Dramatis Personae: Character Generation
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2016 5:59 pm
Please create your characters here. Here is an outline of the process. You may also wish to refer to the Player's Handbook.
https://engineoforacles.files.wordpress ... ee-pdf.pdf
It is certainly not necessary to follow these steps in this exact order. For example, I did not have a good idea for Step One until the character began to take shape.
STEP ONE: CHARACTER INSPIRATION: This plays no direct role in the game, but may help you get a feel for your character. Is she like Jane Austen, or is he like Victor Frankenstein? The possibilities are endless.
STEP TWO: CHARACTER CLASS: Choose one of the following classes:
[Alternate method, not in the handbook, which I used for my own character: Determine your Basic Abilities first, then choose a character class as appropriate.]
You may wish to look over each class to learn about its special characteristics. Although "everyman" may seem dull, it does allow you to increase in level more quickly, and it does allow you to select almost any reasonable profession.
STEP THREE: BACKGROUND. Come up with your character's back story, limited only by your imagination. Again, you may wish to delay this step until you have a better idea of your character.
STEP FOUR: PERVERSITY. To what extent does your character follow social norms? To what extent does your character pursue wickedness for its own sake? How well are you able to understand the unnatural? How close are you to insanity?
[This is the closest thing to Call of Cthulhu "Sanity" in this game, although the numbers go the other way!]
Method One: Select a Perversity level of your choice from 3 to 18. (Lower or higher levels would be very rare in human beings.) Lower than 6 is Good, Higher than 15 is Evil. A typical person is 9. True Innocents are never higher than 6, Libertines are never lower than 12.
Method Two: Roll 3d6 to determine your level. Exception: True Innocents roll 1d6, Libertines roll 1d6+11.
STEP FIVE: PERSONALITY: What is your character like socially and emotionally? Again, you may wish to determine this later. It should be reasonably consistent with your other characteristics.
STEP SIX: APPEARANCE/MOST MEMORABLE CHARACTERISTIC: What does your character look like? What does she normally wear? In particular, what is the one thing most people would first notice about him? This might be relatively minor ("always carries an umbrella") or very important ("missing right arm.")
STEP SEVEN: BASIC ABILITIES. These numbers will determine your success at various activities, generally by rolling a d20 against your level, with various adjustments as appropriate. Lower than your Ability level is a success, equal or higher is a failure. If any Basic Ability falls below 3, the character is incapacitated, at least temporarily. If any Basic Ability reaches zero, the character is dead or permanently insane. (Neither fate necessarily removes you from the game!)
The Basic Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Method One: All Basic Abilities begin at 9, with adjustments based on class.
Method Two: Roll 3d6 for each Basic Ability, then make adjustments based on class.
STEP NINE: HIT POINTS AND DAMAGE BONUS: Determined by your class. Again, see the handbook or I can tell you what the numbers are. (First level characters will get the maximum number of hits points rather than roll the die.)
STEP TEN: ASSETS AND AFFLICTIONS: Choose as many of these as you like, or none if you prefer. The only proviso is that the number of Assets must be equal to the number of Afflictions. Each class description has a list of recommended Assets and Afflictions, but feel free to choose any that seem appropriate to you, or even create your own, within reason.
STEP ELEVEN: WEALTH AND EQUIPMENT CARRIED: We won't deal with money to a great extent, so I'd suggest just describing your character as poor, middle class, wealthy, or whatever is appropriate. Each character class has a list of typical equipment carried. I won't quibble over carrying ordinary objects which are appropriate. (If you go exploring an abandoned house in the middle of the night, I won't object if you announce that you are using a flint to light a candle. If you carry a pistol into a formal ball, however, you better convince me you have a good reason.)
STEP TWELVE: SPEED AND ARMOR CLASS. Speed starts at 9, unless you are a Bandit Footpad, which starts at 10. Heavy clothing or equipment may reduce your speed. Armor starts at zero. Heavy clothing may increase it.
STEP THIRTEEN: NAME. This should be self-explanatory.
(I don't think we will need to deal with "forbidden topics" or "safe words.")
Not listed in the handbook directly, but important during character generation, are certain things which must be determined for certain classes. Magicians must choose spells, Mad Scientists must choose an Invention or a Monstrous Servant, and so on. We'll deal with these as they come up.
Go to it!
https://engineoforacles.files.wordpress ... ee-pdf.pdf
It is certainly not necessary to follow these steps in this exact order. For example, I did not have a good idea for Step One until the character began to take shape.
STEP ONE: CHARACTER INSPIRATION: This plays no direct role in the game, but may help you get a feel for your character. Is she like Jane Austen, or is he like Victor Frankenstein? The possibilities are endless.
STEP TWO: CHARACTER CLASS: Choose one of the following classes:
Optional: Let me know if you really want to play as a Vampyre or a Werewolf, and I'll try to work things out.• Bandit: A lurking Footpad, flamboyant Highwaymen, or snarling Pirate
• Demon Hunter: Someone who studies and hunts the horrors of the darkness
• Everyman: Just an ordinary person, facing extraordinary circumstances
• Grave Robber: An opportunist who robs burial sites for profit
• Gypsy: A restless wanderer who lives by their wits
• Libertine: A social adventurer who flouts conventional morality
• Mad Scientist: An individual who would master the laws of nature, at any price
• Magician: One who works wonders with strange incantations, bizarre ceremonies, enchanted
talismans, and secret pacts
• True Innocent: A person of inspiring virtue
[Alternate method, not in the handbook, which I used for my own character: Determine your Basic Abilities first, then choose a character class as appropriate.]
You may wish to look over each class to learn about its special characteristics. Although "everyman" may seem dull, it does allow you to increase in level more quickly, and it does allow you to select almost any reasonable profession.
STEP THREE: BACKGROUND. Come up with your character's back story, limited only by your imagination. Again, you may wish to delay this step until you have a better idea of your character.
STEP FOUR: PERVERSITY. To what extent does your character follow social norms? To what extent does your character pursue wickedness for its own sake? How well are you able to understand the unnatural? How close are you to insanity?
[This is the closest thing to Call of Cthulhu "Sanity" in this game, although the numbers go the other way!]
Method One: Select a Perversity level of your choice from 3 to 18. (Lower or higher levels would be very rare in human beings.) Lower than 6 is Good, Higher than 15 is Evil. A typical person is 9. True Innocents are never higher than 6, Libertines are never lower than 12.
Method Two: Roll 3d6 to determine your level. Exception: True Innocents roll 1d6, Libertines roll 1d6+11.
STEP FIVE: PERSONALITY: What is your character like socially and emotionally? Again, you may wish to determine this later. It should be reasonably consistent with your other characteristics.
STEP SIX: APPEARANCE/MOST MEMORABLE CHARACTERISTIC: What does your character look like? What does she normally wear? In particular, what is the one thing most people would first notice about him? This might be relatively minor ("always carries an umbrella") or very important ("missing right arm.")
STEP SEVEN: BASIC ABILITIES. These numbers will determine your success at various activities, generally by rolling a d20 against your level, with various adjustments as appropriate. Lower than your Ability level is a success, equal or higher is a failure. If any Basic Ability falls below 3, the character is incapacitated, at least temporarily. If any Basic Ability reaches zero, the character is dead or permanently insane. (Neither fate necessarily removes you from the game!)
The Basic Abilities: Charisma, Intelligence, Wisdom, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution
Method One: All Basic Abilities begin at 9, with adjustments based on class.
Method Two: Roll 3d6 for each Basic Ability, then make adjustments based on class.
STEP EIGHT: SPECIAL ABILITIES AND WEAKNESSES: These are determined by your class. See the appropriate section in the handbook (or, if you prefer, I can tell you what they are for your class.)◦ Bandit: Dexterity +2
◦ Demon Hunter: Dexterity +2
◦ Everyman: +2 to any desired Ability
◦ Grave Robber: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution, -1 Charisma
◦ Gypsy: +2 Wisdom
◦ Libertine: +2 Charisma
◦ Mad Scientist: +2 Intelligence
◦ Magician: +2 Wisdom
◦ True Innocent: +2 Charisma
STEP NINE: HIT POINTS AND DAMAGE BONUS: Determined by your class. Again, see the handbook or I can tell you what the numbers are. (First level characters will get the maximum number of hits points rather than roll the die.)
STEP TEN: ASSETS AND AFFLICTIONS: Choose as many of these as you like, or none if you prefer. The only proviso is that the number of Assets must be equal to the number of Afflictions. Each class description has a list of recommended Assets and Afflictions, but feel free to choose any that seem appropriate to you, or even create your own, within reason.
STEP ELEVEN: WEALTH AND EQUIPMENT CARRIED: We won't deal with money to a great extent, so I'd suggest just describing your character as poor, middle class, wealthy, or whatever is appropriate. Each character class has a list of typical equipment carried. I won't quibble over carrying ordinary objects which are appropriate. (If you go exploring an abandoned house in the middle of the night, I won't object if you announce that you are using a flint to light a candle. If you carry a pistol into a formal ball, however, you better convince me you have a good reason.)
STEP TWELVE: SPEED AND ARMOR CLASS. Speed starts at 9, unless you are a Bandit Footpad, which starts at 10. Heavy clothing or equipment may reduce your speed. Armor starts at zero. Heavy clothing may increase it.
STEP THIRTEEN: NAME. This should be self-explanatory.
(I don't think we will need to deal with "forbidden topics" or "safe words.")
Not listed in the handbook directly, but important during character generation, are certain things which must be determined for certain classes. Magicians must choose spells, Mad Scientists must choose an Invention or a Monstrous Servant, and so on. We'll deal with these as they come up.
Go to it!