Determine SkillsEvery character—man, woman, or child—starts with a d4 in each available skill.
Protagonists then have 9 “advances” to spend, with no more than 3 advances spent on one skill (ie, no skill can start above d10). Each advance levels up the skill by one die type.
d4 < d6 < d8 < d10 <d12 < d20
Skills, by category, for quick reference:
| Chase | Combat | Parley | Subterfuge |
Boat
Climb
Dash
Ride
Swim
| Aim
Brawl
Fend
Heal
Strike
| Command
Deceive
Entice
Perform
Will
| Hide
Hunt
Sense
Sneak
Steal
|
All Protagonist members of the Biercewyrm crew start with the following tools:
- A spear (d8), a round shield (d10) and a seax (d6);
- A bow (d6) and quiver (d10),
or two angons (both d8);
- A helmet (d6)
or a mail shirt (d6);
- A sword (d8)
or a battle axe (d8);
- Two other tools of your choosing, not related to combat or the previously mentioned tools; acceptable choices include musical instruments and craftsmen tools. You can have two at d6 or one at d8.
Write Three AspectsThere is something special about your character, something unique separating them from anyone else, something a mere skill cannot describe. This is an Aspect. Protagonists get three of them, each one ranked at a d8.
Do not be afraid to write aspects that appear disadvantageous. These aspects can be employed to earn you Ardor points which, in turn, you will need to invoke your more advantageous aspects. Bold maladies of the body or mind, such as Blind or Cowardly, can earn you Ardor quite regularly.
The best aspects are those that can be seen as positive or negative, depending on the context. An aspect such as Quick to anger might work against you (earning you Ardor) in a delicate social situation, but could gain you advantage on the battlefield.
Aspects may also indicate relationships. This type of aspect helps tie your character into the world and create all sorts of interesting situations to play with.
Write three on your character sheet, then rank each aspect at a d8.
Basic AssumptionsYou are a Germanic pagan; you are an Angle (“Englisc”); you are male; you are healthy; and you speak only your native language.
If you would like to change any single one of these, it must be an Aspect. So to be a Frank instead of English would be a whole Aspect. Or, to be a woman instead of a man, would be an entire Aspect.*
* = This is due to the patriarchal culture of this setting and period, making a female Anglo-Saxon warrior a unique and noteworthy element to a character in this period. Women are not expected to fulfill the role, but strength is respected and such women who can defy these expectations may grow in fame much faster than their male counterparts.
Ardor and VigorAll Protagonists start with 3 points of Ardor and 3 points of Vigor.
Name Your CharacterCharacter names must be in Old English, from the language spoken by the English people *before* 1066 during the Anglo-Saxon period. Avoid names with Norse or Latin origin.
If you simply Google "Old English names" or something similar, many or even most sources and results that will come up are giving you names from a much different period in English history, usually either modern or renaissance. However, here are some sources which I find trustworthy:
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Old_English_given_namesforums.taleworlds.com/index.php?threads/anglo-saxon-naming-for-those-wanting-an-authentic-name.204889/s-gabriel.org/names/aelfwyn/bede.htmlwww.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/malmesbury-oe.html
