Character Creation

The player characters (PCs ) in Trilhamarga start out as ordinary people who, driven by a relentless desire, set out to explore the world in search of something that matters to them. When creating a character, focus first on imagining who they are, what they know how to do, what that thing they long for is, and what drives them.

Descriptors

While building their characters, the Players should think about the following aspects: Vocation, Goal, Complication, and Bonds.

Vocations

Who is your character? What do they know how to do?

ALCHEMIST: Maker of potions, elixirs, and explosives.

ARTISAN: Master of crafting items and tools.

ASSASSIN: A professional killer, master of stealth and poisons.

BARBARIAN: A fierce warrior from savage lands.

BARD: A traveling performer who enchants with tales and songs.

BLACKSMITH: A forger of armor and weapons.

DRUID: A guardian of nature and the primal forces.

EXILE: Banished from their homeland, searching for a new purpose.

EXPLORER: An adventurer who seeks out the unknown.

FALLEN ARISTOCRAT: A noble who lost their lands and influence.

FORGER: A maker of false documents and identities.

GLADIATOR: An arena fighter, used to the spectacle of death.

HEALER: A physician or herbalist able to treat wounds and diseases.

HERETIC: A former cleric or cultist who questions the gods.

HUNTER: A stalker of beasts and a knower of the wild.

ILLUSIONIST: A weaver of mental and visual tricks.

INQUISITOR: A hunter of heretics and a fighter of unholy forces.

KNIGHT: A noble combatant who follows a code of honor.

LANCER: A soldier specialized in using the spear in combat.

MAGE: A master of the arcane arts and hidden lore.

MERCENARY: Fights for whoever pays the most.

MERCHANT: A trader in goods and riches.

PALADIN: A holy defender of justice and faith.

PEASANT: A rural laborer with practical know-how.

PIRATE: A thief of the seas, an adventurer and plunderer.

PRIEST: The spiritual leader of a cult or temple.

SCOUT: A nimble tracker who ventures into hostile territory.

SHAMAN: A communicator with spirits and mystical forces.

SMUGGLER: A trafficker of forbidden goods.

SPY: An infiltrator in courts and organizations, gathering secrets.

THIEF: An expert in theft and silent break-ins.

WARLOCK: A user of magic who made a pact with supernatural forces.

WARRIOR: A combatant trained for war.

WOODCUTTER: A woodsman skilled at felling timber.

Goals

What would your character cross the world to achieve?

BUILD: Journey in search of resources, materials, and exotic items to complete a masterpiece, a great ritual, or a unique invention.

CLAIM: Gather the proof, keys, or relics needed to lay claim to a title, an inheritance, or an ancestral place.

CONQUER: Chart and tame an untamed region to establish new domains, or unite scattered factions under a new banner.

DESTROY: Steadily dismantle the foundations of a vast organization, a network of corruption, or the pillars that hold up a great evil, ultimately bringing down the great evil itself.

DISCOVER: Trace the remnants of a civilization, a forgotten lore, or a legend rooted in truth whose clues lie scattered across the world.

FREE: Unravel the ancient mystery behind a magical or cultural prison in order to release a group or entity without destroying it.

KILL: Hunt a legendary beast or a powerful enemy, traveling to find the specific weapons and knowledge needed to overcome it.

RESTORE: Bring together the means to cure a slow affliction, reverse a complex curse, or halt the decline of a people.

STEAL: Obtain rare components and secret information from around the world to plan the elaborate theft of something unreachable.

Motivations

Why does your character want this? What drives them toward their goal?

ADVENTURE: Settling down in one place is not an option for this character. They may always return to the same settlement to drink and revel, but the road is their true home.

CURIOSITY: The character suffers from an insatiable thirst for knowledge they simply cannot ignore. Uncovering the truth behind a mystery, a story, or a legend is what gets them out of bed every day.

DUTY: The character is guided by a higher purpose, whether serving an order, carrying out a mission, or protecting an ideal. They seek no glory or reward, only to fulfill their duty, whatever the cost.

LOVE: There is someone who matters more to the character than anyone or anything else, and they would do whatever it takes to keep that person safe from the dangers of the world.

REBELLION/JUSTICE: The character sees injustice in the world and wants to bring down those who abuse their power. It could be an empire, a corrupt guild, or a cruel noble. Their aim is to change the system, or to tear it down.

REDEMPTION/PENANCE: The character needs to atone for the mistakes of their past. Perhaps they betrayed a friend, fled a battle, or caused a disaster. They seek to make it right and prove they are a better person.

SURVIVAL: Something threatens the character's life, whether a disease, a curse, or a faction hunting them over a past mistake. Reaching their goal is the only thing that will keep them breathing.

VENGEANCE: Someone destroyed something dear to the character. Be it a villain, an organization, or a supernatural entity, this is a powerful motivation that is easy to feel in the gut.

WARD: It could be a younger sibling, a mentor, a kingdom, a village, a group of refugees, or even a sacred artifact. The character feels they must ensure the safety of this thing at any cost.

Complications

What gets in the way of, or complicates, your character's journey toward their goal?

BURDEN: The character carries something that demands constant care, such as a helpless child, a dangerous creature under their watch, or an unstable artifact, draining time, money, and attention.

MARKED: The character is pursued by enemies or rivals, be it a betrayed guild, a vengeful noble, or bounty hunters, and must contend with ambushes, distrust, and watchful eyes wherever they go.

OATH: The character acts according to a vow that limits their choices, such as never taking a life, always protecting the innocent, or never lying, even when it puts the mission or the group at risk.

OBSESSION: The character depends on something they must constantly consume or do, such as alcohol, opium, or gambling, and suffers when they try to resist, becoming unpredictable and vulnerable.

VULNERABILITY: The character has a clear weakness, such as a fear of fire, a debilitating illness, or sensitivity to a specific material, which enemies can exploit and which limits their actions at critical moments.

Bonds

What kind of relationship does your character have with at least one other member of the group?

BLOOD TIES: You and another character are bound by blood (siblings, cousins, etc.) and carry together the weight of a shared family past. There is love, friction, and memories that bind you, but loyalty always speaks louder.

DEBT, OATH, OR DUTY: You promised something to another character, out of honor, faith, or guilt. Perhaps they saved your life, or simply believed in you. Ever since, you have walked at their side, not out of friendship, but because the promise became sacred.

FRIENDSHIP OR CAMARADERIE: You and another character forged a deep bond through battles, travels, or years spent together. You know each other's gestures, trust without words, and have chosen to cross swords and paths side by side until the end.

PRAGMATIC ALLIANCE: You and another character belong to the same order, guild, or organization. You are not friends, but you work well together. You share tasks, trust each other's competence, and know that success depends on the partnership running efficiently.

The Character Sheet

Once you have a sense of who your character is, what they want, and how they intend to get it, follow the sequence of steps below to fill out their sheet:

Step 1: Ancestry

Choose an ancestry and note down the skills , ability, and speed of the character according to the chosen ancestry.

Step 2: Starting Skills

The character begins the game with the following starting skills :

• One at Great (+3).
• Two at Good (+2).
• Three at Average (+1).
• And all the rest at Mediocre (0).

If you are unsure which skills to choose, you can use one of the pre-set skill kits .

Step 3: Equipment

Your character starts with 1,500 coins to buy their starting equipment . Any money not spent during character creation is lost when the game begins, so buy everything you need at this point.

Keep in mind that the character can only carry enough items to fill up to 6 + Physique inventory slots without suffering penalties.

Step 4: Devotion (Optional)

If your character is at least Average (+1) in Will , they may choose to become devout to a deity and perform miracles through it. Define the deity by choosing up to 3 domains for it. The character has access to any miracle related to the tenets of those domains , but must respect its taboos.

Step 5: Spells (Optional)

If your character is at least Average (+1) in Occultism , they may buy spells and a grimoire to register them. During character creation, each spell costs 250 coins to acquire.

Step 6: Alchemy (Optional)

If your character is at least Average (+1) in Create Concoction , they may buy an alchemy kit , concoction recipes , and a grimoire to register them.

Step 7: Remaining Attributes

Besides skills, your character has three other important attributes that need to be recorded:

HEALTH: 6 + (2 × Physique). See page .

STAMINA: Current value of Health. See page .

PROTECTION: The sum of the Protection of every layer of armor the character is wearing. See page .