Attributes

Attributes default to fair. You may define them however you wish within the range –3 to +3, as long as the net sum is zero. Most folk have attributes in the range of –1 to +1. For each positive attribute, define one specialty; for each negative trait, define one weakness. These are the things that are most noticeable about your character, your exceptional qualities and tragic flaws.

• Strength (ST) -- raw brute force.
• Mettle (ME) -- toughness, stamina, courage, audacity, and sheer orneriness.
• Dexterity (DX) -- coordination and grace.
• Quickness (QU) -- the ability to think and move quickly.
• Intelligence (IN) -- reasoning ability, judgment, and resourcefulness.
• Perception (PE) -- alertness, intuition, and discernment.
• Presence (PR) -- how impressive, influential, and commanding you are.
• Communication (CO) -- empathy, your ability to relate to people.

You also have several figured attributes. These cannot be modified directly, but are computed from the values of other traits.

• Burden is your load factor. This is an abstract number that is used as a penalty to certain actions. To compute, add the burden values of all equipment and subtract from ST.

• Move is how many yards you can sprint in one second, and is equal to 5 + QU – Burden.

• Body is how much physical punishment you can withstand, and equals 4 + ME. For each body level lost, take a –1 penalty to all actions. See the combat section for more information.

• Stamina is how far you can go before you get tired, and equals 5 + ME. Each stamina level lost causes a –1 penalty to all actions.

• Magic is your capacity to work magic. By default it equals 10 + ME. There is no penalty for lost magic levels, but it is risky to let it go negative!

• Status is a vague notion of your standing in the local community, and affects your relations with those around you. Upon entering a new area, your status defaults to fair (modified by your social standing).

• Experience (XP) initially starts at zero. It is gradually acquired through adventure, hard work, and failure. You can draw upon your experience in the following situations:
  1. Spend one XP to gain ±1 on any roll, before rolling the dice.
  2. Spend two XP to avoid 1 body level of damage ("it’s not as bad as it looks").
  3. Spend one XP to allow one emergency saving throw.
  4. Spend some amount of XP to raise a skill one level (cost to be determined).

  Experience assigned to a specific trait may only be used in conjunction with that trait, but general experience can be used in any way desired. Spent experience is gone permanently, with one exception. Each trait level above fair grants XP for use with that trait only: 1 XP for good, 2 XP for great, 4 XP for superb, etc. This experience is recovered at the rate of 1 per day, and represents expertise. Similarly, attributes above fair have XP which can be applied in any situation that is appropriate to that attribute.

  This is an experimental system and will be abandoned if it doesn’t work.

• Confidence starts at fair. Confidence enables you to tackle a problem without getting discouraged. But if you fail, you lose 1 level! At terrible confidence you wallow in self-defeat and are unwilling to risk a second attempt. Loss is temporary, though a devastating defeat could have permanent effects. Confidence may be increased by incredible personal success. Unlike experience, confidence may be applied to any situation.