STEP ONE:

Character Concept:
To create a character, start with a 2-3 word Concept in keeping with the world of The Hobbit. Some "standard" concepts are exiled dwarven miner, hobbit burglar, strange wizard, human ranger, wood elf. But you could also be an elf historian, hobbit sheriff, elven swordsmith, dwarven tunnel-fighter, human skin-changer, or any other thing you can dream up (and get the GM to agree to).


STEP TWO:

Toughness and Fate:
Each character begins with 3 points of Toughness and 2 points of Fate. Then, divide 5 more points between the two (so, a total of 10 between them).

Toughness is how many wounds you can take before being taken out of the action. Choose a high Toughness if you plan on being a rugged adventurer.

Fate, whether you think of it as luck, heart, or the path of destiny, is a resource you can call upon in a dire situation. Choose a high Fate if see your character as particularly lucky or magical, whether just innately, or through training, or because of having magical trinkets.

During your adventures you will lose Toughness from taking wounds (which can happen when you fail a roll) and spend Fate to get out of sticky situations or do magical things. If your Toughness falls to 0, you are Incapacitated until you can get healed or rest up. If you take more wounds while Incapacitated, you die (unless it involves magic or poison, in which case you might hang on long enough to get you to a Haven where you can be healed magically).

After a long rest in a safe place, a Haven, your Toughness and Fate return to their
starting values. You may also regain points of Toughness and Fate when you Take Courage! You may never go above your starting T/F numbers, but you may increase these numbers through Advancement.


STEP THREE:

Traits and Skills:
Choose two Traits (in bold) and three Skills (total) from the lists that follow each of your Traits. (See the example, below.)

--Rhyming: singing, playing an instrument, reciting poetry, telling stories
--Riddling: using logic, solving puzzles, outwitting someone, reading runes, and speaking languages
--Fighting: up-close combat with weapons, weaponless brawling, feats of strength
--Foraging: surviving (in the wild), healing, herbalism, tracking, shooting (incl. using thrown weapons), guiding, scouting
--Sneaking: dodging, escaping bonds, hiding, concealing something, moving quietly
--Crafting: forging, repairing, building, appraising
--Carousing: drinking, cooking & eating, charming, haggling
--Magic: crafting/lighting pyrotechnics, taking an animal form, healing with magic, animal kinship/speech, etc. (You may create new ones with the GM.)

Magic always requires 1 Fate to use each time, aside from any spent on bonus dice. Also, you can't do Magic without using the Magic Trait.




Weapons and Armor:
--A shield will allow a character to ignore the first hit they receive in each combat.

Armor will allow them to ignore one more.

A Mithril shirt, if you ever get one, will allow you to ignore the first two hits you receive in combat.

Armor, though, will cost you a die on rolls for dodging and moving quietly.

And a shield will mean you can't have both hands free... You may OWN a shield and a bow, but you can't use a shield and a bow in the same combat.

And, of course, weapons and/or armor may sometimes cost you at least one die on rolls toward charming people into thinking your intentions are entirely peaceful...


So,
STEP FOUR:

--Gear: It's presumed that EACH PC will start adventuring with the basics of what you need:
----clothes, AND 1 change of clothes OR 1 item of armor, if you want it
----2 non-magical weapons of your choice (and ammo, if needed) OR 1 non-magical weapon (and ammo, if needed) and 1 shield, if you prefer
----a big backpack, including bedroll for camping
----won't-spoil-soon types of food and water to last for many days
----Supplies (coins to buy stuff, in other words)
----and 3 uses of Adventuring Gear. When you need something specific-- rope, a crowbar, a piece of flint for starting a fire-- just mark off one of your three uses of Adventuring Gear, and say "I pull a length of sturdy rope from my pack." You can get more Adventuring Gear (up to 3 again) at any Haven.



Finally:

STEP FIVE: MOTIVATION:

WHY does this character adventure?

* Protection: Adventuring will help keep the world safer for a place, or a person-- or a fellow PC.

* Atonement: The PC did a serious wrong once, and adventuring will help them assuage their guilt by giving back.

* Vocation: PC can't see themself as a farmer or a blacksmith or any mundane job. PC is good at going to dangerous places and fighting/surviving, and that's about it. Or so they think, anyway

* Fate/Destiny (Ex: dreams/visions told them to do so)

* Fame 

* Fortune-- wants treasure! Maybe for a comfortable retirement?

* Proving worth-- to self, or others

* Duty/Justice/Vow

* Knowledge/Discovery

* Adventure (needs the rush of adrenaline?)

* Revenge (Ex: A giant spider killed your father, now it (and maybe all other giant spiders) must die)





Sample Character:
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Forzo Dunfield, Hobbit Sheriff      Toughness 6 / Fate 4
--Carousing: drinking
--Foraging: scouting, shooting

Gear:
----clothes, AND 1 change of clothes
----Dagger, and bow (with arrows)
----a big backpack, including bedroll for camping
----won't-spoil-soon types of food and water to last for many days
----Supplies (coins to buy stuff, in other words)
----and 3 uses of Adventuring Gear (see below about Gear).

Motivation: Knowledge/Discovery//Adventure
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This message was last edited by the GM at 23:24, Fri 10 Feb 2023.