Table of Contents

Character Creation

There are four key sets of mechanics used to define your character

Attributes. You have 6 attributes. Follow the instructions below to assign values to them.

Background. This is a section used to define your character’s past and how it influences your options as a player. Your background doesn’t change as you level.

Ancestry defines your options based on inherited traits common. While at their core, people tend to be more alike than different, your ancestry provides unique advantages. Lineages are further defined by branches, which represent variance within the lineage peoples.

Archetype defines your character’s path for development throughout the story. As you level up, your archetype provides you new features you can leverage in play. Archetype is further defined by a specialization that gives you additional features and options.

Attributes

  • Dexterity. How nimble are you? You roll Dexterity when demonstrating agility or fine motor skills.
  • Vigor. How strong and tough are you? You roll Vigor when attempting a feat of strength
  • Brilliance. How smart and knowledgeable are you? You roll Brilliance when things require clear thought or recollection.
  • Instinct. How sharp is your intuition? You roll Instinct to notice or react suddenly.
  • Presence.
  • Resilience.

Background

Anatomy of a Background

Attribute Bonuses. Your background allows you to increase two attribute scores by +1 each.

Skill & Tool Proficiencies. Challenges using these skills or tools are rolled with proficiency.

Skill & Tool Expertise. Challenges with this skill or tool is rolled with expertise.

Feat. Your background provides you access to a feat.

Lineage

The four worlds are filled with fantastical creatures and peoples who have been shaped through evolution, interplanar influences, and risky magical practices. When you select an ancestry, you also select a lineage that further defines you and your ancestors.

Anatomy of a Lineage

Creature Type

While there are a myriad of creature types throughout the four worlds, most players will be one of two types of creature. Players are generally classified as Sapient versions of their creature type. In the four worlds, this means that they have a soul with three components.

  • Sapient Homid. Homids are descendant from homidians, a species of intelligent beasts with various amounts of hair and no tail. Their descendants include humans, elves, gnomes, and orcs.
  • Sapient Drakid. Drakids are descendant from drakonids, a species of upright wyrm distantly related to dragons and tend to have some natural connection to a mundane element. Drakonids and their drakid descendants tend to have scales and tails, though neither is universal. Their descendants include kobolds, salamanders, and (surprisingly) dwarves.

Legacy

Most ancestries defined by some level of supernatural influence. Those who aren’t have the Natural legacy.

  • Celestial. Divine beings shaped your ancestors. You are resistant to radiant damage and find it easy to influence people. When you fail a Presence skill challenge or saving throw, it is easier for you to roll with determination.
  • Elemental. With an elemental legacy, you are resistant to toxic damage and have advantage on saving throws to avoid being poisoned, petrified, or transformed.
  • Fae. Your ancestors were shaped by contact with beings from the now-ruined faewylds. With a fae legacy, you have resistance to psychic damage and can bend luck by rerolling some wyld dice.
  • Fell. Influenced by the lower planes. With a fell legacy, you are gifted with unnatural dark vision and are resistant to caustic damage.
  • Natural. Lacking a supernatural edge, your ancestors managed to survive through great efforts. When you expend a will point to roll with determination, you use a d8 rather than a d6.

Size

While creatures come in a vast array of sizes, players will generally be Small, Medium, or Tall. Exceptionally rare individuals can be one size larger or smaller than the majority of their kin. Choosing to play an unusually-sized character does not allow you to be tiny or large.

  • Small. A small creature’s height does not exceed one meter.
  • Medium. A medium creature’s height exceeds one meter, but not two,
  • Tall. A tall creature’s height exceeds two meters, but not three.

Special Traits

Every lineage and branch has at least one trait that sets them apart from the other peoples of the material planes. These are often unique abilities and traits such as wings or the capacity to rest without sleeping.

Background Options

Background options allow you to play a more typical member of that lineage or branch.