Blood Red Roses: Characters

Characters
Rules
Revelry

Character Creation
including Skill Use
Character Development
Possible Character Names
Linguistic Map of the Known World
Names by Region
Algundian, Caliphate, Cantons of the Teutonic Knights, Eastern Central League, Fensland & Border, Hellenic, Ivory Kingdoms, Magyr, Northern League, North Eastern League, Phoenician, South Eastern League, Southern Barbarian, Western League, Western Central League, Wildfolk

CHARACTER CREATION
Social status, land of birth, wealth, skill costs, guild membership, hit points, contacts, allies, equipment, natural advantages & disadvantages, skills and talents, character creation example. See also character names

All player characters are created with 100 character points (CPs). During campaigns players will earn experience points (Xps) and be able to use them to buy new skills and abilities for their characters, see below. A character can also have disadvantages. Disadvantages provide extra points for character development. No more than 20CP of disadvantages may be taken.

A character begins with the following:

An ability to speak Algundian
1 hit point in each limb and 1 hit points in the torso
Social status of level 1, (a peasant)
No skills
No wealth
Basic equipment

SOCIAL STATUS
Social status may not seem important to some of you rushing ahead to the combat skills but in the world of Blood Red Roses status is everything. You cant even lift a sword unless you have the right status or belong to the right guild. Penalties for bearing arms without the right can be extremely severe.

LEVEL	COST	NOTES

Level 0 (Slaves)	Counts as a 10-point disadvantage.	The character is the property of someone else and has no rights under law. The character can own nothing and may not possess a weapon or armour. If given such they are the property of the owner.
Level 1 (Peasants: the Bondi class of Algandy)	The Bondi class of Algandy, no cost.	The character is the property of a noble but has rights and privileges protected under law. The character cannot own land and must ask there lords permission to marry, move or train in another profession. The character can own objects and a knife with a blade length less than a foot. No other weapons may be owned.
Level 2 (Freemen)	Costs 10 points	The character may join a guild and may own property. The character is free to travel, to marry or to perform business without a Noble's permission. The character can own objects and a knife with a blade length less than a foot. No other weapons may be owned unless the character is a member of the Mercenaries guild.
Level 3 (Gentry)	The Carl's of Algandy. Costs 20 points	The lowest level of nobility, The character may not join a guild. The character may own land, weapons and armour, he may maintain a heraldic device. He has the right to ask for noble justice rather than common justice. The character has the right to use the titles of Sir or Lady. The character gets one skill at grade 1.
Level 4 (Low Noble)	An Algundian Landsgrave. Cost 50 points	The character may not join a guild. The character may own land, weapons and armour. He has the right to ask for noble justice rather than common justice. The character has the right to use the titles of Landsgrave or Lord. A Landsgrave has Heraldry at grade 2, Stewardship at grade 2 and an art skill at grade 1. They have an income of 5 Librium a year and two contacts amongst the nobility.
Level 5 (Mid Noble)	An Algundian Edda. Cost 60 points	The character may not join a guild. The character may own land, weapons and armour. He has the right to ask for noble justice rather than common justice. The character has the right to use the titles of Edda or Lord. An Edda has Heraldry at grade 2, Stewardship at grade 2, Politics at grade2, and an art skill at grade 1. They have an income of 10 Librium a year and three contacts amongst the nobility.
Level 6 (High Noble)	Algundian Baron. Costs 100 points	To be discussed on a case by case basis with the referee.
Level 7 (Rulerl)	An Algundian Earl. Costs 200 points
Level 8 (High king)	The Archduke. Costs 1000 points

LAND OF BIRTH
Players can choose to have characters from different states of the League. Characters borne and raised in Algandy use the standard 100 CP's for Character creation. Characters from other states create characters with 90 CP's but begin play with a 10 point knowledge package of their home province. Including, basic, history, geography, culture, and contacts.

WEALTH
Wealth in the Duchy is measured in silver coins called Pennies, there are 1000 Pennies to the Librium, literally 1lb in weight of silver. Coins are available in various sizes and amounts, as a base rule 1 penny will feed an adult for one day at basic level. 3 pennies a day will add meat, cheese and ale to the diet.

More recently the value of the silver coin has been raised by the introduction of the copper 'penny'

Silver pennies are now worth 12 pennies and are referred to as sovereigns

Gold pennies are worth 20 Sovereigns and are called crowns

No wealth means no cash at the start of the game.

If you end the game with a large amount of cash above the your initial allotment you will get a point cost reduction on buying the next level of wealth.

Disposable Wealth	Pennies per Game	Sovereigns per Game	Crowns per game	Cost
No income	0	0	0	0CP
500p/year	5	3	0	5CP
1lb/year	11	6	0	10CP
5lb/year	8	14	1	20CP
10lb/year	5	9	3	30CP
20lb/year	10	18	6	40CP
40lb/year	9	17	13	50CP
100lb/year	5	14	34	60CP
200lb/year	10	8	69	70CP

SKILL USE
Skills and talents are an important aspect in defining any character.

No skill list is provided with this set of rules to prevent limiting players during character creation. As such one character could have a skill of metalworking, another might have a skill of smithing, both skills are acceptable and both allow the same tasks. The breadth of the skill should be around the level of the one given as examples below. A skill simply called 'make' is to broad a definition, a skill called 'make chairs' is to narrow a definition.

Examples:

Lore (Geography)
Mining
Law
Heraldry
Craft (brewing)
Lore (History)
Tracking
Lore (Folklore)
Churgeon
Herbalist
Lore (alchemy)

Skills come in five levels of ability, referred to in the system as grades; grade 1 is the lowest level and grade 5 is the highest, representing an almost supernatural talent for the skill.

Grade 1

Represents a basic knowledge of a subject, or skill but limits what the character can do; with a language it represents a knowledge of basic phrases and an ability to count in the other language. Grade 1 in Herbalism would be able to identify the common herbs of his home province but would not know how they need to be prepared, stored or applied medicinally. Grade 1 costs 5CPs.

Grade 2

Represents professional knowledge of the skill and probably training in its use. A character can use the skill to earn a living. A grade 2 in carpentry would allow a character to make simple, functional furniture and equipment, a grade 2 in heraldry would enable a character to identify someone from their home region by device and to know the famous devices of the entire country. Grade 2 costs 10CPs more than grade 1 at 15CPs.

Grade 3

Represents a mastering of a skill; the character can now confidently perform all of the major areas of the skill. At this level a character can begin to teach the skill. A grade 3 in tailoring would allow the creation of costumes fit for the Archduke himself, and would allow knowledge of what the latest fashions are and what is likely to become fashionable soon. Grade 3 in strategy would make the character as knowledgeable as a general, effortlessly controlling troop movements, logistics and giving an idea of the enemies' deployments. Grade 3 costs 15more CP's than grade 2, for a total of 30CPs.

Grade 4

Represents a truly inspired knowledge of a subject or a craft, items manufactured by you are sought out simply because you made them. A knowledge based skill at this level would put you as one of the foremost scholars of the subject in the country if not the entire League.
Someone with a craft skill at this level would be able to become a guild master. Cost for this level is 60 CPs more than grade 3, a total of 90 CPs.

Grade 5

Represents legendary skill, a sword-smith with a skill at this grade would produce weapons rumoured to be magical. An architect would be considered to be inspired by the Goddess, a poet or troubadour would have it said of him that he had sold his soul to Evil, or that the pure notes of his voice could crack stone or make a statue cry. Characters cannot start game at this grade, to get to this grade would require the character to buy a skill up to grade 4 and then make some discovery during the course of play.

To successfully use a skill the character must go through the physical motions of using the skill.

For example; to use Surgery the character should go through the motions of performing an operation, preparing instruments and bandages, the actual action of surgery, followed by stitching up the wound. Another example, a character with tracking as a skill should go through the actions of looking for tracks on the ground, checking for broken vegetation and looking for other signs. Simply standing in woodland and asking the referee what you see will get an answer of 'mud and trees'.

GUILD MEMBERSHIP PACKAGES
Guild membership carries several rewards and comes in four grades, apprentice, journeyman, master and guild master.

Grade	Cost	Notes
Apprentice Level	10CP	Has three craft related skills at grade 1. Has Guild membership. Has the disadvantage of serves a Master (already built into the points cost).
Journeyman Level	25CP	Has one craft related skill at grade 2. Has two craft related skills at grade 1. Has Guild membership. Has the disadvantage of may not settle to practice craft (already built into the cost).
Master Level	50CP	Has one craft related skill at grade 3. Has one craft related skill at grade 2. Has two craft related skills at grade 1. Has two contacts within the same guild. Has Guild membership.
Guild Master Level	130CP	Has one craft related skill at grade 4. Has one craft related skill at grade 3. Has two craft related skills at grade 2. Has politics at grade 1. Has 3 contacts within the guild. Has 1 contact in the noblilty. Has Guild membership.

HIT POINTS
Some people are tougher than others, a character can have more hit points than the basic 1 in each location. 30CP will buy an additional hit point in each location.

This advantage can be taken multiple times at a CP cost of:

Extra help	Cost
1st	30
2nd	40
3rd	50

Note: Each extra hit point must be bought concurrently, eg 30,40,50 so to have 3 extra hit points would cost 120 points.

CONTACTS
A contact is an acquaintance that may be able to supply you with information or assistance. It costs 5CP to have a contact of the same social status as the character or lower. For every level of status higher than you the cost is increased by 5CP's. Please remember that contacts are a two-way relationship, on occasion they may come to you and ask assistance.

ALLIES
Allies are similar to contacts but are more loyal. They are willing to take risks for the character and even endanger there own lives if the situation merits it. It costs 10CP to have an ally of the same social status as the character or lower. For every level of status higher than you the cost is increased by 10CPs. Please remember that allies are a two-way relationship, on occasion they may come to you and ask assistance.

EQUIPMENT
Certain equipment is rare in Algandy and requires character points if your character is to have it in game. Points cost includes acquiring the item, and appropriate training to use and care for it. For example should an untrained person pick up and fire a flintlock he will have to make a bead-bad draw to determine whether he hits, misses or blows his hand off.

Also should you acquire equipment of this kind during play you will get a 2 point reduction on the cost of buying that item, otherwise the acquired equipment is lost by the start of the next game.

Slaves and Bondi may-not purchase equipment as they may not have possessions of their own.

Equipment	Cost
Chain armour	10CP
Plate armour	20CP
Flintlock/Aquabuse	10CP
A saint's relic	10CP
A legendary sword	20CP
Cannon	20CP

Notes:
Plate is an upgrade on chain, and players spending Xps only have to pay the 10point difference.

Any special equipment not listed here that significantly effects the performance of your character must be discussed with the refs and a points cost set.

NATURAL ADVANTAGES
These are the powers that could make a man (or woman) a hero.

Advantage	Cost	Notes
Berserk	20CP	There is Fensmen blood in your veins, or perhaps you simply have a wild streak. The character loses control in combat leaving a trail of destruction behind them, the character ignores all damage for a period of three minutes. If all opponents are killed before the berserk begins to calm down he will attack the nearest perceived threat, a friend, an animal or even an inanimate object if nothing else is available. Once the fit is over all hits will immediately affect the character possibly resulting in death if medical attention is not available
Courage	10CP	The character is less effected by creatures that radiate fear, a creature that radiates fear is treated as having no fear ability. A creature radiates terror is treated as if it radiates fear. This could be because of faith, pure grit or a stunning lack of imagination on the characters part.
Woodsman	15CP	The character never gets lost in the wilderness, they can find food and water and construct simple shelters.
Artist	15CP	The character is naturally creative, the value of any decorative object he makes is increased by 50%.
Mathematician	15CP	The character has an almost unnatural capacity for mathematics, working out complex equations in his head. All skills that are related to mathematics, eg artillery, navigation, can be bought at half cost.
Iron Will	20CP	Possession, hypnotism, or any other form of unnatural persuasion cannot affect the character. This could be due to some kind of mental exercises or just plain stubbornness.
Constitution of an Ox	20CP	The character never gets ill, wounds never become infected, he could walk through a village visited by the Grey plague without any risk.
Stomach of a Boar	20CP	The character can eat anything and not suffer for it. Food could be rancid, mouldy or deliberately poisoned, it doesn't matter the character will suffer no ill effects.
Strength of a Bull	20CP	The character can perform incredible feats of strength twice a day, this could be lifting and throwing an anvil, pushing over a peasant hut or snapping chains. If used in combat this ability double the damage of a single blow per use. This ability can be bought multiple times.

DISADVANTAGES

Disadvantage	Cost	Notes
Bad Reputation	-5CP per group	One group looks upon your character as bad news; a group could be an order of the church, a guild in the whole of Algandy or a town or community. Work out with the referee what you did if the reputation is deserved. Can be taken multiple times.
Blind	-15P	The character is completely blind
Branded	-10CP	Branding is often the punishment for thieves and other such criminals so that wherever they go their nature will be known. Brands are always on the face and are difficult to cover up or hide.
Coward	-5CP	The threat of physical violence terrifies the character. He cannot willingly take any action that endangers him and when confronted by multiple threats must take the least frightening option.
Cursed	-5CP	The character has been cursed by some supernatural means, it could be the evil eye, the fairies or an evil witch. The nature of the curse should be arranged with the referee, extreme curse may be worth 10CP.
Damned	-20CP	The character is an agent of Evil, with no chance of redemption, all of his actions should be aimed at the eventual corruption and damning of those around him. The character begins with one random mutation, (speak to a referee) , and one spell. Please be advised that should the character be detected by a witch hunter then it may be a very short lived character.
Deaf	-10CP	The character is completely deaf.
Debts	Variable	You owe someone money and they are starting to get angry about it. Every 100 pennies owed is worth 1CP, one Librium of silver is worth 10 CP.
Dullard	-10CP	The character does not benefit from formal learning, all academic linked skills cost twice as many CPs to develop.
Enemies	-10CP	Someone intends you harm, this can be taken multiple times, each time it is taken you gain 10CP and you enemy has 100CP added to their creation process.
Feral	-15CP	The character was brought up away from contact with civilisation as the League knows it. Perhaps they were raised by animals, or there family were pagans hiding in the woods, or perhaps the baby is a changeling, stolen from his family and switched by faeries or spirits. The character can speak only pigin English and may have developed no skills that involve instruction, such as reading, astronomy etc. Perfect for primitive characters.
Greed	-5CP	The character is avaricious to the point of stupidity. They are the type of character that knows the gem on the altar is booby trapped but still can resist taking it.
Heretic	-5CP	Your family are heretics, several members of your family have faced the inquisitorial flames for their beliefs. The Characters family name may attract the attention of the Church.
Hunted (minor)	-5CP	-5CP Someone or a small group is looking for you, you could owe them money, or they might have a vendetta against you.
Hunted (major)	-10CP	Your character is wanted, a large bounty is on your head attracting bounty hunters and the attention of law keepers. Plus a certain fame goes with it, the common folk know your name and will help in your capture, so vile are the charges against you.
Lame	-5CP	The character has a permanent injury to his leg, possibly a badly set break. The character walks with a distinct limp and can never run whatever the situation.
Mutant	-5CP	The character rolls once on the mutation table, (speak to a referee). They may be perfectly innocent of Evil but in the eyes of the Church they are a criminal. Can be taken multiple times.
Mute	-10CP	The character can not speak
Oath	-5CP	The character has taken an oath tat somehow restricts his actions, examples are oaths to complete a quest, to always fight a certain enemy. Etc. The repercussions for breaking an Oath or a Vow are often extreme, sometimes resulting in death.
One-eyed	-5CP	The character has lost an eye, depth perception is impaired.
One-handed	-5CP	The character is missing a hand.
Ravaged	-5CP	The character has survived the plague, either the grey plague, the rot or the Archdukes Evil, (an unpleasant form of the pox). Though you survived the disease has left you scarred, on the plus side you are now immune to the chosen disease.
Reckless	-5CP	The character is brave to the point of foolhardiness, no matter how big and nasty something is the character will not run. In any situation with an element of danger the character must in a foolishly courageous manner.
Rival	-5CP	Your character has a rival, it could be another merchant in the same trade as the character, or another knight striving to become more popular than the character at court. It could be a friendly rivalry but probably isn't.
Revenge	-5CP	-5CP Someone has persecuted your character or his family and loved ones. You must try to do that person harm at every opportunity.
Secret (minor)	-5CP	The character has a secret that should it be revealed will cause them public disapproval and possibly lead to their arrest.
Secret (Major)	-10CP	The secret is so bad that should it be revealed the character is a dead man, hunted throughout Algandy and the League.
Servant	-5CP	Characters with this disadvantage are in debt to another or are paid servants. They must obey the instructions of their master or risk punishment.
Slave	-10CP	The character is the property of another with no rights or conditions of treatment under law.
Tainted	-10CP	The call of Evil is strong in the characters veins, if he dies he will likely rise as one of the lost. The Church and their agents make the character uncomfortable, the character is subject to bad dreams and strange visions.
Temper	-5CP	The character has a hot temper and will react to provocation or baiting.
Unlucky	-10CP	The character knows that the scales of probability are tipped against him. Any action with an element of chance involved is more likely to go against the characters wishes.
Vendetta	-10CP	An NPC at least two social levels above you has done you wrong, you character is driven to exact justice at every opportunity.
Vow	-10CP	A more serious version of the Oath, all vows are very restrictive, example are vows of silence, vows of poverty, vows of chastity, etc. The repercussions for breaking an Oath or a Vow are often extreme, sometimes resulting in death.

SKILLS AND TALENTS

Skills and talents are an important aspect in defining any character.

No skill list is provided with this set of rules to prevent limiting players during character creation. As such one character could have a skill of metalworking, another might have a skill of smithing, both skills are acceptable and both allow the same tasks. The breadth of the skill should be around the level of the one given as examples below. A skill simply called 'make' is too broad a definition, a skill called 'make chairs' is to narrow a definition.

Examples:

Lore (Geography)
Mining
Law
Heraldry
Craft (brewing)
Lore (History)
Tracking
Play (lute)
Lore (Folklore)
Churgeon
Herbalist
Lore (alchemy)

Skills come in five level of ability, referred to in the system as grades; grade 1 is the lowest level and grade 5 is the highest, representing an almost supernatural talent for the skill.

Grade One	Represents a basic knowledge of a subject, or skill but limits what the character can do; with a language it represents a knowledge of basic phrases and an ability to count in the other language. Grade 1 in Herbalism would be able to identify the common herbs of his home province but would not know how they need to be prepared, stored or applied medicinally. Grade 1 costs 5CPs.
Grade Two	Represents professional knowledge of the skill and probably training in its use. A character can use the skill to earn a living. A grade 2 in carpentry would allow a character to make simple, functional furniture and equipment, a grade 2 in heraldry would enable a character to identify someone from their home region by device and to know the famous devices of the entire country. Grade 2 costs 10CPs more than grade 1 at 15CPs.
Grade Three	Represents a mastering of a skill; the character can now confidently perform all of the major areas of the skill. At this level a character can begin to teach the skill. A grade 3 in tailoring would allow the creation of costumes fit for the Archduke himself, and would allow knowledge of what the latest fashions are and what is likely to become fashionable soon. Grade 3 in strategy would make the character as knowledgeable as a general, effortlessly controlling troop movements, logistics and giving an idea of the enemies' deployments. Grade 3 costs 15more CP's than grade 2, for a total of 30CPs.
Grade Four	Represents a truly inspired knowledge of a subject or a craft, items manufactured by you are sought out simply because you made them. A knowledge based skill at this level would put you as one of the foremost scholars of the subject in the country if not the entire League. Someone with a craft skill at this level would be able to become a guild master. Cost for this level is 60 CPs more than grade 3, a total of 90 CPs.
Grade Five	Represents legendary skill, a sword-smith with a skill at this grade would produce weapons rumoured to be magical. An architect would be considered to be inspired by the Goddess, a poet or troubadour would have it said of him that he had sold his soul to Evil, or that the pure notes of his voice could crack stone or make a statue cry. Characters cannot start game at this grade, to get to this grade would require the character to buy a skill up to grade 4 and then make some discovery during the course of play.

To successfully use a skill the character must go through the physical motions of using the skill.

For example; to use Churgery (surgery) the character should go through the motions of performing an operation, preparing instruments and bandages, the actual action of surgery, followed by stitching up the wound. Another example, a character with tracking as a skill should go through the actions of looking for tracks on the ground, checking for broken vegetation and looking for other signs. Simply standing in woodland and asking the referee what you see will get an answer of 'mud and trees'.

CHARACTER CREATION EXAMPLE

Sergeant Peter Miller
Algandy native, Journeyman member of the Guild of Mercenaries, Arquabusier

	Attribute/Skill	Cost
	Freeman Social Status	10CP
	Income 5lb/year	20CP
	Journeyman	25CP
	Possession (Arquabuse)	10CP
	Ally (Freeman)	10CP
	Strength of a Bull	20CP
	Strategy 2	15CP
	Artillery 1	5CP
	Etiquette 1	5CP
	Craft: Miller 1	Free (part of Journeyman)
	Legedemain 2	Free (part of Journeyman)
	Tracking 1	Free (part of Journeyman)
	Lame	-5CP
	Enemies	-10CP
	Oath	-5CP

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Each event will have a set minimum number of experience points per character attending, further experience points will be awarded based on cunning planning, outstanding bravery, and depth of character portrayal.

Each player also gets an extra 10Xp award after their first event. This is a one time bonus to allow for those little changes you might want to make in your first character after you first play.

Experience points can be used as CP to increase skills and abilities.

Skills can be developed as long as the character already has the skill and is simply improving it, learning a new skill requires the assistance of a tutor and a little role-play.

Other sections of the character creation rules can be bought using experience points, but they require approval from the referee and an explanation in game why a character has just developed an immunity to poison or more income.

Disadvantages can also be 'bought off' with Xp on a one for one basis.

Speak to the Refs about this before you spend points.

Advantages and Disadvantages gained during play neither gain nor cost you Xp. For example you may loose an arm but you might gain a valuable artefact.

NOTE: Any changes in your character will require you to resubmit your character sheet to the Refs.

For more information on the system's rules, click here

Possible Character Names
Linguistic Map of the Known World
Names by Region
Algundian, Caliphate, Cantons of the Teutonic Knights, Eastern Central League, Fensland & Border, Hellenic, Ivory Kingdoms, Magyr, Northern League, North Eastern League, Phoenician, South Eastern League, Southern Barbarian, Western League, Western Central League, Wildfolk

Characters
Rules
Revelry