Character Creation

This guide to creating an L5D character assumes you play a knight that strives to uphold the tenets of the Church of Fate and fight evil wherever it may be. Internally or externally.

### **Introduction**

It has been 200 hundred years since the world breaking catastrophe, called The Rivening, plummeted the majority of the planet into a deadly mist. Seven kingdoms arose from the fallen world and have since carved out a turbulent existence on their respective continent-sized plateaus.

Taming the new world was mainly possible because of the heroic efforts of the Holy Knights. With magic, steel, and the tenets of the Church of Fate, they brought forth an age of prosperity.

Now, the people are content. The mists are calm. Maybe too calm.

### **Step One: Choose a Kingdom**

Riven has seven kingdoms. All characters come from one of these kingdoms. Culture and environment have a huge impact on the way your character act. But the blood in his veins is determined by the kingdom in which the character is born.

* *The kingdom you choose from determines which House you can choose in Step Two. It also affects which Techniques you can buy in Step Three.*

#### **Kingdom of Bercia**

A land of chivalry, castles, rolling hills, dueling championships, balls, and courtship. Bercian people are blessed with a beautiful lithe physique.

* *+1 Agility*

#### **Kingdom of Dakhazia**

A land of icey mountains, huge forests, untaimed tundra, and ancient castles. I's people are adaptable and acute.

* *+1 Reflexes*

#### **Kingdom of Gloorim**

An unforgiving land shrouded by its jutting peaks. At night the mists roll in, and the townsfolk shut their doors. It's people rely on wits and diplomacy to survive.

* *+1 Awareness*

#### **Kingdom of Iros**

A huge grey slate of land. Walled to the south against the mist. It's people are stoic and unbreakable. Facing armies of horrors unfathomable by the other kingdoms.

* *+1 Willpower*

#### **Kingdom of Kothin**

A hot sandy wasteland with few resources. Constant skirmishes decide who get's what. It's people rely on tactics and warfare to get by.

* *+1 Perception*

#### **Kingdom of Leyden**

An archipelago of dangerous jungles and rocky islands. Resources are plentiful, but space is limited. It's people are constantly looking for new land and working to tame their own.

* *+1 Stamina*

#### **Kingdom of Mesanct**

A red mountain land flourishing with lush fauna and emerald rivers. The birthplace of the Church of Fate is dotted with tall spires. Mesanct is the holy land. It's people blessed with the indoctrinations of the Tenets of Fate.

* *+1 Intelligence*

### **Step Two: Choose a House**

A knight usually comes from a strong noble bloodline. Each Kingdom has a plethora of houses that knights are born into. Each house confers upon the character a different worldview and choice of skills to choose from. You can read more about each house under the Seven Kingdoms menu. Choose carefully as your choice will have an immediate impact on the way the world reacts to your character.

* *When you choose a house you get 2 Ranks in skill that is paramount to the sovereignty of that house.*

#### **Kingdom of Bercia**

* Great House Berceron: *+2 Ranks in Perform*
* House Brenoble: *+2 Ranks in Etiquette*
* House Daimor: *+2 Ranks in Sword*
* House Kavil: *+2 Ranks in Dueling*

#### **Kingdom of Dakhazia**

* Great House Darvozabon: *+2 Ranks in Fire Magic*
* House Curion: *+2 Ranks in Survival*
* House Kayton: *+2 Ranks in Craft*
* House Sakon: *+2 Ranks in Legend*
* House Shibell: *+2 Ranks in Swords*

#### **Kingdom of Gloorim**

* Great House Razvedka: *+2 Ranks in Sword*
* House Corbay: *+2 Ranks in Commerce*
* House Greward: *+2 Ranks in Lore*
* House Vitelaru: *+2 Ranks in Speech*

#### **Kingdom of Iros**

* Great House Irodasi: *+2 Ranks in Hammer*
* House Guignot: *+2 Ranks in Commerce*
* House Flinton: *+2 Ranks in Engineering*
* House Vandice: *+2 Ranks in Athletics*
* House Shievel: *+2 Ranks in Lore*

#### **Kingdom of Kothin**

* Great House Vermirion: *+2 Ranks in Warfare*
* House Kiston: *+2 Ranks in Water Magic*
* House Matussalin: *+2 Ranks in Sword*
* House Teliandon: *+2 Ranks in Religion*

#### **Kingdom of Leyden**

* Great House Leyden: *+2 Ranks in Athletics*
* House Dacren: *+2 Ranks in Swords*
* House Iunifer: *+2 Ranks in Navigation*

#### **Kingdom of Mesanct**

* Great House Echelor: *+2 Ranks in Speech*
* House Agathon: *+2 Ranks in Shield*
* House Kisul Mot: *+2 Ranks in Script*
* House Mirium Mot: *+2 Ranks in Flails*

### **Step Three: Customize**

Now you get to completely customize your character. A newly begun character starts with 25 Character Points to customize their character. These points can be spent on Advantages, Skills, raising Traits, Techniques, Spells, and your points to spend can be increased by taking Disadvantages.

A breakdown on point costs of different customizations at character generation follows:

**Raising a Trait**
At character generation, a character may not increase a Trait by more than three.

* Price: *3 point x new Trait rank*

**Raising Fate**
At character generation, a character may not increase Fate by more than three.

* Price: *6 point x new Fate rank*

**Raising a Skill**
At character generation, a character may not increase a Skill by more than three.

* Price: *1 point x new Skill rank*

**Advantages and Disadvantages**

You may buy Advantages if you wish, and recoup your investment with a Disadvantage or two.

* *The* *price is found at each Advantage/Disadvantage entry.*

**Techniques and Spells**

Techniques and Spells are usually acquired from your Order. However, at character creation, you may buy one Technique from the Common Techniques and one from the appropriate Kingdom Techniques.

Spells that are Mastery 2 are also available on character creation.

* *The price of Techniques is the same as their Link value.*
* *The price of Spells is twice their Link value*

### **Step Four: Calculate Numerals**

When you are pierced by a sword, witness something otherworldly, carry too much treasure, start combat, or move around you need important numerals and values to track your status. Read more on the next page: Combat.

**Hit Points**

Look at your Earth Link. Multiply it by 2, and add 5 points. That is your number of Hit Points per Wound Rank. You have the following Wound Levels: Healthy, Bloodied, Injured, Crippled, Down, Out. This means your total Hit Points are Earth Link multiplied by 12 +30. Don't take more damage than that. That's when you die.

**Sanity Points**

Add your Intelligence and Willpower. That is the number of Sanity Points you have per Stress Rank. If you lose too much you might go insane, have a mental breakdown, or get a vision from beyond.

**Poise**

Last you need to add your Stamina Trait and Strength Trait, then add 5 points, and you have your Poise. Each piece of equipment you buy costs Poise. If you lose too much Poise, you gain Strain Ranks. Strain Ranks make you sluggish and imbalanced to the point where you can't move at all.

**Initiative**

You roll your Perception and keep Reflexes.

**Movement**

Your Water is what determines how many meters you can move with a given action. Close Move Action is your Water x 1. Medium Move Action is your Water x 2. And Long Move Action is your Water x 4.

### **Step Five: Buy Equipment**

In the description of your Order, under the Holy Knight Order menu, you can find out how much gold you start with. On the pages under the Equipment dropdown menu, you can find prices for equipment, armor, and weapons.

Congratulations! You have an L5D character!