Player Characters!
If you are starting from scratch, follow each section step by step, from Bonds, to Relationships, to List of Traits.
If you have an idea in mind, Skip to List of Traits and work backwards, putting choosing traits you like, and putting the attached relationships into bonds as you see fit.
The Four Types of Bonds
A bond helps to define a character through their relationships to others and help players discover who their character is. There are four types of bonds: Guardian, Friend, Mentor, and Enemy.
Each of these bonds are to be given a
relationship with traits using the guide below:
Guardian
A guardian not only determines who raised you, but also your birthplace--here meaning both where you were born and where you were raised. The latter determines what races you can choose from.
Friend
A friend is someone who fundamentally either agreed with or supported you in your ideals, your goals, and understood your fears.
Mentor
A mentor trained your character or taught them something about the world outside your character. This opportunity giving them their profession, and social standing.
Enemy
An enemy is an entity (person, organization, place, thing, or otherwise) that acted as an obstacle in your life. It tried to show or tell you, sometimes without meaning to, what you couldn't do.
Quick Summary:
You have four bonds. You pick a relationship for each of these bonds. You then also pick three total traits from the collective pool of your four chosen relationships. By the end of the process, each bond should have one relationship, you should have four relationships total, and three traits total.
Relationships
Your relationships can range from ordinary to outlandish. Each of these relationships gives a character personality traits (hereon referred to simply as "traits"). While you receive traits based on what you pick, the significance of the relationship can come into the gameplay itself. Ex: If your mentor is the Land where you were born, and it is being destroyed, what would your character do? The answer to that question creates meaningful roleplay, which is half of the fun of Chimera. Additionally, not all traits are good or will be good all the time. A Heavy-Sleeper might be able to rest in a loud area and avoid exhaustion, but a heavy sleeper will not notice an assassin without outside help.
- Unknowable Force
- Stranger
- Community
- Surrogate
- Rival
- Object
- Lover
- Self
- Deceased
- Deity
|
Friend
Professor
Loyalties
Priest
Parent
Building
Knowledge
Animal
Land
Sibling
|
List of Traits
- UNKNOWABLE FORCE - Fate, luck, and chance are aspects certainly under the purview of gods, but what guides and forces your hand is something more wild and maintained. Call it what you will, magic or destiny, but you feel you are not entirely in control of where your life takes you.
Traits Include: tenacious, integrous, marked, humble, callous
- STRANGER - You have a way with strangers, or even one in particular who has yet to reveal themselves. Whether you can garner the favor of the masses or have the attention of an unknown person, they almost seem to seek you out.
Traits Include: scatter-brained, idealistic, free-spirited, light-sleeper, directionless
- COMMUNITY - You are known to this community, village or tribe, either by blood or deed.
Traits Include: harsh, gullible, clownish, carefree, wild
- SURROGATE - You did not know your parents very long, though your surrogate may have. Whether they take care of you or leave you to your own devices, they certainly do care for you in their own way.
Traits Include: ruthless, impulsive, athletic, playful, down-to-earth
- RIVAL - In youth, you often encountered an individual who shared your same ambitions which drove the two of you to compete and challenge one another as you tried to reach the same goal.
Traits Include: impatient, mercurial, short-tempered, honorable, risk-taker
- OBJECT -You have a treasured item, that has kept you going. Whether it is a font of knowledge, considered lucky, of mysterious origin, it has almost always been on your person.
Traits Include: judgmental, caretaker, warrior, disciplined, violent
- LOVER - You have known love and grace that your soul itself has made home in, entangled in the acceptance and vulnerability that is your lover's arms.
Traits Include: leader, intimidating, visionary, pragmatic, extroverted
- SELF - You know best how you can be your greatest strength or your worst enemy.
Traits Include: night-owl, ambitious, young, confrontational, deformed
- DECEASED - The dead, whether by haunt or reminisced wisdom, have lingered in your waking mind.
Traits Include: spiritual, phobic, pessimistic, slender, short
- DEITY - a deity, some god or known spirit, has its eye on you, a hand in your life, and a vested interest in your accomplishments.
Traits Include: stiff, vindictive, dutiful, hardy, mindful
- FRIEND - This person who you have allowed into your life, trusted and accompanied, has been a part of your life for some time now, for better or worse.
Traits Include: go-getter, superstitious, mischievous, spirited, artistic
- PROFESSOR - A great deal of intellect and study have brought this person to their station in their respected college, university, or school, something you once or maybe still learn from.
Traits Include: peaceful, sentimental, open-minded, heavy-sleeper, intuitive
- LOYALTIES - You were once a part of a band, be that a thieves guild, a club within your school, a troupe of entertainers, a cult, or a mercenary band.
Traits Include: optimistic, tolerant, charismatic, vengeful, calm
- PRIEST- A leader or ranking member of a religious station often looked out for you or watched over you while strictly adhering to the tenets of said religion.
Traits Include: diplomatic, worldly, patient, plump, old
- PARENT - Your biological parents have played a key role in your life, given you a secret, been of secret lineage, or maybe have yet to pay a debt.
Traits Include: introverted, empathetic, silver tongued, jaded, mild
- BUILDING - There is one structure that you have either always sought refuge in, or been terrified of. What memories linger of the place? what transpired here to make it such a vivid place in your memory?
Traits Include: average, evenhanded, warmhearted, relaxed, lazy
- KNOWLEDGE - Knowledge often comes at the price of one's mind, for it is oft the saying that the least happy people are the smartest among us. But maybe your knowledge could save a kingdom! Or perhaps it slowly tears you apart on the inside.
Traits Include: precise, realistic, early-bird, materialistic, adaptable
- ANIMAL - A single animal or kind of animal has shadowed your steps; this is akin to a fear of spiders or snakes, or a close animal companion, perhaps even a familiar.
Traits Include: quiet, independent, neurotic, inquisitive, perceptive
- LAND - the nature within a forest, a river, or a mountain, a graveyard, or some planar locale is known to you, and it has either always given you trouble or been a place of wisdom, beloved to your heart.
Traits Include: reserved, stoic, lanky, cunning, selfish
- SIBLING - Brother, Sister, Half, or Step, they know you better than your parents, more intimately than your friends, can get under your skin, and strike deep at nerves.
Traits Include: tall, reliable, orderly, secretive, proud
Optional Rule: Bonds Can Change Overtime
GMs, depending on your players, the kind of game you play, and overall preferences, you may use this optional rule to allow players to switch bonds. First, you must always always always speak to your players about their Bonds, as usual. Players, you must establish what you are okay with and what you are not okay with, as discussed in
How to Roleplay in Chimera. If you, the player, want to switch your Bonds later, and your GM allows you to do so, it must be after your character has a) in-character and b) through roleplay done so; there must be prior agreement and discussion between both GM and Player. If both are consenting and include one another in this creative process, then you may switch the bond at a time co-agreed upon between both the GM and Player. When the Bond is changed, the Player keeps the associated traits with the Bond (those lingering ties~), but can no longer access their old Bond's traits; instead, they gain access to the new Bonds.
Alphabetical List of Traits, Defined
A
- adaptable - You are readily able to change to suit any situation at a moments notice.
- ambitious - You are deeply driven by your goals, and you are not easily assuaged.
- artistic - You are able to creatively express yourself in one or several mediums.
- athletic - You are built for strength and dexterity.
- average - You are a normal example of your race, perhaps even plain with no distinguishing marks.
C
- callous - you have little feeling or sympathy for others, are are thusly not easily moved by others.
- calm - It is difficult to upset or even frustrate you, as you demonstrate an acceptance for how unpleasant things sometimes simply are.
- carefree - The world, its problems, or even your own matter little to you or don’t frustrate you.
- caretaker - you are often viewed as a provider, motherly or fatherly.
- charismatic - you can talk to anyone, talking yourself into and out of everything.
- clownish - jokes and levity are a specialty of yours
- confrontational - You are not afraid to become aggressive with another or to fight for what you believe in.
- cunning - you demonstrate an intelligence gained from experience with a focus on trickery and outsmarting others.
D
- deformed - you have a physical disability, be it a clubbed foot, a twisted spine, a missing limb or elsewise.
- diplomatic - you are a skilled mediator, able to take no sides while understanding both.
- directionless - gods save you if you don’t have a compass, and even if you do, may you walk straight.
- disciplined - you are dedicated and able to maintain inner focus to meet goals.
- down-to-earth - you are a sensible person with a humility learned from nature itself, where none live above the other.
- dutiful You are driven by duty to others, and have gained a sense of honor from it.
E
- early-bird - you wake up with and sometimes even before the sun with nights being difficult to focus through.
- empathetic - you are able to feel the emotions as another person would, not by some magic, but with a vulnerable and sensitive heart.
- evenhanded - others play to they feel in the moment, while you honor fairness and justice.
- extroverted - you derive enjoyment from speaking to others and seem rejuvenated by it.
F
- free-spirited - you are bound by no tie and no norm, and feel free to act outside social norms, not as a deviant but as an explorer.
G
- go-getter - when you decide something, you pursue it at all costs and resources.
- gullible - you have a poor time telling when another lies or means you ill.
H
- hardy - you are built to endure, especially in harsh climates.
- harsh - blunt might be one word for you, but your words often sting others.
- heavy-sleeper - you can sleep through just about anything, from thunderstorm to assassin.
- honorable - a code of morals and tradition guides your behavior, and while others call it stifling, to you, it is a way of life.
- humble - you do not put yourself, your accomplishments, your desires, even by word, above anyone else, for all deserve respect.
I
- idealistic - you are guided by how you believe things should be.
- impatient - If it doesn’t happen ‘now’ or even ‘soon’, then it won’t happen at all.
- impulsive - your fancy can pull you in different directions, and while others are guided by plans, you live in the moment.
- independent - you are used to relying on yourself.
- inquisitive - you are the curious sort.
- integrous - honesty is representative of your character and how you define your worth.
- intimidating - either by build or demeanor, few would choose to come near you.
- introverted - you derive enjoyment from spending time alone or in quiet, and seem rejuvenated by it.
- intuitive - you follow your gut instinct, which has saved your hide and helped you avoid trouble.
J
- jaded - The world is a cruel place, and that won’t change, or you reflect a begrudging attitude back at life.
- judgmental you scrutinize others either to protect yourself, others, or by force of habit.
L
- lanky - you are long-limbed for your species.
- lazy - gods forbid anyone try to get you to do anything, even if you want to do something.
- leader like it or not, people follow in your footsteps and rally behind you.
- light-sleeper Anything will wake you from your slumber, from a thunderstorm to an assassin.
M
- marked - your appearance is marked by your freckles, a tattoo, a visible or invisible disability, or a distinguishing feature that sets you apart from others but that you have claimed and made your own all the same.
- materialistic - you are driven to gain more or better material goods and items.
- mercurial Indecisiveness plagues you such that even if you do decide something it’s unlikely that you’ll stick to it or even believe in it.
- mild you are, emotionally, a very plain individual, with reasonability and sensibility making it difficult to pin you down or drive you one way or another.
- mindfulYou dedicate thought to others, different situations, and seek to be as conscious as possible of what you do that might affect others.
- mischievous - pranks, trickery, and deceit are your playgrounds
N
- neurotic you have a functional disorder that affects you emotionally.
- night-owl the dark hours of night and beyond are your domain, though early hours of morning, especially sunrise, is your bane.
O
- old - your bones and muscles may be long used, but you have experience to match.
- open-minded - you are not judgemental but instead open to how things could be perceived.
- optimistic - you are guided by how things might be in the best of circumstances.
- orderly - organization and neatness define you.
P
- patient - You are unbothered by a long wait.
- peaceful - though you are capable of violence, you rarely choose it, and instead seek an inoffensive and even approach to all things.
- perceptive your senses are honed to be able to detect even that which is faintly noticable.
- pessimistic - you are guided by how things might be in the worst of circumstances.
- phobic - you have a crippling fear, such as of failure, of the dark, or of holes.
- playful - you tease, play games, and enjoy levity in all situations.
- plump - others may call you fat, but really, it is that you eat very well.
- pragmatic - where sentimentality might rule, you practise that the simple solution is usually the best.
- precise - you are meticulous, with a deep attention to detail.
- proud - you are well versed in your own accomplishments and are not afraid to flaunt them.
Q
- quiet - you do not speak often nor seek to make much noise.
R
- realistic - you are guided by how things are.
- relaxed - when stress and turmoil riles up others, you can quiet your mind, and remain clear headed.
- reliable your efforts are well-known and rarely in error; if you say you can do something, it will be done.
- reserved - you are not one to speak up about yourself or your experience, instead choosing to keep much of yourself and your personal life to the chest.
- risk-taker - for you, anything can be done if enough or the right chances are taken.
- ruthless - you have no time for those who do not share your views, your strengths, or mentality; when something is the right thing to do, it must be done no matter the cost.
S
- scatter-brained - sure, I can stay Focuse-- SQUIRREL.
- secretive - you are versed in keeping information from others, for better or worse.
- selfish - you prefer to act on your behalf, rather than for the good of others; they should learn to help themselves like you have.
- sentimental - while reason might guide others, you follow what your heart tells you to be true.
- silver tongued - a words as sharp as steel, biting intellect is your weapon.
- short-tempered - you are easily angered, frustrated, and upset.
- short - you are shorter than others of your species.
- slender - you are fairly thin for one of your species.
- spirited - even if your body fails you, you have a powerful will that keeps you going.
- spiritual - your faith is a prominent part of your life.
- stiff - untrained and uncoordinated, you prefer to not move at all.
- stoic - If you do feel anything, you don’t show it.
- superstitious - you believe in cultural practices and perform them in order not to anger the natural forces around you.
T
- tall - you are tall for someone of your species.
- tenacious - even if you fail, you keep trying and will not be stopped.
- tolerant - you can handle when things don’t go your way, or a great deal of pain.
V
- vengeful - when you or others are slighted, you are one to seek revenge.
- vindictive you are inclined toward petty, irritable, and malicious to those who would seek to harm or humiliate you, and spare no spite at your victims expense.
- violent - you have no qualms with using lethal force.
- visionary - you are inventive with a penchant to create and influence the world through what you make.
W
- warmhearted - you are generally kind and generous to others.
- warrior - you are often thought of as a protector, a defender, a champion--one who takes up arms in defense of a cause.
- wild - whether raised by wolves or not, you certainly have a penchant or behaving like a wild animal.
- worldly - you know a great deal about other cultures.
Y
- young - you are vigorous and healthy; you don’t have to worry so much about breaking a bone, getting sick, or getting easily tired.
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