Starting XP
Characters start with 5 experience points (XP). XP is used to purchase traits from three categories: Combat, Exploration, and Interaction.
The XP cost of each trait is equal to the number of traits you will have in that category. To purchase your first combat trait, it costs 1 XP. Your second is 2 XP, third is 3 XP.
Total XP cost progression per category:
1 Trait = 1XP | 2 Traits = 3XP | 3 Traits = 6XP | 4 Traits = 10XP | 5 Traits = 15XP
See Levelling up
Assign Attributes
Assign the values: 3, 2, 1, -1 to your attributes (Brawn, Mind, Finesse, Spirit) in any order you like.
| Brawn | Mind | Finesse | Spirit |
| Brutish
Strong Direct Powerful Forceful |
Shrewd
Logical Astute Mindful Intellectual Clever |
Agile
Graceful Precise Fast Subtle Sneaky |
Determined
Empathetic Charming Faithful Lucky Passionate |
Note: Some groups may prefer games where the spread between player capabilities is a bit tighter. In that case, change the values to +1, 0, 0, -1, and change Good Tale threshold to 8, and the Bad Tale threshold to 12.
Assign Resource Values
Health, Wits and Endurance start with 3 boxes [ ] [ ] [ ] each.
You also have 6 boxes you can distribute across your signature resources (read on to “Describe Signature Resources”).
| Health | Wits | Endurance |
| Endure bodily harm | Make rational decisions | Withstand exhaustion |
| Receive Medical attention or wait for natural healing | Meditate, Relax without making any decisions | Eat, Drink, Rest |
| Combat Challenges | Interaction Challenges | Exploration Challenges |
Describe Signature Resource(s)
Traits are fueled by resources. Each character will have one or more Signature resources. They could be Mana, Materials, Adrenaline, Reagents, Scent, Shadows, Seeds, DNA, Respect, Reputation, or whatever else you can think of.
When you select a trait, make note of the resource it uses. If you like, all your traits can use the same signature resource. In the game, you’ll just describe how “materials” fuels your Dragon’s breath trait. Alternatively, you could have different resources for different traits.
Describe, in general, how your character will recover their signature resource. Ie: the conditions under which your Signature Resources might recover if you spend a good tale.
See also: Resources, Signature Resource
| Signature Resources |
| Materials, Reagents, Mana, Ki, Willpower, Blood, Souls, etc. |
| Can be spent on bad tales involving traits.
Some traits require resource expenditure. |
Describe Equipment
Each character may carry up to 5 large items, or equivalent armloads of stuff in various sacks and packs. We don’t track encumbrance carefully, but it’s useful to have some limit on what people can carry.
In most games, food, drink, ammunition, and light sources don’t need to be tracked.
Determine Defenses
Some of your traits may give you a defense box. Defenses act like additional resources you can lose on specific bad tales.
When you get hit in combat, for your bad tale, you can select “Lose a Resource” to mark a Defense box.
Smooth RPG 