I've hit upon an idea, somewhat inspired by the lifepath/profession/etc systems used in games like Burning Wheel, Barbarians of Lemuria, etc. It's a simple, somewhat abstract and loosely defined point-buy character creation process, done as a one-on-one discussion with the GM, building a life from the ground up.
The basis for it is this point table:
Costs..............................I Define...............GM/Dice Defines
Growth Spurt/Advantage..........1........................n/a
Hardship..................................0........................-1
Era...........................................2......................... 1
A character's life is composed of Eras. These Eras are each defined by a certain number of Hardships, and the player can purchase up to 3 Growth Spurts for any single Era. A Growth Spurt or Advantage can either be used to negate a Hardship, or it can be used for something completely different, leaving the Hardship as an old wound, an unresolved bitterness that will follow the player's character through life.
A Growth Spurt is an internal improvement of some sort: You've gotten good at something, either mentally, physically, or emotionally. In short, you've grown. An Advantage is an external improvement. Perhaps you have some wealth, or a good friend, a kick-ass sword or a beautiful wife, etc.
A character starts with 5 points, at the "Origin" Era, which is a freebie Era. Here, you may describe you race, your family, your upbringing, and the living conditions and daily rhythms that defined your "formative years"/childhood. Then, you roll 1d4 to see how many Hardships plague your Origin, and choose how many of these Hardships you want to define on your own. Each Hardship that you allow the GM to define gives you an extra point. Up to 5 Growth Spurts/Advantages may be purchased for this Era, as children learn quickly and adapt easily.
Once you feel you are done with the Origin Era, you ought to have some points left. (If not, you start the game at the end of the Origin Era, on the cusp of adulthood.) These points can be used to purchase a new Era, either for 2 points if you wish to define its basic type yourself, or for 1 point if you don't mind allowing the GM to choose the type, or rolling randomly for it.
There are 3 types of Era. Upheaval, Revelation, or Peace.
Upheaval: Something happened at the start of this Era that dramatically changed who you were and how you lived. You would never be the same after the Event (describe). This Era bears with it 1d4-1 Hardships.
Revelation: Unlike Upheaval, a Revelation Era starts with an internal Event, a realization or a metamorphosis that changes the way you see the world. This Era bears with it 1d4-2 Hardships. A -1 result means the Revelation Era gets a bonus Growth Spurt or Advantage.
Peace: You wake up one day and realize that life isn't such a struggle anymore. You've accomplished some things, found some happiness, built yourself a comfortable way of life, and now you're coasting. Your mind turns to newer horizons, previously neglected interests, and unexplored desires. This Era bears with it 1d4-3 Hardships. A negative result grants bonus Growth Spurts or Advantages for the Era.
And then rinse and repeat, until you run out of points. ...Which, if I've done my feeble math right, shouldn't happen too soon or too late, right? Any thoughts?
*EDITED multiple times to get that silly table to look decent