Ocupations and Characteristics
Professions, jobs, careers, livelihoods. Call it what you will, but the occupations one could have in the west were as varied as the words for it. Self-appointed or earned—there was always a term for what one did. Even if they did nothing at all. Now, here you are, at the crossroads of contemplation trying to figure-out which path is best. Perhaps you will follow in your families’ footsteps and uphold some sort of tradition. On the other hand, if there is no family or traditions for you to lay back on you could go out and forge a new path. Feasibly you could conjure up something new altogether. No matter what you decide just know you need to be steadfast in your choice.
Occupations
Below is listed the occupations available in the Down Darker Trails setting. Clicking on the name will send you to the occupation's article page. Once within any other the articles you can navigate between each occupation and return to this page here
Characteristics
A characteristic is one of eight numbers that create the foundations for an investigator. In the game, each characteristic represents an aspect of an investigator— intelligence, dexterity, and so on. These identified quantities determine the relative capability of investigators and suggest ways for them to act and react during play.
Characteristic values are generated randomly by rolling two or more six-sided dice. Each rolled result is then multiplied by 5 to generate a percentage number that may initially range between 15% and 90%. Initially write your results on a piece of scrap paper before writing them onto the investigator sheet as they may be modified by the age of your investigator.
Low characteristic scores do not always mean that the investigator will be hindered and unable to perform as part of the investigator’s group. Often one or two low characteristic scores can help to bring the investigator ‘to life’ and feel more real. Rather than rejecting a low roll, try to incorporate it into the overall makeup of your investigator.
Perhaps a low dexterity means that the investigator has suffered some form of leg or hand injury while in the armed forces, or a low education is the result of never attending school and being forced to grow up on the streets.
STR (Strength)
Roll 3D6 and multiply by 5Strength measures the muscle power of an investigator. The higher it is, the more the investigator can lift or tightly cling to something. This characteristic determines the damage an investigator inflicts in hand-to-hand combat. Reduced to STR 0, an investigator is an invalid, unable to get out of bed.
0: Enfeebled: unable to even stand up or lift a cup of tea.
15: Puny, weak.
50: Average human strength.
90: One of the strongest people you’ve ever met.
99: World class (Olympic weightlifter). Human maximum.
140: Beyond human strength (gorilla or horse).
200+: Monstrous strength
CON (Constitution)
Roll 3D6 and multiply by 5Constitution represents health, vigor, and vitality. Poisons and diseases may directly challenge an investigator’s constitution. Investigators with a high constitution often have more hit points—the better to resist injury and attack. Serious physical injury or magical attack might lower the statistic, and if constitution reaches zero, the investigator dies.
0: Dead.
1: Sickly, prone to prolonged illness and probably unable to operate without assistance.
15: Weak health, prone to bouts of ill health, great propensity for feeling pain.
50: Average healthy human.
90: Shrugs off colds, hardy and hale.
99: iron constitution, able to withstand great amounts of pain. Human maximum.
140: Beyond human constitution (e.g. elephant).
200+: Monstrous constitution, immune to most terrestrial diseases
SIZ (Size)
Roll 2D6+6 and multiply by 5Size averages both height and weight into a single number. To see over a wall, to squeeze through a small opening, or even to judge whose head might be sticking up out of the grass, use size. Size helps determine hit points and damage bonus and build. One might decrease SIZ to indicate the loss of a limb, though lowering DEX is more often the solution. Presumably if investigators lose all SIZ points they disappear—goodness knows to where!
1: A baby (1 to 12 pounds).
15: Child, very short in stature (dwarf) (33 pounds/15 kg).
65: Average human size (moderate height and weight) (170 pounds/75 kg).
80: Very tall, strongly built, or obese. (240 pounds/110 kg).
99: Oversize in some respect (330 pounds/150 kg).
150: Horse or cow (960 pounds / 436 kg).
180: Heaviest human ever recorded (1400 pounds /634 kg).
200+: 1920 pounds / 872 kg
DEX (Dexterity)
Roll 3D6 and multiply by 5Investigators with higher Dexterity scores are quicker, nimbler and more physically flexible. A DEX roll might be made to grab a support to keep from falling, to move faster than an opponent, or to accomplish some delicate task. An investigator with zero DEX is uncoordinated and unable to perform physical tasks. In combat, the character with the highest DEX acts first
0: Unable to move without assistance.
15: Slow, clumsy with poor motor skills for fine manipulation.
50: Average human dexterity.
90: Fast, nimble and able to perform feats of fine manipulation (e.g. acrobat, great dancer).
99: World class athlete. Human maximum.
120: Beyond human dexterity (e.g. tiger).
200+: Lightning dexterity, able to move or perform feats potentially quicker than a human could comprehend.
APP (Appearance)
Roll 3D6 and multiply by 5Appearance measures both physical attractiveness and personality. A person with high APP is charming and likeable, but may lack conventional good looks. Someone with APP of 0 is appallingly ugly, possibly with a wholly detestable demeanor, provoking comment and shock everywhere. APP may be useful in social encounters or when trying to make a good impression.
0: So unsightly, others are affected by fear, revulsion, or pity.
15: Ugly, possibly disfigured due to injury or at birth.
50: Average human appearance.
90: One of the most beautiful people you could meet, natural magnetism.
99*: The height of glamour and cool (supermodel or world-renowned film star). Human maximum.
Note: *APP is normally used only for humans, and does not exceed 99.
INT (Intelligence)
Roll 2D6+6 and multiply by 5Intelligence represents how well investigators learn, remember, analyze information and solve complex puzzles. An investigator with zero INT is a babbling, drooling idiot. If the amount of INT seems to contradict another characteristic, that’s another chance for roleplaying and further defining your investigator. For example, an investigator with high EDU and low INT might be someone who knows facts but not their meanings. Conversely, high INT and low EDU might mean ignorance, however this person would not be dull-witted.
0: No intellect, unable to comprehend the world around them.
15: Slow learner, able to undertake only the most basic math, or read beginner-level books.
50: Average human intellect.
90: Quick-witted, probably able to comprehend multiple languages or theorems.
99: Genius (Einstein, Da Vinci, Tesla, etc.). Human maximum.
140: Beyond human intellect (e.g. Elder Things, see Chapter 14: Monsters, Beasts and Alien Gods).
210+: Monstrous intellect, able to comprehend and operate in multiple dimensions
POW (Power)
Roll 3D6 and multiply by 5Power indicates force of will; the higher the POW, the higher the aptitude for, and resistance to, magic. An investigator with zero POW is zombie-like and without "purpose," as well as being unable to use magic. Unless stated otherwise, POW that is lost during the game is lost permanently.
0: Enfeebled mind, no willpower, no magical potential.
15: Weak-willed, easily dominated by those with a greater intellect or willpower.
50: Average human.
90: Strong willed, driven, a high potential to connect with the unseen and magical.
100: Iron will, strong connection to the spiritual ‘realm’ or unseen world.
140: Beyond human, possibly alien
210+: Monstrous magical potential and power beyond human comprehension
EDU (Education)
Roll 2D6+6 and multiply by 5Education is a measure of the formal and factual knowledge possessed by the investigator, as well as indicating the time the investigator has spent in full-time education. EDU measures retained information, not the intelligent application of that information. An investigator without EDU would be like a newborn baby or an amnesiac—without knowledge of the world, probably very curious and credulous.
0: A newborn baby.
15: Completely uneducated in every way.
60: High school graduate.
70: College graduate (Bachelor degree).
80: Degree level graduate (Master's degree).
90: Doctorate, professor.
96: World class authority in their field of study.
99: Human maximum.
Luck
3D6 and multiply by 5Luck rolls may be called for when circumstances external to any investigator are in question. Also when determining the fickle hand of fate. If a skill or characteristic is applicable to a situation then it should be used rather than Luck.
