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[Digital Hellhound]

THE RIME
a Frostpunk Western RPG
All credit to scriver and the fine folks of the PnP thread for the original idea

IC thread here!

You've come to chase the edge of the world, then? Well, you ain't the first, and you ain't gonna be the last. New land keeps coming in every day, keeps lurin' you in, long as the seas keep fallin'. It might be frozen and blasted now, but hold on for a decade and two, hell, you've got yourself some prime Thawed land. But maybe you're after some other dream? You a sixshooter, a gunslinger, come to blast out a life from the barrel of your gun? Did you come to hunt the white bears and the deep crocs, a proper trencher? Or to delve deep into the icy black sea, lookin' for riches beneath the waves? You fleein' something, or chasin' it? Or maybe you've been here all your life... born in the cold and dark or down in the frozen depths themselves?

Well, there's room for all kinds here in the Rime, so long as you remember to keep your fires burnin' an' your belly full. Night in the Rime kills a man without his heat. Reckon the cold might not be the worst of your troubles, though. If the coal bandits, or the beasts, or the Mer don't get you - who's to say your mind's strong enough to take the Rime? Stare long enough into that black ocean, don't know what'll stare right back at you. Will the vast dark frontier break you, like so many - or do you have what it takes to survive? Life's short, cold and unforgivin' for a Rimer... but there's glory and profit to be made here, for the good and the lucky. It's the free frontier; the Wild East, and it's nothing if not a land of opportunity.

***

Welcome to the Rime. A world far removed from ours, where humanity survives on an expanding stretch of land in the grip of an endless icy black sea. Out on the wild, icy frontier, men and women fight for survival and a place in the sun. The sea level's falling every year, revealing new land to be claimed - but it's land that's bare, frozen and dead. Give a few decades, and the sun will do its inevitable work, warming up the earth, bringing in fresh green growth from the interior. If you can hold on for those few decades, you'll have acres and acres of prime land to pass down to your descendants - a fact that brings thousands and thousands of pioneers in to settle the rim of the world. Others, less keen on tending to the earth, find other employment. Many try their hand at ranching. 'Kelpers', or sea cattle, are raised and butchered in their thousands and thousands by enterprising cattle barons. Oceanic trenches scar the rising land, forming frozen 'rivers' as the waters around them drop away. Trappers and kelp farmers make full use of these trenches and the aquatic life they hold, competing with native beasts such as the terrifying white bear or the cunning trencher croc for the bounty of the waters. Others mine the earth or even venture underwater for prime veins in makeshift cold diving suits. Some come simply to run businesses or make new lives in the scarce frontier towns, trusting in community for survival.

Everywhere, fuel in the form of wood and coal imported from the thawed-down and settled interior is desperately fought over. Temperatures drop to levels too low for humans to survive on Rime nights, and running out of heat is a guaranteed death sentence. Bandits prey on coal trains and stashes of frontier towns. The further one gets from the interior and its railroads, the scarcer fuel is and the harder it is to replace, making sure only the bravest or most foolhardy venture to the very edges of the world.

No rules or laws govern men here. Life is struggle... but it is also opportunity and freedom. This is the Rime, the edge of the world. If you can survive here long enough for Thaw, you can be set for life.

While the land may be barren and almost lifeless, the oceans are not. Though entirely inhospitable to humans - death is almost instant, should one fall into the waters unprotected - the black seas support the Mer; a race of nimble and slender humanoids well-adapted to underwater life. Yet the seas continue to fall, and the Mer, their homes lost to the capricious land, grow ever more aggressive and lost, their settlements left open to the skies and men to destroy. They face the choice of venturing deeper into the ocean - or rising to land, either to attack the world of Man or to join it. With enough water to fill their lungs and to keep their flesh hydrated, a Mer can survive indefinitely on the surface, unbothered by the deathly cold of the weather.

So, in short, it's a western set in an icy frontier - 'Frostpunk' in the sense of aesthetics and themes, nothing to do with the game of the same name. You take the role of gunslingers, explorers, hunters, scholars, con artists and various other inhabitants of the Rime, making new lives in the dark and cold. Danger and opportunity await!

This will be a self-contained 'episode' to start with - something with a set end in mind - as a way to introduce the world and see how the mechanics shape up. The game might continue after that, but I intend there to be at least the one episode (and wouldn't it be something, having a game that actually reaches its end?).

***

Spoiler: General Mechanics (click to show/hide)

The d20 and DCs

The game uses a basic d20 system. Players roll a d20, adding modifiers. Most actions have a Difficulty that the total of this roll must equal or pass. Generally, any result lower is a failure. Some actions inflict different consequences for different Degrees of Failure or reward great rolls with Degrees of Success. Every 5 under or over the target is an additional Degree of Failure or Success. Natural 20s and natural 1s always succeed and always fail, respectively.

For example, a mystery gunslinger attempts to intimidate an opponent facing her off on an icy street at noon. The difficulty of this action is 15, and the gunslinger rolls 19. She adds her Presence bonus of +4, getting a 23 – a success! The unlucky opponent is rattled, and perhaps slower on the draw.

Assisting

A character can assist someone else in an action if they're in a position to do so, adding half of their relevant ability bonus to the target's roll. Only one character can generally assist in an action at a time.

Stats

Characters have stats, which represent their ability and skill in certain things. These stats are added as modifiers to relevant action checks.

Might: Strength, physique, stamina and hardiness. Might allows one to perform feats of strength, as well as survive difficult conditions or injuries.
Speed: Agility, speed, swiftness and body control. Speed allows one to move nimbly over obstacles, outrun opponents, move without being seen, or be the faster draw in a shootout. 
Learning: Intellect, expertise and insight into specific topics. Learning allows one to recall important lore or information, perform medical operations, mix chemicals and debate philosophy.
Wits: Streetwise, quick thinking and base cunning. Wits allows one to make discreet investigations, blend in unsavory crowds, perform sleight of hand, and survive in the wild.
Presence: Charisma, authority and force of personality. Presence allows one to talk over others into your point of view, coerce them into line, or charm them witless with your silver tongue.
Mind: Determination, focus and willpower. Mind allows you to continue on despite overwhelming odds, sustain terrible pain, and keep your wits about you in dangerous situations.

For Combat, your Aim is determined by your Speed and your Mind, your Melee by your Speed and Might, and your Defense by all three.

Combat

Combat in the Rime is unforgiving and fast. Getting hit is often fatal, and a smart gunslinger makes sure they're faster on the draw to get that crucial first shot off.

In combat, the attacker rolls a d20 plus modifiers, trying to surpass 10+their target's Defense. With 1 Degree of Success, the attack becomes a Graze, dealing a minor wound. With 2 Degrees of Success, the attack becomes a Wound, dealing a minor but persistent wound. With 3 to 4 Degrees of Success, the attack becomes a Severe Wound, with a major and potentially crippling effect. With 5 or more Degrees of Success, the target dies. These effects are cumulative in the sense that further damage increases Wound Level by one stage, so two hits of 1 DoS Grazes will become a Wound, and a 1 DoS Graze when you are already Severely Wounded is enough to kill!

Combatants take action according to the initiative order. The order is determined by a roll of d20+their Speed. With an equal score, characters take action at the same time. 

For example, our mystery gunslinger and her opponent draw, both attempting to gun the other down. Our gunslinger gains 14, adding her Speed bonus of +2 for a 16. Her opponent gets a measly 6, adding his +2 Speed, but receiving a –2 penalty from the previous intimidation. Our gunslinger fires off a shot first, with a 19 plus her +5 Aim, for a 24. Her opponent's Defense is 13, so this attack is worth 3 Degrees of Success – a Severe Wound!

A natural 20 on an attack roll is always a hit and is counted as a wound level higher than it would otherwise inflict.

Wounds and Injuries

Characters who take damage suffer additional hindering effects. Getting the first shot in can be paramount, as any damage has the potential to severely hinder your character's ability.

A Graze is painful, but not terribly dangerous. It inflicts a –2 impairment penalty to your rolls until the start of your next turn.

A Wound is painful, hindering, but not necessarily lethal. It inflicts a –2 impairment penalty to your rolls until healed or recovered.

A Severe Wound is life-threatening and severely hindering. It inflicts a –2 impairment penalty to your rolls until healed or recovered, and an additional Injury from the list below. Going a day without treatment for a Severe Wound demands a Might DC 15 check, with failure resulting in death. Severe Wounds may have lingering effects even after treatment, depending on the quality of that treatment.

Code: (Injuries) [Select]

Potential Injuries
1-2: Blinded: An attack has damaged or destroyed your vision. You cannot see or attempt actions using sight, and suffer a –10 penalty to Aim, a –5 penalty to Melee, and a –5 penalty to Defense.
3-4: Deafened: An attack has damaged or destroyed your hearing. You cannot hear or attempt actions using hearing, and receive a –5 penalty to Defense.
5-6: Arm Crippled: An attack has damaged your arm or hand. You suffer a –5 penalty to all actions using your arm. You cannot hold anything in your damaged arm or hand.
7-8: Leg Crippled: An attack has damaged your leg or foot. Your movement speed is halved, and you suffer a –5 to Defense and a –2 to Melee.
9-10: Bleeding: An attack has left you bleeding heavily. You must pass a Might DC 10 check or die, with the difficulty increasing by +1 every turn you're Bleeding.
11-12: Severe Pain: An attack has inflicted extreme pain. You must pass a Will DC 15 check every turn to take actions. You are severely impaired (-5) instead of impaired.
13-14: Knocked Out: An attack has knocked you unconscious. You immediately become incapacitated (Defense drops to 0, unable to take actions) and must pass a Might DC 15 check to wake back up.
15-16: Trauma (Fear): An attack has inflicted mental trauma upon you. You're overcome by fear, and must flee. You can only move away from the battle and are unable to make attacks.
17-18: Trauma (Paralysis): An attack has inflicted mental trauma upon you. You're overcome by fear, and seize up. You're considered incapacitated (Defense drops to 0, unable to take actions) until the end of combat.
19-20: Trauma (Panic): An attack has inflicted mental trauma upon you. You're overcome by fear, and act in a panic. You may fire upon a random target, flee out of cover, or take another unwise action determined by the GM (though player input is appreciated!).
Death is death, but player characters are exceptional individuals. With a DC 10 check, a character may Cheat Death once in a combat when confronted with a lethal result from damage. On a success, they receive a Severe Wound instead and may choose either to continue the fight or to pass out and appear dead.

The penalties from different Wounds do not stack. New results replace the previous ones.

Healing and Treatment

You recover from Wounds with a night's rest or treatment. With Severe Wounds, treatment is necessary. Treatment is a DC 10 Learning check, with 1 or 2 Degree of Success healing Wounds and partially healing Severe Wounds – stabilizing the patient, but with potential lingering effects. 3+ Degrees of Success is a full heal, with no lingering effects. 1 Degree of Failure result in bad treatment, increasing the difficulty of future Treatment attempts by +2. 2 or more Degrees of Failure is enough to kill a Severely Wounded patient or increase a Wound into a Severe one. Trauma Injuries may also be attempted to be treated with Presence.

For example, our gunslinger's foe receives a 17 on their Severe Wound Injury, suffering from paralysis. The shock of being hit and the overwhelming pain leaves the man standing, holding his gut with a pale grimace on his face. Our gunslinger decides he's not worth the trouble and leaves him to be mended back to care. Unfortunately, the backalley doctor who sees to him is not particularly skilled, and his result of 4 is worth 2 Degrees of Failure, and the patient dies on his operating table!

Spoiler: Heat and Survival (click to show/hide)

Heat and Survival
 
Fuel, in whatever form, is necessary for survival in the Rime. Every night consumes 1 Heat per person, and there must be a source for that Heat. It may be the firewood or coal of a camp fire, or it may be the heating provided by a saloon you're staying at. Anyone looking to survive in the Rime makes sure they have a solid supply of Fuel for the near-future and prepares well for any journeys in the wilderness. Temperatures may drop to levels where the ordinary amount of fuel doesn't quite cut it, though:

Thaw

Zero degrees or more. Warmly-dressed humans can survive without additional Heat.

Chill

A warmer period of –5 to –20 degrees in the Rime. Heat requirements are halved, and warmly-dressed humans can survive without Heat with a DC 10 Might check.

Cold

A period of ordinary Rime cold. Heat requirements are normal, and humans will die without Heat.

Icy

A colder period in the Rime. Heat requirements are doubled, and humans must pass a DC 10 Might check or be impaired (-2 to all rolls) for the following day. Humans die without Heat.

Frost

A period of extreme cold in the Rime. Heat requirements are tripled, and humans must pass a DC 15 Might check or be severely impaired (-5 to all rolls) for the following day. Humans die without Heat.

Deathfrost

A period of deathly cold in the Rime, a time to huddle around the pyre or flee inland. Heat requirements are quadrupled, and humans must pass a DC 20 Might check. With 1-2 Degrees of Failure, they are severely impaired for the following day. With 3 or more Degrees of Failure, they die. Mer must pass a DC 10 check or be impaired (-2 to all rolls) for the following day. Humans die in seconds without Heat.

Characters also require water and food in the form of rations, fresh kills, etc. to survive, though death will not be as instant as with lack of Heat. Mer die without access to liquid water.

Spoiler: Origins (click to show/hide)

Everyone must come from somewhere. What's your story?

Thawer

You're from a little ways inland – a place of plenty, warmth and growth. Comparatively speaking, anyways. It wasn't so long ago that the same land would've been solidly Rime, locked under ice and snow, but the sun's done its work and nature and the farmers are settled in. Steady meals, hard work and fresh air and sunshine have left you stronger and taller on average than most. The wilds are still a familiar thing to you, if real frostborn Rimers might scoff at you. 

+2 Might, +2 Presence, -2 Mind.

Rimer

You're frostborn, no doubt about it. The Rime's been your home since you first drew in a cold and painful breath. Out here, under the grey sky, kissed by a cold black sea, weathered by ice and snow, you've learned to survive, whatever the cost. You've got little care for the laws and rules of the Thaw – you know you can only rely on yourself and the few you trust. The slightest mistake, the slightest bit of bad luck can mean death here. Pragmatism and constant vigilance mark your people out. Once you grasp that survival is all, well, the Rime is yours – a land of freedom, independence and profit.

+2 Mind, +2 Wits, -2 Might.

Inner

You're from deep inland, a city slicker from a place so blessed by the sun a Rimer would find it sweltering. It's overcrowded, smog-skied cities and factories that you've grown around, not this godsforsaken wasteland of ice. Unlike these country yokels and maniacs, you know the comforts and vices of civilization. You've learned to use your tongue and your education to make it in the cities. You're not exactly used to living on the edge of the world, with all its terrors and uncertainties, but you're going to have to make do.

+2 Learning, +2 Presence, -2 Mind.

Mer

You're not human at all. You're a Mer, one of the sea-folk. You don't really belong here, on the land, but something's brought you from your waters nevertheless. The cold doesn't really bother you, but it's not good for you to be out of water for too long. With your blue skin, webbed hands and feet, and inhuman ways, you're a stranger in a strange land, where you know very little of how things are done. Many look at you with disdain or fear, or even shoot you on sight. Yet there are some obvious advantages: you're fast and nimble, even out of the water, and can take them by surprise if they're looking to start trouble.

+4 Speed, -4 Learning. You're unbothered by cold under Deathfrost conditions, but have to bathe in water every day or dry out and die. Humans may treat you with suspicion, disdain or outright hostility.

Spoiler: Traits (click to show/hide)

Everyone has something that marks them out, that makes them exceptional. What is it for you?

Characters come from a variety of backgrounds. Their origins and expertise grant them special Traits, which allow them unique abilities and capabilities in the Rime.

Combat

Fastest in the East: Always win Initiative in combat.
Lethal Shot: Ranged damage inflicted is always increased to next level; Grazes to Wounds, Wounds to Severe Wounds, Severe Wounds to Death, and so.
Lethal Strike: Melee damage inflicted is always increased to next level; Grazes to Wounds, Wounds to Severe Wounds, Severe Wounds to Death, and so.
Alert: You are never surprised (cannot take actions for a turn, Defense halved) by enemies.
Unseen Killer: Attacks from stealth do not automatically break stealth.
Defender: You can watch out for a single friendly in battle, granting them +4 Defense for the duration of a combat.
Hunter: You can mark a single target in battle, halving their Defense against you for the duration of combat.
Hardy: Damage taken is always reduced by one level; Grazes to nothing, Wounds to Grazes, Severe Wounds to Wounds, and Death to Severe Wounds. This does not stop cumulative damage from increasing your wound level.
Quick Attack: Make two attacks in a turn with half of your regular attack bonus.

Social

Menacing: Intimidation results in severe impairment (-5) instead of impairment, or has a stronger effect otherwise.
Team Heart: Assisting others grants them your full ability bonus instead of half, and you can assist several people at once (when physically possible).
A Face You Can Trust: Never suffer from suspicion- or prejudice-related difficulty when deceiving or persuading others.
Shared Wisdom: Add half of your Learning to your Presence for Presence checks, dazzling all with your sagely wisdom.

Survival

Frugal: Heat requirements halved in the wild.
Prepared for the Worst: Never suffer impairment from environmental conditions such as Icy, Frost or Deathfrost.
Frontier Cook: With ample food, create meals for up to 5 people that grant a +2 inspiration bonus for the day.
Pathfinder: Wilderness travel times are halved.

Utility

Keen Senses: Never suffer increased difficulty from environmental conditions, such as blizzards, for perception checks.
Hard Bargainer: Pay less and sell for more when trading, by –25%/+25%.
Expert (Chemicals, Medicine, Explosives, History, Nature, the Rime, or other): Double your Learning bonus for a specific topic or test, such as crafting explosives or identifying a feature of the Rime. 
Unfazed: Never suffer adverse effects from experiencing frightening or shocking things, such as grisly murders, unexplained phenomena, or the loss of a loved one. Reroll Mental Trauma on the Injury chart.

Spoiler: Character Apps (click to show/hide)

Name: What do you want the narrative to call you?
Gender: How do you want the narrative to refer to you?
Description: What does the narrative think you look like?
Origins: Where does the narrative think you come from? Choose an option from above and give us much backstory as you like. Feel free to ask setting questions as needed.
Stats: Allocate 14 points between these attributes as you wish, and add the modifiers from your Origin.
Might:
Speed:
Learning:
Wits:
Presence:
Mind:
Chosen Traits: Choose 2 Traits from the list above. You will also receive a Trait based on your background.

Player List
1. Stirk - Ronald "Frostbite" McCarthy
2. Egan_BW - Ulien Inervios
3. Dwarmin - Fiona McDougan of Cormwall ('Fry')
4. IronyOwl - Sir Rimelight "The Croc" (Alaric Addington)
5. hector13 - Cormac Hess

Waitlist
1. Persus13 - Albert Tremain
2. Interus - Warren Heath
3. Jerick - Doc James Leary
4. dgr11897 - Falerion ('Octo-Faced Freak', 'Avalanche')
5. crazyabe - 'Jonah'
6.

This is not first-come first-serve! Quality and effort will be rewarded. Feel free to ask whatever questions pop into your head. Rules and mechanics might be fine-tuned as we go along.

[Persus13]

Interested. I'll make a character later.

[GiglameshDespair]

Interesting.

[Stirk]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Ronald "Frostbite" McCarthy
Gender: Male
Description: Medium height, messy dark-brown hair several inches long, with several-day stubble almost perpetually on his face. Naturally prefers warm clothing that doesn't limit his movement, especially furs and skins of the local wildlife. Pale skin, bright red lips, short nose below blue eyes.
Origins: Rimer. Ron was a hunter in a backwoods frontier town, a good distance from the railroad. There he lived the easy hard-life, shooting enough things that need to be shot to get by. He learned the trade from his family-his father was the best tracker this side of the trenches, working well alongside Ron's crack-shot. One day, the train didn't come in. It didn't come in the next day, or the day after, or the day after that. Supplies where running low for the whole town with no explanation or help. Out on their regular hunt, Ron and his father at least found an explanation-human tracks breaking off from the train tracks next to a shot-up train engine. All the fuel had been looted, leaving the pair no choice but to follow the footprints in an attempt to save the town. What they found was a bandit hideout. 7 bandits against the two of them, but it wasn't like they had many options. They started with a surprise attack, taking out two bandits with their hunting rifles before they had any idea what was going on. The hunters knew the area better, running off to hide from retaliation. The bandits made the mistake of splitting up to look for them, letting the hunters pick them off in a series of gunfights throughout the day. They managed to win, and immediately went to work bringing what they can back home. They where several days out at this point, and the town's supplies where thinner than newly-formed ice. Ron's father insisted on camping down for the night, and Ron obeyed-until they got into walking distance of the town. The sun was setting and they where still hours away, but Ron feared this night would be the last the town would see. He rushed forward through the dark, carrying enough supplies to heat the town-or at least a building big enough to hold everyone-for the night. He made just in time, with a nasty case of frostbite to show for it. That's where he got his nickname. His father made it back the next day with enough supplies to hold out until the stockpile could be recovered. Ronald figured' he was pretty good at gunfights, and said goodbye to his family after he made a full recovery. Now he is a roaming gunman, shootin' people who deserve it while making a pretty coin.
Stats: Allocate 14 points between these attributes as you wish, and add the modifiers from your Origin.
Might: 1 (3 points, -2)
Speed: 5
Learning: 1
Wits: 3 (1 points, +2)
Presence: 1
Mind: 5 (3 points, +2)
Chosen Traits: Fastest in the East: Always win Initiative in combat, Quick Attack:Make two attacks in a turn.

Figured if Combat is gonna be lethal, we better have someone who is good at it :V. Was there supposed to be a place to put your Background, or where you saving that for later?

[Digital Hellhound]

Was there supposed to be a place to put your Background, or where you saving that for later?

Background goes with Origins! I figured I had enough sections on the app and so rolled the two together. Feel free to write as much as you like - your third Trait will be determined by your background and role, after all!

[Egan_BW]

Rimepunk! I'll be watching this, mull over a character maybe. Good thing I don't have to rush something generic to lock in a spot. :V

[Egan_BW]

Care to look at this and tell me if it's okay? Diving suits might be too narrow a category for the Expert trait, but I wasn't sure what else that would fall under.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Name: Ulien Inervios
Gender: Female
Description: Tall, pale, and somewhat gaunt. Her hair is wavy and a dull grey, perhaps from malnutrition and exposure to cold as a child. She keeps her hair quite short so as to not get in the way of a diving helmet. Despite somewhat plain looks, her pale blue eyes belie an internal force of will, determined to not get discouraged, and to carry on in the face of hardship. She doesn't often smile, except when drunk.
Origins: Eldest daughter of one Phillip Inervios, founder (and sole employee) of the "Inervios Quality Diving Suit Company". She grew up with these machines, and came to understand and love them just as much as her old man. When her mother passed away she took up the burden of the housework, and when her old man passed away she inherited his business. Not that these things didn't effect her, but anyone growing up in the Rime learns that there's no point in grieving when there's work to be done, lest you in up in a grave yourself. Well, another thing that Rimers learn is that sometimes the only way to keep what you've got is with the point of a gun. What only the more clever Rimers learn is when you're the one who's outgunned. That's why, when a group of bandits with rifles showed up outside her father's shop, she just gathered up her two little sisters and ran. That day the bandit posse gained a house full of valuable tools and machinery, and Ulien ended up with not much more than an old six-shooter, a week's worth of fuel, and her old man's own diving suit. Well, that's just how it goes sometimes...
Stats:
Might: -2
Speed: 4
Learning: 5
Wits: 1+2
Presence: 2
Mind: 2+2
Chosen Traits: Expert (diving suits), Lethal Shot

[Digital Hellhound]

@Egan_BW: It’s good! You could have it as Expert (Engineering), though it’s fine as it is too. Your backstory is interesting and compelling, but what’s driving your character now? Vengeance? Trying to start a diving suit business in her father’s footsteps? Caring for her sisters? Just a will to survive with no further aspirations?

@Stirk: Also good. You’ve really caught onto the desperate survivalist nature of the setting. Would you say Frostbite’s heroics in saving the town are known more widely, or is he thought of as just one gunslinger among many?

[crazyabe]

Spoiler: Have a fish, man (click to show/hide)

Name: He usually tells humans that they would be unable to pronounce his name properly, and to just call him "Jonah"
Gender: Male
Description: Tall and thin, usually wears almost all concealing  from just one glance you can tell that he has had a rough time, with numerous scars across his blue skin and slightly protruding ribs from "a few" missed meals.  Personality wise he is a bit arrogant but more willing then not to give up his attitude to get whatever job needs to be done, done.
Origins: Mer, Jonah was raised through a fairly normal childhood for a mer, and lived a fairly average life for his kind, however he always showed a knack for one rather important thing; sneaking around, this eventually lead to him getting a "Special mission" which involved finding and stalking a group of humans who were suspected of killing an important trader, a smuggler really, buying and selling things that mer and humans weren't supposed to buy from each other, really the only reason he's still here is because he took a few wrong turns and got turned around in a few "minor" blizzards after finding the dumb bastards frozen to death and generally losing interest in going back knowing he failed, since then he has taken up jobs for anyone willing to pay him, human or mer, these jobs have included nigh everything from deepsea diving to hunting, and even a bit of mercenary work.
Stats: Allocate 14 points between these attributes as you wish, and add the modifiers from your Origin.
Might: 1 (0+1)
Speed: 10 (4+6)
Learning: 0 (-4+4)
Wits: 2 (0+2)
Presence: 0 (0)
Mind: 1 (0+1)
Chosen Traits: Unseen Killer, Fastest in the east

[Dwarmin]

I was called, and so I arrive!

Spoiler: Dwarmins Character Sheet (click to show/hide)

Name: Fiona McDougan of Cormwall (Recently nicknamed 'Fry')
Gender: Female

Description: Fry just has that 'inner' look about her-an air of humble helplessness, topped with slow simmering terror, her skin a 'healthy' Caucasian shade (instead of a proper Rime pale) that stands out for miles-short and slight enough you'd lose her in a crowd, capped with long and shimmering green hair that can only come from a bottle of Vigor-but you can see the ash blonde she tried so hard to hide, already coming back at the tips of her bangs, since she's like not afford it anymore. It's not a very attractive color combination, given her hair an appearance similar to a mulch pile. Her eyes are a bright blue, and her nose is short and slight as the rest of her-though she has more than enough to tell she's a lady, anyway. As if that wasn't enough to tell you she's not from around here, her gear has that curious inner mixture-of hastily bought and multiple layered garments to stand against the sudden chill they thought wasn't so bad after all, and a bunch of useless things they can't stand to throw away-a lot of what you'd call sort of 'fancy clothing'. She still has a parasol for Gods sake! Something about her how utterly doomed she looks just makes you want to give her a hug, but odds are she'd give you one first. The only gear she shows any lick of sense is in that traveling case of hers-it's all full of those little spice jars and cooking utensils, pots and pans, all snugly secured so as not to give a single rattle.

Origins: I'll tell it to you the way she told me. Fry said she hails from some land called 'Camelon', which is supposed to be an Island nation, one composed of many clans. She told me it was the most beautiful place in the world, but she can be forgiven for a bit of hyperbole I suppose, given she's still adjusting to things. She was of what is best classed as 'minor nobility'-newly wealthy merchant families. That was her life. The eatery she inherited from her parents was all she ever wanted, apparently-serving up food to Lords and Ladies by the dozen, by all accounts she should have grown quite wealthy. Of course I wouldn't be telling you this story if it all turned out to be a happy ending, would I? From what I can gather, Camelon is like a group of those whales, frozen under an ice sheet with only one little hole leading to the surface-tearing each apart to get that breath of fresh air. Well, her homeland-Cormwall...she didn't say much, but it's gone. Another Lord wanted it, and he took it and everything else. Everything she ever had was gone. And what does one do when the bottom drops out of your life? I suppose you can only go East and find a new one, so that's what she did. She was whistling when I first met her. Makes me think she might not entirely miss her old life, comfortable as it was.

She's got an odd reputation. Mostly useless and borderline pathetic, like all Inners. But friendly-she's got a cheerful and optimistic nature. Lucky to have around. Bad in a pinch-she's apt to run and hide, or conversely show suicidal bravado, neither of which are like to be helpful. But no one can quite say they'd not want her along with them on a journey-she picks up things quickly and brings out the best in others, though there's some parts of her old life she's still clinging to. But mostly its her cooking-give her a haunch of meat, and all her indecision and worry seems to vanish. She knows how to handle food. Up here in the Rime, we know how to keep the body alive, but someone like Fry-she knows how to keep spirits up. Hope can keep you pushing forward, moving forward, when the body says to lie down and die. And Fry gives me hope...oddly enough. I can't quite place it myself. The way she keeps going, keeps smiling, despite it all. Maybe I'm just getting religious in my old age.

Stats: [Inner]
Might: 1
Speed: 3
Learning: 1+2=3
Wits: 3
Presence: 1+2=3
Mind: 5-2=3
Chosen Traits: Frontier Cook, Team Heart

[Stirk]

@Egan_BW: It’s good! You could have it as Expert (Engineering), though it’s fine as it is too. Your backstory is interesting and compelling, but what’s driving your character now? Vengeance? Trying to start a diving suit business in her father’s footsteps? Caring for her sisters? Just a will to survive with no further aspirations?

@Stirk: Also good. You’ve really caught onto the desperate survivalist nature of the setting. Would you say Frostbite’s heroics in saving the town are known more widely, or is he thought of as just one gunslinger among many?

Probably poorly known, given how slow news from the town would spread even if they told everyone who passed through. Besides, there are probably a dozen guys known as "Frostbite" in the setting, it must get incredibly confusing. "Hey, did you hear that 'Frostbite' guy saved a town from freezing?"  "Really? Good to see that infamous bandit turned his life around."  "No, not that guy."  "You mean the saloon back in town? That was mighty kind of them."  "Not them either"  "You can't mean my grannie's old dog?"  "A new 'Frostbite'. A new one you are now hearing about for the first time."

[Dwarmin]

"I heard Frostbite was the one who attacked the town! Wait, which town was it again?

Snowfall?"

[Stirk]

"I heard Frostbite was the one who attacked the town! Wait, which town was it again?

Snowfall?"

"No, it was" *snaps fingers three times* "Frostbite. That's right. It was the town of Frostbite."

[dgr11897]

Spoiler:  Mer-tank (click to show/hide)

Name: falerion "octo-faced freak" , merc nickname "avalanche"(due to him being really hard to kill/stop, and deadly no matter the range)
Gender: he
Description: he tends to wear a small book around his neck, and his specially made cloak designed to keep in moisture and help conceal him, this hides most of his features, except for a small beard of tentacles, and his glowing eyes. Under the cloak and heavy clothing, he is possibly the most muscular mer you will ever see, has a scar over his right shoulder, blue scales, and skin pale as ice. He is also mute, communicating simple stuff through hand gestures, and writing things out either on his notepad, in the snow, carving it into the ice, or using whatever other medium is available.
Origins: mer, the first thing he remembers that isn't vague, blurry lights and sounds, is being dragged into town while someone yells for a doctor, then waking up in a tub of water with a bullet hole through his voicebox, shoulder, head, and myriad other injuries. He was found when a couple, and their daughter daughter sasha, found him out in their fields, lying in pool of blood not entirely his own more dead than alive. With a gun, a cloak, a book marked with a strange symbol resembling a phoenix, and a note
placed upon the book, seemingly written to himself, saying
"I know what's going to happen next, I'm going to die, or come darn close, no way around it, I'm outnumbered, outgunned, and alone. Either way, I have something I want to say to whoever has this book. I wish to warn you, don't open it, I don't care how curious or desperate you are or become, don't. It's what got me here, waiting to die, surrounded by foes on all sides in these blasted wastes. And within this book there are things that both mer and man should not know. I plead you, please, bury this book, hide it away, somewhere it will never be found, where its secrets remain secret."
Choosing to heed his warning, falerion settled down inside the town taking whatever odd jobs he could find, practicing his skills with firearms, and Trying hard to forget, about the book, which now lied hidden underneath the floorboards of his house. For seven years he tried to forget, even as his friendship with sasha and the other townsfolk grew, there was an iching in the back of his mind, telling him to go pick that damn thing back up.
 Eventually though, his past found him, someone came after him, tried to kill both him, and anyone else who might know of the book. Though falerion was able to fight him off, it was decided he should leave and take the book with him. as he makes final preparations to leave, several come forward with gifts, sasha gave him a necklace created from some wire and a pebble from a nearby river, another gave him a bayonet for his rifle, meanwhile others gave him supplies, words of encouragement and prayers to help him along his way. as he began his journey he unlocked the book, and searched for answers within, and found none, simply more questions, however there was one thing he was sure of, wherever this thing comes from, whatever its cryptic words mean, it was linked to the rime.
 Now he heads towards the rime with nothing but an old rifle, a bayonet, a gift from a friend, a cryptic book that got him shot, and the prayers of a village. His goal? To find out what it was he was so desperate to keep from getting found, and why it was important enough to get him shot. He sees if there are any groups heading out from the inner he could escort to the rime for both transport, a quick buck, and the possibility of new allies.
Stats:
Might:3
Speed: 4
Learning:1,
Wits: 2,
Presence: 0, He relies on actions rather than words most of the time, mute.
Mind:4
Traits,
mer: +4 speed -4 learning, unbothered by cold under Deathfrost conditions, but have to bathe in water every day or dry out and die. Humans may treat you with suspicion, disdain or outright hostility
Hardy: yeah, he has survived some stuff which would kill almost anyone else, but he's still up an kicking like it never happened.
expert Investigation:
His book is currently inactive, but does have some maps and clues pointing towards some sort of... Temple? that's related to the book in some way, well got no other leads so to the mysterious temple we go.

well, here is my character, I decided to go with investigation rather than occult whatever, due to investigation still helping me find things out, and put the pieces of what led to my appearance in a pile of blood (presumably) dozens of miles from the nearest mer settlements.

[Jerick]

Spoiler:  Doc James Leary (click to show/hide)

Name: James Leary
Gender: Male
Description: James is a young man and a tall stick figure of one at that his clothes tend towards the be impractical and fancy revealing his limited experience in the Rime
Origins: Inner: James is a fantastic doctor and has run a successful medical practice in one of the larger cities in the Inner for many years. He is however a far worse gambler than he imagines himself. His fortunes have been spent on bad bets and poor decisions all the while James arrogantly blames others for his mistakes and believes himself a maverick card shark. Time and time again he has entered high stakes poker games and left much poorer. Time and time again he would come up with ill conceived schemes to quickly make back the money he had lost. A trail of bad decisions and angry creditors has led him to the Rime, to his latest scheme. He has heard you can be quite wealthy if you lay claim to some land there before the thaw comes and he wants a piece of the action. And as always he has completely underestimated the consequences of his decision, he believes himself skilled, capable and up to the task he has set himself. But truth is a cold, biting, merciless thing. The Rime kills all those who are unprepared and James Leary is unprepared.
Stats:
Might: 1
Speed: 2
Learning:8 (6+2)
Wits: 1
Presence:5 (3+2)
Mind: -1 (1-2)
Traits:
Unfazed (James has been elbow deep inside dead bodies before, he's often dealt with angry loansharks and their intimidating goons. He's typically unfazed by things so long as he can blame someone else for it)
A Face You Can Trust (James often relies on his charm and his conviction that he did nothing wrong to get him out of trouble)

Well this guy is probably not going to live long.