How To Build A Prologue
In the alternate universe of Star Wars: Shards, the story exists only with the collaboration of
- the Gamemaster and Narrator: C. B. Ash
- the Player Character adventuring party.
For one side of that combination to work, new adventuring characters must sometimes be created!
But the story starts with these new characters already steering their lives.
No, indeed: the entire story starts already in motion, weaving characters in and out as their paths cross through the weft of the GM's storybuilding. The Player and the GM need to assemble a solid prologue for the character before they can appear: a concept, a visual impression, a fully realized character sheet.
Fortunately, in the West End Games system, new characters can be created easily! Follow these simple steps:
One:
The Concept
The Concept
Create a concept for a character.
Adjustment notes from the GM
must be received,
incorporated
and the concept re-submitted
must be received,
incorporated
and the concept re-submitted
before continuing to Step Two.
Two:
Shortcuts?
Shortcuts?
Look through at least one stash full of premade Templates. Does anything turn up as mostly the correct concept?
The tutorial has two example characters under development. Surely one of them will suit Character Creation Easy Mode:
while the other will need to try out Character Creation Moderate Mode instead:
Three:
Attributes
Attributes
Start by reviewing the species' range of Minimum and Maximum Attributes.
Four:
Skills
Skills
Of all that your character knows, specific abilities were worth some dedicated effort.
Five:
Funds
Funds
Character matters, not cash.
But having some cash handy can make certain challenges more doable!
The Funds attribute starts out at 3d+0 for all characters.
A character who chose minimal dice in the Perception and/or Knowledge Attributes must decrease their Funds attribute. High numbers in Perception, Knowledge, or the Business skill are all ways to increase the starting Funds attribute.
Do factors from the Prologue also affect the Funds? How is this alteration balanced elsewhere on the sheet?
Six:
Gadgets and Gizmos Galore
Gadgets and Gizmos Galore
Every career path in Shards needs at least a bit of gear.
Seven:
Finishing Touches
Finishing Touches
The character's Profile has many prompts that can be filled from the concept. Does this character have relatives worth mentioning? Did they grow up as strict or loose adherents of a established religion? What ethnicities shaped them?
I cannot emphasize enough that I do not start with a plan or agenda and mechanically manipulate characters and events to carry it out. I set characters in motion, and let them teach me what the book is.- Lois McMaster Bujold, June 2009
Tutorial Directory
Examples
Through this tutorial, two example characters from the Tapani Imperium are under development.
Lady Acantha Vordrii
Lady Acantha is going to be the sort of Starting Character who would fit in a high-concept science fantasy adventure about right versus wrong, good versus bad, delivery of hope with a heaping serving of panache.
"Acantha Vordrii, future adventurer" by WookieeGunner
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 is going to be the sort of Starting Character who fits into a grittier, small-scope adventure series. He will fight evil and right wrongs when he is facing them, but he will keep his eye on his personal "risk versus reward" meter until he undergoes a lot of character growth.
"Inyak Ennada, future pirate" by WookieeGunner
Very nice, this is a fantastic starting point.