Initial Mailing

The original (February 1998) players were sent the following instructions:

1. Each of you will design your own character and the shadow where he or she resides. The details of both of these are entirely up to you. Knock yourselves out.
   
2. Your character knows exactly nothing about Amber, Chaos, Pattern, Logrus or Trump. These things may or may not be shown to exist later in the campaign. This is not to say that your character is ignorant. He or she can know about shadow and even be able to travel into it, if that's the way you see the character. Your characters, though at a knowledge disadvantage early on, are not necessarily green beginners.
   
3. When you have sent me an initial description of the character, I'll tell you how many points it sounds like to me. Point balance is a low priority for me, and I don't see it as a huge factor in the campaign.
   
4. There will be no auction. You will spend your points blind of your relative position vs. other players and NPCs alike.
   
5. I will not use ranks. To the extent that they are used, I will use points to determine primacy, not ranks. Spend enough experience points, and you can overtake the best.

The Steps to Character Creation

1. Read the Campaign Introduction Page.
2. Briefly describe your character, including both a physical and personal description. Give me a little history, tell me about his hopes, fears and dreams. Describe the home shadow.
3. After discussing the character with you, I will assign base character points to the character.
4. Answer the Character Questionnaire.
5. Send me a complete character write-up, in the following format:

NAME PSYCHE: STRENGTH: ENDURANCE: WARFARE: Total Characteristics: Power X: Power Y: Power Z: Shadow X Shadow Characteristic 1: Shadow Characteristic 2: Allies: Artifacts and Creatures: Characteristic 1: Characteristic 2: Stuff:   Total Character Points: Points Spent Character History Public Knowledge Physical Description Personality Description Personal symbols or colors Description of Artifacts, Constructs or Creatures Description of home shadow Description of any unique powers Add in anything you are doing for extra points. Extra may points may be had for the following contributions: Each Submitted Character Journal Entry +1 Point, to a max of 10 Each Submitted Poem or Character Story +2 Points, to a max of 10 Each Submitted Piece of Original Artwork +5 Points, to a max of 10 Character Webpage +5 Points Character journals can be transcripts, but should be in the first person, past tense, and should include the character's thoughts on the events described. Character Webpages should include greater detail than the 'public knowledge' pages on this site. Ideally, they will eventually include a portrait and your campaign contributions. If you do not have an account where you'd prefer to keep the page, send it to me and I will put on this server.

Character Questionnaire

This quiz has two parts. The first consists of questions for the player about the character. The second consists of questions for the character, and should be answered in character.

Part I - Player

1. What are your character's most and least admirable traits?
2. Would you want to invite your character to dinner? Why or why not?
3. Name three skills that your character excels in. Name three common skills that your character is has no facility with.
4. In what way is your character like yourself?

Part II - Character

1. What do you desire more than anything else?
   
   
2. Who cares about you?
   
   
3. Are you right or left-handed?
   
   
4. If you could change any one thing about the universe, what would it be?
   
   
5. If you could have any one question answered, what would it be?
   
   
6. What would you give up your life for? If the answer isn't the same as to the first question, why not?
   
   
7. What makes a person attractive? Do you fit that description?
   
   
8. You meet an old rival. Not a hated enemy, merely an important rival in a field close to your heart. You have improved since your last meeting and are sure of your superiority. How would you handle the meeting? In what field were you rivals?
   
   
9. Describe your favorite place. Why is it your favorite?
   
   
10. And lastly, stolen from Sarah because it is a darn good question...
    What do you want on your tombstone?