Building a Character

Step 1: Concept

The best place to start is reading through the Axioms to get a general idea of what fits the setting. The Axioms are a set of worldbuilding rules to keep things consistent. From there, think of a general idea of what you want your character to be. No worries if it doesn’t instantly come to you, we’ll develop it as we go.

Step 2: Race

The races in Castrella are varied, the only thing binding them is the ability to use Aether. Here is a list of the races so you can look through the general ideas surrounding them! If you don’t see a race that fits your idea, feel free to throw ideas out in Tavern Talk!

Step 3: Aether Aspect

Every creature, barring special cases, within Castrella can use Aether. This is due to the Aether Organ. In total, there are 9 main types of Aether, though only 7 you can naturally be born with. For more on Aether, click there. When thinking about Aether, start with considering what you want your character to do? Aether can combine in abstract ways to do cool things, so if an idea seems esoteric, it could still work as long as it generally makes some semblance of sense. Once again, if you need help, always feel free to reach out in Tavern Talk.

Step 4: Divisions

This one only applies to people who are within the Guild. There are different Divisions that represent the many jobs of the Guild. For more on each one’s function, look here. To simplify this, ask yourself, what does my character like to do? How would they help the Guild? Not everyone is a fighter, though every member of the Guild is licensed with a weapon. Some people just want to work behind a desk. If you can’t decide, we have a fun personality quiz right here!

Step 5: Homeland & Backstory

We’re still in the process of creating the full map, but currently, we have a few countries. Most of the time, where you are born is based around your race, though that is not exclusive. Consider what type of culture you want your character to have. Think about what goals & aspirations led them to where they are!

Step 6: Personality

Now that we have it all together, it is time to define what your character is. I think it is best to consider what Boons do they have & what Flaws they are stuck with. A boon is something good about them. Whether they are helpful, kind, or creative. A flaw is something negative about them. Maybe they steal, tend to gossip a lot, or they tend to have a short fuse. Overall, ask yourself, what would be fun for you to have? Just make sure they aren’t perfect or completely bad. Lovable characters come from a place of being flawed, but good despite that. There are fringe cases, but that’s dependent.

Step 7: The Rest

So, we’ll eventually have a template to fill out, but everything else I’ll give some good tips on.

When thinking about outfits, consider what the context of the character is. I would break that down to Profession & Personality. Someone who works as an officer would wear something like a uniform, but maybe they have a cute side, so they decorate it a bit. The fantasy in this world is a little loose, but it is always good to get inspiration from online.

Family can be a real sticking point with some characters, & while some might get really detailed, it is probably best to just think about relatives that are close or have had an impact on your character.

Finally, consider any special attributes that might be important. Everyone has something fun about them, & we're all here to have a good time, so attributes that seem silly, feel free to toss them into Tavern Talk. Have a good time just discussing weird ideas! Worse case, it doesn’t fit & we think up something else, but overall, we like to operate on the rule of cool.