Step 1: write five things about your character’s concept and background, five things that you think are the most essential parts of your character. You don’t have to stop at five, if you like…this is just a minimum.
1. Alata is of a primitive tribe of Elves that have lived in the jungle since time immemorial.
2. Her tribe are animists. They worship the spirits present in all things. The tribe’s Spirit-Channelers (Shamans) speak to them.
3. She gains her barbarian rage not through anger per se but through a limited possession by bonded spirits (represented mechanically by the Spirit Totem.) She is called a Spirit Warrior in her own tribe.
4. She has long craved adventure in the outside world and has never seen a human in person before.
5. The spirits have chosen her to investigate why the spirit-touched (sorcerers) no longer have the power they once did. This gave her knowledge of the Common language so she can survive in the outside world.
Step 2: List two goals for the character that you, as a player, think would be cool to see accomplished in-game. During any session in which you take positive action to achieve that goal, I will award you an action point that can only be used in scenes furthering that goal. These Action Points are separate from the action points you gain by resting and reaching milestones. You can change goals later, though you lose all the accumulated Action Points for the goal you abandoned.
1. I would like Alata to learn Human culture including how to read Common and Elven. She would bring this knowledge back to her tribe.
2. I would also like her to discover the source of magic’s weakening.
Step 3: List two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
1. Alata is unsure once experiencing the life of a city if she actually wants to go back to her jungle.
2. The Charau-Ka, her tribe’s hated enemies, were preparing a raid on her tribe when she left.
Step 4: Describe three people that are tied to the character though blood, romance, or honor. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. All can do something useful for you, if you can get the situations to line up. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
1. Leuthil, her mentor and shaman. An ex-lover who she is still on good terms with.
2. Magoldor, her trainer and huntsmaster. He trained her in the art of battle and would be proud to see her progress.
3. The Blood Whisper tribe: the Charau-ka tribe that harasses the Faelindr.
Step 5: Describe three memories that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
1. Every warrior must complete a worthy hunt to be a part of the sacred band that protects the tribe. Alata’s first dangerous solo kill was a panther. Its tooth adorns her spear as her first fetish trophy.
2. To gain her powers, she had to commune with the spirits. She entered a trance for three days communicate on an empathic rather than linguistic level with the battle spirit that now empowers her.
3. The first time she saw magic used in combat. Leuthil used a spirit of fire to blast away a raiding party of Charau-ka. It fuels her personal desire to fulfill the Spirits’ mission for her.
