Children of the Glyphs attributes

(Background information for the Children of the Glyphs campaign)

There are five primary attributes. These are fairly broad, covering a wide range of abilities. Primary attributes begin at zero, which corresponds to the peak of human potential (Einstein, for example, or an Olympic athlete). They may be increased with character points on a one-for-one basis.

Each of the primary attributes is divided into two secondary attributes, which may be further subdivided into specialisations. Secondary and tertiary attributes are added to the primary attributes when comparing stats. They begin at zero and may be increased by spending character points. Secondary attributes increase by 1.5 times the amount spent (round off), and tertiaries by at least double (more for a particularly narrow speciality).

Body

Everything physical, including fighting and reflexes (Fighting styles may be either force-based or finesse-based, although force is more effective for hand-to-hand and finesse for weapons)

• Force - Strength, endurance, raw power (Example specialisations: drinks anyone under the table, club, strong as an ox, karate, withstand pain)
• Finesse - Agility, reflexes, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity (Example specialisations: pick pocket, stage magician, dancing, acrobatics)

Mind

Knowledge and thinking skills, including planning, logic and strategy

• Analysis - Logic, putting facts together (Example specialisations: Forensic analysis, planning, strategy, design)
• Recall - Knowledge, memory (Example specialisations: Botany, history, eidetic memory, lineages, never forgets a face)

Awareness

Observation (mundane and magical), speed of thought (as opposed to reflexes, which is speed of body); also covers tactics and how quickly you react in combat

• Observation - Mundane; including initiative in the mundane phase of a round (Example specialisations: Find traps, navigation, crime scenes)
• Intuition - Magical; including initiative in the magical phase of a round (Example specialisations: Sense Glyph use, identify Glyphs used)

Presence

Social interactions, reading and influencing people, politics (Note: If this is used on PCs, the players still have veto rights over their characters' actions. For example, if you think your PC really wouldn't do something, then they don't.)

• Expression - Communicating with and influencing others (Example specialisations: Melodic voice, charismatic, acting, music, painting, inspire passion)
• Empathy - Reading others (Example specialisations: Determine relationship, detect lies, sense fear)

Shaping

The ability to shape worlds and make Glyphs

• Stability - Creating Glyphs (Example specialisations: Particular types of Glyphs, theory of Glyph-making)
• Fluidity - Shaping worlds (Example specialisations: Path-making, Shaping combat)

In addition to the attributes mentioned above, each character also has Influence and Contacts. Influence is how much status you have within your particular hierarchy (such as your House). Contacts are people you know who are willing to do things for you (such as provide information).