The Island Turtle is one of the most famous legends of the Middle Sea, along with the tales of the Century Eel and the Island Eater. However to most it is just that: a legend. The legend goes that when the Island Turtle emerged, grand ships sailed from all across the world to fight to the death atop its back. In the fury of the battle, the soldiers killed the Island Turtle, and it sank beneath the waves. It's a strange tale, for in the centuries since the last Island Turtle much has been forgotten.
So when the counts and countesses announced they were looking for someone to lead settlers onto the back of the Island Turtle, people didn't think of the stories of centuries ago, of the wealth and glory that an Island Turtle brought, but they thought of being sunk into the ocean. Volunteers were understandably short. So they started looking for more uncommon options, looking for more untrusted options.
Gender
No mechanical effects, some cultural ones
[ ] Male
[ ] Female
Background
Your background will heavily determine your base stats. By default, stats are rolled with a 3d6. For each + you have, you roll one more dice and pick the three best. For each - you have, you roll one more dice and pick the three worst.
[ ] Local Hero: Your name is a popular one among your local villages. Years ago, a hydraling terrorized your villages, snapping up the unwary and lurking in the everpresent darkness. In a fit of foolishness, you went out to slay it- and succeeded. Ever since, you've been the celebrity in your community.
+Diplomacy, +Martial, -Intrigue
[ ] Scoundrel: You started with thievery- but quickly that moved up to blackmail and murder, until you found yourself the leader of a village in all but name. You've made enemies, and some saw to it to get you removed from Saeva in a way you couldn't refuse.
+Intrigue, +Stewardship, -Piety
[ ] Beast Tamer: To the common folk of Saeva, being a Beast Tamer is greatly respected- risking life and limb to tame the aggressive beasts of the swamp. It is, however, an isolated job, without much human contact.
+Martial, +Learning, -Diplomacy
[ ] Beast Hunter: On the flip side of the Beast Tamer are the Beast Hunters. Once they were just as respected as their counterparts, but they fell into the pocket of the Duke as his personal servants. Now they skulk around swamp, city, and village alike, doing his dirty work as much as they protect the common folk.
+Martial, +Intrigue, +Piety, -Stewardship, -Learning
[ ] Soldier: The standing army of Saeva, small and unused as it might be, is diligently kept up to the standards of the Kingdom of Tempest. The ability to form spear walls, march in perfect lockstep, and fight with a sword isn't the most useful when marching through swamps to fight beasts, but it's great for your fellow man.
+Martial, +Stewardship, -Learning
[ ] Lord/Lady: The Lords of Saeva are just high enough to fit into the culture of the Kingdom of Tempest, but just low enough to be stuck in the swamp nonetheless. You've volunteered to be the leader of this expedition knowing that your sister will be the next one stuck managing your meager swamp land.
+Diplomacy, +Stewardship, -Martial
[ ] Scholar: A distant relative of the Duke, the only thing keeping you in the Duke's court is the time you spent overseas at a college in the Duchy of Mensel, a far richer sibling Duchy known for its bevy of colleges.
+Stewardship, +Learning, -Martial
[ ] Smuggler: You've smuggled goods all across the Middle Sea, to the isolated island of Kudo, to the craggy, lonely island of Fengari, and even to the state's enemy of Caerul. But you got caught once by the state, and now they can get you to do whatever they want, lest you end up rotting in a prison.
+Diplomacy, +Intrigue, -Piety
[ ] Red Apprentice: The magic of red is Pyromancy, the magic of fire, rage, and passion. You'd only been learning from your master for a few years before the Duke himself came knocking for a favor on your master's door. In their place, you've been sent.
+3 Magic (Apprentice)
+Learning, -Martial, -Stewardship
Traits
You have three shinies to spend on traits. Unspent shinies will be used on powerful strokes of luck during the first few turns. These traits give flat bonuses to stats.
[ ] Vicious: You are unrelenting and determined to the point of excess. You are always raring for a fight.
1 Cost
+2 Martial, -1 Diplomacy
[ ] Robust: Just like many of the citizens of the swamps of Saeva, you have a hardy immune system and are resistant to many poisons.
1 Cost
+1 Martial
[ ] Polyglot: Languages come easily to you.
1 Cost
+1 Diplomacy
[ ] Superstitious: You often feel compelled to keep up small rituals and appease the spirits and gods around you.
1 Cost
+2 Piety, -1 Intrigue
[ ] Organized: You take special care to make sure things around you are in place and organized.
1 Cost
+1 Stewardship
[ ] Quiet: You're naturally quiet in everything you do, from your footsteps to your voice. Some people have a tendency to forget you're there entirely.
1 Cost
+1 Intrigue
[ ] Liar: Perhaps it's compulsive, perhaps you just enjoy messing with people, but you are a habitual liar.
1 Cost
+2 Intrigue, -1 Diplomacy
[ ] Curiosity: You have a love of learning and are easily distracted by every problem put in front of you.
1 Cost
+2 Learning, -1 Intrigue
[ ] Eagle Eyed: You are particularly observant, and only need to see things once to remember them again.
1 Cost
+1 Learning
[ ] Latent Magic: Sometimes unexplainable things happen around you. You have a good idea what's causing it, and keep it under wraps as well as you can. (Stacks with Red Apprentice background.)
2 Cost
+1 Magic (Untrained)
[ ] Young Prodigy: You are brilliant despite your young age, and you'll only get better with time. Some may doubt you, but you'll show them.
3 Cost
High Potential. (Personal training actions are twice as effective. Chance for explosive growth under stress.)
[ ] Spirit Sight: The hidden spirits of the world are visible to you even when they don't will it. Some of them are helpful. Some of them aren't.
2 Cost
+2 Piety
[ ] God Touched: Ever since you got on the accursed ship to the Island Turtle, you've felt something watching you. In your dreams you get a glance at its immeasurable power, and its sheer scale terrifies you
3 Cost
+4 Piety
[ ] Supernatural Affinity: Beasts and spirits alike are soothed by your presence. This has served you well in the dangers of the Saevan swamps.
2 Cost
+2 Diplomacy, +1 Piety
[ ] Beast Blood: You have the ignominious honor of being descended from a beast. Regardless of how many generations ago, it is seen as a stain on your character.
2 Cost
+4 Martial
[ ] Unlucky: Things have a tendency to go wrong for you. One random personal action each turn has all rolls rolled with disadvantage.
Gain 2 more shinies
[ ] Ever Changing Face: Of all the curses it could be, you suppose it could be worse. But there is something deeply unsettling about the way your features melt and shift at all times.
-2 Diplomacy
Gain 2 more shinies
[ ] Withered Hand: There are some things within the Saevan swamp that nobody should touch. You learnt that the hard way.
-2 Martial
Gain 2 more shinies
This vote will be done by plan(gender excluded), so that more interesting builds can be chosen. Character appearance/name will be voted on next update. Magic is a valid choice, but taking it here is not the only time you can learn to use it. All negative traits are curable, but it won't be easy.