Character Generation

[Urson]

I'm creating a Warrior with a background as a Hunter/Trapper.
Warrior Focus is listed as 1 warrior, 1 Any. I'm not sure how to interpret this. HELP!

[Rex]

There is a list of foci in the free rules, probably more in the other rules everyone else is using. I interpreted it as anything for the Any obviously. My list doesn't say which ones are warrior so I assumed if it deals with combat it was fine to take for the warrior pick. Hope that helps, someone who has played before will probably be of better help.

[Enoch]

There is no official list of which Foci are Warrior foci; it's basically open to GM interpretation. If it deals with combat it's probably fine.

[Rex]

I just found this list. No time to look now but it is a pay what you want PDF.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/41 ... ence-Sheet

[sulldawga]

So we are all on the same page:

The PCs origins are from elsewhere in the Kingdom of Caral (or further afield, if it fits your background) but they have all met on the road to Ket and have already decided to adventure together. If the players agree, I am fine with two or more PCs having been friends before now, but I'm not interested in cliques within the party. Let's all row the boat in the same direction here.

this is what i had in my app

As a preteen, Kaithar came wandering into the area west of Ket on the opposite banks of the Moche River. Vorthon the hermit [hedge wizard] took the boy in and raised him on the edge of the community. Kaithar served as an assistant rather than as an apprentice as Vorthon always suspected that the lad would not remain in Ket and waited for the day the boy-man would leave.

Kaithar is taking advantage of the push into the western lands to retrace his unremembered journey to Ket as a boy. He hopes to discover where he came from and who he is.

He could be out gathering herbs, etc and meet the others

I had two objectives in laying down guidelines for the PCs origins. One was to make sure the party didn't enter town as a bunch of individuals but as a group. So I am fine with your backstory as long as it has already occurred and Kaithar is now embedded in the party.

The other objective was to clearly label the lands west of the Moche as unexplored wilderness where the action is. It defeats the purpose of the game's concept if PCs come from the unexplored wilderness. But if it's that important to you, I will make a random roll every time we encounter people living out west and if it comes up, that can be where you grew up.

[sulldawga]

I'm creating a Warrior with a background as a Hunter/Trapper.
Warrior Focus is listed as 1 warrior, 1 Any. I'm not sure how to interpret this. HELP!

Warrior foci include:
Armored Magic
Armsmaster
Assassin
Close Combatant
Deadeye
Die Hard
Impervious Defense
Poisoner
Shocking Assault
Sniper's Eye
Unarmed Combatant
Valiant Defender
Whirlwind Assault
All of the Maqqatban Knight ones

Any Focus not mentioned here can be your 1 Any.

[Urson]

OK, thanks. I'll try to get Mikhail finished and posted tomorrow.

[sulldawga]

I've got a Warrior rolled up. I think having a healer on the team is probably a very good thing, if you want to stay with Healer.

You get Any Combat-0 from Thug. Then you get Punch or Stab from Shocking Assault and Stab again from Whirlwind Assault. Yet I only see Stab-1 on your sheet. Where's the third combat Skill?

You got Notice-0 and Survive-0 from Thug. You also get a free Skill. But you've got Notice-1, Survive-0, Sneak-0, and Exert-1 for a total of six skill points. I'm not seeing how this is possible. What am I missing?

[Enoch]

I've got a Warrior rolled up. I think having a healer on the team is probably a very good thing, if you want to stay with Healer.

You get Any Combat-0 from Thug. Then you get Punch or Stab from Shocking Assault and Stab again from Whirlwind Assault. Yet I only see Stab-1 on your sheet. Where's the third combat Skill?

You got Notice-0 and Survive-0 from Thug. You also get a free Skill. But you've got Notice-1, Survive-0, Sneak-0, and Exert-1 for a total of six skill points. I'm not seeing how this is possible. What am I missing?

I may have miscalculated. I will review.

[sulldawga]

Marullus, I am fine with your beast companion being a Bull Pig but an animal of that size is going to need a lot of food. I also wasn't planning on using Animals specific to the default setting of WWN. Still, I am fine with you using the same stats if we skin it more like a wild boar. Still big and scary but we'll say it only eats the equivalent of 1 week's rations from a cost perspective and can use the rules for small beast fodder as far as encumbrance is concerned.

If you want the "small cow" sized Bull Pig, it'll be 2 rations per week and more encumbrance. Either way, you're probably going to have to buy a mule or donkey to carry the fodder.

The good news is that I am hand-waving the need to carry water while you're close to the river and it's easy to find. Water will probably be more of a concern as we move deeper into the wilderness.

If you want to turn your staff into a shovel, I will waive the extra 3 sp cost.

Healer's pouches serve no purpose from a rules perspective. I actually went back and scanned the discussion from the Kickstarter and found this comment on Healer's Pouches from Crawford: "You have a pouch full of healing tools. Lacking it may make certain things penalized or impossible at the GM's discretion."

[Rex]

I will drop the second healers pouch I bought then. Might as well have one, it marks me as a healer at least.

[cybersavant]

The other objective was to clearly label the lands west of the Moche as unexplored wilderness where the action is. It defeats the purpose of the game's concept if PCs come from the unexplored wilderness. But if it's that important to you, I will make a random roll every time we encounter people living out west and if it comes up, that can be where you grew up.

That's why i said he was a child when he came and doesn't remember the lands west of the river [ youth combined with trauma - why was he alone?]

It gives him motivation to explore, and gives you hooks to mess with him. Not sure how recognizable he'd be to anyone there after all this time.

[Enoch]

I've got a Warrior rolled up. I think having a healer on the team is probably a very good thing, if you want to stay with Healer.

You get Any Combat-0 from Thug. Then you get Punch or Stab from Shocking Assault and Stab again from Whirlwind Assault. Yet I only see Stab-1 on your sheet. Where's the third combat Skill?

You got Notice-0 and Survive-0 from Thug. You also get a free Skill. But you've got Notice-1, Survive-0, Sneak-0, and Exert-1 for a total of six skill points. I'm not seeing how this is possible. What am I missing?

I may have miscalculated. I will review.

Updated. I took Stab-0 from Thug, Notice-0 from Learn, Survive-0 from Learn, Stab-1 from Whirlwind Assault, Punch-0 from Shocking Assault, and Exert-0 from my free pick.

[sulldawga]

Not to continue to harp on the players' choices for their PCs but I noticed that none of you currently have a ranged attack. Just FYI.

[sulldawga]

Updated. I took Stab-0 from Thug, Notice-0 from Learn, Survive-0 from Learn, Stab-1 from Whirlwind Assault, Punch-0 from Shocking Assault, and Exert-0 from my free pick.

Looks good.

[Rex]

I took the light spear as a thrown attack since Armsmaster covers thrown attacks. Shorter range I know but something at least.

[sulldawga]

Marullus, I am fine with your beast companion being a Bull Pig but an animal of that size is going to need a lot of food. I also wasn't planning on using Animals specific to the default setting of WWN. Still, I am fine with you using the same stats if we skin it more like a wild boar. Still big and scary but we'll say it only eats the equivalent of 1 week's rations from a cost perspective and can use the rules for small beast fodder as far as encumbrance is concerned.

If you want the "small cow" sized Bull Pig, it'll be 2 rations per week and more encumbrance. Either way, you're probably going to have to buy a mule or donkey to carry the fodder.

Disregard the above. I had assumed PCs needed to bring food and water for their mounts, pets, etc. because it lists Encumbrances for horses, mules, and the like. I missed a quote from the very next section where it says "Most beasts of the Latter Earth can survive on nightly browse and brief water stops for the duration of an expedition." Note the next sentence about barren lands but, for now, assume that your Hell Cow will graze on its own.

I make no promises about NPC reaction rolls when they first spot the Hell Cow though!

[sulldawga]

I took the light spear as a thrown attack since Armsmaster covers thrown attacks. Shorter range I know but something at least.

Better than nothing!

[Rex]

Since a light spear is sort of this rules equivalent of a javelin and I think I recall them being affordable so I may pick up a couple more for that purpose.

[Marullus]

Nah... you have me really spooked with all of this talk about death-to-bad-concepts and not-enough-warriors. Also, either "hire a mule to carry enough food for the pig" or "your Diplomatic Grace concept is negated because of fear caused by the Hell Cow" are quite dissuading. I'm taking your advice and rescripting to the more standard Accursed/Warrior build... let me know if you like it better.

Gars Ruprect

Gars is a taleteller, an itinerant scholar who can spin an entertaining story of times gone by with easy, likeable charm. Gars knows all the local languages and seems knowledgeable of the histories that once lay across the river. He wears a roundshield on his back and a leather longcoat reinforced with patches of woven chain or sewn-in plates over a quilted gambeson that has seen better days - good protection for someone who likely once had more wealth than at present. He has a pack, a dagger at his belt, and carries a long-handled shovel.

Character Sheet:

Class: Adventurer: Mage (Accursed) / Warrior
Background: Scholar
STR: 12 (+0)
DEX: 14 (+1)
CON: 8 (+0)
INT: 14 (+1)
WIS: 9 (+0)
CHA: 18 (+2)

Skills:
Connect-0
Know-0
Magic-1
Convince-0

Combat:
Base Attack Bonus: +1
Hit Points: 10 / 10
Armor Class: 16

Weapons:
Accursed Blade (1-hand): +4 to hit, 1d8+3 damage, Shock: 4/AC 15
Accursed Blade (2-hand): +4 to hit, 2d6+3 damage, Shock: 5/AC 15
Dagger: +0 to hit, 1d4 damage, shock 2 / AC 15
Unarmed: +0 to hit, 1d2 damage, No Shock

Saves:
Physical: 15
Evasion: 14
Mental: 13
Luck: 15

Foci:
Diplomatic Grace: Your skill at personal negotiations is enormous and uncanny. Some might even think it supernatural in nature. Level 1: Gain Convince as a bonus skill. You speak all the languages common to your region of the world and can learn new ones to a workable level in a week, becoming fluent in a month. Reroll 1s on any skill check dice related to negotiation or diplomacy.

Die Hard: You are surprisingly hard to kill. You can survive injuries or bear up under stresses that would incapacitate a less determined hero. Level 1: You gain an extra 2 maximum hit points per level. This bonus applies retroactively if you take this Focus after first level. You automatically stabilize if Mortally Wounded, provided you have not been incinerated, dismembered, or otherwise torn apart.

Arts:
Accursed Effort: 3 / 3
Accursed Blade: As an On Turn action, manifest an occult melee weapon as a one-handed 1d8 weapon or a two-handed 2d6 weapon. Both add your Magic skill to the damage roll, have a Shock rating of 2/15, and use Magic as the attack skill and the best of Str, Dex, Int, or Cha as its modifying attribute.

Weeping Wounds: Once per round, Commit Effort for the scene as an Instant action when a visible enemy takes damage. They must make a Physical save or suffer 1d6 damage per round for one round per level. They cannot heal or regenerate any hit point damage during this effect. This art does not stack.

Equipment:
Readied (6)
Reinforced Longcoat (war robe) - Enc 3
Large Shield (+1 AC when wearing armor) - Enc 1
1 Dagger (at belt) - Enc 1
Long-handled Shovel (in hand) - Enc 1

Stowed (12)
1 Dagger - Enc 1
Lantern - Enc 1
Tinderbox, 2 Flasks of Oil - Enc 2
Writing Kit & 20 sheets of paper - Enc 1
Rations, 1 week - enc 4
Waterskin - Enc 1
Healer's Pouch - Enc 1
Cooking Utensils - Enc 1

16 silver pieces in cash

Creation Notes:

1, 2) roll attributes: Attributes: [3d6]=8[3d6]=8[3d6]=8[3d6]=15[3d6]=14[3d6]=12. Swap an 8 to a 14. Assigned as:
STR: 12 (+0)
DEX: 14 (+1)
CON: 8 (+0)
INT: 14 (+1)
WIS: 8 (+0)
CHA: 15 (+2)

3,4,5) Background is Scholar. Free skill is Know-0. Let's see how rolling goes. (I'm aiming for particular classes that rely on CHA, so I want to see if I can raise it. As a Scholar, I have a 50% chance...)
Growth [1d6]=5 (That's Connect-0)
Growth [1d6]=4 (+2 Cha to 17)
Growth [1d6]=4 (+1 Cha to 18, +1 Wis to 9)

6) Pick your class. I want to play with what's in the Atlas and those are all half-classes, so I'll combine two to be an Adventurer. I'm liking the vibe from an Accursed / Bard. So, he's a wandering scholar born to a Pact-infused lineage. I like him delving into the unknown beyond the river to find ancient secret knowledge. Perhaps more about himself. Modifying this to be a better character instead of aimed at "all of the Atlas." He takes the nature-oriented route by using the Partial Mage (Beastmaster) class from the main book in combination with the Accursed. Both are quasi-mystical powers that can come with his Pact-infused lineage. He remains a wandering scholar with Know of what's across the river, and with his Diplomatic Grace focus keeps the core scholarly elements of knowledge of languages and preternatural social skill. He just no longer does it with song. The most important part of the change is roleplaying with an animal companion, and it changes the direction of growth with leveling (more mystical, less music.) Imbued with hellish combat capabilities, the Pact also keeps him alive. He'll make the other half Warrior and take Die Hard.

7,8) Pick Foci. With those two half-classes, I'll end up with Arts instead. I only get the single Foci pick. I love the sound of "Amundi Godblood Foci" and that meshes well with his "born this way Accursed" idea. I'm torn between Night Walker or Wildtongue - they both have profound effect on who this character will end up being. Either a darker/grittier guy, or a more druid-like character. I'll reserve th right to change this later... lets see what the rest of the party looks like. I'll put down Night Walker for the moment - it is grittier more 'accursed' feel and my other PC in a West Marches game is already an animal-talking druid. Having given up the partial-Expert class, I'm not elligible for the Amundi Godblood foci, so can't take either Nightwalker or Wildtongue. Instead, I'll take Diplomatic Grace, which keeps the key scholarly/social aspects, as noted above. As a warrior he gets a second combat-oriented Focus - he will take Die Hard.

9) Pick one skill. I'm going to go for Magic-1. As an Accursed, that's really important. (Switching to Warrior, he just loses a skill, too.
Deleted Survive-0 without replacement.)

10) He's a Mage with the tradition of Accursed.

11) I don't get spells, but I get Arts from both Accursed and Beastmaster.
- For Accursed, I get Accursed Blade. (I like the asthetic of summoning the weapon rather than Eldritch Blasting.) I then pick one. For now, let's say Rob Vitality. That looks interesting. We may change this if the character evolves in relation to group dynamics before play starts.
- For Beastmaster, I get Bind Companion - but it describes how to swap out companions. I'm going to take the Chosen Friend option that means he is bound to one special animal that instead levels with him and is mystically preserved from death. He gets the shared viality and mind link with that one special companion. For his free pick, he chooses Savage Senses, helping him as a wilderness explorer.
- I need to set both their effort scores. That's Survive-0 and +2 Charisma for Beastmaster effort of 2/2. Then Magic-1 and +2 Charisma for the Accursed effort of 3/3.
So, this seems to be the appropriate place to talk about the companion. He needs to pick a 2HD Animal that he is permanently bound with. The two books only have four 2HD animals - a giant pig, a giant goat, a giant spider/wolf hybrid, and a giant cockroach. Sure, we could adapt from other sources and have a wolf or something, but this got me thinking of the "why do people always get cool wild animals?" conversation. It is more likely that a special animal companion will be of domesticated stock - so why not a pig? I really started getting into the idea of the personality and roleplay of a giant boar... especially a boar who can talk to him telepathically, so I can roleplay the responses as one-sided conversations for fun. Maybe he raised it from a piglet, and as he's accursedly-magical, formed the bond. When it grew to its full size (the 2HD Bull Pig is a swine the size of a cow, so 62 inches at the shoulder and 1,000+ pounds) he went with it. So, meet Lucius, giant tusked pig and travel companion.

12) Looking at Bard/Mage or Accursed/Expert it is 1d6 either way. Max hit points in house rule. Con +0. Total hit points is 6. Beastmaster is a partial mage, not a partial expert. So, this makes it use the Accursed/Partial Mage table. That costs -1hp (1d6-1 HD). Total HP now 5 instead of 6. Switching from Mage/Mage to Mage/Warrior takes him from 1d6-1 to 1d6+2, then Die Hard gives an additional +2. Taking max hp at first level is then 6+2+2 = 10.

13) BAB is +0. Partial Warrior BAB is +1.

14) Gear package. I see this guy as rather self-sufficiently equipped as a delving scholar. I'd like the Pieced Armor, but that only comes with the armored warrior who gets no food and no coin. So, I'll pick the Scholar package, which has what I think I'd need plus 80sp, of which I can spend 50sp to add a War Robe. He has a staff, but it's to be a tool not a weapon. If the GM allows, I'd like to put a head on it and have it be a long-handled shovel instead. (I love adventuring with a shovel.) Last, I'll pick up some Cooking Utensils for 4sp. He's a wanderer not a heathen. Looking up the "Healer's Pouch" there is only a reference that implies that not having one would be a penalty to trying to use the Heal skill. I don't have or intend to have the Heal skill, but using it unskilled in a pinch might be worth keeping it. I see this guy as a Taleteller, not a musician, but having a bodhran drum or a lute might be cool... that's not in the lists so GM's discretion. I would gladly swap the healer pouch for a simple instrument. I spent an additional 10sp to get the large roundshield for a +1 AC, which he carries readied on his back until needed. That leaves him with 16 sp remaining still.

15, 16) Hit bonus with weapons. His unarmed is pitiful (-2 unskilled to-hit, +1 for Dex). He mostly is reliant on his Accursed Blades. He can summon them at will and they fight with Magic+Charisma. So, being accursed makes him decent in a close fight if he needs to be. (He carries the dagger for show... being unarmed would be too suspicious.)

17) Armor class is 14 War Robe +1 Dex for 15 AC. Spending 10sp to get a large roundshield, which adds +1 AC for 16 AC. (This has a big effect on Shock, which he wouldn't overlook.)

18) Saves. Physical (STR/CON) are both +0 so it is 15. Evasion (INT/DEX) are both +1 so that's 14. Mental (WIS/CHA) gets the +2 so 13.

19) Name and Goal. I picked Gars Ruprect off one of the book's tables. The cultures don't line up between the Atlas and the GM's statements so far, but so I remember, I picked a Kytheronian name which seemed a likely origin culture full of displaced nobles with long or forgotten eldrich histories. I think that inspires the concept here. His goal is to find lost secret knowledge in the ruins beyond the river now that the land is opened, which may or may not relate to his own liniage and history. (All this stays the same - we're not pursuing the interreligious conflict of Music and Justice. He just has a more interesting and useful set of Pact-liniage abilities he's learning to use, and it includes his bond with Lucius, the giant pig.)