Split Appearance

[AlexanderHowl]

So, when I was in high school (many, many years ago), I knew a girl who had been trapped in a burning house when she was six and had suffered horrific burns on the right side of her body. By the time that I got to know her eight years later, the skin on her right side was covered by scars that were almost like scales that glittered in the light. Now, the interesting part of her appearance was not that she suffered scars from burns but she had the face of an angel on her left side. The contrast of her scars on the right side of her face made the left side of her face transcendent in appearance (the only person that I have ever seen that I would even think might qualify for transcendent appearance).

I was wondering how one would model such an appearance? Would you give her Distinctive Features with Appearance (Transcendent)? Would you give her some other level of appearance? How would you model the scars?

[TGLS]

Having such a good side a couple levels ahead of normal appearance is at best a perk. Appearance is hardly worth anything if it doesn't work head on. Model appearance assuming a good view of the entire person.

[jacobmuller]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Having such a good side a couple levels ahead of normal appearance is at best a perk. Appearance is hardly worth anything if it doesn't work head on. Model appearance assuming a good view of the entire person.

I beg to differ. From personal experience and a work colleagues tales of 16-90*.
Some people look better from a different angle. For that matter, I know one girl who really Isn't photogenic but that'd just be a Quirk -1 level of appearance in photos. As for 16-90 that's more like night and day so perhaps Beautiful (From behind only, -30%)... *1690 is a significant date here and the person in question was stunningly attractive when viewed from behind but quite a shock from the front.

Gamewise I'd been wondering about racial appearance and decided it was irrelavant but a recent Pyramid article tipped me into adding a racial stat eg Ugly (only to other races) [4]. Despite Attractive [4] meaning own race and Attractive [5] being universal.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I was wondering how one would model such an appearance? Would you give her Distinctive Features with Appearance (Transcendent)? Would you give her some other level of appearance? How would you model the scars?

For serious, extensive (~30-50% of body) scars from full-thickness burns: Distinctive Features. Possibly some combination of Chronic Pain, Maintenance, Susceptibility (Skin diseases and/or Heat/Cold), and, in extreme cases, Wounded.

For appearance, I'd go no higher than Very Beautiful, but with appropriate limitations, and with the Classic Features (Stereotypical Victorian Angel/Pre-Raphaelite Artist's Model) perk.

[AlexanderHowl]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

For serious, extensive (~30-50% of body) scars from full-thickness burns: Distinctive Features. Possibly some combination of Chronic Pain, Maintenance, Susceptibility (Skin diseases and/or Heat/Cold), and, in extreme cases, Wounded.

For appearance, I'd go no higher than Very Beautiful, but with appropriate limitations, and with the Classic Features (Stereotypical Victorian Angel/Pre-Raphaelite Artist's Model) perk.

An interesting and valid combination. She did not suffer from any particular chronic conditions that I was aware of, though she may have possessed Chronic Pain that she hid from everyone.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

An interesting and valid combination. She did not suffer from any particular chronic conditions that I was aware of, though she may have possessed Chronic Pain that she hid from everyone.

It depends on how severe and extensive her burns were. In some cases, you can have partial thickness ("2nd degree") burns which cause cosmetic scarring but not the other problems.

Anyhow, it was a bit off-topic since you were just wondering how you'd create a "scarred angel" appearance, rather than a full burn survivor character.