Character Creation: WILD

Every time I think about this game, this song starts going through my head. ANYWAY! 

The Game: WILD
The Publisher: we evolve
Degree of Familiarity: None yet!
Books Required: Just the one, plus a Tarot deck or their app

WILD (which is actually an acronym, unlike FATE or GUMSHOE; it stands for Wake Initiated Lucid Dreaming) is a sci-fi ish game in which you play oneironauts. The technology that allows you to travel into other people's dreams - call ClariT - was designed by a scientist trying to reach his comatose daughter Clarity and bring her out of the dreamworld. The initial scenario of the game, the tutorial, if you will, is a simulation of that mission. The game uses a Tarot deck (custom made!) as the resolution mechanic, and you know I'm a big fan of that. So let's make an oneironaut!

Stage One: Persona. I need to pick one card to represent my character, who they are in waking life, at their most basic. I could choose the card, but I don't really have a character in mind so I'll draw at random. I wind up with the 10 of Control: 

This card means security, but not really in the "guarding something" sense, more of the "I have enough money" sense. As the art implies, it can also mean riches or even hoarding. The person in the bed receiving last rites is interesting, too - the Control suit corresponds to Pentacles (or Coins) in traditional Tarot, but the meaning isn't the same (although Coins in general tends to deal with finances or other worldly stuff). 

So anyway, I think my dude will be rich, but not, like, so rich he shouldn't be alive (i.e., not a billionaire). I like the idea of a character who's rich in part because he never really did much with his money, out of fear that he would lose it all. So he's got a nice place to live and he's got the things he likes - his books and his piano and his cats - but he's pretty lonely in general. We'll say the Persona concept is rich risk-averse loner. 

Stage Two: Shadow. The Shadow is what's holding you back (not unlike the trait of the same name in Wraith, actually). This one is meant to be chosen at random; suits me. Oh, holy cats, that's perfect: The Hanged Man (Reversed). 

The Hanged Man, in its dignified form, means transition or readjustment. Reversed, though, it's not just stagnation but unwillingness to change. That's pretty much exactly what I had in mind (BEHOLD THE POWER OF THE TAROT). We'll say his Shadow is change is hard. 

Stage Three: Attributes. Four Attributes (Control, Strength, Focus, Passion), which are also the suits of this Tarot. I have 12 points to split up, minimum 1, maximum 5. Well, obviously Passion should be low and Control should be high. I don't necessarily see Strength (which deals with physical actions) being especially high either. Let's put 2 each into Strength and Passion, 5 into Control, and the other 3 into Focus. 

Stage Four: Abilities. Five of these: Diplomat, Guardian, Rogue, Scholar, Visionary. I need to assign a 4 to the best, 1 to the worst, 3 to something second-best, and the other two get 2. Hmm. Obviously not Guardian as a 4 (might even be the 1?). No, you know what? I'll put the 4 into Diplomat. My guy is actually really good at dealing with people, it's his own emotions he's not so big on. I'll put the 1 into Visionary, since that's the Ability of creativity and that's kind of where my dude has trouble. I'll put the 3 into Scholar, and the other two get 2.

Stage Five: Aspects. While this isn't a Fate game, Aspects work in a similar way - they can give you a boost or a disadvantage depending on the situation, and the best ones are double-edged swords. I don't have a limit on how many I can take, but the book recommends at least two. 

Well, I think the obvious one is more money than he knows what to do with. That nicely captures the fact that he's a man of means, but that he's not entirely enjoying it. Starved for stimulation works, too. I think I'd like one that reflects that he has a weird smattering of skills and knowledge, because if he wants to learn about something, he has the time and means to do it? I don't want "jack of all trades," though. How about just "Dabbler?" 

(And I wrote these in the wrong place, dammit. Oh, well, not like I'm gonna play this guy). 

Stage Six: Finishing Touches. I see this guy as in his early 40s, good shape, gray hair - played by Reed Diamond if this were a TV show. He's got a gentle voice and good manners; he didn't make his money by hostile takeover or any such nonsense (so how did he make his money? I feel like he may have inherited it, but not as a kid?). He's never been married and truthfully he's not sure if he's interested in romance or sex or anything like that, he just knows that he's bored and he's lonely, and going into dreams is the most interesting think that's been suggested to him in a long time. His name is Stanley Clark.

And that'll do it! I'm running this game on Saturday, looks like fun.