BronzePunk Heroes
Character Creation
If you did not read Aesthetic, do that first. D&D character concepts will not fit. If there were classes in this campaign, they would be Warrior, Priest, Bard and perhaps Merchant. Warriors bear arms. Only priests have knowledge about spells, and only what they can use. Healers are a type of priest. Acolytes are novice priests with limited powers. Bards are entertainer-historians. No player starts as an Elite.
The Fantasy Trip
Start with a 32 point, 20 year old human character. Specify weight and height, or default to phenotypical norm.
Basic personality attributes are bravery, friendliness, greed, honesty, mood. Roll 2d6 or select values 2-12 each. Players may add more personality attributes. These are descriptive rather than prescriptive.
Changes to TFT
- Specify phenotype, or default to Pelasgian.
- Greek
- Adanian
- Pelasgian
- Foreign (Pick from languages below)
- Major languages are Greek, Cyprio-Cretan, Canaanite, Hittite, Egyptian, and Luwian. Minor languages are numerous. Local area indigenous languages are generally called Pelasgian, but are not all the same.
- Area is Mycenaean Greece ~ 1500 BCE.
In order to believably portray 1500 BC, large portions of TFT need to be removed. Much of the equipment and the even economic system are anachronistic. There is no iron or anything based on it. Prisons do not exist, so penalties are brutal. Armor is only worn during warfare (not just combat), so anyone wearing it looks like trouble. Helm or shield are less threatening, but still awkward and conspicuous.
There is no currency; instead, palaces are centers for the redistribution of resources. Interpersonal transactions are bartered. Standards of measure and exchange rates do exist. A cow might be worth ten goats.
Priests replace the TFT wizard class as spellcasters. Common Spells look like implausible coincidences. Casting spells requires priestly talent and probably Mana.
- Nothing iron-related.
- Barter instead of coin.
- Spellcasters are priests, magic is divine.
- Gods are a part of everyday life.
- Society and technology are different from common conceptions of Cidri.
Create Background
Why is your character not at home? Here are some suggestions:
- Exile:
- you murdered a relative or an Elite.
- you figure in a prophecy of the demise of an Elite
- Quest:
- you made a naive promise
- you must rescue an abducted relative
- You were exposed but rescued as a baby, your parents are unknown. Free poor rescued you. You have questions.
Phenotype generally affects social status. Higher status persons tend to have more Greek blood. What were circumstances at home? Regardless, you start with nothing but your wits and weapons. Here are some suggestions:
- Slave
- Free poor: herders, farmers, miners. Own almost nothing.
- Free middle: tradesmen, clerks, merchants. Slightly better off.
Alt - Each player may establish one alternate character by creating a sheet for them. You may also establish a Home, History and Shared History by simply noting them. Post Offline activities in the FB group. Playing Main and Alternate characters are mutually exclusive within a session.
Ward - If you want, you may establish an NPC Ward. A Ward is a less-capable 26pt NPC who can become involved in many ways, frequently in need of help. Wards only have less than half of normal talent points. There is an Appearance roll at the start of each session to sidetrack the player with some urgent circumstance. The benefit is one additional Attribute point. You are responsible for their well-being. If your Ward gets killed, you lose the Attribute point, and a significant amount of Reputation. A player may have no more than one Ward, ever. You can acquire a Ward anytime. Wards do not accumulate experience. May have only one useful talent. Not a warrior, priest, bard or merchant.
Pet - A character may start with a pet. It must be a normal, commonplace 26pt animal (not a mount or draft animal). You start with it trained it to do one unexceptional trick, but it can be further trained as a normal pet. It does not gain experience. It costs one Attribute point. It's with you whenever you want it to be. If it gets killed, it will reincarnate with a successful Appearance roll. Available only at start. After start, you can roleplay acquiring a pet.
Pet or Ward should add color rather than power.
| Aspect | Skills | Notes | Appear | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1 | Ward | low | Your main's 26pt NPC dependent, for whom you fill out a character sheet. | 1/4 |
| -1 | Pet | low | Your unexceptional but loyal pet, for whom you fill out a character sheet. | 1/4 |
Archetypes
Adventurers tend toward three main types with some sub-types. Your Archetype reflects your talent investments.
Warrior
Must have at least one Weapon talent. Spend talent on combat talents. Front rank fighter.
Warriors bear arms and are front rank fighters. They might be mercenaries, guards, bandits or pirates.
Hunter
Must have bow or spear. Spend talent on wilderness talents.
Not usually a front rank fighter.
Priest
Must have Priest talent. Spend talent on Mana and spells. Required for IQ9-13 priestly operations. Requires Cult membership.
Priests cast spells, participate in rituals and further the interests of their cult.
Acolyte
Must have Acolyte talent. Spend talent on Mana and spells. Required for IQ8 priestly operations.
Limited spellcaster who attends to the needs of priests.
High Priest
Must have Theologian talent. Spend talent on Mana and spells. Required for IQ14+ priestly operations. Responsible for a temple.
Warrior Priest
Must have cult weapon talent. Special combat abilities.
They pursue the interests of their cult. Ares Priests bear arms and are front rank fighters. Artemis priests are hunters.
Bard
Must have Bard talent. Buy languages. Required for lesser narration.
Bards learn and tell stories and sing. They seek out situations that make interesting stories. In combat they may Narrate.
Narration is in testing and may get modified. Narration actions come first, before any attacks. May move only 1 hex or less, may not be combined with other actions. Only effective if the bard speaks in a language the target understands.
May additionally function as an historian. Similar to Scholar, with no additional reaction modifier and no literacy requirement.
| Narration | Effect | |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Give +1 DX to one combatant | Give +1 to a comrade's success roll this turn. Cumulative with priestly Accuracy |
| Give -1 DX to one combatant | Make an opponent save 3/IQ against -1 to success roll this turn. Cumulative with priestly Clumsiness |
Master Bard
Must have Master Bard talent. Required for greater narration.
May additionally function as an historian. Similar to Scholar, with no literacy requirement. Reaction modifier +2.
| Narration | Effect | |
|---|---|---|
| Greater | Give +1 DX to one side | Give +1 to all comrade's success roll this turn. Cumulative with priestly Accuracy |
| Give -1 DX to one side | Make an opponent save 4/IQ against -1 to success roll this turn. Cumulative with priestly Clumsiness |
Create Goals
I encourage you to make both achievable and unachievable goals. Here are some examples:
- Short-term Achievable Goals:
- Warrior: simple bloodlust, kill a particular person, gain expertise
- Priest: learn spells
- Bard: meet a particular Hero, or just enjoy attention
- Long-term Achievable Goals:
- Talent Mastery
- Elite status
Goals can be MacGuffins
- Unachievable Goals:
- Warrior: Head of State
- Priest: Head of Cult
- Bard: Know every legend
How might your characters's goals overlap, coincide or conflict with those of the other members of the group?
Marcus Carpenter 2021 All Rights Reserved.It is not my intent to steal anyone's IP. If I used something of yours without permission, please let me know and I will remove or modify it.
Disclaimer: The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the TFT system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.