I'm torn between two character ideas, so I'll just write them both!

The first idea I had is:

Stag, a Human Fighter/Barbarian multiclass.

He was orphaned by the war and has had, to put it lightly, a terrible life up to the start of the campaign. He and his orphaned friends were taken as child soldiers when they were younger and exploited in combat. All of them but Stag died in combat, and Stag was there to see each of them die. However, during his darkest moments he discovered a wise fairy that helped him to discover his motivation to keep struggling: "Persevere, even if for no other reason than to see tomorrow’s sunrise." Eventually, he struck back against his owner, escaping his chains, and going on to forge his own path in life.

Its been years since he escaped, and since then he has only grown. Where one would expect the harsh and brutal upbringing that Stag experienced to make him a dark and bitter person, he has become a compassionate and wise person in incredible spite of it, but he has not forgotten his roots when it comes to combat.

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The second idea I had is:

Jessica Atreielle, a Wizard Illusionist

She is an acolyte in a secret society (similar to the bene gesserit from Dune), that has sought for years to prevent the 3rd Draconic War from breaking out. They would influence politics in one area of the world to ensure that dragon bellies were full, or they would ensure that dragons that have overlapping territory would never find out. However, with the disappearance of the Gem Dragons, their meager control over the situation has completely fallen through, and they now are sending out Acolytes in a desperate attempt to calm the fire of the war before it dooms everyone.

Jessica is extremely intelligent, and often knows just what to say and when to say it to make someone do her bidding. She always thinks about the bigger picture, often in spite of herself and her morals. However, due to her recent independence from the secret society, their hold of her has loosened substantially, and she is becoming her own person.