Characters are generated by rolling a number of dice and manipulating the results. There's a lot of arithmetic involved, so the simplest way to generate a character is to use one of the spreadsheets provided, rolling dice of the appropriate size and placing the results in the bordered spaces in the spreadsheets. However, you may also do the arithmetic manually if you wish. See the glossary of abbreviations for the meanings of various abbreviations.

Primary Characteristics

Primary characteristics are Strength (SR), Constitution (CN), Intelligence (IQ), Wisdom (WS), Dexterity (DY), Charisma (CH), Weight in stone (WT), and Height in inches (HT). These charactristics are generated when the character is created and normally remain fixed throughout the life of the character. The details of how they are generated vary with the race and sex of the character. If you are using the spreadsheets, you may skip the rest of this section; instead, for each cell with a solid border on the first page of the spreadsheet, roll a D6 and enter the result.

To generate a Male Human: roll a D6 for each of the following, noting each D6 in the appropriate place on the character sheet: PB, SR1, SR2, IQ1, IQ2, WS1, WS2, IB, CN1, CN2, DY1, DY2, CHD, WTD, HT1, HT2. Characteristics are as follows: Unadjusted Strength (SR) = PB + SR1 + SR2; Intelligence (IQ) = IB + IQ1 + IQ2; Wisdom (WS) = IB + WS1 + WS2; Constitution (CN) = PB + CN1 + CN2; Unadjusted Dexterity (DY) = IQ/3 + DY1 + DY2, rounded to the nearest integer; Charisma (CH) = (SR+IQ+WS)/5 + CHD, rounded to the nearest integer, +1 if HT (qv) > 72"; Weight in stone (WT) = (WTDxPB + WTD + SR1xSR2 + SR1 + SR2 + CN1 + CN2 - DY1 - DY2 + 40)/7, rounded to the nearest integer; Height in inches (HT) = (3CN1 + 3CN2 - DY1 - DY2)/5 + SR + HT1 + HT2 + 49, rounded to the nearest integer. Attractiveness (ATTR) = D6; if roll 1 or 6, continue rolling, listing the numbers sequentially, until a number different from the initial number is rolled; low is attractive (1-3 is quite good looking, 6-6-6-5 hideous). As an alternative to doing these calculations by hand, you may use the spreadsheets provided. Average characteristic values in the general population: SR 10, CN 10, IQ 10, WS 10, DY 10, WT 10, HT 69", CH 9, AT 3.5.

To generate a Female Human: roll as for male except: for SR1 and SR2, use the lowest two of four D6; for CN1 and CN2, use the highest two of three D6 for CN, the lowest two of the three for WT and HT; for DY1 and DY2, use the highest two of three D6. In all cases, note all D6s on the character sheet. Average characteristic values in the general population: SR 7, CN 12, IQ 10, WS 10, DY 12, WT 8, HT 64", CH 8, AT 3.5.

To generate an Elf: roll as for human except: for IB, use the higher of two D6; for the first ATTR die, use a D4; for WTD, use 1; for HT, use 51 instead of 49.

To generate a Dwarf: roll as for human except: for PB, use the higher of two D6; for SR1 and SR2, use the highest two of three D6 for a male dwarf, the lowest two of three D6 for a female dwarf; for WTD, use D2 instead of D6; for HT1 and HT2, use D4 instead of D6; for HT, add 28 instead of 49. In all cases, note all dice on the character sheet.

Optional Characteristic Generation Rules

At the option of the gamesmaster, the player may be permitted to select a subset of SR, IQ, WS, CN, and DY, and order this subset from most important to least important for that character. When the paired dice are rolled for that subset, use the pair with the highest total for the most important of the subset, next highest total for the next most important, and so on to the pair with the lowest total for the least important of the subset. For character types which use the highest or lowest two of more than two dice for certain characteristics, assign the pairs first, then roll the additional dice to determine which dice are actually used in the calculation. For human characters, a similar ordering of PB and IB may be allowed prior to rolling the dice.

Derived Characteristics

Derived characteristics are determined by the character's primary characteristics, EL, and in the case of EN, additional die rolls.

Endurance points (EN) are gained at each Experience Level (EL); a magician gains an AD6 (die numbered 2,3,3,4,4,5) per EL, a physician an AD6+2, and a fighter an AD6+4. A character that goes to negative EN is unconscious. 1 EN is lost due to aging at 18+CN/3 years, another at 27+CN/2, a third at 33+11CN/18, and an Nth at sum(1/N) x (18+CN/3). Dwarves use 48+CN/3 in place of 18+CN/3 in this formula. These aging points are automatically calculated in the character spreadsheet when the character's birthdate is entered. For campaigns using 360 or 365 day years rather than 336 day years, 16+CN/3 instead of 18+CN/3 for humans, and 42+CN/3 instead of 48+CN/3 for dwarves.

Body points (BD) are equal to WT+sqrt(EL), rounded to the nearest integer, when uninjured (sqrt(EL) = 1 at EL 1-2, 2 at EL 3-6, 3 at EL 7-12); a character that goes to negative BD is dead.

EN and BD recovery: EN points may be temporarily expended in combat, for spellcasting, or for other strenuous activities. Humans and dwarves recover such expended EN at EL+2 per hour for magicians, EL+4 per hour for physicians, and EL+6 per hour for fighters; the EN is recovered evenly through the hour. BD is recovered at 1 per day. These rates are halved if an elf, if working at a subsistence level job, or if surviving on half rations; the EN recovery rate is reduced when wearing armor by (unhalved ENC of armor worn)/WT. None of the endurance recovery penalties are cumulative, so use only the worst applicable one.

Encumbrance: If the total ENC of items carried exceeds Nx(2WT+WTD), (effective) Strength (ST) = SR - N and (effective) Dexterity (DX) = DY - N. Note that the ENC of some items is halved when carried in appropriate containers, while the ENC of properly sized armor is halved when worn fully adjusted. If the encumbrance of items carried is entered on the third (equipment) page of the character spreadsheet, the effects on ST and DX will be automatically calculated on the second (combat) page.

Blows: a character starts each combat round with a certain number of active and reactive blows. For a starting character, the number is three active blows; one reactive blow is added to this at each even EL. These numbers may be modified by characteristics or the type of weapon used. Blows are automatically calculated on the second (combat) page of the character spreadsheets when the statistics for the appropriate weapons are pasted into the appropriate rows on the third (equipment) page of the spreadsheet.

Speeds: walk is HT/12 at -1 EN/hour (usually offset by recovery), +(-) DX"/12 per doubling (halving) of EN expenditure; run is HT/6+ST"/2+DX"/2 at -1 EN/round, +(-) HT/24 per doubling (halving) of EN expenditure. A variety of speeds and the related EN expenditure is automatically calculated by the character spreadsheets.

Starting Characters and Prior Experience

An Eastern Isles human character starts at an age of 18 years of 336 days each, at EL 1 and the one associated skill point, and 0 Experience Points (EP), with 100 shells (Eastern Isles coins). Characters may add additional skill points by starting at a greater age: add N additional years for the Nth additional skill point (thus, 1 skill point at 18, another (=2 total) at 18+1=19, 2+1=3 at 19+2=21, 4 at 24, &c). A character may also add EP at 1 EP per 2 days of additional age (28 days per month); this may result in the gaining of additional skill points from increasing EL. For games using 360 day or 365 day years, start the character at age 16 instead.

Elves start at EL1 at an age of 25 years with SL1 in literacy and elvish and no other skills, and may add up to 167 EP by increasing the starting age by 2 days per EP. Elves do not use the normal starting rules and are subject to various penalties, including gaining only half the normal experience for combat.

Dwarves start at and age of 36 instead of 18, may not be magicians, and require double the additional age to gain additional starting skill points.

Bonuses From Characteristics

High or low characteristics give the character certain bonuses or penalties. Characteristics typically have first, second, and third types of bonuses.

The first bonus has a value of -2 for a characteristic of 3 or below, -1 for a characteristic in the range of 4-7, +1 in the range of 13-16, and +2 in the range of 17 or above.

The second bonus has a value of +1 for a characteristic of 14-15, +2 for 16-17, and +3 for 18.

The third bonus has a value of +1 for a characteristic of 15, +2 for 16, +3 for 17, and +4 for 18.

In tabular form:

Attribute:   3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
-----------------------------------------------------------
1st bonus:  -2 -1 -1 -1 -1  -  -  -  -  - +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2
2nd bonus:   -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - +1 +1 +2 +2 +3
3rd bonus:   -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - +1 +2 +3 +4

For ST, the first bonus is added to the critical roll for melee weapons; the second bonus converts reactive blows to active blows in combat; the third bonus is added to the damage roll for melee weapons.

For IQ, the first bonus is subtracted from the number of hands needed to cast a spell (normally two); the second bonus affects how much of an incantation must be used; the third bonus is added to spotting rolls.

For WS, the first bonus is added to magic saving rolls; there are no second or third bonuses, but the characteristic strongly affects training.

For CN, the first bonus is added to physical saving rolls; the second bonus is added to the EN roll at each EL; the third bonus is added to BD.

For DX, the first bonus is added to rolls to hit; the second bonus adds reactive blows in combat; the third bonus is a negative modifier to AC in combat (negative modifiers help prevent the character from being hit).

for CH, the first bonus is added to special saving rolls; the second bonus is added to the die roll used when using the Morale skill; the third bonus is added to the number of times the Morale skill may be used per day (and thus permits use even with no Morale skill).

Experience and Experience Levels

Levels : A character has an Experience Level (EL) and possibly additional `sublevels'. The number of Experience Points (EP) required to gain an EL or sublevel is listed below. At each sublevel, the character declares the skill into which his next skill point will go and receives the skill point declared at the previous sublevel. Upon successfully training the skill point scheduled to be gained at the next sublevel, a new declaration is made. Skill points may be declared to be `saved'; saved skill points may be declared at any sublevel, to be gained at the next sublevel, except that the total number of points declared to a given skill at any given sublevel may not exceed the current SL in that skill plus one. On gaining an EL, the character rolls a die for EN to be gained during the next EL (on being generated, the die for EL 1 is also rolled and immediately received); these EN points are gained evenly through the next EL (thus if 4 EN are rolled for EL 3, 1EN is gained at each of 2750, 3500, 4250, and 5000 EP). EP may be `burned' to obtain the effects of N additional EP by subtracting 2N actual EP; any sublevels skipped declare next skill points to `save'. A character starts with three active blows, which may be modified; an additional reactive blow is gained at each even EL.

Experience : EL1 at 0 EP; 1.1 at 1000, 2 at 2000; 2.1 @ 3000, 2.2 @ 4000, 3 @ 5000; 6250, 7500, 8750, 4 @ 10000; 11600, 13200, 14800, 16400, 5 @ 18000; 20167, 22334, 24500, 26667, 28834, 6 @ 31000; 34000, 37000, 40000, 43000, 46000, 49000, 7 @ 52000; 56250, 60500, 64750, 69000, 73250, 77500, 81750, 8 @ 86000; 92k, 98k, 104k, 110k, 116k, 122k, 128k, 134k, 9 @ 140k; 10 @ 230k; 370k; 600k.

Skills

To gain a Skill Level (SL) in a skill, the character must first have the previous SL in the skill, and must gain an additional number of skill points in that skill equal to the next SL. Thus, a character who already had SL 1 in broadsword, for example, would need two additional skill points to reach SL 2. Skill points may be gained by gaining experience as described above, and through training as described in the Instructor skill.

Subsistence Level

A character's day to day expenditures are abstracted into a monthly subsistence level; this subsistence level affects the character's apparent wealth and may affect the reactions of other characters. In addition, if the character is taking no other action - not working, adventuring, training, or doing any other activity that requires gamesmaster participation - the character will gain some minimal experience which increases slightly with subsistence level.

At a bare subsistence level of 1 shell per day, the character gains 1 EP per 2 days; in addition, in major cities, it is assumed that characters can find jobs paying 1 shell per day that provide the same experience. A subsistence level of 100 shells (100c) per month includes such things as rations, places in the common room at inns, support of a horse, and nonmagical weapon repair (27 EP/mo if applicable); 200c/mo includes parchment and ink, heals from practice bout wounds, and a place in a room at inns (38EP/mo); 300c/mo includes a private room at inns, and nonmagical weapon repair by a good smith (46 EP/mo); 400c/mo includes support of a mount other than a horse, and physicians' services (53EP/mo); 500c/mo (59EP/mo); 600c/mo (65EP/mo); 700c/mo (70EP/mo); 800c/mo (75EP/mo); 900c/mo (79EP/mo). When using a skill for employment, inform the gamesmaster of the character's average subsistence level over the past year.

Practice Bouts

Practice bouts may be fought between characters to gain experience. Generally only one bout may be fought per character per day; terms are normally to first blood (critical hit that does at least 0 BD damage), to unconsciousness, or to yielding, depending on local culture. If neither character is on the other character's `loss list', the winner gains 50EP x loser's EL (doubled if loser is killed), and the loser lists the winner on the loser's loss list. A character's loss list is cleared when the character gains an EL.