Taller Tales

Character Creation

Creating a Character

To create a character:

  • Print or download a character sheet
  • Roll Attributes
  • Pick an Origin
  • Pick a Profession
  • Roll or select equipment
  • Pick Skills
  • Fill in derived stats
  • Fill out appearance and details

Attributes

First, roll attributes to determine the strengths and weaknesses of your character.

A character is made of five attributes:

Shine - Likeable and lucky. Use Shine to get a discount at a boarding-house, trick a suspicious commander, or win a hand of cards.

Wits - Quick-thinking and erudite. Use Wits to remember the migratory patterns of snowbirds, calculate the amount of gunpowder needed to blow up a wall, or draw an accurate map.

Grit - Strong, tough, fierce. Use Grit to stare down a charging demon, break a jaw, or outlast a bout of weeping fever.

Quick - Fast and accurate. Use Quick to palm a bead necklace, outrun a canoe, or shoot a deer.

Spirit - Supernatural, otherworldly. Use Spirit to perform a conjuring, banish a sickness, or find a path to the Lower World.

Roll 2D6+2 for each attribute, in order. At the end, you may swap any 2.

Origin

Choose or roll an origin. Your origin represents how and where you were raised - it does not define your physical form, though many people of the same origin share a similar form.

When you pick an origin, choose a name. Add 1 to your origin skill. Note your ability, then choose a trinket. Finally, mark your languages.

The First Ones

The first people to settle Kuyama, many thousands of years ago. They found a rugged land of spirits and secrets, and devoted themselves to exploring and understanding it.

All First Ones speak Tradespeak.

1. Wind-Dancer

The Wind-Dancers hold the Four Great Condors in highest reverence, building their cedar-pole dwellings among steep crags and lofty pinnacles. They view themselves as the stewards of the heights and mouthpiece of the winds. Their intricate, gravity-defying dances performed on the edges of precipices are a testament to generations of discipline and spiritual devotion.

Names: Swaya, Vun-Sway, Kula-Nai, Estow, Lissos, Mira-Noi
Skill: Music and Dance
Ability: Feather-Light. Draw Deep to float from high places.
Trinket: Hollow-bone flute, mantle of molted condor feathers, or skull-capped walking stick
Language: Scree

2. Fog-Born

Touched by the creeping mists, the fog-born live in the dripping, shrouded forests that make up much of Kuyama's northern coast. Reverential of the heavy silence that cloaks their homeland, they often prefer to communicate through gesture or writing. Their mastery of terrain is so complete that they seem to dissolve into the air itself, leading many to believe they are spirits of the mist.

Names: Ishko, Shalai, Munos, Vasha, Sethi, Kriko
Skill: Sneaking
Ability: Misty Mantle. Draw Deep to surround yourself with thick fog. You are hidden, and all ranged attacks within 3 meters suffer disadvantage.
Trinket: Pot of ash camouflage, reed net, or choking powder.
Language: Shula

3. Acorn-Keeper

A prosperous and wide-reaching people, acorn-keepers are found throughout Kuyama. Their towns, famous for their hospitality, ring with music and laughter. They are great lovers of all kinds of games and sport. Their ability to gather and prepare a wide range of food is legendary, as are their raucous feasts. To an acorn-keeper, a meal is an art form and a sacred bond of peace.

Names: Motek, Tolma, Kukan, Ranya, Oltha, Koto
Skill: Woodcraft
Ability: Master of the Hearth. Anyone who eats food you prepare during recovery may heal an additional Wound. You can always tell when food or drink is poisoned.
Trinket: Mortar and pestle, ceremonial cooking-vessel, or pouch of savory herbs
Language: Varan

4. Salt-Singer

The salt-singers, sometimes called otterkin, long ago struck a pact with the Ocean Mother of the Upper World. In exchange for their pledge to protect the sacred kelp-beds and tidepools, they were granted the ability to dive deep for the treasures of the ocean floor. They live in great floating reed-towns in the bays and river-mouths of central Kuyama, and sail their redwood canoes far and wide, to islands many days distant in the Endless Sea.

Names: Muron, Nalu, Selam, Kora-Tun, Kuvama, Rulon
Skill: Boating
Ability: Coat of the Deep. Resistant to cold effects, can hold breath three times longer than a land-dweller.
Trinket: Harpoon, fishing net, or sharktooth necklace.
Language: Varan

5. Glass-Hunter

High in the Jagged Mountains, the Glass-Hunters dwell among the cinder cones and frozen lava flows. There they brave volcanic fumes to hone the razor-sharp obsidian which tips knives, arrows, spears, and axes throughout Kuyama. The miners have become like the stone they mine - hard, sharp, and a little brittle. They are slow to welcome outsiders, and fiercely defensive of the secrets of their mountain homes.

Names: Kruk, Taka-Tal, Mok, Rak-Vane, Kort, Rukk
Skill: Axes and Clubs
Ability: Shard-skin. Draw Deep to increase your Armor by D3 for 10 minutes or until you Break. If you Break, take D6 damage.
Trinket: Obsidian axe, spear, or skinning-knife.
Language: Kruka

6. Sky-Searcher

The nomadic sky-searchers believe that the Great Tree to the Upper World can only be found by following the stars. They travel the seasonal routes, greeted with joy by villages for the news, stories, and celestial calendars they carry. Greatly appreciated as guides and navigators, they read the stars with an accuracy that borders on the prophetic.

Names: Estra, Sivra, Solis-Vara, Niri, Elira, Ethelowa
Skill: Astrology
Ability: Starblessed. When you successfully use Astrology to navigate, you find yourself exceptionally lucky. For the next day, when you test your Good Fortune, roll with advantage.
Trinket: Obsidian viewing-lens, otter-pelt sky-map, or powerful incense.
Language: Varan, Kruka

The Lucent Sovereign

Invading from the south a hundred years ago, a host of skilled riders, zealous preachers, and hardy farmers began a steady march through the lands of the First Ones. Devoted to their Golden Empress, they hunger for gold, land, and souls.

All members of the Lucent Sovereign speak Lucean.

7. Initiate

Acolytes of the Radiant Eye are born into a life of service to the Gilded Church and live out their days in the white-walled monasteries that sprout wherever the Empress' fingers touch. They live, love, labor, and die bound by the 13 Mortal Rules, a strict code of conduct. Some embrace this life of service and devotion - carrying the Eye's light into all corners of Kuyama. Others reject it and throw off their yellow robes for a life amongst the lay-folk.

Names: Valerius, Lucian, Clementia, Theron, Aurelis, Pax
Skill: Oration
Ability: Well-Read. You may study a book or recall a writing on a particular subject when you take a rest. Pick a Wits skill. Your next roll on that skill is at Advantage.
Trinket: Prayer book, sacred candle, or spectacles
Language: High Lucean

8. Garrisoner

The forts and outposts of the Lucent Sovereign's incursion are held together by the grit of the common soldier. Not all those within the walls of the garrison are soldiers, but all have learned how to ride a beast, heft a lance, and wear their signature thick bulls-hide armor. Far from the Empress’s reach, discipline is lax, desertion is common, and many find themselves more loyal to their company than to the Radiant Eye.

Names: Valer, Kest, Gort, Maron, Dax, Jurn
Skill: Athletics
Ability: Cameraderie. Draw Deep to gain advantage on an attack against an enemy your ally has already hit this round.
Trinket: Wineskin, bulls-hide shield, or leather punch
Language: Camptalk

9. Ranchfolk

The rambling, expansive ranches of southern Kuyama are the source of the Sovereign's wealth. While the wealthy Land Grantees live in opulent comfort, the ranchfolk spend their lives in the saddle, toiling under the hot sun to maintain the ever-hungry herds. More like self-contained villages than simple farms, the ranches house a small army of laborers. Some enjoy the hard work. Others pray for escape.

Names: Jaro, Mareth, Tulon, Sola, Vane, Kesto
Skill: Horsemanship
Ability: Animal Kinship. You know how to work with horses, pack-animals, livestock, and dogs. You gain advantage on all tests involving domestic animals, and can communicate with them through a basic language.
Trinket: Branding iron, silver spurs, or broad-brim hat
Language: Camptalk

10. Gearwright

Traveling in gear-laden caravans, the gearwrights are the wandering merchants and mechanics of the Sovereign. They maintain the clocks and pumps and wagons that keep the incursion running. Their brightly-painted wagons are a welcome sight to most, though they are viewed with suspicion by the Gilded Church. Every seven years, they make a pilgrimage to the south to resupply and train, returning with the latest tools and a fresh crop of rumors.

Names: Arlo, Pip, Elara-Zan, Mext, Vilo, Torin
Skill: Cultures
Ability: Tinker's Touch. Draw Deep for advantage on a test to understand, repair, or disable a mechanical device.
Trinket: Tobacco box, pen and ink, or nested copper cups
Language: Varan

11. Dwarfkin

The few dwarf-holds that exist in Kuyama are extensive earthwork tunnels through the sand and loam. Their massive distilling operations, reverence for gambling and games of chance, and outgoing nature have made the 'holds an enormously popular destination for travelers and revelers of all kinds. 'Holders are recognized by their loud laughter, their vibrant clothing, and their deep appreciation of life's pleasures.

Names: Baldric, Rollo, Juna, Tibalt, Mux, Vola
Skill: Carousing
Ability: Quick Friend. You gain advantage on all Shine tests against anyone you have shared a drink or game of chance with.
Trinket: Wineskin, playing cards, or guitar
Language: Camptalk, Dwarvish

12. Brinewarden

The salt flats are critical for harvesting the "white gold" that preserves rations and fuels the volatile chemical baths used to extract gold from raw ore. The keepers of these flats, the Brinewardens, are defined by their long exposure to the blinding, alkaline wastes. These "salt-dogs" are weathered and etched by the harsh conditions they live in, but possess an incredible resistance to the desert’s thirst and an almost supernatural "nose" for chemical compounds and mineral veins.

Names: Flint, Halite, Borax, Sel, Sylvin, Gyp
Skill: Science
Ability: Chemist's Nose. During a rest, you can identify metals, potions, and strange liquids. You have advantage on tests against poison.
Trinket: Obsidian sun-spectacles, salt-encrusted poncho, or field testing kit
Language: Camptalk

Profession

Choose or roll a profession. This represents your training before you became an adventurer. Add 1 to the key skill and two other skills from the skill list. Mark down the Talent, and pick or roll your starting gear.

1. Range-rider

The mounted herdsmen of Kuyama are legendary for their skill with a rope and their ability to endure weeks in the saddle. It takes a quick hand and a lot of guts to manage vast herds of cattle or bison, or to track temperamental four-ton shovelhorns across the plains. More than their skill with a rope, their intense bond with their mount is the thing that keeps them going through the dusty valleys and long, lonely silences of the hills.

Key Skill: Horsemanship
Skill List: Sneaking, Guns and Bows, Spears and Staves, Athletics, Woodcraft, Crafting.
Talent: Wrangler. Draw Deep to lasso a target. Test Horsemanship. On a success, the target is entangled until they break free with a Grit test. You can move them up to 3 meters on your turn.
Gear: Horse, lasso, broad-brim hat, plus:

  1. Saddle, saddlebags, musket, powder & bullets (D6 ammo), D6 coins
  2. Light armor, spear, bone whistle, D12 coins
  3. Bow, willow bark, asphaltum cake, 2D10 coins

2. Speaker

The gods are rarely silent in Kuyama. Preachers of the Gilded Church travel far and wide spreading the strict light of the Radiant Eye and the 13 Mortal Rules. The doctors, dreamers, and spirit-speakers of the First Ones hold positions of respect as they guide their people through the shifting balance of the Three Worlds. Tension between First Ones and Lucent Sovereign is more than a struggle for land - it is a war for the soul of the Middle World, and Speakers from all nations are the leaders in the fight.

Key Skill: Prayer
Skill List: Oration, History, Cultures, Medicine, Music and Dance, Astrology.
Talent: Initiate. Gain two Basic Prayers.
Gear: Incense, prayer book or scroll, walking-staff, plus:

  1. consecrated wine, cleansing censer, backpack, D12 coins
  2. pocket clock, almanac, pen & ink, 2D10 coins
  3. medicinal chest, knife, block of chocolate, D6 coins

3. Soldier

From silent stalkers in the redwood canopy to armored lancers of the southern plains, soldiers of all kinds ride, march, and sail across Kuyama's shifting borders. Whether defending wood-and-mud forts from midnight raids or mounting excursions into shadow-choked forests, the soldier’s life is one of grueling vigilance. Those warriors that are courageous, tenacious, and lucky might find their way to fortune and glory. The rest are claimed by the fog.

Key Skill: Any weapon skill
Skill List: Athletics, Horsemanship, Medicine, Crafting, Boating.
Talent: Implacable. When you Break, if you are Wounded, you may test Grit. On a success, you do not gain a Wound from the Break.
Gear: Any weapon, backpack, wineskin, plus:

  1. Protective charm, flint & steel, rope, 2D10 coins
  2. Riding leathers, horse, saddle, D6 coins
  3. Bulls-hide jacket, shield, helmet, D12 coins

4. Artisan

Be it weaver, potter, painter, tailor, blacksmith, carpenter, knapper or canoe-carver, the craftspeople of Kuyama are the backbone of the frontier. Their goods are prized across continental trade networks for their durability and unique construction. Artisans are members of secret crafting societies and ancient guild-lines, where they hone techniques perfected over centuries and passed down through generations of masters. Their goods are not merely works of art, but tools and weapons intended for a lifetime of hard use.

Key Skill: Crafting
Skill List: Bartering, Science, History, Athletics, Oration, Brawling, Axes and Clubs.
Talent: Masterwork. When you repair or create an item, you may test Crafting. On a success, the item becomes Sturdy; the next time it would break or become damaged, it remains intact instead. Sturdy items sell for an ((additional 50%)).
Gear: Toolkit, apron, hammer, plus:

  1. Bone awl, asphaltum cake, leather scraps, 2D10 coins.
  2. Metal cookware, mule, pot of bear grease, D12 coins.
  3. Vellum and ink, tobacco pouch, splendid outfit, D6 coins.

5. Outlaw

Horse thief. Scavenger. Bushwhacker. Gambler. Coyote-man. Rebel. The outcasts and ne'er-do-wells that sit on the edges of society in Kuyama must develop a cautious and violent set of skills to survive the frontier. Some follow legends of hidden treasure in deep places, others haunt the gaming houses and horse races of the south. Still others prey on merchants and travelers following the long and dangerous roads between settlements. They all know that in this land the difference between wealth and an early grave is often a quick flick of the wrist.

Key Skill: Sneaking
Skill List: Knives and Swords, Guns and Bows, Carousing, Athletics, Horsemanship, Bartering.
Talent: Dustblade. When you attack a target who is unaware of you, you may Draw Deep to choose an Attack Style and automatically deal maximum damage on the attack.
Gear: Bandana, stolen horse, rope, plus:

  1. Whip, shovel, deck of cards, 2D10 coins.
  2. Sword, light leathers, tobacco pouch, D12 coins.
  3. Rifle, powder & bullets (D6 ammo), pry-bar, D6 coins.

6. Hunter

In Kuyama, the human and animal world overlap. Flocks of waterbirds as thick as storm-clouds nest in the wetlands, herds of elk and deer fill the valleys and strange leviathans patrol the coast. The hunters in the forests and the plains know how to harvest this bounty, taking what they need without disrupting the delicate patterns of the wild. Yet they must remain vigilant. It takes as much skill to evade the many native predators - enormous barkbears and packs of ruthless flint-wolves - as it does to bring home a kill.

Key Skill: Woodcraft
Skill List: Sneaking, Guns and Bows, Athletics, Medicine, Spears and Staves, Knives and Swords, Crafting, Horsemanship.
Talent: Quarry. Spend a moment observing tracks or signs. You may Draw Deep to know the exact direction, distance, and health of the creature you are tracking.
Gear: Hunting decoys, flint & steel, bone whistle, plus:

  1. Trained crow, bow, quiver of arrows (D6 ammo), 2D10 coins.
  2. Horse, musket, powder & bullets (D6 ammo), D6 coins.
  3. Dog, long spear, bear trap, D12 coins.

7. Performer

Fire-dancers. Storytellers. Thunder-drummers from the dwarf-holds. The wandering guitarist and the old ranch-hand who draws tears during every trembling violin solo. The performers of Kuyama are the keepers of the land's heartbeat. Villages, ranches, forts, and mining camps are filled with music and tales, sagas of past ages and melodies of the hidden places of magic. Those that hold the power of story and song hold positions of power and influence, and a new legend or fashionable ballad might be worth more than a sack of silver.

Key Skill: Music and Dance or Oration
Skill List: Music and Dance, Oration, Cultures, Medicine, Sneaking, Astrology, Science, Prayer
Talent: Captivate. You gain advantage on all Shine tests against anyone who watches you perform for at least 10 minutes.
Gear: Any musical instrument, fine hat, traveling cloak, plus:

  1. Book of legends, paintbrush, paints, hide canvas, D12 coins.
  2. Perfume, splendid outfit, mirror, D6 coins.
  3. Turtle-shell rattle, willow bark, mule, D6 coins.

8. Tide-runner

Crew aboard massive expedition galleons. Otter hunters on deep-sea canoes. Fish trappers sailing tule-reed skiffs silently through the saltmarshes. The people of Kuyama take to the water like they were born in it. It takes a complex blend of knowledge, strength, and intuition to find the channels, currents, and winds needed to navigate the foggy coasts of the sunset lands. Masters of their craft are invaluable as guides, captains, and smugglers.

Key Skill: Boating
Skill List: Athletics, Crafting, Carousing, Woodcraft, Spears and Staves, Knives and Swords, Brawling, Astrology.
Talent: Steady. You ignore slippery, uneven, or treacherous terrain. You may Draw Deep to avoid getting knocked over, shoved, grappled, or restrained.
Gear: Cudgel, fishing traps, breathing reed, plus:

  1. Reed boat, harpoon, water basket, D12 coins.
  2. Canoe, lantern & oil, bone whistle, D6 coins.
  3. Spyglass, rope, grappling hook, 2D10 coins.

9. Prospector

Many rare and valuable things are hidden atop the obsidian capped mountain peaks, or deep within dripping mines and caverns. Prospectors hunger for precious stones, ores, and reagents to bring back to the cities and towns and use in their laboratories. Their knowledge of admixture, refinement, and arcane chemical processes is only matched by their ability to identify the veins of copper, lime, and volcanic glass that wind through the earth.

Key Skill: Science
Skill List: Athletics, Woodcraft, Brawling, Axes and Clubs, Crafting, Bartering, History, Medicine
Talent: Alchemical Dabbler. You can learn recipes for trifling and minor effects. Learn one of each.
Gear: Panning tray, rock hammer and chisel, one batch alchemical reagents, plus:

  1. Mule, saddlebags, flask of oil, D6 coins.
  2. Pry-bar, vial of quicksilver, vial of acid, D12 coins.
  3. Spyglass, shovel, scales, 2D10 coins.

10. Messenger

The messenger is a critical component of the highly dispersed settlements and pockets of civilization scattered throughout Kuyama's sprawling lands is the messenger. Whether delivering a desperate call for aid, a declaration of war, or a simple letter from a distant loved one, they are the masters of the long road. Traveling enormous distances through shadow-choked forests and sun-scorched plains, the messenger is often a polyglot, fluent in the tongues and customs of a dozen cultures. Regardless of the news they bring, they are treated with the utmost respect and given food and shelter wherever they travel.

Key Skill: Athletics
Skill List: Horsemanship, Sneaking, Woodcraft, Guns and Bows, Cultures, Bartering, Boating.
Talent: Long-Strider. You add an additional 5 to your Speed. If you would become exhausted, you may Draw Deep to avoid it.
Gear: Satchel of letters, good boots, flint and steel, plus:

  1. Mustang, saddle, simple clothes, D6 coins.
  2. Bow, quiver and arrows (D6 ammo), bone whistle, 2D10 coins.
  3. Light armor, pistol, powder & bullets (D6 ammo), D12 coins.

11. Conjuror

Most people in Kuyama can feel the places where the Lower World is near, where unpredictable powers seep through the plants, the soil, the very air. These thin places are dangerous, and most avoid them. The Conjuror, however, seeks them out. Those few who have devoted their lives to understanding this power can reliably draw it forth from the depths, though it costs them dearly. A Conjuror is rarely beloved, but, should they survive the fraying of their mind and spirit, will become an undeniable force in the shifting landscape of Kuyama.

Key Skill: Conjuring
Skill List: Oration, History, Medicine, Astrology, Woodcraft, Cultures
Talent: Binder. Select one Border Conjuring that you can perform. Mastering it will lead you to deeper mysteries. You may select this talent multiple times.
Gear: A focusing-pin (lead, bone, or feather), pouch of salt, warding talisman, plus:

  1. Notebook, quill & ink, magnifying glass, D12 coins.
  2. Ritual paints, splendid outfit, promise of a powerful favor, D6 coins.
  3. Vial of mercury, datura, flask of oil, 2D10 coins.

12. Wildling

Some were cursed. Others were born in the wilds and raised by animals. Still others were touched by ancient, powerful spirits. The wildlings have known nothing but the trackless, fog-covered wilderness. They speak in birdsong, the hum of insects, and the chittering of beasts. Elusive, unseen, the wilderness has seeped into every pore of their being, granting some the ability to take on the forms of animals. Whether they are silent hunters, ferocious guardians, or haggard exiles, wildlings are as much a part of the landscape as the redwoods themselves.

Key Skill: Shape-changing and Woodcraft
Skill List: Crafting, Medicine, Brawling, Spears and Staves, Athletics, Sneaking, Astrology
Talent: Animal-Speaker. You do not know Tradespeak or Lucean. Instead, you can speak in the tongue of birds and beasts. You have advantage on any tests to calm, communicate with, or command a wild animal.
Gear: Spear or staff, warm furs, fang and claw necklace, plus:

  1. Willow bark, flint & steel, datura, leather armor.
  2. Death camas, skunk scent, tobacco pouch, glue.
  3. Rattlesnake venom, asphaltum cakes, rope, bear grease.

Skills

TODO: Rewrite & clarify

Mark your trained skills. You will gain one from your origin, three from your profession, and bonus skills according to your Wits:

  • = 6 - 1

  • = 9 - 2

  • = 12 - 3

For each chosen skill, record its name under its most relevant attribute. The first time you choose a skill, it starts at a value of 1. If you select a skill multiple times, increase its starting value by 1 to a maximum of 3.

Dana has the Horsemanship (Qu) skill from her Vaquero profession. Her Quick is 11 and her Wits are a 12. She gets to freely choose one skill and gets two bonus skills from her Wits. She decides she wants to be very good at riding, so she puts two of her three skills into Riding, bringing it to a 3. Her target number (TN) for Riding rolls is 11 (Quick) + 3 (Skill), so she must roll under a 14 to succeed on Riding tests.

Equipment

Roll or choose a package of gear from your profession. If your equipment grants you ammo, roll and record its quantity. In addition, every character starts with simple clothes, a knife, a water skin, plus one trinket from their origin.

Derived Stats

Fill in the rest of your stats:

  • You start at Level 1, with 0 Stories.
  • Your HP is equal to your Grit plus your Level.
    • When this is exhausted, you are at risk of critical injury or death.
    • It is fully restored with an hour's rest.
    • You gain more HP as you level up, and whenever your Grit increases.
  • Your Limit is equal to your Spirit plus 7.
    • This is the amount of Stake you can hold before you Break.
  • You have three Wounds.
    • These are depleted when you take damage over your HP, or when you Break.
    • When you have no Wounds remaining, you are Near Death.
    • Restore one Wound with a full night of rest and a good meal.
  • Your speed in meters is equal to 5 + Quick / 2 (rounded up).
    • This is how far you can move during one action.
  • Your encumbrance is equal to your 3 + Grit / 2 (rounded up).
    • This is how many items you can carry in your pack and on your back. See Equipment.

Languages

You speak Tradespeak and one or more languages from your Origin.

Each time you encounter a new language, you may test Wits. If you succeed, you speak that language, to a maximum number of languages equal to your Wits / 2 (rounded up).

Description

Note your name, age, physical description, and one or two details that might stand out on first impression.

Skills