Crowns of Blood: Chargen (Part 3)

[continued from here]

STATISTICS AND SKILLS

1. Divide 72 points among the following six statistics: SIZ (size), STR (Strength), DEX (Dexterity), CON (Constitution), INT (Intelligence), and APP (Appearance). No statistic may exceed 18, nor be less than 5, prior to adding cultural modifiers. If a character is to have combat training (see Step 6 below), a minimum SIZ of 8 is required, prior to adjustment.

INT is a new stat for Crowns of Blood; it is not found in Pendragon. INT represents a character's inherent smarts, learned knowledge, and ability to learn. It replaces the old skill recognition, and is used in opposition to intrigue the way an animal used avoidance in opposition to the hunting skill. It is important for determination of a character's non-combat skills.

A male character with an INT that exceeds Love (family) and Loyalty (lord) might be tempted to become a maester...but player characters are never obligated to take that path.

"Okay, we're short...get over it."

2. Add cultural modifiers. Stats may be increased above 18, or reduced below 5 in this way. However, if ANY stat would be reduced to 3 or less, the character is bedridden, making it very difficult to take part in adventures.

Andal: SIZ +1, CON +2
Crannogman: SIZ -2, DEX +2, CON +2, APP -2
Dornishman (Rhoynar): DEX +1, APP +2
Ironborn: STR +1, DEX +1, CON +1
Mountain Clan (North or Vale): STR +1, DEX +1, CON +2, INT -2, APP -2
Northman: STR +1, CON +2
Targaryen: INT +1, APP +2

3. Figure derived statistics

Total Hit Points = CON + SIZ
Unconscious = Total Hit Points /4
Movement Rate = (STR + DEX) /10
Damage = (SIZ + STR) /6
Healing Rate = (CON + STR) /10
Distinctive Features based on APP:

Less than 7, greater than 16 = three distinctive features
7 to 9 or 13 to 16 = two distinctive features
10 to 12 = one distinctive feature

Distinctive features can be chosen from the following categories: hair, body, expression, speech, facial features, and limbs. Random rolling is not required.

4. Determine Family Characteristic

Randomly determined. All members of your character's family will have the same characteristic.

Roll D20: Characteristic
1-2: At home in nature (+5 hunting)
3-4: Born to saddle (+5 horsemanship)*
5: Dextrous fingers (+10 industry)
6: Excellent strategists (+5 battle)
7-8: Keen sighted (+5 awareness)
9: Long memories (+5 folklore)
10: Machiavellian (+5 intrigue)
11: Masters of etiquette (+5 courtesy)
12: Musically gifted (+10 music)
13: Natural healer (+5 first aid**)
14: Pirate ancestors (+5 sailing)
15: Raised bilingual (+10 language)
16: Rumored necromancy (+5 magic)
17: Symbol affinity (+10 heraldry)
18: Talented organizer (+5 stewardship)
19: Water born (+5 boating)
20: Well read (+5 knowledge)

*Crannogmen learn "Poison Makers" (+5 poisons) instead.
**Non-combatants may add bonus to chiurgery instead of first aid.

5. Select Non-Combat skills

• A character is allowed a number of non-combat skills equal to the character's INT score.
• Skill choices are limited to the following: awareness, boating, courtesy, first aid, folklore, heraldry, hunting, intrigue, knowledge, music, stewardship, and the individual's "family characteristic."
• The following skills may be available (GM discretion) based on foster or home culture: sailing (especially in the Iron Islands) and other language.
• Non-combatants (see Step 6) may also learn the following skills: chiurgery and industry.
• The following skills are only available with maester training (unless possessed as a "family characteristic"): magic, poisons, and potions.

Choose two skills to begin at 10; all other skills known begin at 5. If a character is "combat trained" (see Step 6), add a +5 bonus to first aid.

6. Select Combat skills

• If trained for combat (player's choice), the player learns the following skills: battle, horsemanship, dagger, and three other weapon skills (including grapple as an option). Choose two skills to begin at 10; all others start at 5. Character also receives the bonus to first aid listed in Step 5.
• Combat trained characters are considered to know all other weapon skills at level 0.
• Non-combat trained characters may add 1D6 to APP, not to exceed the character's cultural maximum. A non-combatant may still select combat skills (like horsemanship or a weapon skill) from the character's normal allowance of skill choices (based on INT, see Step 5). Even non-combatants receive training in dagger at skill level 5; this does not count against the character's allowance of skills.

"Not all of us were meant for bloody swordplay."

7. Add skills based on father's social class

A character receives a number of points based on social class to add to the skills already possessed; this reflects the character's training through childhood. Points cannot be allocated to skills not already possessed (remember that a combat trained character possesses ALL weapon skills, though most start at "0"). The following limitations apply:

• No skill may be raised above 15, unless it receives a bonus as a "family characteristic."
• Non-combat skills may not exceed a character's INT score (even if INT is less than 15), except in the case of a "family characteristic."
• The maximum for a family characteristic is 15 plus bonus, or INT plus bonus if INT is less than 15.

Great House lord: add 25 points of skill.
Officer of lord: add 20 points of skill.
Minor House lord, clan chieftain, or landed knight: add 15 points of skill.
All other social classes: add 10 points of skill.

Note that there are several "officer" positions that a character's father may possess (lord steward, marshal, chief forester, castellan, lord of coin, "hand," etc.) and these positions are not inherited. The extra points should be used to select appropriate skills that the character's father would have taught his children (in hopes the son or daughter might succeed the father to the office).

[to be continued]