Discworld Also Example Characters - Second Edition Update

[Phil Masters]

As Discworld Also has sold a few copies since it became available at W23, I thought that I'd take the odd moment to convert some of the example nonhuman characters from there to Discworld 2e as best I could. Here's the first.

Dualla Derayne
(157 points)

ST 10 [0]; DX 13* [40]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 10 [0].
Damage 1d-2/1d; BL 20*lb; HP 10 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 10 [0].
Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
5'6"; 120 lbs..

Social Background
TL: 4 [0].
CF: Sto Plains/Uberwald (Native) [0].
Languages: Morporkian (Native) [0]; Quirmian (Broken) [2].

Templates and Meta-Traits
Elf-Kin (p. 102) [16].

Advantages
Acute Vision 1 [2]; Fearlessness 2 [4]; Reputation +1 (Among Ankh-Morpork upper classes; Talented; All the time; Large class) [2]; Resistant (Disease; Occasional; +8) [5]; Status +2 [10]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Perks: Haughty Sneer; High-Heeled Heroine; Off-Hand Training (Knife). [3]

Disadvantages
Bad Temper (12 or less) [-10]; Code of Honour (Honest Dealing; Informal or Safe) [-5]; Compulsive Carousing (12 or less) [-5]; Phobia (Mild Ailurophobia; 12 or less) [-5]; Reputation -2 (Among Ankh-Morpork Upper Classes, as a Temperamental Tantrum-Thrower; 10 or less; Large class) [-2].
Quirks: Craves excitement; Dictates everything that her clients wear (Including underwear and shoes); Perfectionist about stitching; Refuses to discuss her origins; Throws and tears things when she's angry. [-5]

Skills
Accounting (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Area Knowledge (Ankh-Morpork) (E) IQ [1]-13; Artist (Drawing) (H) IQ-2 [1]-11; Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Carousing (E) HT+2 [4]-12; Dancing (A) DX-1 [1]-12; Fast-Draw (Knife) (E) DX [1]-13; Gambling (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Knife (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Merchant (A) IQ [2]-13; Professional Skill (Dress Design) (A) IQ+2 [8]-15; Professional Skill (Leatherworking) (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+2 [4]-15; Sewing/TL3 (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Sex Appeal (A) HT+1 [2]-11†; Streetwise (A) IQ-1 [1]-12; Thrown Weapon (Knife) (E) DX [1]-13.

* Includes +1 from 'Elf-Kin DX Bonus'.
† Includes +1 from 'Appearance'.

[Phil Masters]

Broken Bastion
(31 points)

ST 15* [0]; DX 10† [20]; IQ 7‡ [0]; HT 10 [0].
Damage 1d+1/2d+1; BL 45*lb; HP 15 [0]; Will 11§ [0]; Per 11¶ [0]; FP 10 [0].
Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 4** [0]; Dodge 8.
6'3"; 403 lbs..

Social Background
TL: 4 [0].
CF: Sto Plains/Uberwald (Native) [0].
Languages: Morporkian (Native/None) [-3].

Templates and Meta-Traits
Gargoyle (p. 100) [46].

Advantages
Acute Vision 1 [2].

Disadvantages
Intolerance (Dwarfs; One group) [-5]; Obsession (Finding a new home exactly like his old one; Long-Term Goal; 12 or less) [-10]; One Hand [-15]; Wealth (Struggling) [-10].
Quirks: Hates surprise attacks; Uses a lot of military terminology. [-2]

Skills
Area Knowledge (Middle Ramtops) (E) IQ [1]-7; Axe/Mace (A) DX-1 [1]-9; Brawling (E) DX [1]-10; Camouflage (E) IQ [1]-7††; Climbing (A) DX+3 [0]-13‡‡; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-9††; Tactics (H) IQ-2 [1]-5; Throwing (A) DX [2]-10.

* Includes +5 from 'Gargoyle ST Bonus'.
† Includes -1 from 'Gargoyle DX Penalty'.
‡ Includes -3 from 'Gargoyle IQ Penalty'.
§ Includes +4 from 'Gargoyle Will Bonus'.
¶ Includes +4 from 'Gargoyle Perception Bonus'.
** Includes -1 from 'Gargoyle Basic Move Penalty'.
†† Conditional +2 from 'Limited Camouflage (Stone)' when stationary and unclad against a stone background.
‡‡ Includes +12pts from 'Racial Skill Point Bonus (Climbing)'.

[Phil Masters]

"Wet Weather" Willgiss
(57 points)

ST 12* [0]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 9† [20]; HT 13‡ [0].
Damage 1d-1/1d+2; BL 29*lb; HP 14§ [0]; Will 10 [5]; Per 13¶ [10]; FP 13 [0].
Basic Speed 6.25 [0]; Basic Move 5** [0]; Dodge 9.

Social Background
TL: 4 [0].
CF: Sto Plains/Uberwald (Native) [0].
Languages: Morporkian (Native/None) [-3].

Templates and Meta-Traits
Gnoll (p. 103) [-14].

Disadvantages
Enemy (Elena Needlebretch and her minions; Medium-sized group (6-20 people); 9 or less) [-20]; Status -1 [-5]; Wealth (Poor) [-15].
Quirks: Likes wet weather; Practical joker; Relatively soft-hearted. [-3]

Skills
Area Knowledge (Octarine Grass Country) (E) IQ+1 [2]-10; Brawling (E) DX [1]-12; Camouflage (E) IQ+3 [8]-12; Carpentry (E) IQ [1]-9; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]-12; Mimicry (Bird Calls) (H) IQ-1 [8]-8††; Navigation/TL0 (Land) (A) IQ-1 [1]-8; Scrounging (E) Per [1]-13; Stealth (A) DX+1 [4]-13; Survival (Woodlands) (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Survival (Plains) (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Tracking (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Traps/TL0 (A) IQ+3 [12]-12.

* Includes +2 from 'Gnoll ST Bonus'.
† Includes -2 from 'Gnoll IQ Penalty'.
‡ Includes +3 from 'Gnoll HT Bonus'.
§ Includes +2 from 'Gnoll Hit Points Bonus'.
¶ Includes +2 from 'Gnoll Perception Bonus'.
** Includes -1 from 'Gnoll Basic Move Penalty'.
†† Includes -2 from 'Disturbing Voice'.

[Phil Masters]

Professor Abulias First
(245 points)

ST 14* [0]; DX 9† [0]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11‡ [0].
Damage 1d/2d; BL 39*lb; HP 14 [0]; Will 13 [0]; Per 13 [0]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 5.00 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
6'5"; 213 lbs..

Social Background
TL: 4 [0].
CF: Sto Plains/Uberwald (Native) [0].
Languages: Brindisian (Accented§) [2]; Ephebean (Accented§) [2]; Latatian (Accented§) [2]; Morporkian (Native§) [4]; Quirmian (Accented§) [2]; Uberwaldian (Native) [0].

Templates and Meta-Traits
Zombie (p. 116) [178].

Advantages
Language Talent [10]; Status +1 [5]; Tenure (Academic) [5].

Disadvantages
Curious (6 or less) [-10]; Pacifism (Self-Defence Only) [-15]; Sense of Duty (To anyone who has ever helped him, even unintentionally; Large Group) [-10]; Truthfulness (12 or less) [-5].
Quirks: Dislikes pitchforks and torches; Keeps wine for visitors (who are generally too polite to tell him it's awful); Mild-mannered; Still developing a proper sense of humour; Tries to relate people's problems to things in books. [-5]

Skills
Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-10; Literature (H) IQ+3 [16]-16; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per-1 [1]-12; Teaching (A) IQ-1 [1]-12.

* Includes +4 from 'Extra ST'.
† Includes -1 from 'Reduced DX'.
‡ Includes +1 from 'Extra HT'.
§ Includes +1 from 'Language Talent'.

[Phil Masters]

And by way of a bonus - a sample character from the first edition itself, tied in to the good professor above:

Dieter the Poacher
(59 points)

ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 10 [0]; HT 11 [10].
Damage 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24*lb; HP 11 [0]; Will 10 [0]; Per 10 [0]; FP 11 [0].
Basic Speed 5.75 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
5'7"; 148 lbs..

Social Background
TL: 4 [0].
CF: Sto Plains/Uberwald (Native) [0].
Languages: Morporkian (Accented/None) [2]; Uberwaldean (Native/None) [-3].

Advantages
Acute Hearing 1 [2]; Patrons ("The Monster" - Prof. Abulias First; Extremely Powerful; 9 or less) [15].

Disadvantages
Delusion ("That monster wants to kill me!"; Minor) [-5]; Shyness (Mild) [-5]; Status -1 (Downtrodden Yokel) [-5]; Wealth (Struggling) [-10].
Quirks: Believes that it's simply impossible for the poor to make a truly honest living; Dislikes dogs and wolves (fear of werewolves); Regards pitchforks and torches as basic necessities of life; Worried by deciduous trees ("They lose all their leaves? They must be dead!"). [-4]

Skills
Camouflage (E) IQ [1]-10; Crossbow (E) DX+1 [2]-13; Farming/TL4 (A) IQ-1 [1]-9; First Aid/TL4 (Human) (E) IQ [1]-10; Naturalist (H) IQ-2 [1]-8; Polearm (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Staff (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-11; Survival (Mountain) (A) Per-1 [1]-9; Tracking (A) Per [2]-10.

[whswhs]

It seems odd to think of Sto Plains/Überwald as a single cultural familiarity. As Carrot put it in The Fifth Elephant, Überwald is what you have before you have countries; the Sto Plains HAS countries. We see the clash between Angua, who has assimilated to Ankh-Morpork ideas of civilized behavior, and her brother's adherence to an exaggerated form of the Lore. I'm tempted to say that the contrasts are sufficient to justify two different CFs.

[Phil Masters]

How much to divide or agglutinate Cultural Familiarities remains an open question, of course, but… I don’t get the impression that basic assumptions about etiquette and style change much when one travels up from the Plains to the old Dark Empire region. Vines and Carrot seem to get by okay; they don’t suffer the kind of confusion that Rincewind does in the Agatean Empire. The politics are different, certainly, but Cultural Familiarity isn’t generally about forms of government.

Or to put it another way, I think of the Sto Plains as “Fantasy Western Europe” and Uberwald as “Fantasy Germany” — and Western Europe and Germany generally get covered by one CF. I guess that if you see Uberwald as more Slavic (which it is in places), and you distinguish between Western and Orthodox as CFs in real-world games, you could argue for an analogous division.

Then you’d have to decide what to do with Borogravia and Zlobenia.

Personally, I think that Discworld games should go for large, agglutinated cultural regions, because characters should be able to rush from place to place and get on with things without worrying about picky details. Except where it’s funny, of course, in which case, divide away.

[Willy]

Originally Posted by Phil Masters

SNIP

Or to put it another way, I think of the Sto Plains as “Fantasy Western Europe” and Uberwald as “Fantasy Germany” — and Western Europe and Germany generally get covered by one CF. I guess that if you see Uberwald as more Slavic (which it is in places), and you distinguish between Western and Orthodox as CFs in real-world games, you could argue for an analogous division.

Then you’d have to decide what to do with Borogravia and Zlobenia.

SNIP

As a german with a little knowledge in history I strongly advice to put Überwald in the southeast european / slavic corner most flavour and allusions in some Pratchett novels playing there come directly from there.

As for the other mentioned generally as slavic interpreted regions yes generally slavic, but people eastern europe would say there is a lot of difference in culture and behavior if you travel die distance between poland and central russia.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Phil Masters

Or to put it another way, I think of the Sto Plains as “Fantasy Western Europe” and Uberwald as “Fantasy Germany” — and Western Europe and Germany generally get covered by one CF. I guess that if you see Uberwald as more Slavic (which it is in places), and you distinguish between Western and Orthodox as CFs in real-world games, you could argue for an analogous division.

Überwald is, of course, fantasy Transylvania (literally!). And when Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania, or Dracula visits England, there very clearly is a cultural gap. Drac himself calls this out in his speech about how in his native land he is boyar, but in England no one will have any idea of who he is or what is due to him.

And we see this on the Disc, where clearly Ankh-Morpork is London and Überwald is Transylvania. We even see it in the conflict between Lancre (which is conservative rural England) and its vampiric invaders, or for that matter in the tensions between the old style dwarfs and the dwarf citizens of the Disc's greatest dwarfish city.

The Balkans used to be what was meant by the phrase "The Near East" (which is why we have the phrase "The Middle East" for places like Iraq and Jordan). Though of course the Disc doesn't have an analog of the Ottoman Empire.

Now I don't want to be taken as saying that your view of the matter is Wrong. But I think there's a different way to look at it.

[Phil Masters]

Dwarfs, I should note, always get their own Cultural Familiarity. (Carrot delivers some speeches to Vimes that make that very necessary.) The differences between High Ramtops dwarfs and their cousins in Ankh-Morpork are predictably fiddly instance of a culture absorbing elements of another at a point of contact, possibly diverging from its pure homeland form by stages.

(Do modern American or Singaporean Chinese have the same Cultural Familiarity as mainland Chinese?)

And that’s before we ask how different Llamedosean dwarfs may be. (Probably not very, given the current Low King’s origins, but one has to wonder.)

If I were to get fiddly, I’d think about treating some cultural differences as familiarities within a given culture. (I could also argue for Tech Level differences of no more than 1 usually acting more like familiarity-level issues.) But that way, madness doubtless lies.