Character Creation...

First off here’s the character creation section of the main rules.
Character Generation...

These are the pre-generated character archetypes, you don’t have to go with one of these but you can if you wish, try to stay away from anything you wouldn’t find on Earth, Lizardmen and the Martians near the end are the main things I’d like you to avoid.
Archetypes...

And finally a blank Excel character sheet to play with.
Character Sheet...

Come up with a quick, couple paragraphs, character idea and we can work things out from there. Keep in mind, Victorian era, so lords and ladies are a real thing and social class can open or close doors to you. Lady Arabella d’Winter is just as unlikely to be seen hanging about the back alleys of Whitechapel as Tommy Jones the Welsh coal miner is to be found rubbing elbows in Westminster.

If you wish to self generate, ask me questions the package you’ll start with is as follows.
Becoming a Lord or Lady requires purchasing it as a Resource. Lords and Ladies typically have butlers, for the gents, or a maid servant, for the Ladies.

The archetypes link isn't working

Try it now. Had the https in there twice.

Late to the Party literally, what's everyone playing? Need to look over the handouts and didn't want to be V2 of someone else's concept.

I don't know for certain, but I'm leaning towards either a Xeno-Archeologist or some type of Businessman type.

I am thinking of an Exiled Patriot archetype. Half french-canadian, half mexican, Descended of a French Canadian that was hanged after the Patriot's war of 1837-38. He grown up hearing story of how Imperialism destroyed his family in two different cultures.
Not sure yet about the stats, but probably going for the reformist flaw.

Look and see if the Riel / Red River Rebellion happened in 1869-70. You could be one of Riel’s men or women. I have this thought in my head it might have changed though.
There it is.

Depends, what year are we gonna be starting at exactly?

I built a young business tycoon, not sure as to what sort of business yet, but I think airship/Ether-shipbuilding. Cha-focused talker/wheeler and dealer, wealthy and wants to become the foremost shipbuilding company out there, fame/fortune sort of thing.

So your reason for heading to San Francisco would be something along the lines of attending the international organization of inventors annual symposium. Find fresh talent and new ideas.

Yep, ways to get ahead of the competition, new tech/people to invest in that might give my company an edge.

If the story happen in 1889, someone who participated in the Red River Rebellion would be 35-40 years. I was aiming for a less seasoned character because of my unfamiliarness with the setting.

So moneyman and a survivor or soldier? Anyone go explorer? Cus the die told me play one if it's not taken.

I went with Adventurer

ok disregard adventure does not mean explorer I've just realized.

The story will begin in sort of Oct / Nov 1888.

Airships and Aetherfliers are built, almost exclusively by either the British or the Germans, everyone else poaches talent for one off designs. The British and German governments hold on to their engineers jealously. I do like the idea of a new money tycoon type, perhaps a distant relative of a Carnegie or a Rockefeller.

You can make your own character @Remnant, I’ve given you just enough information to be dangerous.

@TheVagrant, you could have been a child or the offspring of someone who fled. It’s your character, I’m just tossing out idea as they appear in my head, feel free to ignore me.

@Tower_Sheild is "Diplomacy (Negotiation) 3 8" an indication you’re spending xps to improve it? Trying to work around it in my brain. Ah I get it, the 3 is the skill points and the 8 is the skill carried out.

I show you still having 1 skill point remaining and overspending attributes by 1, unless I’m not seeing something... which is possible.

Got it, charismatic +1 charisma.

Question about Jack of all trade talent

If an untrained skill test gets 4 or more dice with the talent, does it count as skill rating 4+ for skill synergy purpose?

Yea, it copied into the form a bit odd, I will try to go in and clean it up when I get a chance. The extra attribute is from Charismatic, yea, and then the extra skill point when to buy the Negotiation specialty skill for Diplomacy. I might have miscounted though. From what you said, a new Money Tycoon sounds perfect, I'm trying to create/expand a competitor company to give the Brits and Germans some American competition. Yankee Flyers needs some talented engineers and some cutting edge tech/production that will allow us to become a force to be reckoned with. I'm okay with being a part of either family.

So there’s a couple things at play with the Jack talent.
So the way I read this is, Joe Ordinary attempts to leap nimbly from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit of a suspect, he has a 4 Dex but no skill points in acrobatic so he rolls 2d6 to see if he can make this jump. Jack Ordinary, the fellow with the JoaT talent would roll 4d6.
Joe comes across a pile of the Evil Dr. Caruthers papers and notes, he has a 3 Int but no training in Science/Chemistry he has no chance of figuring out the complicated notes in front of him despite his Int, Jack on the other hand could roll 1d6 ot if he had the "Advanced" skill 2d6 to figure out what the doctors notes mean.

Now it’s like 6am and my brain is still a haze but this is what it seems like to me at this uncaffinated moment of my existence. Is this how you all read it? If you bought the talent 3 times you’d negate the -2 on specialized skills but would you gain a +2 on every other skill? I think that’s not what the advanced buy is about, so no. The skill would be stupid OP if this was so.

That's how I would read it. I think you would get the +2 if you bought everything, but not totally sure?

If you did that’s be a bananas skill, although...
This does seem to indicate that but it would involve a metric fork ton of xps to buy that.

At the same time, 3 talents is 45 xp and you have to pay the xp again anytime you want a skill over the equivalent rank 2.

Anyway, if you are not comfortable with this talent or its advance, I will just avoid it.

It’s a good talent and it is expensive as hell to advance so providing your intent is not to go all in on day 1.

I'm trying to finish up my character this morning.

Still working on my PC.

Update: So I have a phobia. Spiders or snakes work or do I need something that will be showing up more often like umbrellas or cigars?

Spiders are everywhere... 🕷 AAAH!

Nah, Arachnophobia or Ophidiophobia??? I think that’s right is completely workable.

First 2 characters mostly done, do Harris Darrington and Donovan Pearson have pictures? Well I know Donovan looks a lot like James Bond in a Stetson. Oh hey, does Donovan have a Flaw?

No, he's perfect. Does that count as a flaw?

Overconfident: Foolhardy and sometimes gets in over his head

Submited Napoleon Cuauhtemoc Papineau Hernandez aka Nap for review, young genius and freedom fighter of Mexican and French canadian descent.

Will add some background detail soon

I don’t know if you know but that’s a girl, IIRC she was a freedom fighter fighting against Franco on Spain...

Isidora Dolores Ibárruri Gómez, my old brain isn’t as bad as I thought. My parents had a book about Franco and the Spanish Civil War in the basement when I was a kid with that photo in it.

Well, i didnt know but, since it was very difficult to find any picture that worked for the character, i'll stick with that one :P

Yep that's him!

Sorry, mea culpa.

I’ve added it, do you want me to drop those skills to 1 to balance your character?

Not at all, I'm always glad to learn something new :)

Donovan Pearson
This guy isn't so James Bondy.

Sure.

James Bond is good. The man with the hat and 6 shooter is brilliant too.

Bugger, I just realized I forgot the equipment list and it’s likely in my dead computer.

Equipment...

I have a thought, perhaps Donovan is acting as an escort or security guy for someone headed to the inventors exposition in San Fran that Harris is going to. That lightly ties you together but you’d still be unfamiliar to one another. Oh that’s the bloke who drinks single malt whiskey and smokes cigars while blathering on about industry and sticking it to the Brits.

I had a similar thought. He is going to the Expo. Not with anyone, but for himself to see about making some connections.

Did you have a picture you wanted to use for Harris Darrington? The nice thing about 1889 is there’s tons of period images and lots of period movies. Here’s a couple I found on pintrest. The top one is modern by the looks of it but the clothing is about right. If you watch the every first couple season of Murdoch Mysteries, I think it’s called The Artful Detective in the USA it starts in 1895 so the costumes are about what you’d expect to see on the streets in 1889.

How much starting cash do our characters have to spend? Does my having Wealth II affect that? I'll take a look for pictures, but that top one is pretty close to what I was picturing in my mind.

I set the first image as your Avatar for Harris.

So... I do not see anything about starting wealth, which is a pain... In the original 1889, published 1988, your "Wealth" was based off a die roll depending on your Social Level, so I’m going to go with this system and adapt it to this version but your "Social" for this will be based off your "Wealth" so ... This reflects your ready cash on hand and not necessarily what you could get your hands on give. Some time. This is what you have to begin the game and buy equipment. Make some rolls and we’ll see where we land and adjust things from there. I mean I don’t want anyone starting the game with 2£.

You will also start with a pair or couple pairs of clothes and a carpet bag or somewhat nicer leather valise.

Wealth: Starting Money:
-3. 2d6*1£
-2. 3d6*1£
-1. 4d6*1£
0. 2d6*10£
+1. 3d6*10£
+2. 2d6*50£
+3. 3d6*50£
+4. 2d6*100£
+5. 3d6*100£

Howdy folks, thanks for accepting me. I will catch up on the thread and conjure up a character.

Welcome Dr_B.

After a lengthy discussion I have determined I am wrong with spending xps, it’s based off the skill level you’re buying not the combined skill/stat totals at the far end. I’ll adjust the excel files before I head out into the Plaguelands to do some grocery shopping.

Done, so Donovan has a few extra points to spend.

How goes your character @Remnant?

If you have any questions @Dr_B ask away, everyone is pretty much a custom built character with maybe ideas borrowed from the templates.

Harris Darrington is a young entrepreneur/business type
Donovan Pearson is an ex-Pinkertons PI kind of fellow.
Napoleon is kind of a tinker / ex-freedom fighter sort.

Was thinking of a weird science inventor, maybe? Travelling to San Francisco to try to find financial backing for his work. What would be the best archetype to base it on, Scientist?

Eccentric Inventor works. Eccentric doesn’t necessarily mean Doc Brown, maybe you’re someone from a group / social class or sex that really ought not be wasting their time inventing. You could also be an Engineer where you design and rebuild large scale items like locomotives, steam ships or airships.

An inventor does fall under scientist.

Ok, I will work on it, thank you

70£, not bad for a Hobo!

Just a quick FYI - When you’re buying gear keep in mind bolt action rifles are next to impossible to get ahold of.

So having a old Winchester would attract to much attention?
What about a Martini-Henry Rifle Or a Rifle, Flintlock?

A Winchester or a Martini-Henry would not be out of place. The Bolt Action Lee-Metford is so new on the other hand it’s very hard to find. Now if you had a contact or something.

The Colt Peacemaker us pretty new, there’s a lot of the old Colt Navy cap and balls floating about. Automatics are pretty much unheard of.

submitted a WIP character, I need a little help with skill base/levels/ratings I think. Here's what I have so far:

Archetype: Scientist (Eccentric Inventor)
Motivation: Truth

***Background***
An Englishman from an entrepreneurial Manchester household (his father is the founder of Cranstone Millinery), Nathaniel always had a knack for building mechanical contraptions and showed no interest in pursuing his family's vocation. This quickly brought him in contrast with his father and elder brother, who opposed his obsessive interest in anything mechanical and despised his lack of interest in commerce and manufacturing.
Nathaniel moved to London, staying with a distant relative in a dingy basement room, and took the humblest jobs in order to attend University classes. He worked nights in a metalwork workshop, relishing the access to machinery that such occupation granted him.
His studies in engineering,mechanics and electronics were however destined to be short lived, as his unconventional approach to machine creation (aimed at enhancing man's physical and mental capacities rather than improving industrial processes of production) brought him once again against his fellow students, mentors and academic institutions-- until a final rift resulted in his expulsion from University before he could complete his degree.
This is both a source of wounded pride and a shameful secret to Nathaniel, who stubbornly pursued his endeavors brushing over his academic credentials with brazen arrogance when life required to present them, his extraordinary talent with anything mechanical allowing him to prove his skills beyond diplomas and academic titles.
In long nights spent experimenting in the workshop, Nathaniel perfected contraptions capable of enhancing twenty-fold the strength of a human, worked on locomotion and vacuum/underwater mobility, dabbled in portable electric generators. His scope and ambition soon outgrew his finances, and Nathaniel thought of seeking sponsorship in the more open minded nation of America, crossing the pond in search of financial backing while obsessively conceiving and tinkering with new mechanical, electronic and engineering concepts.

***Primary Attributes***
Body 2
Charisma 2
Dexterity 3
Intelligence 4+1
Strength 1
Willpower 3

***Secondary Attributes***
Size 0
Defense 5 (active 2, passive 3)
Move 4
Perception 7+1
Initiative 7+1
Stun 2
Health 5

***Talents / Resources***
Jack of All Trades (Ignore penalty to unskilled rolls)
Intelligent

***Skills***
Science 3+1 Engineering
Craft 3+1 Electronics, Mechanics
Investigation 3+1 Research
Firearms 2
Stealth 2

***Flaws***
Secret: he never completed his Engineering degree (contrast with Academic establishment, kicked out of University) and has no valid academic credentials.

Nice write ups, I love them both. I’ll put him into the PDF when I get home from Costco... shudder...

As an inventor, you should be presenting some kind of "device" to the symposium. Here’s a link to the original games inventions, something to give you something to ponder. Keep in mind you are a new inventor, you shouldn’t be building earthquake rays or the like just yet. In the new 1889, devices have levels 1-5 with a 1 being something Utilitarian and not powerful (analytical engine, personal pedal powered flying machine) and a 5 being something like an earthquake gun or a volcano controller. Think of a couple things and we’ll rate the ideas.

Wonderous Devices...

Everyone is gong to get some style points, those are kind of... oops I need to be better than I am to do this.
So you know what these are and how you get them.

If you could give my skills a check, trying to figure out if I spent skill points correctly on skills and sprecializations. I am still to apply experience points, wanted to check it is right so far, please.

I’m assuming, is an indication you’re spending 3 skill points to specialize in Engineering? Or is it 3 points into Engineering? etc...

Some skills are a must focus and some are a can focus so science for example.
is a must, because of this you do not have to spend 3 points to specialize. Whereas stealth,
Is really more special aspects of a specific skill set.

I should peobably check everyone to make sure we all did this right. I would think you'd want to buy specialization with your 15 xps and not your 15 skill points.

Yes and no: I spent 3 skill points in Science, then added the +1 as part of the Intelligent talent, adding it to all Intelligence based skills. Maybe that's wrong.
I spent half a skill point on the Engineering specialization. The total of all specializations should add up to 2 skill points (engineering, Mechanics, Electronics, research)

He’s what I show you having spent currently.

OK, so I overspent 1 skill point and have still 12 experience points to allocate?

Yes, aren’t spreadsheets wonderful?

Just a heads up, your background is your background, if you want to write a 10 page short story feel free to experiment away, if you don’t feel like doing something that deep do what you feel comfortable doing. Do not feel pressured into writing something you don’t want to do, a couple quick sentences is perfectly acceptable.

I'll work on a background either later today or tomorrow, been working extra (I work in healthcare (IT-Adjacent though) so w/ the virus I have been working extra). Here is my money role as well!

Okay, with a roll of 10 and my wealth I start w/ 500 cash then. I'll take a look at equipment then when working on the background. With my level of wealth would I be able to get access to nicer equipment or would that be done through RP later?

What do you mean "nicer?" High quality suits, moustache wax, hand rolled cuban cigars, gold plated derringer?

First responder here, not medical side of things, my job is a lot quieter because fewer people on the roads. It’s weird...

I wondered if I would be able to get something like the Lee-Metford, or a nicer pistol. And of course, I need high-quality suites, moustache wax, hand-rolled cigars. No gold plated derringer though, I'm a classy Gent. I do of course need a high-quality sword cane, and equipment though.

Small Arms 1800-1890 If you want ti spend an hour or so reading, the Metford came into service in 1888 so it’s really really new. There are older bolt actions but the Metford is the first of the new generation smokeless powder weapons.

I kind of wish RDR2 would let you play dress up with the starting avatars so I could make awesome character portraits in nice clothes.

Finally finished up, let me know if I forgot to put anything in.

I’ll plunk him into the spreadsheet after work today and let you know. I’ll also collate the backgrounds and once the characters are finalized we can start playing.

@Remnant I assume you spent some of your xps to buy some of your skills. Do you know what you spent where? If I convert your 1 point pics to xps I have you over by 4 points, so 2 level 1 skills.

My work PC is trying to free up some email space so I typed it in on my phone. 👍😁 Excellent use of my office hours.

Anone who doesn’t have a background if you could just jot something down so I kind of know where you’re from and who you are, that’ll give me an idea why you might be heading to SF.

Maybe I screwed up my initial point buy?

Acrobatics 1
Larceny 1

So if I get ride of these I'm good point buy wise, still need to write up a background and buy equipment I think.

I shall adjust that. Roll for cash, find a photo you thunk looks cool. This leaves you with 1 xp.

Oh, Craft is a must specialize skill so you need fo chose a specialization.

For equipment don’t worry about buying the basics, everyone had 2 full changes of clothes, pajamas, razors shave cream the like and a carpet bag or valise in accordance with your station and occupation

You’re a 0 so x10£

OK, thanks

I still showing you (Nathaniel) as having 3 skill points left over. Assuming the spreadsheet is adding right.

I like the idea of the battery and the night vision device. It wouldn’t be wearable, yet, but it would be portable. Maybe something the size of old Victorian glass plate cameras. Folds up to make it easy to move from place to place. You look in the small end and the big end is the aperture.

Sure, let's go with those. I'll adjust the descriptions and add them to the character background.

Let me check on the skill points

You have Resources of 1 so 3d6x10£ for cash. So roll 1d6 add to your 10 and x10.

I will warn you my first post will be a WALL of text, I need to set the scene for 2 different groups of people on the same train. So the posts will be long to really build the world for you to the best of my ability. I do not intend to continue posting things this vast but I’d rather begin with something grand than something small.

How many do I still have to allocate?

6 xps, enough for 3 new skills to Lvl 1 or 1 new skill to Lvl 2 or 1 existing Lvl 1 to lvl 2 and a new skill to Lvl 1 or 2 specializations or 1 specialization and 1 skill to lvl 1... I think that’s everything.

Let me know when you’re all done.

Done here

@Dr_B Did you buy some gear? I put a link to your character sheet in your character sheet.

@HoorayRat Did you figure out what you wanted to spend your 6 points on? You need gear too far as I can tell.

@TheVagrant You seem to be done.

@Tower_Shield You look to need gear too, unless it’s in the spreadsheet. Oh, a quickie background when you get a moment.

@Remnant Looks like gear and done. Need a character image too, if you post a link I can insert it if you’d like.

I guess I can start writing. Nice.

You can do that for Tracking as you have Survival (3xps). You can pick up Medicine (no one else has it yet) for 2 points and have 1 xp in hand for later. How’s that sound?

Ok I thought I had medicine. I would rather bump that up, instead of taking tracking. I can't read my doggone character sheet. I should probably use good ole pen and paper.

There should be a PDF version attached to the top of your sheet. I’m going to fix it later today cutting and pasting destroyed the formulas in the document.

I see it now! Thanks!!!

Okay updated the 2 buggered character excel documents. I had to take back drive (Locomotive) from Napoleon it’s a may specialize so you need to buy level 1 Drive. You also have 1 xp your sitting on.

If you can all finish your gear I’ll post on Friday...

World is going to hell in a hand basket, I was supposed to be going on vacation starting Friday so I got some time.

I made some change, I really thought it was a specialized skill, which was the reason I put 1 skill level in it.

I removed the drive 1, spent the exp on melee 1 instead and put the extra skill point to up demo to 5.

I’m surprised it’s not Specialized to be honest.

I have the first posts up, read away and feel free to ask any questions you have prior to committing yourselves to any actions. Also please finish buying gear. Any pistols you will have on you any rifles will be stowed, either in overhead racks or your private cabin.

I do have a few questions.

How many styles point do my character start with?
Is the space between the cart out of the robbers line of sight and does it have a ladder to the rooftop?
Are we expected to stop the robbers or is it more a "cutscene" style intro?

1 - As the times are currently trying as heck for the best of us I’m not going to penalize anyone for being more concerned with the world than whether Lionel Hissybottom the 3rd was born under a full moon. Everyone gets 5.

2 - Napoleon is in a spot where he believes he is out of sight of the bandits, there is a ladder to the roof of the car but it is not between the cars but rather outside of the car just forward of the vestibule.

3 - You can do what you want, ignore the robber and get robbed, hide or intervene. To this moment in time everything is a "cut scene."

Hey guys, as of today, I'm basically unemployed. I was managing a small limo/party bus company. With the COVID stuff, everything for March and half of April has cancelled. Business might pick back up in August for the fall college semester.

No idea what my free time will be like when I find a new job. The limo gig have me lots and lots of down time during the week.

I would like to stay in the game. I don't know what my schedule will be like if/when I get new employment.

You do what you’ve got to do to take care of yourself and your loved ones first. Then worry about the game. I’m planning on replying to messages as they come in but really only doing one post per day.

That should be something I can keep up with.

My thought is I’ll answer any questions as they come up but I’ll make one post every day or two to move things forward.

Donovan's gear

Total £80 Spent £17 S18. Wallet £62 S2

Weapons
Brass knuckles s4
Pocket revolver £3
Webley Mk1 £2
Sawed-off shotgun £4

Ammo
Shotgun (25) S4
.32 caliber (25) S4
.445 caliber (50) S8

Gear
Average outfit (free)
Explorer outfit £4
Suitcase £1 S4
Pocket watch £1
Handcuffs S10
Shoulder holster S16
Belt holster S12
Gun cleaning kit S16

sorry to hear that, HoorrayRat. Wishing you best of luck in these testing times.
I am in London UK, and we are starting to lockdown now, schools closing today and most people working from home (I am among those fortunate enough who can, but realise it's not possible for all businesses).

@GM: fantastic in-game writing, wow!

Ya, it’s spring break here, they cancelled school "indefinitely" which could mean the rest of the year is out. They’re talking about maybe remote classes but who knows. My 13 year old is giddy about this but I’m sure he’ll be bored to tears in 2 weeks. I’m emergency services so, once my week off is over I’m back out there. My other half can work remotely. Groceries are an issue, we’re alright for a bit but finding certain things is troublesome.

Harris Darrington Backstory: As the oldest son of a well known American businessman, Harris has always known he would inherit the family company one day. He studied, watched his father and others run the business, and watched how the company grew and grew. But now, as his father ages, he notices that his father has gotten complacent, he no longer has the drive to expand or take the company to new heights. So, the 28-year-old business tycoon has set off to find the edge that the company needs to catapult itself into a prime spot as we head into the next decade. And from what he can tell, the future is in the stars! Right now, only the Brits and Germans really have a hold on the aerospace market, but Harris plans to find some American ingenuity, some American gumption and use that to lead his father's (and hopefully soon to be HIS) company into the field as the preeminent North American rivals to the established European powers. To do this, he first is traveling to San Francisco, to the inventors' symposium where he hopes to recruit top talent and bleeding edge tech to get his dreams off the ground. Literally.

I went ahead and just upped the cost on pretty much everything with the idea that Harris would have bought high-end versions of most of his belongings/equipment. He still has about 420 euros left, although I would assume he doesn't have it all on him. Some would be in a bank. And I don't know how often we would get the monthly income but I can track his funds for that whenever you let me know he gets access to it.

Equipment: (Cost is E80) (HE=High End)
Sword Cane (HE)
Pocket Knife (HE)
Derringer (Single Shot, Hidden HE)
Webley MK I Revolver (HE) (gift from his Father)
Winchester Repeating Rifle (Not Carried on him normally) (HE)
Standard Ammo (50 shots)
Luxury Outfit (HE)
Explores outfit (HE)
Rain Coat (HE)
Ammo Belt
Atlas and Encyclopedia
Gun Cleaning Kit
Shoulder Holster
Lighter (HE)
Cubans (HE)
Suit Case (HE)
Wrist Watch (HE)
Brief Case (HE)
Personal grooming kit/belongings (HE)

Wallet (E420 )

They’re pounds sterling £ not Euros € but close enough, I’d never noticed before but the symbol is oddly similar.

Ah, shoot, my bad. I honestly didn't even think about pounds, and just thought it was an oddly shaped Euro symbol. Pounds makes WAY more sense haha Thanks for the catch!

How does that affect the rapid fire talent?
Is this house rule only for revolver or all semiauto firearm?
Are those shots still limited to the same target?

When I get home and have a screen bigger than 2" wide to read on I’ll look and let you know. BTW - I do not get notifications from Gamersplane, it’s not that I’m proud or stubborn it’s that they just vanish into a blackhole and never get to me. So if there’s something I seem to not notice DM me because I do see the mail icon up top.

Well damn it, there’s a talent that does what I was thinking... never mind what I said then. My thought was each shot after the first should get progressively harder. Of course if you’re in a running gun fight you’re not aiming hardly ever, point and click.

My sincerest apologies. I'm bowing out of all my PbP games. I'm having to deal will a serious personal situation at home. I have no idea when or if it will get resolved.

You take care of family and yourself first, that's what's most important.