Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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provide an effective method of adversity and fatigue. Lazy
determining what is appropriate and characters are inactive, sedentary
correct within the setting of the and indolent.
Imperium. Of course you may play a
radical character that bucks those
trends, but at least you have a clear idea Forgiving / Vengeful
as what constitutes those trends in the Forgiving characters are willing to
first place! overlook real or imagined insults and
injuries, whereas vengeful
Of course the use or otherwise of traits characters are likely to seek
and passions is entirely optional, but
restitution or revenge at every
players may find the benefits of using
them to be worth the effort.
opportunity. Highly forgiving
characters are humble, gentle, kind,
and ‘meek’. Highly vengeful
Traits characters are often oversensitive,
vindictive and spiteful, seeing
Every character has a series of
insults in the least slights, or even
personality traits that are paired
where no insult occurred.
and opposite.
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than any exterior concept of what is are concerned with consequences of
right and are unconcerned with their decisions. Reckless characters
fairness or the process of law. are rash, heedless and incautious,
often exercising poor judgement.
Merciful / Cruel They are careless and unconcerned
with the consequences of their
Merciful characters are kind,
decisions.
clement, lenient, benignant, tender,
and sympathetic. Merciful
characters are likely to show Temperate / Indulgent
compassion and give succour to Temperate characters are moderate
others. Cruel characters are severe, or self-restrained in opinion,
pitiless and ruthless to others. Often statement, and action. They rarely
cruel characters enjoy inflicting indulge their appetites and are not
physical or emotional pain. excessive in consumption. Indulgent
characters lack self restraint and
Modest / Proud frequently sate their appetites and
desires.
Modest characters are moderate or
humble concerning their own merits
or importance. They are free from Trusting / Suspicious
vanity, egotism, boastfulness, or Trusting characters are inclined to
great pretensions, and are not believe others without doubt, and to
ostentatious or showy. Modest be innocent or naïve. Trusting
characters also pay due regard to characters assume the reliability of
decencies of behaviour, speech, and others. Suspicious characters are
dress. Proud characters have and dubious, doubtful and wary of
show a high opinion of their own others, inclined to assume the
dignity, importance, or superiority. unreliability of others.
Highly proud characters can be
arrogant. Valorous / Cowardly
Valorous characters are courageous,
Pious / Worldly valiant and brave and self-confident
Pious characters maintain a concern in the face of adversity, fear or
for spiritual reverence, either danger. Cowardly characters are
expressed as religious devotion to craven, timid, unconfident and at the
one or more gods, or simply as a mercy of their fears.
concern for the higher virtues. Pious
characters care little for physical
possessions or wealth, seeing little
Generating traits
value in it. Worldly characters are Each trait pair adds up to a total
secular and mundane, maintaining 100%.
more concern for the physical
pleasures and delights. Worldly Trait values can be generated as
characters see great value in follows, depending on how stable you
physical possessions and wealth. want your character’s personality to
be!
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experience, or if you are unsure what
you want your character to be.
Using traits
Traits are not binding. They
Each trait is valued at 50%. You represent the character’s tendencies
may choose up to three trait pairs to certain behaviour but in no way
and change them to 80%/20% (or bind the player to enacting those
20%/80%) representing traits the traits. Traits can be used to inform
character is well known for. behaviour, but equally behaviour can
be used to inform traits.
E.g. Player Hazel is creating a character
(Angelique) and decides she wants her to be a Traits aid in role playing
young idealist and innocent, just starting out
in the world. She assigns 50% to all her and decision making
traits. However Hazel sees her character as Traits can be used in situations
being a real ‘go-getter’ and so changes where the player is unsure how the
energetic to 80% (making Lazy 20%). She
also wants Angelique to be feisty and
character will act. Simply roll a %
headstrong and so also chooses to make dice against the relevant trait and if
Reckless and Valorous 80% (making Prudent successful, act generally in
and Cowardly 20%). These traits are going to accordance with that trait.
get her into a lot of trouble!
E.g. Hans has Temperate 46% / Indulgent
Unstable character 54%. He’s working a case on Iocanthus and
This method is best used if you want has dropped into a local bar to unwind. A
local birthday celebration is underway and
a character with a lot of life all are invited to join. Unsure whether he’d
experience, or that is ‘damaged’ by like to get involved Bob (the player) rolls
their past! against Hans’ Indulgent 54%, succeeds with a
roll of 34%. Hans takes up a jug of ale and
To generate each trait, roll % dice wakes up late next morning with a roaring
hangover.
and apply the value to the left-hand
trait. The opposing trait is assigned E.g. Angelique has Just 50% / Arbitrary
a value that takes the total of the 50%. She has cornered a local murderous
paired traits to 100% villain and forced him to surrender. The
villain offers to give Angelique 100 Thrones to
let him go rather than turn him in to the
The player may adjust up to three provost. Hazel (the player) is unsure what to
traits by ±10, but no trait can be do so rolls against Angelique’s Just, scoring a
taken above 80% by the modification. fail with 68%. Angelique pockets the 100
Thrones and lets the villain go.
E.g. Player Bob is creating a character (Hans)
and decides he wants him to be a hardened Traits can also be used to help a
veteran, a graduate of the ‘school of hard player resolve an internal conflict.
knocks’. He starts with the Chaste / Lustful
values. He rolls % dice and scores 47. So Simply choose two or more relevant
Hans has Chaste 47% / Lustful 53%, not traits and roll a % dice against each.
particularly notable. He then generates the The trait that succeeds with the
Energetic / Lazy values, scoring 17. So Hans highest Degree of Success (see p184
has Energetic 17% / Lazy 83%. Hans is a
work-shy layabout who is always late for
of main rulebook) indicates the most
work! As it is over 80%, this laziness will be likely course of the character’s
well known to his friends. Bob carries action.
generating the rest of his traits.
E.g. Hans made a questionable decision on a
Note that any trait valued at 80% or recent mission, that hindered the group’s
more is ‘famous’. Anyone who knows success. None of the other characters are
the character will describe that trait aware of his error. Hans is writing up the
report of the mission that will be submitted to
about him. his Inquisitor and is unsure as to how he
should report this error; should he be honest,
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although that will cause him to be GM if they feel a tick isn’t
reprimanded? Bob decides to roll both warranted.
against both Honest and Prudent to decide.
He gains one more degree of success with
Honest than with Prudent and decides to Each trait may only be ticked once
include details of the incident, hoping his per session. A tick may be given to
honesty will count in his favour! both opposing traits.
Of course the players could have just At the end of each session, each trait
made those decisions, but the traits with a tick may increase. Roll %
help guide a consistent portrayal of dice. If the total EXCEEDS the
character. current rating of the trait it
increases by 1d6%, and the opposing
Alternate trait usage – trait reduces by a similar amount to
binding action keep the combined total at 100%. If
Alternately you can use traits as both paired traits are ticked, roll for
‘binding’. You must act in the higher trait first. Of course both
accordance with your traits and to traits may exceed the roll and
act otherwise incurs a penalty. change the trait totals.
Modifying traits
Directed traits
Some characters have ‘directed’
At any point during a session, the
traits. That is there are certain
GM can instruct the player to ‘tick’
things which they feel rather more
any trait. Typically a tick is given
concerned about. Directed traits are
for succeeding at a trait roll or for
conditional modifiers to a specific
acting in notable conformance with a
character’s trait.
trait. Players are quite at liberty to
point out if they think they deserve
to tick a trait, or to discuss with the
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When that situation occurs, the Typical passions include:
character modifies the relevant trait
by the directed trait total. Amour
Hate
Generating directed Loyalty
traits Love
Directed traits can be imposed by a
GM (as an insanity for example), or
chosen by a player with GM
Amour (Person)
approval. To generate a directed The love a character feels for a friend
trait, roll 6d10 and total the result. or some other object. It is a platonic,
This is the % modifier for that trait. non-sexual and non-familial love
that drives the character to cherish
E.g. Hans, having been betrayed several and protect the object of the
times by different people on Iocanthus asks affection. Many characters have
the GM for a directed trait. His trait is strong likes for many things but an
Trusting 43% / Suspicious 57%. He takes the amour for a person is a tangible
‘directed trait – suspicious of Iocanthans’ and
rolls 6d10, scoring a total 38%. Therefore passion that will drive and inspire a
when dealing with iocanthans he modifies his character to great deeds. Amour is
Suspicious by +38%, making it Trusting 5% / the deep friendship felt by lifelong
Suspicious 95%. Hans is now well known for friends or those people who ‘connect’
distrusting Iocanthans and grumbles
constantly about how treacherous they are!
as kindred spirits.
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and succour to the subject of their Alternate passion
loyalty.
generation
Alternatively, you may start a
A loyalty must specify a leader or
character’s passion at a pre-
organisation, such as;
determined level (typically 20-80%)
either given by the GM or
Loyalty (Emperor)
determined in discussion with the
Loyalty (Other Lord, e.g. Inquisitor, player.
Planetary Governor)
Loyalty (Institution, e.g. Adeptus Using passions
Mechanicus, or Imperial Guard Passions are not binding. They
Legion) represent the character’s strongly
Loyalty (Community, e.g. homeworld held emotions but in no way bind the
or hive) player to enacting those passions.
Loyalty (Group, e.g. Hive gang, Passions can be used to inform
Acolyte Coterie) behaviour, but equally behaviour can
be used to inform passions.
Love
Love is a profoundly tender, Passions aid in role
passionate affection for another playing and decision
person or object. Love is divided in making
its expression. Passion can be used in situations
where the player is unsure how the
Love (family) character will act. Simply roll a %
The love a character feels for his dice against the relevant passion and
family, parents, siblings, etc. It is a if successful, act generally in
platonic love and for many people accordance with that trait.
the strongest emotional bond they
will feel in their lives. E.g. Hans has Love (family) 65%. He receives
an Astropathic message from his mother
Love (erotic) asking him to return to their home
immediately as his brother has been wrongly
The love a character feels for a jailed. The player is unsure what to do as
partner, characterised by a sexual they are in the middle of a campaign so he
relationship. Such love is often most rolls his Love (family) 65% and scores 12%, a
passionate, but can be short-lived. success. Despite this, the player decides to
continue with the adventure and complete it
Such a love must be directed at a
first before heading home.
specific person.
Passions as inspiration
Generating passions Passions can be used to inspire the
Each passion is rated 1-100%. To character to greatness in situations
generate each passion, roll % dice where the passion is relevant. In
and apply the value. discussion with the GM, the player
should decide which passion applies
Note that any passion valued at 80% to the situation and why it applies.
or more is ‘famous’. Anyone who The player must then decide which
knows the character will describe Characteristic will be inspired by
that passion about him.
the passion.
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All Characteristics can be inspired, E.g. Hans eventually returns to his
with the passion bonus adding to the homeworld at his mother’s Astropathic
request to find his family locked in a bitter
relevant Characteristic. feud over land rights with a powerful local
baron (Dieter Rause). Returning from a bar
A character can only attempt to one night, he finds his family home ablaze.
invoke a single passion once for a All his relatives are outside except his mother
who they can’t get to through the flames.
scene. Hans invokes his Love (family) 65% and
succeeds. He decides to add +30% to his
To invoke a passion for inspiration Toughness to resist the flames and heads in
roll a % dice against the relevant to rescue his mother. He staggers out, badly
passion. If successful, the player can burned with his mother choked with smoke
but alive. As he succeeded he does not gain
choose to add one of the following insanity points. Also Bob (the player)
bonuses to any specific immediately asks for a new Passion for Hans
Characteristic; +10, +20, or +30. – Hate Dieter Rause. The GM agrees and the
roll determines the hate at 23%. The GM
agrees to raise this to 65% (the same level as
If this inspiration roll fails, the his love of family).
character does not gain a bonus, but
instead gains 1d6 insanity points as
the passion floods through him but Alternate passion usage –
to no effect. He does not count as binding action
inspired. Alternately you can use passions as
‘binding’. You must act in
Inspiration lasts for a ‘scene’ as accordance with your passions and to
defined by the GM or natural flow of act otherwise incurs a penalty.
play.
Note: consider doing this very
If a character is inspired by a carefully as it is likely to damage the
passion (gaining +10 to +30% bonus) roleplaying experience for most
fails in the task that the passion was players. If you are going to use this,
inspired to perform during this I’d suggest only using this for
scene, he gains insanity points passions rated 80% or over.
dependent on the bonus chosen, as
follows; Modifying passions
At any point during a session, the
+10 = 1d6 IP GM can instruct the player to ‘tick’
+20 = 2d6 IP any passion. Typically a tick is given
+30 = 3d6 IP for succeeding at a passion roll or for
acting in notable conformance with a
E.g. Hans has a WP of 31%. He currently passion.
works for the Inquisitor Soldevan and has a
Loyalty 68% to him. He’s been captured by a
war-merchant of the Silver Dagger Guild and Each passion may only be ticked
is being tortured for information about Hans’ once per session.
investigations into their smuggling operation.
The war-merchant wants to know who Hans
is working for. Hans invokes his loyalty and
At the end of each session, each
rolls 35%, a success. He’s therefore inspired passion with a tick may increase.
by his loyalty and decides to add +20% to his Roll % dice. If the total EXCEEDS
WP (raising it to 51%) to resist the torture. the current rating of the passion it
Unfortunately he rolls 77% and fails his WP, increases by 1d6%.
breaking under torture anyway. As his
inspiration failed to help, Hans gains 2d6
insanity points. Alternately a passion can be
modified voluntarily by expending
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experience. Changing any passion Benefits:
by ±5% costs 100xp.
• Gain ‘Directed trait: suspicious of
No passion can be raised above
education or educated people’
100%.
+30%
• +5 WP
• +10 Per when using the Scrutiny
skill
Ideals
Ideals are those social codes to which Hospitality
a character may aspire. Any The passion of love binds people
character may adopt an ideal that together by personal emotive ties,
they meet the qualifying conditions whereas loyalty binds people and
for. If those qualifying conditions society together through bonds of
are no longer met, the benefits of the duty and hierarchy. The Ideal of
ideal are lost until the character can Hospitality is the friendly reception
again meet those conditions. and treatment of guests or strangers,
and bonds together the society of
Typical ideals include: strangers and acquaintances. It is
the quality or disposition of receiving
Blessed Ignorance and treating guests and strangers in
Hospitality a warm, friendly, appropriate way,
Imperial Creed as well as the ability to also be an
Omnissiah Creed appropriate guest.
Requirements:
Blessed Ignorance
The Imperium values service and
servitude. The Emperor in His • 60% or more in all the flowing
wisdom knows what is best for traits; Forgiving, Generous,
Humanity and all that is required to Honest, Just, Merciful, Trusting
be a good citizen is loyalty and faith • Fellowship 30 or more
in the Emperor. This is known as
‘blessed ignorance’ and is a virtue Benefits:
professed and held by vast swathes
of Humanity, particularly among the
lower castes who are happy in their The benefits of Hospitality apply if
service and consider the the character hosts a celebration,
intelligentsia highly suspicious and meeting, negotiation or similar social
probably dangerous. gathering. Then the following
benefits apply to every guest
attending the event;
Requirements: • All characters present gain +5%
Fellowship
• 60% or more in all the flowing
• Non-violence is assured.
traits; Selfish, Honest, Arbitrary,
Modest, Pious, Suspicious All guests present must make a
WP test to commit a violent act.
• Intelligence 30 or less
Guests with the Hospitality ideal
• Loyalty (Emperor) 60% or more themselves, reduce their WP by -30
before making the test. If the
guest fails, they may not make a
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violent act without gaining 1d6 manifestation of the Omnissiah’s
insanity points. If violence does divinity, and all creatures and
break out, all characters present artefacts that embody knowledge are
will attempt to peacefully stop the holy because of it. Machines that
violence if possible, or to engage preserve knowledge from ancient
against the violent character, times are also holy, and machine
supporting the hospitable host. intelligences are no less divine than
those of flesh and blood. A man's
worth is only the sum of his
Imperial Creed
knowledge; his body is simply an
The Imperial Creed represents the
organic machine capable of
Imperium-wide sense of social and
preserving intellect.
moral rightness. It is the defining
The Omnissiah Creed venerates the
Imperial social and cultural ‘norm’;
‘Quest for Knowledge’ and devotes
the standard of behaviour that the
itself to research and exploration.
Adeptus Terra fosters throughout its
Their most sought-after technology
institutions and attempts to
is the Standard Template construct
propagate throughout the Imperial
(STC), which is said to contain the
worlds. The imperial Creed forms
sum total of all human knowledge.
the basis of the beliefs of the
Imperial Cult.
Requirements:
Requirements:
• 60% or more in all the flowing
traits; Chaste, Energetic, Selfish,
• 60% or more in all the flowing
Arbitrary, Worldly, Prudent
traits; energetic, Arbitrary,
Cruel, Pious, Prudent, Suspicious • Intelligence 35 or more
• Loyalty (Emperor) 60% or more • Must have the Tech Use skill
• Must have no Malignancies • Must have at least one cybernetic
implant
• Loyalty (Adeptus Mechanicus)
Benefits: characters with this ideal
60% or more
gain the following benefits as long as
the ideal is upheld;
Benefits:
• The character gains the ‘Armour
of Contempt’ talent • Gain ‘Directed trait: indulgent
• The character gains an extra Technology’ +60%
Fate Point. This can be used, but • Forbidden Lore (Adeptus
NOT burned. This extra fate Mechanicus) and Forbidden Lore
point can only be used if (Archaeotech) count as Basic
upholding one of the seven ‘rules skills
of Imperial Honour’ detailed
above.
Gaining Ideals
Omnissiah Creed Unlike traits and passions, a
The Cult Mechanicus await the character must ‘qualify’ for an ideal
arrival of the Omnissiah, a by meeting its minimum
prophesised physical avatar of the requirements.
Machine God. According to the
Adeptus Mechanicus teachings,
knowledge is the supreme
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A character that meets the to the character’s Homeworld and
requirements for an ideal, and that Career. These packages represent
wishes to take it, may do so at the key biases in specific character
end of any play session. The origins or backgrounds.
character gains the benefits of that
ideal and should act in general If these packages are used, then both
accordance with the tenets and the homeworld and career packages
beliefs of that ideal. should be applied.
Hive World
Personality
Traits
Packages Selfish +5, Cruel +5, Arbitrary +5,
Worldly +5
Personality Traits and Passions can
simply be chosen by the player in Directed trait – Proud (Hive)
agreement with the GM. Directed trait – Suspicious
Alternately, traits and passions can (Wilderness)
be modified by packages that relate
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Optionally also;
Optionally also;
Directed trait – Suspicious (Cities)
Agriworld
Passions Loyal (Home Community)
Love (Family)
Loyal (Hive) Backwater
Loyal (Homeworld)
Optionally also; May choose to not take ‘Loyal
(Emperor)’
Loyal (Hive Faction)
Loyal (Emperor) Feudal
Hate (Choose something) Loyal (Feudal Lord)
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Loyal (Adeptus Mechanicus) Cleric
Loyal (Emperor)
Traits
Career Packages Energetic +5, Pious +5, Valorous +5
Optionally; Guardsman
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Directed trait – Indulgent
Directed trait – Cowardly (Technology)
(Ministorum)
Passions
Optionally also; Loyal (Ademptus Mechanicus)
Hate (Hereteks)
Directed trait – Trusting (Schola
Psykana)
Passions
Loyal (Emperor)
Loyal (Schola Psykana)
Loyal (Choose an Adeptus Terra
organisation)
Hate (Daemons)
Optionally also;
Scum
Traits
Selfish +5, Deceitful +5, Arbitrary,
+5, Cruel +5, Worldly +5, Suspicious
+5
Passions
None
Optionally also;
Tech Priest
Traits
Chaste +5, Energetic +5, Selfish +5,
Arbitrary +5, Worldly +5, Prudent
+5
Optionally also;
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