Character Generation
Generalities
I would like players to put together one Magus, one Companion and one Grog. Your Magus will be your primary character, your Companion will be for those circumstances in which your Magus has no wish or ability to attend to affairs personally, while your grogs will - to cite the ArsM rulebook - serve a similar function to "the vibrant lower-class characters found in many Shakespeare plays". The idea here is for great events to unfold, and for you to see them at once through the eyes of the mighty and the lowly. For the obvious copyright reasons I am only giving the barest outlines of the character generation sequence here, but since most of you have your own core rules you should be able to fill it in nicely as you go. As you've probably guessed, the game is set in England, so thats where you'll be and where you'll be paying attention. You can be french or irish or whatever you like, but don't create a character who isn't in England to stay.
Step One: Concept
Being as we're all terribly sophisticated and artsy we all know that you do the concept first and fill in all the kewel powers and big shiny bits later. Don't we. In all seriousness, I'm looking for interesting well rounded characters here so please do think about character before you do the numbers. In particular look at the Character Questionnaire before you do anything else.
Step Two: Characteristics
It's up to you if you points buy or roll, at least for Magi and Companions, Grogs, however sould points buy, and should use a mere 3 points.
Step Three: Virtues and Flaws
As ever, it's 3 points maximum for Grogs, 10 for Magi and Companions. Please note that I will be using the variant Social Class rules from Ordo Nobilis, ask if you don't have a copy. While I'm at it I'll also mention that the virtue Jack of All Trades, being way too good IMO, mush be chosen for any one set of skills, not all skills. Of course you could buy it more than once.
Step Four: Abilities
You get Age x 3 in abilities, plus Speak Own Language 4 for free. Please note that because this gives you a deal more XP that is usual (particularly grogs) the interpretations of various levels of experience are going to be a bit harsher. A score of 0 - even in a talent - represents no functional ability in that area whatsoever, or to put it another way -3 on all related rolls. A score of 1 indicates the barest familiarity, a score of 3 the ability to hold your own in that particular sphere. It takes a score of 5 to be really respectable at something, and you need to be in the sixes and sevens to be accounted really good, while 8-10 indicates an absolute master.
Step Five: Magical Abilities
These are largely unchanged, however note that you will have a fifty point personal spellbook in addition to your known spells.
Step Six: Finishing Touches
This is important. Firstly everybody gets one free 1 point reputatoin of their choice. Secondldy I expect everybody to have at least three personality traits. They can be as little as +/-1 but they need to be there. Thirdly please remember Confidence, because it's important for two reasons. First off it's important because it's very useful ingame, you can (if you wish) claim + (Confidence) on all your (appropriate) rolls until you fail a roll, at which point you lose a point of confidence and lose the bonus. Please note how good this bonus is because it can make a lot of difference ingame. Secondly Confidence is important because it will effectively replace XP. I am not giving out session XP but because I like giving out reards for doing cool stuff I will often award bonus Confidence instead.