GM Netherpongo's Warhammer Fantasy

Game Master Nathan Goodrich

Greetings everyone!

As discussed in the Recruitment thread, I have some ideas for where I want to take this campaign, but those ideas are fairly flexible and could be suited to many ends. So I'd like your help in deciding what sort of campaign theme we're wanting to have.

What I mean by theme is perhaps a bit amorphous. An easy example of a similar concept can be found in the Fantasy Flight Star Wars games, however. They have different campaign 'settings' for Edge of the Empire where you play scoundrels and bounty hunters (among other things), Age of Rebellion that focuses more on the non-Force (mostly) fight against the Empire, and Force and Destiny that focuses more on Force users. All three of the systems work well enough together and they share some themes, but it is still helpful to know what sort of campaign everyone has in mind.

Similarly in Warhammer, we have careers available for Beggars and Thieves, Witch Hunters and and Rat Catchers as well as Envoys and Artists. Probably any of the Careers could work in any sort of campaign, but knowing what kind of campaign we're talking about in advance can help to guide character creation.

For instance, let's say that a player rolls up a Noble. Without any theme in mind, they might start imagining a background for their character that fits them nicely into polite society and start coming up with ideas for contacts and themes that will help them climb the social ladder. Fair enough.

But if that same player knows that the rest of the party is intending to make a group of con artists and gutter rats, with several of them taking Criminal talents, that changes things a little. Maybe the player decides to continue rolling on the Career table or to play a Charlatan instead. Or perhaps they stay with Noble, but one that has a very different background and motivation. Their character hasn't fit in well in noble society, and although they maintain the trappings of it, they have come to resent their social peers.

What if the theme is high society, but the player rolled a Beggar. The first impulse might be to reroll the career, but couldn't that be interesting as well? What happens to a Witch in a game that is focusing on supporting a campaign of religious fervor?

There are lots of ways that things can fit together, but knowing the general direction in advance can help to guide your choices.

Just looking at the career list in the Core book, I can see several possible themes that present themselves.

* High society & dealing with nobles
* Subversion of the societal order, either through crime or striving to overthrow the local governor.
* Magic on the edges of society, with Hedge Witches in the place of Wizards
* Religious campaign of many different stripes - Sigmarites could be trying to cleanse their own order or trying to rein in the excesses of Witch Hunters gone rogue come to mind easily, and only with a focus on Sigmar. Other faiths would imply a different kind of game.
* River campaign - focusing on the rivers and travelling from place to place in Reikland

I'll stop there, but I could keep coming up with lots of different ideas. Note that I explicitly don't mean that if we chose to do a religious campaign that everyone should be a Nun or a Witch Hunter or something. Only that people should choose to make their character with an idea that they could be motivated to support such an undertaking.

I will put in a special note about my thinking on the Riverfolk class. I think a lot of people overlook Riverfolk because we are used to mostly land-based campaigns. Unfortunately, even some published adventures in Reikland play into that. Rivers might be in the adventure, but they are only briefly touched on. That shouldn't be the case in Reikland: river travel is a major skill set there and if you don't have it in the party, expect to need to pay someone to do it for you sometimes (the same as if you lacked Heal or Lore (Magic) and needed it).

One final mention about theme before I open the floor. One sub-theme I've toyed with over recent times is a Port Reaver/Expedition to Lustria type of game. Most of the themes I mentioned above could fit in there, but it would definitely change the nature of the game we're looking at. For those not familiar with the idea, this is sort of like Cortez arriving on the shores of South America and carting gold and ancient relics out of the ruins he finds. Think a colonial atmosphere surrounded by jungles full of unknown dangers.

An Expedition to Lustria campaign would mean I would need to create stats for Lizardmen and possibly dinosaurs that the Core book doesn't have. There's also much less lore written for Port Reaver or other colonies in Lustria. You would still be Reiklanders since I don't have rules support to make a full Lizardman or Dark Elf campaign.

So, please share your thoughts about what kind of campaign you'd like to play in!

****

Some of you are probably eager to know about the tweaks to character creation I mentioned in the campaign thread. The only one I've settled on is changing Attribute generation to 120 point-buy instead of any rolling methods. I've never seen rolling for stats help a campaign and it can do plenty of harm, so I'm cutting it out. The XP for Attribute generation will be available to everyone. I'll still suggest not rolling up any new characters yet, but that's my plan.

Are you ok with the character as stands? He can fit in:

Noble campaign
Rogue/crime campaign
Subversion of social order campaign

Or even the river campaign.

I'm good with all concepts I think...

Otherwise I could go from scratch...

I'd be doing 120 point-buy, so some of Alberich's stats would have to come down. It looks like you rolled quite well on him. But it wouldn't be too bad. Also, any trappings and/or xp we got from that old campaign would have to come off. I don't think we ever got xp though?

Possibly you'd want to revise the background/ten questions as well.

Also, for everyone: remember that my sample list of possible themes wasn't meant to be exhaustive. If you have an idea you'd like to pursue outside of that, just say so!

Also for everyone: if you aren't going to have book/rules access, let me know! I'll sometimes cite page numbers, but that doesn't work if you don't have the rulebooks.

Those are all interesting themes.

I like the idea of combining 2 & 3 together (Subversion of the societal order + Magic on the edges of society). I'm thinking of a village that's under the thumb of a vicious Lord and his Wizard who is kidnapping villagers to use in foul experiments.

How could the villagers protect themselves? Maybe convince the local Hedge Witch to join forces with them to fight. Call on the Mystic that lives in the woods. They could try to hire Bounty Hunters to help. Beg the village priest for help? The villagers themselves obviously could be characters.

You could even have characters that you normally wouldn't have in a rural setting. Maybe the experiments are actually Cult activities of a secret Nurgle worshiper bringing a Witch Hunter (setting up an interesting dynamic with a Hedge Witch). Or maybe one of the villagers have family in one of the cities and an urban character type comes to the village to help his cousins. Or another Noble wants the lands and is willing to work with the villagers. A wandering Trollslayer is excited about having a glorious death fighting an evil Wizard. Etc, etc, etc...

The river setting is also interesting because it could lead to playing characters that normally are not used.

Hello! I'm excited to get to play 4th edition WFRPG.

I'm interested in a Noble, Rogue/Criminal/Gang, River, or Mercenary adventure (or some combination there of). I'm not that interested in the Subversion of the social order, or magic on the edeges of society, ideas, but I'll go with it if that's what the group decides on.

First of all, thanks for the nod!

I'll throw in what I said in the recruitment: I have had an idea for a female Dwarven Trollslayer for a while now. Basically, she took the oath because she was bethrothed to someone who disgusted her, so she killed him and then took the oath so she couldn't be killed by his family.

With that frame in mind, I can make that character fit into any sort of themed game, except maybe a religious fanaticism centric one (although, to be fair, all troll slayers are technically holy warriors, since they have to swear an oath to Grimnir). I think that ideally the Port Reaver campaign idea or the mercenary one would fit her best, but if she was the daughter of a Dwarven King, or I can forgo that if it's not appropriate.

I find myself drawn to Elves (Long Time 40K Eldar Player Here), with Magic, Social, Combat, or Wilderness, focused Careers being the most interesting to me, though as I said earlier, I am willing to adapt to the needs of the game.

How attached are you to the specifics of that backstory, Vrog? The way it reads in brief, you're saying your character committed premeditated murder over not liking a guy & then used the Slayer oaths as an escape hatch.

Sounds kind of psychopathic to me. I guess that could be what you want.

Let me drag out the 4th Ed character creation rules...

Alright, we've had some conversation on theme but no real conclusion. It sounds like something like a river excursion might be what we're after though? Does that sound right?

Alright, we've had some conversation on theme but no real conclusion. It sounds like something like a river excursion might be what we're after though? Does that sound right?

River excursion sounds great. Time for a river related character :)

River based Mercenaries/Criminal/"Honest Business Folk" sounds good to me.

GM Netherpongo,

Is it alright to start the Character creation process?

Yeah, I think we at least have some idea of what we're up to now. Feel free to roll up.

If some of you want to determine that your characters knew each other before play starts, that doesn't hurt either.

While we're at it, what business does your character have with the peddlar Marven's Magnificent Curios?

Yay! Fun! Character Creation!

GM Netherpongo, please check these numbers when you have a chance. I tried to show where the numbers came from.

Name = Ludger Braunlich

Species 1d100 ⇒ 45 Human (20 XP)

Class 1d100 ⇒ 55 Flagellant (Yuck)
Class 1d100 ⇒ 16 Artisan (Hmmphh)
Class 1d100 ⇒ 37 Warden (Hmmphh)

I'll give up the XP to pick my own Class/Career
Class Riverfolk
Career Stevedore

Attributes (Human's are all 20 as base) - 120 Points to spend
Weapon Skill +20 = 40 + 3 (Advance Characteristic Step) = 43
Ballistics Skill +10 = 30 + 5 (Marksman Talent) = 35
Strength +20 = 40 + 5 (Stevedore Initial Talent - Very Strong) = 45
Toughness +20 = 40
Initiative +10 =30 + 2 (Advance Characteristic Step) = 32
Agility +5 =25 + 5 (Lightning Reflexes Talent) = 30
Dexterity +5 =25
Intelligence +10 =30
Willpower +10 =30
Fellowship +10 =30 + 5 (Suave Talent) = 35

Wounds = SB + (2 x TB) + WPB = 4 + (2 x 4) + 3 = 15 Wounds
Fate = 2 + 1 = 3
Fortune = 3 + 1 = 4 (Luck Talent)
Resilience = 1 + 2 = 3
Resolve = 3
Extra Points = 3 Spent as 1 on Fate and 2 on Resilence
Movement = 4

Motivation - Money, money, money - Ludger's never had money and now wants it

Advance Characteristics - Stevedore (WS, Toughness and Initiative)
3 Points to WS and 2 Points to Initiative

Humans (Reiklander)
Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Cool, Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle,
Language (Bretonnian), Language (Wastelander), Leadership,
Lore (Reikland), Melee (Basic), Ranged (Bow)

Chose 3 Skills to gain 5 Advances - Cool, Melee (Basic), Ranged (Bow)
Chose 3 Skills to gain 3 Advances - Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle

Human
Talents: Doomed, Savvy or Suave, 3 Random Talents

Doomed:
Suave: You gain a permanent +5 bonus to your starting Fellowship Characteristic (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 1 1d100 ⇒ 39 Marksman: You gain a permanent +5 bonus to your starting Ballistic Skill (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 2 1d100 ⇒ 29 Lightning Reflexes: You gain permanent +5 bonus to your starting Agility Characteristic (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 3 1d100 ⇒ 38 Luck: They say when you were born, Ranald smiled. Your maximum Fortune Points now equal your current Fate points plus the number of times you’ve taken Luck.

Allocate 40 Advances to your eight starting Skills, with no more than 10 Advances allocated to any single Skill at this stage.
Stevedore - Starting Skills: Athletics, Climb, Consume Alcohol, Dodge, Endurance , Gossip, Melee (Basic), Swim - Putting 5 Advances in each of the starting skills

Stevedore - Talents: Dirty Fighting, Strong Back, Sturdy, Very Strong - Picking Very Strong

Skills and Talents

Basic Skills
Art - 25
Athletics - 30 + 5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 35
Bribery - 35
Charm - 35
Charm Animal - 30
Climb - 45 +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 50
Cool - 30 + 5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 35
Consume Alcohol - 40 +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 45
Dodge - 30 +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) =35
Drive - 30
Endurance - 40 +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 45
Entertain 35
Gamble 30
Gossip 35 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) + 5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 43
Haggle 35 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 38
Intimidate 45
Intuition 30
Leadership 35
Melee (basic) 43 +5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 53
Navigation 30
Outdoor Survival 30
Perception 30
Ride 30
Row 45
Stealth 30

Advanced Skills
Animal Care
Animal Training
Channelling
Evaluate 30 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 33
Heal
Language
Lore
Perform
Pick Lock
Play
Pray
Ranged (bow) 35 +5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 40
Research
Sail
Secret Signs
Set Trap
Sleight of Hand
Swim 45 +5 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 50
Track
Trade

Trappings
Riverfolk: Cloak, Clothing, Dagger, Pouch, Sling Bag containing a Flask of Spirits
Stevedore: Hand Weapon (Boat Hook), Leather Gloves

Starting Wealth (Brass 3)
6d10 ⇒ (8, 7, 3, 10, 7, 3) = 38 Brass Pennies = 3 Shilling and 2 Pennies

Age 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
Eye Color 2d10 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7 Blue
Hair Color 2d10 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16 Black
Height 57 + 2d10 ⇒ 57 + (5, 1) = 63 63 Inches = 5 feet & 3 Inches

Ambitions
Short Term - TBD
Long Term - TBD

Ten Questions
TBD

Party Ambitions
Short Term
Long Term

While we're at it, what business does your character have with the peddlar Marven's Magnificent Curios? Sometimes 'stuff' gets misplaced when Stevedores are moving crates and boxes around. Marven is a good place to take these unowned items that Ludger 'found'

Aubster, the point buy method allows for a maximum of 18 and a minimum of 4 (plus the racial bonus) for each stat. So starting stats of 40 wouldn't be allowed.

Aside from that issue altogether, here's an optional suggestion for anyone that wants to create an organic-feeling set of stats while still using the point-buy method. You can roll for the one's position of each stat and then adjust by 10s from there. Something like

WS: 1d10 ⇒ 2
BS: 1d10 ⇒ 7
S: 1d10 ⇒ 3
T: 1d10 ⇒ 5
I: 1d10 ⇒ 7
Agi: 1d10 ⇒ 5
Dex: 1d10 ⇒ 9
Int: 1d10 ⇒ 3
WP: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Fel: 1d10 ⇒ 10

Those rolls spent 55 of my 120 point buy. Now I can spend the remainder in lots of 10 first. I'll put an * next to the ones that get +10.

WS*: 12+20
BS: 7+20
S*: 13+20
T*: 15+20
I*: 17+20
Agi: 5+20
Dex: 9+20
Int*: 13+20
WP*: 14+20
Fel: 10+20

Total of points spent now is 115 so I'll spend 5 more. I'll just put them all into Agility to make things easy.

WS: 32
BS: 27
S: 33
T: 35
I: 37
Agi: 30
Dex: 29
Int: 33
WP: 34
Fel: 30

Since this is all at my option, I could trade those stats around to where I wanted them to go or just leave them alone...the point is to have stats that feel like they were rolled. As long as you stay inside the guidelines (120 points with +4 min and +18 max) then anything goes.

It wasn't premeditated, but instead she challenged him to a duel and he died. Given that her options were make the pledge to grimnir or be killed by his family, she chose the latter.

That's a lot different than how I first read it.

Sorry, it was a quick post.

Race: 1d100 ⇒ 72
Career: 1d100 ⇒ 30

Weapon Skill: 2d10 + 30 ⇒ (7, 5) + 30 = 42
Ballistic Skill: 2d10 + 20 ⇒ (7, 7) + 20 = 34
Strength: 2d10 + 20 ⇒ (4, 10) + 20 = 34
Toughness: 2d10 + 30 ⇒ (8, 6) + 30 = 44
Initiative: 2d10 + 20 ⇒ (5, 10) + 20 = 35
Agility: 2d10 + 10 ⇒ (8, 4) + 10 = 22
Dexterity: 2d10 + 30 ⇒ (8, 5) + 30 = 43
Intelligence: 2d10 + 20 ⇒ (5, 1) + 20 = 26
Willpower: 2d10 + 40 ⇒ (6, 3) + 40 = 49
Fellowship: 2d10 + 10 ⇒ (9, 3) + 10 = 22

Wounds SB+(2 × TB)+WPB
Fate 0
Resilience 2
Extra Points 2
Movement 3

... We're not using rolled stats, it's 120 points on the point buy method.

Race 1d100 ⇒ 21 Human
Class/occupation 1d100 ⇒ 88 witch Pg108
XP:20

I could go wizard later! I could go legit! Pg60

Note to self... pg 46 and pg 229

Hexer — Brass 1 2d10 ⇒ (1, 9) = 10 Pennies
Skills: Channelling, Cool, Endurance, Gossip, Intimidate, Language (Magick), Sleight of Hand, Stealth (Rural)
Talents: Criminal pg 135, Instinctive Diction pg 139 Menacing pg 140 Petty Magic Pg 142 / spells pg 240
Trappings: Candles, Chalk, Doll, Pins

Allocate 40 Advances to your eight starting Skills, with no more than 10 Advances allocated to any single Skill at this stage. This is enough for you to add 5 Advances to every Career Skill if you wish, which is one of the required steps to complete your Career if you wish to move to a new one (see Changing Career on page 48). *You may also choose a single Talent to learn*

Class Trappings
Rogues: Clothing, Dagger, Pouch, Sling Bag containing 2 Candles, 1d10 Matches, a Hood or Mask

Humans (Reiklander)Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Cool, Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle, Language (Bretonnian), Language (Wastelander), Leadership, Lore (Reikland), Melee (Basic), Ranged (Bow)

3 Skills to gain 5 Advances each, and 3 Skills to gain 3 Advances each.

Talents: Doomed, Savvy +5 Int Pg 144, 3 Random Talents

Talents
1d100 ⇒ 74 Sharp pg 144 +5 Init
1d100 ⇒ 40 Marksman pg 140 +5 BS
1d100 ⇒ 87 Suave +5 Fel pg 146 Max 1.

XP: 50

We've 120 points... min 4, max 18. Is there any XP gained for this step?

I ask because XP is a Valuable commodity for me in particular.

+++ 120 pts unspent +++

WS 20
BS 20
Str 20
Tgh 20
Init 20 +5
Agl 20
Dex 20
Int 20 +5
WP 20
Fel 20 +5

Wounds
Fate
Resilience
Extra Points
Movement 4

Humans (Reiklander)
3 x +5, 3 x +3
Skills:
Animal Care
Charm +3
Cool +5
Evaluate
Gossip +3
Haggle +3
Language (Bretonnian)
Language (Wastelander)
Leadership
Lore (Reikland) +5
Melee (Basic)
Ranged (Bow) +5

Witch - 40

Chosen Talent: Petty Magic

Channelling 10
Cool 5
Endurance 5
Gossip 2
Intimidate 5
Language (Magick) 8
Sleight of Hand 5
Stealth (Rural)

Alright, lets give this a try.

Race: 1d100 ⇒ 63 [Human] Nope - I prefer my elves.
Race: Wood Elf
XP: 0

Career 1:1d100 ⇒ 27 Noble... I can make this work.

I missed that we weren't rolling. Let me read point buy then get back.

120... min 4, max 18
[x] = Total points spent
(X) = points from Talents
* Class attributes

* WS 20 +15 [15] = 35
BS 20 (+5) +15 [30] = 40
Str 20 +10 [40] = 30
* Tgh 20 +17 [57] = 37 + 3 now 40
Init 20 (+5) +5 [62] = 30
Agl 20 +10 [72] = 30
Dex 20 +10 [82] = 30
Int 20 (+5) +15 [97] = 40
* WP 20 +18 [115] = 38 + 2 now 40
Fel 20 (+5) +5 [120] = 30

Now allocating a total of 5 Advances across these * Characteristics (pg 35)

Tgh +3 Now 40
WP +2 Now 40

Wounds 12 (Tgh x 2 + WP)
Fate 2
Resilience 1
Extra points 3 (2 to fate, 1 to Res)

So at 25xp per point of attribute increase... and I need 5 in each * Attribute, I need 375 XP to level up/change career.

If the 5 pts above count towards that? Then it's 250 XP...

It's a slow burn folks.

Helaman here...

Let me know if I have done the process correctly

WS 20 +15 [15] = 35
BS 20 (+5) +15 [30] = 40
Str 20 +10 [40] = 30
* Tgh 20 +17 [57] = 37 + 3 now 40
Init 20 (+5) +5 [62] = 30
Agl 20 +10 [72] = 30
Dex 20 +10 [82] = 30
Int 20 (+5) +15 [97] = 40
* WP 20 +18 [115] = 38 + 2 now 40
Fel 20 (+5) +5 [120] = 30

Now allocating a total of 5 Advances across these * Characteristics (pg 35)

Tgh +3 Now 40
WP +2 Now 40

Wounds 15 (S + Tgh x 2 + WP)
Fate 2
Resilience 1
Extra points 3 (2 to fate, 1 to Res)

Skills
Charm +3 [28]
Cool +5
Gossip +3
Haggle +3 [28]
Lore (Reikland) +5 [45]
Ranged (Bow) +5 [45]

Channelling 10 [50]
Cool 5 - Now 10 [50]
Endurance 5 [45]
Gossip 2 - Now 5 [30]
Intimidate 5 [35]
Language (Magick) 8 [48]
Sleight of Hand 5 [35]
Stealth (Rural) -

Okay, here's what I have so far:

Bolka Thorfinsdottir
Race: Dwarf
Class: Warrior
Career: Troll Slayer

WS 45 (15+30)
BS 25 (5+20)
S 43 (18+20) adv: 5
T 48 (18+30)
I 36 (16+20)
Ag 20 (10+10)
Dex 35 (5+30)
Int 30 (10+20)
WP 58 (18+40)
Fel 15 (5+10)

Wounds 17 (SB: 4 + (2xTB: 4) +WPB 5)
Fate 0
Fortune 0
Resilience 4 (+2 extra points)
Resolve 5
Movement 3

Motivation A worthy death

Skills:
Consume Alcohol 53 (adv: 5)
Cool 66 (adv: 8)
Dodge 25 (adv: 5)
Endurance 58 (adv: 10)
Entertain (Storytelling) 18 (adv: 3)
Gamble 41 (adv: 5)
Heal 41 (adv: 5)
Intimidate 48 (adv: 5)
Language (Khazalid) (never need to test; adv: 3)
Lore (Trolls) 41 (adv: 5)
Melee (Basic) 55 (adv: 10)

Talents:
Fearless (Everything) 1 (avg. cool test to ignore any intimidate, fear or terror effects from any enemy)

Magic Resistance 1 (SL of any spell effecting me is reduced by 2 per talent rank. can never learn magical talents)

Night Vision 1 (assuming at least faint source of light, can see for 20 yards per talent level. can also extend illumination of light sources by 20 yards per talent level)

Read/Write 1 (gain literacy in all known languages)

Strong-minded 1 (add talent level to max resolve pool)

Sturdy 1 (encumberance points increase by talent level x2)

Trappings:
Axe
Dwarven Crest (Mohawk)
Flask of Spirits
Shame
Tattoos

Appearance:
Age: 70
Eye Color: Copper
Hair Color: Bronze

Advancement:
None (no bonus xp)

So at 25xp per point of attribute increase... and I need 5 in each * Attribute, I need 375 XP to level up/change career.

If the 5 pts above count towards that? Then it's 250 XP...

It's a slow burn folks.

I believe it would because the 40 class skill points also count towards career completion.

I need 125xp for WS 5, 50 for Tgh 2 and 75 for WP 3.

I also need 50 xp for 5 points to gossip and rural stealth - lowered language Magick to 5, increased rural stealth by 3

4 Petty Magic's Chosen

Animal Friend
Dart
Magic Flame
Open Lock

70xp in hand + whatever XP is gained from character generation from the 120pt system.

Matches 1d10 ⇒ 7

At a glance, it looks like character creation is going well. I'll need to look more closely later. I slept horribly last night and my brain isn't up to it at the moment.

Aubster, the point buy method allows for a maximum of 18 and a minimum of 4 (plus the racial bonus) for each stat. So starting stats of 40 wouldn't be allowed.

Aside from that issue altogether, here's an optional suggestion for anyone that wants to create an organic-feeling set of stats while still using the point-buy method. You can roll for the one's position of each stat and then adjust by 10s from there. Something like

[dice=WS]1d10
[dice=BS]1d10
[dice=S]1d10
[dice=T]1d10
[dice=I]1d10
[dice=Agi]1d10
[dice=Dex]1d10
[dice=Int]1d10
[dice=WP]1d10
[dice=Fel]1d10

Those rolls spent 55 of my 120 point buy. Now I can spend the remainder in lots of 10 first. I'll put an * next to the ones that get +10.

WS*: 12+20
BS: 7+20
S*: 13+20
T*: 15+20
I*: 17+20
Agi: 5+20
Dex: 9+20
Int*: 13+20
WP*: 14+20
Fel: 10+20

Total of points spent now is 115 so I'll spend 5 more. I'll just put them all into Agility to make things easy.

WS: 32
BS: 27
S: 33
T: 35
I: 37
Agi: 30
Dex: 29
Int: 33
WP: 34
Fel: 30

Since this is all at my option, I could trade those stats around to where I wanted them to go or just leave them alone...the point is to have stats that feel like they were rolled. As long as you stay inside the guidelines (120 points with +4 min and +18 max) then anything goes.

Sounds good, I'll subtract 2 points from where I had 20 and then throw those points into different attributes and make sure that the skill numbers are right with the new attribute scores.

Ludger Braunlich

Species 1d100 ⇒ 45 Human (20 XP)

Class 1d100 ⇒ 55 Flagellant (Yuck)
Class 1d100 ⇒ 16 Artisan (Hmmphh)
Class 1d100 ⇒ 37 Warden (Hmmphh)

I'll give up the XP to pick my own Class/Career
Class Riverfolk
Career Stevedore

Reduced WS, Strength and Toughness by 2 each (dropped to +18) and put those 6 points into Initiative
Attributes (Human's are all 20 as base) - 120 Points to spend
Weapon Skill +18 = 38 + 3 (Advance Characteristic Step) = 41
Ballistics Skill +10 = 30 + 5 (Marksman Talent) = 35
Strength +18 = 38 + 5 (Stevedore Initial Talent - Very Strong) = 43
Toughness +18 = 38 + 2 (Advance Characteristic Step) = 40
Initiative +16 =36
Agility +5 =25 + 5 (Lightning Reflexes Talent) = 30
Dexterity +5 =25
Intelligence +10 =30
Willpower +10 =30
Fellowship +10 =30 + 5 (Suave Talent) = 35

Wounds = SB + (2 x TB) + WPB = 4 + (2 x 4) + 3 = 15 Wounds
Fate = 2 + 1 = 3
Fortune = 3 + 1 = 4 (Luck Talent)
Resilience = 1 + 2 = 3
Resolve = 3
Extra Points = 3 Spent as 1 on Fate and 2 on Resilence
Movement = 4

Motivation - Money, money, money - Ludger's never had money and now wants it

Advance Characteristics - Stevedore (WS, Toughness and Initiative)
3 Points to WS and 2 Points to Toughness

Humans (Reiklander)
Skills: Animal Care, Charm, Cool, Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle,
Language (Bretonnian), Language (Wastelander), Leadership,
Lore (Reikland), Melee (Basic), Ranged (Bow)

Chose 3 Skills to gain 5 Advances - Cool, Melee (Basic), Ranged (Bow)
Chose 3 Skills to gain 3 Advances - Evaluate, Gossip, Haggle

Human
Talents: Doomed, Savvy or Suave, 3 Random Talents

Doomed:
Suave: You gain a permanent +5 bonus to your starting Fellowship Characteristic (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 1 1d100 ⇒ 39 Marksman: You gain a permanent +5 bonus to your starting Ballistic Skill (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 2 1d100 ⇒ 29 Lightning Reflexes: You gain permanent +5 bonus to your starting Agility Characteristic (this does not count towards your Advances).
Random Talent 3 1d100 ⇒ 38 Luck: They say when you were born, Ranald smiled. Your maximum Fortune Points now equal your current Fate points plus the number of times you’ve taken Luck.

Allocate 40 Advances to your eight starting Skills, with no more than 10 Advances allocated to any single Skill at this stage.
Stevedore - Starting Skills: Athletics, Climb, Consume Alcohol, Dodge, Endurance , Gossip, Melee (Basic), Swim - Changing this allocation because it's most cost effective to put 10 Advances in a few skills than 5 Advances in every skill. Putting 10 Advances into Athletics, Dodge, Endurance, and Melee (Basic)

Stevedore - Talents: Dirty Fighting, Strong Back, Sturdy, Very Strong - Picking Very Strong

Skills and Talents

Basic Skills
Art - 25
Athletics - 30 + 10 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 40
Bribery - 35
Charm - 35
Charm Animal - 30
Climb - 43
Cool - 30 + 5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 35
Consume Alcohol - 40
Dodge - 30 +10 (Stevedore Initial Advance) =40
Drive - 30
Endurance - 40 +10 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 50
Entertain 35
Gamble 30
Gossip 35 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 38
Haggle 35 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 38
Intimidate 43
Intuition 36
Leadership 35
Melee (basic) 41 +5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) +10 (Stevedore Initial Advance) = 56
Navigation 30
Outdoor Survival 30
Perception 30
Ride 30
Row 45
Stealth 30

Advanced Skills
Animal Care
Animal Training
Channelling
Evaluate 30 +3 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 33
Heal
Language
Lore
Perform
Pick Lock
Play
Pray
Ranged (bow) 35 +5 (Reiklander Starting Skill) = 40
Research
Sail
Secret Signs
Set Trap
Sleight of Hand
Swim 43 +2 (XP Spend) = 45
Track
Trade

Trappings
Riverfolk: Cloak, Clothing, Dagger, Pouch, Sling Bag containing a Flask of Spirits
Stevedore: Hand Weapon (Boat Hook), Leather Gloves

Starting Wealth (Brass 3)
6d10 ⇒ (8, 7, 3, 10, 7, 3) = 38 Brass Pennies = 3 Shilling and 2 Pennies

Age 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
Eye Color 2d10 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7 Blue
Hair Color 2d10 ⇒ (8, 8) = 16 Black
Height 57 + 2d10 ⇒ 57 + (5, 1) = 63 63 Inches = 5 feet & 3 Inches

Have 20 XP to spend from Character Creation - Bought 2 Advances in the Swim Skill

While we're at it, what business does your character have with the peddlar Marven's Magnificent Curios? Sometimes 'stuff' gets misplaced when Stevedores are moving crates and boxes around. Marven is a good place to take these unowned items that Ludger 'found' and exchange them for cash and assume that Marven gets them back to their rightful owner.

Ludger Braunlich

Completing Profile

Motivation - Money, money, money - Ludger's never had money and now wants it

Short Term Ambition (Subject to GM approval) - Get into fighting trim by acquiring some armor, a sword and a bow. Once he has the right gear he can start taking bigger risks to make more money.

Long Term Ambition - Own a Riverboat and be the Captain

Party Ambitions - TBD

Ten Questions

Where are you from? Ubersreik, a city on the edge of the Grey Mountains and famous for its bridge over the River Tuefel. Since I just ran a campaign set in Ubersreik, it is the Imperial city that I am most familiar with by far

What is your family like? Ludger comes from a long line of Braunlich's that earned their living on the docks of Ubersreik. His Dad runs his own Stevedore crew in Ubersreik. But his two brothers wanted something besides being a Stevedore and both are working the rivers of the Reikland instead of the docks. His older brother Hans is a Huffer on the Tuefel and his younger brother Guntar is a Boathand on the Sturgeon a river boat that makes its way all over the Reikland. Ludger has no other living relatives.

What was your childhood like? Once Braunlich boys were old enough to carry a box that were put to work on their Da's crew. No time for play, there are more boxes to be moved everyday. Their education consisted of learning how to move crates from one spot to another.

Why did you leave home? Wanderlust and a chance, even a slim chance to make a lot of money...Ludger met riverfolk from all over the old world when they would dock in Ubersreik and heard their stories about travel and adventure and riches. Ludger wants to see what is outside the docks of Ubersreik.

Who are your best friends? Besides his brothers, Ludger's best friend is Bodo Schubert who's Da is a member of the Braunlich Stevedore crew. Bodo grew to hate the river after his little sister drowned and hated hauling and carrying cargo around the docks. Wanting to do something completely different, he became a soldier.

What is your greatest desire? Captains of river boats don't have to move the crates and they get to buy the nice clothes and eat fancy meals in fancy taverns and basically don't have to take no crap from nobody. One day, Ludger will be one of those Captain's of his very own boat and then he can pay someone to carry his things for him.

What are your best and worst memories? Best memory is his friend Bodo teaching him the soldier's skills of sword and bow and now Ludger can fight as well as most of the soldiers. Worst memory is Bodo's little sister Anna drowning in the Tuefel. Most folk don't realize that dockworkers and their families normally don't know how to swim. Ludger learned to swim though so he'll never just disappear forever under the water of some river.

What are your religious beliefs? Sigmar is the boss God so you have to be respectful of him. And if you're going to be out on the rivers of the Reikland, it's always a good idea to give offering to Taal and Rhya as they can make the rivers a very dangerous place to be if you displease them. And throwing a bit of worship Ranald's way helps you find lost boxes that can be sold to friendly merchants.

To whom, or what, are you loyal? Family first, friends and crew second, Empire third, citizens of the Empire a distant fourth. Ludger is a faithful member of any crew and will fight to protect them.

Why are you adventuring? Braunlich's from long ago have worked the docks of Ubersreik. But Ludger wants something more than the docks. He wants to be his own man and be respected on the rivers of the Reikland. He wants to somehow get enough money to become the owner of his own boat and to sail it into Ubersreik one day so everyone can see what he accomplished. To get to that though will take money, a lot of money so Ludger is adventuring because that's the best way he can think of for someone like him to make the kind of money he will need. Ludger is definitely willing to take risky chances for the chance to make a lot of money.

Character Creation Checklist:

1. Roll for Species (+20 xp if you keep result)
2. Roll for Career (+50/+25/+0 xp)
3. 120-point buy attributes (min 4, max 18, +50 xp)
4. Calc Wounds & distribute Extra Points to Fate & Resilience
5. Choose Motivation
6. Advance Characteristics (5 advances from tier 1 career list) **I've seen a lot of people miss this. The book does a poor job of pointing it out**
7. Species Skill Advances (three 5 advances & three 3 advances)
8. Species Talents (possibly rolling on random list)
9. Advance Characteristics from Career (40 advances, max 10 in any one skill)
10. Choose one Career Talent (tier 1)
11. Get Trappings & Starting Wealth roll
12. Add Details
13. Short-term & Long-term Personal Ambitions
14. Ten Questions & GM added question
15. Spend starting XP if wished

For those that are new to the system, here are some things that weren't obvious to me when I made my first character:

Also, there was a question above about whether Advances counted for certain things. The book isn't explicit about it, but the way I understand things, Advances are Advances for all purposes, regardless of where they came from or how you got them.

I'm definitely not requiring everyone else to do the same things I do with my characters, but if you want some ideas for how to build your character sheet, you might want to look at Landolf Gersun von Ubersreik, my character in one of Aubster's games. Linking back to lots of gameplay posts may or may not be excessive, but I do recommend keeping track of your starting Characteristics and Advances in some way. It can be a pain to backtrack if you get mixed up on that stuff and you do need to know how many Advances each Characteristic or Skill has in order to know how much it costs to increase it further.

Aubster: I think the only thing you are missing is +50 xp from Characteristics. I don't know that I ever said so, but it was always my plan to give the full xp from that step to everyone since I'm taking the rolling option away.

Edit: Oh, we could use a Dooming for your character as well. We won't hold up gameplay if you don't have one yet though. Doomings are kind of hard.

Helaman: here is what I saw as your remaining to-do list. Some of these can be hard, so let me know if you need help with them.

1. Motivation
2. Details - especially a name
3. Ambitions, both Short-term and Long-term
4. Ten Questions (or an equivalent background) & extra GM Question about Marven's Magnificent Curios
5. You can spend up to 120 xp (50 from the Characteristics step)

Edit: Also a Dooming

Vrog: here is what I saw as your remaining to-do list. Let me know if you have trouble with any of them.

1. Motivation: not actually to-do since you chose one. I'll accept finding a worthy death as your motivation, but that will make using the mechanics of Motivation hard. You can't recover Resolve with it if you are already dead. If you have in mind actions that are in pursuit of finding a worthy death, perhaps we could say Reckless?
2. It's hard to parse out which of your advances are from Species and which are from Career. Can you separate them for me?
3. You seem to be missing your Warrior Class Trappings, although you have your Slayer ones. See page 37.
4. Ambitions, both Short-term and Long-term
5. Ten Questions (or an equivalent background) & extra GM Question about Marven's Magnificent Curios
6. You can spend up to 50 xp from the Characteristics step

Sorry, haven't seen these posts so far! Will create something today!

1. Motivation: not actually to-do since you chose one. I'll accept finding a worthy death as your motivation, but that will make using the mechanics of Motivation hard. You can't recover Resolve with it if you are already dead. If you have in mind actions that are in pursuit of finding a worthy death, perhaps we could say Reckless?

Let me finish the 10 questions and I'll rethink my motivation (I forgot that it replenishes resolve).

2. It's hard to parse out which of your advances are from Species and which are from Career. Can you separate them for me?

The numnbes in parenthesis is points spent plus racial bonus. I added the 5 free advancements to Str.

3. You seem to be missing your Warrior Class Trappings, although you have your Slayer ones. See page 37.

I missed that ya.

4. Ambitions, both Short-term and Long-term

I'll get those posted after writing up the 10 questions as well. Answering questions about her and nailing down her past a bit should help clarify these and what would work for my motivation in my mind.

5. Ten Questions (or an equivalent background) & extra GM Question about Marven's Magnificent Curios

Still working on it boss!

6. You can spend up to 50 xp from the Characteristics step

Ya, I didn't want to spend any XP cause I wasn't sure about it. I will do so when I post my new motivation, goals, and answers to questions.

race: 1d100 ⇒ 92 Halfling (funny, I wanted to try one;20Xp)

Career: 1d100 ⇒ 38 Servant
Career: 1d100 ⇒ 95 Guard
Career: 1d100 ⇒ 5 Physician (25xp)

WS 10+ 10=20
BS 30+ 5=35
STR 10+ 10=20
TOU 20+ 15=35
Ini 20+ 12=32
Agi 20+ 15=35
Dex 30+ 15=45
Int 20+ 15=35
Will 30+ 13=43
Fell 30+ 10=40
Total 120

Main characteristics: Dex, Int (+5), Will

Status Brass 4 Money, Brass: 8d10 ⇒ (3, 2, 7, 7, 5, 6, 1, 3) = 34

Wounds 6+4=10

Fate 2
Resilience 3
Movement 3

Skills advances
5 points: Trade Cook, Perception, Intuition
3 points Charm, Dodge, Langage (Moot)

Talents
Acute sense (taste)
Night vision
Resistance Chaos
Small
talent: 1d100 ⇒ 29 Lightning reflexes
talent: 1d100 ⇒ 7 Animal affinity

Career skills (40) Bribery, Cool (10), Drive, Endurance (5), Gossip(5), Heal (10), Perception (5), Sleight of hand (5)

Career Talents Bookish, Field Dressings, Read/Write, Strike to stun
Initial Talent Read/write

trappings:
Clothings
Dagger
Pouch
Sling bag
Writing kit
1d10 ⇒ 3 Parchment sheets
Bandages
Healing Draught

Her's my halfling physician details

Magda Kupferaugen

Eyes cooper
Hair Honey
Age 5d10 + 15 ⇒ (1, 7, 5, 7, 3) + 15 = 38
Height 3'1d10 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3" (3'3")

Motivation Motherly caretaker figure watchful for temperance

Short term ambition: spending a nice, peaceful evening around friends and a good, warm, balanced meal

Long term ambition: having her own hospital/ starting a family/ Saving 10 lives medically (my mind isn't set on this but no hurry)

Where are you from? The Moot, of course

What is your family like? An extended, warm family, with many laughs and a few tragedies.

What was your childhood like? Happy years, spending some time outdoors. Madga would spend hours cajoling animals at her father's small farm. Cats are her favorite

Why did you leave home? Familial conflict, Magda was at odds with the traditionnal halfling way of life, mainly eating and drinking and smoking too much. People would spend too much money on meals, get sick, and have no more money to get remedies

Who are your best friends? She lost contacts with most of her halfling friends in the Moot, except Rupert Darauch, her beau. She meet a few students during her training, and kept an active friendship with many, exchanging letters

What is your greatest desire? Settling somewhere in the Empire, and maybe creating a family with Rupert

What are your best and worst memories? Many people in her family, including her dad, dying of various diet related diseases. Best memory is her first kiss with Rupert Darauch

What are your religious beliefs? Not much of a believer, but she consider herself an ally of Shallya

To whom, or what, are you loyal? To her childhood love, to her family, to her belief in temperance, to her friends

Why are you adventuring? to get enough money to pay her future studying and some field practice

Vrog: on the hard to parse question, I meant the skills rather than characteristics (which I figured out fine). It looks like you took it the other way around.

Aubster: I think the only thing you are missing is +50 xp from Characteristics. I don't know that I ever said so, but it was always my plan to give the full xp from that step to everyone since I'm taking the rolling option away.

Edit: Oh, we could use a Dooming for your character as well. We won't hold up gameplay if you don't have one yet though. Doomings are kind of hard.

Perfecto

I will use those 50 XP to bump up Climb by 5 points and Consume Alcohol by 5.

Dooming...I'm thinking that The Doomsayer foretold that Ludger will die of lack while surrounded by plenty

Hi All,

Profile is completed for Ludger except for how does Ludger know everyone. Take a look and see if these links to your character make sense.

Magda Kupferaugen - Ludger has needed a doc to stitch him up when some fights went poorly and Ludger has found Magda both competent and good at keeping things confidential.

Axel Rotendorf - Ludger is superstitious and has gone to Axel to buy charms to remove jinxes and hexes that he believes have been cast upon him. Ludger has no idea if Axel is just selling him junk but his luck has improved after every visit so he keeps going.

Bolka Thorfinsdottir - A real live Dwarf Slayer...fascinating! Ludger has taken to following Bolka around to see what trouble she'll find next. He'd be happy to help her out but he knows Slayers are touchy about stuff like that.

Sarcastic Sage Character - Another fascinating person, a real Wood Elf Noble. So far Ludger has just kept an eye on him being a bit too intimidated to actually talk to the Noble Elf.

GM Netherpongo wrote:

Aubster: I think the only thing you are missing is +50 xp from Characteristics. I don't know that I ever said so, but it was always my plan to give the full xp from that step to everyone since I'm taking the rolling option away.

Edit: Oh, we could use a Dooming for your character as well. We won't hold up gameplay if you don't have one yet though. Doomings are kind of hard.

Perfecto

I will use those 50 XP to bump up Climb by 5 points and Consume Alcohol by 5.

Dooming...I'm thinking that The Doomsayer foretold that Ludger will die of lack while surrounded by plenty

50 xp only buys you 5 advances in one of those skills.

Also, Sarcastic is working on his character off-page. It looks like he won't be a Noble.

As far as establishing connections with other characters goes, just a few points of emphasis for everyone:

* It's fine if you know all the other characters beforehand and it's fine if you don't.
* Also be sure to get the other player's buy-in before making any connection solid. I'm reading Aubster's lines as suggestions for the other player to consider. Pretty sure this is more or less what Aubster intended, but we should make it explicit.

Aubster wrote:

GM Netherpongo wrote:

Aubster: I think the only thing you are missing is +50 xp from Characteristics. I don't know that I ever said so, but it was always my plan to give the full xp from that step to everyone since I'm taking the rolling option away.

Edit: Oh, we could use a Dooming for your character as well. We won't hold up gameplay if you don't have one yet though. Doomings are kind of hard.

Perfecto

I will use those 50 XP to bump up Climb by 5 points and Consume Alcohol by 5.

Dooming...I'm thinking that The Doomsayer foretold that Ludger will die of lack while surrounded by plenty

50 xp only buys you 5 advances in one of those skills.

Oops, brain freeze...just 5 points to Climb then.

Sorry guys, I'm just not familiar enough with the setting to feel comfortable pulling off playing a Noble of any race, let alone a Wood Elf.

Lets see what comes up on my next two rolls:
1d100 ⇒ 49 [Hunter]
1d100 ⇒ 97 [Soldier]

Both good options that I feel could benefit the group, but seeing as we already have two fairly Melee focused characters, I think I will go with the more Ranged focused Hunter.

WS 30+ 5=35
BS 30+15=45
S 20+15=35 (+5 Advancements from Character Creation = 40)
T 20+15=35 (+5 w/Very Resilient, doesn't count as Advancement = 40)
I 40+15=55
Agi 30+15=45
Dex 30+15=45
Int 30+15=45
WP 30+ 5=35
Fel 20+ 5=25

(5x3=15), (15x8=120)

Racial Skill Points: Outdoor Survival 5, Perception 5, Ranged Bow 5, Language (Eltharin) 3, Stealth (Rural) 3, Track 3
Racial Talents: Acute Sense (Sight), Hardy, Night Vision, Very Resilient, Rover

Career Skills: Outdoor Survival 10(15), Perception 10(15), Ranged Sling 10, Set Traps 10
Career Talent: Trapper

Wounds: 19

Fate: 1
Resilience: 1
Motivation: Religious Devotion

XP from Character Creation: 75
XP Spends: Lore (Beasts) 5 (50xp)
XP Remaining: 25

Aubster, I'm trying to make some decisions on where this river travel adventure will be starting and going to. Do you have any materials that could give me an idea of travel times and distances in the Reikland? The map that comes with Core doesn't show a scale.

Aubster, I'm trying to make some decisions on where this river travel adventure will be starting and going to. Do you have any materials that could give me an idea of travel times and distances in the Reikland? The map that comes with Core doesn't show a scale.

Here’s a great document with distances

Reikland Travel Distances

I can’t find anything with travel times on the river. Ballpark guess would be 40 miles per day going down river and half that speed going up river. I read somewhere that it’s slower than coach travel but generally safer and coaches can go 50-60 miles in a day.

Thanks, just at a quick scan it's striking how many routes even internal to Reikland are listed at the maximum double-skull danger level.

I guess it fits with something I read elsewhere, probably in the Core book? That most villages & hamlets in Reikland are clustered near the big city. Which means lots of wide unsettled land in the areas between for wild things to lurk.

So, I got my character updated, an alias made, and then answered the 10 questions and set a motivation and long and short-term goals.