Character Creation

  1. If you are creating a new party, define a cohesive group concept with the other players.
  2. Roll or choose your Background. Use the tables on each background.
  3. Roll your Attributes.
  4. Roll your Hit Protection.
  5. Roll or choose your Bond.
  6. Take note of your Burdens.

Backgrounds

The following Backgrounds sets are available.

Cairn 2e Backgrounds (WIP)

Degenesis Cults & Clans

Attributes

  • Player Characters have just three Attributes: (Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), and Willpower (WIL)).
  • Roll 2d6+3 for each of your character’s Attributes, in order. You may then swap any two of the results.
  • Attributes are not universal descriptors. A character with a low STR is not necessarily hopelessly weak; they can still attempt to lift a heavy door or survive a deadly fight! Their risk is simply higher.

Hit Protection

  • Roll 1d6 to determine your PC’s starting Hit Protection (HP), which reflects their ability to avoid damage in combat. It does not indicate a character’s health or fortitude, nor do they lose it for very long. See Healing & Recovery.
  • If an attack would take a PC’s HP exactly to 0, the player must roll on the Scars table.

Bonds

Bonds tie you to someone else and the world. You may resolve your Bond, and will be awarded Growth. Once resolved, you may roll a new Bond.

The following Bonds sets are available.

Cairn 2e Bonds (WIP)

Degenesis Bonds

Burdens

  • Characters have a total of ten Burden slots but can only carry four or five items comfortably without the help of bags, backpacks, horses, carts, etc.
  • Inventory is abstract, dependent only on the fiction as adjudicated by the Warden.
  • Anyone carrying 10 Burdens is reduced to 0 HP. A character cannot fill more than ten slots.

Burden Slots

  • Most items take up one slot unless otherwise indicated.
  • Petty items do not take up any slots. Bulky items take up two slots.
  • Each Fatigue you gain occupies one Burden slot.