Eliminating Traits

The “Trait” mechanic has been removed. There were some good ideas there but it was agreed that it was just one to many things to track.

For the record -

Traits 

Unlike Advantages, Disadvantages and Feats, Traits have no mechanical benefits. They may affect certain roleplaying situations but that is the extent of what they do. 

In order to acquire the “Established” Feat, which is required to take a Paragon Class, you will have to have three of them. 

Characters choose one Trait during character creation. 

Taking a new Trait is like taking an Advance so costs 10 experience points but if you do something during play to establish the Trait, you get 2 experience that must be spent to acquire it. If you involve one or more players in establishing the Trait, you get 4 exp instead and up to 3 other players who helped get 2 banked experience. Be creative and work with the staff. 

Examples - 

To set up acquisition of the “Dwarf Friend” Trait (after acquiring the required Telktar Language Feat) you arrange with the staff and another player who has a dwarven character to accompany them on a quest of great importance to their people.  

To set up acquisition of the “Partner” Feat you work with the staff to introduce a Plot character that is someone you have an “offstage” pre-existing relationship with that you make public during their visit to the Ram’s Head - potentially leading to a public in character hand fasting. Be warned - this is a dangerous ground for some players so be sure whoever you recruit to help you tell this tale is comfortable with this kind of content. 

You can only take a new Trait after playing your character for 2 sessions or more sessions since you acquired the last one (so to have 3 Traits you will have had to play a character for 6 or more sessions). 

An established Trait can be swapped for another at no cost if circumstances change. These changes are often story points and this can be an effective way to acknowledge them. For example - a character with the Student Trait exceeds the abilities of their Mentor and becomes their Rival instead. As always - work with the staff to make this happen.

Dwarf Friend (Trait, Telktar) You have learned enough about dwarven culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary dwarf. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by dwarves.

Elf Friend (Trait, Aeorul) You have learned enough about elven culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary elf. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by elves.

Family (Trait) There are one or more family members who are a part of your characters life. This does not include a partner or young people in your charge, which are covered by the Partner and Parent Traits respectively. This Feat covers as many family members as you like. You don’t have to (or can you) take this Trait multiple times. You don’t have to have this Trait to have family, but you should if if they are an important part of your story. 

Fae Friend (Trait, Pomkifon) You have learned enough about fae culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary fae. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by fae.

Hearthlander Friend (Trait, Oha) You have learned enough about hearthlander culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary hearthlander. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by hearthlanders.

Homestead (Trait) There is somewhere you call home. It usually means somewhere you own, but it doesn’t have to. You just have to have reliable access to it and control over it.  When you take this Trait you should define what the Homestead is, how you acquired It and how you maintain it. This is best when it comes from the characters story (they live in a room in their favorite tavern which they secretly own, they live in a small farmstead manor gifted to them by a grateful lord, they live in a ruined tower the cleared as part of an adventure and are forever rebuilding). 

Mentor (Trait) You have taken someone under your wing. This can be complemented by the Teacher Feat but doesn’t have to be. There is a lot of roleplaying potential in having it be another player character, but it isn’t requirement.

Parent (Trait) You have one or more young people in your charge. You may have a partner, but it isn’t a prerequisite nor do you need a Trait to have children but if you have one they are an important part of your story. This Trait covers as many children, wards or charges as you like. You don’t have to (or can you) take this Trait multiple times. 

Partner (Trait) You have someone in your life that is a committed partner. Sometimes this is a spouse, but it does not have to be nor do you need a Trait to have partner but if you have one they are an important part of your story. Note that only the most backwards, wrong thinking arch traditionalists of Magelis and Celedon care about the gender binary or the patriarchy. This is a fantasy game and part of my fantasy is a world where people don’t get hung up on bullshit like that. 

Pupil (Trait) You are someones student. Who and what they are teaching you is up to you. It can be fun for the mentor to be another PC, ideally someone with the Established Feat that isn’t played all the time. 

Quirk (Trait) This is a catch all for any Personality Trait. Personality Traits are just Traits that work like any other but you are more likely to be able to rationalize taking them during character generation than acquiring them once you have started playing the character. Quirk can be taken more than once, but before assigning more than one Personality Trait to your character you should consider how they would interact with each other. 

Reputation (Trait) You are known for something but unlike Famous which is for having a positive reputation or Infamous which is for having a negative reputation, this Trait is for things that aren’t inherently positive or negative. As with Famous and Infamous “Reputation” will be printed on your badge and if anyone asks what you have a reputation for you have to answer. 

Rival (Trait) Another character agrees to be your Rival. It is up to you what your Rivalry is and how it began. If the other character is a PC they should take the Rival Trait at the same time you do. If another PC is your rival make sure the rivalry can be something that is fun and playful rather than truly competitive in a way that could lead to bad feelings.

Uruk Friend (Trait, Gharj) You have learned enough about Uruk culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary Uruk. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by Uruks.

Wildling Friend (Trait, Jae) You have learned enough about wildling culture and spent enough time among them that you are practically an honorary wildling. You have no trouble being welcomed or accepted by wildlings.