Character Creation: Entromancy

Here's a character. Today I'll have to find my own theme song, as I didn't ask for one.

The Game: Entromancy
The Publisher: Nightpath Publishing
Degree of Familiarity: None
Books Required: Just the one

This game bills itself as "cyberpunk fantasy" and it so, so badly wants to be Shadowrun. With that said, although I find certain things about it pretty derivative, it also tightens some things up in terms of system that I think other games could benefit from. It's based on the 5th edition of the "most popular roleplaying game", which was an immediate turn-off. Yes, D&D is the world's most popular roleplaying game. Batman & Robin was also the #1 movie in America, at least for a while. (That's a harsh comparison, but still.)

But again, reading the game, it looks like it keeps things focused and doesn't get bogged down the way D&D and other trad games tend to. The thing I find annoying is that the character creation is very template based, to the point that there's not a blank character sheet that I can find. I have to pick a race and class, OK, but the sheets for the classes are already filled out with regards to stats and skills, and like, I like to do that (and there are rules for "from scratch" chargen in the book, so wtf?). 

Anyway, we work with what we have. So what's the deal in this game?

The year is 2076, and a heretofore believed extinct element called ceridium, which enables magic and initiated this game's version of goblinization. There are three main factions: folks allied with NIGHT, the paramilitary group tasked with dealing with the "underraces," the freedom fighters from said underraces, and unaligned (so there's really only two factions). 

I love magic users, so I think I'm gonna go with NIGHT Agent as my class (the book actually has you pick race first, but I wanted to print my sheet). Race, then! We've got dwarf, gnome, low auric, high auric, and human. Fun note: The book says that the non-human races each live upwards of 120-140 years...but if it's 2076, how do we know that? 

Anyway, given that NIGHT agents tend to be responsible for keeping underraces in line, human makes the most sense. But that may be why I'm shying away from it. I think I'll go high auric (which I guess are kind of elf-like, but there's not much in the way of description that I can find). I like 'em, though. I think my character's motivation for being a NIGHT agent is simple math - there are so many more humans than underraces, and sure, the king of Aurichrome has carved out a niche for himself, but that's only gonna last so long if we can't come to some kind of understanding. Also, as a NIGHT Agent, my guy can make sure there's one good apple in the bunch.

(My guy, you'll notice, is ripe for plotlines in which he discovers that institutional and systemic violence is not something one fixes with gumption.)

We'll say his name is Lynaway Denison; his friends call him "Lyn." 

Right, so what actual decisions do I get to make? I get to pick one feat and two spells, and for the latter I need to pick a path (light mark or dark magic, literally). Well, for the feat, I want NIGHT Training. That gives me a bonus to find clues, sure, but it also gives me some political clout and that's in-concept.

Spells, then. Light or Dark? Oh, shadowmancy, please. I'll take Double Trouble (I make a Noob Saibot style double that enemies might hit instead of me) and Shadow Bolt (nothing like a basic ranged attack!). 

Now, the sheet also has blanks for Destiny and Faction Points. Whazzat? Oh, Destinies are like prestige classes, so that's not applicable. Faction Points are just rep within the given factions, and you'd think I'd start with some in NIGHT, but I can't find any mention of starting Faction Points, so I guess that's it!

Lynaway Denison is tall, slim, and wears his uniform well. He follows orders and the rules of his organization scrupulously, because he knows that lone gunmen or troublemakers are easy to dismiss. He's gunning for a leadership position someday, but he's gotta put in his time down here on the ground first. 

Lyn has a policy of never unsheathing his nightblade unless he's prepared for it to taste blood, so if he doesn't wind up fighting, he cuts his hand slightly. Other NIGHT agents think he's a drama queen, and maybe that's true, but they also know if Lyn draws, shit is probably serious. 

That'll do it!