BW PDF - Midnight Campaign

Character ConceptStep one: Before actually going through the process of creating a character, it is a really good idea to take afew minutes to decide what kind you’d like to play. The great majority of this book is dedicated to characteroptions, ways of changing who they are and what they can do. The actual mechanics of how these abilitiesfunction are very important, but even more important is the tone and personality that arises from the way thecharacter is played.Choosing a ConceptBefore actually putting pen to paper, you will need tohave a general idea of what kind of a character youwant to play. If you feel stuck, it might help to thinkof a specific novel or movie character that you think isfun, or to think of some personality that you may findinteresting, and then to build what fits from there.Of course, we also include many great character conceptswithin the abilities in this book, with enough flexibilityand mixing options to create something unique foryour game. Below is a brief overview of some of theseconcepts, which can be further explained in theirrespective chapters.Races, Curses & TalentsRaces, Curses and Talents can make the backbone ofa character’s design, creating a variety of unique abilitiesand appearances that define them. Some of these,like races, must be taken on starting a character,while many others require special circumstances toacquire. Races, Curses and Talents are found inChapter 5.Animal Races take a more humanoid form of theirprimal counterparts, gaining the according strengthsand weaknesses.Demonic Races & Talents thrive on darkness anddestruction, which is reflected in their appearance andcapabilities.Divine Races & Talents thrive on goodness and virtue,which is reflected in their appearance and capabilities.The Fae are creatures of nature, ancient and powerful,they specialize in elemental magics.Shapeshifters include werewolves and other shapechangingcharacters, gained sometimesfrom innate racial talents and sometime fromacquired curses.The Undead include Vampires and Liches, beingswho have transcended this life, warping their ownnatures to live unnaturally beyond the gates of death.Attribute AbilitiesWhile a race, curse or talent defines what a character is,attribute abilities highlight the strengths and weaknessesof that character, adding tricks and tactics they can usebased on their physical, social, and intellectual qualities.These are found in Chapter 6.Combat TechniquesCombat Techniques generally involve the use ofvarious weaponry or other specific combat maneuvers.These include Axes, Bows, Crossbows, Daggers,Shields, Spears, Swords, Scythes Shields, Spears andWhips, as well as Unarmed, Mounted and wingedcombat. These are found in Chapter 7.Elemental MagicsWhile there are many forms of magic in the MayhemGame system, some of the strongest and most basicmagics are elemental in nature. These include Fire, Ice,Earth, Wind, Void and Life magics. Elemental Magicsare detailed in Chapter 8.Other optionsApart from the character options, this game also includesa chapter on storytelling. This includes finding a plotpath and motivation for your characters, as well asa separate chapter on the Crimson Realms world,which also has a some ideas for characters and settingsthat can be useful for your games.Part of the core mission of this game is not to restrictwhich ideas you have to use, but to provide some toolsand ideas to get started. Use what you like, don’t usewhat you don’t, and feel free to build as much of yourown content as you want, using some of the ideas hereas a template to work from.Just make sure to check with your Storyteller or otherplayers as you do so, and be willing to take into accountsome game balance issues as you interact with others,so that the game is fair and fun for everyone in equal parts.8