Character Creation: Sentai & Sensibility

Closing in on the end of the year! Probably make some big philosophical post on the 31st in which I reveal a Dark Truth. Or maybe it'll just be a post about dumb TV shows, who knows.

FOR THE NINTH GAME OF XMAS, TWENTY-TWENTY-FIVE,
NINE LADIES IN ROBOTS,
EIGHT MONSTERS WRANGLIN'
SEVEN SCOFFLAWS SCOFFIN'
SIX GEESE A-HONKIN'
GIRL BY MOONLIGHT,
FOUR ELDER GODS,
THREE HENS WITH TITS,
TWO CORVID COURTS
AND CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIRN! (you have to imagine the word stretched out and hitting all the notes in the usual "partridge in a pear tree" line)

The Game: Sentai & Sensibility
The Publisher: 9th Level Games
Degree of Familiarity: None
Books Required: Just the one 

So, this game combines Austen-esque Regency sorts of vibes with Japanese sentai kinds of things. Giant robots what combine into one big robot, that sort of thing. It's cute, perhaps not my thing, but I think it'd be fun with the right table. It's a Polymorph System thing, so every character type has its own die and success depends on what kind of thing you're doing (see also: Scurvy Buggers, The Very Good Dogs of Chernobyl, and Mazes). 

With that in mind: Filling out our "dance card" starts with a Society (though several other things are mentioned first). Everyone in the group is meant to have the same Society, but since it's just me, what would I push for if I were playing? Ooh, actually, we can do this randomly...Racers! Sounds good to me.

Next up we pick Station, which is effectively character class or role or whatever. I think I'll lean into my predilection to play support and be the Dragoon. 

Next, Temperament. These hinges on Humour (as in, the four), and we can do this randomly, which is I think what I'd like to do. So: We roll a d4 to pick a Humour (2, Choleric). That sets my Element as Fire and my Season as Summer. I roll a d6 to set a tens place and a d10 to set a 1s to pick a personality trait, and that gives me...27, which is Modest. Sounds fine to me. Nowhere to put that one the sheet (rather, there is, but there's not a text box for it). Well, let's roll a d12 for a favorite color, anyway. Umber. Sure, sounds great.

Machina! This is a giant machine that I summon to help fight against the Abominations of the Syndicate. Again, I can randomize it, and I'm happy to do that. Rolling a few dice lands me on condor. Fuck yes. Big ol' umber-colored condor. SQRAWK.

Weapon! Again, I'll go rando. "Bo-hiya," what the fuck is that? OH SHIT ROCKET LAUNCHER. Hells yeah.

Need a Henshin device, which is an object I use to transform into my Ranger persona. Will I randomize again? YOU KNOW I WILL! Ring, that's nice and easy.

Next few steps are just basics; name and pronouns. Let's name my guy...Sandford Wilcox (he/him).

Right, now Rival and Confidant. These can change week by week, and can be other PCs or other folks in the greater community. Let's say that Sandford's Rival is Eve Marshall. Eve is a soldier and peacekeeper, and she and Sandford are technically on the same side, but they really don't see eye to eye on particulars. His Confidant is Cleveland Cordova (am I using a random name generator? why yes I am). Cleve is the fellow who designed and maintains Sandford's weapon and they just click. And perhaps the looks that Cleve gives Sandford are...meaningful?

That's about everything. Sandford is big, but not, like, buff. He's tall and has really long arms and good reach, and he's sturdy on his feet. When he changes into his Machnia, he reaches out his arms and lets them grow into wings, resembling the condor emblem on his ring. I think his bo-hiya melds with him and winds up on his back, so he can fire while flying. 

And that's about it!