Citadel's Shadow II Character Creation Guidelines

As of May 2024, this campaign is largely inactive.
This is a work in progress; what's posted here is not final.
These are Citadel's Shadow II Character Creation Guidelines. The Citadel's Shadow II campaign was designed and run by Michael Lee Viviano, with assistance and additional Game Mastering by Alden Loveshade, Miley Spears, and Emulsior. Review and approval by both of all characters is required prior to use in the campaign.
Characters are built with the Generic Universal Role Playing System (GURPS), Fourth Edition with the following guidelines. Note these guidelines do not necessarily apply to related and even overlapping campaigns.
The Citadel's Shadow II campaign is played via text, usually on Roll20, though occasionally on Discord as circumstances require. The circumstances of playing via text requires a little modification to the standard rules, as given below. The rules may seem limiting, but we will attempt to remain reasonable while sticking to the necessities of our format and the mutual enjoyment of all players.
== Campaign Rules ==
* Every player will treat every other player with respect. Personal attacks are not tolerated, even in private communications.
* Disparaging comments by Players regarding race, religion, nationality, political leaning, gender, sexual preference or other characteristics, even if directed to others outside the group, are not tolerated.
** Characters or organizations themselves may hold and express such terrible views in the course of the game and are not indicative of the GM or Player involved.
** 
#the-pit in the game's Discord channel may be used to discuss politics and religion or other topics that need to be kept clear of the other channels.
* The campaign will include depictions of mature content including violence, foul language, loathsome criminal activity, and incidents of horror. If any player finds any content of the game makes them feel highly uncomfortable, they have the right to tell that to the GM immediately, either publicly or privately. For any reasonable request, the GM will make an immediate and concerted effort to make the game comfortable for them and for all players.
* Detailed NSFW encounters between Characters or discussions between Players should not be held in public areas. Within private discussions or in #the-innermost-ring-of-leathane channel of the Discord is fine.
== Character Creation ==
Starting characters need to be built with 150 Character Points, with a maximum -75 CP for Disadvantages and an additional maximum -5 CP for Quirks. See GURPS Rules for general Citadel's Reach Campaign Setting rules, and below for campaign specific rules.
A large range of GURPS 4th Edition products are supported. You may need to contact us regarding some obscure rule regarding your character.
* The campaign is conceivably playable just with GURPS Lite, though the GURPS Basic set at the least is highly recommended.
* Other books that are highly recommended, especially as they fall in line with certain character concepts, are GURPS Martial Arts, Magic, Fantasy, Banestorm, and Low-Tech.
* The Power-Ups books have been very useful as well, but not really necessary.
* Some use has been made of GURPS Bio-Tech (certain spells and other miscellany), Powers, Thaumatology, Psionic Powers, the Social Engineering series, and others.
== Character Types ==
Because this is a city-based campaign, character types that might not be practical in dungeon crawls may be quite playable here. Some PC examples include a tutor, a student, and an alchemist.
=== Gunmen ===
=== Spellcasters ===
* Magery: A new Player Character spellcaster may start with Magery up to level 3.
* Energy Reserve: A new Player Character spellcaster may buy Fatigue Points in a special Energy Reserve worth up to 50% of his HT (rounded toward the level of HT). The total of Energy Reserve and Extra Fatigue points may not be higher than 50% of HT.
=== Divine Spellcasters ===
== Social Traits ==
The local Cultural Familiarity is Trynsern. Likewise, the name of the local language.
A PC is limited to a Status of 1 down to -2.
A PC *may* purchase a Courtesy Title (Status) up to Rank 5.
== Advantages ==
(Required, restricted, or particularly useful or virtually useless ones will go here.)
Magery: See Character Types: Spellcasters above.
Wealth: Above average Wealth is not allowed at character creation.
== Perks ==
License: Public, sometimes private, possession or use of arms, magic, or even doing a trade for hire may require a license (typically 1 point). Consult a GM for details.
== Disadvantages ==
Disadvantages such as Dependents, Duties, and Enemies are limited in appearance due to their potential for interference in the limited play time that play by text allows.
Electrical, Increased Life Support, Timesickness, and Unique are most likely inappropriate Disadvantages for characters in the Citadel's Shadow II Campaign.
Age: The age of majority is 16; those younger would have Social Stigma (Minor) [-5]
Code of Honor: A PC may only take one Code of Honor, although they may modify any existing CoH as needed to reflect their own personal beliefs.
Dependents: A PC may only have one Dependent (or Dependent Group) with a frequency of appearance of 6 or less, with the exception of a Dependent who accompanies the PC on adventures.
Duty: A PC may have a Duty with a frequency of appearance of 6 or less.
Enemies: A PC may only have one Enemy, worth less than [-10], and with a frequency of appearance of 6 or less.
Status: A PC is restricted to Status 1. However, a character may possibly have a noble title with an Honorary status of up to level 5, representing "impoverished" nobility, without the regular Status and Wealth the title usually provides.
Wealth:Wealth from Average to Dead Broke is accepted.
== Skills ==
=== Law ===
The Specializations of Law available include Law (Empire of Trynser Imperial); this is the equivalent of real-life Constitutional Law for an area; Law (Empire of Trynser Criminal) (or other locality); and Law (Empire of Trynser Scribe) (or other locality), equivalent of real-life Administrative Law for an area.
* Law (Empire of Trynser Imperial) is the law codified by the Imperial Government, mostly dealing with relations with and between Dominions, Imperial Nobility, and the Imperial Court; the rights and requirements of citizens and visitors; and also the following Imperial criminal offenses; slavery, creation of undead, and offenses against the Imperial Nobility. (In modern Earth terms this is Constitutional Law)
* Law (Empire of Trynser Criminal) is simply the code of laws dealing with criminal behavior in the empire.
* Law (Empire of Trynser Scribe) is the law skill pertaining to contracts, licenses, guilds, and other such matters in the empire. (In modern Earth terms this is Administrative Law).
==Exceptions==
Exceptions to some of the above may be made with approval of all GMs.
Category:Citadel's Shadow II
Category:GURPS Crunch