Sailor - Serving in a nation’s navy, or smuggling goods, or chasing whales in frozen waters.

Scholar - Custodians of knowledge in a world that often prefers ignorance.

Soldier - The heart of every nation’s ambition. Trained killers marching beneath a flag.

Thief - Living by wit and stealth. Taking what isn’t theirs, and vanishing without notice.

Revolutionary - Willing to bleed for a better world, or just burn down the current one.

Noble - Born to privilege, power, and politics. The tip of society’s rotten pyramid.

Artisan - Makers of beauty and utility. Crafters of tools, weapons, and wonders.

Officer - Carrying the burden of leadership, and responsibility for the dead.

Spy - Traders in secrets, blackmail, and manipulation. Loyalty is optional, results are not.

Servant - The lifeblood of society. See all, hear more, but rarely even noticed.

Fighter - Muscle for hire who make their living with blades and fists.

Rogue - Smooth-talking and street-smart. Not always criminals, but they know some.

Merchant - Make their fortune moving goods and greasing palms.

Doctor - Part miracle worker, part butcher. Probably self-taught. Good with leeches.

Con Artist - Experts in deception. Can be anyone, say anything, and promise everything.

Engineer - The people behind the smoky, oily, industrial revolution.

Hunter - Living on the fringes of civilisation, with only weather and the wild for company.

Mage - Wielders of the power of the Mere. Feared, respected, and occasionally hunted.

Performer - Bards, actors, dancers. The soul of a city, or just a roadside tavern.

Priest - Shepherds of the faithful or the mouthpieces of power.

Once you have selected your two classes, the next thing to decide if whether they apply to your character equally, or whether your character is more one class than the other. If you decide on an unbalanced approach, then the class that most applies to your character will become your Major Class, whilst the remaining class will be your Minor Class.

2) Pick your Major

Now it is time to calculate the values for your character’s Attributes, based on the classes you selected. In Places of Power, your character has eight Attributes, which are:

3) Calculate your Base Attribute Values

Strength (Str): Your raw muscle power. Important for many physical tasks and weapons.

Stamina (Sta): Your level of fitness and ability to keep going. Important for your general health and tasks that required extended effort.

Agility (Agi): Your ability to move your body. Important for tasks involving movement and speed.

Dexterity (Dex): Your fine motor control. Important for skilled acts like lockpicking and sleight of hand, as well as weapons that rely more on skill than brute strength.

Intelligence (Int): Your mental acuity, intellect, and reasoning skills. Important for tasks that rely on the mind more than the body.

Perception (Per): Your ability to take in information from the world around you. Important for those tasks that require you to spot details others might miss, or recognise when someone is sneaking up on you.

Empathy (Emp): Your ability to understand and relate to those around you, and how well they relate to you. Important in any form of negotiation, or when dealing with the sick or animals.

Charisma (Cha): Your ability to impress people. Important when trying to make a good impression or convince others to go along with your idea.

The values you have for these Attributes relate to the type of dice you will roll when performing actions that involved them. All of your Attributes have six possible levels, representing six different types of dice. These levels are D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and D20. All of your Attributes start with a base value of a D4, and you add levels based on the classes you selected and whether you selected those classes as a Major, Equal, or Minor class. The table below shows you how many levels you need to add to each of the Attributes for each class (displayed as Major/Equal/Minor values). You then add the values for your two classes together, and that tells you how many levels above the base level your Attributes need to be.

For example, Lets say you pick Fighter as your Major class, and Rogue as your Minor class. Focusing on the Strength Attribute, your Fighter, as your Major class, would look at the first of the three numbers under STR and add 3 levels to the base. Your Rogue, being your Minor class, would look at the third of the three numbers and add 1 level to the base, for a total of 4 levels. This would give your character a Strength Attribute of D12.

Filling in all the Attributes for this Character you would end up with the following: STR: D12, STA: D12, AGI: D12, DEX: D10, INT: D8, PER: D10, EMP: D6, CHA: D6

In addition to Attributes, each of the classes have their own associated Abilities. These are special skills you gain as a result of selecting a given class. By default, all players can pick a total of three Abilities associated with their chosen classes when setting up their character. You can select two Abilities associated with your Major class, and one associated with your Minor class. If you selected the classes equally, then you can pick any three Abilities associated with the two classes, though you have to select at least one from each. Below is a list of the available Abilities, broken down by class.

4) Select your Class Abilities

Fighter Class Abilities:

• Unforgiving – If an enemy has inflicted damage on you in the past, even a single Hit, then you can roll your attacks against that enemy at Advantage.

• Always Prepared – Roll Initiative with a D20 rather than a D12.

• Not as bad as it looks – Automatically heal 1 Hit at the end of combat.

• You Don’t Scare Me – Only Critically Successful attempts to persuade you to do something by way of intimidation or shows of force are successful.

Rogue Class Abilities:

• Silent Tread – Roll Stealth checks at Advantage.

• Flashing Blades – Get one free basic knife attack per round of combat.

• Superb Balance – Roll Acrobatic checks at Advantage.

• Lockpicking – Enables lockpicking (Streetwise skill check).

Merchant Class Abilities:

• I know a Guy – You have connections everywhere. If you need a physical item, then you know someone who can provide it.

• What do you desire – You have an instinctive understanding of what people really want, when it comes to material possessions anyway.

• Master Haggler – Roll all Persuasion checks related to trade or acquiring things at Advantage.

• Foreign Tongues – You can attempt to interpret any languages you have no understanding of by rolling Linguistics + Perception at Disadvantage.

Doctor Class Abilities:

• Surgeon – You have the ability to perform surgery.

• Field Medic – Stabilize checks are always rolled at Advantage, even during combat.

• Skilled Healer – Restore an addition Hit on any kind of successful Healing check.

• Pharmacology – Roll a Medical check to create potions, antidotes, and other medicinal compounds from gathered ingredients.

Con Artist Class Abilities:

• Talk Them Round – You can roll all non-physical Persuasion checks at Advantage.

• Master Liar – Any checks rolled against you to discern if you are being truthful are rolled at Hard difficulty.

• Kindred Spirit – You can easily identify people’s interests and attitudes and reflect them back at them, making the person positively inclined towards you and therefore more likely to do what you want.

• Disguise – You can easily change your voice and mannerisms, and with the right equipment your appearance as well. Roll a Performance check to pass unnoticed, or gain access to restricted areas.

Engineer Class Abilities:

• Engineering Analysis – You instinctively understand how machines work, you can assess a structure for weaknesses, and picture the flow of power through a system.

• Improvised Engineering – Roll a Crafting check to create a temporary device, such as a grappling hook, a makeshift trap, or simple machine.

• Demolition Expert – Roll a Crafting check to produce an explosive device from appropriate ingredients.

• Field Mechanic – You are able to perform quick repairs and modifications in the field.

Hunter Class Abilities:

• Hunter’s Focus – Once per combat you may bring all your focus to bear on a single target. All attacks you perform that round against this target are rolled at Advantage, and do 1 Hit extra damage.

• Tracking – Roll a Perception check to track creatures or individuals. A Critical success will allow you to identify the type of creature, number of individuals, and how long ago they passed by.

• Trapping – Roll a Survival check to set traps that can immobilise or injure enemies.

• Beast Whisperer – Roll Persuasion checks against animals in order to calm, befriend, or even gain limited information from them.

Mage Class Abilities:

• Mere Usage – Increase the number of Mere Activation Points you have. As a Major class gain 3 additional Mere Activation Points. As a Minor Class you gain 1 additional Mere Activation Point. As an Equal Class, you gain 2 additional Mere Activation Points. Essential for a good Mage.

• Mere Detection – Roll an Awareness check to identify what types of Mere were used and how. On a Critical Success you can identify which Affinities the caster had.

• Mere Replenishment – Automatically restores 1 point of Mere energy to each type of Mere for which you have an Affinity when resting.

• Arcane Knowledge – Roll Mere related Knowledge checks at Advantage. As a Major class gain three areas of Arcane Knowledge. As a Minor Class you gain one area of Arcane Knowledge. As an Equal Class, you gain two areas of Arcane Knowledge. You do not have to decide upon your areas of Arcane Knowledge at this stage.

Performer Class Abilities:

• Disguise – Roll Performance check to pass unnoticed, or gain access to restricted areas.

• Masterful Performance – You can use your Performance skill for both Persuasion and Deception checks.

• Entrancing Display – Roll a Performance check to get everyone looking your way, whether as a distraction or deliver important information.

• Emotional Speech – Roll a Persuasion or Performance check to influence a group of NPCs, causing them to respond emotionally in the manner of your choosing.

Priest Class Abilities:

• Holy Blessing – Once per day the priest may cast a spell without paying the Mere cost. Blessings cannot be bestowed during combat.

• Sanctuary – By laying hands on someone you immediately stops any conditions that would otherwise get progressively worse. Requires sustained contact.

• Religious Authority – Roll Persuasion checks at Advantage when you invoke your authority as an ordained representative of your religion.

• Exorcism – You have the Ability to draw Fell Corruption from those who have been consumed by it, potentially restoring them to their humanity.

Sailor Class Abilities:

• Sea Legs – You do not suffer any penalties when moving across unstable terrain or moving surfaces.

• I Sense a Storm Coming – You can roll an Awareness check to predict the weather for the next 24 hours.

• Knot Mastery – Roll a Streetwise check to tie or untie a knot quickly.

• Foreign Tongue – You can attempt to interpret any languages you have no understanding of by rolling Linguistics + Perception at Disadvantage.

Scholar Class Abilities:

• Educated Guess – On a successful Intelligence check the GM will tell you if two pieces of information you select are connected, and how.

• Linguistic Understanding – This Ability allows you to be fluent in an additional language to your native tongue. As an Equal class you are able to understand unfamiliar dialects of the languages you speak. As a Major Class you can do that and also perform a Linguistics check to decipher unknown scripts.

• Areas of Research – Roll Knowledge checks related to a specific area of Research at Advantage. As a Major class gain three specific areas of Research. As a Minor Class you gain one specific area of Research. As an Equal Class, you gain two specific areas of Research. You do not have to decide upon your specific areas of Research at this stage.

• Alchemical Expertise – Roll a Crafting check to produce potions, elixirs, and other alchemical items. You can also identify unknown substances.

Thief Class Abilities:

• Lockpicking – Enables lockpicking (Streetwise skill check).

• Friends in Low Places – You have connections in the criminal underworld. If you plan on doing something illegal then you know someone who can help.

• Pickpocketing – Enables pickpocketing (Streetwise skill check).

• Thieves’ Cant – A secret language of gestures and hand signals used by criminals to communicate discreetly. This counts as an additional language, and is added at the Fluent level.

Revolutionary Class Abilities:

• Voice of the Masses - You may roll a single Persuasion or Performance check to rally nearby NPCs into a temporary mob or distraction.

• Saboteur - Roll a Crafting or Engineering check to disable key elements in enemy infrastructure (e.g., break locks, jam gears, ruin black powder).

• Smuggler's Trail - You have knowledge of secret paths, tunnels, and rebel networks. Once per session, you may declare an unexpected escape route, safehouse, or smuggling contact.

• Symbol of Resistance - Choose a signature slogan, banner, tattoo, or ideology. NPCs who share your cause will recognize and often aid you (even at personal cost), depending on the region or faction.

Noble Class Abilities:

• Lineage and Title - You command respect. Once per session, you may force an NPC of lower social rank to obey a single command.

• Retinue - You travel with a loyal (but not combat-effective) servant, scribe, or valet. Once per scene, your retainer may complete a simple offscreen task on your behalf (e.g., deliver a message, fetch gear, distract guards).

• Courtly Education - Roll all General Knowledge, Persuasion, and Deception checks at Advantage in noble circles.

• Entitled Immunity - Once per session, you may call on your rank to avoid arrest, detention, or minor punishment, unless the other party holds an active grudge or higher authority.

Artisan Class Abilities:

• Workshop Savant - Roll all Crafting checks at Advantage when using a prepared workspace or tools.

• Master of Materials - Roll a Knowledge or Crafting check to identify the quality and origin of a material, or to substitute unusual materials in a creation.

• Unstable Genius - Once per session, you may create a highly effective but fragile prototype. It works spectacularly for one scene, then breaks or backfires.

• Scrap to Salvation - You may repurpose destroyed or discarded equipment into temporary gear (weapons, shields, explosives) that lasts one scene.

Officer Class Abilities:

• Rally the Line - Once per combat, you can issue a rallying cry. All allies within Near range gain +1 Action Point for the current round.

• Tactical Insight - Once per combat, after initiative is rolled, you may swap the position of any two friendly characters in the initiative order.

• Hold Fast - Allies within Near range roll Morale Checks at Advantage while you remain standing.

• Chain of Command - You may give up your Action Points on your turn to allow a friendly NPC or ally to immediately act in your place.

Spy Class Abilities:

• False Identity - You maintain an established false persona. Once per session, you may assume that identity with full documentation, costume, and supporting details.

• Surveillance Expert - Roll all Perception or Awareness checks at Advantage when observing a target or location covertly.

• Blackmail Material - Once per session, you may declare that you have compromising information on a target NPC. You may roll Persuasion or Deception at Advantage when using this leverage.

• Poisoner’s Touch - You know how to deliver poison subtly. Roll a Streetwise check to introduce poison into food, drink, or open wounds without detection.

Servant Class Abilities:

• Invisible Until Addressed - Enemies will overlook you unless directly provoked or you're the last person standing. In social settings, you may automatically overhear whispered conversations or remain unchallenged in restricted spaces.

• Who Holds the Keys – Once per session you may ask the GM one question about a powerful NPC you’ve served, met, or heard about.

• Prepared for Everything - Once per session, you may declare that you have a minor but crucial item on hand, no roll required, so long as it makes sense for a servant to have pre-packed it or planned for it.

• Not Just a Servant – Once per campaign, the Servant may reveal their true nature, awakening a hidden background as a killer, spy, mage, or similar. Once awakened there is no going back.

Affinities represent your connection to the magical energies of the world, known as the Mere. All characters have a connection to this power. Whether they are able to do more than just basic things with it comes down to training (represented by the Mage class ability Mere Usage). It is possible to have an Affinity for a colour of Mere you are not currently able to use, though you may be able to gain the ability to do so during play. There are seven colours of Mere, which are:

• Lumere (White) – Rare, raw, dangerous. Used to control minds. Its use is banned nearly everywhere.

• Rosmere (Red) – Fire and heat. Fuels war, industry, and invention.

• Brimere (Yellow) – Electricity and stored energy. Found naturally only in the Oarision Wastes and the heart of thunder storms.

• Gromere (Green) – Life, growth, healing. Drawn from forests, jungles, and living things.

• Irismere (Blue) – Cold, wind, water. Common in Arctic regions.

• Senmere (Grey) – Shadow, concealment, negation. Found near Loadstone and in old cities.

• Fellmere (Black) – Corruption and disease. Created when any other Mere is used.

All characters have 6 Affinity points that they can allocate across these seven colours of Mere. The more points you allocate to a single colour, the stronger your connection is to it. You can only allocate a maximum of 5 Affinity points to a single colour. If you do not allocate any points to a given colour then you do not, and cannot, have a connection to it.

5) Pick your Affinities

Once you have allocated your Affinity points you must decide which of the Mere colours that you are connected to you wish to activate. By default you are only able to activate a single connected Mere colour. Activating a Mere colour allows you to perform basic level spells using that type of Mere, i.e. fire spells with Rosmere, and healing spells with Gormere. If you have taken the Ability Mere Usage, then you will be able to activate your connection to additional colours of Mere, making different types of spells available to you. Alternatively, you can increase the level at which a connection is activated, allowing you to perform more complex spells using that colour of Mere. For example, Rosmere activated at base level will allow you to create fire in your hand, whereas Rosmere activated at level two will allow you to throw that fire as a weapon, and at level 3 you can make it explode on contact to do more damage.

6) Activate your Affinities

All characters have access to a list of 22 Core Skills, 12 Weapon Skills, and 7 Mere Skills. How proficient they are at these various skills is derived, to start with, from their Attribute values. Each Skill is associated with one or more Attributes, which in turn set the base level value of that Skill. For example, the Athletics Skill is associated with the Strength and Agility Attributes. The average value of these two Attributes, rounded up, then converts to the starting value for that skill.

An Attribute value of D6 converts to a Skill value of D4. An Attribute value of D8 or D10 converts to a Skill value of D6. And lastly, an Attribute value of D12 converts to a Skill value of D8. Below is a list of all of the Core and Weapon Skills, and their associated Attributes. All Mere Skills are associated with Intelligence, and so will convert to the same starting value.

7) Assign your Skills

Awareness – Perception

Athletics – Average of Strength and Agility

Stealth – Average of Stamina and Agility

Performance – Average of Agility and Charisma

Persuasion – Average of Intelligence and Charisma

Deception – Average of Empathy and Charisma

General Knowledge – Intelligence

History – Intelligence

Scholarship – Intelligence

Research – Average Intelligence and Perception

Medical – Average of Dexterity and Intelligence

Alchemy – Average of Dexterity and Intelligence

Religion and Culture – Average of Intelligence and Empathy

Linguistics – Average Intelligence and Perception

Streetwise – Average of Dexterity and Charisma

Natural Lore – Average of Intelligence and Empathy

Bushcraft – Average of Dexterity and Perception

Crafting – Average of Dexterity and Intelligence

Engineering – Average of Dexterity and Intelligence

Animal Handling – Average of Agility and Empathy

Navigation – Average of Intelligence and Perception

Piloting – Average of Strength and Stamina

Muskets/Rifles – Dexterity

Knives – Dexterity

Swords – Average of Strength and Dexterity

Bows – Average of Strength and Dexterity

Crossbows – Dexterity

Axes/Hatchets – Strength

Spears/Polearms – Strength

Blunt Weapons – Strength

Brawling – Average of Strength and Stamina

Thrown Weapons – Average of Strength and Dexterity

Improvised Weapons - Average of Strength and Dexterity

Once you have allocated the base values for each of your Skills it is time to train some of them. Training a Skill increases the value of that Skill by two levels, turning a D4 into a D8, a D6 into a D10, and a D8 into a D12. Which Skills you can train is associated with the Classes you picked. You can train 4 Skills associated with your Major Class, 2 Skills associated with your Minor Class, and 3 Skills associated with each of your Equal Classes. Below is a list of the skills associated with each Class:

8) Train your Skills

Trainable Fighter Skills: Pistols, Knives, Swords, Bows, Crossbows, Axes/Hatchets, Spears/Polearms, Blunt Weapons, Brawling, Awareness, Athletics, Streetwise

Trainable Rogue Skills: Knifes, Crossbow, Blunt Weapons, Throwing Weapons, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth, Persuasion, Deception, Alchemy, Streetwise

Trainable Merchant Skills: Knifes, Awareness, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, Religion and Culture, Linguistics, Streetwise, Crafting, Navigation, Piloting

Trainable Doctor Skills: Knifes, Awareness, General Knowledge, Scholarship, Research, Medical, Alchemy, Natural Lore, Animal Handling

Trainable Con Artist Skills: Knifes, Awareness, Stealth, Performances, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, Linguistics, Streetwise, Crafting

Trainable Engineer Skills: Muskets/Rifles, Axes/Hatchets, Blunt Weapons, Improvised Weapons, Awareness, General Knowledge, Scholarship, Research, Crafting, Engineering, Piloting

Trainable Hunter Skills: Muskets/Rifles, Bows, Crossbows, Spears/Polearms, Thrown Weapons, Awareness, Stealth, General Knowledge, Natural Lore, Bushcraft, Animal Handling

Trainable Mage Skills: Awareness, General Knowledge, History, Scholarship, Research, Alchemy, Religion and Culture, Linguistics, Crafting

Trainable Performer Skills: Pistols, Knives, Thrown Weapons, Athletics, Stealth, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, History, Religion and Culture, Linguistics, Streetwise, Animal Handling

Trainable Priest Skills: Performance, Persuasion, General Knowledge, History, Scholarship, Medical, Alchemy, Religion and Culture, Linguistics, Natural Lore, Animal Handling

Trainable Sailor Skills: Pistols, Knives, Swords, Axes/Hatchets, Blunt Weapons, Brawling, Athletics, General Knowledge, Linguistics, Natural Lore, Bushcraft, Crafting, Engineering, Navigation, Piloting

Trainable Scholar Skills: Awareness, Persuasion, General Knowledge, History, Scholarship, Research, Medical, Alchemy, Religion and Culture, Linguistics, Natural Lore, Engineering, Navigation

Trainable Soldier Skills: Pistols, Muskets/Rifles, Knives, Swords, Spears/Polearms, Brawling, Awareness, Athletics, Streetwise, Bushcraft, Animal Handling, Navigation

Trainable Thief Skills: Pistols, Knifes, Blunt Weapons, Athletics, Awareness, Stealth, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, Streetwise

Trainable Revolutionary Skills: Pistols, Muskets/Rifles, Knives, Swords, Axes/Hatchets, Blunt Weapons, Throwing Weapons, Improvised Weapons, Awareness, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, History, Religion & Culture, Streetwise

Trainable Noble Skills: Pistols, Swords, Crossbows, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, History, Scholarship, Religion & Culture, Linguistics, Animal Handling

Trainable Artisan Skills: Blunt Weapons, Improvised Weapons, General Knowledge, History, Scholarship, Medical, Alchemy, Crafting, Engineering

Trainable Officer Skills: Pistols, Swords, Awareness, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, History, Research, Linguistics, Natural Lore, Bushcraft, Animal Handling, Navigation

Trainable Spy Skills: Pistols, Knives, Crossbows, Brawling, Throwing Weapons, Improvised Weapons, Awareness, Athletics, Stealth, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, Research, Linguistics, Streetwise, Navigation

Trainable Servant Skills: Knives, Blunt Weapons, Awareness, Stealth, Performance, Persuasion, Deception, General Knowledge, History, Religion & Culture, Linguistics, Natural Lore, Animal Handling, Navigation, Piloting

Once you have trained the selected Skills associated with your Character’s Classes, you can also train 4 additional Skills of your choice. These can be Core, Weapon, or Mere Skills. You cannot train the same Skill twice.

Your Initiative Modifier, combined with the roll of a D12, establishes where you act when in combat. Your Initiative Modifier is based upon the value of two Attributes, Agility and Perception, and two Skills, Awareness and Athletics. Your Initiative Modifier starts with a value of zero, and is updated accordingly:

• Attribute/Skill value D4, -1 to Initiative Modifier.

• Attribute/Skill value D6, No Change.

• Attribute/Skill value D8, +1 to Initiative Modifier.

• Attribute/Skill value D10, +2 to Initiative Modifier.

• Attribute/Skill value D12, +3 to Initiative Modifier.

The final value you get is your starting Initiative Modifier value.

9) Calculate your Initiative Modifier

Your Willpower Score is based upon three of your Attributes, namely Stamina, Intelligence, and Charisma. In the same way as your Initiative Modifier, your Willpower Score starts at zero and is updated accordingly:

• Attribute value D6, +3 to Willpower Score.

• Attribute value D8, +4 to Willpower Score.

• Attribute value D10, +5 to Willpower Score.

• Attribute value D12, +6 to Willpower Score.

The final value you get is your starting Willpower Score.

10) Work out your Willpower

Now that your character is almost built, it is time to start making some non-number related decisions. The first two are what do you do for a living, and where do you come from? You are free to pick any reasonable Occupation you like. Whenever you are asked to make a roll that you can tie directly to your occupation, then you will be able to roll an addition D6 as part of your roll. As for your Nationality, below is a list of possible Countries, along with their real world analogues, that you can select from. Unless you have a story reason not to be, your character will automatically be Fluent in the language of that Nation.

Nations of Asteria

Pelos (England), Murdas (France), Samria (Spain), Vestrea (Russia), Alderheim (Prussia), Holtzburg (Liechtenstein), Laprel (Portugal), Circenzio (Italy), Husk (Egypt), Merenakkis (Greece), Walderstung (Austria), Brujiova (Romania), Grozloclaw (Poland), Luvaine (Bavaria), Grendia (Switzerland), Mazova (Savoy), Gadrin (Saxony), Drinova (Hungary), Vieraan (Genoa), Rusaan (Tuscany), Espitan (Moldavia), Stoytan (Wallachia), Trevochi (Ukraine)

Nations of Dalurman

Nersol (Norway), Drenam (Denmark), Tarnessa (Sweden), Valtrienne (Neatherlands), Selvra (Holland), Bellvarn (Finland), Kestara (Estonia), Korvignar (Ireland)

Nations of Ostalria

Hastria (Turkey), Zorvayen (Bulgaria), The Oarison Wastes (Frontier America)

11) Set your Occupation and Nationality

12) Work out Which Languages you Speak

By default, all players are Fluent in their native language, established by their Nationality, and have a Basic understanding of the world’s Lingua Franca, known as Old Common. Whether you know any additional Languages on top of this is connected to your Linguistics Skill and your Scholarship Skill. Extra Languages can also be gained via certain Class Abilities. Your skill with a Language comes in four levels. If you are Fluent you can speak, read, and write this language with ease. A Basic understanding means you can communicate using this language, but your ability to read or write in it is lacking. If you are Familiar with a Language you may be able to guess what is being said, following a successful Linguistics roll. If a Language is Unknown then you cannot understand that Language at all. All Languages not listed on your Character Sheet are Unknown by default.

For every Level above D4 that you have in Linguistics you gain a Language point, and for every Level above D6 that you have in Scholarship you gain a Language point. You can then use these points to either add new Languages at the Familiar Level (1 point), or to upgrade your understanding of a Language from Familiar to Basic, or from Basic to Fluent (1 point for each Level increase). As such, to add a new Language at the Fluent Level it would cost you 3 points.

13) establish your Goals, Fears, Vices, & Virtues

What does your character want to achieve most in life? What is their greatest fear? What wickedness lurks inside of them? And what are they willing to stand for? All characters will have one explicitly defined Goal, Fear, Vice, and Virtue at the start of the game. These can be pretty much anything you like. Maybe your character has the Goal of seeking redemption for some past act. Perhaps they have a terrible Fear of the corrupting power of Mere use. Maybe their Vice is gambling, and they can’t pass a card table without playing a few hands. And perhaps, under it all, they have the Virtue of always keeping a promise. These features will give you something to roleplay against, and allow the GM to setup situations that test your character in unique ways.

And so we come to the end of the Character Creation process. The only things left to do are work out what worldly goods you have available to you, how much food you are carrying, and how may coins you have in your pocket. When it comes to your equipment, the first thing to work out is how rich your character is, or, at the very least, was at some point. This is done based upon the Classes you selected, and the Level you took them at. The table below outlines how many pieces of equipment you can have based upon your Classes and their Level. For example, someone who took Officer as their Major Class, and Spy as their Minor Class, would have 5 pieces of equipment available to them.

14) Set your Equipment, Food, & Money

Now that you know how many pieces of equipment you have your job is actually done. You do not have to declare at this point what specific equipment your character has access to. You can of course. You can state from the start that your character carries a sword strapped to their waist, and a silver watch in their pocket, but once you declare a piece of equipment it is set, and cannot be changed. You are also entirely free to wait until a point in the story when you need a specific item to declare that you have it. As long as the GM agrees it makes sense for you to have that thing (a Hunter is unlikely to be carrying a calligraphy set, but a Scholar or Artisan might), and it is possible for your character to have been carrying it around with them (your Noble probably doesn’t have a piano on them, regardless of how rich they are), then you have that item. But again, once you declare an item it is set.

Food and Money are much easier to work out. Everyone starts with 2 + 1D4 meals on them (consisting of things like dried meat, hard biscuit, a hunk of bread, and maybe some cheese), and 1D8 Copper (Pips) and 1D4 Silver (Sorens). And with that, your character creation is complete.