New Character Concept

Step One

Create a concept for a character. The character concept is the single most important component of character creation! Every other step must answer to this first one.

Genre

They need to fit the emotional tone already established for one of the current Campaigns. Shards of Honor was the saga of small individuals, rated low on resources but high on persistence, determined to do the ethically right thing in a Galaxy heavily balanced toward wrongness. Shards of Exploration is a story where experienced adventurers improve the balance of hope, pushing back the edges of corruption. Shards of Infamy is a gritty serial about survivors redefining themselves in a post-war Galaxy.

Formative Choices

The character may be "fresh out of the nest" or "fresh from their third career change". They might be human or most of the other species available among the Sapient species of the Galaxy ¹. They probably have some ideas of what reliable skills they can share with a group of like-minded travelers. They almost certainly have some ideas of what measurable goal they next wish to accomplish in life.

Motivation

What matters to this person?

What drives them to take personal risks, to pursue uncertainty, to get involved?

Are they working toward a happy outcome?

Are they on the run from an unhappy comeuppance?

Wellsprings

Do they have enemies?

Do they have reliable friends or family?

Where are they coming from?

Where do they intend to go?

Compatibility

Nothing is guaranteed, but we hope for this character to get along with the currently existing adventuring party. A wide spectrum is available between the problem points of "helpless passenger" and "internally-directed lone operator" -- both roles that can work fabulously for the protagonist of a novel or show, but create disastrous stress on an ensemble. The character should be competent at some adventure-relevant skills, need help with something else; social enough to be part of a group, self-directed enough to tackle some challenges solo.

Does the existing party have a need that this character might fill? Short of the old "appear from nowhere and save the day" technique favored on soap operas like Jedi Quest, how will the character approach the team?

And why does the character want to work with this group in particular?

Similar goals are helpful!

As are similar problems.

Fair warning: Neither one of the current campaign teams will deal genially with a tightly sealed, pressurized shipping container marked "To Be Opened By Recipient Only".

Once the concept is clear:

1. Write the concept up.


2. Check the Shards WorldAnvil site for continuity hooks: existing locations, organizations, even Timeline entries that might fit neatly in your conceptual Prologue.


3. Send your compilation of the above to the GM. Make a calendar note to check in with him in no less than 7 days, no more than 14.


While you await notes, rummage through your art resources for a visual representation if you don't already have one! Draft some sample dialogue! Answer deep background questions: how does your character relax? Are they a member of any fandoms or hobby groups? Do they organize their adventuring notes in a particular layout?

Subdirectory

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Return to Prologue

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^{1 Playable Sentient Species List}

currently excludes

• Eborreans
• Fell
• Hexapardus
• Sideribus Volunt
• SRO

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Examples in Concept

The character concept might be as simple as "the last surviving member of a Great House disguises himself as a smuggler of a different species entirely, and joins the Rebellion to forge new alliances for himself" or it might be as intricate as "on the verge of winning the biggest swoop race of the Galaxy, this biker was targeted by three different cartels for involuntary odds manipulation; now he works for one of the other player characters while he tries to avoid all the angry bettors and bookies, see appendices".

Lady Acantha Vordrii

Lady Acantha is a human Low Vor, niece of Baron Vordrii. With easily fifteen eligible cousins, she is unlikely to ever be named Heir to her uncle's minor VorCadriaan title and lands.

Acantha does not much care for mineral mining anyhow.

She does care about the widespread post-war poverty among Tapani citizens in her family's District.

During the recent Tapani Civil War, Acantha learned to view her Low Vor status as both a responsibility and a tool. She decided that before she takes up either side of that balancing act, she wants to forge a reputation for herself as a negotiator: like a Judge, but for people who prefer to keep their business outside of a courtroom.

The first step is to find people who need an outsider's perspective to dig at a situation, and the second step is to apply some genteel leverage.

Inyak Ennada

Inyak has made such a hash of his early adulthood that he ran away from home to sign up with a pirate gang -- and not even a starfighter pirate gang, either. He grew up a Tapani citizen in Cadriaan Province, related to the Low Vor family of nobility that oversees his native continent. Inyak tried his hand at any trade available during his late teenage and young adult years. Every time he felt that he might be an accomplished member of the team, some aspect of the Civil Wars wiped his current employer out of business.

Tired of starting over every several months, toward the end of 12728 Inyak fled war-torn Tapani Sector. When that did not feel like it was far enough away from his old life and its old anxieties, he took up the hobo life. He insinuated himself into any random loader crew for any medium-sized or larger cargo freighter that looked boring enough.

Inyak found himself aboard the Aerie as it resupplied for a return to the Bheriz Sector in the Outer Rim. The Cloud-Riders did not need a human loader crew, but they had an opening for a swoop pilot.

Inyak Ennada thrived.

He was never the best swoop pilot, never the most effective shot or the most profitable Rider on a given raid. He did fairly well for himself each time, and for the Cloud-Riders as a whole. He learned to make reliable repairs. He learned to judge upcoming hazards in his path. He learned how to get along comfortably with his peers, with the designated quartermaster, and with the fixer at a typical gray-market auction house on neutral territory.

Completely by accident on Siskel Station in the Quence Sector, Inyak witnessed a deal gone bad between several Crimson Nova and one Hutt. Few on either side survived -- only two Novas.

It is not only bad fortune to be in on the unauthorized death of a Hutt ... it is, in fact, terrible fortune to be the witness to such a death!

Inyak Ennada cashed out from the Cloud-Riders. He turned in most of his armor and his weapons, but kept a personal blaster. He also bought out the title for his personal swoop bike. With that, a helmet, a tool box for maintenance, and a small nest egg, Inyak set out to establish himself on yet another quiet ship as a boring, unmemorable flunky.