Latest revision as of 16:54, 20 July 2026

Character Creation

Characters in Seventh Sun are capable posthuman adventurers from the start. Character creation is quick and flexible. A Path provides a useful recipe, but does not dictate the hero's Skills or profession.

Character Creation Summary

Develop a Character Concept and Motive
Choose a Lineage
Choose a Path
Assign Attributes
Choose Skills and Phasmic Formulae
Select Talents and Flaws
Record Nerve
Select Equipment
Calculate Derived Scores
Add Final Details

Step 1 — Character Concept and Motive

Start with a general idea of the hero you want to play. Examples might include a road-warden who never abandons a traveler, a ruin-courier who brings hidden truths to those who need them, a Devisor coaxer of ancient machines, an Alliant mercenary weary of inherited wars, or a newly reintegrated Magister searching for the purpose of an unwanted vinculum.

Your concept guides your later choices but grants no numerical bonus.

Write one Motive as a brief statement in the hero's own voice. A Motive is the reason the hero accepts danger. Pursuing it at meaningful cost can restore Nerve during play.

Step 2 — Choose a Lineage

A Lineage describes the posthuman body the hero inherits. It does not determine culture, profession, outlook, or Path. Choose one Lineage and record its Lineage Gift.

Inheritor — the form most recognizable to people of the earliest ages
Optimate — slender phasm-sensitive posthumans born with a vinculum
Devisor — sturdy tunnel dwellers originally designed as Monitor technicians
Alliant — armored descendants of bodies made for an ancient war
Scutter — small arboreal posthumans who supplement food with sunlight
Viator — six-limbed travelers designed for long journeys

Step 3 — Choose a Path

A Path describes how the hero meets danger and changes the world. Choose one Path and record its Path Gift.

Blade — meets danger directly through disciplined action
Shadow — relies on subtlety, movement, preparation, and misdirection
Magister — directs internally generated phasm through a vinculum
Emissary — receives phasmic power from a Monitor

Paths include suggested Skill and Formula choices. These are recipes, not requirements. A Blade may ignore Combat, a Shadow may become the group's finest fighter, and a hero of any Path may learn Formulae if the concept provides access to phasm.

Step 4 — Assign Attributes

Every hero has six Attributes.

Attribute	Summary
Brawn	Physical force, leverage, lifting, and powerful melee attacks
Agility	Coordination, balance, precision, reaction, and movement
Vigor	Endurance, bodily resilience, and resistance to injury
Intellect	Reasoning, memory, learning, analysis, and technical understanding
Spirit	Willpower, intuition, awareness, courage, and self-command
Presence	Personality, empathy, persuasion, authority, and personal force

All Attributes begin at 0. Distribute 6 points among them.

Maximum starting value for an Attribute is 3
An Attribute may be reduced below 0 to gain the same number of points elsewhere
A score below –2 should represent a serious and intentional limitation

Step 5 — Choose Skills and Phasmic Formulae

Every hero receives seven competency choices. Spend them on any Skills and any Phasmic Formulae the hero can access.

Spend 1 choice to become Trained 2 in a Skill or Formula
Spend a second choice on the same competency to become Expert 4
No starting competency may exceed Expert 4
An unchosen Skill is Untrained 0
An unchosen Formula cannot be used without a Gift or Talent that says otherwise

The Skills are:

Combat • Athletics • Finesse • Stealth • Awareness • Insight • Influence • Guile • Command • Wayfaring • Medicine • Lore • Technics • Craft

A hero may choose Phasmic Formulae when the concept supplies a source of phasm: a native or reintegrated vinculum, appointment by a Monitor, or another source established by the setting. Path does not control access. Magister and Emissary are simply the two most common phasmic concepts.

Example Competency Choices

Combat 4; Awareness 2; Athletics 2; Command 2; Medicine 2; Wayfaring 2
Combat 2; Finesse 2; Stealth 2; Awareness 2; Guile 2; Insight 2; Technics 2
Three Formulae at 2; Awareness 2; Lore 2; Medicine 2; Technics 2

Step 6 — Select Talents and Flaws

Talents are short, memorable advantages. Flaws are recurring weaknesses or complications.

Choose 1 Talent
You may take 1 Flaw to choose 1 additional Talent
A starting hero may therefore have no more than 2 chosen Talents
Lineage Gifts and Path Gifts are automatic and do not count against this limit
Choose only Talents whose requirements the hero meets

A Flaw must create a concrete disadvantage that can recur in play. A troublesome history, enemy, secret, or obligation without a dependable rule belongs in the hero's description and does not purchase another Talent.

Step 7 — Record Nerve

Nerve represents audacity, luck, and determination.

Heroes begin each session with 3 Nerve and may spend no more than 1 Nerve in a round. Some Talents may increase this maximum.

Once per scene, a hero may regain 1 Nerve when pursuing their Motive exposes them to meaningful danger, sacrifice, or complication.

Step 8 — Select Equipment

Choose equipment appropriate to the hero's concept.

Typical starting equipment includes:

Up to 2 weapons
Armor and a shield, if desired
2 Kits suited to the concept
Ordinary clothing, personal effects, and routine supplies

Describe what the equipment looks like. A weapon's category and Tags provide its rules; its exact form belongs to the character and the world. The Narrator may refuse an artifact or other item whose rarity or importance makes acquiring it an adventure.

Step 9 — Calculate Derived Scores

Record the following values on the character sheet.

Score	Calculation
Initiative	Agility
Defense	11 + Combat rating + Agility, plus the best applicable increase
Damage Resistance	Vigor + armor Protection
Speed	6 squares, modified by Lineage, armor, or Talents
Attribute Resistance	11 + relevant Attribute
Skill Resistance	11 + relevant Attribute + relevant Skill rating, when training directly opposes the action

Record each attack and its damage. Set Wounds and Fatigue to 0.

Step 10 — Add Final Details

Finish the hero by choosing:

Name
Appearance
Personality
Home or community
Important relationships
Reputation, title, or alias
Any question raised by the chosen Path or source of phasm

Seventh Sun Codex
Home · The Seven Suns · Rules · Character Creation · Attributes · Skills · Lineages · Paths · Talents · Flaws · Nerve and Advancement · Combat · Equipment · Hazards · Phasm · Adversaries · Sample Heroes · Glossary

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 <div class="codex-page codex-page--seventh-sun ss-page--rules ss-page--character-creation">
 = Character Creation =
+Characters in ''Seventh Sun'' are capable posthuman adventurers from the start. Character creation is quick and flexible. A Path provides a useful recipe, but does not dictate the hero's Skills or profession.
-Create a capable posthuman hero by choosing a concept, Lineage, Path, Attributes, competencies, Talents, and practical equipment.
+== Character Creation Summary ==
-Seventh Sun heroes are capable from the beginning. Character creation establishes a posthuman body, a way of meeting danger, broad learned competencies, and a few memorable distinctions. It does not require planning a progression tree or qualifying for later choices.
+# Develop a Character Concept and Motive
+# Choose a Lineage
+# Choose a Path
+# Assign Attributes
+# Choose Skills and Phasmic Formulae
+# Select Talents and Flaws
+# Record Nerve
+# Select Equipment
+# Calculate Derived Scores
+# Add Final Details
-=== Creation Summary ===
+== Step 1 — Character Concept and Motive ==
-{| class="wikitable codex-table ss-rules-table"
+Start with a general idea of the hero you want to play. Examples might include a road-warden who never abandons a traveler, a ruin-courier who brings hidden truths to those who need them, a Devisor coaxer of ancient machines, an Alliant mercenary weary of inherited wars, or a newly reintegrated Magister searching for the purpose of an unwanted vinculum.
-! Step
-! Choice
+Your concept guides your later choices but grants no numerical bonus.
-|-
-| 1. Concept and Motive
+Write one '''Motive''' as a brief statement in the hero's own voice. A Motive is the reason the hero accepts danger. Pursuing it at meaningful cost can restore Nerve during play.
-| Describe the hero in a sentence and write one Motive that can drive difficult choices.
-|-
+== Step 2 — Choose a Lineage ==
-| 2. Lineage
-| Choose Inheritor, Optimate, Devisor, Alliant, Scutter, or Viator and record its Lineage Gift.
+A [[SeventhSun:Lineages|Lineage]] describes the posthuman body the hero inherits. It does not determine culture, profession, outlook, or Path. Choose one Lineage and record its Lineage Gift.
-|-
-| 3. Path
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Inheritors|Inheritor]] — the form most recognizable to people of the earliest ages
-| Choose Blade, Shadow, Magister, or Emissary and record its Path Gift. Use its recipe as guidance, not a mandate.
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Optimates|Optimate]] — slender phasm-sensitive posthumans born with a vinculum
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Devisors|Devisor]] — sturdy tunnel dwellers originally designed as Monitor technicians
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Alliants|Alliant]] — armored descendants of bodies made for an ancient war
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Scutters|Scutter]] — small arboreal posthumans who supplement food with sunlight
+* [[SeventhSun:Lineages#Viators|Viator]] — six-limbed travelers designed for long journeys
+== Step 3 — Choose a Path ==
+A [[SeventhSun:Paths|Path]] describes how the hero meets danger and changes the world. Choose one Path and record its Path Gift.
+* [[SeventhSun:Paths#Blade|Blade]] — meets danger directly through disciplined action
+* [[SeventhSun:Paths#Shadow|Shadow]] — relies on subtlety, movement, preparation, and misdirection
+* [[SeventhSun:Paths#Magister|Magister]] — directs internally generated phasm through a vinculum
+* [[SeventhSun:Paths#Emissary|Emissary]] — receives phasmic power from a Monitor
+Paths include suggested Skill and Formula choices. These are recipes, not requirements. A Blade may ignore Combat, a Shadow may become the group's finest fighter, and a hero of any Path may learn Formulae if the concept provides access to phasm.
+== Step 4 — Assign Attributes ==
+Every hero has six [[SeventhSun:Attributes|Attributes]].
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Attribute !! Summary
 |-
-| 4. Attributes
+| Brawn || Physical force, leverage, lifting, and powerful melee attacks
-| Begin with all six Attributes at 0 and divide 6 points among them; no starting score may exceed 3.
 |-
-| 5. Competencies
+| Agility || Coordination, balance, precision, reaction, and movement
-| Spend seven competency choices on any Skills and any Phasmic Formulae the hero can access.
 |-
-| 6. Talents and Flaws
+| Vigor || Endurance, bodily resilience, and resistance to injury
-| Choose one Talent. You may take one Flaw to choose a second Talent. Gifts do not count against this limit.
 |-
-| 7. Equipment
+| Intellect || Reasoning, memory, learning, analysis, and technical understanding
-| Choose weapons, armor, a shield, and two Kits appropriate to the concept. Describe what they look like in the world.
 |-
-| 8. Derived Scores
+| Spirit || Willpower, intuition, awareness, courage, and self-command
-| Record Initiative, Defense, Damage Resistance, Speed, Nerve, attacks, and damage; set Wounds and Fatigue to 0.
 |-
-| 9. Final Details
+| Presence || Personality, empathy, persuasion, authority, and personal force
-| Name the hero, describe their appearance and relationships, and answer any question required by the chosen Path.
 |}
-=== Concept and Motive ===
+All Attributes begin at 0. Distribute 6 points among them.
+* Maximum starting value for an Attribute is 3
+* An Attribute may be reduced below 0 to gain the same number of points elsewhere
+* A score below –2 should represent a serious and intentional limitation
+== Step 5 — Choose Skills and Phasmic Formulae ==
+Every hero receives '''seven competency choices'''. Spend them on any [[SeventhSun:Skills|Skills]] and any [[SeventhSun:Phasmic Formulae|Phasmic Formulae]] the hero can access.
+* Spend 1 choice to become Trained 2 in a Skill or Formula
+* Spend a second choice on the same competency to become Expert 4
+* No starting competency may exceed Expert 4
+* An unchosen Skill is Untrained 0
+* An unchosen Formula cannot be used without a Gift or Talent that says otherwise
+The Skills are:
+[[SeventhSun:Skills#Combat|Combat]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Athletics|Athletics]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Finesse|Finesse]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Stealth|Stealth]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Awareness|Awareness]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Insight|Insight]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Influence|Influence]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Guile|Guile]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Command|Command]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Wayfaring|Wayfaring]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Medicine|Medicine]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Lore|Lore]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Technics|Technics]] • [[SeventhSun:Skills#Craft|Craft]]
+A hero may choose Phasmic Formulae when the concept supplies a source of phasm: a native or reintegrated vinculum, appointment by a Monitor, or another source established by the setting. Path does not control access. Magister and Emissary are simply the two most common phasmic concepts.
+===== Example Competency Choices =====
+* Combat 4; Awareness 2; Athletics 2; Command 2; Medicine 2; Wayfaring 2
+* Combat 2; Finesse 2; Stealth 2; Awareness 2; Guile 2; Insight 2; Technics 2
+* Three Formulae at 2; Awareness 2; Lore 2; Medicine 2; Technics 2
+== Step 6 — Select Talents and Flaws ==
+[[SeventhSun:Talents and Flaws|Talents]] are short, memorable advantages. Flaws are recurring weaknesses or complications.
+* Choose 1 Talent
+* You may take 1 Flaw to choose 1 additional Talent
+* A starting hero may therefore have no more than 2 chosen Talents
+* Lineage Gifts and Path Gifts are automatic and do not count against this limit
+* Choose only Talents whose requirements the hero meets
+A Flaw must create a concrete disadvantage that can recur in play. A troublesome history, enemy, secret, or obligation without a dependable rule belongs in the hero's description and does not purchase another Talent.
+== Step 7 — Record Nerve ==
+[[SeventhSun:Nerve and Advancement|Nerve]] represents audacity, luck, and determination.
+Heroes begin each session with '''3 Nerve''' and may spend no more than 1 Nerve in a round. Some Talents may increase this maximum.
+Once per scene, a hero may regain 1 Nerve when pursuing their Motive exposes them to meaningful danger, sacrifice, or complication.
+== Step 8 — Select Equipment ==
-Begin with what makes the hero worth following: a road-warden who never abandons a traveler, a ruin-courier who brings hidden truths to those who need them, or a newly reintegrated Magister searching for the purpose of an unwanted vinculum. The concept guides choices but grants no numerical bonus.
+Choose [[SeventhSun:Equipment|equipment]] appropriate to the hero's concept.
-Write one Motive as a brief statement in the hero’s own voice. A Motive is not a moral alignment or a list of virtues. It is the reason the hero accepts danger. Pursuing it at meaningful cost can restore Nerve during play.
+Typical starting equipment includes:
-=== Talents and Flaws ===
+* Up to 2 weapons
+* Armor and a shield, if desired
+* 2 Kits suited to the concept
+* Ordinary clothing, personal effects, and routine supplies
-Every hero chooses one Talent for free. A hero may accept one Flaw to choose one additional Talent, for a maximum of two chosen Talents at creation. Lineage Gifts and Path Gifts are automatic and do not count as chosen Talents. A Talent may be selected from the general, combat, Path, or phasmic lists if the hero meets any stated requirement.
+Describe what the equipment looks like. A weapon's category and Tags provide its rules; its exact form belongs to the character and the world. The Narrator may refuse an artifact or other item whose rarity or importance makes acquiring it an adventure.
-A Flaw is personal, not imposed by Lineage or Path. It must create a concrete disadvantage that can recur in play. A troublesome history, enemy, secret, or obligation without a dependable rule belongs in the hero’s description rather than being used to purchase another Talent.
+== Step 9 — Calculate Derived Scores ==
-=== Starting Equipment ===
+Record the following values on the character sheet.
-Choose up to two weapons, armor and a shield if desired, and two Kits suited to the concept. A hero also possesses ordinary clothing, personal effects, and routine supplies. Starting equipment is not balanced by price: the Narrator may refuse an item whose scale, rarity, or social meaning makes it the subject of an adventure rather than ordinary gear.
+{| class="wikitable"
+! Score !! Calculation
+|-
+| Initiative || Agility
+|-
+| Defense || 11 + Combat rating + Agility, plus the best applicable increase
+|-
+| Damage Resistance || Vigor + armor Protection
+|-
+| Speed || 6 squares, modified by Lineage, armor, or Talents
+|-
+| Attribute Resistance || 11 + relevant Attribute
+|-
+| Skill Resistance || 11 + relevant Attribute + relevant Skill rating, when training directly opposes the action
+|}
-=== Choosing Competencies ===
+Record each attack and its damage. Set Wounds and Fatigue to 0.
-Every hero receives seven competency choices. Spend one choice to make an Untrained Skill or accessible Phasmic Formula Trained 2. Spend a second choice on the same competency to make it Expert 4. No starting competency may exceed Expert. Paths offer recipes for spending these choices but never require them.
+== Step 10 — Add Final Details ==
-A hero may choose Phasmic Formulae when the concept supplies a source of phasm: a native or reintegrated vinculum, appointment by a Monitor, or another source established by the setting. Path does not control access. The Magister and Emissary recipes simply present the two most common phasmic concepts.
+Finish the hero by choosing:
+* Name
+* Appearance
+* Personality
+* Home or community
+* Important relationships
+* Reputation, title, or alias
+* Any question raised by the chosen Path or source of phasm
 {{SeventhSunNav}}
 </div>
+[[Category:Seventh Sun]]