For those eager to dive deeper into character creation, this guide unlocks a powerful framework for crafting a custom origin. Here, you’ll shape an origin that not only reflects your character’s Bloodline but brings their unique story, skills, and life experiences to life.

This custom origin system goes beyond the quick-start options, giving you the tools to build a foundation that carves out your character’s distinctive place in the world. Follow these steps to forge an origin that offers rich narrative depth, tailored skills, and fitting starting resources, launching your character into adventure with unparalleled depth and purpose.

Step 1: Start with Your Bloodline

Begin with your character's Bloodline, as this provides the basis for their identity, values, and culture. Think about the common roles, physical traits, and lifestyle associated with this Bloodline. Review the three quick-start origins as inspiration, then consider other paths that characters from this Bloodline might have taken.

Example: As an Igdrasan, perhaps your character wasn’t just a warrior or ash trader. Maybe they spent their life navigating ash trails, tending to secluded shrines, or scavenging forgotten ruins.

Step 2: Define an Origin Theme and Name

Choose a theme that embodies your character’s upbringing and give it a short, evocative name. This theme should capture how they lived, worked, and survived, adding a personal layer to their Bloodline’s larger story.

Example: “Ashen Guide” – A traveler skilled in navigating Yggdrasil’s treacherous landscapes.

Step 3: Write a Background

Add a concise background of your origin. This sentence should give a sense of the character’s environment and formative experiences without specifying personality traits. Focus on setting a vivid image for their past.

Example: “I grew up guiding travellers and driving ash-sledges through the ashen trails, becoming one of the few who know Yggdrasil’s rugged terrain.”

Step 4: Add a Narrative Prompt

Create a prompt to inspire your character’s outlook and role-playing. This could be a question, motto, or memory that reflects their life experience.

Example: “What drives me to return to these treacherous paths, time and again?”

Step 5: Select Skills

Choose 3 Skills that logically align with your Origin’s theme. Refer to the Skills List and use each Skill’s definition and boundary note to select abilities gained through repeated experience.

For each Skill, ask:

1. What repeated duty, responsibility, or formal training taught this Skill?
2. Would another person formed by the same Origin reasonably have learned it?
3. Does the Skill’s definition and boundary note cover the actual task, rather than merely matching a personality adjective?

At least one Skill should define the Origin. The other two must be strong practical or cultural supports. An isolated incident, personality trait, or intended Class stack is insufficient reason to grant a Skill. You do not need to balance global Skill frequencies when creating one custom Origin.

Example: Survival, Piloting, and Observation suit the Ashen Guide because the Origin repeatedly trains harsh-terrain survival, ash-sledge operation, and route-finding.

Step 6: Determine Starting Equipment

Choose three basic items your character would carry based on their Origin. Every item must follow the equipment standards earlier in this chapter and fit one of these balanced packages:

• Martial: One standard weapon with Weapon Damage 2 or less, Leather Armour, and one descriptive item or ordinary tool. The third item grants no Advantage.
• Specialist: One appropriate kit, up to two uses of a narrow consumable, and one descriptive item or light weapon with Weapon Damage 1. Do not add armour.
• Traveller: One ordinary tool or standard weapon with Weapon Damage 2 or less, one environmental or navigation item, and provisions or a descriptive item. At most one item may grant narrowly scoped Advantage once per Rest.

Do not grant military or heavy weapons, armour above Soak 1, direct magical healing, automatic success, bonus dots, extra Action Dice, or an effect equivalent to a Class Power.

Example:

• Traveler’s Map: Enables Survival checks to follow known ash routes without improvised navigation tools.
• Sturdy Boots: Remove Disadvantage caused solely by ordinary sharp rubble or abrasive ash underfoot.
• Compass Charm: Once per Rest, use it before a Survival check to navigate the ash clouds to make that check with Advantage.

Step 7: Define Starting Resources

Choose two starting resources that fit your character’s background:

• Minimal Currency: 6 Dritch when the equipment package includes a weapon, armour, or two useful consumable uses.
• Basic Currency: 8 Dritch for a balanced mixed package.
• Modest Currency: 11 Dritch when the equipment is primarily descriptive, provisions, or ordinary tools.
• One small set of trade goods may be worth up to 4 Dritch to an appropriate buyer.

If a resource has a mechanical effect, state its number of uses and reduce the accompanying currency or equipment accordingly.

Examples:

• Ash Stones: Small trade stones worth 4 Dritch to an appropriate Igdrasan buyer.
• Minimal Currency: 6 Dritch.

Step 8: Add Role-Playing Traits

Finally, include traits that reflect your character’s values, attitudes, or habits due to their upbringing. These traits are purely optional but can help guide role-playing.

Example: Prioritizes survival, calm under pressure, cautious in open spaces.

Example: Putting It All Together

• Bloodline: Igdrasan
• Origin Name: Ashen Guide
• Theme: Life as a guide on Yggdrasil’s ashen paths.
• Background: “I grew up guiding travellers and driving ash-sledges through the ashen trails, becoming one of the few who know Yggdrasil’s rugged terrain.”
• Narrative Prompt: “What drives me to return to these treacherous paths, time and again?”
• Skills: Survival, Piloting, and Observation.
• Equipment: Traveler’s map, sturdy boots, compass charm, using the effects above.
• Resources: Ash stones worth 4 Dritch and 6 Dritch in currency.
• Role-Playing Traits: Prioritizes survival, calm under pressure, cautious in open spaces.

By building on your character’s Bloodline and following these steps, you’ll create an origin that is not only functional but also rich in story and individuality.