Life Paths

Introduction

This chapter describes how to create a life path. A life path is an abstract representation of a character spending years on a kind of activity. As such it gives many benefits.

Player Section: Life Paths

When you choose a life path for your character, you decide how many HP to spend on it, and pick one from the list below. Then for each attribute try to think of what skills your character has acquired. Begin with PF and spend the total HP on PF-based skill. Repeat this process for MA, IN, IU, PY, and MP. Then you can spend the same HP on conditions (see Abilities for details).

These are the mechanics, you will also need to tell the story of how you got the abilities that were chosen. The GM can only deermine if abilities are appropriate by judging your story.

Make sure you understand why you are getting each skill and condition you choose for the character. There should be a good reason for each choice, from a story perspective. Each choice should enhance the story of your character, and not just make your character more powerful.

Finally note any additional benefits for the life path you have chosen; such benefits are at no cost and the HP spent on the life path must be divided among the benefits where appropriate. If the benefit is attribute pips then the quantity of HP spent on the life path must be sufficient to purchase such a pip (10 or 20 HP).

1. Name the life path.
2. Give a brief description of the life path.
3. Make a list of the preferred PF-based skills suitable for the life path. The player may always choose something else. But this gives you the ability to slant the life path in the direction you want it to go.
4. Make a list of suitable MA-based skills.
5. Make a list of suitable IN-based skills.
6. Make a list of suitable IU-based skills.
7. Make a list of suitable PY-based powers.
8. Make a list of suitable MP--based powers.
9. Make a list of suitable conditions.
10. Decide on any additional benefits granted by the life path. Often these are in the form of Fame, Respected, or Connections related to the life path.

Example: Example-Life Path of the Street-Fighter

This is the life path of someone who has spent a long time in the streets, in a contemporary-era game. The character might be a thug, an enforcer, a bodyguard, or a bouncer. The skills to be chosen should be those regarding survival among thieves, law enforcement officials, merchants, and/or politicians.

PF Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Strength (b): The ability to apply physical force.
• Endurance (b): The ability to keep going despite tiredness.
• Reaction Time (b): The ability to respond quickly.
• Pain Capacity (b): The ability to keep going despite pain.
• Strike Mighty Blow (d): The ability to increase the damage done by any blow.
• Toughness (e): The ability to absorb damage from a blow.

MA Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Knife (b): The ability to strike, stab, or parry with a knife.
• Club (b): The ability to strike and parry with a club.
• Handgun (b): The ability to use a handgun.
• Punch (b): The ability to punch and parry with forearms.
• Kick (b): The ability to kick.
• Grapple (b): The ability to pin or otherwise hold the opponent.
• Unarmed Combat (d): This is a collection of skills allowing the character to strike and parry with hands, feet, knees, elbows, and shoulders. This includes pins, locks, and holds.
• Drive Automobile (b): The ability to operate an automobile.
• Drive Motorcycle (b): The ability to operate a motorcycle.
• Sleight of Hand (d): The ability to perform tricks of dexterity.

IN Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Street Geography (b): A general knowledge of the layout of the city.
• Observation (d): The ability to notice things without looking for them.
• Spot Hidden (d): The ability to find things you are looking for.
• Street Knowledge (b): A general level of expertise about who to talk to to get goods and services on the street.
• Evasion (d): The ability to get away from pursuers.
• Criminal Knowledge (d): An in-depth mastery of the facts about criminals and their techniques.
• Bargaining (b): The ability to get a good deal on goods and services.
• Appraisal (b): The ability to figure out the value of goods and services.

IU Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Danger Sense (b): The ability to know when you are in danger with enough lead time to take immediate action.
• Quick Thinking (b): The ability to respond to unexpected situations.
• Observation (d): The ability to notice things without looking for them.
• Spot Hidden (d): The ability to find things you are looking for.
• Evasion (d): The ability to get away from pursuers.
• Streetwise (d): An in-depth expertise in the etiquette and understanding of living in the streets.
• Bargaining (b): The ability to get a good deal on goods and services.
• Appraisal (b): The ability to figure out the value of goods and services.

PY Powers

The GM comes up with the following powers:

• Bodily Control (b): An internal power allowing the psychic to exert control over their own body.
• Sensitivity (b): A power of thought making the character sensitive to nearby psychic impressions.

MP Powers

The GM comes up with the following powers:

• Magical Senses (b): The power to sense supernatural powers.
• Basic Rituals (b): A low magic power allowing the magician to perform magics through a specific ritual.

Conditions

The GM comes up with the following conditions:

• Street Connections (d): The character knows people on the street who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.
• Criminal Connections (d): The character knows people among criminals who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.
• Law Enforcement Connections (d): The character knows people in the law enforcement community who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.
• Merchant Connections (d): The character knows people among merchants who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.
• Political Connections (d): The character knows people in the field of politics who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.

Benefits

The GM comes up with the following benefits:

• Fame (b): The character is known for past actions.
• Respected (d): The character has a level of influence due to their reputation.
• Knife (b): The character owns a 20 cm knife. This weapon does light thrusting damage.
• Club (b): The character owns a half-meter long club of wood. This weapon does medium striking damage.
• Handgun (d): The character owns a small revolver with six shots. This weapon does exreme striking damage out to 10 meters (short range), heavy out to 20 meters (medium range), and medium out to 40 meters (long range).
• Ammunition (d): The character has a box of 50 rounds for their handgun.
• Body Armor (e): The character has torso armor providing heavy protection.

Example: Example-Life Path of the Mystic

This is an example of someone in a fantasy setting who has spent a lot of time studying the magical arts.

PF Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Ritual Postures (b): The ability to take on physical postures within a ceremony or ritual.
• Endurance (b): The ability to keep going despite tiredness.
• Reaction Time (b): The ability to respond quickly.
• Pain Capacity (b): The ability to keep going despite pain.

MA Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Ritual Gestures (b): The ability to perform specific gestures within a ritual.

IN Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Magical Knowledge (d): An in-depth level of expertise in the facts of magic.
• Religious Knowledge (d): An in-depth level of expertise in the facts of religions.
• Theology (d): A thorough understanding of the teachings, practices, and lore of a specific religion. This may be taken again for a different religion.
• Observation (d): The ability to notice things without looking for them.
• Spot Hidden (d): The ability to find things you are looking for.
• Find Patterns (d): The ability to notice patterns.
• Discern Reason (d): The ability to figure out why something happened.

IU Skills

The GM comes up with the following skills:

• Danger Sense (b): The ability to know when you are in danger with enough lead time to take immediate action.
• Quick Thinking (b): The ability to respond to unexpected situations.
• Observation (d): The ability to notice things without looking for them.
• Spot Hidden (d): The ability to find things you are looking for.

PY Powers

The GM comes up with the following power:

• Sensitivity (b): A power of thought making the character sensitive to nearby psychic impressions.

MP Powers

The GM comes up with the following powers:

• Magical Senses (b): The power to sense supernatural powers.
• Basic Rituals (b): A low magic power allowing the magician to perform magics through a specific ritual.
• Imagination (b): The ability to hold a magical intention in mind so strongly that it helps in magical rituals.
• Power (b): The ability to Gather together the substance of magic to help perform a magical working.

Conditions

The GM comes up with the following condition:

• Magical Connections (d): The character knows people among magicians and magical scholars who can perform inquiries, or acquire goods and services.

Benefits

The GM comes up with the following benefits:

• Magical Brazier (b): This device is used as a modifier in each step of a basic ritual. This is a limited magic item, a Basic Rituals roll must be made to determine its level.
• Magical Incense (b): This is a package of incense to be burned during a magical working. Each stage cosumes one use of the incense. There are ten uses in the package. Make a Basic Ritual roll to see how much of a modifier this device provides.
• Magical Crystal (b): This is a small crystal used in either gathering the magical power of calling the supernatural forces of a ritual. Make a Basic Ritual roll to see how much of a modifier this device provides.
• Magical Wand (b): This device is a 20cm long wooden stick. It is used in either compelling a supernatural force, or in its dismissal. Make a Basic Ritual roll to see how much of a modifier this device provides.
• Protective Amulet (b): This is a small metal disc with mystical symbols that is used in either compelling or dismissing a supernatural force from a ritual. Make a Basic Ritual roll to see how much of a modifier this device provides.
• Basic Ritual Effect (b): The character has performed a basic ritual and has a hung effect. Make a one-time Basic Ritual Roll with up to five modifiers and including any equipment the character has (if no equipment is owned by the character then add eight). Subtract 16 from this result and split the remainder between the level of the effect and its duration. Convert the level of the effect into HP and use this to purchase the basic magical condition.
• Focus Wand (d): This magical device is a 20cm long wooden stick. It provides a +1 to all magical workings in which it is used as a modifier for every 4 HP spent on it. Thus an 8 HP life path could allow you to own a +2 focus wand.
• Focus Ring (e): This magical device is a simple ring of some precious metal. It provides a +1 to all magical workings in which it is used as a modifier for every 6 HP spent on it. Thus a 12 HP life path could allow you to own a +2 focus wand.
• Fame (b): The character is known for past actions.
• Respected (d): The character has a level of influence due to their reputation.
• Increase in MP (attribute): The character raises their MP by one.

GM Section: Paths in the Life of the Character

As you run players through their character's life paths, make sure to tell the story. Remember that life paths represent years of activity. Even a 1 point life path represents several years of activity. It is not simply training, it the story of a big chunk of their life. Fill the story with details of the character's location relevant to the life path.

Example: Hesheriuth's Life Path of the Mystic

The player decides to spend the remaining 1 HP from adolesence on the life path of the mystic. This represents five years of work during and after becomeing a full-fledged shaman.

Beginning with PF he decides that during his training Hesheriuth became determined to learn the precise postures used during the shamanic ceremonies. After several weeks of effort he gaine the ability:

• Ritual Postures (b) (PF + 1 for basic destiny) 2. This is defined by: The practice of placing the character's body into the postures demanded by rituals or ceremonies.

Continuing on to MA, Hesheriuth agains attempts to gain some level of perfection in his ceremonies by becoming an expert in the gestures required by his workings. He spent seasons in research and weeks mastering the techniques and gained the ability:

• Ritual Gestures (b) (MA + 1 for basic destiny) 2. This is defined by: The practice of producing the complicated hand gestures and finger positions demanded by rituals or ceremonies.

Throughout this time he learned to ignore distractions and the exhaustion caused by long hours of research and concentration:

• Mental Endurance (b) (IN) 3. This is defined as: The ability to concentrate despite distractions or exhaustion.

Over the years Hesheriuth developed a strong sense of himself, thus making it more difficult for spirits to gain control over him.

• Strong-Willed (condition) 1. This is defined by: A strong sense of self, avoiding the influence of others.

During the years of adolescence Hesheriuth used his Initiation into the Lesser Totems to gain a hung effect of protection from the Rivemar totem.

• Hung-Effect of Protection: Using his Initiation to the Lesser Totems (3) modified by Faith (5) and Theology (5), the roll is a 4 (-4 for difficulty) is a 5 result. This is enough to control a lesser spirit. The lesser Rivemar casts a protection upon Hesheriuth. Since this is shamanic, and thus spirit magic, the spell is on the spiritual level. This is a permanent effect, the spirit has a 60 score, -50 for permanent, leaves 10, rolling a 3 gives a result of 7. This becomes 3 basic power pips for the condition Spiritual Protection 3.

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