Character Stuff 2 - WTC Variant

This section covers the info needed to know about creating or modifying characters for the Wearing the Cape variant of the Aetheria campaign. If it's not noted here, then the rules follow Wearing the Cape.

Species (Race)

There are six aether-faring species in Aetheria: dwarves, elves, goblins, humans, orcs, and trolls. The sentient races call themselves the Folk of Aetheria.
Species as a Character Element in Aetheria is primarily an Extra. While it gives no inherent/direct element modification (such as a free stunt, or extra refresh, or a particular aspect), it does give narrative permission for other elements to be developed because of the species chosen.
Example: “Because elves are graceful (according to the species descriptions), I gain +1 to Overcome when using a skill to move."
Importantly, in game play, even if a person has not purchased an element, they could still invoke a racial fact by declaring a story detail (spending a Fate Point): “Since my character is a dwarf, I utilize my race’s DarkVision.”

Physical Description

Every person is required to have a physical description – it just helps things to move along. Physical description and Race are obviously tied together, but – as with all character development steps.
As an incentive for character building, having a complete physical description grants the character +1 Refresh.

Aspects

That most crucial of Fate Character Elements, we extended the types of aspects that can be developed by characters to help develop the feel for the campaign space.
Characters start with 5 Aspects.

Aspect Types

• Key Aspects: All character must have the Power Aspect and you may have as many additional Key Aspects as you like (up to your limit of Aspects and as long as you also have at least one Objective Aspect). One of these Aspects must somehow identify your race.
• Power Aspect: Per WTC (Wearing The Cape). Note that your Power Aspect goes a long way to determining how your powers work.
• Mystical Heritage: Your character may be trained in the mystical arts and has a Key Aspect to reflect his/her background. See Magic for Characters for heritage examples.
• Professional Aspect: You are at least an expert in your field and this aspect should reflect something your character’s chosen profession is known for. You may take more than one Professional Aspect.
• Species Aspect: This aspect should reflect something your character’s race is known for. You may take more than one Species Aspect.
• Objective Aspects: You may choose any number of each of these aspects (up to your limit), but you must have at least one. At least one of the aspects must show how you tie into the adventuring team (it doesn't have to be a Team/Relation Aspect but must give tangible ties to one or more of the characters).
• Goal Aspect: What’s your current end game, what are you maneuvering towards?
• Transformative Aspect: What’s something you want your character to improve that transfers over to real life? For example, perhaps you want to improve your Public Speaking. Choosing this aspect will signal to the GM that you'd like to give this Aspect some spotlight time giving you and your character opportunities to improve in this area. I highly recommend this aspect (L2s).
• Team/Relation Aspect: How does your character link into the team of PCs? Who does he know? Who does he owe? What does he hope to achieve with them?
• Other Aspects: Your character has another Aspect not directly related to a Key or Objective Aspect.

You are not required to start out with more than one of each category - you will have at least one Key aspect and one Objective aspect.

Stunts and Refresh

Campaign Starting Fate Points = 16.
Remember you gain +1 Refresh for having a complete physical description (see above). Refresh is expendable as normal to develop more stunts.

Power Templates and Stunts

Aetheria WTC is of the assumption that initially everyone uses magic. Breakthrough level characters manifest as the very rare Archmage or the "Powerful Mage Hyped by Magic Stuff," both of which come in exceptional variety and can be represented by virtually any of the Power Templates. Breakthrough characters in Aetheria WTC who are self-powered are also called Ascension Class wielders and are highly revered (or feared) in Aetheria.
Projectors and Kinetics are likely to utilize the Realms (see Magic for Characters), or to use one of the energy forms listed as representative of its own Realm (gravitokinectics would be students of the Realm of Gravity). Magic is highly diverse and its effects are often hard to pin down to a particular category.
The equivalent of a Verne Type in this universe would be someone who utilizes Spell Engines in ways which are super even for a realm that uses magic!

Pre-approved Stunts for campaign use

• Highly Experienced - The character has even more experience than your typical adventure and starts with 5 additional skill points. This stunt may be taken twice.
• Ship Investment - Character has invested substantially into a ship and may designate two additional ship stunts. This stunt may be purchased more than once.

Skills

• The Skill Pyramid is NOT mandatory. You still must obey the skill column rules (skills must be supported) and you start with 35 skill points.
• Starting Skill Cap is +6.

Example: A character could start as follows: two supported columns of +5, +4, +3, +2, +1 totaling 30 skill levels; a +2, +1 supported column, and a couple of additional +1 skills totaling 35 skill levels.
Remember you can hold onto skill points so you can grab a higher level slot when you have enough points available, i.e. instead of our example above spending the last two levels/points as +1 skills, the could hold them and on their next Major milestone, they could purchase a +3 skill slot (maybe "moving" the +2 and +1 skill up one each and adding a new +1 skill).
Also: one of the pre-approved stunts is Highly Experienced, granting +5 skill levels, purchasable twice.
See New Skills and Altered Skill Mechanics for information on other changes.

Magic

Magic is highly present in Aetheria compaign space, especially since it represents the force of what would normally be termed technology in high-tech campaigns. For the most part, we are using the High Fantasy Magic system (which is located in the Team Drive), which allows you to utilize a mystical version of a skill and simply say it's magic.
There are several components to developing your character’s mystical ability

• Permission Aspect and/or additional stunts,
• Mystical Heritage,
• Class of spell user,
• Primary Realm (and other Realms depending on spell user class)
• And Casting Skill

See the section on Magic for Characters for details on creating characters that use magic.