1. Choose an archetype.
2. Choose an age.
3. Choose a name.
4. Distribute Attribute Points according to your age.
5. Distribute points to skills and Resources according to your age.
6. Choose a talent.
7. Choose a motivation.
8. Choose a trauma.
9. Choose a dark secret.
10. Choose equipment.
11. Roll for mementos.
PERSONALITY
You build your player character based on decisions about their background and personality. These become the foundation of your character; as the game progresses you will get an increasingly clear picture of who your character really is.
ARCHETYPE
The first thing to do is choose an archetype. Your archetype is a basis for creating the player character, and specifies a number of choices that need to be made. Your choices become a skeleton from which a character of flesh and blood may emerge. The archetype also says something about what you are good at. There are ten archetypes to choose from, all of them described at the end of this chapter. There should not be more than one player character of the same archetype in the group.
AGE
The next step is to decide the character’s age. There are three age groups in the game: young, middle-aged, and old. Pick one, and note your choice on the character sheet. Your age will affect your attributes and skills.
NAME
Choose one of the names suggested under your archetype, or make up your own.
MOTIVATION
Your Motivation explains why you are willing to risk your own life to track down and fight vaesen. It helps you play your character. Pick one of those suggested for your archetype, or come up with one yourself.
TRAUMA
Your Trauma is the event that gave you the Sight. It could be an incident from your childhood or
something more recent, but usually it has some connection to the supernatural. A Trauma can be
physical or mental - perhaps you witnessed something terrible, or were involved in an accident.
DARK SECRET
Your Dark Secret is a problem you are ashamed of and therefore keep to yourself. It may be linked to your Trauma or concern something completely different, but either way it will actively affect the game - it makes things difficult for you, in Upsala as well as on your travels. Perhaps you are hounded by government agents, hiding your alcoholism, suffering from delusions, or maybe there is something in your family that no one must know about. It is the Gamemaster’s job to make sure that your Dark Secret comes into focus in your stories. Incorporating the secret into the game makes the mysteries more fun - even if it may cause trouble for your player character. Should your Dark Secret be resolved, or if you are getting bored with it, you should replace it with something else.
CHARACTERISTICS
Attributes, skills, and talents indicate what your player character is (or is not) good at, and they affect the die rolls you will make as conflicts and exciting or dangerous situations arise in the game.
ATTRIBUTES
There are four attributes which together indicate what you are more or less good at: Physique, Precision, Logic, and Empathy. Each attribute has a value between 2 and 5 which determines the number of dice you roll when attempting things that depend on the attribute in question. You may distribute points according to your age between your attributes. The minimum value is 2 and the maximum is 4, except for the main attribute of your chosen archetype, which has a max value of 5.
PHYSIQUE
Physique is a measure of how big and strong you are. It is the ability to take and deliver a beating. It determines things like how long you can go without food or rest, and how easily you can lift a fallen tree trunk.
PRECISION
Precision is a measure of your coordination and motor skills.
LOGIC
Logic is your intellectual capacity, which you use to solve problems. Logic also measures how well - educated you are, and can help you tackle certain scary situations.
EMPATHY
Empathy represents your ability to understand other people, and to persuade, charm, or trick
them. Empathy can also help you tackle certain scary situations.
SKILLS
AGILITY (Physique)
CLOSE COMBAT (Physique)
FORCE (Physique)
MEDICINE (Precision)
RANGED COMBAT (Precision)
STEALTH (Precision)
INVESTIGATION (Logic)
LEARNING (Logic)
VIGILANCE (Logic)
INSPIRATION (Empathy)
MANIPULATION (Empathy)
OBSERVATION (Empathy)
SKILLS
Skills represent acquired knowledge, training, and experience. There are twelve skills, all of them described in the Skills Wiki. Each skill has a value between 0 and 5. The value determines the number of dice you add to your attribute when attempting something difficult or dangerous. You may spend a number of points determined by your age. At the start of the game you cannot have more than 2 in any skill, except for the main skill of your chosen archetype, which you may spend 3 points on. Solving mysteries grants you Experience Points which you can use to improve your skills.
TALENTS
Talents are tricks, traits, and abilities that can benefit you in various situations. They affect your die rolls, or give you access to powers or resources. Talents are described in the Talents Wiki. Your archetype offers three starting talents to choose from when creating your player character. As you play and gain experience points you can get more talents. You may then choose freely among them, including talents from other archetypes.
RESOURCES
Your Resources value indicates how much capital you have at your disposal. A higher value means that you enjoy a nicer home and lifestyle, and have easier access to things you need. The table on the next page shows the meaning of different values. In-game events that affect your living standard will change the value. Normally you start out with the lower value for your archetype. However, this can be raised by spending skill points - each point raises Resources by one step, although your starting value cannot exceed what is indicated in the archetype. Resources can only be raised with skill points before you start playing; once the game has begun you can only increase Resources
by purchasing specific talents.
RESOURCES LIST
1 DESTITUTE.
You are completely dependent on others for your survival. Every day is a struggle for food and you have few, if any, belongings. This may have caused you to contract diseases, starve, or turn to drugs or alcohol for relief.
2 POOR.
You live very simply. Most days there is food on the table, but far too little. If you have children, they are forced to live in squalor. You might own a change of clothes and a few possessions. Loss of income would be disastrous for you and your family.
3 STRUGGLING.
You have a humble home and a fixed income. You have no money for savings, but you can dress your family for special occasions and your children have some access to education - at least for a few years.
4 FINANCIALLY STABLE.
You own your own home and have a job that provides a steady income. Most likely you have some money stashed away. Occasionally you may treat yourself to some sweets, a trip, or a beautiful object. In times of crisis there are people to lend you money.
5 MIDDLE-CLASS.
You own a home and a business. You may have one or several employees and know how to invest for the future. You have savings and access to loans. You and your family are living well.
6 WELL-OFF.
You have a big house or apartment. You probably have multiple sources of income and several employees. You do not think of money as a scarce resource, but as a game to increase your capital and influence. You keep fine company and have little contact with the poor. Your family can go on vacations and you can afford all the latest innovations.
7 WEALTHY.
You have large amounts of inherited money and real estate. You probably own multiple properties, keep lots of servants, and have many sources of income. There are few things you cannot afford. You are well-connected with the city’s and country’s elite, and on good terms with senior officials, politicians, and nobles. The only time you see any poor people is through your carriage window.
8 FILTHY RICH.
You are one of the richest people in the country and have direct contact with its rulers. You own one or several castles or mansions. There is no expense too great. You can treat yourself to lavish extravagance without ever worrying about the cost.
EQUIPMENT AND MEMENTOS
Your archetype specifies what equipment you start with. You get to chose one from listed under your Archetype. In addition to your regular equipment you get a memento that will help you play and portray your character. Roll on the table for mementos or decide for yourself what items you have. You can use your memento to heal a Condition by interacting with it. Explain how you use the item in question. The Gamemaster has the final say. Your memento is part of your character - feel free to weave it into your personality or background. It can be broken or lost during a mystery, but by spending one experience point you can have it returned or repaired in time for the next mystery. You may also choose a new one, but in that case you must first play a full mystery without a memento.
MEMENTOS
Roll two six-sided dice. The first one represents tens and the other ones. You can use your memento to heal a Condition by interacting with it. Explain how you use the item in question.
Your memento is part of your character, feel free to weave it into your personality or background. It can be broken or lost during a mystery. You may also choose a new one, but in that case you must first play a full mystery without a memento.
