key = 'a';
+      for(int i=0; i<isize(backstories); i++) if(backstories[i].part != "") {
+        dialog::addItem(backstories[i].part, key++);
+        dialog::add_action([i] {
+          story_choices[i] = gmod(story_choices[i] + 1, isize(backstories[i].elts));
+          randomize_stats(); popScreen();
+          });
+        }
+      dialog::addBreak(100);
+      dialog::addBack();
+      dialog::display();
+      });
+    }
+
   dialog::addSelItem("class", profdata[m.profession].name, 'c');
   dialog::add_action_push([editable] {
     dialog::init("the Alchemist: class", 0xC000C0);
@@ -158,4 +228,99 @@ void initial_stats() { stat_screen(true); }
 
 void draw_stats() { stat_screen(false); }
 
+// -- backstories follow --
+
+vector<backstory_choice> backstories = {
+
+  backstory_choice{ "family",
+    {
+      {"You are the only child from a family of workers. ", [] { upgrade(stat::str); upgrade(stat::str); }},
+
+      {"You come from a family with long traditions in alchemy. ", [] { upgrade(stat::wis); upgrade(stat::wis); }}
+      }
+   },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "hair",
+    {
+      {"You have blonde hair ", [] {}},
+
+      {"You have red hair ", [] {}},
+
+      {"You have dark hair ", [] {}},
+      }
+   },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "eyes",
+    {
+      {"and green eyes. ", [] {}},
+
+      {"and blue eyes. ", [] {}},
+
+      {"and brown eyes. ", [] {}},
+      }
+   },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "childhood stories",
+    {
+      {"As a child, you loved to listen to your grandfather's stories about how he battled demons to find a cure for your mother's illness when she was a child.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::wis); upgrade(stat::wis); }},
+
+      {"As a child, you loved to listen to your grandfather's stories about how he found your grandmother, a princess from another world.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::str); upgrade(stat::str); }},
+
+      {"As a child, you loved to listen to your grandmother's stories. The coolest one was about how she almost died from a mad magician's scythe attack.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::con); upgrade(stat::con); }}
+
+      }
+    },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "motivation for studying alchemy",
+    {
+      {"You chose to study alchemy, believing it may help to cure the sick. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::con); upgrade(stat::con); }},
+
+      {"You chose to study alchemy, believing that the more people know, the better for them. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::wis); upgrade(stat::wis); }},
+
+      {"You chose to study alchemy. Good alchemists earn lots of money, after all. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::dex); upgrade(stat::dex); }},
+
+      {"You chose to study alchemy. Some potions can make you stronger. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::str); upgrade(stat::str); }},
+      }
+    },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "motivation for Second Life",
+    {
+      {"During your studies, you started to question the inevitability of death. You started to work on a potion of second life.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::con); upgrade(stat::con); }},
+
+      {"But you were bored by your fellow alchemists creating mundane stuff, such as potions of love and dyes. You realized that it should be possible to create a potion of second life.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::wis); upgrade(stat::wis); }},
+
+      {"You realized that your potions are easier to sell when more people want them, and started researching something that everyone would want: a potion of second life.\n\n",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::dex); upgrade(stat::dex); }}
+      }
+    },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "motivation for adventuring",
+    {
+      {"But some ingredients could be found only in the magic fountains in Dungeons of Rogorama. The dungeons are full of dangerous creatures that you are eager to fight. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::str); }},
+
+      {"But some ingredients could be found only in the magic fountains in the Dungeons of Rogorama. The dungeons are full of legendary artifacts that you are eager to study. ",
+      [] { upgrade(stat::wis); }}
+      }
+    },
+
+  backstory_choice{ "",
+    {
+      {"While almost nobody has ever returned from these dungeons, the fountains are rumored to be easy to find, so you should be able to create a potion of second life quite easily. "
+       "And then, nothing would be able to stop you!\n\nYou wake up in the last inn before entering the dungeons...",
+      [] { }}
+      }
+    }
+
+  };
+
 }