House Rules for Character Creation!

(For those who came in late: having created a new fantasy world from scratch using this procedural system, I’m now preparing for a solo-play campaign in that world.  Enjoy!)

Yes, this is going to be a solo campaign – but if a game is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly, so I’m going to start by laying out some general rules for character creation, just as if there were a whole group.

This is obviously absurd, but also oddly fun, I find.

So, without further ado:

Some House Rules for Character Creation

• Starting Points – PCs will be built on 150 points. They can take a maximum of -40pts in disadvantages, and -5 pts in quirks.
• “Ordinary Person” Templates – Each PC will also gets a free 5-pt “Ordinary Person” package appropriate to their homeland. These 5-pt packages do not count against the 150pt limit (so the PCs are really 155 pts, if you’re counting). This is to encourage the players to create slightly more realistic characters than they sometimes are wont to do, and also to provide for some regional variation between human PCs who hail from different lands. The ordinary person template, together with the specific adjustments to the template for particular homelands, are at the bottom of this post.  I may add some additional versions for building PCs from other homelands and regions as the game goes on.
• Languages – Language difficulties are rarely fun in play for very long, and I find that GURPS’s “either you know it or you don’t” approach exacerbates this (in fact, I have a whole post about that here, if you’re interested.  The discussion in the comments section is interesting, too).   Thus all PCs will simply be assumed to be fluent in their native language, whatever that is, and knowledge of further languages will be dealt with abstractly. This means that certain skills will be taken to include knowledge of languages that are directly relevant to them. Thus Area Knowledge includes knowledge of the languages spoken in the relevant area – and your skill level will determine how well you speak them, how likely you are to know a particular regional dialect, etc. Similarly, one’s level in skills like Occultism, Thaumatology, and Hidden Lore determines how effective you’ll be at speaking or reading strange, lost languages found in old ruins, the languages of other peoples, and so forth.
• Cultures – Cross-cultural misunderstandings don’t take the spotlight very often in my games, which means that Cultural Familiarity [1] is rarely relevant, and expensive advantages like Cultural Adaptability [10] and Xeno-Adaptability [20] are a waste of points, given the small amount of kind of screen time they are actually going to occupy in practice.  Thus none of these are used in the game.  Instead, PCs will simply be assumed to be familiar with the culture in which they were raised, and perhaps with other cultures, depending on their skills and backstories.  When there is something to be gained by dramatizing the possibility of flubbing a cross-cultural interaction, then we’ll be rolling against IQ, Per, and/or relevant skills, as seems appropriate.  I find that works pretty well.

The “Ordinary Person” Template (5 pts)

• Claim to Hospitality (Your family home, the home of a close friend, or similar) [1]
• Area Knowledge (Home town or Home Region) [1] IQ
• Another 3pts chosen from Current Affairs (any), Gardening, Housekeeping, Panhandling, or Savoir-Faire (High Society or Servant), all (E) IQ [1]; Cooking, Farming, Heraldry, Merchant, or Professional Skill (any), all (A) IQ-1 [1]; Leatherworking or Sewing, both (E) DX [1]; Dancing or Riding (Horse), both (A) DX-1 [1]; Fishing or Scrounging (E) Per [1]; Carousing (E) HT [1]

Note that a character’s homeland may well adjust this template, providing additional skill options, perks, quirks, and so on.  As follows:

Homelands

Valiroth

Characters who grew up in Valiroth should add the following skills to the skill options  listed on the 5-pt “Ordinary Person” template: Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ [1]; Soldier (A) IQ-1 [1]; Politics (A) IQ-1 [1]; Wrestling (A) DX-1 [1]

All Valirothian characters also acquire a special Perk, offset by a special Quirk, as follows:

Valirothian Perk: Fearlessness 1 (only under orders, -50%) [1]

From an early age, Valirothians are taught that the highest virtues are courage and obedience – and they place an especially high value on courage when carrying out difficult or impossible orders.  (Thus many of the great heroes of Valirothian epic poetry are celebrated for unflinchingly following an order to fight to the death).  In game terms, typical Valirothians may add one to their effective Will when making Fright Checks or to resist Intimidation, whenever they’re carrying out direct orders from a superior.

Valirothian Quirk: Despises Softness [-1]

Valirothians value physical and mental toughness, and typically hold in contempt those who fail to meet their high standards.  In game terms, Valirothians have a quirk-level Intolerance for people who seem especially weak-willed, cowardly, or “soft.”  Different people interpret this differently, so Valirothian characters should choose a sub-category within this: possible quirks include “Intolerance (Cowards) [-1],” “Intolerance (People who are out of shape) [1],” and similar.   Note that people who become aware of your contempt for them will react to you at -1 to -5 (GM’s call).

Eldervale

Characters who grew up in Eldervale should add the following skills to the skill options  listed on the 5-pt “Ordinary Person” template: Exorcism (H) Will-2 [1]; Fortune-Telling (A) IQ-1 [1]; Boating (Unpowered or Sailboat) (A) DX-1 [1]; Occultism (A) IQ-1 [1]; and Swimming (E) HT [1].

All Eldervalean characters also acquire a special Perk, offset by a special Quirk, as follows:

Eldervalean Perk: Brotherhood (Minor spirits) [1]

For whatever reason, minor ghosts, spirits, and the like do not seem to bother people who grew up in the Eldervale unless the Eldervalean bothers them first. Why? It’s anyone’s guess: some sages say that living among the ruins makes the Eldervaleans just a little bit spectral themselves; others point out that many spirits feed on fear, anxiety, and so on – and that they don’t bother Eldervaleans because are just used to living with odd spectral forces, and so don’t give off the necessary auras. Whatever the reason, if an Armarian is trying to sell genuinely haunted real estate, he goes to his Eldervalean clients first….

Eldervalean Quirk: Social Stigma: Eldervalean [-1]

This is a quirk-level Social Stigma.  Some people in civilized realms mistrust Eldervaleans, since they’re considered odd, a bit fey, and not quite ok.  This is worth a -1 on reactions when it applies – but it only applies quite rarely.

The Vagabond Shore

Characters who grew up on the Vagabond Shore are known as Shorefolk.  They should consider investing additional points in Area Knowledge (Vagabond Shore) – the coast here is an incredibly complex maze of rocky reefs, little islets, and hidden bays, and knowing your way around is the mark of a true local.  Note also that many of the oldest families of this region are related in some distant way to the Merfolk of Mithilgur; thus among Shorefolk the ability to breathe underwater is rare, but not unheard of.

Characters who grew up on the Vagabond Shore should add the following skills to the skill options  listed on the 5-pt “Ordinary Person” template: Boating (Sailboat) (A) DX-1 [1]; Navigation (Sea) (A) IQ-1 [1]; Seamanship (E) IQ [1]; Streetwise (A) IQ-1 [1]; Swimming (E) HT [1]; Weather Sense (A) IQ-1 [1].

All characters from the Vagabond Shore also acquire a special Perk, offset by a special Quirk, as follows:

Vagabond Shore Perk:  Reef-wise [1]

From the viewpoint of an ordinary sailor, the Vagabond shore is a bit of a nightmare – it’s a tangled mess of concealed reefs, half-submerged rock formations, and shifting sandbars, all made more complicated by the presence of sunken ships and old ruins.  All this means that those who grow up here get used to dealing with all sorts of aquatic  complications, simply as a matter of course.  The “Reef-wise” perk allows Shorefolk to ignore up to -2 in situational penalties for dealing with difficulties of this kind when using skills such as Boating, Seamanship, and Swimming.  (Note: this doesn’t entitle Shorefolk to ignore penalties for rough seas, strong winds, bad equipment, or the like; it only helps when dealing with treacherous reefs, rocks, sandbars, and the strange currents and undertows associated with them.)

Vagabond Shore Quirk: Social Stigma: Shorefolk [-1]

This is a quirk-level Social Stigma.  Some people in civilized realms mistrust Shorefolk due to their reputation as raiders, pirates, and smugglers.  This is worth a -1 on reactions when it applies – but it only applies quite rarely.

In fairness, it ought to be admitted that while the majority of Shorefolk are none of these things, nevertheless their reputation isn’t entirely undeserved  – the whole economy of the Vagabond Shore is mixed up with piracy to such a large degree that the culture as a whole tends to turn a blind eye to activities that would get one imprisoned or executed elsewhere.

The Coast of Whips (Wreckshore and Wrackshore)

Characters who grew up on the Coast of Whips should add the following skills to the skill options listed on the 5-pt “Ordinary Person” template: Boating (Sailboat) (A) DX-1 [1]; Camouflage (E) IQ [1]; Hidden Lore (Merfolk of Dimrach Gorm) (A) IQ-1 [1]; Navigation (Sea) (A) IQ-1 [1]; Seamanship (E) IQ [1]; Survival (Island/Beach) (A) Per-1 [1]; Swimming (E) HT [1]; Weather Sense (A) IQ-1 [1].

Coast of Whips Perk: Habit of Subterfuge [1]

Living on the Coast of Whips means living under the constant threat of Merfolk attack.  Parents teach their children the habits of moving, and concealing everything from prying eyes.  In game terms, this is a variant of the “Standard Operating Procedure” perk, which means that any time you forget to specify that your character is using either Camouflage or Stealth, in a situation in which your character would logically have a reason to speak quietly, keep under cover, or conceal something, then GM should give you the benefit of the doubt, and act as if you had used the skill.

Coast of Whips Quirk: Suspicious [-1]

It’s an old adage that Whipfolk don’t trust anyone without a long trail period first – living in danger as they do, they simply can’t afford to make mistakes.  Whipfolk take a long time to trust anyone new, and ask for further and better proofs of good faith whenever possible.  People sometimes resent being subjected to this kind of suspicion; some will react at -1.

Armaria

Characters who grew up in Armaria should use the options listed in the 5-pt “Ordinary Person” template.

Armaria Perk: Cultural Exposure [1]

Armaria is a realm jointly ruled by three quite different species: Humans, Merfolk, and Dwarves.  In order to make this work, Armarians have had to develop a highly cosmopolitan culture.  Armarians tend to know a little bit about many different peoples;  often this knowledge is merely superficial, but still, it tends to help things run a bit more smoothly.  Characters with this perk may ignore up to -2 in penalties for interacting with people of other cultures, as long as the character can reasonably claim that s/he’s dealt with such people before.  (Note that this perk isn’t really entirely compatible with the way GURPS normally handles cultural interactions – for that, see p. B23l also compare the cinematic Cultural Adaptability advantage on p B.46, which is much more expensive. But it works ok with my house rules for language and culture.)

Armaria Quirk: Acquisitive [-1]

Armarian culture is wonderfully cosmopolitan, but it does also have a darker side: Armarians tend to be quite focused on the pursuit of material things – chiefly fine clothes, well-appointed houses, and money.  (This is a quirk-level version of Greed.)

(More to come!)