squid PC Creation Thread

Please review the Principles for Players on page 5 of the Cairn 2e Player’s Guide, then proceed to character generation on page 8. That is, work through Background, Name, Inventory, Attributes, Hit Protection, Traits, Bonds, and Age. If you end up being the youngest PC, determine an Omen as well.

Alright, let's see what I end up with here.

Background: Greenwise - You delve deep into the Wood, prying its secrets from between rough boughs and whispering leaves. To this verdant kingdom, you are no mere scholar but its confidant as well.

Attributes: Str 8, Dex 12, Will 15, HP 3

Traits: 24 years old, towering, marked skin, wispy hair, perfect face, stutters, livery (uniform) clothing, honorable but vengeful.

Bond: You found a wounded beast in the forest but chose to ignore it. You see it everywhere now, but only when you’re alone. It looks sad but not angry. You cannot become panicked when acting alone.

Omen: The songbirds of the Wood have fallen eerily silent as of late. Hunters claim that a spectral figure has been spotted wandering the forest, gazing longingly at anyone it encounters.

Ok, a woodsman. The Bond and Omen line up with the background. Let's see what their name is and the background details.

Name: Willow (I'm not feeling that, so I think I'll just pick one from the list). I think I'll go with Rowan.

How has the Wood failed you? You were poisoned, losing your sense of taste and smell. You can now withstand noxious fumes and always carry Antitoxin (2 uses).

What keeps you safe in the Wood? Delphinium - Breathe water for up to one hour. 1 use, but can be divided into fractional doses.

I like how Rowan turned out. Everything lined up pretty well. I'm trying to decide if I should swap STR and DEX for a greenwise character. I'm thinking higher DEX may be better? I'll have to ponder that a little further.

@Harrigan, any thoughts on when we should visit the general store to purchase other stuff? Like armor or another weapon, etc.

Ok, time to wrangle an AI to create an old school styled image for him.

This is Rowan

Dig him. Feel free to ‘visit the general store’ before we start, and the STR / DEX swap is your call. Remember that STR is basically your health — high STR makes you harder to take down. But DEX will help to avoid dangers…

Rowan picked up a shield. I assume that needs to take a hand slot and can't be strapped to his back (body) until needed?

@harrigan Also, regarding STR/DEX/WIL scores. I'm torn. I don't want to Min/Max him, but when reading what the attributes are for, I could see him being a less social and more STR/DEX based. Living/Surviving in the woods would probably result in a lower WIL score? Am I'm reading them wrong?

Shields — occupies a hand slot when being used. Can certainly put it on his body or pack and just keep the hand free, though. I wouldn’t over-think *exactly* where everything is, beyond "you have two hands," and "you can quickly use things in hand or body slots."

There’s no min-maxing in this game — there just aren’t opportunities for it. 8, 10 and 12 are good scores, but none of them are amazing or terrible. Just determine if the PC is stronger than dexterous, faster than willful and mindful, etc.

@harrigan I think I'm going to swap WIL and STR. That will give him a 15 STR and an 8 WIL. I figure a 15 in STR will help him survive critical damage, which he'll likely take due to having very low HP. :)

Ahhhh, I mistook your Background Roll (10) for one of your attribute rolls.

Still -- all good.