Character Creation: Cairn

I figured out the other day that to hit 100 characters by the end of 2019, I'd need to average three a week and some change. It's not impossible, but it's kind of unlikely. So what the heck, let's shoot for it.

The Game: Cairn
The Publisher: Souljar Games, but now Nocturnal Media 
Degree of Familiarity: None
Books Required: Just the one.

 

Cairn has something of a fraught history. It was Kickstarted in November 2012, and promised for Christmas that year. Obviously, that wasn't happening, but then it became one of several Kickstarters by the same creator that wound up circling the drain. Cairn, however, got a bailout from Souljar Games and Ross Isaacs, who went I'm sure deep out of pocket to get copies to the backers.

I started reading the book today, and it's actually pretty good. I didn't get much into the system, of course, but the basic idea is that we're a bunch of critters living in the titular village, and we have to do things in order to benefit it. When we undertake tasks, we have a direct mechanical impact on the village's traits, which I appreciate. Also, the writing is good, and I found that it hooked me, so I'll probably finish reading this book and maybe run it.

Anyway! Let's make a character.

This is actually really simple; it's not like there's a lot of math or point-buy to it. Mostly it's just a matter of making some decisions and tying things together, and that's fine. My first choice is Species, and I've already decided I would very much like to make an otter. His name is Symeon Quickminnow. As an otter, I get 14 Base HP, 7 Base MP, 6 Base Defense, and 5 Speed.

I also choose an attributes, meaning that I'm in some way better-than-average. I'm gonna say I'm faster, so I can ZOOM through the water.

As an otter, I get the Traits of Playful (I can regain 1d6 Harmony a day by playing) and Swim (I move double my Speed in the water and I can stay submerged for long periods of time). Neat!

OK, now I choose professions. I get two, and I start at level 0 in both. The one I write first is the one I'd level up first, so that's a consideration. Well, I like the idea that celebration and play can replenish Harmony, so I'm thinking I'll lean into that and say that Symeon is a Minstrel. But I also like making spellcasters, so I'll say that his other profession is Druid (meaning he reveres the Primal Powers, like the Laughing Brook). I'm level 0 in both professions.

Minstrel gives me a musical instrument, which needs to be something that can go underwater, so I'll say it's a pipe. I get Lore (I know something about everything) and Inspirational Song (I can play or sing and let comrades reroll).

And then over there under Druid, I know how to use a quarterstaff. I can wear light armor. Ooh, I get an animal friend! That is, an un-Awakened animal. I'll say I have a pet hopper (frog). He's green and slick and he likes to ride in a waterproofed pouch, unless we're in the water, and then he just swims along. His name is Gromp.

I also get spells; I can take Novice Druid spells. Now, it looks like Novice spells cost 1MP each, which is permanently gone unless I choose to forget the spell to learn new ones. The book says I should take 3 at character creation. Does that math work? My base MP is 7, and then I get 8 more for my professions...oh, yeah, we're fine.

OK, so I'll take Speak to the Small (I can talk with un-Awakened animals), Light the Way (creates a little ball of light), and Surestride (move through natural barriers). Cool.

So, my starting MP is my base for my species plus my per level for my professions, minus 3 for the spells, so that's 12 total. My HP is 14 for my species plus 6 for my professions, or 20. Doesn't seem like my Defense or Speed gets altered by anything, so they stay at my base (6 and 5, respectively). I don't get any bonus to Fight or Shoot, so I guess those are 0.

My current Harmony is 15 (based on my professions, which are both pretty high), and my max Harmony is 20 because I'm not carrying any metal. And I think that's pretty much it!

Symeon Quickminnow's mother was a druid, kind of a wise woman of the river, and she taught Symeon about speaking with the fish and the frogs and so on. She taught him that every creature, even the un-Awakened, have a song, and Symeon took that literally and learned to sing and play a pipe fashioned from reeds. He can be found gliding through the waters near Cairn with hopper companion, diving deep to listen to the wisdom of the cold waters and sunning himself on the shores.

I picture Symeon as someone whose beliefs are going to be tested when he meets animals that have gone Dire. He takes his Harmony pretty seriously, and someone who'd willingly go that far out of balance is not something that fits easily into his worldview.

But in any case, that's me done!