Character Generation

[Leitz]

Maybe read that book I posted on, if you need ideas. I'm kinda blank there myself.

[atpollard]

Sorry about the delay. I'm trying to figure out what to do with Mercutio's 1,500 CR worth of starting equipment. If he dresses in formal clothing fancier than his SOC class, that's 86 CR. He already has a weapon: the surgical arm, which he got as a mustering-out bonus. I don't think he knows how to use a gun. I assume it wouldn't make sense for him to have a rowboat? So what else could he spend the starting money on? Maybe a lightweight foil that's more for show than usable as a real weapon? Although that probably wouldn't work with his surgical arm.

How about an overcoat with way too many useful pockets?

Hm. I need to think of something suitably steampunkish.

The summer highs are over 100 F and the winter lows are below freezing ... and there is only 20 days between the summer high and winter low. Think layers of clothing.

If you plan on actually using your high skill levels, some sort of tools might be handy.

You are adventuring in the “frontier”. Some sort of firearm (even at -4 penalty) might be useful. A ‘gentleman’ might carry a small derringer as a holdout weapon for emergency self protection.

[atpollard]

Steam-Tech

Umbrella or Cane (Cr 100, 2 lb) plus up to 2 accessories:
1. Secret coin holder (Cr 10) holds 5 coins of any size.
2. Shot Glass (Cr 50) silver with family coat of arms
3. Fishing tackle (Cr 20) hooks, sinkers, floats, spool of cord ... use cane to fish.
4. Measuring stick (Cr 20) brass ruler ... measure or scale maps.
5. Slide rule (Cr 20) brass slide rule for mathematics
6. Tool kit (Cr 50, 1 lb) compass, magnifier, signal mirror, pen knife, corkscrew, mechanical pencil, police whistle, screwdriver.
7. Flask (Cr 20) 3 ounce glass bottle
8. Microscope (Cr 50) a 50x folding microscope
9. Steel Cylinder (Cr 30) a threaded capsule that will protect about 2 cubic inches of contents (like a note or a key)
10. Spyglass (Cr 50) a 3x folding telescope
11. Jackscrew (Cr 50, 2 lb) a threaded metal screw jack with folding side handles that can spread bars or doors (4” closed to 7” open)
12. Pistol (Cr 150, 3 lb) single shot pistol fit into handle
13. Sextant (Cr 50, 1 lb) a folding sextant for navigation
14. Sword-stick (Cr 25, 1 lb) contains a small sword in the cane

Net Scarf (Cr 20, 0.5 lb) appears as a normal knitted scarf until a ribbon is removed from the thread (D6 seconds) transforming the scarf into a 6’ x 6’ net.

[Zhym]

Thanks! I like a lot of those. How about a trick cane (or umbrella) that has both a blade and a detachable handle that’s a one-shot pistol? Could that be a thing?

[Leitz]

Thanks! I like a lot of those. How about a trick cane (or umbrella) that has both a blade and a detachable handle that’s a one-shot pistol? Could that be a thing?

It would be mechanically unstable; couldn't take the forces required for both. Unless, of course, someone with an Int 9, Edu 12, and Mechanical-3 applied themselves to it.

[Monsieur Rose]

Now I'm envisioning Q. Part steam-punk, part spy gadget.

[Zhym]

Inspector Steampunk Gadget!

[Urson]

I'm in, if we decide to ease into some steampunk elements. Josephine is halfway there already.

[atpollard]

Some equipment added to REFERENCE (page 2)

[atpollard]

Inspector Steampunk Gadget!

So are you ready to jump into the game?
Do you have any thoughts or preferences on where or how you would like to start?
(You just need to end up with the others, but I can create those opportunities.)

For starters, there are three "hotels" in town:

• Gwynedd Hotel = most formal (located in Company Town district).
• Grogg and Tankard = most rowdy (located near the bridge between Company Town and Industry Park) ... includes both private rooms and free lodging in a large "flop house" room for drunks to sleep it off.
• Hearthfire Inn = quietest (located in Old Town) family style bed and breakfast type of lodging.

In addition to the hotels for those with money, the passengers that escaped penniless are lodging in the homes of the Fishermen in The Landings.
(Nobility have the option to call on the local Lord for lodging, but that doesn't apply to you.)

Where you board just determines which part of Gwynedd you are starting out in and slightly colors the rumors that you hear around town.

[Zhym]

Just about. I just got back from vacation, so give me a day or so to finalize his equipment list and I’ll be good to go.

Thanks!

[Zhym]

So, about that "day or two..."

I'm really sorry about taking so long. I thought unemployment would leave me lots of free time, but not so much. I'm going to be busy all day tomorrow, so I hope hope I can get this PC finalized by Friday and get to the role-playing.

Thanks for being patient with me.

[Zhym]

What's the overlap between the adventurer's toolkit and the toolkit that could be part of the trick cane/umbrella? I'm thinking that a standalone pistol might make more sense than the pistol in the cane, which means I need something else to put in the cane. A toolkit would make sense, but if the adventurer's toolkit is more comprehensive I'd want that anyway.

Here's what I'm currently thinking, BTW:

Formal clothing well above his station (Gentleman): 86 CR
Sword-stick cane with (pistol? toolkit? jackscrew?) (100 + 25 + 150 = 175 CR)
Box of 100 8mm cartridges: 24 CR (assuming the cane has a pistol and the pistol is 8mm)
Mechanic Tool Set, Advanced: 500 CR
Adventurer's tooklt: 70 (if needed. Duplicates the toolkit in the cane?)
Lamp, Carbide: 60 CR
Net scarf: 20 CR
Shaver, Clockwork: 70 CR, 0.5 lb
Research Journal

That's a total of 1005 CR. If he gets a separate gun, I was thinking either a single-barrel 8mm derringer, premium grade (90 CR) or a small-frame revolver, also premium grade (210CR).

[atpollard]

What's the overlap between the adventurer's toolkit and the toolkit that could be part of the trick cane/umbrella?

A screwdriver.
They are very different sorts of kits. The things one would do with a compass, magnifying glass and mechanical pencil are very different than what one would do with a hammer, wrench and saw.

If he gets a separate gun, I was thinking either a single-barrel 8mm derringer, premium grade (90 CR) or a small-frame revolver, also premium grade (210CR).

Both are excellent choices. The Derringer is a holdout weapon for either a Gentleman or a Gambler. The "snub Revolver" is more the weapon of a Detective, Investigator or Shopkeeper. They were frequently sold as "Banker's Special" for people that needed to handle money.

[Zhym]

Thanks. Here's what I think I'll go with for equipment, then:

Formal clothing well above his station (Gentleman): (86 CR)
  (foppish three-piece suit with frilly shirt)
Top Coat with lots of handy pockets: (?? CR)
Hat, with a coil of thin but strong wire concealed in the lining (?? CR)
Walking Cane, with Sword-Stick and Tool Kit (175 CR)
Derringer, Double Barrel, 12mm, Premium Grade (2d6 damage, 12m range) (180 CR)
12mm Short Cardtridges, Box of 100 (71 CR)
Mechanic Tool Set, Advanced: (500 CR)
Toolkit, Adventurer's (70 CR)
Lamp, Carbide (60 CR)
Shaver, Clockwork (70 CR)
Watch, Climbing (200 CR)
Fob, Key (20 CR)
Net scarf (20 CR)
Research Journal (?? CR)
Fountain Pen and Ink Cartridges (?? CR)

TOTAL: 1452 CR

Would the cost of the other items I added—the top coat, hat, research journal, and fountain pen—fit within the other 48 CR of his starting money? If not, I could switch his gun back to 8mm, which would free up another 107 CR.

I'm picturing Mercutio as a mix of MacGuyver, Doctor Who (mostly the third Doctor), and Artemis Gordon. I stole the idea of a hat with a wire hidden in it from the Wild West wikipedia page ("A thin but strong wire, coiled and fitted in the inner lining of the crown of his hat; the wire had multiple uses, and was even capable of sawing through a steel bar").

[atpollard]

Thanks. Here's what I think I'll go with for equipment, then:

Formal clothing well above his station (Gentleman): (86 CR)
  (foppish three-piece suit with frilly shirt)
Top Coat with lots of handy pockets: (?? CR)
Hat, with a coil of thin but strong wire concealed in the lining (?? CR)
Walking Cane, with Sword-Stick and Tool Kit (175 CR)
Derringer, Double Barrel, 12mm, Premium Grade (2d6 damage, 12m range) (180 CR)
12mm Short Cardtridges, Box of 100 (71 CR)
Mechanic Tool Set, Advanced: (500 CR)
Toolkit, Adventurer's (70 CR)
Lamp, Carbide (60 CR)
Shaver, Clockwork (70 CR)
Watch, Climbing (200 CR)
Fob, Key (20 CR)
Net scarf (20 CR)
Research Journal (?? CR)
Fountain Pen and Ink Cartridges (?? CR)

TOTAL: 1452 CR

Would the cost of the other items I added—the top coat, hat, research journal, and fountain pen—fit within the other 48 CR of his starting money? If not, I could switch his gun back to 8mm, which would free up another 107 CR.

I'm picturing Mercutio as a mix of MacGuyver, Doctor Who (mostly the third Doctor), and Artemis Gordon. I stole the idea of a hat with a wire hidden in it from the Wild West wikipedia page ("A thin but strong wire, coiled and fitted in the inner lining of the crown of his hat; the wire had multiple uses, and was even capable of sawing through a steel bar").

It seems fine. The goal is not to worry about every penny, but to know who starts out with a pair of boots and who starts out with a steamship. Who can throw his knapsack over the shoulder and who needs to hire porters to transport his dozen traveling chests.

[Zhym]

Thanks. I've updated his sheet and he's ready to go. He'd probably stay in the quieter and fancier location if he can, so probably the Gwynedd Hotel.

[sirravd]

Ok, my stats are
[2d6] = 8[2d6] = 6[2d6] = 8[2d6] = 5[2d6] = 4[2d6] = 3
868543.

I'll go with Pirate. How likely am I to survive per term?

[atpollard]

Ok, my stats are
[2d6] = 8[2d6] = 6[2d6] = 8[2d6] = 5[2d6] = 4[2d6] = 3
868543.

I'll go with Pirate. How likely am I to survive per term?

Updated the Pirate Data ...

PIRATE

Survival: 6+, DM +2 if Int 8+

so if you keep your attributes in the order rolled, Int=5 and you need 6 or higher on 2D6 (about a 72% chance of success).

[sirravd]

Mm, actually I'll go with Underworld.
[2d6] = 7
so I enlist successfully
First term: [2d6] = 7
Re-enlist: [2d6] = 3

I'll choose Blade Combat-0 and Bribery-0. Is there anything else I should choose (like Personal Development)?