Character Creation: Bones Deep

Sounds dirty, dunnit? It's not, though.

The Game: Bones Deep
The Publisher: Technical Grimoire
Degree of Familiarity: None
Books Required: I think just the one, though I have a pdf of Troika! handy

 

In Bones Deep, you play a skeleton exploring the ocean. The idea is that once you die, your skeleton "hatches" and goes exploring, and the ocean's a great place for it because it's not like a skeleton needs air or food. The game is really goddamn weird, but perhaps less so than Troika! itself (which it's based on). 

I love deep sea stuff, and so this game was pretty enchanting to me right off. First thing we need to do is pick which kind of skeleton I want to be. Not species, more in terms of goals and dreams. Told you, it's weird. I think I will be a Keeper. That means I have sea creatures living in and around me, and I can command them if I can give them treats. 

OK, having picked that, I roll 1d3+3 for my starting Skill (again, not a skill, but a trait called Skill). Ugh, rolled a 1, so my Skill is only 4. 

2d6+12 for starting Stamina gives me 19. 1d6+6 for starting Luck gives me 10. 

And then I pick a Drive. There's one on the sheet (whenever you successfully command a creature you heal), but I dunno. I think I want to train and communicate more than command. So let's say whenever I figure out what a creature likes, I (and the creature) recover 1d6 Stamina and I get 1d6 Luck. 

My list of possessions says that two random creatures follow me as henchman, and wouldn't you know it, there are a bunch of creatures in this book, as well as a handy d66 table to roll on. So I roll...25 or 52 (I can read these either way) and 41 or 14. Let's see what that translates to.

25 is "dusky damselfish." 52 is "ripsaw catfish." 14 is "barreleye". 41 is "humboldt squid." 

Well, shit, I know I want the squid. His name is Ablert (yes, that's spelled right). Ablert wants to be friends with everything in the ocean. 

For the other fish frand, I'll take the dusky damselfish. Their name is Lyle. Lyle has a Scrappy-Doo type of personality (but less annoying), quite willing to pick a fight with something several times their size. I imagine Ablert has had to yank Lyle out of the jaws of a much bigger fish more than once. 

My skeleton's name is Chovy. Chovy has kelp growing from his arms and it's not uncommon for smaller fish to swim into his eyes if scared. Ablert often spends time wrapped around and through Chovy's ribs, but Lyle swims out ahead to make sure the way is clear. 

And that'll do it! Into the ocean!