It has been generations since the palace culture of the Old Age fell. The tiny settlement of Micropolis still maintains its fragile democracy, but is heavily taxed by the Snake Prefect, the tyrant of nearby Miletus. The Prefect and his minions are half-human, serpent-skinned monsters, immune to most diseases and hard to kill. Most observers believe their foul forms to be a curse for some infraction against the gods. But the serpentmen consider themselves superior, transformed beings, more fit to survive in the present cruel age than luckless mortals.

Micropolis’s Assembly has called for an expedition to better understand the tyrant who oppresses them. A party of likely younger citizens is assembled —those brave and promising enough to earn the commission of the people and the favor of the Gods.

Characters belong to a mixed Mycenaean/ Lydian culture. Typical names might include (Mycenaean) Akilles, Aiwax, Sarpedon, Protosileus, Helen, Clete, Penelope, (Lydian) Kroseus, Agron, Manses, Lydus, etc.  

Character concepts might include any of the following (though new suggestions welcomed):

·         A tough Greek Dark Age protagonist such as a bandit, mercenary, escaped slave, thief, warrior, or gladiator (last not v Mycenaean, but local baddies hold brutal travesties of the old Games).  

·         A  zero to hero goatherd, ploughboy or oarsman, gradually rising to new challenges.

·         One or two more exalted types such as an athlete, harpist, physician or priest

·         An Egyptian, Cretan, Hittite, Amazon mercenary or merchant who has  joined the party.

·         A mighty descendant of Hercules or Ares (or so they believe), a mattock wielding, animal skin wearing hulk.

·         An Atlantean psionic, descendant of a psychically gifted race (see edge below).

Starting funds are only 2d6*10 bronze arrowheads, reflecting the impoverishment of the age. Use the setting specific lists attached for a description of currency and gear. 

Languages and literacy: Apart from Koine (a common Mycenaen Greek language) your character knows one additional language for each die of Smarts.  Locally useful languages include Old Mycenaean (used for ballads, prayers, spells, oratory and such),  Islander (Aegean trade lingo) and Lydian (native local language).

Foreign languages include Minoan (Cretan), Egyptian, Lydian and Hittite.

Literacy in the old Linear B script counts as a language spend and requires SMA d6+.  

Use whatever tools are helpful to create your character, but please present your application in the form of a short block entry with some concept blurb.

House Rules

Bennies are called Favors, representing the characters’ belief in the providence of the Gods and fate. 

Slightly gritty soak rule: characters cannot roll a soak if a blow has incapacitated them (taken them beyond 3 wounds).  

Characters gain a +1 when speaking those of similar profession or background (+2 if there is a strong connection). Everyone is responsible for investigative and social interaction.

Since this an online game I may not always use the card initiative system, instead assigning party initiative or using character’s SMA/AGI to determine order.

Please don’t pick edges that refer to card draws (see last point),or (like First Strike) require reference to turn order or a battle map to determine exact positions.   

Setting Edges:

Athlete. N, STR, SPI and AGI all d6.  The gymnasium-built character gains +1 on running, jumping, swimming and throwing. For a Favor, they may roll for these activities at the next higher die type with the same bonus. Such feats have the effect of entertaining or impressing spectators who still retain some value in the old Games. 

Arcane Background (Atlantean). N. Smarts d6, Spirit d6. The only starting AB in the setting. You are descended from the psychically gifted refugees of already lost Atlantis. Use Smarts to perform low level psychic feats, with a success indicating a weak effect and shifts indicating more decisive outcomes. Powers include reading surface thoughts and influencing weaker minded individuals (‘this is not the mechanical owl you are looking for’). TN is target’s Smarts. You can also send thoughts to a recipient able to make a TN6 Smarts roll to ‘hear’ them (each raise on the sender’s roll reduces the TN by 1). Small objects can be moved using telekinesis. For a Favor or two, you can boost these effects or use stronger powers like clairvoyance.

Bronze Destroyer: N, fighting d8, STR d6, uses bronze weapon that does 1d6+ damage.  Once per combat (up to three times if a Favor is spent), your attack breaks an opponent’s non-bronze shield or weapon when you deal enough damage to shake them. 

Rock Slayer. N. REQS STR d8, Athletics d6. The character can lift and hurl heavy rocks (or tables, market stalls, carts, etc.), with a round needed to lift the item then hurl at a single target for three STR dice damage. 

Dark Ages Survivor N, Spirit d6, Sma d6. For the purposes of foraging and survival, character can use Smarts for healing, notice and survival. If any skill is higher than their Smarts, gain a +1 to the roll.

Dog Boy/Girl. N. Spirit d6. If the player is willing to make additional rolls themselves during combat, they may be accompanied by a fierce, loyal dog. AGI d8, SMA (A) d6, SPI d6, STR d4, VIG d6; Fighting d6, Notice d10, excellent scent, damage d4+ STR, SA: go for the heels.  If the dog is incapacitated, it will usually recover between adventures. If killed, a replacement will appear in the same interval.

Legendary Hide: N, STR d6 and VIG d6.  Character inherits the skin of a legendary bear/ lion/ wolf/ etc. from a vigorous ancestor. The garment needs to be named (e.g. ‘Hide of the Lydian Bull’). If worn in place of other armor, it affords an unusual +3 to Toughness and does not seriously impede motion.

Musician. N. Smarts, AGI and SPI all d6. The lyrist, flute-player, drummer, etc. is able to please crowds typically starved of entertainment, rolling either AGI, SPI or persuade to determine effect.  Can busk 3 ah for each success and shift on a daily roll.  

Philosopher: N. SMA d8. In an ignorant age, the character possesses fragments of the old world’s wisdom. Gains +1 to CK rolls on almost any subject, using an encyclopaedic memory. Gains +1 to persuade rolls concerning moral courses of action.

Priest/priestess: N. SMA d6, SPI d6, one at d8.  It is unclear in the setting whether the Gods objectively exist, but people’s belief in them remains strong. If the priest rolls at least one raise when persuading, their targets may perceive them as having a divine aura (or majestic voice, halo, etc). Those healed with a success or raise may perceive the effect of healing as miraculously fast.  In both cases, the effect of the roll is boosted by a further raise if no other Edges are in play. Skeptics are unaffected by these effects.

Hindrances:

Carouser (minor, major): you tend to spend a lot on carousing between adventures, purchasing wine costing at least an ah a day (more if your character is in funds).   As a major hindrance, you drink wine unmixed with water, even during adventures, requiring a VIG check to start a day’s adventure without a -1 (‘til noon) penalty.

Helot (minor, major): You are from a disenfranchised, pauper clan. Start with half starting funds, and maintain a deference (and/or mild resentment) of your betters. If major, you contest the commands/persuasions of well born individuals at -1. 

Ignorant (minor): CK rolls at -1. You know one less language than your SMA confers and cannot learn to read.

Comic relief (major): whenever your character fails decisively they tend to mess up badly, causing a comic effect that earns the derision of friends and foe alike. If the player can describe an especially amusing and/or calamitous outcome they will gain a Favor at GM’s discretion.

Superstitious (minor/major): -1/-2  to fear effects caused by encounters or situations that feel supernatural or weird.

Skeptic (major); you do not believe that the gods exist, or worse, that they have abandoned humanity. You receive no benefits from the encouragements of priest characters (see above) or from benefits conferred by apparently supernatural events. Your impiety appears offensive –and dangerous--to many.

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