Character Creation: Root: The RPG

THE ROOT. THE ROOT. THE ROOT IS ON TIRE.

(If we were stopping our /f/ sounds, you see.)

Anywho. Sing it with me now!

FOR THE ELEVENTH GAME OF XMAS, TWENTY-TWENTY-FIVE,
ELEVEN BADGERS ROOTING,
TEN LEMURS BARBING,
NINE LADY ROBOTS,
EIGHT MONSTERS WRANGLING,
SEVEN SCOFFLAWS SCOFFING,
SIX GEESE DESTROYING,
GIRL BY MOONLIGHT,
FOUR ELDER GODS,
THREE FRENCHIN' HENS,
TWO CORVID COURTS,
AND CAIRN, BUT NOT THE ONE ABOUT ANIMALS, LIKE ROOT!

The Game: Root: The Roleplaying Game
The Publisher: Magpie Games
Degree of Familiarity: None with this game, but I'm plenty familiar with the system
Books Required: Just the one

So! Root is based on a board game, which I have not played. The game is pretty simple, though, and it really does remind me a lot of Cairn (this one, not this one). It's a big woods (called the Woodland), everyone's an anthropomorphic animal, and there's enough setting to play around in. The real difference is that the Woodland is at war and that's a big deal; everyone used to be ruled by the birds of the Eyrie Dynasties, then there was a war and everything kind of balkanized, and now the Marquise de Cat has rolled in with her cat-troops and taken over parts of the Woodland, the Dynasties are trying to get their own back, we've got a citizen's army called the Woodland Alliance, and the fourth faction is just the everyday denizens of the Woodland.

And then there's the Vagabonds, sellswords and adventurers that don't normally roll in groups, but hey, if there was such a group they could really bust some heads! (Those are the PCs, if it's not obvious.)

It looks fun, there's a ready-made setting good for one-shots, I dunno, maybe I'll put it on the game menu at some point. Meantime, let's make a critter.

As is often the case in PbtA games, we start by picking a playbook. Hmm. These aren't bad, though they definitely don't have as much individual flavor as, says, the ones in Masks. Harrier, Ranger, and Ronin all appeal, and I think I'm feeling Ronin today. I was a servant of a master of one of the factions, but am now masterless. Nifty.

Next, name, species, details, demeanor. Let's think about species first, since I'm sure it'll influence who I used to work for. I think I want to be a snowshoe hare. He and his village were one of the first invaded by the Marquise, and he joined her army because all his buddies were doing it! And besides, it wasn't like there was any real fighting happening, mostly we were going out into the Woodland and trimming it back, making roads, stuff like that.

And then there was this bear. (Bears, in-setting, fill the roll of "ogre" and similar monsters.) It killed three of the squad, and we sent a message back asking for help. The response was: "Can't spare anyone. Kill the bear, shouldn't be that hard." The bear killed all the rest of the squad, except Rillinton (for 'tis his name), who fled. 

Good start! Rillinton is, as I mentioned, a snowshoe hare, uses he/him pronouns, militaristic demeanor (the training worked), carries a little medal given to him for excellence during the training process. He is polite, all the time. 

Background questions! Where do you now call home? Let's say it's "the forest." He ran out into the Woodland after the attack, and has made a little den that he can return to.

Why are you a vagabond? There are a few options. I like "I want to build a masterless life." Rillinton doesn't hold a grudge against whomever left his squad to kill the bear. That's the nature of being a soldier. He just wants nothing more to do with it. 

What happened to your last master? Hmm. These options all assume that something did happen to him. Let's say "justified overthrow," although Rillinton doesn't know it. That flippant order to kill the bear cost the governor put in place by the Marquise his position. 

Which faction have you served the most? Almost certainly the denizens. 

With which faction have you earned a special enmity? The obvious choice is the Marquise de Cat, but I think I'll actually go with the Woodland Alliance. Rillinton seems like an obvious recruit for them, and he's just not feeling it. 

Natures & Drives. I get one Nature, chosen from either Survivor or Pilgrim. Survivor, obviously. I get two Drives, this time from four choices (Principles, Revenge, Thrills, Wanderlust). Well, definitely Wanderlust. And then I think Principles, though he probably wouldn't say that if asked. 

Stats! I start with Charm 0, Cunning +1, Finesse 0, Luck -1, and Might +2. I think I should probably have more Finesse, being a hare, so I'll put my free +1 there.

Connections would require a group, so I'll skip that.

Moves! I get three. Well, I definitely want well-mannered, which lets me rely on etiquette for some beneficial effects. I think I want the rules of war for a similar reason. And then I think I'll take always watching and raise my Cunning to +2.

I get one Weapon Skill; I shall take Cleave. Probably I have a polearm or something. 

And hey, next is Equipment! I get 11 Value, which I can use to "build" my gear. The formula is pretty simple. So let's say my polearm has four wear boxes (4), add the reach and large tags (6), and the bulky tag (5). 

And that's it, actually! Rillinton is a brown (or white, depending on the season) hare. He has a worn, but very clean, green waistcoat and pants, and wears his ears pinned back. He wears his emblem under his coat, and rubs it when nervous.