Everyone gets at least 2 Traits and 3 Skills


--Thinking:
--using logic
--solving puzzles
--outwitting someone
--reading runes
--speaking languages

--Fighting:
--up-close combat with weapons,
--weaponless brawling,
--feats of strength

--Foraging:
--surviving (in the wild),
--medicine,
--tracking,
--archery (incl. using thrown weapons, but not firearms),
--rope use (including lassoing),
--using firearms,
--guiding,
--scouting,
--riding (includes driving a carriage or wagon)

--Sneaking:
--dodging,
--escaping bonds,
--hiding,
--concealing something,
--moving quietly

--Crafting:
--forging (doesn't include guns/ammo),
--repairing,
--building,
--appraising,
--gunsmithing (includes ammo)

--Carousing:
--drinking,
--cooking,
--charming,
--haggling,
--making music,
--telling stories,
--gambling

--Magic:
--Elemental Bullet (Magic) (fire=burn, ice=freeze, lightning=shock, air=knockdown, etc.)
--Piercing Bullet (Magic) (ignores armor AND can ignore cover)
--Blur (Magic): (+1 Armor but can make you drop your gun)
--Heal Wounds (Divine Magic)
--Turn Undead (Divine Magic)
--Sanctify Ground/Water (Divine Magic)
--Animal Link (Druidic Magic)
 (You may create new ones with the GM.)



"Before I came west of the Great River, I was:"
--"a fighter!" You get 1 extra hp and 1 combat skill for free
--"a mage!" You get 1 extra FATE point and 1 Magic skill for free
--"a cleric!" You get 1 extra FATE point and1 Divine Magic skill for free
--"a paladin!" You get 1 extra hp and 1 combat skill for free OR You get 1 extra FATE point and 1 Divine Magic skill for free
--"a thief/rogue!" You get one extra FATE point AND you get one Sneaking skill for free
--"a bard!" You get one extra FATE point AND you get 1 Carousing skill for free
--"a druid!" You get one extra FATE point AND YOU get the Animal Link skill for free


BACKGROUNDS:

Fighters (You get 1 extra hp and 1 combat skill for free):

Bounty Hunter: You get hired to hunt down outlaws. You prefer not to deal with actual monsters... though sometimes you have to if your bounty dies and comes back from the dead.

Deserter from The Company: For whatever reason, you used to work for the company in some fighting capacity (probably a guard), but for reasons of your own (probably you realized The Company is kinda evil and the main thing getting humans cursed?), you've quit. But that's serious, because it means you're basically a runaway indentured servant. So now you're kind of a drifter, hoping no one from the Company realizes who you are and that you're in breach of contract...

Outlaw: You live outside the law. There may or may not be any warrants for your arrest yet, but you basically take what you want out of life, and you don't always respect the laws of towns, The Company, nor social convention.

Lawman (includes Deputies): It's your job to enforce the law... and to protect humans from the monsters The Curse sends...

Soldier for The Company: You work as a fighter for The Company.

Elite Company Troubleshooter: When The Company needs a special job done (almost always monsters/undead), they send you.

Cowboy: You don't want no trouble-- it's just your job to move the dogies (cattle) from one place to another, whether that's so they can graze, or to deliver 'em to market... But your gun'll keep the dogies and yourself safe from irritated tribes who say you're grazing on their grass... or from monsters looking for an easy meal... (You can get the rope use (including lassoing) skill for free, OR the Riding skill for free, OR the using firearms skill for free. You can HAVE both, but you only get 1 for free.)

Gunslinger: You're just a gunslinger lookin' t' make a name for himself or herself... and occasionally get paid for something now and then...

Guard (bank, wagon train, bodyguard, etc.): You don't work for The Company, but you're not a lawman, either-- you're just a private guard that rich men pay to keep their stuff (or themselves) safe.

Elite Church monster hunter: When The Church needs a special job done (almost always monsters/undead), they send you. (Note: you do not get to start with any Magic Trait/Skill, but you can pick up the Divine Magic skills as you level up if you wish.)



Frontiersmen (includes Frontierswomen, or Frontierspersons) (CHOOSING ONE OF THESE BACKGROUNDS GETS YOU AN EXTRA FREE <b>NON-COMBAT SKILL):</b>

Prospector: There's gold in them thar hills! And silver! And iron! And even copper-- the New World needs lots of copper for their newfangled "teleographs," or whatever they're called! You can make a fortune out here! ...If you can stay alive...

Dancehall Gal: You're just an entertainer, really... but when the audience tips in gold nuggets, why would you ever leave? If any outlaws or monsters come for you, well, you've got a derringer they'll get the business end of...

Scout: It's not your job to fight... it's your job to go see what's over the next hill, and come back and report about it, without ever getting caught. If what's over the next hill is a band of outlaws or a monster or a horrible army of the undead, that's not your problem... as long as you never get caught...

Journalist: The people have a right to know... everything. And you're gonna be the person who lets them know, and I mean the real truth, about everything... even though some people want to shut you up...

Tribal liason agent (liason to one or more Thunderheart tribes): It's your job to try to keep the tribes peaceful, but it gets harder every week, what with human outlaws intruding on their territory and The Company stomping all over what's always been their land and resources...

Grifter/Snake-Oil Salesman: There's so much money changing hands, you hardly know where to look. Now to get it into your hands.

Gambler: You make your living at games of chance... but you've got a weapon ready in case of trouble, too...

--Dude: You're from the New World, but from east of the Great River, so to the locals, you're "from back east." They make fun of you, say you can't ride, say you're a "greenhorn." But you've got a reason for being here, just like they do... and you're not leaving until you get good and ready... maybe you're never going back...

Express Post Rider: It's your job to deliver the mail, no matter how risky a job that is. So how is it that you keep getting roped into extra problems?

Merchant: You're just here to make money. Doing it here on the Frontier means it's danger money. But hey, danger money is big money.


Magic Folks (You get 1 Magic skill for free):

--Arcane Gunslinger: What the hell kind of land is this, where you need a gun to do magic spells? What is this Curse that's warping this land? Well, if that's the only way to cast spells here, so be it...


Holy Folks (You get 1 Divine Magic skill for free):

Preacher: There are souls to be saved, and you're the one to do it.

Circuit Rider: It's your job, whether because the church has assigned it to you, or because you've chosen it for yourself, to ride from place to place, offering divine comfort to those who live too far from a sizable town to otherwise worship with a man of the cloth. But it's dangerous--now more than ever...


Thunderhearts:

Thunderheart Chief: You are the leader of your own sub-tribe of Thunderhearts, who's currently traveling alone on tribal business... (You get 1 extra HP OR 1 extra FATE point for free, and 1 Thunderheart move for free)

Thunderheart Warrior: You are a tribal warrior, pursuing your own agenda... (You get 1 extra hp for free, and 1 Thunderheart move for free)

Thunderheart Shaman: The newcomers have badly lost their way, and they'll drag the tribes along with them if you don't fight it... (You get 1 Thunderheart move for free, and you get 1 Divine Magic Skill for free)



Thunderhearts: Anthropomorphic people with animal heads, often tails and other features.
--Possums: Often nocturnal. Don't like to fight, but're good at it-- very dangerous when cornered. (POSSUM MOVE: +1 die (even if it's over 3) to combat fighting in tight spaces (smaller than 6 feet))
--Bears: Often slow, but strong and tough. Ride only the biggest horses. (BEAR MOVE: +1 die (even if it's over 3) to brawling because they're good bear-handed)
--Alligators: Most have good senses of humor. Slow, but good fighters. Either like humans, or hate 'em. (ALLIGATOR MOVE: +1 Natural Armor, +1 die (even if it's over 3) to Bite.)
--Armadillos: Most only fight when they must, but they're hard to put down... (ALLIGATOR MOVE: +2 Natural Armor, Never Unarmed (Claws), +1 die (even if over 3) to surviving (in the wild) when Digging/Burrowing.)
--Snakes: Some have a big snake tail instead of legs. Often more greedy than most tribes... some exhibit hoarder behavior. Some specialize in hunting supernatural threats. (SNAKE MOVE: Rapid Strike. +1 die to hit if they did nothing in the previous round of combat. Snake Thunderhearts with rattles on their tails must specifically rattle on the previous round.)
--Jackrabbits: Often get along well with humans, but when they don't, they really don't. Some hold grudges hard... (JACKRABBIT MOVES: +1 die to scouting as a result of Hearing Things, and also: Leap To Attack: During combat, can Leap to attack. +1 die to hit (max of 3, though).)
--Porcupines: Often peaceful, yet tend to be territorial. Hard to earn their trust... (PORCUPINE MOVE: QUILLS: Anyone successfully attacking a Porcupine up close takes 1 Hit, too.)
--Buffalo: Often peaceful, but get offended easily. More religious-minded than a lot of tribes... (BUFFALO MOVE: Charge: get +1 die to charge and attack with their horns in combat.)
--Coyotes: Practical jokers. Devious. Get along well with humans... (COYOTE MOVE: Start with charming or telling stories for free)
--Owls: Spooky. Secretive. Tend not to say much unless the situation demands it... though there are exceptions. (OWL MOVE: FLIGHT: Owls do 1 extra hit during combat if they attack while airborne, but they can't remain airborne for two rounds in a row, because it tires them.)
--Ravens: Very serious. Almost as religious as Buffalo. Don't take crap from anyone. (RAVEN MOVE: Ravens start with the hiding skill for free.)




Choose 2 from below:
__ two pistols, one for each hip (Comes loaded, with 3 extra ammo)
__ one rifle (Comes loaded, with 3 extra ammo)
__ one pistol (Comes loaded, with 3 extra ammo)
__ one shotgun (Comes loaded, with 3 extra ammo)
__ one small, easily-concealable derringer (Comes loaded, with 1 extra ammo)
__ a fine shiv (easily-concealable)
__ a tomahawk (for fighting up close, or throwing)
__ a bow (Comes with a quiver with 3 extra ammo)
__ Adventuring Gear (3 uses, 1 use can be used for Prospecting Gear)

Choose 1 from below:
__ A horse named _____. (Can carry you and saddlebags and maybe 1 extra passenger)
__ A mule or burro named _____. (Can carry you and heavy saddlebags, or more if you're walking)
__ A special horse (extra large or extra well-trained somehow)(Can carry you and saddlebags and maybe 1 extra passenger)
__ A dog named _____. (can help with fighting, tracking)
__ Adventuring Gear (3 uses, 1 use can be used for Prospecting Gear)

Everyone gets:
__ a week’s rations
__ a bedroll and a pack OR saddlebags
__ holy book/holy symbol if they want it
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:58, Mon 06 Mar 2023.