Name: Hatha Gengen
Race: Human
Culture: Khemit
Profession: Emissary
Tradition: Witchcraft
Age: 22

Upbringing: Civilised - Child of a retired Hero. Gain +1 in any Skill.
Childhood Encounter: Your real father returned to claim his rightful place.
Family Status: Entire family killed in a great war.

Priest: 2 years. Enemy: An Atlantean.  Had a rivalry on the battlefield that continued after the conflict. They want your life ruined.
Mage: 2 years. Allowed to study the sacred tomes in the great library at Veddashud. Gain +1 Lore.

Hatha was born into wealth and status as her father was a famous Khemit general. On her father’s retirement to nobility, she was betrothed to a powerful Atlantean prince. However, the Atlantean prince had many enemies. These enemies started a war which forced her father to take up arms in order to preserve the alliance. He did not see the trap that was set for him. Her father failed, and his failure was cast as betrayal. The great shame saw Hathor’s family lose standing and be destroyed.

Hatha only managed to survive by, much to her shame, aiding her family’s destroyers. Her betrothed’s enemy, Prince Amadi, seemed to take great delight in watching her quickly betray her father’s legacy. When she disappeared, he cursed her duplicity and vowed that she would not die until he had forced her to wipe every honour her father had achieved.

She escaped to a reclusive temple in Veddashud. After two years of learning and meditation, she has ventured forth. She found that she was still hunted and woefully unequipped to deal with the real world. She hopes to make it to her betrothed, explain her father’s betrayal to him and convince him to honour the former alliance. She just needs to make her way to Atlantis first.

Spoiler

INT +2 PER +0 WIL +1 CHA +4 MR +3
STR -2 DEX +1 CON +0 SPD +0 CR -2
HP 20

Abilities: Inheritors of the Earth, Zeal, Tyche, Righteous Words, Dominion Access (Love), Misdirection

Skills: Deception +5, Evade +3, Influence +8, Investigate/Search +4, Language (Atlantean) +8, Language (Khem) +10, Language (Tharshi) +8, Literacy (Atlantean) +6, Literacy (Khem) +4, Lore (etiquette) +5, Lore (theology) +6, Medicine +4, Mode (Influence) +7, Perform +5, Profession (Emissary) +10, Ride +1, Weapon (melee) +3

Gear: Lightweight half suit of armor, a dagger, several pieces of jewelry (worth +4 WR), 3 robes (all noble quality), travellers gear, and a horse and WR +2

Disadvantages
Relationship: Betrothed’s rival - 1
Internal: Prepared to do anything to survive  - 2
External: Noble bearing - 2

The thing I like most about Hatha is that she is quite effective, despite not being a combatant or mage. Her shtick is talking and influencing others. She has minor magic in this regard to supplement her natural charm. The magic is so low level that it's almost like folklore charms, exotic perfumes and esoteric techniques, rather than spells.

Her Dominion Access is also effective. Leaving aside what she can achieve in worship with sacrifice, the minor effects are awesome. She is the last to be attacked, is always given mercy if requested and cannot be harmed if she and her companions don't harm. She also has basic healing magic.  

I can see her not just being the talking but being the one to talk the group out of the deepest pits by beguiling the bad guy. Walking into the lion's den knowing her life isn't in danger, and somehow managing to always survive (which works great with her disadvantages).

I notice the Beta PDF has been updated at DTRPG.

So anyone fancy running a play-by-post game?

Well, I went and bought it.

Kind of tempted by a PbP but need to think on it. If I ran anything it would likely be a contained one-off, like of the Spider God's Bride adventures.

I formatted your awesome step by step character creation

PDF

Thanks mate

Skywalker sold me on the game so I went and backed the KS so now Geographica will be full color hardcover.

You, sir, rock, sir

Let's hope we get to $15K. Given that it doubles the size of the book, it would be well worth considering both existing and new pledgers throwing some $ in.

In hindsight, my favourite of the 4 PCs I made is Hatha, the exiled Khemite princess temptress. She is so right for the genre and awesomely portrayed in the mechanics. My wife is also hella keen to play her

You just sold a PDF copy of the game after I read your character creation example, Skywalker. I'm thinking of jumping into that Kickstarter as well, which would be the first time I've backed anything.

Groovy Make you sure you check out the other PCs too earlier in this thread, or here for ease of reference: http://grandexperiment.livejournal.com/tag/atlantis. It includes a look at magic (both dedicated and focussed) and divine worship in the system.

I didn't do step by step creation for the last two, but I went into each with only the base concept in the title. The interaction with the Life Path system did the rest.

Given the success of the PC creation, it's time for a sample combat! I think we will pitch Orra against the lords of beast, a mighty lion! Don't be fooled into thinking a lion should be a push over though. Orra is a bad ass. Unlike D&D, but like S&S stories, wild beast are as fearsome as they should be. Supernatural creatures are generally terrifying

LION
Int -4 Per +0 Wil +0 Cha +3
Str +3 Dex +2 Con +4 Spd +2
HP 27 HrP 10 15 Ren 15 TL 1 AL 6-10
Att/Dam: Claw DR2+STR (5), Bite DR2+STR (5)
Armor: Fur Pelt PR2
Abilities: Pack Animal, Howl (target rolls Resolve DoD -3 to avoid being shaken with fear, losing the 7 HrP)

SET UP

With fire raging on the deck of the Nubian merchant ship, Orra descends into the hold. The distant flames flicker on the walls, like the gold which he hopes to find. Every ship plundering puts him one step towards his freedom from his hateful masters.

Orra's golden eyes spy a sturdy strongbox filled with promise. Eagerly moving forward, he almost doesn't see the cage, fallen from its perch and broken. Whatever it contained had now escaped into the deep moving shadows of the hold.

Orra stopped, raising his golden lit blade, as his eyes met his hunter. The eyes were like looking into a mirror, confusing him momentarily before the growl of lion brought him to his senses.

The lion moved between Orra and the box, its bulk filling the cramped space. It's whipped flank showing that it hated it's masters as much as Orra did. It continued to growl, giving Orra an opportunity to retreat. However, time was short, and the thought of returning to Beleia from the burning ship empty handed steeled the Black Scourge's courage.

"Let the best beast win," he growled at the lion.

ROUND ONE

Initiative: This is a straight SPD roll. Orra gets 13, and the lion gets a 17.

Lion's Turn: Though Orra is the superior combatant, a lion is not to be sneered at. It's physical abilities are impressive, and Orra's advantages are in Skill and Equipment. As GM, I decide that I want to use that physical ability, but I am aware that Hero Points could provide Orra with a get out of jail free card. so, I decide to pull out the lion's special ability, Roar.

Orra rolls an 8, +3 for Resolve and -3 DoD. Partial Success. Orra loses 3 of his 6 HrP. Hopefully, that will make him reluctant to use them when I pounce on him.

Orra's Turn: Shaken, Orra is keen to get in the first strike and gain the upper hand. The lion decides to risk a defensive action to Dodge first. It's Dodge is +10, reduced to +7 as its the lion's second action. The DoD is -13 due to Orra's skill resulting in a -6 modifier. The lion rolls a 16, giving a Partial Success. Orra's DR will be only 5 in this attack.

Orra's attack roll is an impressive +13, with a DoD of -10. He rolls a 3, which is a Partial Success. That reduces his DR to 3 and that becomes only 1 HP damage due to the fur pelt.

Orra decides on a second attack (this will be at +0 thanks to his speed). The lion decides against a second Dodge as it risks a critical failure which would sway the fight. Orra gets a 12 meaning a success with 8HP damage. The GM spends 2 HrP to reduce that to 0HP.

First blood to Orra, but tis but a scratch.

Sensing the change in Orra's mood, the lion unleashes a mighty roar made more fearsome in the enclosed space. The primal call resonates with the Andaman, like the monstrous calls that plagued the nights of his childhood. However, he knew better than to quaver in fear. The correct response was cold steel.

Orra leapt forward with remarkable alacrity. The lion, cornered, matched the attack with desperation born of years of mistreatment at the hands of men. Twisting impossibly in the tight space, Orra's blade drew a thin line of blood along the lion's flank. One more scar amongst many.

Without pause and with animalistic instinct, Orra rakes his sword in a backswing to slice along the lion's belly. However, he feels little satisfaction as he sees his man crafted steel is no match for the lion's nature made hide. Then all chance for thought vanishes as they two engage each other in a flurry of steel and claw, fighting for their very lives.

One thing I will say is that combat feels tense. It's not just a static turn > hit > damage sequence given the need to manage active defences, multiple actions and other resources like HrP.

Since the authors are here, thought I'd ask.

Aesir are over in Eria and speak Tamarac instead of the North Sea (where the other Hyperboreans are).

Is this a riff on Vikings in America/Pathfinder kinda thing or an error?