CHARACTER CREATION

Step 1: Choose a Race

In Seyruun, your race determines far more than appearance. It shapes your physiology, supernatural origin, and connection to the divine or arcane. Each race offers a distinct mechanical experience, narrative path, and source of power.

Your chosen race affects:

The name and mechanics of your Power Pool (e.g., Bloodpool, Divinity, Core Charge)
Your 3 to 5 Racial Disciplines or Paths
Unique advantages and vulnerabilities (sunlight weakness, elemental immunity, arcane affinity)
Access to group structures, such as Bloodlines, Moots, Circles, Kinships, or Legions
Your cultural background, affecting how factions and NPCs treat you

Some races may also include:

Special healing mechanics, altered health levels, or damage resistance
Restrictions on learning non-native Paths unless narrative justification is provided
Specific group skill trees or traditions based on myth, nation, or magic

Note: Hybrid characters may exist in lore but must select one race for mechanical purposes. For example, a Tiefling-Dragon hybrid must choose whether to mechanically function as a Tiefling or a Dragon.

Alphabetical List of Playable Races:

Aasimar – Divine scions born of IO’s light
Anthromorphs – Beastkin attuned to primal instincts
Celestials – Angelic or demonic incarnations with extreme powers
Djinn – Wish-granters bound to artifacts
Dragons – Elemental tyrants and hoarders of ancient magic
Dwarves – Stalwart smiths, builders, and rune-bound warriors
Elementals – Living embodiments of nature’s fury
Elves – Long-lived mystics divided into racial offshoots
Fae (Vaelari) – Glamour-wielders of the Afterveil
Humans – Adaptive and resourceful mortals
Lycans – Moon-bound shapechangers with dual instincts
Orcs – Hardened survivors born of blood and fire
Tieflings – Infernal hybrids touched by hellfire
Undead – Revenants, liches, and forgotten souls
Vampires – Immortals fueled by blood and ancestral memory
Warforged – Arcane-forged sentients of steel and soul

Step 2: Assign Attributes

Attributes represent a character’s natural talents. These traits form the core of nearly every action roll in the game. They are divided into three categories: Physical, Mental, and Social.

You must prioritize these categories during character creation using the 7/5/3 dot spread:

Assign 7 dots to your primary category (the one your character excels in)
Assign 5 dots to your secondary category
Assign 3 dots to your tertiary category (your weakest area)

Each Attribute starts at ● (one dot) automatically. No Attribute may exceed ●●●●● (five dots) at creation unless modified by supernatural lineage or Merits.

Physical Attributes – Represent your body’s raw capability

Strength – Governs lifting, striking, grappling, and brute force. Used for melee attacks, feats of strength, and overpowering enemies.
Dexterity – Represents balance, hand-eye coordination, speed, and finesse. Used for dodging, aiming, and stealth.
Stamina – Measures endurance and physical toughness. Influences your ability to soak damage, resist poison, or survive harsh conditions.

Characters who favor frontline combat, stealth, or rugged survival should prioritize Physical Attributes.

Mental Attributes – Reflect intellectual and perceptual ability

Intelligence – Represents reasoning, education, and book knowledge. Useful in crafting, spellwork, tactical planning, and research.
Wisdom – Covers intuition, spiritual insight, and perception. Crucial for sensing danger, interpreting omens, and interacting with the divine.
Wits – Measures quick thinking, reflexive decision-making, and improvisation. Used in initiative rolls and fast-response scenarios.

Mystics, scholars, spellcasters, and tacticians benefit most from strong Mental Attributes.

Social Attributes – Influence how you interact with others

Charisma – Natural charm, presence, and influence. Important for leading, inspiring, and gaining allies.
Manipulation – The art of subterfuge, deception, and persuasion through misdirection. Used for lying, negotiating, and con artistry.
Composure – Inner calm and poise. Resists emotional manipulation and fear. Crucial for holding one’s resolve under pressure.

Characters focused on politics, intrigue, or leadership benefit from prioritizing Social Attributes.

Attribute Rating Guide:

● = Poor (notably deficient)
●● = Average (mortal norm)
●●● = Above Average (noteworthy)
●●●● = Exceptional (highly skilled)
●●●●● = Peak (near the limit of mortal or supernatural ability)

Each Attribute is combined with a Skill to form a Dice Pool. For example, Dexterity + Stealth or Charisma + Persuasion. Your Attribute selection should align with your concept and racial strengths. Average mortals typically have 2 dots in each Attribute. Exceptional individuals may begin with 4 dots in one Attribute, with supernatural beings reaching 5 or more.

Step 3: Assign Skills

Skills represent your character’s learned capabilities, tradecraft, and tactical talents. Each skill is paired with an Attribute to form a dice pool for rolls. For example, Dexterity + Stealth, or Intelligence + Lore.

Distribute 13 dots to your primary Skill category, 9 to your secondary, and 5 to your tertiary. No Skill may begin above ●●● (3 dots) during creation unless enhanced with Freebie Points.

Skill Ratings:

● = Novice (basic understanding)
●● = Trained (competent in fieldwork)
●●● = Skilled (practiced and reliable)
●●●● = Expert (professional or elite)
●●●●● = Master (world-renowned or divinely gifted)

You are encouraged to define specialties once a Skill reaches ●●●, which grant +1 die on specific applications (e.g., Lore: Vampiric History, Craft: Arcane Tools).

PHYSICAL

ATHLETICS
Running, swimming, climbing, acrobatics, and general physical exertion.

UNARMED

Unarmed combat, grappling, striking, and improvisational close-quarters fighting.

MELEE WEAPONS

Use of handheld weapons like swords, hammers, axes, spears, etc.

RANGED WEAPONS

Proficiency with guns, crossbows, and gunpowder or aether-tech weapons.

STEALTH

Moving silently, hiding, shadowing, and evading detection.

SURVIVAL

Wilderness navigation, foraging, tracking, shelter-building, and enduring harsh terrain.

RIDE

Handling mounts such as horses, drakes, dire beasts, or sky serpents.

TOUGHNESS

Resistance to physical fatigue, pain, harsh weather, and physical trauma.

REFLEXES

Dodging, initiative reaction time, sudden bursts of agility.

CRAFT

Building, repairing, and manipulating tools, armor, weapons, or magical gear (non-artisan-level).

MENTAL

OCCULT

Understanding magical theory, curses, spirits, undead, celestial and infernal lore.

ACADEMICS

Reading, writing, history, philosophy, theology, ancient cultures, and law.

INVESTIGATION

Searching for clues, analyzing evidence, or interpreting patterns.

LORE

Myth, prophecy, and ancient tales of Seyruun’s pantheon, peoples, or ruins.

MEDICINE

Healing, surgery, herbalism, battlefield triage, and alchemical treatment.

TACTICS

Military theory, ambush planning, battlefield awareness, and leadership in war.

INSIGHT

Seeing through lies, detecting motivations, or reading prophetic significance.

ENIGMAS

Solving riddles, puzzles, divine metaphors, and celestial logic.

RITUALS

Performing complex magical or religious rites, Concord ceremonies, or sealing pacts.

TECH CRAFT

Crafting and maintaining magical machines, arcane tech, or artificial cores.

SOCIAL

EMPATHY

Reading emotions, understanding motivations, sensing lies, or providing comfort.

PERSUASION

Convincing, negotiating, diplomacy, oratory, and respectful influence.

INTIMIDATION

Coercing others through fear, threat, divine judgment, or forceful presence.

SUBTERFUGE

Deception, lying, forgery, feints, and social misdirection.

LEADERSHIP

Commanding groups, battlefield presence, inspiring loyalty, or issuing orders.

PERFORMANCE

Singing, acting, dancing, reciting, storytelling, or ceremonial rites.

ETIQUETTE

Navigating nobility, court manners, Concord protocol, and religious customs.

THE UNDERGROUND

Understanding criminal networks, local customs, black markets, or underground codes.

ANIMAL HANDLING

Calming, training, or understanding beasts, including sacred creatures.

INSPIRE

Rousing speeches, restoring hope, bolstering morale during crises, or Concord ceremonies.

Optional Notes:

Additional skills (e.g. Sailing, Engineering, Faith) may be added based on setting expansion or as secondary specialties under core skills.
Aasimar often receive bonuses in Lore, Insight, and Rituals, depending on Concord, Discipline, or Merit.

Some supernatural effects may add bonus dice to Skills or replace one Attribute with another (e.g., using Charisma instead of Intelligence for Spellcraft when invoking a divine Path).

Skills can evolve through XP expenditures or roleplay advancement, and additional custom skills (e.g., Navigation, Alchemy, Survival) may be added by storyteller approval depending on chronicle theme. (e.g., Lore: Vampiric Bloodlines or Craft: Aetheric Forging).

No skill may have more than 3 dots at creation without Freebie Points.

Step 4: Merits and Flaws (Optional)

Merits and Flaws allow players to deepen their character's background and personality through mechanical advantages or narrative complications.

You may select up to 7 points of Flaws, which grant an equal number of bonus Freebie Points. Merits cost Freebie Points to acquire.

Merits

ALLIES ( • to ••••• )

Trusted companions, scouts, or informants bound to your cause.

STATUS ( • to ••• )

You possess formal title or rank recognized in a region or among your race.

DANGER SENSE ( •• )

+1 die to rolls involving ambush or sudden threat.

NIGHT VISION ( • )

Can see in complete darkness as though it were dim.

AMBIDEXTROUS ( • )

No off-hand penalty for dual wielding.

EIDETIC MEMORY ( •• )

Recall visual or written content with perfect clarity.

PERFECT CONDITIONING ( ••• )

You are immune to non-magical illness from food, drink, or environment.

LANGUAGE SAVANT ( • )

Gain a new fluent language per dot of Intelligence.

PROPHETIC DREAMS ( •• )

Receive narrative omens via dreams (ST determined).

ELEMENTAL ATTUNEMENT ( ••• )

Elemental/Dragon-only: +1 die with elemental powers.

BATTLE TRANCE ( •• )

No penalty when wounded until Mauled.

EMPATHIC ( • )

+1 die to Insight rolls involving emotional reading.

IRON WILL ( ••• )

Immune to mind control unless supernatural source has 3+ more successes.

BLESSED BY IO ( •••• )

Once per story arc, negate a botch or death.

BEAST WHISPERER ( •• )

+2 dice to Ride/Handle Beast rolls.

UNAGING ( •• )

You do not suffer penalties from aging.

COMBAT INTUITION ( •• )

Once per combat, reroll initiative or a failed defense roll.

RUNE MARKED ( ••• )

Your body hosts an ancient rune. +1 die when resisting magic.

AURA OF AUTHORITY ( ••• )

+1 die to Persuasion or Leadership with NPCs of lower status.

UNYIELDING FAITH ( •• )

+2 dice to resist fear, charm, or illusions when acting in service of your deity or code.

SPIRIT TOUCHED ( ••• )

You can perceive spiritual entities in the Veil or Afterveil.

MASTER CRAFTER ( •• )

Reduce crafting time by half, +1 die on Craft rolls.

FAVOERED BY THE DEAD ( •• )

Undead do not target you unless provoked.

NOBLE LINEAGE ( •• )

+1 die to social rolls in courts, temples, or ancient cities.

OATHKEEPER ( • )

When honoring a vow, gain +1 die to any relevant roll.

GIFT OF TONGUES ( •• )

Once per scene, understand any language for 1 minute.

DEFIANT SOUL ( ••• )

You may remain conscious when Incapacitated for one round.

SHADOWSTEPPER ( ••• )

+2 dice to Stealth in dim light or natural shadow.

HOLY RESISTANCE ( •• )

Aasimar only: +1 die when resisting demonic or necrotic effects.

QUICK HEALER ( •• )

Recover one extra health level during healing scenes.

Flaws

HUNTED ( •• to ••••• )

A specific enemy, faction, or divine force actively pursues you.

CURSED ( • to ••••• )

Minor to severe curse that alters your fate or limits your power.

DARK SECRET ( • )

If exposed, your secret could destroy your reputation or safety.

WEAK WILLED ( •• )

–1 die when resisting mental domination or persuasion.

SUNLIGHT SENSITIVITY ( •• )

Take damage or penalties in sunlight (non-vampires).

ADDICTION ( •• )

You are dependent on a substance, act, or power to function.

ENEMY ( • to ••• )

An NPC or group is your sworn foe and seeks to harm you.

BOUND BY OATH ( •• )

You are magically or spiritually compelled to honor a vow.

EMOTIONALLY SCARRED ( •• )

Traumatic memories cause penalties in certain scenes.

POOR REPUTATION ( • )

Others view you with suspicion, fear, or disdain.

FEARED AURA ( •• )

You have an unsettling presence. –1 die to friendly Persuasion.

MORTAL FRAGILITY ( •• )

You take +1 damage from supernatural attacks.

ARCANE BEACON ( ••• )

Mages or monsters are drawn to your magical essence.

WILD MAGIC ( •• )

When casting, roll 1 extra die; on a 1, strange side effect.

SOUL DEBT ( ••• )

A demon, fae, or ancient power owns part of your soul.

ILLITERATE ( • )

You cannot read or write without learning.

NIGHT TERRORS ( •• )

Restless sleep. Start each scene fatigued unless roleplayed.

BEAST CURSE ( •• )

Animals react fearfully or violently toward you.

CORRUPTED BLOOD ( ••• )

Vampires sense something wrong in your blood. –1 to social rolls with them.

BROKEN OATH ( •• )

You have betrayed a sacred vow. You are haunted.

UNHOLY TOUCH ( •• )

Healing powers and blessings are less effective on you.

MAGIC BURN ( ••• )

Casting powers causes physical strain (1 damage on a 10).

FRAGILE MIND ( •• )

+1 difficulty to resist illusion, madness, or memory effects.

BLIND IN ONE EYE ( •• )

Perception and ranged rolls at –1 die.

MUTE ( ••• )

Cannot speak vocally. Must communicate through other means.

DEAF ( •• )

Cannot hear verbal commands, music, or spoken warnings.

DISFIGURED ( •• )

Start with a grotesque scar or transformation. –1 to social rolls.

DEBT TO THE HIDE ( •• )

You owe a favor to a major rebel faction or underworld power.

VOICE OF THE DAMNED ( •• )

Your voice unnerves mortals. Cannot Persuade them.

OMEN MARKED ( ••• )

You are marked by prophecy. Cults, enemies, or mad prophets target you.

These are the official server-wide Merits and Flaws available to all characters. Custom options are allowed but must be submitted for Storyteller approval. This list will be expanded as new campaigns and chronicle settings evolve. All players are encouraged to select from these to ensure balance and mechanical consistency.

Choose Merits for advantages like: Allies, Status, Danger Sense, etc.

Step 5: Freebie Points

You receive 15 Freebie Points at character creation. These points allow you to further refine your character’s concept, supernatural edge, and versatility beyond the default dot allocations from earlier steps.

Freebie Points are your chance to:

Round out weaknesses
Push strengths even further
Add narrative elements like rare Merits
Begin play with unusual training, resources, or magical access

How to Spend Freebie Points:

Attributes - 5 Freebie Points
Skills - 2 Freebie Points
Merits - Listed Individually
SUpernatural Powers - 5 per dot (Path-Known)
New Supernatural Path - 7 (Racially Approved)
Health Level (Bonus) - 7 (Max 1 at creation)
Power Pool (Bonus PP) - 1 Point = +2 PP

Tips:

You may not raise any Attribute, Skill, or Power above 5 dots using Freebies.

Always prioritize synergy between your Attributes and Skills to build strong dice pools.

Spend at least some Freebie Points on Merits or unique powers to reflect your supernatural origin, training, or legacy.

Sample Freebie Builds:

Example 1: The Veteran Slayer (Human)

+1 Dexterity (5 FP)
+2 Melee (4 FP)
Danger Sense Merit (2 FP)
Allies (1 FP)

Example 2: The Noble-Blooded Vampire

+1 Charisma (5 FP)
Noble Lineage Merit (2 FP)
Perfect Conditioning Merit (3 FP)
+2 Power Points (1 FP)

Any leftover points are lost at the end of character creation. Freebie Points are the final touch that defines your edge, your grace under fire, your secrets whispered in the dark, or the divine echo in your veins.

Step 6: Select Starting Powers

Each race has 3–5 unique Disciplines or Paths, which represent their supernatural birthright, magical development, or divine essence. These Paths function as trees of escalating powers, with each Path tailored to the physiology, myth, or history of the race it belongs to.

What Are Disciplines and Paths?

Disciplines are innate supernatural powers, often blood-bound or divine in origin (e.g., Vampire or Aasimar).
Paths can represent learned or channeled forms of power such as elemental magic, necromancy, draconic breath, or infernal pacts.
Each contains a suite of 5 to 10 powers, generally escalating in cost, impact, and complexity.

Choosing Starting Powers:

At character creation, you select:

3 Powers total from any of your known racial Paths or Disciplines
These can be spread across multiple Paths or focused into one
Powers may only be taken from Paths your race has access to

Gaining More Powers:

Use XP or Freebie Points to buy more powers within your existing Paths
Learning new Paths is possible only with narrative justification or Merits (and may cost more XP or require rituals)
Custom trees require Storyteller approval and must fit your character’s concept

Power Structure Example (Simplified):

Vampire Path: Majesty

Dread Gaze – Intimidate or stun a target for 1 round (1 PP)
Aura of Command – +1 die on social rolls with mortals (2 PP)
Mesmeric Presence – Charm a target for up to 10 minutes (3 PP)

Dragon Path: Flame-heart

Ignite – Spark flames from hands (1 PP)
Molten Breath – Cone of fire (3 PP, roll to hit)
Heat Shield – Soak 2 fire damage (2 PP)