This game takes a slightly different approach to character generation than most RPGs.

Step 1. Concept
     This isn't an absolute step; it depends on your approach to gaming and to this game in particular. If you know what you want to play, then it's a bit easier to build the character.
     If you don't know what you want to play, or like to see what you get, then you can skip to Step 2.

Step 2. Careers
     At this point, you are probably wondering about Attributes and Scores. They are determined primarily by the Careers you choose.
     You start out with two Careers. Some Careers you can even choose twice. Some Careers have prerequisites. You should check that aspect over carefully when you are making your choices.

     Record the appropriate information onto your character sheet. This will include Attribute Scores, Funds, Talent Pools, and Skills.

Step 3 & 4. Edges & Flaws (Optional)
     Like with other games, these are ways to augment your character's abilities, or give him some interesting character flaws. These are completely optional, though; if you don't want to use them, you don't need to.
     Each Edge and Flaw has a point value based on how serious it is. You can take up to 10 points worth of Edges and Flaws; if you take 5 points of Edges, you need to compensate them with 5 points of Flaws.

Step 5. Skills
     Every Career gives a character 9 ranks in an assortment of skills. You get an additional 10 Character Points to spend on additional skills. Increasing the Ranks in a skill costs CP equal to the new rank you want to gain.

Step 6. Knacks
     Everyone is good at something beyond what he's trained for. That's what Knacks represent. You can choose 2 Knacks for your character.

Step 7. Miscellaneous Stuff
     There are three special Attributes: Social Level, Funds and Mysticism.

Social Level (SOC): This Attribute represents your social standing or social class. It determines the level of society you are used to operating at, and without special training (such as Theatrics), you will lapse into the speech habits, slang, and personal behavior associated with that group. In addition, officials tend to react much better to characters with a high Social Level. Your Career choices will determine your starting SOC, but you do not add the SOC from your two Careers together; rather, you take only the highest.


SOC can be used to modify skill checks whenever your social standing would make a difference. In the Victorian Age, that is eminently likely in regular society, but less so in the savage wilds of Africa or the red sands of Mars.

Funds: To allow the GM to more easily adjust the “real world” cost to something appropriate for her world or her part of the world, this system substitutes Difficulties for the prices of items. Each character thus gets a Funds Attribute, which represents the amount of money the character can get without too much trouble on a regular basis because of work or investments.

     The Funds a character starts with are determined by the Career he chooses. Career Funds, however, are not added together. Instead, you take the higher of the two. This may be adjusted by any modifiers due to Edges or Flaws. The minimum total is 1. The final total becomes the die code in the Funds attribute. This is how much money the character receives per week for whatever sort of work the character does or investments the character has.

     After character creation, a player can increase the Funds attribute by spending Character Points or through bonuses received as adventure rewards.
If the GM prefers to use cash or its equivalent, multiply the Funds total by a value specified by the GM (typically the equivalent of US$150, 150 pounds, or 15,000 yen, but GMs who want more accuracy can use a currency converter).

Mysticism (MYS): This Attribute may not always be used in a GM’s campaign, but when it is, it represents special psychic abilities that you may have. You would only get dice in this Attribute if the GM allows Mystical Careers, or if the GM allows you to buy them with Character Points gained from adventuring.

Fate Points (FP): Characters start with one Fate Point. You spend these points to improve your character’s chance of succeeding in especially difficult situations. Each Fate Point spent adds another die to your Skill Check.

Character Points (CP): Characters start with five Character Points. Starting characters can spend their CPs to permanently improve Attributes or Skills. Your character earns more Character Points and Fate Points by having adventures. There is no limit to the number of Character Points or Fate Points your character may have at any time.


Step 8. Motivations
     In the Space: 1889 setting, there are many reasons for a character to go adventuring. In fact, it was almost expected of people.
     There are two types of motivations: Personal and Group. Personal motivation is what applies to the individual character. Group Motivations are about why the group as a whole is doing it.

Step 9. Equipment
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:03, Fri 04 June 2021.