STEP 5: LIFE EVENTS

Like everyone, your character has a past that helps shape who they are. Life Events allows us to look at a pivotal point in the character’s life. Each character receives two Life Events.

For each event, roll a die, consulting the table below. Each result will give you the skeleton of an event that occurred in the character’s life. These results will have blanks with the name of a sub-table on each one. You’ll have to roll on the appropriate sub-table to fill in the blanks and complete the event. This will inform you as to how it affected your character, positively or negatively. Write each sentence down after you have filled in the blank(s).

For your character’s second Life Event, you may reroll if you get the same result. For example, if the first Life Event was “Tragedy struck when (Calamity) ,” and you rolled it again, you may elect to re-roll.
To immerse you in the experience of crafting your character’s backstory, we have adopted the convention of using “you” when addressing your character in the table results.

Roll D10: LIFE EVENT TABLE:

1	You were given (Item) by (Person).
2-3	While (Activity) , you (Result).
4-5	(Someone) taught you (Lesson).
6	Tragedy struck when (Calamity).
4-8	You went on an adventure to (Objective).
9-10	Your life took a turn for the strange when (Weird Event).

You will need to read the description of your result, which can be found below. You will have to roll the die to fill the parenthesis.

You were given (Item) by (Person)

Roll D10: ITEM:

1-2	a mysterious piece of jewelry (+1 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
3-4	a finely crafted piece of clothing (+1 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
5-6	a mystical item of unknown origin (+1 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
7-8	a weapon with strange carvings (+1 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
9-10	a piece of armor with mysterious markings (+1 Arcane Encumbrance Background)

Roll D10: PERSON:

1-2	a defeated rival.
3-4	a family member.
5-6	a mysterious stranger.
7-8	an ally, before they left.
9	an unusual animal.
10	a strange being.

While (Activity), you (Result)

Roll D10: ACTIVITY:

1-2	helping someone
3-4	trying to escape harm
5-6	saving someone’s life
7-8	travelling
9-10	fighting a creature(s)

Roll D10: RESULT:

1-2	made an enemy. (Low Self-Image (2pt.))
3-4	sustained an injury. (Flaw Old Injury (2pt.))
5-6	learned something new. (+1 into a skill you don't know)
7-8	made a friend. (+1 Allies Background)
9-10	discovered something that led to a Quest! (See Quest Table Below)

(Person) taught you (Lesson)

Roll D10: PERSON:

1-2	a mentor
3-4	a family member
5-6	a stranger
7-8	a friend or ally
9-10	a mysterious being

Roll D10: LESSON:

1-4	a new skill. (+1 to any skill)
5-7	to improve a skill. ( +1 to a known skill)
8-9	to find you hidden strength! (Merit Inner Strength (2pt.))
10	how to deal with others. (Merit Approachable (1pt.))

Tragedy struck when (Calamity)

Roll D10: CALAMITY:

1	you encountered a nightmare! (Flaw Phobia (2pt.))
2	(Merit Animal Affinity (2))
3	you sustained a lasting injury. (Flaw Flaw Disfigured (2pt.))
4	(Merit Code of Honor (2pt.))
5	raiders destroyed your home! (Flaw Vengeful (2pt.))
6	(Merit Determined (2pt.))
7	you were cursed! (Flaw Cursed (2pt.))
8	(Merit Socially Aware (2pt.))
9	you were soundly defeated by an enemy or creature. (Flaw Hatred (3pt.))
10	you discovered something that led to a Quest! (See Quest Table Below)

You went on an adventure to (Objective)

Each of these results will cause you to go on a Quest. If you succeed, you will gain any Bonus Reward printed in parentheses, in addition to the normal Reward.
Roll a D10: IVE:

1	rescue someone. They swore their life to you! (+1 Retinue/Retainer Background)
2	find a relic for someone and found more than expected! (+1 Spirit Companion Background)
3	destroy a dangerous contraption. (+1 to any Mental Skill)
4	find a forgotten structure. (add or subtract 1 to or from your roll on the Reward Table)
5	save an endangered village. They will help you anytime they can. (+1 Allies Background)
6	search for and defeat a monster(s). (+1 to any Physical Skill)
7	seek fame. (+1 to any Social skill)
8	defeat a villain. (+1 to any Physical skill)
9	prevent a villain from obtaining an item. (+1 to any Mental skill)
10	stop a catastrophe from happening. (+1 to any Social skill)

Life took a turn for the strange when (Weird Event)

Roll D10: WEIRD EVENT:

1	a scientific or magical accident transformed you! (Flaw Deranged (3pt.))
2	a dreadful event happened, but you survived unscathed! (Merit Lucky (3pt.))
3	you experienced a terrible situation that scarred you! (Flaw Deranged (3pt.))
4	unusual circumstances led to you gaining a sidekick. (Merit Animal Companion (3pt.))
5	you learned that you are “the chosen one” of an ancient prophecy! (Flaw Lifesaver (3pt.))
6	you learned that you are “the chosen one” of an ancient prophecy! (Merit Iron Will (3pt.))
7	you traveled to the FaeWyld or Umbral Lands and were changed. (Flaw Faint of Heart (3pt.))
8	an enigmatic being infused you with a mystical ability. (Merit Animal Speech (3pt.))
9	a spirit presented itself to you and not in a good way! (Flaw Haunted (3pt.))
10	a surreal Quest presented itself. (see Quests; if you succeed in the Quest, add or subtract 2 from the roll on the Reward Table; if you fail at the Quest, subtract 1 from the roll on the Repercussion Table)

Quests

Certain results will cause your character to go on a quest. When this happens, you’ll need to roll on the Quest Table to see what Trait is going to be involved in determining success or failure. You’ll then make a check with a base difficulty of 0 (the Storyteller should roll the die to get the final Difficulty). If the check is successful, so is your quest; roll on the Reward Table. If the check is unsuccessful, the quest is a failure; roll on the Repercussion Table.

If the result on the Quest Table instructs you to use a specific Skill (such as the one with the highest rating, for example) and there is a tie between two or more Skills, you may choose which one of those tied Skills is used.
Roll D10: QUEST TABLE:

1-2	Use your Skill with the lowest rating with you highest Attribute
3-4	Use your Skill with the second-lowest rating with you highest Attribute
5-7	Use your Skill with the second-highest rating with you lowest Attribute
8-10	Use your Skill with the highest rating with you lowest Attribute

Roll D10: REWARD TABLE:

1-3	You found a fantastic ring! (+2 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
4-6	You found a bejeweled necklace! (+2 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
7-8	You found a book with an old language! (+2 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
9	You found a Master-Crafted Weapon! (+2 Arcane Encumbrance Background)
10	You found Master-Crafted Armor! (+2 Arcane Encumbrance Background)

Roll D10: REPERCUSSION TABLE:

1-4	You unleashed a terrible foe! (Unlucky (4pt.))
5-8	You suffered a terrible curse from a sadistic hag! (Cursed (4pt.))
9-10	You are now being hunted for what you saw! (Hunted (4pt.))