The Unseen Servant forums

Character Types:
Grave Diggers
Sheriff - only 1 at a time
Deputy - if the sheriff dies the senior deputy advances to that title
Barber
Preacher
Drifter
Snake Oil Peddler
Undertaker
Barback
Gambler
Miner
Fool

If you want to make something else that would be fine - coordinate with the Guide (DM) to develop the character sheet.

Please consider the following for your character(s):

You are part of a community that is dwindling in size. Create one other survivor out of the 98 to name (2 if other grave diggers) and give your character a connection to them. As characters die, these will become a pool of characters that can be selected from, to connect stories to, and to build a bigger picture of the Casket Lands. This won't mean that you can't generate a new character of your own but you will have some options.

For all characters define one distinctive characteristic about them that other characters may notice at a glance or in interacting with you.

The setting is bleak but characters attach themselves to objects. Each character may have one small trinket they consider valuable, sentimental, powerful, dangerous, etc... (Examples may include a small carving in a piece of wood or rock, a natural object, or a small figurine). Describe the object and the adjective the character ascribes to it.

Character Sheet:

Please list your characters in this format and one character per post. Split the grave diggers into separate posts.

<Character Name>

Distinctive Characteristic:

Trick ( )
Backbone ( )
Smooth ( )
Brawn ( )
Creep ( )

Aspect:

Trinket: <Object Description> - <Adjective>

Weapons:
Items:

Tracking Information

We need to track both water and vitality for each character. I will keep a log of each character, If you also want to keep track in your character sheet as we go or in the bottom of posts, either is fine with me.

There will also be a component of tracking time that relates to drinking your supply of water there will be posts that indicate that all characters must drink and this will reduce the amount in your canteen by 1. Bonus Item:

Each character will also begin with a small bundle of dry white sage so please mark it into your character sheet under items.

The Guide's (DM's) Goal:
I want you to be engaged in the setting and hopefully have some fun with this.

Not every character will survive but the goal is to create some opportunity to be invested in the characters and their relationships to the setting, the community, the desert flora and fauna, or whatever else you dream up.

One last thing for the character creation - please let me know what you think would make this a fun experience for you.

I'm partial to playing the gravediggers. I rolled for the random aspect and have Psychic Bond.

You’ve been together since you were torn out of your mother. There is no bond like
your bond - you share everything. Emotion, pain, and voice.
The two of you speak in one voice - it’s unnerving. When dealing with outsiders you get
-1 TRICk. However, you are able to split vitality and water throughout gameplay.

What do you need from us beyond that to get started?

Hey, how many other players do we currently have? I'm wavering between the fool and the undertaker: the fool, as a kind of Ophelia character; the undertaker, as a creepy old man.

We are presently at a pair of gravediggers and your selection. One player is unavailable until August but may join then.

We are still recruiting if you know anyone in the forums that may be interested. I am also open to running this game with a small number of players if you and Marullus want to get started earlier as just the two of you. Let me know.

I am ready to start one of those now and other people could join into it later if it is still going.

I think both directions sound interesting - feel free to develop both, one to use later.

I'm quite open to it! An undertaker and two gravediggers seems like an unusual and interesting dynamic. However, I can also wait.

Two questions -

Where's guidance on Trinkets?

When dealing with outsiders you get -1 TRICK.

What's the definition of "outsider"?

Trinkets:
These are objects - not in the zine - that I am requesting you create for your characters. They should have some meaning to the character, enough to justify why they carry it around. It will provide everyone a little additional insight into their personality, beliefs, or relationships. Maybe a character received it as a gift and thinks it brings luck; or was a token of affection from another character; or was stolen and thinks it brings them strength; or is an icon of something they have faith in.

I will try to build around the stories you create.

Outsiders:
There are a few inconsistencies in the writing. Let me know if you find other things like this that are confusing.

Outsiders will be defined as characters outside the population of the Casketlands that can be communicated with verbally or non-verbally.