Character Creation

Character creation for Twist of Fate will be done in four steps.

1) Based on the world creation, come up with a concept and character name.

2) Assign character Aspects in five phases, one per phase. Details for this below. It is possible I will ask for some Aspects to be reworded so they are broader in application and more flavorful. I may also need clarification in how the player sees the function of a given Aspect of their character. It will only be necessary to write down the Aspect on the character sheet. The wiki version of the character may define the Aspect more precisely - how it might commonly be invoked or compelled.

3) Choose Skills. Reference the Skills section. Each character will ultimately have 15 Skills, (a pyramid peaking at Superb), but should feel free to pick only the top 6-10 and flesh out the others as needed during play. It's possible there will be one additional Skill added to the list based on world creation. Details on Arcana, and perhaps some other Skills may also be dependent on world creation.

4) Choose Stunts. It's likely people will want to take a week or so to pick these out, referencing the SRD and in coordination with the GM. I anticipate creating several Stunts according to how players see their character's capabilities. I also expect several Stunts to be renamed from their Pulp roots in the SotC SRD.

Aspect Phases

Phase 1 (The Seed): This phase refers broadly to the characters origins. Write down a brief summary of the events in this phase, perhaps only one or two sentences, and choose a corresponding Aspect. The Aspect selected to represent this phase could refer to the character's lineage or culture, events which occurred during the character's youth, what their family is like, or how they were brought up. Or in may simply represent a physical or mental characteristic the character was born with or grew into.

Example Aspects: Ice Blooded, Son of The Oracle, Inquisitive, Cautious, Something to Prove, Eyes of the Night, Grew Up on the Streets, Arms like Stone, Clan of the Sun, Born in the Saddle, "Quick as a river snake", "That lass will never be satisfied".

Phase 2 (The Wheel): This phase refers to the period of time when the character joined adulthood. Write down a summary of the events in this phase and choose a fitting Aspect. The Aspect might refer to the character's profession, what they have spent most of their life doing up to the present, or perhaps a kind of duty or obligation.

Example Aspects: Battle-scarred Veteran, Honorable Rogue, Gypsy Enchantress, Ruthless, Never Forget a Slight, Fear is for the Weak, The Oath of Iron, Bad Reputation, Friend of the Nomion, Marked by the Circle, Dangerous Curves, "A Red Cloak Until Death!"

Phase 3 (The River): People are swept up by great events in the flow of History. This phase will be defined by the act of world creation and will represent what happened to the character and how they spent their time during a great event that occurred in the recent past. In Spirit of the Century, this event was The Great War. This phase serves as a kind of touchstone for all of the characters. Their lives, actions, and causes may have been very different during this event, but it touched them all. Choose an Aspect that reflects how your character dealt with this event, what they learned from it, and/or what scars they still bear because of it.

Example Aspects: Right Place at the Wrong Time, Trail of Broken Hearts, Blood Vendetta, Senator Halius, Make Them Look Where You Aren't, Father's in Trouble Again, Ear of The Council, Enemy of Elder Tarchon, In Over My Head, Foot in Mouth, "We can't just stand here and do nothing!" "There's a line I won't cross…"

Phase 4 (The Crucible): Your character and that of another player met a great test together at some point in their past. Perhaps they succeeded and perhaps they failed this trial. Along with another player, describe this trial and your character's role in it. Choose a fitting Aspect that reflects the difficult passage in some way, perhaps the bond you made or the barrier that was created. This phase serves to tie your character's background closely with that of another. Your Aspects will be different but the experience of The Crucible was shared.

Example Aspects: Library of Time, Chosen of Anytus, Bitter, Knows the Heart of the People, Trust My Instincts, Left Xuthos Behind, Owed a Few Favors, "I know a shortcut," "Well that's interesting…" "I'm getting to the bottom of this," "But I can't swim!"

Phase 5 (The Heart): Describe the person, organization, ideal, or item which is dearest to your character and choose an Aspect that names it. This is the Heart of your character. It is something your character will protect whether their lover, their child, their status within a hierarchy, their sense of themselves, or something else. It is also something the player should be willing to have threatened by the GM in the form of NPCs and events in the game world, and perhaps even lose. If, in the course of play the character loses their Heart or the Heart is altered in someway, a new Heart will be chosen or an Aspect that reflects either their sense of loss or their desire for revenge will replace it.

Example Aspects: Roxanne, the love of Roxanne, My Brother Acamus, The State Must Prevail, Terrible Secret, The Old Ways Are Better, Defender of Xenopolis, Family First, King of Eos, "I'm too hot for my own good," "I can't afford to love," "I will never give in!"

Some examples of Aspects can be found in the SotC SRD, others may be found here.

When picking Aspects, I recommend one that is broadly useful for combat, one that can be linked to a Skill or two that you see as your character's main area of expertise, and at least one that suggests Compels that will 1) get your character into trouble or set up difficult choices for them, and 2) earn your character Fate Points in the process.

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