The Foundation of Your Story - CHARACTER CREATION
Song of Vulneria caters both to players who emphasize character stories and those who want to push the system’s mechanics, becoming as strong as possible. Whatever the preferred playstyle, every Player’s character should feel like their own, influenced and constructed around their choices instead of a small handful of rigid paths. These choices are core to distinguishing characters from one another.
The first choice a Player makes when crafting a character is that character’s Race, each of which has unique Attributes and cultural traits. These mark out the average member of a Race, while the player chooses distinguishing factors and personal traits that mold them into an individual. The Races included in the core rulebook are:
Humans- The most populous race, and by many accounts the most ambitious. Humans do not excel in any one area, but have a capacity to grow and learn quickly.
Elves- Claiming to be the oldest of the civilized races, elves themselves are the longest living of the mortal races, giving them ample time to hone their skills.
Dwarves- Tough and stubborn, Dwarves are creatures of the earth itself, and bear the resilience of a mountain. Dwarves can also recall their ancestors' memories, using their experience in place of their own.
Orcs- Physically powerful, Orcs are among the most feared fighters of the mortal races. Their demonic blood sometimes overwhelms them, driving them into a berserker rage.
Goblins- Smaller and weaker than most, Goblins are forced to rely on their skill, adaptability, and community to overcome a dangerous and hostile world.
Halflings- Halflings are the smallest of the mortal races, and as such they often rely on wits and stealth to achieve their goals, though their sanguine nature often leads them to avoid conflict.
Dzundelings- Often maligned as demonic and foreign, the Dzundelings are refugees of an ancient lost empire across the western ocean. When they failed to dominate their new home, they became outcast nomads, with no kingdom of their own.
Drothans- Viewed as gentle giants, Drothans are an inquisitive and creative people, who form close magical bonds with one other person in their lifetime. In modern times few Drothans remain.
Arikades- An enigmatic insectoid people, the Arikades travel the world, trading in magical items and curiosities. They are unlike any other race, with hard carapaces and 4 arms.
After picking a Race, the Player establishes their character’s backstory, which is divided into 3 sections: Childhood, Education, and Profession. These cover the life a character lived before the current moment, when a campaign starts. Where they were born and who raised them, what they learned about, as well as what they did in their daily lives all contribute to a character’s starting skills and associations. A character raised to be a knight and a character raised to be a scholar have entirely different skill sets. The background elements are flexible enough to fit a Player’s intended backstory instead of forcing them to conform to one, but are also rigid enough to help an uncertain Player establish their backstory.
Their lived experiences are only a part of a character’s individuality. They are also defined by their personal traits, which serve to deviate them from the average attributes of their chosen society. A character can be stronger, smarter, or more stubborn than the average person, allowing the Player to individualize and distinguish their playstyle. Certain personal traits also allow for a character to adopt cultural and racial traits that are not standard to their selected race, reflecting migrations, adoptions, and biracial children.
Lastly, but perhaps most importantly a character’s class defines their broad capabilities and equipment. Each class has a wide variety of options and play styles available, allowing a Player to make their own version of each and every one. The classes themselves serve as baselines to build off of, instead of completely defining a character’s role and abilities. The Classes are:
Fighter- Melee focused combatants with skill in all types of weaponry and the endurance to wear the toughest and heaviest armor. They rely on strength first and foremost.
Ranger- Ranged focused combatants with higher skill and precision than most, and the versatility to survive and thrive in hostile environments.
Paladin- Masters of both physical and magical means of combat, the Paladin is a jack of all trades, capable of being a tough frontliner or a dedicated support.
Rogue- Wily and skilled, rogues are second to none in terms of speed and stealth, and are always able to turn a situation to their own advantage.
Mechanist- Tinkerers by nature, creating contraptions and tools, Mechanists have no need for martial prowess, as they know that artifice will always win the day.
Wizard- Wielders of powerful magics, these casters know the value of study and persistence, having become capable of bending the very fabric of reality.
Sorcerer- Those with deep connections to the primordial spirits are capable of controlling the very elements themselves through the strength of their own spirit.
Cleric- The faithful rise to act in the name of God or Demon, becoming a conduit for their master’s power in the mortal realm.
Druid- Naturalists with a deep connection to the living spirit of the land, and the creatures that inhabit it, who use their powers to protect a wounded realm.
At every step, the Player is given impactful decisions that will define their character, on their own terms. Customization and freedom are core to the process.
Look forward to more information about the world of Vulneria and its inhabitants coming soon.
Farewell Travelers.
- James C. Scully Jr. and R. Scott Fifer, the Harbor Games Team #fantasy #fantasygame #fantasygames #fantasygamer #roleplay #roleplayer #roleplaying #roleplaygames #tabletoprpg #tabletopgame #tabletopgames #rpg #rpgdice #rpggame #latemedieval #latemedievalera #earlymodernperiod #earlymodernperiodhistory #SongsofVulneria #SoV #HarborGames #d20 #d20dice #kickstarter #kickstartercampaign #history #renaissanceera #latemedievalperiod #renaissanceperiod #renaissancehistory
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